Hello Out There

Eeek! I’ve been completely absent from blog land for a few days! I’m sure you understand that sometimes a girl’s real life is just too consuming to allow the time for blogging:)

I’ve been super busy with Tastefully Simple these past few weeks. Many of my wonderful customers are having some terrific parties in time for the holidays. It is a good problem to have, but needless to say I’ve been burning my already weary candle at both ends.

Today we spent some special time with our honorary Grandma Lynn and Grandpa Wes. They are just about to head south for the winter, and my kids and I will sure miss them. Something tells me we just may be seeing them in a couple of months. Hmmm…any guesses?

Of course the kids were so excited when Grandma Lynn gave them their Christmas present a little early. She told them that there was just one present, but 4 things were inside. Well, the kids sure figured out that the only way to get to their own gifts was to tear that package open fast!

Inside the kids found 4 super cool dress up hats. Just like that, they worked out whose hat was whose.

Yes, Grandma Lynn hit the nail on the head with these gifts. There is no lack of imagination in this house:)

Pictures and Scripture

Photos courtesy of Kristen Hamm Photography

2 Corinthians 5:7 For we walk by faith and not by sight

Psalm 127: 3-5 Children are a heritage from the Lord, offspring a reward from him.

Ecclesiastes 3:11 He has made everything beautiful! (This is the kids’ memory verse for Sunday school. There is a lot of talk about God, creation, and beauty in our home lately!)

Proverbs 15:13 A happy heart makes the face cheerful.

1 John 14:19 We love because He first loved us.

amen

Updates

So we are still trying to eat up that Pluto cake. Still trying to finish up the puppy chow. Still singing happy birthday and even still carrying around the trick or treat buckets!

It has been a while since I updated on each of the kids. For historical reasons (read: I don't do baby books, this is all I got!), I like to make sure I write down a little bit about each of them every few months.

Eli is loving life as a 3 1/2 year old. He spends 90% of his day at home engaged in creative play. By that I mean, he wears a bandanna, a pirate hat, or any costume he can find and runs around the house in character. Eli LOVES his shows and not only watches them, but he analyzes them. He certainly is a big thinker! But like many creative minds, Eli sometimes doesn't know where to draw the line between imagination and practical things like getting dressed. It isn't unusual to have 3 kids at the breakfast table and Eli still in his underwear!

Cara is loving life as a girly girl. She started tap dance class this fall and looks forward to Mondays every week when she and I get to walk a few doors down for dance. Cara can often be heard singing to herself and playing with her baby. She and Allie are just starting to realize that they can play all-things-girly together and it is so adorable to watch them interact. She can certainly tests our patience when it comes to going to sleep and staying asleep, but when Cara is at her best, there is no one sweeter!

Brady can best be described as the ring leader around here. Most days he is either paired off with Eli, or Cara, but he is never the one left out! He likes to do whatever someone else is doing that appeals to him! Brady still will ask to hang out with me once in a while, especially while I'm working in the kitchen. He continues to meet some and exceed some of the goals that his PT has set for him. We have noticed a big improvement in his jumping. Brady boy has quite the stubborn side to him, but his silly side is the best!

Allie is 2 going on 4! In the past few days she has been telling us to potty train her--she really has told me that exact phrase! She is able to pee on the potty when we put her there. Allie is the most mischievous child we have ever had, but I guess that is not surprising. She easily will go with other adults and doesn't mind at all to be away from her siblings when they are at preschool or during church. She is very verbal and says just about anything. Matt and I always comment that she is definitely our toughest child (that is not surprising either!).

In other updates, Cara had her follow up with the eye specialist last week. Her vision in both eyes tested normal, which is an improvement for her left eye. She continues to tilt her head when looking at things in the distance. The specialist did not see any abnormal eye movements during the exam, and isn't sure why she is still tilting her head. He does not want to repeat the surgery that she had last year unless other symptoms emerge. So for now we keep watching it and will go back in 6 months.

There you have it! They are changing all the time!

Allie’s 2nd Birthday!

What a great day! It has been SO much fun to celebrate Allie’s 2nd birthday!

The day started with us giving Allie her special present. As she waited for Matt to bring it into the living room, she sat on the couch and said, “I’m so cited! (excited)”

And she just loves her new dolly stroller!

Later, it was time for her Pluto Party!

Allie couldn’t wait for the guests to arrive!

At last year’s party, I had to open all of her presents. Not this year! Allie opened each and every one and asked for more!

Next it was time for ice cream sundaes, cake, and dog bone cookies (thanks Gramma Lynn!!)

The kids had a lot of fun eating their cake and ice cream out of dog bowls!

The puppy chow was a hit too (especially with my kids who weren’t allowed

to have any until today!)

Happy Birthday sweet girl!

xoxxo Mommy

Sleeping Beauty

Tonight my one year old baby is sound asleep in her crib.

Her head is laying on her crib bumper which she uses like a pillow. She is surrounded by her “friends” including her babies, rabbit, pelican, and her best friend Pluto.

Tonight she is one, but tomorrow she will turn 2.

This birthday is hitting me right in my heart. My baby is growing up, and fast. Don’t get me wrong, it’s hard to see the triplets growing up so quickly too. But there is just something about watching your youngest leaving the baby days behind that makes your heart ache.

Allie brings so much joy into our family. Here are a few of the many reasons that we love Allie.

She is the only blonde in our family.

People say she looks like me (finally, one that looks like me!)

Allie gives the best bear hugs.

She has always been very talkative. She can’t yet make the “C”, “K”, or “G” sounds. This leads to adorable words like “O-tay” for okay and “tup-take” for cupcake. So cute!

Allie loves to read books both by herself and sitting on the lap of someone else.

We often find her following around her older siblings, trying her best to keep up with what they are doing.

Allie is messy. I call her Messy Bessy sometimes! If she is reading books, then there will be 20 books piled up around her. She likes to take tissues out of boxes, squirt hand sanitizer all over the place, and dump puzzles out all over the house. She is messy!

For everything she is, we just love our Allison Elizabeth. I will forever say that she is the biggest blessing that I never knew I needed. I’m so glad God gave her to us!

Happy birthday Allie. You’ll always be my baby girl.

invitations designed by  funinvites on etsy.com

Piles

Here is our pile of Halloween candy (hopefully this will last us until next year!)

And here is a pile of triplets.

And a pile of triplets and their soon-to-be-two-year-old-sister.

Not sure which pile is sweeter…the pile of candy or the pile of giggling kids?