Gone Fishing

I started working on this post almost a month ago and I'm finally sitting down to finish it!  Life has been a little hectic busy lately so I haven't had time to sit and write as much as I would like to.  So here we go!

So nearly a month ago we spent the day at the lake.  Paul ran from one kid to the other trying to get a worm on each hook, casting the line, putting more worms on hooks, untangling lines, recasting... 

It was a little hectic for the poor guy, but we laughed at the chaos and had fun anyways.

The kids were really excited to go fishing with Daddy -- especially Max!  He has been wanting to go fishing and hunting with his Dad ever since he learned to go potty on the toilet.  It was a deal we made with him hoping to persuade him.

I don't think he realized that you have to be quiet and sit still while fishing...  He got fidgety not even 5 minutes after Paul cast his line in the water and got him ready!

All the kids got bored fairly quick and decided to walk around and play with their cousins.

After awhile the Dads gave up on fishing too (no bites this time) and we grilled some hot dogs and enjoyed dinner outside in God's beautiful country!  It was pretty windy, but other then that it was a pretty relaxing day!

As fun as it was to go fishing with the family, I have wanted Paul and I to go together so bad!  I would love to go fishing and just not have to talk or do anything -- just sit there and enjoy nature.  I may even bring a book and read and just soak up the sun.  Maybe we can do that for our next date night! :-)

I'm Baaack!

So much has happened since the last time I updated my blog.  SO MUCH.  I won't bore you with all the nitty gritty details, but here is the shortened version. 

• The kids and I drove down to Arkansas with my Dad a month before my sister's wedding. 
• We were busy every. single. day. leading up to the wedding making sure everything was perfect.  Only a few of those days were stressful. ;-)
• I got addicted to Happy Hour.  Sonic Happy Hour.
• The kids loved playing outside with Uncle Tommy, Uncle Alex, and the horses.  It was adorable to watch!
• I found out Titus is never allowed to have Dum-Dums unsupervised.
• I got to see family I haven't seen in years.  They got to meet my little babies and fall in love with them.
• When Paul finally made it down I was the happiest girl in the world!  The kids were so excited that Daddy was finally with us too!
• Paul helped take pictures of the wedding.  I loved watching him.  He's so handsome. :-)
• My sister's wedding was beautiful!  I'm so happy for her and my new brother-in-law!
• I enjoyed the many jam sessions and craved more.
• I'm thankful Paul and I took 3 days to drive home.  Taking our time and stopping to do fun things on the way was a great idea!
• I have lost 9 lbs since being home!
• We were given a really nice swing set.  Best. gift. ever.
• When we got home from our vacation Paul got furloughed from the railroad.  Not cool.
• I miraculously got my old job back at Construction Monitor.
• Happy Mother's Day!

That's a very rough summary of our life right now.  Aren't you glad I didn't go into the details?

I really enjoyed my Mother's Day.  I'm so thankful I get to spend the rest of my life with my best friend and we raise these four amazing kids together.  We may not know what we are doing half the time, but at least we're not doing it alone!

Life is a little different right now.  A little stressful.  Not knowing what the future holds can feel pretty scary if you allow it.  But Paul and I have reminded each other that God has everything under control and He will never ever leave us hanging.  He has already shown us that He is going to take care of us through the amazing family and friends that we have!  I feel like "I Know Who Holds Tomorrow" is stuck on repeat in my head. :-)

I don't know about tomorrow;

I just live from day to day.

I don't borrow from its sunshine

For it's skies may turn to grey.

I don't worry o'er the future,

For I know what Jesus said.

And today I'll walk beside Him,

For He knows what is ahead.

Many things about tomorrow

I don't seem to understand

But I know who holds tomorrow

And I know He holds my hand.

I don't know about tomorrow;

It may bring me poverty.

But the one who feeds the sparrow,

Is the one who stands by me.

And the path that is my portion

May be through the flame or flood;

But His presence goes before me

And I'm covered with His blood.

I'm so thankful I have a relationship with God.  He gives me peace.  He gives me strength.  He gives me courage!  God blessed me with my old job so I can help provide for the family yet still be home so I don't miss out on anything.  Zoe still enjoys her schoolwork at the kitchen table and is slowly learning how to read!  The kids live outside in the backyard -- they're already a shade or two darker than me. :-) Paul and I are daydreaming about the things we want to do around the house.  We are making lists and will slowly do little things here and there that will improve our little yellow home.  We're still thinking positive!  Most days. ;-)  

Grandma Bunny

Everyone knew her as Bunny. Thinking back, I don't think I have ever heard anyone call her by her first name. It was always Bunny.

