Back home: breathing and thinking a little more clearly

It's Wednesday and I've been back for longer than I was gone. I took the kiddos to the "water" park this afternoon after picking up the house a little. It's a new city park that has lots of water spouts and sprays. :-) Kids love it and it's free; so I do too.

This past weekend was fantastic. Very relaxing and laid back. We arrived Friday evening around 5:45 and everyone made their introductions. All the ladies were kind and we all got along quite well. Kimberlee made a nice (spicy) meal ad then we got our craft on!!! I won't give you a play by play, I'll just say that it was great and I'd gladly do it again!!

I bought a pair of antique kiddie chairs at the antique barn as well as a lovely white queen size chenille throw at the Sunflower. (pics to follow)

Meg Duerksen is a great host and with Kimberlee's help pulled off Craft Weekend #6 without a hitch!

Was def thrown back into the SAHM role bright and early Monday morning, but I was well prepared and refreshed. :-)

Thanks to my great hubby for keeping all 3 babies for me and taking good care of them (daddy style).

~ Craft Weekend !!!! ~

Here we are! Newton, KS for CRAFT WEEKEND! I'm having SUCH a great time. So nice to be spending this fun filled weekend doing what I love; and what's even better is spending it with a great friend. All the women are so nice and we've all just about finished our aprons! Ugh, that reminds me...I didn't snap a pic of mine before coming up. In the am. I do miss my hubby and babies, but Daddy is taking good care of them. I believe the kids were pretty excited about their trip to Chuck E Cheese! Here's a few pics I've managed to snap. More to come as the weekend continues! Tomorrow we are headed to the antique shop (featured on American Pickers)! So excited about that! G'nite

Yay! I figured out photos! Well ok, all I did was download the blogger app. :-) Either way, photos will now be shared!

Hi there. It's been awhile since I've gotten to sit down and type. Thought I'd take a few moments while the kids are behaving (gotta hurry that is most likely short lived)! This morning started out to be quite the thrill. I was privileged enough to clean up diarrhea that oozed out the back on my 2 year olds diaper when I laid him on the floor. The best part....that it was soaked up by the wool pottery barn rug. *sigh* Now, I've never had to clean poop out of a wool rug; but I'm hoping the vinegar water and a touch of sunlight will do the trick. I'm praying that is the most eventful part of my day. I'm leaving my hubby with all 3 kids this weekend so mommy can go to timeout. Timeout is the only way it seemed logical to Gabriella, so timeout it is! Headed to CRAFT WEEKEND! So excited! I am, however; nervous/anxious about leaving my 3 little monkeys. I've never left them overnight before. Well, with the exception of my hospital stay after delivery and when I stayed with the 2 youngest while they were in NICU. Timeout is a good idea for all mommies. I know it's time for this mommy because my patience stick looks like a piece of rice! YIKES ! DID I MENTION I AM ÜBER EXCITED?!?!?!?On a side note... Ana is growing way too fast! I do love this stage she's in though. The smiles and giggles accompanied with lots of drool and hand batting. She's just too sweet for words! I still am not 100% sure if she's my last. I'm so torn. BUT for the time being I'm just going to enjoy Ana and every sweet little toothless grin she throws my way. I may try to blog from Craft Weekend, ok who am I kidding?! I'll be having way to much fun creating and interacting with the other ladies. I'll touch base when I get home!

