Festivals, Floats, And Family

I promise I'll stop with the title alliteration...maybe.

Everyone have a good 4th?

The girls had a blast at the parade...

Can you tell?

Modest, isn't she :)?

They waved at the floats, caught candy, and blew some bubbles...

Absolutely nothing could tear them away from the festive parade and entertainment...

...well, unless you count the 5 minutes they spent watching a bug crawl along the street, you know, because that can be really interesting and exciting too. Sigh :).

After the festival we spent the rest of the day at a family cookout. We decided to skip the fireworks this year - too late for the girls - enough fun for one day - too tired - need sanity - etc.

I have lots of pics coming from more outings we ventured out on this past week, and from a couple photo shoots w/ some amazingly adorable kiddos. I'm also gearing up for some changes that are coming to our blog in the next couple weeks - it's time for a change around here, don't ya think?

But for now, we are off to the pool...or park...or both...oh who knows!

Happy Monday!

The Library, The Lavatory, The Letters, And The Laundry

Since the weather has been a little to chilly for the pool, I decided to take the kiddos to the library to sign them up for the summer reading program - I know, 5 little girls, the library, a place where everyone whispers...

I live on the edge, people. (not really, but it's fun to think I do.)

I'm starting to believe that my girls have a future in inspections, since there isn't a single public restroom that they can pass up.

"girls, we are here to check out books, not to check out the facilities..."

But they insist.

So yes, I did take a picture in the library bathroom so I could document this specific situation that I speak of often - here we are, the 6 of us in the stall, at least some part of each of us showing in the pic.

Good Times.

I took all your amazing ideas for crafts & activities and headed to Hobby Lobby. It only takes me a minute after entering this place to remember...

Hobby Lobby is from the Lord.

All the crafts, decorations, ribbon, flowers, frames, pictures, and useless items my little heart can handle. And the sales!? Well don't get me started on the sales.

I bought canvas bags, paint, and foam letters so the girls could make their very own "library bag." It was a huge hit, and the bags have already been put to use. Thanks again for all the ideas :)!

On a busy & fun day like this, it's only natural for something to suffer - for something to be neglected. And if you stop here often, you will not be shocked too find that it was the laundry that got the bad end of the deal. Oh well, I can always do it tomorrow, right? Or the next day, or the next day...

I hope you all have a beautiful & fun filled July 4th! Anyone have big plans for the holiday?? We will be heading to the parade and then a cookout with family. Expect pictures :).

Wordless Wednesday

A Closer Look

I had the girls outside yesterday doing some coloring with the sidewalk chalk, when our neighbor came across the street to see, "all these girls!" :)

She trumped the chalk with 3 little magnifying glasses. The girls loved them. So for the rest of the day, we have taken "a closer look" at just about everything...

...even the dog has been inspected...

I'm not going to lie, this pic is here just because of those amazingly sweet pigtails - Aren't they the sweetest?!

They did a lot of this - I'm pretty sure they know every detail of each others face now :).
It is a beautiful day here and we are off to the park then the pool. Full day, but it is seriously gorgeous outside! Thanks for all the ideas for crafts and activities, I can't wait to try them out!

Enjoy your day!

Oh Sunny Day

We have been running around this small town of ours staying busy and having some fun in the sun. Summer is passing so quickly, can you believe it is almost the 4th of July!?

.....There truly isn't a set of water fountains that we have missed.....

.....Charlotte loves a certain park that has a huge sand area. I like to look at the pics and pretend that we were on the beach somewhere :).....

.....and please know, that I would never, ever, let my children drink the water spraying out of the fountains. That would be unacceptable behavior, and who knows where that water has been -- on second thought, whatever keeps them busy.....

.....playing hard makes the little ones hungry -- and Reese refuses to have to choose between apples & pears, so why not eat both at the same time.....

.....once in a while when we run out of fruit, and even though I believe that no value menu has anything beneficial to offer my girls, I have been known to run through a local fast food joint to pick up some nuggets and ice water -- you know, just to save some time.....