Grandma Bunny was my great grandmother. She had one daughter, Barbara Jean. And through "Bobbie" Grandma Bunny had four granddaughters, twelve great grandchildren, and roughly twenty great-great grandchildren. The number is still rising. :-) She had a large family, and she loved it. 

Growing up I remember traveling to Arizona to visit Grandma Bunny. Then about eleven years ago my family and I moved to Arizona and she became a big part of our lives. My mom started taking care of Grandma soon after we moved there. The kids and I would take turns going over with Mom to clean Grandma's house and go to lunch. She loved going to cafes. 

One day a boy decided to move down to Arizona so he could be closer to me. Grandma Bunny offered her home to my future husband. She woke him up one minute before his alarm every.single.morning and there was always a cup of coffee and a glass of orange juice waiting for him at the breakfast table. Because she knew he loved it. :-) 

After I got married, moved away, and started having children, Grandma Bunny had to come with the family when the babies were due. She had to help! She insisted on washing the dishes for us. Granted we had to re-wash them . . . but it's the thought that counts. :-) 

On Friday morning Grandma Bunny went Home to be with Jesus. She was ready. I am so happy for her! But I miss her so much already. 

Parents' Challenge

I found this challenge over the weekend and was excited to start today.  Parenting is not for the weak.  When I feel overwhelmed because I can't keep up with the laundry, the dirty dishes, the diapers that need changed, the meals that need prepared, the yard that looks like a jungle...I realize that I spent the whole day forgetting about the little things that matter the most.

Every morning there are four happy, smiling faces that greet me before my morning coffee.  The pretend games are played all day long.  I need to sit and watch more than I do.

I am surrounded by superheroes and Barbies that are damsels in distress.

I live in a castle with princes and princesses that love to slay dragons and dance to music.

My couch is a pirate ship and the pirates take turns walking off the plank into crocodile infested waters.

My table is a tent where my children go camping and tell funny stories.

My tub is an aquarium where I watch my slippery, giggling "fish" who love to splash.

Why do I allow myself to stress?  There is no need for me to be.  I need to slow down and enjoy the life that I live right now in this moment.  These beautiful, happy children will leave the nest and I don't want to look back and realize I wasted my time trying to do other things that seemed more important at the time.

I decided to start today and I read Day One.  Go the entire day without raising your voice.  In less than half an hour since reading the challenge...I was challenged.  One of my children spilled a whole bowl of milk and cereal all over the table, the chairs, and the floor.

My son was afraid.  I could see it in his face.  He was waiting for me to yell and be upset with him.  Instead I kept my voice level and told him he needed to be careful while I cleaned up the mess.  I felt so much better than how I feel after I yell and get upset.  I looked at my son, and the look of relief on his face spoke volumes.

Why do we yell?  What's the point?

I can already tell that this challenge is not going to be easy, but I'm excited to make a lifestyle change now while my children are still young!  I still have a chance that most of their memories of mommy will be pleasant ones.

I encourage all parents to take this challenge.  We all have room for improvement in our relationships.  Our relationship with our children is not any different.  These little ones are our future.  Let's raise them right!

Father's Day

I wasn't sure what our Father's Day would be like this year.  Paul had been training the week before in Great Falls and hadn't had a chance to come home yet.  But when the kids and I pulled up at church Sunday morning our superhero husband and dad was there waiting for us!  The kids were very excited to see their main squeeze.

The Father's Day service was wonderful!  I enjoyed every minute of it -- I'm sure the dads did too.  It's adorable to hear how kids feel about their dads.  They have so much love and respect for them.  Every child believes their dad is the smartest, strongest, and biggest man around!

After church we all headed out to a lake for lunch.  It was such a nice day!  After the men inhaled their lunch they grabbed their fishing poles and headed to the lake to do some fishing.

The women stayed near the tables with the kids and just enjoyed the sun.  We told interesting stories and laughed while the kids explored and played adorable imaginative games.  Before we knew it, it was 5:30 and everyone was getting tired so most of us headed to town.

I am so grateful for the dads in my life.  I believe my Dad is one of the best in the whole world, but I also am grateful for my father-in-law, and my husband.  All three are wonderful men of God!  They all are family oriented and are such hard workers.  My children are so blessed to have all three men in their lives.

