We have been taking advantage of as much family time as we can get our hands on, and all the outdoor time we can squeeze in!! I'll let the pictures speak for themselves!!!!

Sword fighting 

Susan is finally home from Arizona; however,
she said he's just going back to Arizona to
escape all this rain! 

My tannest baby!
She is getting so stinkin' cute! 

A couple of cute girls, enjoying the spring weather

Some little friend shared the eye black
at his game :)

I found a pizza recipe, and I was pretty proud of it.

Summer planning!!

 

A few friends and I were able to throw a
baby shower! The games were so fun
and the decorations were
gorgeous! 

There used to be a time where they
didn't know how to climb a tree...
this was actually pretty high up! 

This incredible little thing is already sleep training
herself. For one week straight she has been sleeping
from 11:00pm-5:40 or 6:40!!
So now she is going to bed between 8:00/8:30pm, getting a
dream feed between 10:15/10:30, I get to bed around 11:00pm
and then like I said, I'm not usually back up until 6:00ish,
at which point I feed her on the couch and we sometimes
go back to sleep for another 30 mins before the other kids
are out and about. 

These sisters... it's like seeing Maddix and Aaron all over again.
Addie is so much like Maddix, and Avery really is similar in
temperament to Aaron! 

She LOVES "Mimmie!" 

Seriously... I don't even want school to end
if we're just going to be stuck inside, like we
were over fall, Christmas, and Spring break.
I have never appreciated a sunny day as I have
living in the MidWest! 

Our new routine: We wait outside Maddix's piano lessons.
I feed Avery, and they Aaron, Addie, and Nala watch
30mins of a movie (it always is 101 Dalmations) 

Crushed it on some food prep! 

Aaron's Movie night snuggles

They boys all got the garden in! 

All the end of year art work being sent home

After school walk

Aaron's Kindergarten Musical Performance.
Way to crush is, Squeaky! 

Escaping the rain that so rudely ended
practice.

We watched all these little baby geese
plop right off the edge and down into
the water, like dodo birds :) 

Travis nailed what I was looking for in terms of
storage in our tiny garage.
Now there is hardly anything on the ground, and I can
get my car door open almost all the way, so that I don't
have to tip the carseat so bad. 

I broke the fridge all apart and gave it a
VERY overdo scrub out!! 

Squishy cheeks!!!

We know how to work a small room!!! 

One rainy night, Travis pulled out this game
and let they boys stay up late. Instead of
running off to clean the kitchen (as I always do),
I stayed to be on Aaron's team, and I'm
so glad to have the memory of this night.

I'm really trying to take advantage of the limited
snuggle times I have left with these kids that are growing
far too quickly!
Dramatic? Maybe. But totally justified! 

I had two girls in the stroller, Nala on the leash,
and Avery strapped to my chest.
People gave me strange looks as they passed me. 

Maddix made his tie-dye shirt in Kindergarten,
Aaron just did the same. At his musical performance
they asked people in the crowd if they'ed ever
participated in this school's tradition when they were in
kindergarten. There were a couple of great grandparents
that raised their hands and said they still had
their tie-dye shirts!!

I'm ONLY posting this picture for two reasons.
1. We were so happy to be able to support Aaron, as a WHOLE and complete family.
and
2. I want to be able to refer back to this picture AFTER i've lost all the baby weight
and feel good about the progress i've made!
(I believe this is 6weeks postpartum?)

BOYS CAMPING TRIP/ GIRLS WEEKED!!! 

This weekend has been SUCH a blast!!! and the weather has been spectacular!!

Travis purchased a new tent since our 11yr old one was caught in a flash flood last year, molded, broke, and is now rotting in a landfill somewhere! We loaded down the truck and Friday he and the boys began their drive to Branton (?), Missouri. 

They spent that night at a friend's house in Kansas City (I'm looking at you Jess!), where the boys were DYING to drive her tractor, ha ha. Next trip boys, next trip! 

Saturday morning they visited around several places, waiting for their campsite to open. They got their campsite situated and went out for a bike ride! They later went swimming, and enjoyed all the junky food you could hope for on a campout! 

Sunday (today) they rented a fishing boat and went out for some peaceful fishing. Apparently it began to sprinkle for awhile, at which point both boys took shelter under each the driver's and passenger's seats :D!! And now they're just about to complete their 8hr drive back home. 

We miss you!

This poor little Aaron wrecked pretty bad
and has the largest bruise across one swollen
leg!
ANDDDD he had two tics on him at the campsite
and one that I found on him as I showered him
off tonight!!!
"This is a night I will never forget!!!" She sobbed out!

And poor Maddix is ALWAYS mosquito bate!
He made it tic free, but has a good 40 bites across
his body that are a extremely swollen!!!
"I think I'm allergic to all nature," he said through
a stuffy nose and swollen face! They even ate his eye lids and ears!!

Meanwhile, Friday after they left, I bathed the girls, got them in pj's, and took them for a pre-bed walk. The weather was absolute perfection (down to the lightly blowing wind), and I timed it so that we'd be home JUST in time time bed... however, this is when Addie said, "Uh oh! My Mimmie!!" Translation: "Oh no, my milk cup is gone!" So back we went to retrace our steps until we eventually found her cup. 

Saturday morning we were invited by a friend here who lives along the parade route to join them in sitting in their front yard. This gave me the courage I needed to pack up and attempt a long parade, by  myself, with the girls. It worked out nice that we had several other friends (including "Mimmie," which is also for "Millie," Addie's bestest little friend) that had been invited to sit in front of her house. All the little girls did a fantastic job entertaining and doting on Addie that she sat the whole 2hrs, strapped into the stroller! Afterward, this same friend then invited pretty much the ENTIRE street of people into her front yard to attend a bbq! Her husband (who'd the local neurosurgeon) grilled up hundreds of burgers, hotdogs,  and brats. They were so generous! It made for a wonderful experience! 

After naps we had a Disney Princess Night (Tangled) where I wanted to snuggle Addie, in our pj's while we ate popcorn; however, she would only sit with me for a few mins here and there and seemed to have little interest in the movie. 

After the movie, just before bed, we went out and sat out front with a few neighbors just to chat and enjoy the end of night sunlight. 

Sunday (today) I took the girls to church and ran into another one of our friends who is now living in Rochester and is a news anchor for our local news station. I didn't get to see her much, so afterward I took the girls over to chat with her, resulting in late naps at home... which I minority paid for when we got back! The rest of the afternoon was spent dancing, being silly, playing, snacking, and just enjoying our time together before the boys come home. This also included a little more outside time to end the night. 

Avery slept on the porch while I mowed, and then hung out
in my carrier while we raked.. then she was done. 

Ugh... I'm SOoOoOo lucky!!

Friday Night's outing

I HATE this pic of me, but I had to get a photo with these friends
I rant into at the parade! 

oh you know, just an ice cream sandwich from
our neighbor, JUST as we were heading to bed!
ha ha! 

SoOo happy we had some little friends to
be with to entertain Addie!!

Finished getting the flowers in before the storm! 

Can't forget this cutie on the girls weekend!

She tore apart the diaper bag while I fed
Avery, in the Mother's lounge :D

after bed hair!

And now... the forecast is calling for 10 days of thunderstorms, flooding, hail, tornado warnings, etc. but we'll see. I essentially did ZERO cleaning (to the point I was using plastic utensils and avoiding cooking) all weekend because any free moment was with my girls OR doing all the yard work before the next batch of storms! 

So.... Welcome home boys! Looks like our stormy/indoor Memorial Day will be spent rehabbing this neglected home!!!!! 

;)