thank you, thank you!

Thank you to Miss Caroline who has slept through the night for the last 3 nights! I am still in shock and feel like it's a fluke! (the boys didn't do this until they were about 9 months old!). Last night she went 9p - 6a.! Amazing!
We told her she gets a pretty car when she turns 16 for being so nice to her very tired mom and dad!

Fun at the park

We tried a new park last weekend and here are a couple of shots of the boys. Jack loves the steering wheel and Collin is, of course, in a tunnel!! He loves little spaces! They really had fun. Collin was very sad when we left. We think he felt like he didn't quite conquer the whole park yet, so we promised him we'd go back. Afterwards we went to Rudy's and had some yummy bbq! I love eating out with the boys since I don't have to clean up afterwards! Sorry Rudy's!!

We are trying to make ourselves go out as a family at least once a weekend. We know there are about a million things to get done at home, but they can wait. The boys need outings and it's nice to go all as a family. We've really got it down pretty well. People give us funny looks sometimes and wonder why the crazy people ventured out in public, but we just smile and keep going! Thanks to the Vroonlands for giving us the great Land's End bag to bring when we have the whole crew. I could fit all the kids in it if I wanted to! It's awesome!

There's also a picture of Miss Caroline in one of her Halloween outfits... ( she had 3, of course).

More on Halloween to come (very funny pictures)....

You've got your hands full...

I hear this statement at least a couple of times a day from people I come in contact with! ( those I know and complete strangers). And we do have our hands full, definitely! I know everyone is curious if we are surviving 3 kids under 2 and the answer is yes, we are making it!! It is VERY chaotic, but there are moments of peace. I would describe my day like a roller coaster, mostly peaceful, times of calm when everyone is happy, playing, or sleeping. And then, BOOM! Everyone is crying, needing something and it's complete madness! I just handle them one at a time (easiest first), and we get through it!


I'm really surviving because I have several things...


First and foremost (i know i've said it before), but I have the best husband! He works so hard at his job, and then comes home and works twice as hard here! He has been switching off nights with me so that I can get some sleep, which makes all the difference in the world! With a good 6/7 hours, you can accomplish anything! He is so sweet with Caroline and so much fun with the boys, and helps out with anything around the house!! I'm so grateful for him!



I also have wonderful in-laws! They are a HUMONGOUS help! They will run pick up and drop off for me with the boys at school and take them to their house a few times a week for some fun! The boys love being there. It's like Disneyland to them. Sean and I are perfectly happy with the fact that the boys would rather be with Grandma and Grandpa than us! In fact, we encourage it!

Seriously, though, we tell them this often, but we would not survive if they didn't live around the corner. We are so thankful and grateful to them.



I also have my mom who helps with my sanity and lets me call her at least once a day so that she can give me a pep talk! She listens as I go on about various illnesses and things the kids are doing! I know no one else would be as interested as she is! (or at least pretends very well to be!). Also, when she comes to stay it is like a mini-vacation for me! I love it! ( Only about 30 more days until the next visit!)



Also, Mother's Day out 2 days a week for the boys... Need I say more??



Finally, and most important, lots of prayer. Let's see, I pray for patience about 50 times a day and I especially pray to remember to be joyful and present even through all the chaos! I know it's going to go by so fast and I will be sad about it!

It took us so long to have this big of a family, so we really are thrilled! So, in the end, yes, our hands are very full, but my cheesy response is, our hearts are even more so!

Pumpkin Days!

We went to the pumpkin patch in Celina last weekend! We had the most beautiful weather and our favorite company of Grandma and Grandpa! The boys had little colds, but still had fun. They loved looking at the animals and eating hot dogs! Collin could not understand why we had to sit on the hayride, so I spent most of the time trying to distract him (not very successfully!). They also loved just walking around on the porch at the little house! I guess I could have saved some money! We got some good pumpkins and some good pictures. I still can't quite believe when I look at the one of the five of us! How we've grown in a few years!

OOps!

Okay, two of my pictures didn't upload. Here they are... Jack wasn't playing on the climby thing when we were taking pictures! He'll have his moment later!

Up, up, and away!!

Thanks to our granny, we have a new, very fun climbing place!! It has a slide and everything! The boys love it and now love to go in the backyard! Here are some pictures!

Here's a new one of Caroline too. She's almost smiling...

Also, a HUGE thank you to Grandpa Neil for accompanying the whole crew to the pediatrician! The boys had their 18 month checkup and Caroline had her one month! It was quite the ordeal! We made it out alive though.. shots and all... Grandpa was so patient and great with the boys, as always! What would we do if they didn't live so close???

Caroline is 9 1'2 lbs.! Growing, growing and my monsters are about 25....

They've grown quite a bit since their 3 lb. start!

Baby Caroline Picture

I think we finally snapped a good one with her eyes open. Go Horns