Wordless Wednesday

Wednesday

Leah and Madeline playing in Evan's room yesterday - they had so much fun! (Sorry about the fuzzy photo - I took it with my cell phone!) I have been so busy lately and haven't had the time to blog. I also haven't been returning phone calls, emails or anything else so to those that I have neglected - I apologize. I don't do it because I don't care or am just rude - I literally cannot find the time! Things have been going well here - just super busy!! Madeline and Leah now have 2 teeth each, they're starting to think about crawling, Evan is testing the waters with potty training, Matt is working a lot, there have been baby showers, birthday parties and going-away parties to attend, not to mention everyday things with the 4 kiddos! This afternoon I'm taking the kids outside to run off some energy and swim in the pool. Tomorrow is Matt's last day of work for a week - woohoo!!! We're trying to plan out how we're going to attend Matt's brother Chris's wedding in October in North Carolina. I'm hoping we can think of something! LOTS more to say but Grace and Evan are finishing lunch...

Half Year Birthday Party!!!

My Mom and Dad had a 'half-year birthday' party for the girls yesterday! It was really cute! They each got a bathing suit and a new bath toy! Grace and Evan got new sidewalk chalk! Madeline and Leah both liked watching Grace and Evan tear into their gifts! I cannot believe that my last babies are over 6 months old now. It's so bittersweet!

In other news, the kids and I went to a 1st birthday party for Colin, TJ & Molly's son, on Saturday! The kids had a blast!!! I had a good time too! Molly's family is so great - they're all so close and it's just nice to be around them! We left early since the twins were in need of a nap and Evan was on the brink of a meltdown. Grace ended up having a total meltdown when it was time to leave but I knew that would happen. It wasn't the first time and I know it won't be the last! But all in all the kids were really well behaved. I hope we can get together with them soon, and hope to see more of Molly and the kids since she will be off for the summer soon.

Craziness

The days here just keep whizzing by! I honestly don't know where the time is going. To think that Madeline and Leah are now over 6 months old just blows my mind. Pretty soon I'll be planning Grace's first day of preschool, then Halloween, and then the twins 1st birthday party and Grace's 4th birthday! And to think that people tell me all the time that time really doesn't start flying by until the kids are in school. If that's truly the case then I'm going to be 6 ft under before I even know what hit me. This weekend has been an interesting one to say the least. Matt had to work all weekend on night shift so I haven't been doing any real Memorial Day festivities like most people. We probably would have gone to the mountains if Matt had been at home, however his Mom and Rob are down here today through Wednesday. Speaking of the mountains, I'm scared for Grandma. Her chemo treatments seem to be catching up to her and she's been feeling worse and worse. Thankfully she only has 6 treatments left. I pray that the weeks go quickly for her.
Back to things being so crazy...I feel like I've been neglecting everyone and not being a very good friend. I can make all of the excuses in the world but it really doesn't take much time to send a 30 second email just to say hi and that I've been busy. There is a first birthday party coming up for my best friend's son and I'm trying to work up the courage to go to it alone with the 4 kids. Matt is on day shift that weekend so it would just be me. It's times like that that I still don't have it down to a science of how to go out alone. But I am getting better at it, and if things start to head south, we will just bow out as quickly and painlessly as we can. I guess part of my problem is that I hate to have other people see me "sweat" because of the kids. Especially since, believe it or not, I have things under control and have found ways to go out and actually have fun. I know that's hard to believe but it's true. I actually had my neighbor say to me yesterday that she doesn't understand how I have all of my kids "so under control all of the time". I wasn't too sure how to respond to that but I guess it was a compliment. She has also told me that I always seem to "have it together". With that comment I am starting to think that she might have mental challenges...

Pictures!

Grace and Evan had a blast dumping water on each other!!

Blue eyed cuties caught with the "huh-wuh" stare!

A profile view of Maddie (L) and Leah (R)...so cute!

Memorial Day

Today is Memorial Day, please take time out of your day to think about and thank all of the service men and women who have given their lives for our country. One of those heroes was Cpl. Brandon Hardy, he is so missed.

http://www.cplbrandonhardy.com/

Long Time

Some pictures of our recent adventures...Grace on a rocking dog at Cabela's, Evan giving the big fish at Cabela's the "rock-on" sign, and Maddie and Leah hanging out right before bedtime at the cabin!

I feel like I haven't blogged in so long. Things have been especially crazy around here and I just haven't found the time. I'm not sure where to even start with this post since there is so much to write about...On Saturday we went to the mountains for the weekend, we were going to attempt - again - an overnight trip with all four kids. We had a great time visiting on Saturday and after dinner we left Grace and Evan with Grammie and PopPop at their house while we took the twins with us up on the mountain to stay overnight in the cabin. We got the babies to sleep and had the rest of the night to ourselves. It was glorious! We sat out on the porch of the cabin and talked for a few hours and then went in and played cards while having a few beers and just joking and laughing. It was such a much needed break! We kept commenting on how easy things were with 'just' Madeline and Leah with us! It was a breeze! In the morning we packed up and headed back into town to see how Grammie and PopPop did with Grace and Evan - they said everything went well even though later in the car on the way home Grace fessed up and started telling how she kept getting out of bed and whatnot. But overall it was a success! We are looking forward to doing it again next month on Matt's week off as long as Debbi is up for visitors so soon after her surgery. On Monday we just did a few local errands and took a long walk with the kids. We took 2 strollers for this walk and went out past a bunch of Amish farms so the kids could see all of the animals. Grace wasn't happy at first about riding in a stroller but my big blue jogging stroller is made for bigger kids and it was really the only way that Matt and I can both get exercise with all of the kids with us. It turned out really well and are going to do it more often now! On Tuesday Matt took Grace and Evan to Cabela's and they had a blast! I ran errands and did a little shopping with Maddie and Leah. It was the first time that Maddie and Leah rode in the seat of a shopping cart! I put the cart cover in the seat and set each of them on a side of the seat facing each other. It was adorable! I won't be able to do it much longer but while I can - it's just the cutest thing ever! We were stopped by just about everyone telling me how cute they are! Today we had to take Grace to the Pediatric Opthamologist because her eyes are 'wandering'. It turns out that she may need glasses to correct it however we are just going to watch it for 2-3 months and go back for it to be evaluated. It may correct itself. I'm a little upset about it but at least the doctor doesn't think that she will need to have it surgically corrected like Matt did. I don't want to see Grace needing to wear glasses all of the time but we did try a few pairs on her today while we were waiting and she does look just adorable in them - but then again she looks adorable in anything! Grace was amazing at the doctor's office today. She read all of the letters, let the doctor look in her eyes and didn't get upset at all when they needed to dilate her eyes. She really impressed me today. I am so proud of her!