Three Little Fishes

This year we decided to sign the kids up for swim team. We see the Cuda signs all over the neighborhood. We have friends who have participated in swim team for years and highly encouraged us to jump in.... so we did.

We tried to sign up Cody, but unfortunately he was about 6 weeks too young although he swims just as well as the triplets. So, he had to sit it out. That was the 1st problem. I had to take the triplets to swim practice every day and had Cody to keep entertained. Fortunately, my mom came to my rescue and took him in the afternoons while the kids swam (thank you Mom... always my hero).

Next problem... the kids swim all over our pool all the time!!! They are little fish... but they don't swim freestyle and backstroke. When the coaches tried to teach these strokes it's like they broke the kids... they looked like they had never been in water before. I am happy to report they overcame and could in fact swim the length of the pool, but they lacked in grace and speed.

Next issue, you have to volunteer at each meet or pay $200. I signed up to be a tent parent and help the kids get where they are suppose to be.... well, you end up spending all your time in the tent and you don't get to see much. Now when I say you spend all your time... this is what I mean....

Check-in for meets is generally 7:00am (which means we get up at 5:00am), the kids warm up for about 2 minutes, then we sit in the HOT tent until about 9:30 when the kids swim freestyle. Woo Hoo, 2 minutes of screaming, cheering and rooting for those gorgeous babies. I am the proudest Mom in the world when they reach the end (even if they are in the last heat with no chance of placing). Then, it's back to the tent until 11:30 when they swim backstroke. Let me just add, 4/6 year olds swimming back stroke is hilarious. Finally, HOT and worn out trying to keep the kids entertained we head home.

It's a BRUTAL activity. Right now, we are not planning to sign them up next year, but maybe like giving birth we will forget and do it again. I think the kids enjoyed it and I am happy to report that they got ribbons each week for personal best records.

More Fun Than A Fairy Tale

Back in April we took the kids to see Disney on Ice, actually their Mamaw and Pawpaw treated us all to the event including GG (great grandma). This was our 3rd time to see the ice spectacular and it never is a disappointment. The 1st time we went it never crossed our mind to wear princess dresses, but this time I was actually on my game and made sure we showed up fit for a fairy tale. The girls sported their hand made pink dresses (of course not made by me, but their Mamaw) and the boys wore their home made prince capes and crowns (thanks again to my Mom). Adorable!!!!

Heading off to the event... oh the excitement!!!

Hello World

Wow, I haven't posted in so long, I hardly recognize Blogger... I know I have a lot of catching up to do and now that the seniors have graduated and work is slowing down, I hope to have time to do just that. 

For my own benefit, I'm making a list here of things to cover:
Easter
The Fire Department Thank You Party
The Girls Dance Recital
The Swim Team and Swim Meets
The Whirlwind of Illness to hit our Home
Last Day of School
Jadon's Current Learning Curriculum (wow)

Back in March the Bluebonnets came out in force (and yellow bonnets, orange bonnets, and red bonnets... all the other color flowers according to the kids) and every year I try to get picture of the kids in the flowers. Try being the key word... I got some beautiful images for clients, but when it comes to my kids I tend to try and take short cuts to make it easier and it's not easier and the images aren't very good. But, here they are... I have managed to capture them another year in the flowers. Jadon complains it's too bright although it wasn't bright and squints through all the pictures while the others are just cranky because they want to play at a nearby park. I should post all the outtakes.

Well, more tomorrow... we are off to swim... but I am going to CATCH UP THE BLOG!!!!!!

The Single Got Blue

When we brought out the kids Easter baskets there were three rainbow baskets (purchased before Cody was born) and one blue basket. Each child took their basket and Addison exclaimed, "The triplets got rainbow baskets and the single got blue."  The kids are very much aware of their unique status as triplets.

Since the last post, the kids were tested for Kindergarten... yes, tested...  Really? yes....  I thought Kindergarten was grade one, the starting point...  they aren't suppose to know anything yet....  I don't know... crazy.  Even crazier??  I was nervous about the test.  Of course they did ok...  I mean Jadon is a full blown reader and the girls aren't too far behind.  I still can't believe they go to kindergarten in just a few months.

Right now, I've been busy at the preschool.  I stuffed 50 candy eggs, boiled and colored about 25/30 eggs for a carry the egg on the spoon game (remember, I was in charge of games this year) and I know I did more but my mind is a blur....  The kids had a great time at their parties (see pics).

We have also signed the kids up for swim team this summer which involves daily swim practice and meets every Saturday and I can literally hear it sucking money from out wallets...  from the actual cost to participate to having to purchase...  team swim suits ($54/each), a yard sign ($20), flippers ($20/each), goggles, swim caps... and even the towel and trophy ($15/each)....  They had their 1st practice yesterday.... it was hilarious... you'd never know they could swim because the instructors wouldn't let them go and insisted they do a correct free style and back stroke.  Hopefully, they will pick up these new strokes quickly, but they looked so funny trying to master these new and awkward methods of swimming.

Ok, it's actually about time to get ready for swim practice... then karate....  more on Easter soon.

