Two Amazing Ladies!

My SUPER awesome Aunt Mary and WONDERFUL grandmother Kathleen (hey, she has my name) came to visit.  What a trip it was for them.  They drove from Wisconsin to Utah to see my sister.  Then from there to Denver to see my uncle's family.  Then from Denver to Florida to see us.  I still can't believe it! We love them soooooooo much.  We had a wonderful time playing cards, watching the kids swim, visiting, and of course, holding babies and changing diapers.  These are just a few of the pics from their trip.  I'm kinda into instagram.  I think the world of these two and consider myself lucky to have them my life.

Just What I Need..........

another child to tote around.  Okay, I'll not make this about myself.  After all, I am not the injured party here.  Rook fell off the ladder leading up to the treehouse.  He didn't cry as much as we would have expected.  Reese almost put him down so he could "shake it off" and run back to play.  But, when he pulled his pant legs up to take a look there was no doubt it was broken. 

 Rook has been doing GREAT.  Sure, he's had his moments, but all in all he's been quite the trooper.  Tigue seems to be having the harder time with all this.  She lost her little partner in crime and she has to put up with all the obnoxious Power Ranger episodes we've been allowing him to watch.  

Dinner and a Show!

We had a special treat Friday night; dinner and a show!  I must say it was honestly a surprise.  I had NO idea what was behind the sneaking and hiding and scuttling that took place all week.  I was banished to my room with Sade at 4:00.  The kids made an entire dinner (dessert included), and performed and adorable (at least in the eye of this beholder) version of "Little Red Riding Hood."  I must say I was impressed.  Everything was wonderful!  Thanks kids!

This was on a separate night.  That chocolate cake is 100% raw,  and............I'm in the picture!  Apparently someone couldn't wait to indulge until the candles had been blown out.  

I Think I'm Gonna Die!

Reese travels frequently for work. Three and a half weeks is the longest he's ever been gone at one time and that was a loooooooooong time ago. He's been gone for seven days now. I LOVE being a mom but I am soooooooooooo done doing it alone. Thanks Honey for being such an amazing dad and husband! I don't know what I'd do without you.

I'm actually not doing it alone. This is Marta, the lady we hired to clean the house. She's WoNdErFuL! She's a great sport and we are learning a little Spanish on the side. Along with Marta, we have many friends helping us. We really do feel like we have Angels watching over us and helping us get through this exhausting period of our lives.

We have M&M night when Reese is out of town. The title is deceiving. It stands for Mom and Movie night. Sorry, no m&m's kids. We set up blankets and watch movies until we fall asleep. Babies not invited.

Good times with pillows and cushions. I think there are a couple kids buried in there somewhere.

I get so frustrated with Tigue when she puts her food in her water. I found out this week that she is only trying to "give them a bath."

Easter Egg Hunt! One of many.

First Solids!

Lovin' it!

Almost Heaven, West Virginia

For Christmas 2010 we had a plan; a plan for a white Christmas. Reese searched to find a place within driving distance that was statistically likely to have snow on December 25th. He came up with the Canaan Valley Resort in West Virginia. Everything was squared away for the trip, including our non-refundable payment. Then........we decided to move to New York. The resort was understanding and allowed us one year to use the cabin. We thought, "Perfect, we'll go for Thanksgiving!" Then........I got pregnant and things didn't work out for that. Then.........we moved again. The resort was understanding.....again. They gave us until the end of March to use the cabin. We loaded up our fifteen passenger van with our eight kids and Martha (the lady we hired) and took off on our 20 hour trip.

Vacations for parents are not a vacation from stress and work. In fact, they add to it. Before we left I kept thinking to myself, "What are we doing? This is way too much right now!" But, it's a different and good kind of stress. We had a FAB time and made some great memories. We dragged our close friends, the Addison's along with us. Five adults supervising 11 kids is totally manageable. I'd do it all over again in a second. Ok, maybe give me a few months.

Almost Heaven

Dak and Tagg

Lots of baking by Bella and Tay

Tay and Bella doing baby lifts

Dakinator

A little wood chopping

LOTS of games and crafts

Cary, Rook and Tigue

A little rifling after hot tubbing

These two pics are of Tigue instructing the kids not to get too close to the water.

They obviously weren't listening to her.

Maren, our official diaper changer

Isaac and Payte

Reese and Sade

Tagg-man

grass whistiling

the spider

Rook 'n' Tigue

My life right now is crazier than I could have imagined. It's a good and VERY blessed crazy. In the last two years we have had two sets of twins and moved twice. Everything in pairs I guess. I ought to be pushing for two washers, dryers, fridges, etc.

Rook and Tigue are quite a pair. They are best friends. Their polar opposite personalities compliment each other well. Tigue is all girl. Rook is all boy. She always has a mouthful to say and he is unintelligible. She is tidy and careful. He is a beat up mess ALL the time. His food lands everywhere but his belly. Tigue is bossy and he is accommodating. She cuddles and sings to her babydoll while he drives trucks over my bowls of fresh cut strawberries. She loves to draw. He loves to read. She sits nicely on the couch while he purposely face plants onto the floor from the back of it. They are the BEST! I am soooooooooo glad they came to our family.

Whoever gives a two year old a BIG Blow-Pop sucker has either never had kids or forgotten how terribly MESSY suckers are.

Just waking up

Twins are good at sharing (for the most part).

Tigue walked into the room I use to pump. She said, "Oh you're pumping. That's CRAAAAAAZY! Good job you silly goose!"

Like I said, a beat up mess