Summer Fun

I realize that snow suits are on the store shelves and Christmas trees are at the local Hobby Lobby but around here it's still summer.  As in it's hot, the kids sleep in (sort of) and I don't have much gumption to tackle any major projects.

But just to prove to posterity (and my mom) that we're not completely lazy here ya go, part one of our summer in 7 pictures.

Yogurt really is just as messy as you'd think.

Imagine the dental floss.

Happy birthday to the baby!  Picture of her cake but not of her, what's wrong with that picture??

Houses that we can't afford (thank you student loans) but they're nice to look at!

Swimming with 5 kids is no joke.  It's an achievement man.

I've always wanted to play in a fountain but because I'm a grownup I'm the one telling the kids no while secretly thinking that fountain swimming would be super fun.

Proof that kids really are able to sleep anywhere.  It makes my neck hurt just looking at this picture.

Happy summer!

A Few Ideas

My Nathan used to tell people that his dad was 36 and his mom was 13.  The husband and I are actually only 5 years apart so I'll let you figure out which age was right.

Today I turned 23, Daddy hits 37 in a few months.  Again use your powers of deduction.

To celebrate my birthday I'd like to share a few of the presents that I would not turn down.

Exhibit A:

I'm definitely NOT one of those girls that would be offended if the husband walked in the door with a household cleaning tool.  At all.

Suggestion 2:

Having my very own table saw.  There really aren't words.  Except these:  power tools make me happy.  Very happy.

Idea 3:

Don't judge me when I tell you that I've never been to the ocean.  I know.  It's borderline criminal.  I blame my landlocked childhood.

The above have to wait until ASL* but that doesn't mean I didn't get the greatest present of all this year.  My better half hit an out of the park, over the bleachers, into the atmosphere home run.

1.  thoughtful
2.  original
3.  budget conscious
4.  perfect for me

It's a Silva Brothers Construction Company t- shirt.  It's awesome.  If you're a This Old House/ Tom Silva fan you get my excitement.

One last thing, if Tom showed up to help me with one of my million projects here's what I would do:  first, I would start to cry.  Second, I'd forget how to speak.  Third, I'd try and talk him into a whole house gut job.  Fourth, I would tell every single person that I met for the rest of my life that I had been in the same room as Tom Silva.  I'd get super annoying.

23 or 32 looks like it's full of possibility.  So happy birthday to myself and everyone else who shares my birthday.  Because August is awesome.

*ASL means After Student Loans.  We dream about that day.  I think it'll happen...

Stickers and Sisters

I keep trying to think of something witty to say but this picture is just turning my brains to mush.

Maggie just hit the big 3 month mark.  She weighs a giant 11 pounds.  Okay not giant at all, her doctor calls her "petite" but she is getting close to doubling her birth weight and I swear I saw the beginnings of a dimple.  Jennie (and Grant) turned 7 a few weeks ago.  It blows my mind.  Of course I forgot to take pictures of the birthday cakes, presents and even the actual birthday subjects.  And I call myself a mom...

In case you were wondering, those are stickers covering my baby.  But before you judge let me tell you that they were letter stickers and Nathan was practicing his spelling.  Helpless baby sisters make excellent subjects.

Have a happy Tuesday, Mags insists that you do.

love the miles

The List (trust me, it's worth your time)

I've been working on a project for a few months and it's sort of taken up all my time.  ALL my time.  But finally I'm ready to share with the world.

I made a list because I'm a list maker.

If you read The List you'll know exactly what I would like for my birthday and why I've (dare I say) earned it.

WAIT!!! Don't write me off as a person with ego to spare, you have to read The List first, after all I've spent some time working on it.

1.  I'll be 31 this year.  That's totally a milestone.  Really it is.  The traditional gift for the 31 year old woman is something sparkly, I prefer clear sparkle with a hint of fire but really I'll take any color.  I will also accept cash.

2.  My daughter turns 9 this year, 2 days before my above mentioned birthday.  The traditional gift for the woman who gave birth to her first child 2 days before she turned 22 is, umm, I don't know.  Let's just say that I could use a new pair of boots... or cash of course.

3.  Finally the last reason why I need a really great present is that 3 days before I turn 31, August 8 if you were wondering, Miles' child number 5 will be arriving.  Yep, you read that right.  I said FIVE.  I'm tired just thinking about it, also a little nauseous but mostly tired.  The traditional gift for the mother of child number 5 is all of the above plus some well, cash.

Five, people, five.

Kristen

PS- I'm only half as self- centered as this post makes me seem, just half...

30 years of wisdom or something like wisdom...

She's loving life, can you tell?

I turn 30 tomorrow.  Exciting right?

Wanna hear a few things I've learned along the way?

Cool.  Listen anyways.