.....although my girls do enjoy a special treat like this once in a while, I refuse to eat fried chicken nuggets and french fries while wearing a swimsuit -- there is something about those 2 parties coming together that seems, well,

counterproductive.

On a totally different note, I'm looking for some new activities for the girls. Stuff we can do at the park, games we can play. Oh, and crafts we can do at home, at the kitchen table. I figure if we keep it at the table at home, it is an easy clean up for a last minute showing :). Anyone have some ideas or activities that your kids love?? I would love to hear about them!

This was kind of a random post, but hey, we lead kind of a random life right now :).

Happy Thursday!

Wordless Wednesday

Alright, just a few words. Are we still here? Have I gone off the deep end? Am I still crazy?

Of Course.

But not as crazy as I was this time last week :). We have been refueling, taking our time, and enjoying each other...as you can see above :). More posts coming soon on what fun things we've been up to! Hope you all are having a great week!!

Back To The Basics

...life had gotten a little too chaotic...

...I needed to slow things down a bit...

...we have been way too busy...

...it's time to get back to a more simple agenda...

...making sure we have some free time...

...realizing how quickly we can put way to many things on our calenders...

...spending time together at home and at the park...

...stopping by every water fountain to see if we can reach the water...

...seriously, look at those little lips - I just want to jump into that picture and squeeze her :)...

...and getting a victory after standing on our tip toes...

...enjoying some quite afternoons...

and remembering that,
...simple really is better...

Thanks so much for your emails and encouraging comments, they were so appreciated!

I Should Be Fired

As a mom, have you ever had a day when you thought,

"If it was possible, I would be fired...or maybe I need to retire..."

I decided to throw a little honesty in my wordless Wednesday, and it will be far from wordless. Because I am a mom, I am human, and I do make mistakes in this amazing, beautiful, but wild hand that God has dealt us.

It can be rough at times. And let's face it, when you are a stay at home mom, there are no lunch breaks, no half days, no vacation time, and no consistent adult interaction. It can feel isolating and lonely, especially when you have many small children that are pulling your hair out for you :).

Stressed out, maxed out, checked out.

That has been my day for the past 10 days. Up early in the morning, packing bags for the day, making sure the house is clean before we leave, swim team, swim suits, sunscreen, feeding babies, lunch, park, the list goes on...and is usually a list I enjoy. For the most part, I am very calm even in the middle of fits and meltdowns. Not because I have a lot of patience necessarily, but because I feel there is no benefit to me and the children melting down. I truly believe when the mom starts to let loose, it sets the whole situation on fire.

I'm on fire.

Lately I am a little on edge, and when I say "a little", I mean "a lot." I've been short with the girls, and stressed. Our days start out just like normal, but 3 hours later I find myself yelling at them in a bathroom somewhere...as they stare at their frazzled mother, confused as to why I am at the end of my rope.

I should be fired.

It takes a lot to raise these kiddos, and I wouldn't trade one second of it for anything. There is no amount of money that would take me from being with my girls day in, and day out. Nothing that would ever replace seeing all their firsts with my own eyes, and being there every time they need something. They need their mom. I would do it all again, and if the truth be told, if we felt led to, I would have more.

So today I've decided that I'm going to try to take my humor back...I am going to laugh with them instead of be stressed, I'm going to delight in these crazy moments that will soon be gone when they are older. I'll let you know how it goes. Anyone out there want to offer some advice on how you deal with stress during crazy seasons? Please tell me that every mom feels this way sometimes!?

Maybe I shouldn't be fired, maybe I just need some PTO time :).

These are the pics I had planned for a wordless Wednesday post. I know I've said it before, but don't you just want to squeeze them!?

Playin' Catch Up & Sweet New Pics

Wow, am I behind or what!? Crazy times around here lately, which I know is not new news :). We have been going non-stop since my "Break Time" post...ironic, huh?! Even though my head has been spinning a little w/ everything going on right now, I did learn something new this week...

