It's swim season

First of, I have to say thanks for the kind words on the last post. I was just having an off day, one where I'd had three little ones all day, Kevin had left out of town and I was dreading the thought of doing a swim meet without him the next day.

The great news is, I'm not pregnant this year, the weather was perfect, the baby actually took a little nap at the meet, Lexie is now old enough that she doesn't run away from me...YAY! So, all in all, the meet went much, much better than anticipated. Kevin also made it back for the end of the meet. I had a MUCH better day that I had thought I would, not only that, but Kevin and I got to go out with some friends that night....without kids. Just what I needed!

So, swim team is now in full gear, and we had our first "meet". This was actually just a time trial to see where the kids where at, but it's pretty much a preview of our saturdays for the next couple months.

goggles and swim suits are taking over! I'm so excited that Peyton got to join the team this year. She's still young, and isn't the greates swimmer, but she's trying, and is having so much fun doing it!

Our team is about half mormon...so there are ALOT of little ones running around at the meets. Sometimes it's fun, and other times it's just insane. But it is alot of fun for everyone to be surrounded by friends, can't get much better than that.

Miss Peyton did fairly well. Since this was just time trials they had some older swimmers in the water to help the little kids. Thank goodness for that, that pool can seem really big to these little kids.

Halli is finally in the older age group and gets to learn two new strokes this year. I think she's really loving the butterfly, which seems weird cause I just have no idea how to even do that!

and three years later, that girl still has red rings around her eyes from the goggles. Maybe it'll never stop!:)

Peyton was able to do the freestyle and the backstroke. Her backstroke time wasn't too bad, thanks to the helper that carried her across the pool!:) The little kids are the funniest to watch as they sit up in the water and try to do that backstroke,...love it!

There are a few babies in attendance at these things. This little girl is just a week younger that JJ, and I love her little pacifier...so cute!

Swim team can be such a huge commitment for a family. We've hired a babysitter to stay home with JJ so he can actually take a nap since practice is right when he's usually sleeping. But it's all totally worth it for us, the girls love it, and I have SO much fun watching them.

Peyton had never practiced diving into the pool, so it was funny to watch her just jump right in, feet first to do her freestyle. The funniest thing was that right before her race, she was crying and told one of the volunteers that "Mom won't let me play on her phone." That's what she was worried about right before her first race ever...such a funny girl.

Then right after she finished, when I pulled her out of the water, she instantly asked if she could play on my phone. She's such a funny little thing!

We love our team, and I really, really like the new coach this year and how she's pushing the kids, it's so great for them! I can't wait to see what they accomplish this year!

I really do love them....really

I feel like I owe an apology to all the moms that saw me today at field day for halli, and at swim practice. I'm starting to lose my patience, and I was probably not the best example of what a mother should be. Or maybe I just owe an apology to the little people sleeping upstairs.:)

I chose to be a stay at home mom, and most days I really do love it. I love spending time with my kids, I love being able to be there for drop off and pick up, I don't really love the house cleaning, but there's really no way around that, stay at home mom or not. I love that we can make the day whatever we want to make it.

It just seems that lately, I've been making it not so special for the little ones that are home all day. Because as much as I really do love them, I kinda need a little time away. It's been a few weeks since I've had even a meal without at least two children. I'm up with them first thing in the morning, I'm with at least two children all day, every day. I'm with them all for dinner. I don't run any errands, or go to any practices, or meetings, or events, or anything really, without at least two children, usually three, and usually without help. I do bath time and bed time every night, and half of those are probably by myself. (This is really all for Kevin, or you mom, if ya wanna move on out here!:) Not to mention, the constant crying, fighting, whining, and just destructiveness is all getting a little old.

So today, at swim practice, I wasn't so patient or kind with little ones wanting to sit on my lap while I was sweating from the already humid weather. I wasn't too helpful when they asked for something to eat....at least 3 times after I had already given them their snacks. I wasn't as interested in everything they were telling me about, whatever it was, as I should have been. So, sorry to all the moms who must've looked at me and thought I was a crappy mom. Let's face it, some days I am.

So, to all the moms that must have thought that, just know that I really do love them...really, I do. I love that JJ smiles whenever he sees me, and his little eyes sparkle. I love Lexies laugh, and how she talks really fast and her voice fluxuates so much when she's excited, I love when Peyton just wants to sit down and cuddle up with me, and I wish I had more arms to do it more often, she gets the short end of the stick on that one, and I feel bad about that. I am loving watching Halli learn and grow up into an amazing young girl. She caught 4 roly poly's the other day, and after 3 died overnight, she got on google and learned all she could about caring for that last one that she wanted to keep alive. It died later that day, but it was fun to watch her take the initiative to learn about it.

Basically, I just wish I could take a small break from mommy-hood, so that maybe I would cherish it a little bit more than I have been lately. I know these times will go by too fast, but from where I'm at right now in the thick of it all, it kinda feels like it's all standing still.

