Swagger Wagon

Have you seen the swagger wagon video promoting the new Toyota Sienna?  HILARIOUS and posted here for your enjoyment  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ql-N3F1FhW4

To complete my transition to a stay-at-home mom, we traded in our Civic (which all the kids cannot fit in and Todd did not enjoy driving-he said it was too small for him) for a mini-van.  I was against getting a new car because the Civic was paid off and I am all for driving a car into the ground to not have a car payment.  However, since I no longer make any money, Todd gets the ultimate decision since he will be paying for it :)  And let me just say I HEART our new Honda Odyssey.  It is used (2007) but still really nice!  I love having so much room for the kids to spread out.  They were stacked three across in the Pilot and Taylor & Connor would fight constantly over Claire in the middle.  One day Taylor was beating Connor with his shoe (calm down, it was only a Croc) leaning over Claire's carseat.  It was not a happy moment in our car.  Now no one can touch each other at all in the van and our drive is actually a pleasnt one.  Ahhhhh.   And there are enough gadgets and buttons to keep Todd entertained for a while.  Oh and he likes it so much he actually asked to drive it for a couple of days (you may now revoke his man card) 

Bye Bye Civic.  This was somewhat emotional because we bought this car when I was pregnant with Taylor so that I could have a 4 door car (previously had a 2 door Civic).

Hello Looser Cruiser, Mom Bomb, etc!

Ready, Set, Eat!

Claire learned how to feed herself this week!  I wish there were blogs (or at least I knew about them) when the boys were little because I have NO IDEA when they did that.  She will be 9 months old next week.  Now she SHOVELS food in her mouth-so we have to make sure the pieces are little and watch her as she eats. 

So happy to finally get the food IN her mouth instead of her chin or neck!

Raisin' the roof

Yay me!  (I know I am bias but she is so stinkin' cute!)

Thomas and Kissing Goats

Connor is officially potty trained!!  I know you are thinking, what does that have to do with Thomas the Train?  Seeing Thomas the Train was Connor's reward for being potty trained.  He was excited to "tell" Thomas that he was potty trained. He forgot to tell him, but as we were leaving shouted across the street to him "Thomas! Thomas!", but then got shy about shouting the other part.  We played some games, rode a pony, rode the train and then Connor kissed a goat.  Anyone surprised? LOVE that boy!

I know Sir Topham Hat looks creepy-he was!

The boys got to shout "All Aboard" for everyone to board the train.

All my babes on the train

No explanation necessary. 

Father's Day Tribute

Since it is Father's Day, I want to give a shout out to a wonderful daddy.  My husband.  My baby daddy (X 3).  He has been an active and loving daddy since day one with the kids.  He plays with them from the time he gets home from work until it is time for them to go to bed.  He tells them he loves them and hugs and kisses them every day so they know how loved they are.  He also works hard every day so that I can be home with them and they have things that they need and want.  I am very proud of how good he is at being a daddy.  I do attribute a lot of that to his mom and dad because I know they worked hard to raise him with love and values that would make him a good husband and daddy one day.  I thank them for that because our family is benefiting from that.  I know the boys love him by how many times they ask me in a day "when is daddy coming home"?  I know Claire loves him because she smiles when she sees him.  We all love you, honey-Happy Father's Day!  Below are pictures from when each child was born and them with daddy now.  Can you guess which baby is who?  (answers at the bottom)

(1. Claire, 2. Taylor, 3. Connor)

Just a Swimmin'

We are so thankful to have a neighborhood pool, especially in 90 degree weather.  I was a little skeptical of taking all three to the pool by myself, but it has worked out great!  Claire is such an easy going baby-she will do whatever.  She likes to be in the pool with me holding her, or in a floaty or sitting by the side of the pool playing w/ toys or even sleeping in her stroller.  The boys love to get out and jump in, repeatedly.  And they love playing with other kiddos as the pool.  There are usually many there to play with and it is extra fun when our neighbors go with us!

My first trip to the pool with all three by myself. 

Daddy and Claire

Grace, Taylor & Joslyn (with Claire chillin in her boat in the background)

Getting ready to go to the pool

We have also gone with friends to a Splash Park for water fun.  Here are Taylor, Ben and Connor taking a snack break.

