Friends

I was babysitting some friends of Sadie's today, a set of twins that love to come play and are always a joy to have around. I decided to do something fun with them today and we decorated some rainbow cakes today. We just took a white cake mix and mixed food coloring in a cup of it and layered each color in the 8' round pan. When they were cool, I let each kid have a layer to decorate for themselves. It was a big success:

Sadie:
Lexi:

Jordan:

Brooke:

When it was time for a new activity they fell to the old standby, dress-up. Hours of fun always develop out of our plastic tote of treasures.

Fun VACATE!!!

Okay these pictures are soooooo out of order it isn't funny. I'm trying to multitask and it isn't working to my advantage this time. Here are tons of pictures from our fun trip we took to Pocatello and to Utah. We went to see family both places and made many fun memories, I just can't put up all the pictures I want too!

We traveled to Pocatello to see Aunt Angie and take our dog Fudge to her. We stayed there for a night and the girls got to play with cousin Abbie. They enjoyed the things they don't get to do at our house; like swing on the swing set. And playing with new toys.

Then next day we finished our journey to Utah to visit my little sister. (Sorry Sar you still get to be little :D ) Her three kids and my three kids played SO HARD they tuckered themselves out by the third day. We enjoyed a little R and R that day while they all slept!! Sadie was so stoked about going to the dinosaur museum, again, but I think all the kids enjoyed it immensely.
They played dress up, colored, did puzzles and then on the last day we decorated some foam visors which were a huge hit for all the kids! (Even Nathan) Playing chefs, and going outside on the play house were a must as well. We always enjoy our time spent with family.

Play, Play, Play the day away!!!

Old Toys, New Joys

I was cleaning out the spare bedroom trying to de-junk and remove clutter when I happened to come upon a box of my old childhood stuffed animals. Inside was a variety of things and I thought the girls would like to look at them with me before I donate them to the DI. Sadie was so excited to see my many Tiggers and loved my Cabbage Patch Doll. My mom made clothes for the doll for me for Christmas one year and they are still in tact. Sadie has loved playing with "Darcy". Lexi was more interested in the Bouncing Tigger and Tumble Time Tigger. She played with them for an hour on the kitchen floor. Thank goodness for the OFF switch! It was fun to tell my kids what I did with the toys and stories about me and my sisters when we played together. I had a perfect example for Cory of how me being a "pack rat" payed off!

I even still have the authentic birth certificate for the Cabbage Patch Doll!

Brothers and Sisters

These are just some funny pictures I took. Our two dogs, Tuff and Fudge were laying side by side and they look just like they were brothers, so I snapped a pic. Sadie and Lexi were sitting on the couch so cute together so I couldn't resist either! So thus we have the brothers and the sisters.

Time Flies By

I can't believe Haylee is already a week and a half old! We are busy trying to fast and furiously finish our bully barn so we can move boxes out of the spare bedroom, which then will become Haylee's room. Right now she is sleeping in the pack and play in our room and her clothes are in boxes in the corner of our room. But all in all she is doing great. She still has her days and nights mixed up but she's a good little eater and is pretty content when she is awake.
Sadie is such a great helper and big sister! She really tries hard to play with Lexi while I feed Haylee, clean up the toys for me, hand me things I forget to grab before sitting down to my hour of chair time. She is great. She loves to hold Haylee and talk to her when she is sitting in the bouncy chair.
Lexi is very infatuated with her sister, she constantly thinks Haylee is in need of something. A blanket, then the plug, her diaper changed, a toy, another blanket, milk and so on. She tries to help and does pretty good, and she loves to give Haylee a kiss or love. Haylee gets about 50 a day from Lexi. It is cute to watch. Lexi gets a little jealous when I feed Haylee, that seems to be the time she wants to sit in my lap. But she handles it pretty well with a distraction from big sister.
Cory is wonderful about keeping Haylee during the night if I can't get her to go back to sleep after she is fed. He was up last night from 1 a.m. until 3 a.m. when she finally fell asleep. he doesn't complain about it and always takes a turn for me so I can sleep a portion of the night. Thanks Babe!
I am remembering the soreness, sleeplessness, and craziness of having a newborn in the house. Nursing is going quite well even though I am still pretty sore. The lack of sleep isn't the best but I will get over it. I have made a new commitment of going for a walk until I can do some other form of exercise. I currently get up at 5:45 and feed Haylee so I can go for a walk before my kids get up. It will be worth it in the end when I loose all this extra pregnancy weight. I hope to get a cart behind a bike and take Sadie to preschool this fall that way so I can get exercise and get Sadie to school in one whack. We'll see though if that actually happens. Many of you know what adding a third child is like and how crazy it gets. I don't think I need to elaborate there. I feel slightly outnumbered with a third kid. I need to be an octopus to keep up with them all right now!
We are slowly figuring out a schedule, somewhat, that fits us. It will still take some time but we seem to all be doing great for now. Here are some more cute pics of everyone. Enjoy!

Below: Lexi has to hold Haylee after she finishes breakfast, it is like her morning ritual.

Below: All my girls in one place for a split second! That rarely happens now. . .

Below: Haylee already has Cory wrapped around her little finger, he is such a softie!!!

Below: Cute as a button! I tried to get one without the plug, but it ended in tears.

Otherwise it ended in a nap so take your pick.

Sleeping Beauties

I still love to watch my children sleep. They are soooo angelic looking when they are sleeping. It seems to make me take a look back from everything and just see things as they really are. I love my kids and the chaos that surrounds being a mother, but sometimes it is nice to have a break and just relax a bit!