I hope everyone had a wonderful Father's Day weekend spent with the ones you love.  I also hope you appreciated your fathers and husbands every single day -- not just on Father's Day.  They do so much for us, don't they?  If you haven't done it in awhile, go ahead and hug your dad and/or husband and let them know how much you appreciate them.

Phebe Eloise

On May 20th I was big and pregnant.  My body was starting to hurt whether I stood, sat down, laid down...I was just getting miserable.  I was ready to have the baby!  I had been praying every single day that God would help me to have the baby -- SOON.  I was so ready.

I had my weekly doctor's appointment scheduled for the next day, but I was going to call and ask if there were any cancellations because I just wanted to go in, have my doctor strip my membranes, and pray it would do something for me.  I had been dilated to 4 cm and my cervix was open and ready for weeks -- just no Phebe.

I just finished taking a shower when my phone rang.  The nurse asked if I could come in that afternoon instead of waiting till the next day.  YES!  My mom and sister came with me to the appointment.  My doctor swept my membranes (there were only 2 that she swiped...hardly anything was holding Phebe up anymore at that point) and then talked to me for a little bit.  She was even shocked I was still pregnant at that point.

She did tell me, though, that she was leaving for the weekend and wouldn't be back till Tuesday.  If I wanted her to deliver the baby before she left, I would have to schedule an induction for the next morning at 6:00 a.m.  I was so disappointed.  This whole pregnancy I prayed and asked God to allow me to go into labor on my own.  I had never experienced it and I really wanted to know what it felt like since this would be my last pregnancy.  I went ahead and scheduled my induction and felt discouraged.

After my appointment we went to Walmart to get some last minute items.  While walking around I did feel like my insides were going to fall out of my body, but no contractions quite yet.  We went home and had dinner with the whole family.  Around 8:30 p.m. I started feeling some contractions.  Nothing consistent, just here and there.  I decided to go on another walk hoping to cause more, but as soon as we went walking I felt like things stopped.  I was pretty irritable at that point.  I was not going to get what I wanted.  I felt like giving up.

I ended up going to bed.  I figured I might as well try and rest some before waking up so early.  Paul knew how discouraged I was, so he decided to help me take my mind off of it...by telling me fish stories.  See, the whole time my family visited the guys went fishing every single night!  They had so much fun and had plenty of stories to tell.  It actually did help me feel a little better.

Around 2:00 a.m. I woke up because of a hard contraction.  I laid there for a little bit and ended up feeling another strong one.  I got up and went to the bathroom and tried to figure out if it was just a fluky thing...or if this was the real deal.  I went back to bed and laid there for about 30-45 minutes before I woke Paul up and said, "I think this is it."

Paul got up and woke up my parents.  I slowly got out of bed in between contractions and went to sit on the exercise ball.  It didn't take long before my contractions were 1-2 minutes apart and my dad said, "And why are we not at the hospital yet?"

Getting in the car and driving to the hospital was pretty unpleasant for me.  I was very thankful we lived at the bottom of the hill and the hospital was only a couple blocks away!  Before I knew it we were in the room and I was getting hooked up.

I don't remember what time my water actually broke, but I felt the gush and immediately wanted to cry happy tears!  In the midst of pain I remember thanking God over and over for answering my request.  It may seem silly to others, but I wanted this so bad.

I only felt gushes of water here and there with contractions.  I figured Phebe must have been cutting off the water somehow because I didn't feel the huge ocean-like gush that I was used to when they would break my water with the others.

This labor was different than my other labors.  Because I was induced with the other ones I was used to the Pitocin contractions -- extreme and on top of each other.  Going into labor naturally is so opposite of that.  There were some breaks in between contractions that I actually dozed off until the next one hit.  Because the contractions were not on top of each other like I was used to, I just knew I would be in labor all day and I did not want that.  I never wanted drugs with any of my other labors, but this time I remember telling my mom and Paul both that I needed them.  I wasn't joking.  Get me the drugs.  My mom had to tell me more than once that it was too late -- I was dilated to 8 and Phebe was coming!  I didn't comprehend what she was saying because I wasn't having as many contractions...

It wasn't long before my favorite nurse came in to do the final check and my doctor was behind her.  They knew Phebe was cutting off the rest of the water, so my doctor finished breaking the sack with her fancy little hook and I immediately felt my body start to push.  I didn't know what was going on, but I pushed 3-4 times and here came beautiful, sweet Phebe and the rest of my water following behind helping to push her out.