Crawlfish Boil

Every year in June, my friends Kim & Will have a Crawlfish Boil at the park across the street from their house. First of all, how awesome is it to live across the street from a park?  Crawlfish Boil is always so much fun!  A time for friends to visit and the kids to play.  Everyone looks forward to it every year and they put a lot of hard work into it (which is hard to do while taking care of a 3 year old and 6 month old twins-so props to them)!

crawlfish before they boil

crawlfish spread out being devoured

Ian's fierce re-enactment of crawlfish eating

Head sucker

Ellie CHOMPIN on a watermelon

Claire and Emma Grace (it was a little steamy out so Claire looks a little out of sorts here)

The Major Leagues

Taylor finished his second season with the Phillies this year and moves on to the Major league next year.  Todd was one of the assistant coaches this year and I think both he and Taylor really enjoyed it.  Taylor's fielding was a lot better this year-he is throwing harder and catching better.  His hitting is about the same, but more consistent.  I think he didn't make it on base only a couple of times the whole season.  What is important though is that he absolutely loves baseball. Watching it, playing it-everything.  Whether he turns out to be good at it, only time will tell.  Even if he doesn't, he will always be MY favorite baseball player! (cheesey, I know, but true) Taylor is a big Cubs fan like his dad (wonder how that happened?)  He knows all of the players and their pitching stances.  Todd even went upstairs to wake him up last night when Ted Lily almost pitched a no hitter just so Taylor could see it.  Taylor wouldn't wake up for anything, which is good since Lily gave up a run at the top of the 9th.  So sad for him-he was so close! 

Decision to stay at home

So I guess this is old news but I wanted to blog about it.  I have always wanted to stay home with my kids.  They are only little once and they grow so fast that I just don't want to miss a minute!  I also didn't want to look back when they were older with regrets, and I thought that might be something I would regret.  Now, we all know that being able to do that is a HUGE blessing and VERY HARD to manage financially, at least for most of us.  That is why it took until the third child for this to even be an option.  I have thankfully been so fortunate to work part time since Connor was born 3 years ago.  I worked every day from 8-12.  It was PERFECT-I got to still teach, which I love, and spend half the day with the kids.  I have always said if my job wants me to go back full time then I was done and we would figure out what to do at that point.  Well, while I was on maternity leave my principal called and told me that they had made the decision to make my position full time.  I respect this decision as I have thought it would happen even sooner as my part time position was VERY RARE as our district does not allow job sharing.  Thankfully Todd has a great job that has allowed us this opportunity and I am so very happy that I got to resign from my teaching position at the end of this school year.  It has only been a week and a half since I have been at home and the days have been challenging, but they have also been rewarding.  Each morning when I wake up to my childrens beautiful faces and they fill my heart with so much love and then I realize I get to be with them ALL DAY, I couldn't be happier. My mind quickly changes when Connor pees in his pants, Claire is crying and Taylor is whining ALL AT THE SAME TIME.  :)  I thank my wonderful husband for making the sacrifice to not have everything we may want (material things) in order for this to happen.  Things are just that-THINGS-we don't need them.  So, my adventure begins as a stay at home mom and I PRAISE GOD for that.  (by the way, I just had to stop typing this because Connor PEED ON THE FLOOR-I love my job, I love my job, I love my job :))

Claire has new ears!

Claire had her ear tubes put in this morning and she did great!  I feel like the procedure gets quicker with each kid.  The doctor was out of the room for 10 minutes TOPS to complete the surgery.  We had to be at the hospital at 5:30am after she was up most of the night crying because of teething.  So we are TIRED but she has been awesome.  Now she can actually HEAR.  The doctor said because of the fluid on her ears she was hearing the world as it would sound if we plugged our ears with our fingers.  Now things should be crystal clear for her and no more ear infections.  Here she is happily eating her lunch! 

Lake time!

Like we usually do on Memorial Day weekend, we spent it at the lake with the family!  My sis and her family were there, including her new boyfriend and his son.  And of course Mom & D.  We had a blast as usual!  Boating, tubing, swimming, fishing, 4wheeling and running around.

Boys helping Papaw drive-there is usually a good fightin' over whose turn it is to help Papaw drive!

My hotty husband fishing

Mamaw and Connor swimming-Connor was a water bug this year

Chillin on the back of the boat.  Taylor has his life jacket unzipped-probably thinking he was going to get to take it off-but NOPE-not an option!  Poor Claire had a time with her life jacket-but she was actually a trooper-only cried a few times!

Family tube ride

Daddy made Claire's hair look funny

This is just a good pic of Tay!

Claire is 8 months old!

We were out on the lake to celebrate Claire's 8 month birthday! She is still as beautiful as ever! She has one tooth fully grown in now and has started eating biter biscuits and fruit puffs. She actually had a vanilla oreo cookie this weekend. (it was her 8 month birthday, I had to let her indulge a little) She is sitting up on her own now (except when her brother pushes her over). She smiles all the time and is perfectly content while someone is holding her. She has turned into a good little sleeper which I am thankful for. She likes to grab faces (mouth and nose) so I have to keep those nails trimmed or it is painful! She will eat anything you give her to eat. She is having trouble drinking out of a cup, which is probably due to the fact that she never took a bottle. Every time I look at her I just want to kiss her cute little cheeks, legs, hands, etc. We all love her lots!