what's been going on!!

well, well, well .... it's been quite a while. i honestly don't have a super awesome excuse for my lack of blogging other than the obvious "i have three kids" thing. but, i often think "i should be blogging this..." or "this would make a good blog post". for some time now, i've wanted to get back to my roots of blogging ... you know, the every day life stuff. don't get me wrong, i love reviewing EVERYTHING and consider it one of my passions to try places/things and give my honest opinion about them, but frankly that isn't why i started blogging.

so, kaley .. why did you start blogging? i'm not sure that i ever addressed that question on here before. the short answer: i want my kids to have something to look back on after i'm gone. yah, yah .. morbid. i also want to have my piece of the internet. some people want to get buried when they die, you know ... claim that little plot of land, well .. i want my internet piece!

anyway - let's get caught up. 

kaley: 

 still a SAHM! i've picked up a few new titles though ... Football and Baseball Team Mom and just recently Little League Board member! three days a week, i have about 2 hours to myself, it's been lovely! i typically spend those three days running errands or cleaning but occasionally (like today!) i find time to sit down at the computer or catch up on tv! i recently made myself every doctor/dental appointment that i could and aside from the typical vision getting worse and finding out that i have high blood pressure, i'm over all healthy! (and yes, you read it right ... 33 year old with high blood pressure! *insert eye roll*) all in all, not much new with me!

adam:

 about the same update for him! nothing is ever new with us really! OH - well one thing did happen with Mr. Poag! he got the ole SNIP SNIP. which means the hopes of there every being a baby girl Poag is gone. (wahhhhh wahhh wahh!) He's still doing his electrician thing and lovin' it! recently his schedule is working long days Mon-Thurs but having off every Friday, which me and Bear just love!  last summer, adam built a shed for us - which was amazing. he's got so many house updates planned, hopefully i'll be blogging some of them!

kullen:

  well, mr. 8 in a half year old, 3rd grader kullen! i don't even remember the last time that i blogged about him. probably when he got his tonsils out, which if i'm right, is still a draft post. HA! .. but, tonsils gone  - sleeps and talks a lot better with them out! he was also diagnosed with mild tourettes syndrome. he spent some time in occupational therapy but i really didn't feel it was doing what it needed, so we stopped. his tics were more verbal anyway. aside from that - he excelled in baseball last spring and is looking forward to this upcoming season! he also went all the way to states in football! we ended the season as #2 in the state of maryland for 8u! GO BLUE KNIGHTS! 

rhys:

 lets see, can't remember what i last talked about with rhys! he tested early into kindergarten last school year (which i'm not sure ever made to the blog) and is currently excelling in first grade. he just completed his destination imagination with his school and did really well (although complained most tuesdays when he had to go practice!) he also played tball last spring and his first year of football in the fall! he was one of the youngest on his team, and had adam as his coach! 

bear:

  oh my bear. currently FOUR years old and by far the funniest member of our family. seriously, there is NEVER a dull moment with him around! we decided to put him in a school program taught by local highschoolers (first flight) and he really enjoys it. he has made some new friends and seems to have won a few of the teachers over (always running to give them hugs!) despite his funny character, he is a true sweetheart. 

we still have kazi (our cat!) who will turn FIFTEEN this April. woah. 

we also had gotten a hamster two years ago but she only lasted about a year. she was a sweetheart and we're not sure what ever happened to her. 

we recently got two guinea pigs from a friend of ours (heather!) ... a sweet mama and her baby. they boys love them and i've even seen adam petting/playing with them from time to time!

so, i guess that about sums it up!

believe me, i know that i am missing some key things that have happened over the years, hopefully i'll get to them eventually!

meanwhile, you can follow us on instagram, facebook or twitter for the every day happenin's of the rogue poags! 

a letter to rhys

dear rhys,

oh where, oh where to being with you. my middle boy. i could write a billion words about you and still not adequately describe you, your amazing personality or my love for you.

i admit, when i first became pregnant with you - i questioned my ability to love another kid as much as i loved your brother, but you taught me that was definitely possible. you also taught me to love you in a different way, separate from your brother - and i love you for that.

you are totally comfortable in your skin, it's amazing.  most people fear for the 'middle kid' - fearing that they'll constantly be fighting for attention and don't get me wrong - you do, but you don't mind your position. 

you love everything about your older brother. you don't get upset that you have to do things just because kullen does, in fact you LOVE doing everything he does.
you also love being an older brother to bear. i was worried about that role and although the beginning started rocky, you quickly learned that you have to be gentle and protect him. i can't wait to see the relationship between the two of you blossom over the years.

