This week was hard. It wasn't as if anything earth shattering happened.  We were just busy and our kitchen is torn apart. Our cabinets are emptied out which makes cooking and cleaning difficult.  We also have the contents of our kitchen in our family room...AKA the playroom.  I am continually amazed at how much stress this has added to our week.   Jeff started his "new" job this week. He has been consulting with this company for almost 2 years so the change didn't feel that new.  The big change is that he is in meetings all day and he has been getting home late. School is about to start which means my PTO duties are ramping up. While I enjoy being on the board, it can be a lot of work and easily overtake your life. To top it off, the kids were incredibly crabby,which was due to getting them to bed too late. Cade has been grumpy and his not sleeping routine is making ME grumpy. By Thursday I was at my wits end. I was tired and frustrated with my children.  I ended up having my mom watch the over 8 months crowd while Jeff and I went grocery shopping.  It is amazing what an hour at Costco(minus 3 of your children) will do for your mental status. As we were checking out, the lady in front of us started asking about Cade. Eventually, I told her he was the youngest of 4 and she replied with "God bless you"(note:the more children you have the more complete strangers feel God should bless you!). I replied with "He already has".  I needed that moment to change my perspective.  It is so easy to lose sight of all the blessings in our life when we are having a hard day. We only have this time once and I want to enjoy it as much as possible.  Our babies are growing far too quickly and odds are I will not even remember the fact that this week was hard, that my house was a mess or my laundry a mile high. 

Yes folks, it is that time a year again. You know, when all the white trash creeps out of the wood work and heads over to the county fair.  If you have a tube top and foam flip flops you are just dying to wear, now is your chance.  I am not really sure why I go(well besides the fact that I enjoy making fun of people who buy air brushed door mats or for that matter air-brushed anything). I am guessing it is because I can not pass up photo ops like these...

Bored stiff at a 4-H competition 

Awkard family photo in the making

Picking out a bunny that their mean mom refused to buy

Bunny eating his "For Sale" tag. Personally, I think once he saw my kids, he became very afraid for his future!

Germy souvenirs

Where else can you see a purple horse? 

Or better yet, a purple horse with a heart on its butt!

Sensory overload

Sibling rivalry at its finest

The furniture was to die for

Can't wait for next year!

First intravenous blood draw!

First trip to the beach

First tornado warning

First road trip

First time in a stroller although this picture is really his second time in a stroller 

First family trip to the park

First time sucking his thumb

First time tasting solid food...frozen watermelon!

First time texting

First babysitter

First tub toy

First time at the zoo

Had me a blast

Summer Lovin'

Happened so fast 

Met a girl crazy for me

Met a boy cute as can be

Summer days driftin' away

To uh-oh those summer nights

Earlier this week Jeff and I went on a date.  This is quite a rare thing these days. So rare that I don't even know the last time we went on one. Well, Eden was obsessed with the concept of going on a date so she decided that she and I should go on one too.  I asked her what she would like to do and she said go out to eat...hmm...this is starting to remind me of my date with Jeff. 

Yesterday she woke up and immediately wanted to know if today we could go on our date, to which I said "yes".  She chose Red Robin.  We got all ready and we took this picture.

We head for the door and she turns and says "Aren't you going to put on a dress?".  I was trying to talk my way out of the dress idea when she decided I should just wear the shirt I wore on my date with Jeff. Whew!

It was so fun to have her on her own and hear all her thoughts, free from the influences and interruptions of her siblings. On the way to the restaurant she told me that Red Robin would be a bad name for a human because then you would have to say "Come here Red Robin".   She asked me if she could watch Disney's The Wild when she turns eighteen. She told me she closes her eyes when she sneezes because she doesn't like to look at sneezes but she does like to hear them. After Red Robin we went to the bookstore and shared an iced coffee and bought a book. After sucking down 3/4 of said drink, she declared for all to hear that she couldn't drink anymore because she had to go poop VERY BADLY!  So we headed to the bathroom for the 3rd time in 2 hours! On our way home she begged to go someplace else. All she could think of was the car wash, but she is unfortunately scared of the car wash so we called it a day. She is a funny little thing and our date reminded me just how much I love this little girl!

 seems to be Cade's magical month.  He started rolling on July 15 and will now roll almost every time he has tummy time.  He is starting to be able to sit for a few seconds too.  He loves his toys and is a busy body.  He wants to be doing what every one else is doing. I love how he kicks his legs like crazy when we lay him down!  He is eating 4 oz every 2-3 hours. He loves drinking water from a sippy cup. He jabbers all the time and is starting to say "na na na" and "da da da".  When we laugh at him then he thinks he is sooo smart and gets all excited.  He has a fake laugh and cough which are as cute as can be. He is also starting to put his arms up when he wants someone to hold him. He weighs 15 lb 6 oz, is wearing a size 2 diaper and 3-6 month clothes.

On Wednesday, Cade and I went to the NICU where he spent his first days.  We brought cupcakes and thank you's for the staff. We visited with the nurses and Dr. P. and I think they enjoyed seeing his little grown up self. 

Today, the NICU asked me(as well as my friend Jamie who is a former NICU mom too) to come give feedback on some renovation plans.  We looked at curtains and paint and flooring and such. This gave some more nurses the opportunity to love on the little man!  We actually were able to go in the NICU this time. A little strange, but nice at the same time. 

Here is Cade with Dr. P.  She attended his delivery and was such an encouragement  to our family.  She is really interesting and we just loved having her a part of Cade's team.

Happy Birthday Eden Girl!  She requested to celebrate her big day at Grandpa's house this year. This girl loves herself some Grandpa, but then again who doesn't?  It was a pretty low-key day with gift opening and birthday cake.  She really wanted a Cinderella cake, but had to settle for Tinkerbelle.  She is 34lbs and 40 inches tall.  She is as fiesty as ever and as Grandpa says she is "diabolically sweet".  If you know Eden then you will know why that is funny!

Our Big 4 year old!

Crazy eyes...she was being so weird while opening gifts. 

 Finally got her pillow pet. FYI, if they have an infomercial about  it then my kids will want it.  Doesn't matter what it is or what it does. They will accept any As Seen On TV product as an awesome birthday/Christmas gift.  

 Parent Lesson 348...Never buy gifts that were not on "the list"! Good thing I bought her a few Melissa and Doug play food sets too.

Cutie-pie Tucker 

It is so hard to believe Cade is halfway to one.  Something about 6 months that always makes me a little sad.  The first year is so special and goes by far too quickly.  I try to savor each moment I have with Cade, but I know that lookng back it won't feel like enough. 

Cade is now 14 lbs 6oz and 24 1/2 inches.  He is still small but the doctor is pleased with his growth curve. He is wearing a size 1 diaper and 0-3 and 3-6 month clothes. He is a happy little guy and becoming so social. He wakes up the second I lay him down for a nap so I decided that he just likes his mama!

Fun with Family

 Fantastic Female

Finding Frustration

 Faces on Fire

 Festive Fashions

Funny Faces

 Fetching Freebies

Facial Fiddler

Fancy Food

First Fireworks

 Finally Finished!