Vacation Bound!

Last week we packed up the crew (which really meant packing up pretty much the entire house when all was said and done) and headed to Florida with our dear friends the McGilvray family. We had a blast on the beach, in the condo pools (including a water fall, monkey bars, lazy river, spray park and wet playground), and much more! Steph and I were able to go parasailing, something both of us have always wanted to do, and Jason and Aaron even took the big girls out crab fishing one night. Kylie LOVED every minute of the entire vacation (but I think her fave. might be a toss up between playing in the sand, and playing kitty cat in the condo with Kenz and Ash.) Beck did MUCH better than I thought. He didn't mind the sand at all and actually enjoyed being in the water with dad. Stratton, well...he struggled a little bit. He was fussy all week there, had trouble keeping his food down, and wasn't sleeping well. Pretty much, he was a typical 6 mo. old at the beach! We didn't take a ton of pictures, but between the two families, I think we covered most of the events. It was hard to say goodbye at the end of the week, but I was ready to get home and back to our normal routine. From a travel side, everything went really smoothly. The kids did great on the flights (trip there wasn't full, so Beck got his own seat next to Ky and J while I sat across from them with Strat who slept most of the way there and back), the rental car process was quick, the condo was ready, and all in all, it was a blast for our entire family!

The three amigos...

Ky and Beck playing in the sand

Beck thought the hole was pretty cool.

Steph and I coming in from parasailing...

That's us...way up there!!!

Before heading up...

She did these monkey bars so much that she has blisters...

Playing in the ocean.

Getting buried...

Daddy and his troublemaker...

Hanging with Strat on the beach...

Boat trip.

First day at the beach with the entire family (this didn't happen very often in the 7 days we were there due to nap schedules)

A man and his thoughts...

An intense game of go fish...

Crabbing...

Beck was very angry that he couldn't hold the crabs, he didn't understand...

After cooking the crabs, getting them ready to eat.

Belly laugh.

This spells TROUBLE!!!!

Stratton watching the Steelers game on Thurs. night.

Helping hands...

LOVE this shot.

Watch out waves!

This is the life...

She was so brave..the entire time I had to keep telling her to come closer to shore. She kept wanting to go out where she couldn't even touch anymore.

Our attempt at a family photo (thanks, Steph)...I had wanted to do this, but by the end of the week, I was over it. Luckily, I have a hubs to knew how bad I wanted one, so he made us do it anyways. Glad I did. Here's the FAB FIVE on Vacation 2011.

For no other reason than....he makes me smile...

And to think there was a short period of time when I thought I didn't want this? phish...good thing God knows more than we do! =)

I think I can...I think I can...WOW...I actually did!

Some of you (ha...I say that like I have a CROWD of readers) might remember a not so flattering picture I posted two months ago in an entry regarding my need to lose the baby weight that decided to hang on for dear life after #3 arrived. Well, its been 8 weeks and I'm proud to announce that I did it (yea, it surprised me more than anyone else I think)....I have always hated running...and yea....I still do...but it (and actually paying attention to what I've been eating) has allowed me to say adios to those last 10 pesky pounds, and no, I don't miss them whatsoever! This is one of the negatives to getting old I guess. I remember a time where I could eat whatever, whenever, and do nothing, and not have to worry. Huh....I guess I can say adios to the idea of that from now on as well. At the end of the day, I'm back to feeling alright about it....but I still have a little ways to go in the toning department, this belly is stubborn (I get it....it has been stretched and pulled for the better part of two years straight), but I believe I deserve to stop and give myself a little pat on the back for accomplishing something I never thought I would be able to. Go me! =)

A decade has come and gone...

This weekend Jason and I attended my 10 year high school reunion. Since I was class president Senior year, I was in charge of throwing the whole thing together, but really all that meant was calling a company who organized the entire thing and making maybe 2 decisions along the way. It was wonderful to reconnect with old friends and make new ones as well. Even with facebook, there is something satisfying about seeing someone face to face. In a world of technology, I think there is a difference. And not only did I get to meet the spouses of many old friends of mine, but I was also able to talk more to people I wasn't that close to in high school, but have since then found much in common with (becoming a mom will do this to you). I had a fun evening just getting away with Jason while my parents watched 'the troops', and seeing so many good people was just an added bonus. I didn't take many pics throughout the night, but here are a few...

