Getting caught up in photos

These pictures posted in reverse order, so you should really start at the bottom and go up.  LOL

 Our camera ran out of battery on Odessa's birthday.  She had friends over for cake, it was a fun Sunday.

 SO EXCITED to get some birthday money!

 Cute 6 month old fashion shoot, sorry- there are lots

 Laughing at Ada

 He's rolling all over now- immobility has come to an end, I hate that . . . 

For her birthday, we took Odessa and 2 of her best friends (who are twins) to the Zoo for a day of fun

 The penguins follow your finger, they were very playful that day

 Riding the carousel

 Danica

 The hippos were active- they didn't like the click of my camera though!  Blew water at me and ducked under water

 I have never seen this lion from this spot, that was cool

He found his toes on the changing table a while ago

 I let the girls use some play makeup sometimes after church- Ada did great with no instructions!  She has always been very naturally good with clothes and makeup, girly things.

But on her second try, things got a little scary . . .  .

 Our chickens who we thought were pretty dumb are actually quite smart at times.  When it gets to be dusk and they can't get back into the chicken run to coop up for the night, they come pecking at the door to remind us to open the gate and let them in.  If the light is off, they find a window with a light on and jump up and bang against the glass.  It's hilarious, they have scared us more than once.

 Sitting up in my overalls

 This is the tree outside our living room window, it was so pretty to see the colors

 I twisted the girl's hair into knots- but it's so straight, it didn't work very well . .. 

 This is how Stephen gets Franklin to sleep.  I fall asleep too when he reads that book to me . . . zzzzzzzzz

 On the ferry to Whidbey Island

 Skipping in the rain in Coupeville- cute little town!!

 on the wharf

 cold and drizzly, but we managed!

 This is their little public radio station, what a space and what a view!

 Deception Pass state park for a little hike, the wind was INSANE, the water was gorgeous

 Almost blown away

 Much better on the hike- the Deception Pass bridge behind them

 Lots of pretty drop offs and views

 baby doll

 in mouth

 Debonair in the hand me downs- even a little clip on tie

 Pike place with the Deweys in October!

Seattle Center fountain

 Halloween with the Deweys- Raine and Carter

They wanted to be fairies this year even though they know virtually nothing about Tinkerbell and her friends. Even with underthings, they were cold and so I have convinced them to be firemen next year with big heavy coats and Franklin will be the Dalmatian.  LOL

Before I had 3 kids . . .

Before I had 3 kids . . .

 . . . it was the exception to catch me out and about without make-up and I at least attempted to do my hair.  Now no make up or hair is the rule and I have even showed up at church regularly with a wet head.

 . . . . I showered every day, sometimes twice if I exercised at night.  Now I have discovered just how many hours I can live with my unshowered self.

. . . .I rarely burned food or scorched pans.  'Nough said.

. . . we ate different menus weekly.  Now I hardly follow a recipe and we have pasta in some form at least twice a week.

. . . I almost always folded laundry the very same day it was washed.  Now there are weeks we use clean clothes out of the baskets for days on end . . . and I have also discovered the very maximum amount of days we can go without doing laundry.

. . . I rarely bought prepared foods, and especially not for dinner and I almost always made things from scratch for the parties I hosted.  Now, I run to the store at 10pm the night before book club.

. . .we ate out to celebrate something, not because we were desperate to not have to do prep, clean up and dishes.

. . . I always tried to sign up and volunteer and rarely told anyone "I can't" or "no".  Now I pass along the clipboard and look at the emails and feel bad- for a minute or two.

. . .  Stephen and I used to talk and spend time together beyond passing off tasks "your turn to hold the baby" and "how about you do the dishes and I will get the kids in bed?"

. . . I didn't know what it felt like to function on just the fumes of sleep

But before I had 3 kids, I didn't love little boy clothes or get to laugh at my 5 and 4 yr olds doing tricks to entertain him or learn how to be even better at sitting still and just enjoying my baby.