...selling a house and dealing with multiple showings with many young children is not exactly the easiest thing in the world...it is insane!!

Wow, has my agenda been turned upside down by a small For Sale sign, and some Showings. My world has been rocked by the fact that every time the phone rings, we may have to evacuate our home...oh, and the house has to be perfect when I close the door behind me :). It is an adventure, that is for sure...but I like an adventure, and crazy times make for some good memories :).

So what have we been doing? Nothing too out of the ordinary. The park with friends, the pool, the store, the pool, grandma's house, the pool :). I know you all may be tired of seeing pics from...you guessed it, the pool, but I couldn't resist this one...ok two :).

Sweet girls, healthy snack, and what looks to be the beginnings of a black eye??? Oh don't worry, that's not a black eye, that is just what happens when you have goggles suctioned to your face for literally hours at a time. Yep, that is my sweet, goggle lovin' Char without her goggles.

She keeps them close by though. You aren't a true swimmer without your pink, Speedo goggles...or so she thinks :).

And I also wanted to share these pics of this sweet little boy. I got to do a photo shoot with him and his 2 older brothers recently and I just had to share these two pics. Isn't he so stinkin' cute!?

Hope you all had a great weekend!!

Break Time

.....Today we are going to relax at home.....

.....well, maybe not relax exactly, but we are going to stay home instead of doing our new normal summer routine.....

.....No pool, no store, no park.....

.....Just some crafts, play-doh, and laundry.....

.....It has been a busy couple weeks already, and I think it might just get busier as the summer goes on.....

.....Don't get me wrong, we are having a ton of fun! Just need a little break.....

......Our Charlotte has a new found love.....

.....Goggles.....

.....and she has apparently taken up synchronized swimming as well.....

.....one thing is for sure, she means business when it comes to keeping these goggles on at all times, and sometimes that means not knowing which toy is which because they are completely fogged up.....

.....and sometimes while all of this is going on, my sweet babes take a snooze in the stroller. I think they are enjoying these breezy afternoons by the pool.....

We are loving summer & I'm sure we will be more than ready to jump back in to our routine tomorrow!!

Happy Wednesday!

Do You Have A Melissa?

Last night 3 friends were coming over to hang out for a bit. On the way, I get a call from Melissa, and she says she is on her way...with a surprise.

A surprise? What is she up to now? For those of you who know Melissa in real life, you know she is the surprise queen, so this all shouldn't surprise you at all. Wow, I'm saying surprise a lot.

Anyway, I had been on the phone with her earlier that day talking about the stress of selling the house, keeping it clean, and how the outside still needed a little love here and there. How on earth will I manage all this and take care of the 5 small kiddos at the same time??

She assured me that,

"this will work out...the house will sell...and this is only a season. I know you're overwhelmed, but you will look back and laugh at this...just be patient."

Melissa gets to the house, orders me back into my own living room, and pulls one of the other girls outside. Which by the way, Beth helped Melissa carry out this plan...love her for being a willing accomplice :). When I was allowed to come outside, I saw all the bushes trimmed, 6 new flower pots, and freshly laid mulch!! Can you believe that?

I am so thankful for friends that care that much, that want to help in ways I would never even think of. Who love me for who I am, even when that includes complaining and frustration...the good, the bad, and the ugly. What a weight off my shoulders this gift was, you have no idea!! Melissa is fantastic at staging a home, she owns a Home Staging Company called, Show It Staged. Check it out here!

Thanks, lady!

Party & Ramblings...But Mostly Ramblings

This little girl had a big weekend! She spent all day Saturday with some of her favorite little girlfriends celebrating her birthday. Can you tell she's a whole year older!? Not really? Well, her mama sure can tell :).

There was cake, balloons, presents, and flip-flop party favors. Let me tell you, these flip-flops from the Gap were a huge success...you would've thought it was Christmas! I highly, highly recommend them. And, they made from some really cute pics of all those busy, girly feet.

