Halli's big day!

How in the world do we have a 7 year old? I know I say it all the time, but these kids are growing up SO fast!

To start Halli's birthday, we got up early, (not as early as Kevin), and headed to the pool where a bunch of people were competing in the "summer of seals" competition. It's a 500m swim, push-ups, sit-ups, pull-ups and a 1.5 mile run. Kevin did this last year too, and I really wanted to do it then, but no, they decided to wait until this year to let the girls compete, and of course, I was way too pregnant to join in, next year though!

We showed up as Kevin was finishing his run, so we didn't get to see him do any of the competition, but he did great! He got the most pull-ups, 20. I told him to get 25, but he was trying to "save" is energy for the run!:) Because his ankle was still bothering him from earlier this summer, his run was a little slower, but he still did it.

(can I just say, wow, what a hottie!:)

I have to say, it's great that he did this, but now that he's taking a break from working out and giving his body a much needed rest, I love having him around just a little bit more! Next year it will be even more fun when we can do the competition together, he's good at pushing me.

We stayed to swim until they did the awards, and then it was home to open birthday presents for the birthday girl!

Yes , Cheetah sat in her lap the whole time. That is, until she opened her pillow pal, which she loves!

After opening gifts, I took her, Peyton and JJ with me to the mall. Yeah, that's always a good idea! But we had to head in so that Halli could get her ears pierced! I think I was more excited than her about this one, but it was fun for her to pick out her earrings.

She was told it might hurt a little, and she was pretty nervous about it.

And then it did hurt a little. I think she didn't really want the second side done after feeling the first. This is the face she made, right as they pierced her ear.

I guess you gotta teach them young, that sometimes beauty can be painful!:)

After that we headed out for ice cream. Although Peyton is almost 4, she doesn't really care how messy she is. I wonder when that will change.

The birthday girl was pretty pleased with how her day was going so far, I mean, who doesn't like ice cream?

All Halli really wanted to do for her birthday was to go rollerskating. She's not that great at it yet, but she's having fun learning. Because Kevin's ankle was bothering him, it was his turn to babysit JJ while the girls took turns having me take them around the rink.

Even little Lexie got in on it, actually, she did better than Peyton.

Halli did really well, and got quite the workout as well. I had fun doing something a little active, and hadn't been rollerskating in years, so it was fun to get out there and do it again!

After a yummy pizza dinner with cousins and grandparents, it was home for cake and ice cream. She really wanted a kitty cake, so I bought some fondant and tried my hand at making a cat...she loved it, so that's all that matters.

We sure love this girl, and are so proud of her and the person she is becoming. She loves her sisters, and is an excellent example to them most of the time. I love how she wants to be a little mom to her siblings, and always tells me that she can't wait to be a mom. She want's to grow up so fast, wanting to learn how to cook, she routinely makes her own lunch, and helps get her sisters dressed in the morning. I am so in love with this girl, and amazed by her all the time.

How cute are they?

Alrighty, I know I'm WAY behind on posting, but there's ALOT coming, I promise! In the meantime....

Today I was able to go take newborn photos of my adorable new niece, Adelyn! She was precious and sweet, and I got some beautiful pictures. But as we were waiting to get started, her older brother and sister were fascinated with what I was doing, and wanted to be involved.
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So, as I was getting the camera ready, I used them for my practice shots, and can I just say that I LOVE this picture! They are SO cute! So, note-to-self, if you want to get a toddlers picture, tell them they can't be in a picture. Reverse psychology works every time!

Here we go again

Halli started second grade this year, and so it all begins. Schedules, and homework, and early mornings. All those things I'm just not looking forward too. A cleaner house with Halli gone, that might be nice.:) She's got an awesome teacher, knows some kids in her class, and she's so excited to be back in school!

She's is such a cutie, and we're so excited for her and this year!

On another note, this evening just after dinner, Peyton came up to me and told me that she wanted short hair. Hmmm, that's a little odd seeing as how she usually wants long hair to be like Halli. Then I noticed she was holding the sides of her head. Then I noticed her hair, or lack thereof!!!