Phebe Eloise was born at 7:45 a.m.  She weighed 8 lbs and was 20 1/2 inches long.

I can't help but tear up when I think of the story all over again.  Giving birth is one of the most amazing things I have every experienced -- and the fact that I was able to do it on my own without being induced...I cannot even begin to tell you how grateful I feel.  I will always be thankful for the Lord answering my prayer.  

Not long after Phebe was born people realized just how tired they were so one by one they left to go back to bed.  Paul and I crashed as well and slept for hours.  My other babies were not able to meet their new sister as soon as she was born because there was a ban at the hospital and no one under the age of 18 was allowed in the maternity section.  After everyone got some rest, though, we did sneak out of the maternity ward and down the hall so our little ones could say hello.  Thanks to my favorite nurse who will remain unnamed. :-)

Phebe is now 12 days old and is still adored by all.  She is the easiest baby...  She gets mauled all the time by her siblings showering her with sloppy, wet kisses and big, bear hugs.  She doesn't mind. :-)  She is so beautiful...  I look forward to the day when she is older and she wears matching outfits with Zoe -- but until that day comes, I will enjoy each and everyday I have left with a newborn in the house.  It's bittersweet to think about her being our last baby!

Mother's Day

I was surprised when I woke up and realized I was allowed to sleep in till 9:00 a.m.  I would have slept longer, but Titus came into my room with a little Mother's Day present -- an empty salt shaker.

"What are you doing, Titus?" I asked.  He jabbered something in response.  "Where is all the salt?" was my second question.  Titus raised his pudgy little hands in the air and said, "I dunno!"

I walked into the kitchen and found a winter wonderland.  At least that's what my floor looked like covered in salt. 

Happy Mother's Day to me!

There were moments throughout the day that could have been stressful for me, but I just reflected on my life, my children, and the near future.  Some days I am overwhelmed with joy when I think about the fact that I will soon be a mom to 4 kids -- and they're the most beautiful, happy, healthy, funniest, sweetest kids I know!  What a blessing and honor. 

I am getting ahead of myself a little bit, though.  I need to talk about the rest of my day! 

I enjoyed being lazy on Sunday morning.  When it came time to get ready for church, I took an uninterrupted shower -- no kids playing peek-a-boo with the curtain, no one needed to go potty, and no one was climbing on the toilet trying to brush their teeth with the soap.  That's a gift right there in itself. :-)

I really, really enjoyed service yesterday.  I taught the teen Sunday school class and we had a lot of fun going over our lesson and doing a craft for our moms.  All the kids were up in song service, and though Max cried through the whole thing, I still felt the spirit of The Lord and was blessed by Him!  I'm so thankful for that.  I just love being able to worship! 

Pastor Kirby had a great sermon on moms and all that they do.  I was really proud of myself for "keeping it together" and thought this just might be my first Mother's Day ever where I would not be a blubbering mess. 

Noelle got up for her Mother's Day presentation and I almost immediately started crying. :-)  I am so overwhelmed with love when I think about my own mother and everything she has done for my brothers and sisters and I -- and what she continues to do for us!  Not only does she do so much for us, but she does all that she can for anyone and everyone who comes into her home.  There is no doubt my mom loves The Lord with all of her heart.  She's spunky -- and maybe even a little feisty -- but she's also so tender hearted.  She is the greatest role model of a hard working, selfless, stand-up-for-what-you-believe-in kind of woman.  So yes, when it came time to express how I felt about my mother, I couldn't help but shed a few (hundred) tears. :-)

I lost it a second time when my husband surprised me by expressing how he feels about me being the mother of his children.  I was crying...he was crying...we both were pretty sappy. :-)  I enjoyed the moment!

After service we all got ready for our family dinner.  All 3 kids were tired and grumpy, and again, I could have been stressed...but I decided that was the perfect opportunity to take a picture with my kids because this is what being a mom is all about, right?  I chose to enjoy the moment of chaos instead of cry (again) with them.

My kids, with the help of their Dad, made the most beautiful present I have ever received!  I cannot show you yet, though, because they also made one for my mom and she won't get to see hers till tomorrow when she, my Dad, and my brother will be here for the arrival of Miss Phebe!  I will do my best to remember to show you later this week.  I am so proud of my little family and their creativity!

Dinner was absolutely amazing!  Every dish was absolutely delicious and I was bummed when I started to feel full because I loved indulging on such yummy food. :-)  After dinner my husband scored some major brownie points by jumping in and cleaning the kitchen -- he even swept the floor when he was finished.  I'm not gonna lie, I thought he looked extra attractive in there. :-)  Paul is so amazing and thoughtful.  I am so blessed to have him as my husband!

