Wednesday, April 30, 2014

Sick Baby

Poor sweet baby girl hasn't been feeling good for a few days now. Not sleeping well, poor appetite and high fever.
I'm loving all the snuggles, even if it means my house is a disaster zone. It's so hard when they feel icky and there's nothing you can do about it!


Her ears are good so the doctor said it's probably just a virus and we need to ride it out. I'm not good about being patient when my kiddos are sick. Praying for a speedy recovery for little miss!

Thursday, April 24, 2014

Summer is Coming!

After a loooong winter, we were able to get in some time at a park last week. Hooray for warmer temps!




We didn't even have to put 5 layers on to go out :)

Sunday, April 20, 2014

Easter

Last weekend we got in our annual pic with the Easter bunny at a local store downtown. Easton wasn't too sure and Elissa was fine until she realized who was holding her.

We celebrated Easter with Jason's side of the family this year. After opening baskets and a quick egg hunt we got ready for church to celebrate our risen King.
I give up trying to get good pictures of all three of them!






Then we returned home to pack up our things and head next door for lunch. Once everyone was stuffed to the brim, we headed out doors so the kids could find the eggs their aunt Jessica hid.



We also took a walk back home to give everyone a tour of our place. Some how I managed to keep it clean all morning!


I hope everyone had a blessed Easter and was able to celebrate the day surrounded  by loved ones.

Saturday, April 19, 2014

Tractor Ride


First ride of the season! I think these boys could sit in here forever :)

Wednesday, April 16, 2014

Road Trippin with Littles

Many people have asked me how I dared take a long road trip with three kiddos alone. Honestly? A feisty determination along with lots of dvds and a {tentative} plan in hand.

Since we had to drive literally all.day.long and I was on my own for the first half of the drive, leaving in the middle of the night was not an option. I knew I wouldn't be able to do that alone and it wasn't worth the risk of what could happen. There would also have to be frequent stops for potty breaks and to nurse Elissa.

I accepted early on that the kids would be getting in a lot of screen time. They don't watch a ton of tv when we are home so this was a special treat for them. Emma and Easton took turns picking the show. I did panic momentarily on the way home when the cord for the dvd player was stepped on and broken. My mom stepped in and saved the day with a power invertor. I was ready to find the nearest store and purchase a new one!

The older kids each packed a backpack for the trip and were allowed to keep it close by in the car. this way they had easy access to their toys yet they were contained when not in use. I also added a few fun surprises- think dollar store toys and activities. That way I didn't spend a fortune and it wasn't the end of the world if something was lost or broken.

I also packed lots of snacks and drinks to hand out along the way. Everything was easy to pass out, either individually packaged from the store or divided and bagged up before we left home. I tried to find items that weren't too messy for the car, but knew the van would need a good interior cleaning once we got home.

Another thing I tried to keep in mind was stops to run off some energy. Even with food stops and bathroom runs, the kids would get restless. McDonalds website has a great feature that allows to map out every location along your route and shows which ones have a playplace. My kids love to play at Micky D's and it was great to explore some new ones they have never been to. There were also some nice rest stops that had lots of room for the kids to run when it was nice outside.

I also made sure to have some good tunes along for me. I would turn all the speakers off except for mine so I could jam while the kids watched their shows in back. This cd was made for me by my bestie from high school. We took many road trips together and while it would have been amazing to have her along, this had to do.

Nothing Earth shattering here, but hope it gives you some good ideas for your next trip!

Sunday, April 13, 2014

Great Smokies Part 2

While we were gone there was no set schedule. Everything was pretty laid back. We did a fair amount of hiking.
A quick stop for a picnic lunch

Cade's Cove
Not a fan of this sign!
The Ergo came in handy many times! Elissa loved hanging out with mommy.
 
We also did a little bit of sight seeing.
Ready to hit the trails


At the top of Clingman's Dome

Elissa and Easton stayed back and napped in the car with Grandma
Before we left, grandma and grandpa bought each grandkid their own black bear to remember the trip by.




Lots of memories were made!

Thanks to my hubby who didn't complain too much about us going, to my kids for being stellar travelers and to my mom and Joe for including us on the vacay. I'm so grateful we had this opportunity!

Saturday, April 12, 2014

Great Smokies Part 1

My mom and stepdad decided to head to Tennessee for spring break this year and the kids and I decided to tag along at the last minute. While the ten hour drive was a little intimidating, I thought it would be a great chance for some quality family time.
Ready to roll
 Overall, the kids did great on the way down. I mapped out all the McDonalds with playlands our route so the kids would be able to get out and run some energy off.
The view out our bedroom window
We stayed in a beautiful cabin up in the mountains. The drive in on the night we arrived was a little intense. In the dark the roads seemed very narrow, steep and winding. I wasn't sure I wanted to leave the house until it was time to go!

Obviously that didn't happen though :) We spent each day exploring different areas near by. The kids loved this store called 'Goats on the Roof' where they got to pedal food up to goats that were literally on the roof of the gift shop. Crazy tourist traps!

We also visited a friend of the family's son who is hiking the Appalachian Trail. He was taking a break at a hostel that wasn't too far from us so we met up with him and brought him loads of snacks. What an interesting adventure, I can't imagine doing such a thing.


 
More to come...

Tuesday, April 1, 2014

8 Months


We haven't had an 'big' events this month, but we manage to stay quite busy every day! Thank goodness you continue to be such a content little lady and just roll with it. Nothing gets you too worked up, unless you are super sleepy. Then you tend to pull your hair and it makes look crazy!

You have manage to sit on your own a little more, but tend to struggle to maintain that position. Typically you only last for a minute or two before flopping to one side or the other. You still love to sit and watch your siblings. It's wonderful most of the time except when it gets to be a distraction and I'm trying to get you to eat.

Currently you eat a size 2 jar of baby food (or the equivalent of) along won't some finger foods at each meal. You love puffs, but have a hard time getting the little things in your mouth. I also started giving you Mum Mums which are oblong rice cakes. They are a favorite because you can eat them on your own. Win-win! You usually nurse before each meal, once before I go to bed and once in the middle of the night.

You are mostly on the mid-rise for you diapers and a size 3 when I use disposables. Still in six months clothing. You continue to be a petite little thing. Mommy is okay with that- I'm not ready for you to keep growing!
Your brother and sister love you to pieces and so do we sweet girl!