Roughing It

Ok, I'm always busy around the holiday's... but holy cow.  If Santa really did it all.... wouldn't that be nice.


Just a few things....  Thanksgiving was super fun but I think the highlight (thanks to my husband) was the camping trip.  Where did we camp you might ask...  Well, we camped out under the cover of our outdoor kitchen in the backyard.  We watched a movie on the TV, got drinks out of the fridge, and had shelter from the rain which came during the night.  Roughing it for sure....  This was my kind of camping.


We had the kids cots and a king size trundle mattress for us all in the monster sized tent.  I really didn't think I'd make it through the night and fully expected to go in the house at some point, but I slept great.  We told scary stories and then watched Shrek on TV (told you it was rough - ha).  I thought Jerry was CRAZY when he said he wanted to camp out in the back yard... but a good time was had by all.  Thanks honey... you were right.

No Description Needed

This is without question one of my favorite posts ever!!

Ho Ho Ho....Let it Snow!!

Last Tuesday, it seemed like a good time to load up the kids so they could take their Xmas lists to Santa and I could get a picture of them all.  I opted not to take my camera and just purchase the photos taken by the "pros"...  well, perhaps I should have taken my camera since the photos I purchased were very low resolution and the color balance was WAY off....  my kids were purple.  You can visit the Shabby Jack blog for the before shot.  This is after my "fixes" which are still weak given the poor quality I had to start off with.

Regardless of the photos, the experience was nothing but fabulous.  We've done this every year, but this year they changed this up a bit.  1st, they made it snow in the mall!!!  Before Santa's arrival the snow machines on the second floor started and down came soft real looking foam snow that gathered in our hair for a while before melting.  It was BEAUTIFUL and smelled lovely.

Then Santa showed up in his red pants, boots, undershirt, and suspenders.  He was a splendid Santa with personality to match!!  He started on the second floor with his arrival announced with sleigh bells before coming down the escalator to join the kids.  It was truly a magical moment which left us all smiling.

I helped the kids make lists the night before and they showed Santa what they wanted... no rush, no hurry... he was wonderful with them!!

THANKS, Santa!!!

Kee Yah!!

Jadon recently started Karate.  Only Jadon...  We had the option of signing up two kids and the other two get to go for free, but I really wanted Jadon to have something he didn't have to share with the girls.  I contemplated signing up Cody, but 4 kids doing activities gets very expensive and he is still so young.  I'm sure we will sign him up when he turns 4.

I can't put into words how much Jadon LOVES Karate.  I have to say the other kids can get a bit out of control, but Jadon is AWESOME.  He can generally get pretty silly, but in class he honestly doesn't let the other kids influence his behavior and takes pride in being good.  He also knows if he's good and sits up straight, he will get called on first for activities.

Being my loving soft spoken boy... I love the pride and confidence which is growing by leaps and bounds with this program.  "You Go Boy"!!!!!

A Couple of First

The kids had their 1st dental visit last week.  I had asked if it would be better to bring them all in at different times, but they said it wasn't necessary and I could bring them all at once.   Well, let me just say... they have a slick operation going....  great play areas while waiting, 4 cleaning chairs manned with super friendly ladies to clean the teeth, dental x-rays right there, and another play room...

We had one getting x-rays while the 3 were getting cleaned and it just rotated from there.  As they finished up, they moved on the play area until everyone was done!!!  Then it was a quick check by the dentist and we were out the door with prizes in hand...  WOW!!!

The facility was top notch and the kids did a PHENOMENAL job...  no fussing or fears... they hopped up and opened up.  They LOVED it!!!  They were given a clean bill of health and were sent home happy for another 6 months.

The other 1st????  I took pictures with my phone....  nope, never done that before....  can't say they turned out great... but I was able to capture our 1st trip to the dentist.

Halloween Recap....

Each year I am sooooo excited for Halloween and dressing up the kids and every year I am soooo happy to see it gone for another year.