It's 11:11. Make a wish....:-) Sitting down and enjoying a glass of sweet tea. ah that feels nice. Now, if only I could summon a servant to rub my feet and calves. Hmmm maybe for Mothers day?! Today has been a busy day, but tolerable. Baby shower, quick stop at Value Village, run to a meeting, back home, clean up, make a dish of lasagna for two special someones, clean up some more, play outside with kids, feed kiddos dinner that daddy cooked (thanks), bathed the 3 kiddos, got them all snuggled in bed, came back down to eat my dinner AND THE DOG ATE IT! Ok, so clean up the kitchen, make sweet tea and wait for hubby to get back with milk so I can have a healthy bowl of Honey Bunches of Oats. Yup, still waiting on that milk. I was asked this week how I handle having 3 little ones and how difficult it is. Well, I'm not going to say its easy, because we all know I'd be lying and we know where liars go... Having three babies that are 3 and under is eventful, challenging, scary, thrilling, tiring, no exhausting, hilarious and so rewarding! Ok ok, the rewards will come. :-) But I get the privilege to soak up 3 times more hugs, 3 times the kisses, 3 times the laughter, 3 times the sweet blue eyes, and 3 times of wiping little chubby cheeky rear ends! :-) I mean, that in itself is a treasure. ;-) There are many days I can't even bring myself to "run" to the store because it's so much work lugging around a 3 year old, a 2 year old, a 4 month old in her pumpkin seat, a diaper bag AND try to hold 2 hands all the way across the parking lot. I'm seriously considering asking for "mother of 3 toddlers" parking signs next to the handicap. Ya think they'd have my back? :/ However; all of that to say that I love those little bugers with every cell in my body! They, and their father, are my whole world. I'm so very thankful for their complete health and the blessing it is to be called "mommy". There was a time I wondered if I would ever hear the pitter patter of little feet. I recall several nights laying in bed wondering that exact thought, "will I ever get to hear the sound of sweet little bare feet on our hallway floors?". God granted me my hearts desire and I just want to stop and take a minute, well a few, to thank God for healing that heartache! HAPPY MOTHERS DAY TO ME! And all the other mommys out there!

Thought I'd take just a minute to sit down and jot a few things down. I have a baby drooling all over my left hand, one that is obsessed with my title, "mommy, mommy,mommy" and another that is asking 20 questions a second. However; this is MY crazy beautiful life! I've been very busy trying to keep up with these 3 as well as our home and a few other things, not sure why I'm alwaysv tired....brb. Ok. Well, that was fun. I missed going to the gym tonight; however managed to get my workout in. It went something like this. "Babe, time for the kids to be in bed." and the process begins and ends with the routine down to a science and everyone in bed without a hitch. I journey back down stairs with the baby to lay her down and put away the clean dishes from dinner...lay her down with her paci, Gabriella starts crying. Up to Gabriella's room, then Layton fusses, back downstairs to the baby who is now upset. Get her calmed and laid back down, back to Gabriella's room, and into Layton's, back down to finish the putting the dishes away, and...now Ana. Ugh, Gabriella again; back upstairs. Ok, everyone is finally quiet, QUICK finish putting those blasted dishes away. Baby is not happy, ok at least the dishes are put up and I hear silence from the second story. Ana, is finally passed out on my lap and I'm free to type until my heart is content, ok well, until she demands my attention. :-) Im now tired from thinking about all the calories I just worked off going up and down and up and down and up and down and up, ok you get the picture. On a much calmer note, I did take Ana (and Layton) for her 4 month checkup yesterday. I really thought that she would be much bigger than the reality. She weighed 13lbs 10oz and measured in at a whopping 23.5" which is 5% of 100 other babies her age. She is rollie pollie, but on a small scale. Either way, she is perfectly healthy and growing on her own slow terms. Just thinking about how rough a start she had just 4 short months ago and now looking at her sweet little chubby face, makes me very grateful that God saw it fit to add to our Crazy Beautiful Life! Goodnight folks! No, I'm not really going to bed. That doesn't take place until much later. However; there are other things I must do, HEY I get to take a shower!

.....continued

...of course after capturing a glimpse of the beautiful goldfish, she MUST have one. *sigh* Ok, .38$ each? I think I can manage, so we purchased 2. Well, the eventful part wasn't the purchasing of our two new goldies, it was the other mother waiting with her son to purchase 4 fish for their new pond grandma bought trying to break the "no more pets in the house" rule. This mother was clearly from the less civilized area, and thought she was Gods's gift to mankind and the greatest mom that has ever walked on this green earth. Not to say that she wasn't, but could have been a little more humble about it. I learned of, not 1, but TWO of her previous goldfish lived for...wait for it...10 years!! I know, totally amazing! Now folks how can you say that is NOT exciting? I mean, it's not everyday you get to meet someone who has held goldfish in captivity for 10 years! :-) As I realize this is not a very thrilling post; just wait. In this house there's always a thrilling story lurking around the corner!