Easter 2011

Maybe I shouldn't write anything, and let the pictures do that talking. Since we were in California this year, I think I may have gotten a little camera happy. We started out the weekend with some egg dying. Always a favorite of the kiddos, mine too. I think next year I may add painting them into the mix, that would be even more fun!

I love seeing all of these little cousins together, it just doesn't happen often enough!

5 kids dying eggs tends to leave a little bit of a mess behind. I don't think I boiled nearly enough eggs either, they could have done tons more!

Easter morning, the big day finally came, and the girls were SO excited. Halli had written the easter bunny a note asking him to hide her basket REALLY well, hide Peytons kinda good, and make Lexie and JJ's baskets easy. I think the easter bunny listened!:) The easter bunny also went crazy and made the baskets almost too full to carry!

I love these chalkboards the easter bunny had, so cute and were the "perfect" way to address each basket! This worked out really well since they didn't have their baskets from home, and had no idea whose was whose.

Halli absolutely loves her new dog with the bunny ears. I wish I could remember it's name.

Once the baskets were found, there was playing, eating lots of candy and trying out their new whoopie cushions, {they love those}! All while waiting for some delish cinnamon rolls for breakfast.

I just love how she has the kaliediscope over her eye, but is obviously looking the opposite direction, so cute!

As busy as that all looks, it happened before 8 am, cause we still had to get ready to be out the door for 9 O'clock church! After church {which was wonderful by the way, just perfect for easter sunday} we went outside for a few pictures.

I'm not loving this one with all the kids, so we may have to have a redo in the near future.

Once their cousins showed up, it was time for a fabulous dinner and the grand finale....the easter egg hunt!

JJ was perfectly content with his egg and the few pieces of candy that he managed to get his hands on. Look closely at his mouth, full O' sugar!

But there was sugar everywhere, so getting a mouthful wasn't too hard!

We had SO many eggs, the hunt lasted for quite some time, and the kids were in heaven.

We had to get some grandparents out there to help find a few too.

Halli felt the need to dump out every single one of her eggs, so she just had a basket full of candy. Makes it easier to get to.

Yet another basket that's almost too heavy to carry.

My handsome nephew chase. A cutie missing his two front teeth.

We all sat on the grass to pick through of finds and enjoy the gorgeous day. Really, the weather was so very nice out there, perfect spring weather that just begs you to come outside and enjoy it!

As much as we may try to be ladies in our easter dresses, some of us still have a hard time sitting with our legs closed, and not getting candy juice smeared all over our faces...that's what being a kid is all about, isn't it?

After all of that, the kids were getting restless, and grandpa decided to pull out the tractor and hook it up to a little go cart. This entertained the kids for quite some time! I only got photos of Lexie, but they all enjoyed riding it, and when the older kids were riding, uncle Ryan figured out how to pop a wheelie and sometimes it even tipped over...they loved that!

What could be more fun?

Always outside, enjoying each other...it was an almost perfect easter. The only thing missing was their dad.

California dreamin!

We love visiting grandma and grandpa in california. There is tons of time spent outside, enjoying the yard, and the cool air, and the freedom to explore. There's cooking and eating, and making messes...kinda the same stuff we do at home, but it's with Grandma Shauna and Grandpa Logan, so that makes it better!

Everyone's happier when they're outside.

Their blonde hair is even brighter outside too.

My parents are re-doing their backyard, they've dug out a patio for a walk-out basement, and they're in the process of laying pavers. It's going to look amazing when it's done, and the girls had a GREAT time playing down there. Especially when they're piles of sand to play in....can't get better than that, can it?

We where there for my nephews baptism, so that meant Great-Grandma & Grandpa Steenblik where there with us. The kids had fun being able to spend time with them, and I'm SO incredibly greatful that my kids get to know their great-grandparents, and that they still have enough energy to play with them!:)

This is my grandma Georgine and my neice Ashlyn

Grandma got all snuggled on the couch with the kiddos for a movie. They love it!

Look at Grandpa Joe, trying to get JJ crawling, must have worked cause he picked it up pretty well as soon as we got home!

On saturday, we were able to attend the baptism of my nephew Tyler. It was so great to be able to be there for him, and for Halli to be able to be there, since she'll be doing it soon too. We're so proud of you Tyler! Congrats!

We tried to get the kids alll together for a picture, but let's face it, when one of those kids is Lexie and she doesn't want a picture taken....it doesn't really happen. That girls got a mind of her own! We stuck grandpa back there to hold her in place...this was the best I could get.

We're lucky to have such fun family, and that we were able to be there for such an eventful weekend. I'm grateful my kids were able to see their cousins again {I can't believe how fast they're all growing up!} and that they all have so much fun when they're together, love it!