The men watched Ninja Turtles in the living room while us ladies enjoyed a few rounds of Boggle at the table.  I lost horribly that night, but it was still a lot of fun and I always enjoy playing with the girls!

By bed time we all were wiped out by our busy day.  I laid there and thanked God for my family.  I am so blessed!

It is now Monday which means back to work.  The house needs picked up, the clothes and dishes need to be washed, and errands need to be ran.  I look forward to the job, though, because I know that everything I do is appreciated.  I like being appreciated.

Four under 4

This May Paul and I will be having our fourth child before our oldest child turns 4 years old.  Does this stress us out?  Not really.  Does it stress other people out?  Apparently yes. 

Last year before our youngest son turned 1 we got the surprise of a positive pregnancy test.  It took us over a month before we made it public mostly (for me) so I could enjoy the thought of having another baby without hearing the comments. 

It wasn't long after people found out before we were hearing that we were being talked about:

"How is Grace going to manage?"

"Poor Grace...how is she going to function with four babies?"

"How's the 'birth control' working for you?"

We live in a day and age where I feel like children are not seen as a blessing from God but rather a punishment from Him.  That's not the case at all. 

Lo, children are an heritage of the LORD: and the fruit of the womb is his reward. Psalm 127:3 

When Paul and I were newlyweds we had our life all planned out and we thought our plan would make us happy.  The opposite of nearly everything we had on our list happened.  

We ended up having not one, but two kids while Paul was in college.  Studying was a lot of fun in our house!  
We outgrew our apartment and bought our first house -- which we have outgrown again.  

We thought we were taking a break to enjoy our two kids...that didn't happen.  

Every year we promise to buy a dishwasher and every year something comes up -- this year it was a broken arm.  

Money is tight when birthdays come along so we decorate using construction paper, balloons, and tissue paper.  Thank you Pinterest!  

Paul and I were planning a romantic trip to Cancun for our anniversary this year...I got pregnant. So we will be enjoying our anniversary at home with steaks and mushrooms by candlelight. Or maybe a pizza. 

Every night I go into my son's room and reassure him that the shadows are not monsters and that Jesus is the ultimate superhero.  Sometimes I have to reassure him a few times before he calms down and goes back to sleep.

The kids wake up early demanding cereal, gum, candy, or SuperWhy every morning before I am even out of bed.  Or have had my coffee.

My husband runs out of clothes every single week.

Even though our life hasn't gone according to plan, Paul and I could not be happier!  Zoe, Max, and Titus give us pure joy.  Sometimes we sit in the car while all three are dancing to the music and we get overwhelmed...we have such beautiful, happy, healthy children.  Wow.  It's amazing.

Things don't work out the way we want them to and life is stressful, but at the end of the day...it's all about family.  Cake Boss knows what he's talking about! 

This lifestyle may not be for you, and if you couldn't handle it, then thank God He hasn't given you more than you can handle.  I know it is not for everyone.  But don't feel sorry for me.  Be happy with me while I bask in the blessings that God has given me!

Oh, and by the way...baby #4 is a girl!

Little Moments

I think it was yesterday that I transferred my pictures and videos from my phone to my laptop.  Wanna take a guess as to how many I had?  Did you guess 1,200?  If so, then you're right!  I told Paul that I think I have 3,000 - 4,000 pictures and videos on my laptop.  If anything happens to that thing...I don't know what I will do!

 

Oh, and I know that is a ridiculous number, but I can't help it!  I snap pictures all the time because I love my children so much and I would hate to miss anything!

 

Speaking of pictures...here are a few more! :-)

 

Zoe and Olivia playing the piano and singing.

Titus' favorite spot in the house. He loves to change the volume.

Can you tell Titus is the baby? He gets picked on all the time. ;-)

I love to just sit and watch kids play.  You can see their little imaginations at work when they drive cars on walls, or if they're taking care of baby dolls.  Even when they color, you can tell their little wheels are turning!

Sometimes life gets really, really busy, and we have to remind ourselves to slow down.  Don't miss out on the little blessings God has blessed you with.  Even when they're having a meltdown! :-)

Hugs!

Our first camping trip!

Last week we tossed around the idea of going camping over the weekend.  We almost didn't do it, but we knew we deserved a weekend getaway and the kids would have a lot of fun!  So we packed the car and made sure we were ready by the time Paul got off work on Friday and left for the most relaxing weekend ever!

