The Worst of Times

It is with a heavy heart that I ask you to pray for my husband's cousin and family.  They lost lost their 14 year old son over the weekend to a snow mobile accident.  It isn't faith that gets you around trouble, it's faith that gets you through it. May their faith be strengthened by your prayer.

To our family in Utah, you are in our hearts and prayers.  We love you.

God Bless you all.
Jerry, Tracy and Family

Thank you for the little things...

This morning Jadon went to visit Ms. Caroline who works with him on his eating.  I'm happy to report he ate his 1st cheeseburger and actually said it was yummy.

While we were there Cody said he needed to go potty which he NEVER does.  He will go in the potty if you tell him to (although even that is a battle sometimes), but he never volunteers to go.  If you aren't on top of it, he will go in his pants.  But, today he asked to go potty.  I got him in the stall and pulled down his pants to see if he was wet or dry.  To my surprise he was without an underpant... no diaper, no pull-up, no underwear.  I'm not sure when he managed to remove his pull-up, but he did.  I am happy to report he was DRY!!!!!  I couldn't believe he was dry and he asked to go potty!!!!!  In my world, I would have expected him to go number 2 and it fall out the leg of his pant onto the carpet floor of the therapy center in front of all the other mothers.  But, NO... that didn't happen... he was DRY!!!!  He was CLEAN!!!  I could walk back in with head held high... yes, my child was dry and asked to go potty.  I was however a bit embarrassed that my child managed to leave the house commando style.

It's Getting Hot 'Round Here

Whew, the weekend is over and I think this photo tells it all... we are tired. We spent a lot of time outside and little time napping. We had plans to get with friends, but our schedule took over our lives and derailed our plans yet again. We did make a monumental decision... I think we are putting a swimming pool and outdoor living space in the backyard. Scary crazy, but I think a good decision given it's soooo hot here. We look forward to splitting time between our backyard and my parents given they already have the ultimate set-up.  I think we spent the entire summer in their pool last year.  When it's hotter than hot, that's all you can do with 4 munchkins.  We hope to finalize plans this week and get the project going soon.

Soon to come are some pictures from the park. I try not to force all the kids to sit still together for pics, but I did force this one and you can see their excitement all over their little faces.


Oh, our weekend also included a picnic outside... I forgot I took a picture of it.

A Little Black & Blue

On Monday evening the kids were playing in the backyard on the swing set when we heard Cody starting to meltdown in tears and kicking violently... We instantly knew he was hurt....

We never saw what happened, but we think the little man took a swing to the eye. He now looks like he's sporting a lovely shade of violet eye shadow. Well, it started out violet and now it's more green in color. The picture below is of his eye last night (injury Monday and photo Thursday).  I have to say it looks worse in reality.  The photo doesn't do it justice, but it was just a quick shot of him in his car seat while we were driving around.  Regardless, I'm glad I documented his 1st black eye.

Bluebonnet Park Part Two

Driving around this morning I had a soda and Jadon asked me, "Coffee or Soda?" They know coffee is for grown ups and to prevent him from asking me for a sip I told him coffee... he responded, "But ice doesn't live in coffee." They are getting too smart for their own good. I won't be able to sneak my diet sodas past them much longer.

Ok, here are the last of the bluebonnet pictures. I swear I could have played and taken pictures for hours, but the kids attention span only allowed me about 20 minutes at most before the call of the nearby playground was too much for them.





One of my favorite photos is the one of Addison below:

Bluebonnet Park Part One

Every year I have one photography goal... to get pictures of the kids at the Bluebonnet park.  This isn't an easy accomplishment because you pretty much have to stalk the park.  The bluebonnets are roped off with signs reading "Stay Off Bluebonnets" until they have reached their peak.  So on a regular basis, I drive by to see if the ropes have come down yet.  Once they come down it takes no time before every mom, dad, brother, sister, aunt, uncle, friend and random person with a camera stomps through the bluebonnets with their kids trying to capture the perfect photo and I count myself among that crowd.  In no time at all, the once roped off and spectacular bluebonnets begin looking a little sad...

But, I stalked the bluebonnets and within a day of the ropes coming down I was ready with camera in hand....  Here is yet another year at the bluebonnet park (Part One)...

I Heart A Slice of Life

I heart Faces this week is "A Slice of Life"... well, boys playing in our house is certainly a big part of our life.  Watch out for THE TICKLE MONSTER!!!!

At least she's sleeping...

The other afternoon when I got the kids up from their naps, I found Addison napping under the TV shelf in the playroom.   We separate the girls during naps to encourage quiet time and yes, there is a bed in the playroom (you can see it reflected behind the table in the TV).  We don't have to separate the boys since Cody falls asleep pretty quickly and Jadon just reads books.  The triplets don't always sleep, but they are allowed to play quietly and read books.  I think some quiet down time during the day is important for them and ME.

How Does Your Garden Grow?

We spent a LOT of time outside this week working in the yard. We had some flower beds which were clay rather than dirt, so Jerry dug out the hard as rock clay and we replaced it with flower friendly dirt. Then the kids help me plant flowers and spread mulch. It was a dirty job which lasted about 4 evenings, but was fun.

The 1st evening was the hardest for Jerry because that was the night of the most shovel work... digging out the clay. He worked himself until he just couldn't work anymore and he was exhausted.  As we were going in for the night, one of the kids asked, "Daddy, did you have fun playing outside today?"  Ahhh, the innocence of youth.  What was hard yard work for one was playing outside for someone else.

Pretty In Pink

I've shared the boys room and now it's time for a glimpse at the girls room.  Why girls always get the bigger room I don't know, but I think the boys room is super dooper cute so I don't mind that it's smaller.  Above the window is a shelf with the girls night lights.  I think I'm planning to put some Madam Alexander dolls I had as a child up there as well.  I'll have to see how they look.

