Wordless Wednesday

Splashin' in the Sunshine

Yesterday was supposed to be the last of the nice weather before the rain comes in tomorrow.  I decided to make the most of it and fill our kiddie pool up with water.  I guess you can say I spoil my kids when it comes to certain things because instead of filling the pool with freezing cold hose water, I make about a million trips from the kitchen to the backyard.  Each trip I'd bring a huge pot of hot tap water out and dump it in the pool. So, the kids played in a pool that felt more like bath water!  The boys had a blast.  They were so excited to swim. 

Jace, who was afraid of water last summer, is now our daredevil.  He kept jumping into the pool yelling CANNONBALL.  He didn't care if his face got wet, went under, or the water took his breath away.  He had a blast!!

When Kenzi finally woke up from her nap, she didn't want to swim.  She wanted to watch Peter Pan like I had promised her in the morning.  After watching Peter Pan for about 10 minutes, she came out with her bathing suit on.  She got into the pool and 'soaked' for about 5 minutes.  All the while she had a sourpuss face.  She decided she wanted to watch Peter Pan instead....such a sourpuss.

Today brought grey skies, cool temps, and some sun.  Good thing we enjoyed the sunshine yesterday!  Hopefully Mr. Sun will show his face again real soon!!!

Sunshine & Ice Cream

This weekend was BEAUTIFUL!  The sun was shining and the temperature was warm (in the 80's)!!  There was one downfall on Saturday....the wind!  It was a cold wind too, so any warmth from the sun was taken over by the chill in the air. We decided to pack up the kids and head away from the wind.  We actually started driving without knowing where we were going.  We ended up driving to the top of Mount Baldy where it was a chilly 48 degrees.  We let the kids jump out and touch the snow, then we quickly left.  We were NOT dressed for such chilly temperatures.  We had on shorts/skirts and flip flops.  We drove down to downtown Claremont and had lunch.  There was absolutely no wind there, so we were able to walk around and actually enjoy the sun.  After lunch, we treated ourselves to some ice cream & chocolate covered crackers to share.

I love spending beautiful days with my family. 

Flashback Friday

It's hard to believe that this fall it will be 8 years that Matt and I have known each other.  It doesn't seem like that long ago.  I was 22 when we met.  Sure, I'll be 30 this fall too, but still the memory of me being 22 years old doesn't feel that long ago either.  I came across this picture the other day.  These are two of Matt's brothers Cody and Trevor (2 of the 5 brothers).  This picture was taken at Matt's college graduation (Spring 2003).  These two little boys with the devilish grins used to get in LOTS of trouble by messing with their oldest brother (Matt).  I'd laugh and laugh, that would cause me to get into trouble too...by egging them on.  I couldn't help it. They were the cutest 4th and 6th graders I'd ever met.   

This is Cody and Trevor now.  (Almost) eight years later.  They're not so little anymore.  Cody is 17 and Trevor is just a few months shy of being 19.  Eight years doesn't seem like that long ago, until I look at his brothers....time really does fly by!

Enough Love to Go Around

When I was pregnant with the twins, I was fighting a battle that all moms go through.  Will I be enough of a mom to have more than one baby?  I knew how much I loved Mackenzi.  Could I possibly love any other babies as much?  Would my heart be big enough?  Would I be able to take care of a second and third child while still giving Mackenzi all of the attention, time, and love that she needed??  Of course, everyone who I talked to assured me that these feelings were all normal and that surely there would be enough of me to go around.  I would love each and every one of my babies equally.  I would figure out how to manage three babies, love them all and give them all the attention that they needed and deserved.  Now, two years later, I can positively say that I absolutely LOVE each one of my children equally.  I have been able to meet their needs.  And, I shouldn't have been worried.  The thing that makes me sad is that multiple children makes the time go by much faster.  When it was just Mackenzi, lazy days seemed like just that....lazy and slow.  With three children, even the laziest of days are busy with daily tasks. 