 

Well...

 

We got lost.  We were almost to the lake when we took a wrong turn and drove a long time down the wrong road.  Whaddya gonna do.  We did get back on track and found where we were supposed to be.  Paul headed straight for the lake to go spear fishing and the kids and I went down to the beach! 

 



 

 

Max absolutely loved the water.  He didn't act afraid at all!  He enjoyed playing in the sand and water.  It was the perfect temperature too!  I enjoyed watching my kids play and have so much fun.  I enjoyed just sitting and knowing I didn't have to do anything!

 

Doesn't this look funny?  We're here in the mountains and there are seagulls!

 

Paul and Kirby didn't get any fish that night, but they had so much fun!  Can you tell?  They would try again the next day and still come back empty-handed, but they had a great time being out in the water and almost catching "the big one."

 

The scenery was just beautiful and I knew I had a very relaxing weekend ahead of me.  Laying around on the beach, reading my book, playing with my kids...it was going to be fantastic!  The kids did not act bored once -- sleepy, yes, but they were running around everywhere enjoying their first camping trip!

 

Zoe looks so funny in this picture, but it's the best I could take of her eating a s'more!

 

The kids were having a blast eating s'mores and being around the campfire!

 

Even baby Titus -- who didn't leave my side.

 

The next day we enjoyed a yummy pancake breakfast and waited for the sun to warm us up a little bit.  As soon as it got warm we got dressed and headed to the beach!  We spent many hours down there and it was wonderful!

 

Sometime in the afternoon we had to say goodbye to Paul's family.  The kids HATED to see them go, since we just got there.  We had fun with them the one day we got to see them!  Gram helped sweeten the sad moment with cookies, though.  That helped. :-)

 

Even Titus got a yummy cookie!

 

Here is a picture of my beautiful family on our first camping trip!

 

After we took our family picture we decided to take a walk by the lake.  While walking I noticed lightning on the other side of the hills and kept bugging Paul with my worries of a storm coming.  He assured me over and over that the wind was blowing the storm away from us.  No worries.

 

We got back to our tent and the wind had picked up some.  We decided to just go to bed and we were sure the wind would calm down soon.  The wind only got worse and worse, and guess what happened?  The lightning was right over top of us!

 

The wind ripped the rain cover part of the tent off -- I like to call it the roof -- and that kind of freaked the kids out, but I put them all to bed anyways while Paul got out of the tent to try to fix the problem.  This is what happened next...

 

Me: Ok kids, let's hold hands and say our prayers.  'Thank you, Jesus, for this wonderful day-"

 

A gust of hurricane wind came and completely leveled the tent with the kids and I in it!  You should of heard the screams of terror from the kids!  They were beside themselves!  It's actually pretty funny now!

 

Paul tried putting the tent together when I noticed a huge gaping hole in the wall of the tent.  Oh, did I forget to mention the borrowed tent?  ::sigh::  How disappointing.

 

We finally gave up once the lightning got worse and it started to sprinkle.  I packed up the kids real quick and then Paul and I packed up our camping area in the dark.  It seemed like it took forever, but we threw everything in the car and then left just as the rain started to pour.

 

We made it to Great Falls and we both were exhausted.  We found a hotel room on priceline and decided to head home the next morning.  We got to the room, put the kids to bed, and I headed to the bathroom to take a much needed shower.  Titus started to cry but I didn't even care, I wanted a shower so bad!  I went to start running hot water when I went looking for shampoo and conditioner.  There was none in sight!  There was soap, but no shampoo.  Then I noticed the sign that said any extras, like shampoo and conditioner, could be purchased at the front desk.  ::sigh::  So I gave up and rescued my crying baby who didn't calm down and go to sleep till 4:30 in the morning.

 



 

Paul got up in the morning and went to the continental breakfast to bring something back for the babies.  When he came back, he tossed a couple packages of muffins on the bed for the kids.  When I asked what they had for breakfast he said packaged muffins and fake fruit.  Haha!  Perfect!  The kids loved the muffins, so that is great!  They got something in their tummy and Mommy and Daddy headed for Starbucks.  Liquid breakfast. :-)  Yummy!

 



 

We spent the rest of the day in Great Falls and then headed home around dinner time.  Once we parked Zoe said, "Can we go camping again?"  I'm thankful they're not scarred!  As soon as we got home I threw all three babies in the tub!  I enjoyed my hot shower -- and my shampoo and conditioner.

