Let's go swimming,

swimming at the pool
Let's go swimming,
water's oh so cool.

This week and next Piper has swimming lessons. She is having a ball and I think it is mainly b/c her good friend Rylyn is there with her taking them. Unfortunately Violet and Ryder have to sit on the sidelines watching while the big kids have fun, AGAIN. Thankfully they allowed the little ones to go in the shallow section once class was almost done. Next year watch out for Violet though b/c she will be old enough to finally join in on all the things her big sister gets to do this year :)

Read more...

Get your tickets for the gun show!

Check her arms out! The rolls have rolls :) With all the moving around though that she has been doing this weekend it won't be long before my little one's baby fat is long gone. Last week when I took that video she was only rolling around a little bit but now if she is on the ground well, she is rolling! Watch out girls she is going to catch up with you :)

Piper had her first day of swim lessons today, she had so much fun. I didn't get any pictures but will try tomorrow. They are for 2 weeks and are 3 days each week, we'll see what she can accomplish when this is over. Another beautiful day here in NC, it is hot but it feels like the humidity isn't as bad. Give me warm over cold any day :)

Read more...

On the move (already??)

I guess I was secretly hoping this one would be waaayyyy behind on the moving but she is right on target :)

Read more...

Summertime,

an the livin' is easy

I so wish that this would not have turned out so dark - I love this shot!

Read more...

VBS

This week Piper has Vacation Bible School, it is every single day from 9-12. I have to say that it is giving me a pretty good idea of what school will probably be like having to get someone else ready every day - and I am only on day 1 :) Thank goodness she only has preschool 3 days a week next year. Violet wanted to go so badly but she is too young, bless her heart she cried when we left Piper.

Read more...

Happy Father's Day

We had a really nice day today playing. That is what Daddy's do best so it seemed only fitting that is how we spent ours. The girls swam, Matt read the paper, I caught a little sun - so nice. Oh, I also pulled the first (of many I hope) zucchini's out of our garden and cooked that with our chicken & potatoes tonight. I love shopping in our yard :)

From blog2

Read more...

We are family

and what a great one Matt belongs to :) I am so lucky to have married into such a fabulous group - everyone should be so lucky. Family gatherings are such a blast to go to and how lucky are we to have a few of them right here not more than an hour from us! We NEED to get together with them more!!!
The "Grown Ups"

and the next generation

I just love that last picture b/c it is so real, chaotic, and fun - which is what our gathering was :)

Read more...

Friends again :)

We had Matt's family come down for a visit this past weekend. It was a ton of fun but I think it threw all 6 kids (all under 5 btw) out of whack - mine anyway. Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday there was sooo much fighting between Piper and Violet I thought I was going to go crazy! Today though is much better - I would even say we had a really fabulous day even though we didn't venture from the house. Ruby was sleeping and the girls, the dogs, the cat, and I all went out front to play. They were taking a break and I got a shot of them actually smiling at each other which has not happened in a few days. Now I will have this memory to look back at tomorrow or the next day when they are back to fighting :)

Read more...

Wordless Wednesday - Flower Child

Look what we grew - can she be any cuter :)

More WW over at 5 Minutes for Mom.

Read more...

Amber

For the last 1 1/2 years all I have heard about in the baby world are amber necklaces for teething - today I bought our new baby one. I will update if it works or not (IMHO). Amber is fossilized resin, which warms against the skin, releasing it's theraputic properties safely and naturally - Matt is a disbeliever but we'll see :) Here is Ruby though in her new necklace - only worn during the day btw.

Read more...

12 weeks old already

It doesn't seem like it at all but today Ruby is 12 weeks old. To my amazement she sleeps through most nights and is real easy to care for during the day - so perfect :) As I see her getting so big it makes me sad to think that I probably won't have another infant again so I am trying so hard to make the most of each and every special moment with her. I think what I will miss the most is the firsts - older kids have firsts too but nothing like babes. I hear her talking so here she was playing today - now I am going to go and cuddle my babe :)

Read more...

Really?? Again??

Ruby was finally down for a nap and I managed to put her in my bed so my arms were free. The girls were playing downstairs with Matt while he was going through some boxes of old stuff he has. They were having a really fun time finding Halloween costumes to try on and then they would come and show me. I was taking this opportunity to do some research online for a purchase I dream of making - so basically I was screwing around :) Anyway, I hear a loud scream followed by many more cries/screams. I ran downstairs so quickly only to find that Violet AGAIN fell on her face. She learned last time though and tried to break her fall with her hands so she also hurt her hand this time around. No chipped teeth just a big fat lip - my poor baby really has 2 left feet.