The other night, I was putting Mackenzi to bed.  She hadn't had a nap that day so she was tired, very tired.  She started crying when I left the room, which she hardly ever does.  I went back in, sat on her bed and asked her what was wrong.  She told me she 'didn't know' but wanted me to tickle her back.  Of course, I couldn't say no.  So I sat there next to her on her bed, in the dark of her room, listening to the lullaby CD that she has had since she was born, tickling her back and stroking her hair.  I thought about the nights before the boys were born, before my pregnant belly got in the way of holding her close.  I'd rock her to sleep every night, listening to the same lullaby CD.  I'd tickle her back, pat her back, stroke her hair, her forehead, her neck.  She would slowly drift off to sleep.  Where in the world has my baby gone? She is now a big girl.  Closer to a school age child than a baby. 

When the boys were born, I couldn't do the same things that I had done with her.  I couldn't rock them each every night to bed while slowly patting their backs waiting for them to drift off to sleep.  The days of "lazyness" were filled with diapers, bottles, burping, feeding, playing, bathing, cooking, cleaning...the days were busy with the realities that twins bring. 

Even though I am blessed to be a stay-at-home mommy, I feel like I still miss out on things.  I feel like I rushed Mackenzi into being a 'big girl' too early because I had two more babies to take care of.  I feel like I didn't get to enjoy the simple moments with the boys.  Moments like slowly and quietly feeding my newborn baby, rocking and cuddling, because his twin brother was waiting to be fed too.  I look back at pictures and I think where did the time go.  I used to have three little babies, now I have one very big girl and two big boys.  I wish I could freeze time, enjoy my babies at every stage that they're in, even the terrible ones.  I know it wont last long.  I'm trying my hardest to let the little, non-important things go, like sweeping and unloading the dishwasher, and taking time to enjoy my beautiful children because I know this part of their life (and mine too) wont last long.

Brothers

Nothing beats a BROTHER.

A Best Friend.

Best buddies from birth.

Nope,

NOTHING is better

than a brother.

Bonfire Birthday

On Saturday we decided to take advantage of the BEAUTIFUL spring weather and head out to Huntington Beach for a bonfire to celebrate Matt's Birthday.  We had a wonderful time.  We enjoyed all kinds of weather: some sun, some fog, a beautiful sunset.  We definitely needed that fire to keep us warm once the sun went down!  Matt barbequed some yummy hot dogs, hamburgers and poilsh sausages (thanks Derick & Monique).  We all got to chat, eat s'mores, chase toddlers around, and hang out!!  It was a perfect day!  Thanks to everyone who came!  You made Matt's birthday great!!!

I need to remember to take more family pictures of Matt, me and the kids......Oops! It always ticks me off when I realize I didn't take one!!!  Next time! 

For a glimpse of some more pictures, click HERE and HERE.

The 3 Ingredients....

Family~Food~Fun

That is exactly what you  need to make a birthday night a success!!!

HAPPY 29TH BIRTHDAY MATT!

I love you SOOOOO much!!!

St. Patrick's Day

We had a very festive St. Patty's Day this year.  After our green pancakes, we headed over to my sisters house for some yummy green lunch.  Then we picked up Mackenzi from Grandpa and Grandma's house (they were at the river for a few days) and headed home.  I made Corned Beef, red potatoes, carrots and cabbage for dinner.  It actually turned out pretty good and all my kids ate it!!  We enjoyed the nice weather and ate dinner outside! 

May the luck of the Irish be with you!!!

Happy Birthday Daddy (Flashback Style)

Happy 29th Birthday Daddy!!

Thank you for being a 'hands on' daddy.  We love that you take the time to play.  You take time to sit and cuddle.

You help with the everyday things, the things that make up our lives.  The things that don't seem important today, but will be imprinted in our hearts forever! 

Happy Birthday to the best daddy in the world!!

.

Happy Birthday!!

We love you Daddy