Good times made for some really happy little girls. Here is Ella with our niece, Rylie.

Speaking of niece's...would you check out this sweet little girl. This is also our niece, Morgan. I had a chance to get some pics of her Saturday towards the end of the party.

Isn't she so stinkin' cute!?

We went from a busy weekend straight into a crazy week. Ella started swim team this morning, and we will be doing that every morning for the next 6 weeks. So fortunately, I won't have any shortage of interesting stories for the next 2 months, or the next 20 years for that matter :). It might get a little crazy, but Ella is sooo excited and absolutely loves it. You would think at swim team you would hear me saying a lot of:

Good job, Ella!
Wow, sweetie, you're doing great!
Way to go!

While I do say those things, if you are standing near me, or following me around the pool 75 times as I try to lull 2 babies to sleep, you will mostly hear:

Wait, I said walk!
Seriously, stop that!
Stop touching the trash can!
If you run, then you're going to fall, and I don't want to hear it when you do...cause I told you to slow down.....
We can't get in the pool right now, the swim team is practicing...
I know you don't want to go in the baby pool, but it's that or nothing!

Funny, the only thing I think my 3 yr old twins hear when I'm saying these things is, "yadda, yadda, yadda...blah, blah, blah..." Sweet little girls, but they definitely have thier own agenda, and sometimes I don't think that involve listening to me :).

I can only make an attempt to get control...it's not a successful attempt every time, but it never hurts to try, right!?

Did I mention that we are also selling our house? No? Well, we are. You interested? From here on out, we need to be gone most of the day, everyday, to keep the house ready for a showing at a moments notice...I'm real excited about this. On second thought, maybe people will just have to understand that we have 5 kids in 2 bedrooms, and just give me a little grace about a toy laying here or there :).

(yes, we are in a 3 bedroom home currently...who knew our family would grow this quickly?? Which actually I prefer them to share a room, even when/if we move into a 4+ bedroom home, they will still share...more on that in a different post.)

Have I rambled enough? Yes? Sorry :).
Hope you all had a great weekend!

You Made Me A Mother

5 years ago today, on June 5th 2004, I became a mother.

God gave us a miracle that morning at 6:22am after being in labor for almost 24 hours. A little girl that has been such a tremendous blessing in our life.

.....Ella, 5 years ago, you made me a mother.....

We became parents, and our parents, became grandparents, for the 1st time. So as you can imagine, there was a lot of excitement in the air!

I lived out a dream that morning when they handed you to me, an amazing picture of God's Grace in my life. I remember laying in that bed trying to swallow the fact that you were actually ours, a precious little girl, a daughter, I couldn't believe it. We were overwhelmed with joy!

You are an incredible help to me, at such a young age. I have been amazed at your willingness to help out or lend a hand. I am so proud of you. You are loved tremendously by all 4 of your little sisters, they truly adore you. I can see how much you care about them, and it has been a blessing to watch you be the "big sister" & set an awesome example for the younger girls. Again, you make me so proud!

Time is going way to fast, and today, you turn 5!

Ella, you:

...have an amazingly sweet spirit & heart...

...love to play outside...

...love to be Mommy's "big helper"...

...can count to 100 & beyond...

...love learning to read...

...just started to tie your shoes...

...will be starting kindergarten in the Fall...

...are a sponge, you soak up everything you hear, and always remember it...

...are wise beyond your years...

...love crafts...

...love to play hide & seek...

...absolutely adore the little girls in your preschool class...

...have the sweetest laugh, it's contagious...

...love going for walks...

...love to swim...

...and love everything girly, jewelry, dress-up, etc...

I am so excited to celebrate with you today, and tomorrow at your birthday party!

We love you so much, our sweet Ella!! Happy 5th birthday babe!!

Wordless Wednesday

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Tis The Season

.....summer is finally here.....

.....the flip-flops are on.....

.....the pool is open.....

.....and the babes are enjoying the warm, breezy weather.....

We are head over heels for summer right now!

Hope you all had a great weekend!!