Best Dad Ever :)

My kids have the best dad ever. I have the best dad ever also. I guess luck just falls on some families and The Lord just sends all the best Daddys to one big family :)

Finding Balance = Struggle

Lately I have been struggling to find balance. Adding a fourth child to my already hectic life has just about done me in. For those of you that didn't know, I am a control freak (I wish there was a nicer term for that). Anyhow, I don't like feeling out of control. It gives me anxiety to feel like I can't control a piece of my environment. I like structure, knowing what is coming next, what I will be doing tomorrow...next week...next month..etc. This doesn't work when you have four children under six years old. For some it may work, but definitely not for me...yet.

I am determined to gain back the control in my life! The first thing on my list is my house. I realize that I can't control my children, nor would I want little robots...but my house will soon be in complete order! Ha Ha....ok, I am going to "try" and gain back the control over my house. I am on a mission and nothing is going to stop me (except for maybe four little people).

I recently came across an article entitled "The one thing you need to do to keep your house clean". So, of course I HAD to read it! If anyone ever needed enlightenment on housekeeping...it's me. The article was quite funny...the one thing needed to keep your house clean? CLEAN AS YOU GO ABOUT YOUR DAY! You mean to tell me that if I don't leave a mess, I won't have to clean a mess?!? Brilliant!

I love organizing....and it's actually something I'm good at (believe it or not). My house has a place for everything, it just doesn't have everything in it's place :)

Sooo....this week I am going to try my darndest to work on cleaning as I go about my day. Well see how much of a difference it makes. I'm also going to try to make a better schedule to help our days "flow" a bit better, but I will save that for another post. Wish me luck!

Popsicle Thief

This is what happens while mommy nurses the baby....a naughty thief invades our home......

First Grade

My baby is a first grader. I am sad and happy. I am sad because my heart keeps asking me "where did all the time go"? But, I am happy because I love watching him grow and change. We hadn't really made a big deal about Seth starting school this year...With Kenna being born only four days before, we were a little preoccupied. So, the weekend before school started we were rushing around buying backpacks and school clothes for our little man. I don't think it hit him that he was actually going back to school until we were walking there monday morning. He was happy and excited at home, and then he became quiet and subdued on the way there. By the time we got to his school Jimmy and I could tell he was super nervous (as you can see by the last two pictures). He had a great time and his teacher has nothing but good things to say about him. I think it is going to be a fun year for him :)

Kenna Marie

I have been waiting and waiting to blog about this beautiful little creation....Since I got pregnant with her just before Luke turned one, I felt like I was pregnant forever! But, alas...she is here! And she is perfect! We welcomed little Kenna into our lives on Tues, August 16th at 6:00 p.m. I choose to get induced with her (yes, I CHOSE to). Its funny to me that I WANTED to be induced, considering how scared I was when I thought I was going to be induced with Luke. We chose this because of how fast Luke and Sarah came, and daddy didn't want to deliver a baby in the car on the way to the hospital :)
She came fast and furious, just like her brother and sister. They started my induction at 345 by breaking my water and giving me just a little bit of pitocin. I was just fine for about the first hour and a half, but then my body decided it was time and kicked into overdrive. By the time I was ready to get an epidural it was too late....she had already decided she was making an entrance. She came out all bruised up, which was sad...they said it was just because came out so fast and so there was a lot of trauma to her little face. She weighed 7.6 and was exactly 19 inches long.
Seth, Sarah, and Luke are in love with her....as are daddy and I. She is perfect. (I know, i know, I already said that). Right now she is only waking up once a night for food....I am probably jinxing myself for adding that...but I still can't believe it. She is laying beside me as type this with her little hand on her cheek looking like a perfect little angel.

Camping

We went camping as a family this past weekend. I guess I should say Jimmy and the older kids actually "camped"....Luke and I went up for the day and evening, went home to sleep, and drove back up the mountain in the morning. (Your allowed to do that when your 9 months pregnant). I am sad because I am realizing that I am not in ANY pictures :( I really was there...I promise. Anyhow, we had tons of fun, daddy played ultimate Frisbee with some friends, Seth caught a frog, I chased Luke all over the campsite and Sarah played a beanbag toss game with her friends. We had a yummy dinner of grilled hamburgers and delicious salads brought by mommy and friends. This was Sarah s first time camping and she said she loved it....So I guess mommy is committed to going camping again sometime :)

Fun Days

Mr Sneaky...up on the table sneaking Cheese-its :)

Sarah wanted a picture with her barbies...(I personally LOVE this picture, I think my baby girl looks BEAUTIFUL)!

Seth picking up Luke (It doesn't look like it, but Luke actually loves it when Seth carrys him around).

Luke wearing a Hannah Montana helmet :)