Come On... Make My Day

When I look at this first picture of Cody, all I can think is "Oh yea, I'm bad... make my day."  Cracks me up!!!  I also find myself thinking about Nascar?  I don't know, but I like it!!

A little about skills (I'll keep this short because I am w/o husband tonight due to a work dinner):

Addison: Can write her name and ride a bike
Kaylee: Awesome social skills... understands verbal humor, sarcasm and when to use it
Jadon:  Can read really well and is now doing addition
Cody: Learning to use a potty and put on his own shoes and socks (and boots)

Poo Peed Out!

Potty training update... well, I haven't been as diligent as I was with the triplets and my lack of dedication I think has slowed the progress but all in all Cody is doing well.  He still wets his pants, but then tells me, "I tee tee in my pants."  So at least his is aware.  He also wets in the potty a lot which is good,  but the most awesome thing is.....

The other day he said, "comeon (Come on: he says it as one word) Mommy... comeon.  I tee tee in the potty."  I discovered that he had not tee teed, but gave me a number 2!!!!  Wholly COW!!!  I wasn't planning to tackle this yet!!!!  I thought that it must have been a fluke, but lo and behold if he didn't do it again this morning!!!!  Ahhh, thank God for these little moments that make me smile!!!

Oh, Sarah... we got Zingo!!  THANKS

The Back Seat

The other day in the backseat of the car:

Kaylee:  "Ok, now you lick me"
Addison: "No"
Kaylee: "Ok, then bite me"
Addison:  "No"
Kaylee:  "Oh, come on, taste me... I took a bath"

A little later:

Kaylee:  "I'm eating your hair... (giggles)"
Addison:  "and I'm eating your hair... (giggles)"
In the rearview mirror I see the girls with each other's hair in their mouths

Jadon:  "MOM.. Mom... MOM...Mommy... Mom"
Me:  "What Jadon"
Jadon:  "A"
Me:  "What?"
Jadon:  "I said A"
Me:  "uh, ok"
Cody:  "MOM... Mommy...Mom...MOM"
Me:  "What Cody"
Cody:  "I sed Ayyyy"
Me:  "ok...."
????? Whatever ????

The Boys Room

I was hoping to come back the day after my meltdown and let everyone know that life was 'hunky dorey' again, but I'm sad to say that wasn't the case.  The next day I was still blah and down on the kids, but somehow on the way home from dinner night before last the cloud lifted and I've felt normal since.  Last night I allowed myself time away and went to a photography meet & greet at a local lab.  Jerry took the kids when he got home which even allowed me a couple hours to myself before I had to leave, so I took some pictures of the kids room so I can remember them when they are 20 years old and off to college.  Here is the boys room:

Another Meltdown

Yes, we had another major meltdown in our home... there were tears, there was anger, there was frustration and a definite time out was needed.  Who was it?  Jadon...no...   Kaylee...no...  Addison...no....  Must have been the baby... Cody???  No....

This time it was me... yes, me Mommy.  I feel like most days I'm holding on by a thread, but I'm able to hold it together despite shot nerves, but yesterday I was sitting talking to my Mom and Cody was frustrated because he wanted me to get up and follow him.  As I turned to look at Cody... WHAM!!!!  I took a dinosaur flashlight right in the face.  Cody was mad I wouldn't follow him and swung the flashlight hitting me across the temple and the mouth.  I never saw it coming....

I was hurt and furious and melted down into a pool of sobbing tears dragging Cody to time out while yes, pretty much yelling at him....  it was not a pretty sight....  knowing I just needed to step away I left the kids in my Mom's care and went crying to a hot shower...

I returned calmer but the tears continued throughout the day.  Somedays are better than others, but everyday is hard, stressful, and exhausting.  Sometimes, I feel like I'm drowning and just can't breathe.  My day is filled from dawn to dusk with meeting the needs of others with little room for anything else.  Sometimes the noise level in our home is deafening and the kids aren't being bad they are just being kids.  Kids are loud, kids are demanding, kids cry and kids need....

Sometimes I think I'd be a better mother if I had a part time job... if I just had some time away from them to deal with adult issues rather than fights over a toy which has sat unplayed with for months and now everyone wants.

I'm writing this with Cody in my lap trying to put a toy train on the keyboard and telling me, "Mommy, I don't want to."  In the background Jadon is yelling because Kaylee has a hold of his shirt and is trying to lick his Zhu Zhu pet.  The issues are ridiculous, constant, and exhausting....

Ok, time for me to blog about how much I love my kids despite the issues and find the rainbow and yes, I intend to do just that because I do love my kids beyond words.  I love them so much my heart aches and I lose sleep at night worrying about them and their futures.  I love them so much that yes, I do work tirelessly to ensure they are well fed, well educated, well mannered, clean, loved, cared for, disciplined, connected to God, and need for nothing which might aid them in their lives.  But, I am tired and often overwhelmed.  I am just so thankful that I have my parents close and my Mom to help, but even more that I have my partner, my husband, who lets me cry and talk when a good ol' fashion cry it out moment is needed.

My blogging (and photography) have also suffered under the pressure.  I'm still trying to keep up with I Heart Faces, but have had to drop most other challenges and blog hops and I think I'm going to have to drop Project 52... we'll see.  Right now, pulling out my camera and trying to capture a photo of "Darks and Lights" is at the bottom of my todo list.

I am still trying to keep up with everyone's blogs and comment as much as I can... but I apologize if my commenting has dropped off a bit.  There just isn't enough time in the day and I'm just tired...

Gotta Love Sunflare

This week at I Heart Faces it's all about 'Sunflare' which I just LOVE!!! Head over and check out all the truly STUNNING images!!