Bike

I have a new bike!!!  

The day after I posted about my new pink bike, I exchanged it for my new powder blue bike with a basket.  Woo hoo!  I have never loved the color pink (on me) but I was prepared to settle as I loved the bike.  After talking to Andy and hearing the cost of the bike, I decided it would be silly to settle and I took the pink bike back and picked out the blue one.  I also picked up a basket which I love.  I love the whole thing.  I ride it all the time.  Lilly and I love our nighttime bike rides.  I don't have to hunch over and I can take a leisure stroll on my beach cruiser.  

I even pretend I'm at the beach.

A real live riding picture.  Ha.

Did I mention I don't let anyone touch my bike?  It's kept safely in the garage and I check on it periodically.

*Yes, Ella is potty trained but had diarrhea tonight so I put her in a diaper (her brothers' diaper!).  She still asked to take it off to use the potty.  My sweet girl.

Swim Season

Lilly had her first swim meet last night.  Since she is still on the training squad she does 1 lap with a kick board.  She did a great job!  She has been sick and was not feeling like herself but she begged me to go.  Waiting for her race...

 Andy hurt his ankle and was getting it checked out (he's alright!) so I walked over with all the kids.  The boys are soooo good.  I cannot believe how good they are.  They hung in their stroller the whole time and ate pretzels.

 Ella is also so easy.  She hung right beside me without saying a word.  Give the child a soft pretzel and she's happy.

 Preparing to race!  Woo hoo!

 Best buds after their swim.

I was thinking back to last summer.  It was such a hot summer and I was oh so pregnant with the twins.  I had so much physical discomfort and anxiety about what was to come.  It is a year later and I am feeling so much better.  The boys are here and terrific, our family is great, and I feel more like myself physically (not there yet!).  I looked back over the pictures from Lilly's first swim meet last year and enjoyed reminiscing about those days.  So much has changed in a year!

I tried to put on a happy face.

I never thought I'd share this picture with a living breathing soul but it gives me the physical perspective that I need right now.  Holy hugeness.  I was so upset when I realized Andy snapped this picture last year at Lilly's first meet.  The boys were wearing me down!!!  It was so hot and look at those ankles!

Omg.

Laid Back

Ella and Gabe enjoyed the boys' baby pool on the deck one day.  These two are a lot alike.  They're mellow and like to play with toys.  They both pay attention to detail and are not the most physical kids (though Gabe has gained a lot of strength!).  It has been so hot and I had great intentions of putting the boys in this little pool at our swim club.  

I woke up ambitious one day last week and decided to take all four kids to the pool on my own (first attempt).  I packed lunches, towels, and toys.  I was there about 15 minutes before realizing it was a huge FAIL.  I ended up going home shortly thereafter.  Ends up the boys like to climb out of the little pool and crawl to the edge of the big pool.  Ella likes the baby pool.  Lilly likes the big pool.  I only have 2 arms.  My boobs were sweating.  Enough said.

For now we will stay on our deck.

 Ella bell has come into the twos.  I am hesitant to call them the 'terrible twos' since Lilly christened us with a few crazy tough years but Ella is definitely working on expressing herself.  She is still super sweet, funny, and has become very independent.  She is also completely potty trained (if you consider 30 minute pooping sessions with me singing to the poop to come swim in the potty while she releases one small poop at a time, normal).

 Ella loves her Barbie dolls.  She's great at playing in general but loves to play with Barbies.  She's a super easy kid.

Class of 2011

I am so behind on blogging!  The boys are now 11 months, Ella is potty trained, I no longer have my pink bike ...

Those things will have to wait for we have a graduation to celebrate!  Johnny boy graduated from high school.  We love Johnny boy so much.  I wasn't sure he knew just how much so I made some shirts.

We had a great time at his party.  I made a video of his life and after we showed it I wanted to make sure he liked it and wasn't embarrassed.  He said it was great and it wasn't nearly as embarrassing as the shirts.

Success.

Poor Lilly came down with a virus during the party and slept on some chairs we pushed together.  She was so excited about the party and then ended up missing it.  Poor kid.  She's still sick with a fever and headache but we're hoping it is on its way out.

Lilly Swimming!

Lilly is doing a great job swimming!  This was taken today.