Our Loss is Heaven's Gain

Our loss is Heaven's gain, we cry but the Angels sing...

Yesterday, we lost a dear friend whose charm, smile and warmth touched everyone. She and her husband had a once in a lifetime love, so I ask that you say a much needed prayer for him.

We loved her very much and she will be greatly missed.

Well, Howdy

It's rodeo time in Houston!!  We actually missed the rodeo last year due to poor planning on our part so the last time we went the triplets were 3 and Cody was 1.  Wow, hard to believe this time around Cody is 3.... and we didn't have a quad stroller.  This year was much easier and much more pleasant.  The 1st time around the whining was exhausting, but this time they all seemed to roll with the punches a lot better.

Also, when we went 2 years ago we just did the carnival and didn't actually stay for the rodeo and concert, but this year we held out for the rodeo.  Jerry got us some cheap $10 tickets because we weren't sure if they'd hang that long, but next year we know to splurge (more on this later), because they enjoyed the rodeo.  We still didn't make the concert.  It was 8:30 and we still had to shuttle back to the car and drive home an hour....  with everyone getting tired we bailed out after the rodeo.

Just want to wrap this up with a WHOLLY COW.... activities with the kids are EXPENSIVE!!!!  I always knew I wanted to be a stay-at-home mom, so when Jerry and I got married we immediately started living on one salary and putting my salary in savings (I was Director of Fuels Accounting for an Energy Company).  We were able to save from April 2005 until about October 2006 (I worked from home while pregnant and on bed rest) and I'm sooo thankful we chose to start saving before the kids were born.  We never lived on two incomes and we've made it a point to save each month.... but every time we decide to do something with the kids I nearly choke literally on the cost of EVERTHING!!!  I do have my fingers crossed that the new business will bring in some extra cash and I'm over joyed with how it's going thus far.  Right now, I'm booked through the month of April so I am just thrilled.... especially since Jerry want to do a ski trip and Disney World in the coming years.....

Photos taken on husbands phone:

Hasta La Vista Valentine's

Oh Goodness,  my Sunday post haven't been going to well...  I promise to do better....

So happenings...  I now have a gold belt karate man.  Yes, Jadon took his 1st karate test and has graduated from white belt to gold belt.  He is soooo proud (probably not as proud as me and Jerry).  Stupid me though...  it never dawned on me to take the video camera and it actually would have been a good thing to tape.  Next belt for sure!!!

I'm glad to see Valentine's day gone.  Not that I'm anti-romance, but the Valentine crafts can be exhausting.  I didn't post last Sunday because I was making 48 valentine goodie bags for the kids classmates.  The teacher asked that each child spell the name of their friend and their name as practice.  So we sat at the table, each with pen & valentine in hand.... "ok, this one is for Franklin...  F-R..."  needless to say.  This took a long time.

I'm also in charge of holiday games for both Cody's class and the triplets class at school, so I made a bean bag toss game with valentines, bells and other foo foo....  So glad Valentine's day is over!!!

I was excited to see that a Valentine photo of Kaylee took 2nd place at I Heart Faces this week.  Woo Hoo!!

Jerry has been traveling more lately, which has been a bummer but I'm thinking he may be home for a while now.... I hope!!!!

Oh, and it's TOTALLY time to drag Jadon in front of the camera!!!!!

When I Have A Little Girl

My great grandmother, grandmother, mother and myself were all photographed at 5 years old in the same pose and I always said, someday when I have a little girl she’ll be photographed the same way when she turns five.

Well, the girls are 5. Never in my wildest dreams did I think that I would be taking that treasured photograph.

Here all the photos (and one extra… Cody who refused to be left out). Top Left my great grandmother, Top Right my grandmother, Bottom Left my Mom and Bottom Right, me. Then there is Addison and Kaylee…. followed by Cody.

Exhausted....

Monday night the girls dance class
Tuesday open house at a potential kindergarden and Jadon's Karate
Wednesday ?? home?  I can't remember....
Thursday Jadon's Karate and open house at a potential kindergarden
Friday, no school for the kids... teacher training.
Saturday Jadon's Gold Belt Karate test, birthday party at Chucky Cheese, photo shoot at local High School fundraising event
Sunday Church and Jerry leaves town for several days....

I'm tired....  these are just some of the highlights of the week... it's just been BUSY....

One of my HUGE frustrations with the triplets (Cody is actually pretty good where this is concerned) is getting them to pick up toys and take care of toys....  You literally have to walk behind the triplets picking up after them 24/7 to keep the house under control.  But nap time is the worst... (it's actually quiet play time in the girls room)... they destroy the room and it takes hours to get them to clean it up....

Tonight, I had enough and the toys were all removed from the girls room (except their pillow pets) and put in the play room.  The play room door is now locked.  Tomorrow, I will once again organize the toy room and try to figure out how to handle this problem.  I've locked the toy room cabinets up before and only allowed them one toy at a time, but I found myself constantly going up and down stairs locking and unlocking cabinets....  I'm just soooo frustrated

and.... TIRED!!!  Hopefully, I'll be in better spirits tomorrow.

I also realized I failed to post these photos back from November: