Our version of the gingerbread man...

This was our 1st project of the year..we were given a blank "gingerbread" man and asked to decorate it with Brandt's favorite things..with his help, we had a great afternoon of cutting, gluing and pasting..He then has to get up in front of the class and tell a story about his "man", he's already practicing..I swear, we have a real life sales man on our hands, hhmm, wonder where he gets that from?...

Back to school....

It was back to "school" this week for us. Brandt is in "real" preschool this year..and with Barrett it's more a Mother's day out..but we call it "school"..They were so excited, they were both up at 5:15am that morning, you'd think we were on our way to the airport to fly somewhere fun on vacation..but no, just school..they were so excited.. This is outside our house in one of the landscaping beds..it's our favorite cactus on our property..we're not sure why, we call it our "picture" cactus as we get lots of pictures taken by it..the cactus has been through a lot while our house was was under construction and for some reason, it's just become a very sentimental part of our family..maybe because the port-a-potty was parked next to it for years, and we'd see it every time we used it?? could be part of it..maybe? But, anyway, you'll see this cactus again, I promise..
At school, in the sandbox..Barrett was a little upset as this year the Preschoolers are signed in at the playground and can go and directly to play, Barrett couldn't understand why he couldn't just go and play with Brandt...????

But Barrett's teacher, Mrs. Barth aka. Mrs. Barf (kids just tend to drop the th in her name and turn it into a f)..distracted him with just the perfect solution...balls!!

All ready...on the big 1st day....looking all spiffy...with the gel-gel in the hair, as we call it in our house..

Barrett was getting a little nervous..and leave it to big brother to make him feel better...It's so nice to have some alone time with Boden now..the house is so quiet!!! We're looking forward to a fantastic and productive year!!!

6 weeks

I know this picture is a little "overexposed" and could be fixed in photoshop..but I like it just the way it is...I think he looks like an angel and those blue eyes..just melt my heart...It's hard to believe we've had him for 6 weeks, it seems to me we've had him forever..I guess maybe in our hearts...

GIRL Shower Power....

Last weekend we (sisters and step Mom and her best friend from college) threw a girl baby shower brunch for my sister Kimber..Currently there are 5 boys in our family and only one adorable girl, Ryan..so another girl is very much a blessing...It turned out to be such a delightful day...We can't wait for Sydney to get here!! Boden needs a playmate..It was so fun seeing my house all decked out in pink!!!

The sisters...

Kimber and all her loot...She's going to have to add on a room on her house for ALL the hundreds of adorable outfits she received....AND look how adorable she looks in her pink dress...She looked so beautiful and gleaming with her way to cute tummy...
This is one of Linda's specialties..it's it just so darling!!! A fruit bowl shaped like a baby carriage..! Brandt was fascinated with the wheels made of oranges!!!

Cute little name tags on Sydney's dresses attached to magic wands for our little princess...

We did a "Stock Sydney's closet" theme...Kelly came up with the wording on the invitations..which turned out adorable...Buttons, ribbons, dresses, and bows, help us fill Sydney's closet with clothes!! So we did this "clothes line" on the fireplace with clothespins and pink hangers..I'm not sure how I came up with this idea..I always thought it would be so fun and cute, I think we pulled it off pretty well...

These were some of the decorations I made. I put a pink hanger in each pot and with a clothespin clipped a way to cute girly pair of socks on each one!! Oh, and don't forget the tierra and magic wands to complete the look...I'm secretly hoping for a girly girl niece..we already love her and can't wait for her to join the other 6 kids ages 4 and under!!!!

The stretching Belly

Look how big Bell Bell, Belly, or Bella is getting...She still loves her bed..This is how she stretches..I love it..Puff use to lay the same way, and would cross his "legs" just like Bella does..I just love it, sometimes I think Puff has been reincarnated into Bella, because there are so many things they do similar..maybe it's because they are the same breed, not sure, but she's still our little baby even though Boden has joined us..she's just a little more furry than our other baby..

Brandt can fix it, yes he can..

The kids have grown up watching our house being built and once we moved in, it wasn't finished so we had "workers" at our home on a daily basis finishing different projects..there are still things that need to be finished that our not so great builder decided that he just didn't want to do once we closed on our house, so the boys think that tools and "fixing" things have become second nature to them..so slowly but surely we are finishing things as the time permits, and the big boys love to help us out especially when this ladder is involved...

They have lots of play tools, that are actually pretty realistic..but they'll play for hours "fixing" the wall or "building" a house..it's so cute, they'll put on their safety glasses and hard hats because as Brandt says, "you can never be to safe"... That's my "Builder Bob", I mean Builder Brandt
Not sure what part the red balloon (from the grocery store run earlier) has in the whole mix, but I wasn't allowed to move it..so I'm sure it played an important task in the building frenzy...Barrett was napping while Brandt was busy building..

Barrett was so cute last night, we had our great friends Tami and Ryan and Lola bring us dinner so I was changing from my daily comfy clothes into something a little more spiffy, and while I was looking into the mirror, Barrett says, "Mama you look perfect"( I think because when I brush their hair at night, I'll say, there, you look perfect.)...and then he says, "Mama, you ARE a princess"..OH, it just melted my heart..I've had some challenging days and moments with Barrett over the summer but it seems like he is moving past the stage he was in..the deep, dark, pull your hair out stage..although we did have another "closet episode" this week, instead of just pulling his long sleeve clothes off the hangers, he not only "re-did" those again, he also managed the short sleeve and by using his step stool got all the shorts and pants from the taller closet pole off too...But, we now have a lock on the closet as well and that has prevented anymore closet rearrangements so far...

Goo-Goo over Goggles...

I just can't believe how wonderful the boys are doing in the pool!! All of our swim lessons are certainly paying off..Brandt can now swim under water the length of the pool and this is the little boy who would scream if he got splashed at the beginning of the summer..now he spends more time UNDER water than above..at first, it would give me a heart attack, but now I just smile with amazement...So, I let the boys pick out goggles (the good kind) at their swim lesson place the other day for doing so well..of course, Brandt red (really kind of pink again) and Barrett blue, never fails with the favorite color thing..And here are the boys testing them out....The goggles are pretty nerdy lookin' but it's a cute nerdy look...
See, they are kind of pink...It was so darn cute the first time Brandt went under water with his new goggles, he came up and said, "Mama, there is treasure on the bottom of our pool, pearls and jewels!!" crack me up!! Then he dove back down and "gave them to me.."oohh, how sweet..and says, "Mama, just like you like, REALLY the sparkly kind!!"...

Instead of saying "cheese" he is saying "goggles...!!!"

My big fish... impressive...really, he's been "stuck" on the same level at his swim school for the past 3 sessions..so this is HUGE in our family...

Monkey see, monkey do...They'll run and jump off this rock a million and one times..it makes for a great night of sleeping in our household!!!

We swim every Sunday..it's our favorite thing to do after church and brunch..We just LOVE having a pool, it's such great family fun time, relaxing, we're all together, we all love being outside, and it's just so darn convenient...Here's all the boys, hanging out on the "edge" or "out to sea" if the boys are telling the story...

And here's the new life guard that just moved into the neighborhood that I'm totally in love with, he's been here almost a month, can you believe it!! I hear he's about to get fired from his job as life guard..I hear he naps a lot!!! He's sitting outside under our covered patio with the fans going..just a chillin', I even looked over and he had an umbrella with a pineapple slice stuck in his bottle..see drinkin on the job too!!!

Dont' take organizing tips from Barrett

This is my idea of being organized..this is in Barrett's closet..it's all the old clothes of the big boys..(the one's I've saved and not given to charity)..I have them all sorted by size (the red tags)..and they are in Barrett's closet cause he has these extra shelves and it's kind of tucked out of the way... So, I go into Barrett's closet yesterday morning and this is what I see...A complete mess..but not in Barrett's eyes..I yelled at him to come into the closet and explain what he had done..He says, "Mommy, I was just helping you organize!!"...Oh my, it never ends with this spit fire...For some reason he took all his long sleeve shirts off the hangers..and left them in a wrinkly pile..you know, his way of organizing..which I'm not impressed by at ALL!!! Part of the problem is that we put one of those locks on his door from the inside..you know basically locking him in his room at night..as he was getting up a gazillion times each night since we brought Boden home..you know the kind of lock that you have to squeeze really tight to make it "open"..well the little magician..appears in my bedroom asking for chocolate milk the second night I installed the lock!! He figured it out!! So I put a gazillion rubber bands on it to make it so tight, that he hasn't been able unlock it now..thank goodness..but I'm a responsible Mommy..don't worry, we have a monitor so I can hear what's going on up there AND I open his door a crack if I'm already up for the day and he's not...I think he's now learned that we just don't get up until the sun is out...

So..don't take orgainizing tips from Barrett...

A little Pirate in the making...

Scott took the big boys to the gym yesterday...I love it...45 minutes to get there (remember we're out in the boone docks)..1 1/2 hour work out, 1 1/2 at Chix-Filet and Lowe's (Sorry family it's closer than Home Depot)..and then 45 minutes..so that = at least 5 hours or so of peace and quiet!!! I might be getting a little jello-e while Scott is getting buff..but it's a lot more fun to work on some projects..Little pirate in the making was having a very sleepy day and of the 5 hours 2 of that was feeding time so that gave me 3 hours or so..to do this:..... Started to paint our antique furniture black to go with the baby pirate theme a little better. Scott just about had a tizzy and I'm sure the antique dealers out there are too...but you know..It just looks a ton better, and when we're finished with it..we can always use paint remover and get it restored, so there...but it looks great so far...

I found this mirror and thought it looked kind of "treasure" like..I opted for the bright blue, black and gold...I wanted the bathroom to kind of look like a treasure box..I'm going to use gold coins, pearls and jewels for the chair rail all the way around the bathroom..there is still a ton to do..but it's taking shape...Here's the medicine cabinet...before it was just a very simple beige color..When we built the house, we weren't sure if Boden's room would remain an extra guest room or be a little girls room..so everything in it was very neutral..which you know that's not be at all...well, know as you can see it's extremely the opposite of beige...

And here is the vanity..cute hugh?.. I'm going to look for big starfish hardware or something like that..maybe clams? Scott told me I should be on HGTVs Design Star, which would be SO awesome..but I don't work well under pressure, and I could never leave my kids for 6 weeks or so..so I'll just be the Design Star in our house...I've know got to axe the cream sink and go for a black one..Both the big boys have black and I just can't see past the cream..I'll have my Dad Russell switch it out when he comes this Fall..no worries, he can use the cream in one of his houses (he's a builder)..Pirate love black..Oh..and those cream outlets have to go too..ick..

I use to be a druggie

Did that get your attention? Fertility drugs, silly...I was just putting away Scott's Red bull in our gym refrigerator and thought it was high time I kicked these to the curb...It's what was left of my fertility drugs I took last Fall..I'm the type of person to just "keep em", just in case..they are outrageously expensive, they don't expire for a year or so..and in the back of my mind..I thought..gee if something happens..I'll at least have part of what I need..BUT today..in the garbage they go..what a long process x 3...it's just amazing how lucky we've been in our fertility needs..There is not a day that goes by that Scott and I look at each other, look at our kids and tell each other how lucky we are and then we thank God together..maybe that is why he gave us our 3 miracles..cause he knew we'd thank him every single day..and we have learned not only to pray for what you need but to pray for what you have..and that we do.... (sorry, I took out the picture..a great friend pointed out that if you clicked on the picture, my address was visable on the medication bottles...I'm a freak about safety with the kids, some weirdo knowing our address!!)....

No..thank YOU...

I had to post this picture cause I was pretty proud of my idea..it's probably not very original in the photography world but I thought it was a pretty nifty idea..I wanted to show how little ity bity his feet are so I put my wedding ring on his little footsie...See, I can be a little creative once in awhile..I told Melody, I need to become her assistant..and someday I just might..she's going to need some help and it might as well be a friend that lives right down the street!!! Ok, now just don't look to close on his butt..yes, that is the remnants of the poop explosion we had just minutes before in the house..I'm tellin you, there was ALOT, I just couldn't get it all..just try and focus on his cute little toes that I kiss every single day...hey, stop looking at his butt!! This is NOT a picture to click on to view bigger...but you can see his little needle marks from his PKU shots he had earlier in the week..poor thing...Yes, this IS the poop explosion that on her new white fur prop that we were the first ones to try out..ya know, when she came back over to "re-try" our 2nd photo shoot as the first one didn't go so well, she made me keep his diaper on..gee, I wonder why? But remember all is well, as the pee and poop explosion stains did come out in the wash...
And here is what our Thank you's look like for Boden's gifts he's been showered with so far...aren't they rockin' cool!!! and of course, you already know who designed these, right?


And one more...my husband's favorite...These are our barstools in the guy's room, they have white fur on the BACKS of the chair...leather on the seat.. A LOT safer to photograph a baby..easy clean up just in case we would of had the poop explosion on THAT chair...but no he had to break in the white furry prop instead...

Sleeping beauty

Again, can't stop bragging on my great friend Melody..I'm just so dang proud of her..I've watched her blossom as a photographer since I've known her..and well practice makes perfect..she's so gifted..you really got to check her out..hopefully she'll have her website up and running very soon...This is another of my favorite pictures of Boden at one week..I just love all the dimples and wrinkles on his precious little hands..it's the sweetest thing ever...I just want to eat him up!!

Boden's baby annoucement

I just had to show you Boden's birth annoucements...designed by my wonderful girlfriend, Melody..She's starting her own business..Rockin' A Photography..so if you're local..she's it..I love that fact that she knows my style so well..they turned out perfect...Thank you my sweet and talented friend!!! (You can click on it to make it big)...

Oh, how summer flys bye bye....

This summer has just flown by for us..with most of the time being filled with the anticipation of our new brother...I tried to spend lots of time with the big boys as I knew things would slow down a bit as not to drag our new little one out in the Texas heat...here are some of our "adventures" as the boys call them: There is a local train museum, which in it's day probably was very cool, but over the years, with the little upkeep and care that has NOT gone into the museum, it was to say it nicely, a little stinky in the train cars..but the boys didn't seem to mind..I just plugged my nose and went with the flow..it sounded like a great day of fun, but we were all a little disappointed, but now we know...

Brandt's great little friend Landon..another birthday party..they are really fun to go to..the kids get so excited..No one ever told me that little kids talk constantly about their next birthday party, who is coming, what we're doing, what the theme is, where it is..it cracks me up..Brandt says, "It sure is taking a long time for me to turn 5!!"..gee, little guy what is your hurry..I try to explain that a year IS a long time, but I don't think he quite gets it...Brandt has already made his "vocations" (really invitations, he's a little confused..) while we were having "craft time", they are "pink"..not sure if we'll use them or not..hopefully he'll forget about them..but we'll see??

Our sweet Vienne's unicorn birthday party..so darling...They are just an adorable family...We've had lots of parties this summer...I don't exactly remember my camera at each one..but you can see by their faces that they love 'em..

At V's party, it was at a western themed kid party place, they had a bunch of dress up clothes hanging next to an old western building..I turn around..this is the ensemble that Brandt comes up with..scarry..a skirt?..the Mommies with older boys said not to worry..so I'm not..they don't get the different sex with clothing yet..well, let's hope anyway...He HAD to have the RED hat, his favorite color...

Brandt zip lining at V's birthday party..it's such a cute place for a birthday party....

Another birthday party..this is Brandt's great friend George..Although by this picture..it looks like George isn't into a hug at the moment the picture was taken..His Mommy and I are hoping they are in the same class this year..we do play dates together and the boys are just so cute together..Brandt calls him his Georgy..darling...

A fun place for another birthday party, Gymboree...we haven't been since Brandt was a baby..I forgot how great a place it is..I'm thinking I might have to enroll Boden this Fall while the big boys are at school..well, I just noticed that many of these pics are of Brandt..don't think I favor one son over the next..Barrett our spit fire..wants nothing to do with pictures unless..he's dressed up like something cool...like a pirate...NOW, Barrett is into pirates...yes, I know the patch is upside down..but that's why it's so cute!! We (meaning the boys and I) decided to do Boden's room in the pirate theme, you know I love those skulls!!..it's got a ways to go..but I have several months before he moves into his big boy room..I'll get a chance to do more once the boys are in school...

