The McMahon Family

Patrick has done it!! Successfully completed the first week of potty training. So proud.

And that picture made me have a flash back to the Doodlebug potty training:

Seems like it was just yesterday!  I can’t believe I have two big boys!

We celebrated our (shared) 12th anniversary with Paul and Kristen by going out
to dinner at the Bayern Stube last week.

We met them a year into our marriage and have been great friends since.
So not only was it a celebration of 12 years of marriage, but 11 years of a friendship.
Happy Anniversaries, Friends.  We love you!

After losing my patience yet again with the boys (honestly, due to issues not even related to them!), I asked Mac to get something for me.  “Sure, Mom.  I’m sorry you’re upset.  Are you just frustrated?”

“Yes, Mac, I’m frustrated.”

“Sometimes, I get frustrated when I’m trying to catch crickets and I can’t get it.  It makes me frustrated.  Then when I get frustrated, sometimes I get mad.  Then when I’m mad, I’m just sad.  I don’t like being sad.”

“Yeah, that’s exactly how Mommy is feeling.  I’m frustrated and that made me angry and mad at you and I shouldn’t have been.  Now I’m sad that I yelled at you.  I’m sorry.  Do you forgive me for taking it out on you guys?”

“Yeah, Mom.  I don’t want you to be sad!”

Seriously?  Sometimes I’m amazed at what he comes up with?!  I guess it’s just amazing to me that something simple like that from a kid can be so profound for me and what’s happening with me!

The other day, he had me thinking more.  One evening this last week, it was the end of a long day of running errands and going to the pool in our crazy heat, and the family was finally all bathed and relaxing in front of a movie in my room.  As I stretched out on my pillow, I said, “You know, if I had a sweet tea, this would be perfect!”  Mac looked at me and said, “Going to heaven would be perfect! I can’t wait to go there.”  Most days I can’t say that I long for heaven or even think of it as the perfect place to be.  I’m so exhausted from the day or being with the kids or working, I don’t even think of heaven.  I think of my couch…:)  Anyway, nothing wrong with me enjoying my home (or even my sweet tea 🙂 ), but nice to remember that my true home will be so much greater!

*Side note:  Right now Mac is consumed with learning all about heaven.  He wants to know all about the mansion being built for him, where it is, what’s going on there and just how often God goes to and leaves there.  The other day he informed me that God wouldn’t be at church with us on Sunday.  I asked him why not and he replied, “Because he lives in heaven and our hearts!” with a ‘duh, mom’ look.

I posted a few new pics in the July photo album.  Mac fell AGAIN running down the driveway (I really wish I had some glamorous reason for him falling, but I do not) and got another set of double owies on his knees.  As sad as we were for him (and yes, we really did feel his pain), Nicki and I couldn’t stop from chuckling at his ‘pain dance’ and are very upset we didn’t get it on film.  I did, however, get a sequence of pictures that show you the following moments…

Nicki summed it up and said, you just have to see it in person to truly understand how absurd (she was kind and didn’t use this word) it is!

We also braved the heat one afternoon and took the kids to ‘Kids’ Day’ at the county fair.  I think Matthew’s days in the kiddie land are numbered, but my boys still had a blast!  Patrick got to fly in a plane!  There is a good reason why he’s facing backwards…really!  Mac and Matthew were in the plane behind him and we wanted him to be able to see them, thinking it would set him at ease.  However, once the ride started, he forgot about them and just tried to turn around.  So, we felt bad in the end, but see?  We had a good reason! 🙂  Click on the picture to see a few more.

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And finally, one more video from the pool!  Mac has conquered one more thing, the big slide!  After numerous trips up the many stairs, just to walk back down them, too afraid to go down the slide (sometimes he even stood at the opening of the slide, then backed out), he finally can do it!  This video is more for Daddy.  Mac really wanted to show Daddy that he did it. 🙂  Here is what the slide looks like as you walk up!  Much more intimidating in person, especially if you’re a four year old. 🙂

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Grandma and Grandpa Rapp set up a swing set at their house.  The boys love it!  Here are a few snipits from the activities they enjoy.  Oh and a conversation Mac and I had about eating cat food. 🙂

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