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:

The Sunday Post

Busy, busy, busy.... my goal for Three Peas and a Bean now that I've just become soooo busy is a Sunday post of the week. So, I'm getting a little head start today and playing a little catch up.

We have actually had some neat things going on.

1st, this week we started teaching the triplets to wipe their own bottoms.  I'm sure nothing you care about, but someday I'll wonder when we made this change and I want it documented.  I'm not sure when most parents attempt this, but the triplets start Kindergarden next year and I think it's expected that they do this on their own.  I'm also getting tired of wiping 4 little hineys all day long.

We also took the kids to see Alvin and the Chipmunks Chipwrecked over the weekend.  I was a little hesitant because it's not really an animated movie if it would hold their attention... boy, did I not need to worry....  They were glued to the screen and when I'd look down the row... all I saw were smiles.  I have to say even I enjoyed it.  Super Cute!!!

On Saturday night, Jerry decided to have a movie night outside (he is such a great Daddy).  We had gone to Church and dinner Saturday evening so it was 8:30 before we ever got started, but he made a fire and hot chocolate.  We turned on the outdoor heater and got blankets and pillows and watched The Polar Express.  You just cannot watch the Polar Express without hot chocolate!!  The kids had a blast and got to sleep in on Sunday.

This week is Catholic schools week so Jerry and I started the Kindergarden search.... wish us luck!

Ok, hopefully more on Saturday and some photos...  I've been working on a 5 generation project that I'll be sharing soon.

She was bad??? Impossible....

The girls are at dance class right now with their Daddy.  Last week, Addison was apparently acting up (being silly and not listening) and got in a lot of trouble with her Daddy after class, so I hope she is behaving herself...

And this photo... me as a little girl...I never saw myself in Addison until this photo....

Another Day... A New Year

We had an uneventful day.... I'm now the proud owner of a new set of tires on my minivan... whoo hoo ugh....  I hate spending money on stuff like that.  We also purchased a new computer... once again uck... but I'm planning to start some educational programs with the kids and wanted them to have a machine so we bought the cheapest one we could find that fit the bill.

The highlight of the day was spending time with Addison....  this is the only photo I managed to get edited thus far.