 

So our weekend didn't work out the way we planned.  It kind of was a bummer.  But we had fun and we have some laughs about the kids' first camping experience!  Hopefully it will work out a little bit better next time.  Ha!



Fun in the sun

I think this is the busiest summer I have ever had in my life.  It's not going to slow down any time soon either!  As you can see from the picture below...it's tiring!

 

 

Last Friday was Paul's day off so we spent the day walking, swimming, taking afternoon naps, eating pizza, and enjoying a bonfire with s'mores!  Yum!  It was a perfect, summer day!  We had a lot of fun with friends and family and I know we will be having more bonfires (and s'mores!) in the near future! :-)

 

Max has discovered that he can climb into Titus' crib using his toddler bed as a boost.  This is so great, right?  Not really.  But it is.  Haha!  Confused yet?

 

Max is such a great big brother to Titus!  He climbs in there to try to make Titus happy.  It doesn't always work...but at least he's trying!  It's kind of fun to listen to over the baby monitor.  They both gasp when they get really excited so they tend to have a gasping conversation when Max crawls over.  It's pretty funny!  Oh, and sidenote, Max has shared cereal with Titus.  So now Titus is crazy about Honey Bunches of Oats.  Thanks, Bub!

 

Saturday we celebrated Emilie's 7th Birthday!  It's crazy to think she's already 7..  She had a beach themed birthday party and it was a lot of fun!  All the kids had a blast!  Here's most of the kids together.  Emilie is in the middle with her Minnie Mouse ears. :-)  The girl LOVES ears.  She wears her Minnie Mouse or cat ears almost everyday.  So Auntie Grace made sure to add to her collection.

 :-)  I got her elephant, zebra, and puppy dog ears plus a few other little things.  She was very happy!

 

Yesterday we went to church and my kids were the only kids to attend, so they got to stay up and listen to Papa preach.  During church, Zoe was designing clothes and taking pictures of them.  Ha!  She is so funny.

 

Tuesday night, after Paul gets off work, we will drive through the night to Everett, WA.  We will be in the state of Washington till Sunday having fun with family.  It will be a fun time!  But because we are leaving tomorrow night, I have A LOT to do today!  Packing, cleaning, getting the car ready, appointments, blah blah blah.  I guess I better get started!  Happy Monday!

Back into the swing of things. Take two.

I tell you what.. getting back into the swing of things is hard work! Since being home it has been so hard to keep up with the housework, grocery shopping, blah blah blah... I guess you could say I got spoiled when I was down in Arkansas! Now it's time to get back to work! 

I took a lot of pictures while down there, but I will only post these three for now. One day we rode horses all day. We all had a great time! Zoe was a pro when it came to riding horses! She rode the pony first, but soon said she wanted to ride "the big one." And she did! ALL BY HERSELF. I'm so proud of my baby! 

I sure do miss being down there! It's such a happy place! 

Now back to work, work, work! 

Back into the swing of things

Wow! I have not posted in for.ev.er. My fans are starting to go away! I have been keeping really busy so far this summer and I'm LOVING it! Paul, the kids, and I went down to Mountain View, AR last week. We were gone a total of 10 days and it felt amazing! I loved having Paul all to myself and him not working. 

I will post pictures later, but while we were down there, we kept busy riding horses, meeting tons of new people, played music for many hours, we went on hay rides, went to parties, had Sara's graduation...we did not have any down time and it didn't bother me at all! I definitely wished I could be on vacation forever! No work, no bills, nothing stressful...it was so heavenly. 

Every single one of us had such a wonderful time. It was very hard to say goodbye. I hope to see everyone again soon --- and I know plenty that would love for us to stay permanently! ;-) Saying goodbye to family is a very hard part of growing up. 

Since being home life has seemed a lot more quiet...it's weird! It's been a little rough getting back into our old routine and for some reason my motivation has left me... ;-) I actually had to take time out of writing this post to put together a To Do List for myself for tomorrow. So I should be all set! 

Check back later for pictures!

Three Questions

 

 

 

I feel like I ask myself these questions every evening after I put the kids to bed and I'm finally sitting in silence. Did I love enough? Did I laugh enough? Did I make a difference? Sometimes I feel like I have failed, and other nights I think I did ok. And then it hit me ---

 

What if I asked myself these questions in the morning before I get out of bed?!  Will I love enough? Will I laugh enough? Will I make a difference?

