Tuesday, October 30, 2012

I'm getting pressure to start blogging again from a certain someone, so here we go.

Jack is getting to be such a preschooler, rather than a toddler. He's growing like a weed! All of the clothes he has are too small!!! Now that the temperatures dropped, he literally has no pants that reach his ankles. He has a plethora of hooded sweatshirts...all too small. He cracks us up with things he says on a daily basis. I need to document conversations that we have because they are seriously so funny.  He's becoming very much more independent. When I'm solo, I can tell him to get dressed, get his pajamas on, take a bath, etc., and I can count on him to do it.  He loves to be my little helper too. This time next year he will be getting ready to start VPK at my school, which will be a new experience for us.

Grace is ... challenging at times lately. She has a case of the terrible twos, but we know it is just a quick phase. She's got an attitude, and she definitely knows what she wants, and expects to get it. She still has lots of good and sweet moments too though! She's become very articulate in the past several weeks. I'm hoping that is going to help her voice her feelings, rather than having tantrums! She's 100% potty trained, even at night (has been for a while, but I'm not sure if I documented it).

Erin is getting so big too. She repeats everything. She can say many, many words in context. She keeps up with her two older siblings quite well! She imitates everything they do. She's very goofy and makes us laugh lots! She is by far the best eater we have! She loves to eat, and she isn't picky in the least. She's got several teeth, and is getting at least one now. She's verrrrry attached to paci ("poppy") nowadays!

All of the kids looooove going to school and playing with their friends, which makes the fact that we pay more per month to the school than we do for our house...worth it! Tomorrow is their Halloween party, and they are ready to go! Costumes, snacks, and treat bags are laid out on the counter. Can't wait to pick up 3 sugared-up kids tomorrow afternoon for pumpkin carving and trick or treating. :)

Jack and Grace are becoming wayyyy too early of risers. They've been sneaking in our bed in the early morning hours, and it's become a terrible habit that we are now trying to break. I cannot function when they wake me up for the day before 6:00. I need at least a half hour to get myself ready for school in the mornings before I have to deal with any babies!!! We've put them down about an hour earlier than usual (which was already very early), and they are still sleeping in until 6ish. They DESPERATELY (especially Jack) need a minimum of 12 hours of sleep in order to be a pleasant human being the next day.

We haven't had a lot of luck so far this sick season. The kids all had fevers and coughs at the same time one week, and then the stomach flu passed through us all. Currently, we are all healthy. Hopefully it stays that way.


Colin and I had a mini date night last night. Thanks Lisa, Marie, and Trinity for volunteering to come stay with the kiddos. I had my "bon voyage" party for the upcoming race. I have to say...we know how to make the most of our time. We managed to attend the party in downtown Orlando, get a big girl car seat for Erin, do a quick Publix trip, and drive through Steak and Shake in about a 3 hour time span. Any time we can hold a conversation without interruptions is bonus. We had fun!


This is my new day care bus arrangement as of this morning:



Buddies:


This is our favorite time of the year. The season change reminds us of 'home'. We love to burn our fall-scented candles and open the windows. We visited the pumpkin patch we go to each year a couple of weekends ago. Jack rode the zip line again and also rode the horse. Grace wasn't into either of those, but she did enjoy the petting zoo and the bounce pillow. Erin loved just hanging out on a pumpkin (as show in pictures), and she kept pointing to the stem and saying, "banana!", which I'm almost certain Grace did the same thing last year. I also took the kids to the Fall Festival at my school. The kids and I went to the church's Fall Festival as well. All lots of fun for them!


Jack knew he'd be riding the horse, so insisted on dressing like a cowboy. 



 Past Trips:
2011
2010 
2010
2009
That's all I can handle for the night. This internet connection is wayyyyy too slow to upload pictures. I'll be back later this week if Colin can fix it. I'll have some cute trick or treating pictures hopefully. 

ah hem...ARE YOU HAPPY!??!?! ;)

Monday, September 17, 2012


I really want to get back into a better blogging routine. The kids say the funniest things these days, and this is a great way to document. I also love looking back at all of my yearly printed blogs that Bev so kindly made for me! They are such treasures.

Today Colin texted me telling me that Grace has a crush on him. He said she got a flirty smile at him during lunch, so he said, "what?". She looked at him and said, "you're cute, daddy!".

We had planned on taking the kids to go see Finding Nemo in theaters after church this past weekend. We were talking about it at breakfast. Colin was trying to explain what 3D would be like because we weren't sure if Jack's would enjoy that version or if we should just take him to see the regular screen. A while later, Colin and I were discussing it again by ourselves and decided it would probably be best if we just took him to the regular one, rather than 3D. Colin nonchalently told Jack that they were going to see the regular screen. He said, "but I thought we were going to the one where I could touch Nemo? That's what we had planned on, Daddy!" Needless to say, he did end up taking him to the 3D one. Both of the kids got to see about half the show, thanks to me locking my keys in the van (long story).


Blurry, I know, but Grace loves to sleep with Erin.  Colin converted Grace's crib today to a big girl bed, so we will see how tonight goes!
We made homemade play dough the other day. Let me know if anyone wants a Christmas ornament made by Jack or Grace! ;)
She wanted GREEN!
Happy, as always!
Cuddles after shift
Us girls went out for ice cream yesterday.
...then we went to the park.




 Baby girl loves to swing!
climbing!

Saturday, September 15, 2012


I started uploading about 100 pictures last night before I went to bed, and it didn't go through. Very frustrating. I've been a bad blogger and have missed documenting lots of fun memories! Hopefully the pictures will tell the story! (Although I've been a bad photographer too lately!) It's a hodge podge!

Happy Birthday, Baby Erin!
Can't do a photoshoot without Gracie!
Now that she's ONE, she's on the go!
I wanted to get a shot of the 1, 2, and 3 year olds on Erin's birthday.
More sibling love
Erin's first birthday cake, made and decorated by me, Kiya, and Grandma
The inside!
 Backyard photoshoot:











More from baptism:




















Add caption

Colin with his new lieutenant helmet
A dress fitting
Birthday smiles!
Erin and I dined at Bob Evans while Colin was next door in the Urgent Care being diagnosed with a nasty, nasty case of West Nile Virus. He's all better now!
Jack and Grace had a sleepover with Grandma and Grandpa. The timing was good because it was when Colin was at his worst, so I was able to focus on taking care of him and Erin, without having our normal chaos going on in the house. They had a great time! The highlights include doing their first Build a Bear and going to the aquarium. 





Shopping with daddy for an outfit for sister's baptism
Baby Bath

Haircut
Apparently she enjoys eating (and playing with) mashed potatoes!
Loves his baby Erin
She's getting to be such a big girl! Has 6 partially grown in teeth, is walking all the time, can repeat LOTS of words, and use several in context. She's a smartie and such a happy baby girl.
Our little model


A picnic in the park play date

Kiss!


Listening to Green Eggs and Ham
Found the perfect baptism outfit!
I tried so hard to get a good shot of Erin before the Purdue/Notre Dame game, but she wasn't having it. 

I ended up sitting her up on a table to get her to stop running away!

A stop for ice cream while shopping with Aunt Court, Mimi, Jack, and Daddy




 Big sister is funny!