1. Become friends with your parents, most of the time they're pretty awesome.
2. Don't get a tattoo, at least not in a place like your ankle where it's impossible to cover and definitely don't get something you won't love in a hundred years like oh for example, a cowboy hat and boots that people will constantly mistake for a mushroom.  Trust me, it's a bad idea.
3. Wear sunglasses and find a good eye cream.  Your eyes will thank you.  At least I hope they will, cross your fingers.
4. Recognize yourself for what you are, an excellent source of comic material.  Laugh at the stupid stuff you do.
5. Do things that are out of character and unexpected, it makes you more interesting.
6. Learn to correctly apply eyeliner.  It goes on the top lid, it goes on the bottom and the top lid but it never, never, never goes on just the bottom lid.  Trust me ladies (or dudes, I'm not judging) it looks much better that way.
7. Don't live your life waiting for approval or censure.  Just live it.  Who cares what other people think!
8. Appreciate the people you have around you.  Whether it's your family or friends, be grateful for them.
9. Eat food that makes your body feel healthy and strong.  Don't waste your time on garbage food, it's not worth it.
10. Finally, never forget the ancient truth that says: just when you think you know it all, you will be proved wrong.

 Aren't you impressed with my depths of wisdom? 

Fuzzy pictures are the best!

Just think what I'll be like in my next 30 years...

I've got it all: part dos

Sometimes I get these great ideas about multiple part projects and then I start and well, maybe one part turns out to be enough.  That's what happened with this post here.  I kept thinking about it and mulling over it and I just couldn't come up with more than what I had already said.  So here we are with just one part and maybe a half of a one part series.  Exciting I know but that's the way I roll.

Lately I've been feeling almost overwhelmed with gratitude for this life I have and the wonderful people that are living it with me.  Sure there's never enough money or time or energy to do half of the to-do list but things are still pretty great.  I wonder how much of that is just my expectations, are things good because I expect them to be or because they just are?  I don't know but however it happens I'm pretty happy with this life I've been blessed with.  

In other exciting news, it's my twin's birthday.  They're one hand old.  Cool huh?

Here's what I looked like 5 years ago.

Makes you wanna cry huh?  Me too.

Have a good day peeps!

Kristen

Time flies, it really does.

Seven years ago at this time I was sitting on the couch on our unattractive wool couches (don't every buy wool, or accept as a hand me down if you have dog).  Anyhow I was sitting there feeling uncomfortable and large and sweaty and very pregnant.  This baby needed to come out and soon but not that night because it was my niece's 3rd birthday and there would be cake.  So maybe after the cake, that would work.  But dang if those twinges weren't getting more painful and frequent and did I mention how they hurt?  So after debating a little I called the husband and asked him if he could come home and if maybe we could take a little ride, you know if it would work with his schedule.  We took our trip to the hospital and hung out for a little while and things really started to happen, scary things especially when you're barely into adulthood and you've never had a baby trying to make it's way out.  At 7:43 that Monday night seven years ago our girl was born. 

No, this isn't her baby picture.  Apparently I have none on this computer but just imagine the same big eyes and round cheeks and wispy curly hair and thank goodness, no teeth and you've got the general idea of what our baby looked like. 

She's the oldest of four and has made it her mission in life to guide her siblings through life with kind words, love and occasional WWF showdowns.  So far it seems to be working.

I love this girl, she's my right hand man, my go to girl and all those other things.  The point is, she's worth her weight times two in gold.

I love the way she laughs at things.  

I love that she wants to be a rock star. 

I love that she still hugs me and tells me that she loves me. 

I love the way that she hates to get up in the morning but still drags herself out of bed.

Having her around has changed me more than I ever thought possible when I held her for the first time all those years ago.

Happy birthday Knot Princess!

Love,

Momma

PS- I didn't get any cake that night.

PPS- No, I'm not still bitter. 

PPPS-  Well, maybe just a little.

How long is too long to still have baby weight?

My baby is turning two this week.  Which means we should probably stop calling him "the baby". 

As in "someone grab the baby before he dumps out the milk" or "who let the baby in the bathroom, he's in the toothpaste" or "if you don't want the baby to bite you, keep your fingers out of his mouth".  You know, regular stuff like that.

As the youngest of 4, this kid is learning some survival skills.  Things like if you want someone's attention it's best to just get in their face and give them a kiss.  They'll notice you for sure.  You should also be proficient in the use of the word "NO!"  It's useful for those times of stress and overload, like when your mother is making you sit still in church.

I'm making the coolest cake for his birthday.  Right now it's still in the crumb coat stage but it's shaping up to be pretty incredible.  I've been taking pictures, hopefully I can show them to you sometime this millennium.

Happy Monday!

Kristen