My dear friend Vincent and I. We have known each other for, well, its safe to say somewhere around 20 years, and although we lost touch for a short time MANY years ago, he is one of the FEW people in my life that I will always be able to depend on. Vincent was class president at a nearby high school, which opened after our freshman year. Since we all went to school together before Creekview opened, we decided to hold a joint reunion.

Drew, Jeff, and I at the City Club after dinner @ Palomino's. These two are like the big brothers I never had. Drew and I were in the same pre-first class (6 years old), and I met Jeff in Middle school. I love these two dearly!

Matt, M'Lee, Jennifer, Laura, and I. It was so wonderful to see how well everyone is doing 10 years later. It makes me proud to call them my friends, even if I don't see them often!

Amanda, Lindsey, and I. We could talk children all night long if we didn't know how sad a sight it would have been! Becoming mom's have brought us together...

All in all it was a wonderful evening, and J was a trooper through the whole thing. I wish the turnout would have been better, but I can only control what I do, and I'm glad I went!

God's little reminder...

Ever since Stratton was born, and Beck decided to take the 'I'm overly emotional to an unbelievable level' role in the family dynamics, I approach many of my days in a self-preservation, let's get through the day sort of mentality. And although this aptly describes how I feel and should expect to feel on rare occasions, it has all too often become a catch phrase in my life and my daily routine.

I have always felt that this conundrum is a part of life. Much of life is cyclical for the role of a stay at home mom. Feed the children, change the children, bathe the children, teach the children. After a certain amount of time your 'appreciation' for your little blessings wanes, and although you never take them for granted so to speak, it is more like you become numb to exactly how blessed you are.

This is where God comes in.

This isn't the first time, and it undoubtedly will not be the last time, in my life where such an occurrence sneaks up behind me just to smack me in the face and say 'WAKE UP'.

This past weekend I spent two days visiting my dear friends in Houston. The entire trip I was able to sit back and watch Jess interact with her two year old son and take care of her new baby girl. It was such a refreshing experience. It goes without saying that although she has her hands full, they aren't quite as full as mine (at least not yet), but the way that she approaches motherhood was a good reminder of how far I have drifted from my own beliefs. Instead of attempting to check things off a to-do list, or have a million and one activities going at once, she simply sat down and colored with her son for hours on end. And aside from the breaks he took to dance to Michael Jackson (a treat to watch in itself), he was completely happy simply to have all of mommy's attention.

Too much of my day is spent multitasking. Playing barbies with one hand, racing cars with the other, while making silly faces at Stratton sitting on my lap (all the while thinking about when I need to start getting a bottle ready, or when I am going to find the time to clean up the kitchen). And although the rugrats are quiet at moments like these...are they happy? Sometimes you need to take the time to make one on one attention, even when you aren't necessarily one on one (which I RARELY am anymore). Seeing Jess this weekend helped me remember that it isn't quantity of time, but rather quality that really matters. Jess, you are an amazing mother, I am proud to call you my friend, and see your friendship as a true blessing in my life. Thank you for reminding me that motherhood isn't about occupying your children, but interacting with them.

I am reminded that I am truly only as busy as I believe I am. And life is only as complicated and crazy as I decide it to be.

Just before leaving on my quick weekend get away, I was informed from Jason that a couple of friends of ours (who we assumed were trying to start a family) had recently miscarried their first pregnancy at 7 weeks. The weight of this news hurt my heart in a way I can't describe. I feel their pain, their heartache, their fragility. And I see myself once again crouched into a little ball on my bed after finding out about our first loss, and our second. It never gets easier, every time I hear of someone having to go through this. I never forget what it was like for us, and the pain swells back up inside. I don't think about those two babies all the time now, but every once in a while I am reminded of those trials and the grief that swaddled them. I am praying for them, lifting them up to God, that they find understanding and comfort in such a difficult situation. I pray that they give up their own life direction and replace it with the much greater and powerful one He has already given us.

I came home from my trip and hugged my kids a little tighter. When I read to Kylie that night I wasn't just reading the words on a page, but I was transported with her to Rainspell Island while the fairies tried to defeat the evil Jack Frost for the millionth time. When I kissed Beck goodnight I told him I loved him, which I always do, but spoke the words from the heart rather than from rote. And I appreciated the quiet time Stratton and I had in the middle of the night, when it seemed like all the world was sleeping except for he and I.