A trip to the zoo...Our beautiful butterfly...

Little monkey Moo....

Our little monkey..some days are so-so and some days are not so so-so...I dug out the big boy's baby books..of course, I bought the ones where there is a daily calendar to write down what happened every day for the first 6 months..it was reassuring to look back and see what exactly I tried with the boys and their reflux..I got some good pointers..from myself!!!! It's nice to see that there is hope in sight..Daddy comes home tonight so I'm looking forward to only having to get up once during the night instead of 3 times!!Yippee...I have Adela extra this week as my friend I share her with is on vacation..so I've been able to do some fun things with the big boys..They are both getting so amazing in the pool..They are turning into little fish..Brandt is swimming the length of the pool without his "floaty" and this all happened in a week. I'm so proud of him, as he was petrified of the water and wouldn't even get his hair wet at the beginning of the summer..He told me as soon as Daddy gets home he wants to show him his new "tricks"..it's so fun watching them grow up and learn new things...I promised them I'd get an underwater camera when they learned to go under..better make a Cosco run soon...

Loofah Lunatics

Remember how I told you I've been learning some "tricks" concerning our night time ritual on the evenings that Daddy is gone for work..well, we've discovered that showers are quicker than baths, less water used, and less fighting as they each have their own "shower" (meaning dual shower heads)..Plus, we picked up these great loofahs at Target..and watch out suds galore..I don't think they've ever been so clean!! They LOVE them..Brandt picked out "red" but it's really pink, at least he's got the right color family, and Barrett settled for green, his 2nd favorite color next to blue..(they didn't have blue)..Boden sits in the swing while the boys are busy sudzing up...gives me a chance to put jammies on and wash my face..time is at a premium these days..I've got us on a strict schedule, to fit ALL 3 boys hygiene routines in before it's time to feed Boden.. were making it work for us as we don't have much of a choice..
Here's Barrett sudzing up his hair..and Brandt doing his synchronized swimming, minus the pool, in the background....

And here is how the routine ends up...A nice relaxed finish on the bottom of the shower..He got a 10, of course...I guess he's preparing for the Olympics...??

Fuss Bucket

Week 3 and someone has switched my babies on me...my adorable, cuddling baby is gone..replaced with Mr.Fuss Bucket..But he sure is and still is darn cute..still adorable, but he's got this mulit personality thing goin'!! After the third day of the entire bottle that took me an hour to feed came up in my hair leaving it sticky and gooey, I decided to switch formulas, which means finding a nipple that will work with the thicker liquid..it's challenging and NOW, I really don't get anything done, this is what bothers me the most, I can deal with a fuss bucket but not being able to cross those things of my to do list each day is killin me!!! Thank goodness for Linda today, whom took the big boys to play..I actually tried to take a nap today, the first ever since we brought Boden home, it lasted all of 15 minutes before my mind started to race..Scott got mad at me this weekend as I ran myself down and caught a cold..but I feel guilty not continuing life as usual with Brandt and Barrett, so there is no time to nap...but I'm better now, so it didn't last to long..

I took Brandt to Nordstroms Cafe for our "date" day this week, as we were washing our hands a rather "large" lady came into the bathroom..Brandt said, "Mommy, she's to fat to fit into the little bathrooms" yes, outloud as she was walking bye...Yikes..we had to have our first talk about how God created us all different and how we can't say things like that as we can hurt other's feelings..we've never washed our hands so fast..talk about embarrassing..other news..Barrett's baby is missing...I've searched and searched for it...hours..what little time I have..I'm more upset about it than he is..I wanted it for his keepsake treasure box to give to his wife someday..I even have been dreaming about it at night, little green monsters!!! I find myself holding my breathe every time I open the laundry or a cabinet, hoping I get attacked by the matted down green furry thing... Hopefully it will turn up, but I'm thinking it accidentally got thrown away?? It makes me sad, it was only a stuffed animal, I know, but a very sentimental one..at least I've got some great pictures of it..and Barrett is able to sleep at night while his Mama tosses and turns about it...