She doesn't look it but she told us she was "feeling a lot better now" when I took this picture. In fact she felt so much better that she thought maybe she might like a cookie and some milk :) When we removed the old carpet in this house and replaced it with tile it was b/c tile is so easy to clean and when we had 4 dogs and clay soil outside that was very important. In theory tile should be great with the kids too but it seems not so much. I was told I should lay rugs down on it but those would be really gross after doggie paws walk over them damp from just being outside. We wipe their paws but you can't get it all not to mention we don't wipe the girls feet every time they come in either. I can deal with fat lips I just hope that we are done with chipping teeth.

Read more...

Piper and her Locks of Love

Piper is totally into the movie Bolt. Have you seen it? The little girl, Penny, has chin length hair and our daughter decided that she HAD TO HAVE IT! What is a mama to do? First I measured how much she wanted to have taken off and then I checked out Locks of Love to find out what their requirements were. 10 LONG inches. Now this is not a hair cut that I was willing to trust to just anyone so when I received an email about a special the salon I go to was having I called to see if I could get Piper an appointment there. Much to my surprise there was a stylist who if you were donating your hair would cut it for free - wheeeee!!! After I made the appointment I posted on Facebook to find out what other friends of mine would do if their 3 year old asked for that dramatic of a change and they all said "go for it!" - right, b/c it isn't their kid :) Well, she still wanted it cut an hour before her appointment so we went - mama was almost in tears but Piper was ear to ear smiles and they treated her like a princess.

Ready


Set


Cut!!!




Ooh la la - wash & mini massage :)


I have to mention this here so that I don't ever forget. This all happened while she was getting her hair washed. Piper wouldn't talk to Darnell with me there but when I stood where she couldn't see me she started jabbering up a storm. It was hilarious b/c Darnell couldn't understand everything she was saying so she would look over at me and I would tell her and then she would answer Piper. It was so adorable and now I know she isn't shy when I am not around :)

also 1st blow out :)


Done!


My baby looks so grown up :)


Tonight as we were putting Piper to bed she kept asking when she got to go back and get her hair cut again. Matt told her that hair didn't grow overnight :) It has been a big day here today and I think that I dealt with everything much better than I thought I would - the cut is super cute and she loves it. What more could we ask for?

Read more...

Party?

No nap for Piper today, she told me "I rested". I never in a million years thought that it would end like it did though. We had been preparing for Matt's princess party ALL day. The cupcakes were baked, the balloons purchased, the card made, and we even got all the crowns made right under the wire. Matt walked through the door and we yelled "Surprise" b/c I guess it was a surprise party - it was Piper's idea - and it went down hill from there. Piper started crying b/c I wouldn't let her use a new glass that Matt had just brought home for her. No, cry would be an understatement for how she was acting, tantrum would be a better word. Look at the happy bunch of us :) Piper was sent to her room after this picture was taken but soon came out and ate all of her dinner and got a cupcake. They were both in bed at 6:59 pm tonight and probably sleeping a few minutes after that. Tomorrow there WILL be a nap!
To my husband: I am sorry that the girls weren't in better moods for the party, I wanted it to be totally fun for us all and it was just really stressful. There's always next year :)

Read more...

Happy Birthday Matt!

Happy 39th baby!

Read more...

Wordless Wednesday - Tummy Time

She was also hungry which is why she is trying to eat her arm :)

More WW over at 5 Minutes for Mom.

Read more...

Short timers

It seems every spring and fall we have some short timers come and stay with us. When we moved in to our home and celebrated our first Christmas here I talked Matt into hanging a wreath up. At that time I did not know it was going to be a constant staple on our porch but now it is :) That second year some birds built their nest in the back of it and now we have new families use it about 2x a year. The only bummer is the amount of bird droppings that come with them growing up :) Here is our newest flock.

Read more...

The New Date Night

Gone are the days when Matt and I go out for dinners. Before we had Ruby it was getting pretty easy for us to get out and about but you know us - nothing about us is easy :) So along comes the baby and now even restaurant visits are a thing of the past b/c she wants out of her bucket. What do we do now? After the older girls go down for the night I send hubs to our local sushi restaurant once a week for my fix :) So here it is...date night, zoo style :)

Read more...