My Love

Meet my new love...

Woo hoo!

Loving my new birthday present from Andy and the kids.  Lilly really wanted me to have this bike since we love our bike rides at night.  I've been riding a (painful) hunch over bike and this new ride is oh so comfortable!  Can't wait to get a basket for the front.

Happy Birthday Mommy

I had a great 37th birthday.

No TV.
No lights.
No air conditioning.
No internet.
No phone.
No white noise for napping children.
No ice maker.
No stove.
No microwave.
No filtered water.

Really? I did have a great birthday. The electrician was here today and he turned off our power at 8 a.m. and turned it back on around 3 p.m. I was panicked. I am anal. I am structured. I have a routine and Momma doesn't like to stray from her routine. But it was wonderful! It was a crisp, cool day. I opened the windows. I loved not having the television on. The boys slept fine. We read lots of books and stayed outside all day. We saw friends and went on impromptu walks. We rode bikes and laughed on the porch. We actually left the house (rare) and got gas, soft pretzels, smoothies, and a cake.

Lilly really wanted me to have a nice birthday and was set on getting me a cake. I drove to Classic Cake Company and gave Lilly $20 and let her go in alone (parking lot right up against the door). She picked out a cake and had them write on it. I told her to let me know when it was ready and I'd help her carry it but she came out on her own swinging the bag with the box inside. She was so proud. When she got in the car she said, "I picked out the perfect cake and even told them to write on it!!"

It was in this moment where I was sitting in my car on a beautiful day with my four awesome kids looking out over an incredible treeline meeting the bluest sky that I really let it sink in how lucky I am. My five year old just bought me a cake all by herself. It doesn't get any better than this. I smiled and I thanked my kids for making my day perfect.

*There's no way I'm 37. I do not feel 37. Yowza.*

Dance Recital

Sunday was Lilly's third dance recital. We're becoming pros. Ha.

Last week our family battled a random summer stomach virus so by the time Sunday rolled around we had to make a decision as to who was going to take Lilly to the recital and who would stay home with sick kids. I was pretty upset we couldn't go as a family but Andy was super gracious and let me (and Ella) go.

Lilly wanted a bun in her hair but not just any bun. She wanted a big poofy bun. Her class is not required to wear their hair in any particular way so I was encouraging a nice wash and go style but Lilly's mind was set. I YouTube'd videos on how to put in a bun but didn't succeed so I sent Andy to CVS for a bun apparatus but he came home with the wrong thing. On our way to the recital (which is 30 min away) I ran into Walgreens and found the bun thingy majiggy and then busted a move to the recital. I hate rushing.

We arrived on time but I still had to put this bun in Lilly's hair and hadn't a clue how the thing worked. In all of our rushing we realized Lilly grabbed one ballet shoe that fit and one from when she was two. This is how I sent her backstage for her first dance...

I started to obsess once Ella and I were in the auditorium and I could think straight but then figured it's not the end of the world. Before I had the twins I would have spiraled into a full panic attack but the boys have given me perspective that I can only do so much and at least she was at the recital in costume and on time!

Lilly's famous eye-cut. Ella's famous crazy-smile.

Lilly did a great job in both of her dances and both times she had two shoes. I didn't even ask how or where. Lilly was cool with it so I considered it a success! *She did say, "They kept taking my shoe!" and I laughed because it wasn't her shoe. Wonder who they took it off of each time?

Ella loved the show. She sat still in her seat for two hours in awe of the show before her eyes. She has since played dance recital numerous times. I would love for her to dance but she's too shy to go into the classroom; we've tried.

Everyone is well and we showed Andy the video of Lilly dancing.

All is right with the world.

Skills

Luke is 2 minutes older than his brother therefore he is learning to drive first.
The hands. The feet. Love.

This boy loves him some driving. Atta baby boy.

Lady Godiva

There's so much wrong with this picture.

Brothers

Boy boys are always together. They play. They eat. They ride. They are usually side by side and they know no different. Sometimes, they spat. It's adorable.

Happily sitting in the yard enjoying pretzel rods.

"Hi Momma!"

Something happens. Hmmmm...

Problem solved. I love boys.

What's that we hear?

Looking in unison. I love them so much.