Around Here: Summer

Well, it’s officially summer and the kids have been doing just about everything. From searching through a bowl of Lucky Charms for marshmallows to feed to your one-year-old brother to dressing up in a toilet paper gown to finding joy in doing dishes (YAY!), we’ve been trying to keep busy. It’s going to be an interesting sugar-filled, park-going, bath-loving summer!








Neighbor Love

Yes people (the three of you)…

Post back-to-back.

We moved a little bit ago to find ourselves on a little gem. The people are AMAZING. It’s quiet minus the summer party every Saturday night which I kinda don’t mind because it’s good music and makes me feel young. We also bring a lot of noise.

Here’s a glimpse of an everyday weekday summer night with the nicest kid next door. We love them. By the way…our weekly menu had breakfast for dinner. Yep.. homemade waffles, syrup, sausage, eggs, banana muffins, blueberries. Yum. Oh and icecream for the winners of the baseball homerun tournament in the back.




Night at the beach

After many nights of restlessness, summerness, and just all around boredom (really?!), we decided to take a quick trip to the beach for dinner. We packed up Daddy’s new go-to grill and some meat and ended up on a perfect flat spot. Doheny/Capo Beach… we will be back for night time din-din’s.

The weird thing is–We go here about every other day. Why not dinner?! I need to think about spots like parks, beaches, pools, etc. that we normally do during the day. Ahhh… next summer there may be a plan in place!








Welcome Baby Ben!

For a long time before Baby Ben arrived, I wrestled with the feeling of taking on too much (am I really ready for another child? can I do it?) and a feeling of sadness knowing this is the last time I’m going to carry a baby. My Aunt Nancy always told me that her favorite part of being pregnant was feeling the little butterfly kicks. And, I’m right there with her.

As soon as I laid eyes on this little cutie pie, I was 100% in love. On March 7, we welcomed Benjamin into the world at 10:02 a.m. At an even eight pounds, he was healthy and hungry–something I could completely relate to. Ice chips after not eating for how long?! I’m exhausted and want a soup/salad combo with a pineapple shake!

He looks like Blake and Bryn but with a twist, and has long fingers that everyone seems to comment on. All of the nurses gushed over how adorable he was and I couldn’t agree more. That button nose and those eyes! My heart melts each time he’s awake!

Welcome to the family, Ben. We love you so much and can’t wait for the years ahead!







Before Baby Arrives

Over the past nine months, I’ve had a hard time documenting Baby #4’s arrival. But the one thing I have done (thankfully!) is take pictures. From eating healthy to practicing how to feed baby using an Anna doll from Frozen, to building a crib, to late night snuggles when I couldn’t move around anymore, to coloring pictures for the baby’s room, we have all been excited to welcome our new baby boy to the family!











It’s October!

Fall is by far my most favorite time of the year. I love baking, carving pumpkins, cooking Thanksgiving dinner, trick-or-treating with our babes, and finding time to go outside when the weather drops below 70 degrees. We recently took a little trip to this big open field not too far from where we live. The kids loved running around, kicking a deflated soccer ball, and climbing up this huge hill that made me freak out. Maybe it’s because MY balance is off since I’m belly-heavy with baby #4. Yes, that’s it.

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Being a Mom

It means being silly. Loving always. Forgiving. Toughest and best job of my life, right now.

If you’re a mom out there reading this, your child is the bestest there is. Just understand that every child isn’t exactly like yours and to embrace differences. The world is made of so many unique people and that’s what makes it great.

Photos courtesy of Photo Booth. :)

Twins: 17 Months Old

For some reason, we don’t see my Dad as much as I thought I would, especially having three kids now. But, the times we do get together are always some of the best.

A week ago, the girls and I drove out to spend some time with him. It was great! We made a mess of his always perfectly clean house. We snacked. We drank unsweetened iced tea (one of my favorite drinks). Well, I did. We talked about how big the girls are now, walking around and saying “uh-oh” a lot. He shared that he thought the girls might be afraid of him–but they weren’t (they might not remember your face, but they remember love). We played with the dogs and laughed when one of the girls wanted a dog toy over one of their own toys scattered across the floor. And knew it was time to leave when both girls were sprawled on the ground staring up at us. We couldn’t stop laughing!

It’s amazing how life can be so surprisingly wonderful. As the twins turn 17 months today, I’m forever grateful for this family of mine. Thanks Grandpa for a fun day!

Twins: 7 Months Old

I’m officially scared. The girls are perfecting the “scoot” and are EVERYWHERE. One day we were saying, “Oh that’s cute. They are using their arms to move to get the ball a few inches away.” And now… Yeah, this is definitely going to be interesting. Scooting, then crawling, then walking. Yikes.

Both are so adorable though. They look completely different and I actually think of them so separately that they aren’t just twins, they are sisters. I especially enjoy Blake interacting with them more and more. If only they would sleep through the night…

Brooklyn:

-Likes to observe you when you eat. I have a feeling she’s going to be like me, open to trying new foods.
-Has a contagious grin.
-Can’t get enough of the Baby Bjorn.

Bryn:

-Loves her carrots.
-Can not only scoot but has perfected the crawl stance. She’s ready to go once her little legs get stronger.
-Is the toughest to get dressed. She’s squirmy!

Twins: Four Months Old

The girls are growing up! Four months old and so much fun.

Brooklyn…

  • is SO strong. She loves for us to hold her so she can use her legs and stand up.
  • makes us laugh. Her smile is contagious! Whether she’s waking or spitting up, she still is sporting that grin.
  • weighs close to 13 lbs. at our last doctor’s visit so she may weigh even more now!

Bryn…

  • is perfecting rolling over. She’s the one to watch these days!
  • has such a gentle demeanor.
  • was at 69th percentile for her age in height. She’s going to be a tall one.

They are both now sleeping in their room, together. Each in their own crib and almost through the night. They love being around each other and holding hands or talking. They can’t get enough of their loving brother Blake who lets everyone know that those are HIS sisters and to be gentle with them. Everyday is such a fun ride of busy.

Happy Four Months, Girls!