I am forever grateful for these humbling moments when I am overwhelmed with how much He has given me. I vow to TRY and wake every morning with a refreshed attitude, one not of survival, but of joy...at least until the next time I am in need of God's little reminder...

Weekend happenings...

This weekend I had the chance to get away and head to Houston to visit my dear friends Jess and Joey, and to meet their two beautiful babies. Due to our timing of pregnancies, the last time we saw each other we had only Ky and they had no children yet. Essentially, two years (and 4 babies ago) Sad to say, but true...the trip was WAY overdue. Anyways, we even got to meet up with my old college roommate. Here are a couple pics during the trip.

Sweet Baby Julia, 4 weeks old, about 8 lbs. (Stratton was never this small)

Jess and Jordan playing with Stratton

Stratton loved watching Jordan run around. Look at those boys sweet eyes! LOVE him! I seriously thought about bringing him home with me.

Sweet girl...

Crazy to think that these two are only 4 months apart. When they get older, 4 mo. will be nothing, but now....its like night and day. Look how big my kids head is!!!!

Jess and Strat

Kelley and Strat

And of course...leave it to Kylie to wait until the weekend I'm gone to lose her first tooth. I mean seriously...I'm with my kiddos 24/7 and she chooses Sat. morning to pop that sucker right out! Actually, I knew it was really lose before I left and I just hoped that it would hold on till Sunday. She woke up Sat. morning and didn't even realize it was gone until Jason noticed. They both rushed back to her room and luckily found it on the end of her bed. She decided to wait on the tooth fairy until i returned home so she could show it to me! I woke up Sat. morning to this text message picture...

Even with her morning crazy hair, I love this girl!

Kylie, the morning after the tooth fairy visited.

Counting her money.

I had told J to remind me to snatch the tooth and leave the money. So late Sunday night he walked out of the bedroom with two dollar bills. I told him that I had already put some money in a bag with a little bit of 'fairy dust'....he asked how much and almost freaked when I told him $10. I know its a little much, and it isn't going to be the norm, but it IS her first tooth. And we aren't back in the day where you can buy gum for five cents. Just about anything is at minimum $10 these days! Or maybe I'm just a sucker for my kids...that's a high possibility =)

Momma needs to sleep!

I'll start this post by saying that I love my littlest one...but man...he's driving me CRAZY!!!! We had a couple good nights sleep, followed by 5 days of ridiculousness. And by that I mean he's been getting up at least 5 times a night for various reasons, mainly just for his pacifier. This reminds me of Kylie and I know my doc is going to have the same solution....take the pacifier away. For Ky it was at 6 months, but I still remember VERY clearly what those first few nights were like...and just the thought leaves me with a sense of DREAD!

Stratton went to the doctor for his 5 month check up last week. Height: 27 3/4 inches (over 95 percentile) head circumference of 18 1/2 inches (over 95 percentile) and here's the surprising one: weight 18.8 pounds (75-90 percentile) that's right...he's only put on 1/2 pound this month, meaning that he is finally slowing down with this growing (if only i could say the same for his hair). Aside from the lack of sleeping, he's still just as calm and chill as always. And he has one of the sweetest smiles I've ever seen. No one can get him excited like Kylie can, and he's always laughing at her when she comes around!

Last week, my friend Amanda came over with her son Miles, who is exactly two weeks older than Stratton. Here's a pic of the two handsome men hanging out =)

This past week I took my turn teaching Ky and some of her friends their weekly 'summer prep' lesson. I had a blast as we went over new sight words and the 'am' word family. Here are some pics from Thursday morning.

(And my most exciting news...I officially consider Kylie a READER! This week she took out four new phonics books she had never read and breezed right through them minus two words I had to help her with! And by the last one, I think there was enough flow that she didn't even ask me to reread it back to her (showing me that not only did she read it, but she understood what she was reading)! This is very exciting for me! We have been working so hard for YEARS on her reading, letters, and writing. And I can't wait to see the look on her face when she realizes what independence comes with being a reader!)

Reviewing her letters

Coloring her 'pam and sam' book

All four of my sweet students! I love these girlies!

On Friday I took Ky and her friend Makenzie to the water park followed by a sleepover at our house. Both the girls had a blast running around in the water, and later watched a movie and helped J make pizza dough that we later ate for dinner (and what is a sleep over without sugar? This time it was in the form of chocolate cupcakes!)

Random, I know, I just love his face in this pic.