 

When I rephrased my questions and had this mindset before I even got out of bed, I realized that at the end of the day I felt better about myself because I lived a fuller day with my husband and little ones.  I make sure to give lots of hugs and kisses.  I choose to laugh instead of feel stress.  And I make sure to make a difference for my husband and children.

 

I'm not perfect.  There are days when I don't laugh enough and stress overcomes me.  But I know that tomorrow I will try even harder to be who I need to be!

 

Do you love enough?  Do you laugh enough?  Have you made a difference?

Counting Blessings

Paul is going on another business trip this weekend.  As much as I would love to go with him again, the kids and I have to stay home because this trip is out of state.  I hate when he has to leave, but I am trying to have a better outlook this time around!  The kids and I will have fun -- I'll make sure of it!  I plan on taking them to the dollar store where we can buy some crafts, lunch dates, we'll head to the library so we all can get some books to read throughout the week, I plan on having movie nights with the kids.. I'm going to make this fun!

 

The first trip Paul took where he left us all behind was miserable.  Zoe had a horrible time accepting the fact that Daddy was gone.  I knew I wasn't much help because I was pregnant and emotional and I just laid around the house and cried.  We're not going to repeat that week.  No way!

 

Up until he leaves we have been doing special things together as a family.  The other day we went out to eat a late lunch together.

 

 

It was nice to walk around and enjoy being with my perfect little family.  I love being out with Paul and the kids!  We end up having so much fun together!  Plus it's kind of funny to see the looks people give us when they see the three kids and realize how close together in age they are. =)

 

After our outing we soon realized maybe it was too early to go out since we all have been battling this cold/flu thing.  We ended up spending our Sunday home sick and miserable.

 

Well.. some of us were sick and miserable.. this guy wasn't obviously. =)

 

Paul and I were bummed that we weren't able to go to church, but it really was nice to spend the day in our PJ's watching tv and spending time together.

 

Zoe and Max have loved spending more time with their Dad.  He has been coming home around 3:30 the past week and they have bonded so well!  It kind of makes me sad because I know he will be going back to working 12 hour shifts 6 days a week as soon as he gets home from his trip.  The kids and I are going to miss him being around so much.

 

BUT!!

 

I can't think like that.  Even though it has been hard on Paul (and the rest of us!) to work so much, we both know things could be much worse.  He could be out of a job for one.  Also, we know that this isn't going to last forever -- though it seems like it has. =)  One day things will be different and he will move up with the company and have more time to spend with his favorites.

 

God has blessed our lives in so many ways.  I may say that a lot, but it's true!  Sometimes we go through things we don't like, or life gives us little surprises, and in the end we receive such beautiful blessings!  So much to be thankful for.

 

Count your blessings!  Think positive!



And just like that..

After texting, messaging, blogging, and googling..

 

 

I think I have figured out how to post pictures on my Blog again!  Yay me!

 

Here is the latest picture of my three beautiful kids!  Max was so excited to hold baby Titus!  I think the minor jealousy he felt towards Titus is now gone!  Thank you Jesus!

 

Here is a little update on the family:

 

Paul

The poor guy is still working 12 hour shifts Monday through Saturday.  He has been working this crazy shift, alone, since August of last year!  Thankfully he now has two part-timers that started yesterday!  No more loneliness for my man!  God is good!

 

Grace

I am doing my best to lose baby weight by watching calories and, when I can, working out by using a DVD, YouTube, or apps on my phone.  I have lost a lb a week so I'm slowly getting to where I want to be!  Thank you Jesus!

 

Zoe

I try to do school with Zoe for an hour everyday.  When I say school I mean flash cards, board games, etc.  She is getting so smart and she is such a comedian -- just like her Dad!  She is my daily entertainment!  She is also the perfect mother hen!  Don't mess with her bubbas!

 

Maximus

Max is currently trying to push out more teeth so he has kind of been a monster.  This boy has the worst temper ever -- yet he can be the happiest little fella too!  He absolutely adores Zoe and they follow each other around the house all day.  I have also noticed he is watching over Zoe's shoulder and learning a lot from the flash cards too!  He's a genius.

 

Titus

It looks like Titus is slowly losing his beautiful dark hair.  It also looks like he will be a blondie like his brother and sister.  It was fun while it lasted I guess!  He is so observant.  He'll just sit and watch you -- and he has the best smiles!  Just so happy and content with life.

 

As you can see we are doing great!  I'm so glad I figured out how to post pictures again!  More to come!