I seriously wanted to cry! I know it'll grow back, but she cut it so short, it's gonna take a really long time! I may just trim it shorter, and try my best to hide the cut parts till they grow out a little bit, cause I really don't want to have to chop all her hair off.

Last but not least, here is another cutie that we know, although not mine, he's gonna be part of the family someday!:) We went to a local pool that had a diving board and Blake and Halli had a blast diving in, and I couldn't resist this picture, I love it and think he looks so cute with is wet hair plastered to his head!

Hopefully the rest of this week goes by smoothly as we get back into the swing of school. It's going to be hard to get up early all week and get Halli out the door, especially with Jaden needing me in the mornings too. Hopefully four kids doesn't just do me in! Yikes!

One month

On thursday, the 12th, our little guy was a month old. I have no idea how that first month went by so fast. He has truly been an angel baby that has made my life with a newborn fairly easy. Now if only Lexie would decide to jump on that easy bandwagon!

Here's our little guy at one month. I decided to use the basketball so we can use it for his month pictures throughout the first year to see how much he's grown.

For two weeks we had my mom here in town to help out. She was great at entertaining the girls, she made the most awesome carseat carrier for me (which I still need to take pictures of), and we loved having her here, especially me. It's always nice to have another adult around to chit chat with, especially when it's mom.:)

The girls were sad to see her go, but luckily her and my dad will be back in a couple weeks for Jaden's blessing. YAY!

Because we have the three girls running around, we did more than sit and enjoy staring at JJ for the past month. We've been trying to keep busy and give the girls something to do so they don't kill each other. I think once school starts and they get a little break from each other during the day, that it will be a good thing for everyone!

Halli has been a wonderful "mother"/boss most of the time. Sometimes she gets too carried away, but most of the time they'll follow her around and do what she says.

They went in the back yard to play soccer the other day. Halli had a whistle, and was fully in her element telling the other two what to do.

She would blow the whistle and point, and they would run to obey her command. It's okay as long as she's nice about it, right? She'd even get in there and play with them too.

We spent a little time at the pool too. It is august in houston after all.

Halli found a frog. She's in love with those things, and every time she'd let it go in the pool, the poor thing would swim away as fast as it could, but just wasn't fast enough.

At first Peyton and Lexie were terrified of it, but Lexie got over it fairly quick.

The little guy pretty much slept through the whole thing.

I got the baby announcement's done. I've addressed some of them, but just need to finish and get them in the mail. I'm such a procrastinator.

Me and the girls made some delish "flip flop" cookies. Well, we frosted cookies to look like flip flops.

My mom put the girls to work helping clean. They love to do this sometimes, I wish I had the patience to do it more often.

We spent lots of time outside, at least we did when it wasn't unbearably hot!

Lexie was a little terrified of the thunderstorms that came through at the end of July.

She even went and found a mask cause she didn't want to see the lightning.

My sister had her 29th birthday while my mom was here. So they came over for dinner, and my mom made an amazing cake!

The girls all wanted to blow out the candles.

ALL 29 of them.

So Brittany gathered them all around,

and let them help her out.

Yeah, mom went all out doing a neopolitan cake to go with some yummy neopolitan ice cream. Now y'all know where I get it from!:)

How cool does that look?

Then we played outside some more.

How cute is this little girl? LaNea, my niece m loving the swing.

And this little guy, still slept through it all, making things a little easier for this tired mom!

Smitten

I think I'm in love! He's bald, kinda chunky, can't keep his food in his mouth, and he cries and poops his pants way too often. How in the world has he stolen my heart?


Alright, I guess it isn't really that hard to see just how he did it, he's adorable, and he smells amazing!

I think he may have stolen the hearts of a few other girls too...the little player.

Yep, I think it's safe to say, they're all smitten too.

Fall Sessions

I'm scheduling fall sessions now, if you're interested check out my photography blog here for more information, or email me to set up a time!