On Wednesday, the kids had their Halloween parties at school which started with a costume parade in the morning and parties in the afternoon.  This was the 1st time they got to wear their costumes and we were all excited.  I found myself running between classrooms during the parties, but spent more time in Cody's class since I was in charge of games in his class.

Thursday night, the girls got to wear their costumes to dance class, so I once again suited them up and did the senorita and Belle hair do's.  Kaylee is just not happy unless she has a bun like Belle.

Then Saturday night, after celebrating my birthday (and Jerry getting up at 4:30 in the morning to sell our triplet strollers at the Mom's of Multiples garage sale), we once again put the kids in costumes for the neighborhood Halloween party.  I thought it was freezing, but Kaylee went the entire night w/o a jacket...

Finally, on Monday... we dressed for the last time and went trick or treating.  It was a bit warmer and no one wanted to wear a jacket.  The triplets were TOTALLY into the trick or treating and Cody was right there with them although he just kept falling....  On his 4th fall he cried out, "Oh no, not again..."  which is his latest thing he likes to say right now (too much time with Addison perhaps).

The costumes are now in the dress up basket and we are continuing to catch up on our rest... at least for the next few weeks until we start dragging out all of Christmas.

Here are our costumes...  Kaylee loves to pose and I get tons of great shots of her on a regular basis, but this wasn't our best...  Addison always makes funny faces while posing, but doesn't realize it.  Jadon just moves constantly and Cody does ok....  so out of a hand full of shots... these were the best of the lot.

5

"Oh my gosh, oh baby...."  These were the 1st words uttered by my husband Jerry upon seeing Addison for the 1st time as she was being delivered and within a minute later we welcome Kaylee and then Jadon.

Kaylee was suppose to come last, but when the second baby was delivered our doctor said, "oh, I think I got the little one" and I joked that the last baby better be a boy.  When Jadon was delivered I heard Dr. Kirshon say, "this one is going to need oxygen."

The delivery was a blur... but this is some of what I remember..

And I remember holding one of my babies for the 1st time.  They brought me Kaylee, our smallest at 3 lbs, before taking them all to the NICU and laid her across my chest.  She was nothing like I had imagined...  Her eyes were wide open and so big on that little bitty head that she almost looked like a little baby monkey (in a good way)... adorable... but she was so small and hadn't grown into her features that I just remember those big eyes looking at me.  Then, I started to feel ill from the epidural so they rushed all the babies away to the NICU.

Addison came 1st and weighed in at 3lb 13oz and required the most oxygen and she just kinda moaned repeatedly for a while.  We were not able to hold her for several days which broke my heart, but we changed her diaper, stroked her, and let her know we were there.  Once we could hold her, she would study us with a frown on her face and very untrusting look.  I'd talk to her... "What are looking at silly girl... I'm your Mommy... you better get used to this face"  and I'd sing....

Kaylee never required oxygen and came out of the womb funny and smiling...  they say it's just gas, but I'm seriously not sure...  she smiled upon entry to the world and she continues to be the happiest of the kids.  She got the most hold time in the NICU being the healthiest and her feed time was during visiting hours.  I think she got the most "home video" time as well when I watch them back.

Jadon was last at 4lbs and needed a little oxygen early on, but came off it quicker than Addison.  He was mister laid back.   He slept on his back with his arms behind his head and seemed just as relaxed as could be.  I thought we'd never get to know each other because he was always asleep.  I also thought he looked just like his Daddy at birth and now I don't see that all, not that he looks like me either.  He has always been the snuggler of the bunch.

and now.... those tiny babies are 5 years old...  oh, how my world has changed and how my heart has changed.

I recently watched Private Practice (comes on after Greys Anatomy) and Addison Shepherd is talking to someone at the end of the show.  The conversation went something like this....

"When a woman has a baby whether it's a girl or a boy, healthy or sick, lives moments or years that women is forever changed.  Every cell of her being is forever changed... she is forever a Mom."

I am forever changed...  I will always love so much it hurts, I will forever worry about everything from coughs to cars, I will forever want more for someone else than for myself....  I am a Mom.