you are the smartest boy that i've ever known. not many can carry on a full blown conversation with their two and a half year old [i mean, i couldn't with kullen!] but me and you have some of the best conversations during the day. you make me laugh so much.
what's so funny to me is that we dressed you up as a parrot for your first halloween [well, second - you were a month old for your first!] - and you turned out to REALLY be a parrot. you repeat everything and it gets you in trouble from time to time ;)

also, at two and a half - you're fully potty trained. something that I seriously thought would ever happen! we had been trying for months and you'd have good days and then really BAD days! then one day, I decided we were done with day time pull-ups. I came home and told you that we weren't using pull-ups anymore and you said "okay!". that evening as I was about to put you in a pull-up, you said "no, I want to wear underwear!" and as hesitant as I was, I let you. since then, you haven't had a pull up and you've only had 2 accidents (over night). i'm so proud of you, kid.

i also want to thank you for teaching me patience. you test me in EVERY WAY POSSIBLE. i thought that kullen was bad in that terrible-two phase but boy, you are showing me how easy i had it back then. you will do something so terrible but then two seconds later turn around with the biggest smile and say "love you mama" or come give me a kiss and it makes me forget all the rotten things you've done. i have also learned that there is no reasoning with you. once you get set on something, it's that or nothing … and those times when you don't/can't get your way, it's awful. we've had multiple meltdowns in stores or just in general public and they are the pitts. 

i do feel like i could go on forever about you. your personality is so amazing and i am SO blessed to be your mama, even on bad days. your whitty ways and cheesy smile always make me forget 'em anyway! i love you middle kid, you're the best i could possibly ask for. 

rhys-gram

the many ...

faces of mr. rhys 

favorite parts

every night at dinner, we begin by telling each other our favorite parts. it started when kullen was younger and now it's usually the first thing he says when we all sit down. that being said, rhys has heard this banter from day one of his life. he has begun participating by responding with 'ummm' when asked. within the last few months, he usually says 'umm dada' or 'umm kuwwen' ... which is really cute. :)

but the last few days, he's actually said things that have happened that day. 

on monday - we had ice cream with the easter bunny. so when we asked him at dinner what his favorite part was ... his response was 'ummm hop hop!' so, i said awww the easter bunny was your favorite part!!

yesterday we spent the day with our friends - heather and chloe. so at dinner, before my butt even hit the chair - rhys said 'your part??!! ummmm' so we all chuckled and i asked him what his favorite part was? he said 'umm co cooo' [co co = chloe!] and i couldn't believe it! he was actually saying something that made some sense!

my boy is getting so big and SMART. i'm amazed each day at the stuff he knows/learns. 

i also love this tradition we have at our dinner table. we got the idea from friends of ours who had kids around our kids age, so thanks bridgette! :) 

do you have any traditions for you and your family? 

rhys - 15 months

23lbs and 8 oz [50%]

33 inches long [97%]

over all - perfeco ;)

[oh that thang in the middle of his forehead ... tragic firetruck accident.]

blurry or not .... that cheese face kills me!

& he got shots today and didn't even cry ... not even a whimper. 

my string bean!

i have so much more to post on my little man ... but i'm being beckoned to cuddle! ;)

Rhys update!

I know I haven't posted the last couple month updates - slacker! I just need to sit down and type them out, pictures are already taken!

but I wanted to do a quick update on my newly ONE year old!

one year stats:

32in long (95%)
22lbs 15oz (70%)
wearing mostly 12 months ... certain things 18months (jumpers and pjs!)

he's now running! he walks so fast it makes is all laugh but hey! he got places to go! ;)

within the last month, he has become so vocal ... he will try to repeat mostly anything but his favorite words are:
mama
dada
bubba (brother/kullen)
buh-bye
ooooeee (shoe)
toooootlee (oh tootles - Mickey Mouse)
cookie
ca-ca (cracker)
more
nigh-nigh (night)
ank (blank((blankie)))
nin-eee (ninny)

AND! within just the last week ... he has started saying
go ool? for go to school and he says it in question form! I guess because I am always saying (to kullen) ready to go to school? so now when we get in the car, he'll say 'go ool?' haha!

speaking of car - he hates getting in his seat! once he is in, he's okay but just putting him down - the back starts arching and tantrum throwing! haha

he loves to play with his brother, dance and clap his hands too!

he has 5 teeth (2 big gappy in the front and 3 bottom)!

I feel like time is flying with him ... where is my baby?!!!

the fair

last weekend was our local county fair! it was also my moms birthday AND my sissy was in town!
we had a lot of fun and kullen was chased [& scared to death] of a robot demonstration! HAHA!
but he bravely road the Ferris wheel which surprised me!
and little bit got to have his first funnel cake :)

walking!

look at my boy :) seems like overnight he just starting going! 

& he's even ready for shark week in his shark pjs! ;)

summer fun

i am so behind on blogging [story of my life]
this summer has been so much fun so far and if i posted about it all - it would be a hundred blogs. so i'm going to cram them all into one!
here is what we've been up to so far. see the common theme here .... poooool! ;)
we've spent a few fun days with heather & fam at her aunts pool, time at our neighborhood pool and even a visit to a little splash park! :) 
can't wait for the remainder of the summer fun!