These girls

These girls can make me smile, make me cry, give me the most joy and make me want to tear my hair out all within a few minute span. But I love them so much and am so grateful they have been given to me to raise.

Halloween 2011

There is a new app that lets me blog from my phone. It also let's me add my pictures from my phone which means lots more pictures! My girls had a good Halloween, Ainsley was an 80's girl, Renah was a bride, and Mackenzie was Minnie mouse. We had a trunk or treat at church Sunday night and Monday night we went to another churches fall festival. It was so cold Monday night we didn't stay long but the girls racked up on candy those nights. So I'm enjoying this app so maybe I'll blog more!

Tough days

I had been hoping to come on here and announce the impending arrival of our 4th child but earlier this week I went in to see the heartbeat and there was none. I am sad and frustrated, this is the second miscarriage this year. We didn't announce the other one because there seemed to be problems from the start, but this one I thought would be better, we even told the girls. They were so excited and little mother hens fussing over everything, it was precious. We had to tell them last night and after we lost our son (3 years ago this week ironically) I never wanted to have to give them news like that again, but I had to and it was devastating to them. However, Ainsley with her beautiful child like faith said, " can we still pray for a miracle that when you go to the doctor again everything will be ok?" I love these girls.
I hate miscarriage. It takes away the beauty of pregnancy, it makes you scared for every pregnant woman you see no matter how far along she is. It takes away so much and I am tired of them for anyone! This Saturday is Pregnancy and Infant Loss Remembrance Day, and just like I have for the past 3 years since my first loss, I will remember my babies and all the other ones lost.

When did this little sweetie get so big? Mackenzie grace is 2 today. She has brought so much joy into our lives. She has the sweetest smile and personality. Everyone who meets her loves her. Her sisters are still smitten with her even when she gets into their stuff as she does more and more now! I cannot imagine life without this precious little bundle! Enjoy these shots of my cutie!

(These pictures are not in order as I can't get them to load right. )

Kids- you gotts love em!

I was reading Stie's blog about her daughter and her "wrinkles". It reminded me that a couple of months ago, my girls and I were walking around Bed, Bath and Beyond when Ainsley proceeds to tell me about a commercial she saw for Roc wrinkle cream. I'm half listening because I'm in B,B,and B and "oh look at these pots!" and "how have I ever cracked an egg on my own without this new egg cracker thing?" Anyway, she keeps talking and tells me that this cream is supposed to make women look 10 years younger and takes away the deep wrinkles..."like the one on your forehead." So I put off buying the egg cracker thing until my feeble hands can no longer crack eggs, but I will probably forget what eggs even are in a few days considering my well advanced age and horribly wrinkled face!
My only highlight is that I'm buying her some Roc when she turns 33!

Embracing my OCD

When my first daughter was born, I was not on a schedule at all. She ate when she was hungry, slept when she was tired, if we weren't home she did it where ever we were. It worked so well I continued it with my second daughter who was born 16 months later. My 3rd daughter was a little different. She was still laid back but put herself on a schedule pretty quickly. She knew what time was breast feeding time and she knew when it was bottle time and would let me know she knew! Her scheduling was pretty good for me, I am a list maker, very task oriented, and I love to label everything! I had also just started my Master's right before she was born so it was good for me to feel like I kind of of knew what the next hour would hold.
Fast forward almost 2 years, Mackenzie is still scheduled but we can fudge it a little if need be, I am still working on my Master's and will be starting to home school Ainsley and Renah in the next couple of weeks. Scheduling is keeping me sane. I sat down with the girls yesterday and make a chores list for them and me as well as a laundry schedule. Today I labeled my laundry baskets accordingly. I cannot tell you how good that makes me feel!
I do not want to be so rigid with my scheduling that I miss opportunities, but just feeling as though I have some kind of knowledge as to what needs to be done and when helps me from feeling overwhelmed with keeping a family fed and in (mostly) clean clothes! I just know that this stage in my life is super busy and there are always things that need to be done, I can either get them all done or nothing done! So this helps my OCD tendencies to feel that there is a plan and it has been well labeled! What helps you?

Taking the plunge!

I haven't blogged in awhile just because we have been in the middle of a decision and I knew I would talk about it before we decided. We have decided to home school our girls this year. To some at first, it sounds crazy since Wade and I are both full time students ourselves, but I'm home with online classes and the flexibility this will give us will help so much! Not to mention the moving we will soon be starting and this can give our girls stability they wouldn't have in other situations. We have many reasons, and the biggest being we feel this is best for our family at this time. I don't hate public schools, though we didn't have the best experience last year, that isn't the reason we are doing this. Home schooling is something we have considered since we signed Ainsley up for kindergarten I think we both knew at some point it was going to happen.
Otherwise in this area, school starts tomorrow. Yes, you read that correctly, August 4th! I am not alone in thinking that is crazy!!! I feel as though summer has just started and school is back in session! Yesterday, I went to inform the girls schools that they will not be there and I had such a peace, it was wonderful! So we begin the day after Labor Day for our first day, which has already been designated "PJ day!" I am excited about this new challenging chapter and pray for strength to do well. So here's to a great school year where ever you go!