Happy Birthday Addison, Kaylee, Jadon and a because we let him pretend it's was his birthday too... Cody.  You have forever changed my life for the better.  I love you!!

This year I made the kids their own individual cake and let them pick the theme:

A Week in Review....

On Saturday, the girls danced in their second ballet recital.  In the last recital they danced as Sleeping Beauty and this time they were Snow White and I have to say the were MUCH MUCH better.  In fact, I think Addison was the best one in the show with Kaylee as close second.  Kaylee just lost focus a few times, but she knew the dance and did a fantastic job as well.  It was a real treat to see it live since Jerry and I had to be out of town for their 1st performance and had to watch it on video upon returning home.

Addison was sick the morning of the dance and we had illnesses throughout the weekend to include vomiting, but it was short lived and we are all healthy again.

On Monday, Cody attended his 1st school field trip.  Jerry took off work and we took him to the Oil Ranch    (where the triplets went last year).  It was good spending a little time with his class and his teachers and he felt soooo special to have this time without the triplets.  He got to ride a horse, play in hay piles... we rode a train and a hayride and did several other things.  It was hot!!  But a good time was had by all and he fell asleep on the way home.

A Texas Disappointment...

I am a UT girl and my husband is a Die Hard OU boy...

Well, our football teams took to the field on Saturday and we and several of our friends gathered in the backyard to watch the game and let the kids swim. It was clear from the beginning, Texas couldn't keep up and they ultimately caved to the OU team. Jerry was overjoyed, while my Dad and I ate crow once again. oh well...

The kids however had a great time with new friends. We had a total of 11 kids in the pool at one time and a few adults leading the play (myself included). Jadon is a Texas boy (always on his Mommy's team) and Addison is OU all the way. The other two flip flop in their team loyalty. The day ended after everyone had left upstairs on the sofa with us all sleeping to The Last Unicorn on the TV. Exhausted.

Monday was a holiday and I had my 1st senior shoot... FUN!! I'm still editing photos, but will be posting them soon on Shabby Jack.  Super handsome young man with a cute as can be girlfriend.

Wednesday, the triplets had a field trip which my Dad and I attended.  It was a play at a children's theater.  Diary of a Worm, a Spider and a Fly.  Very cute.  I wasn't sure how much the kids were catching from the plot... but when they later told Jerry about the show, it was clear they didn't miss much.

Also, this week, I am mourning the loss of our Garden Ridge Pottery store which was engulfed in fire the other day.  Oh, I loved that store.  It's where I bought these awesome masks....  Here are the rest of the mask pictures.  I used a mask picture of Kaylee over at Photoshop Friday if you want to see a before and after.

Boo!

I can't believe it's been so long since I've posted here... it's just been (as always) busy.

This past weekend we did manage to get Halloween costumes purchased and yes, it was hard... but I let them pick out their own costumes. We started at a store which is strictly Halloween stuff, but found the costumes starting at $50... well, with 4 kids I'm just not about to spend $200 on costumes (especially with preschool, dance, and karate class expenses to contend with).  So, we headed over to Party City which is a party store with some costumes (lesser quality but less expensive) and each child picked a costume.

We walked out of the store with me feeling a bit disappointed. In past years, the kids have just been ADORABLE and the costume quality pretty good. I felt like we were walking out with nothing special... but the kids were happy so I let it go.

Well, we got home and tried on the costumes and they looked precious and they are SOOOOO happy to have picked it out on their own... so I am thrilled for them...

We have a Spanish Dancer (Addison), Belle (Kaylee), Red Ranger Power Ranger (Jadon), and a Football player (Cody) and they all look cute as can be.

Onto pictures... I was over at Garden Ridge Pottery and they had the neatest masks... my mind went straight to photos. So, last night I grabbed the girls and walked them over to some nearby trees for pictures with the masks. I only got 3 edited thus far... but really wanted to get a post in today. I'll post the rest soon. I wouldn't really call these portraits... but Mommy just having some fun with props.