Parenting is messy. Fun. Chaotic. Emotional. Exhilarating. Demanding. Incredible. Parenting is happiness.

The way these kids love each other makes everything worth it. 

The heart attack that Kellen gave me when I walked into the living room to find him STANDING on the keyboard with Kate nearby encouraging him to keep going. 

The way he screams with delight when Elle gets home from school. 

The way the girls played quietly for over an hour last week so I could lay down for a few minutes (I do not function as well as I did when I was a teenager with no sleep) 

The screaming that happens in the car followed by all three of them giggling so hard. 

This morning I was snuggling with Kate. I mentioned how we haven't snuggled in a while because shes usually running so fast and playing so hard. She said it was because I was always doing homework. It broke my heart. Only two more months until I can be only their mom again, not a student. 

The kids spent most of Saturday outside playing and helping Cody clean up the yard. They were dirty, their hair was a mess but they were completely happy. I need to remember to savor these little moments more, not just the big exciting ones.  

Time and season, time and season is what I keep telling myself. This time in our lives seems to be a sweet spot and some days I just can’t believe its real.

We have had the most amazing summer yet with our little family, camping, day trips to California and Yellowstone, birthday celebrations, the international dance festival, way too many trips to burger king for play date lunches, park dates, swimming, jumping on the tramp and swinging, hiking, way too many kid in the bed sleepovers, so many baby giggles and following big sisters around, and entirely way too much ice cream on my part.

Last winter I was struggling to find a happy medium between what my children needed and what I needed. I needed something for me that didn’t take time away from them. And my prayers were answered ten fold, or should I say five fold. I met some great friends and have loved getting together with our kids doing fun activities and having a few girls nights.

Elle started kindergarten last week and I started classes the week before. Kate starts preschool tomorrow and couldn’t be more excited. For two mornings a week it will just be me and the baby boy. Except he isn’t really a baby, this kid is so curious, such a little teaser and will be one in a month!

I feel like this time in my life is such a sweet spot. We stay busy but not to the point of being overwhelming. My kids are only gone at school for a couple hours each and then they are mine for the rest of the day. Kellen still naps (most days) two times so I am able to get a few things done. As much as I would like my house to be spotless all the time I know that that is just not realistic and I am finally feeling ok with that. There is always at least one load of laundry waiting to be folded. I tried the one load a day idea but by the end of the week I ended up with five random loads of things that went in every. Single. Room. So for now I am embracing the mess.

I am not saying that I don’t struggle, I definitely do and I am writing this today when I feel like I’ve got enough of my crap together to call it a good day. I’m writing this as a reminder to myself that I’ve got this. The house is messy and that is perfectly alright, I’ll have a few hours tomorrow to get it cleaned. Today was a good day, I didn’t yell at the kids, we played hide and seek in the mountains for an hour and I feel like I let my family know that I love and appreciate them. That doesn’t happen nearly enough.

One other reason that I wanted to write this was for a few hilarious things that the girls say that I do not want to forget.

1.      Last night while we were facetiming my parents and doing family home evening Elle said that she liked to turn off the light and play the ipad and hide under her bed. “I like darkness,” said with a completely straight face.

2.      Kate said “Ugh the internet must not be working.” Cody asked why and she said, “Because the toilet wont flush.”

3.      Kate loves to call everyone chicken heads or duckheads. She also loves to stick out her tongue and shake her booty at everyone.

4.      From February (Kate 3 ½) she couldn’t get her yogurt open and said, “Seriously?! Come on!”

5.      Kate finally started being able to say her f’s and it makes me sad. She used to say “shash light” instead of flash light.

6.      Both girls for a few weeks called the movie Princess Diaries- Princess Diarrheas. 

There is officially a little boy in our house! As I was doing the dishes yesterday morning Kellen was by the washing machine playing with an inflatable pool tube. He likes to climb on things and he crawls fast so I decided to close the back bathroom door just to be safe. He is smarter than his mother. I turn the water back on and continue washing the dishes, he is around the corner just out of site. I turn off the water, while I'm drying my hands I hear him talking. And a splash.

AHH! The little stinker was splashing in the toilet!!! He somehow got the bathroom door opened, it probably wasn't latched shut, and had his right hand up to his armpit inside the toilet. As soon as I rounded the corner he looked up at me and gave me the biggest grin and splashed again before I could grab him. 

Besides doing gross things like playing in the toilet, thank heavens I cleaned it the other day, and eating all the rocks he can find, he is such a happy baby. We went to Twin last week to run a few errands and decided to grab some dinner. I am glad that there was really no one else in the restaurant at the time. Apparently I was not feeding him fast enough. He would let out a nice, long piercing screech until you gave him another bite. Every time. Without fail. But I guess I can't really blame him, he gets his hanger from his mother. 

One more funny thing from last night that I wanted to document. We don't have air conditioning, I try not to complain about it much but sometimes it is miserable. We open our windows at night to cool the house down but this year we seem to be getting a lot of bugs inside, especially earwigs. They are nasty, long creatures with antennas, multiple legs and are creepy and super fast. We have been talking about the need to spray again to kill the bugs inside and it is getting done this weekend because of what happened last night. Cody had just climbed into bed when something fell right on the top of his head! It was an earwig and it had fallen out of the curtains! He always gives me a hard time when I jump because a spider crawls across my foot so it was a pleasant payback. 

Its a good thing these kids put up with me and are incredibly cute because summer time makes me miss taking pictures. 

 
 

I have a feeling this summer is going to be fantastic. Last night the girls helped Cody plant the garden while I made dinner and then made the rounds on the yard checking the flower beds for their seeds they planted weeks ago and looking for any new strawberries. We've also been on the lookout for a small toy Elle left on the playset that we think a bird took to use for a nest. Oh Summer nights, we are so ready for you!

This kid loves his big sister, Ellenor. She is the only one who has ever gotten him to give even the faintest giggle. Tonight we caught his first real laugh!!! He wouldn't do it again no matter how hard Cody and I tried!

7 months old already! This little man is such a fun baby! He is constantly smiling and trying to move. He got his two bottom teeth within a week of each other and it makes his little grin even better! He growls when he plays and scoots everywhere! Kellen loves book and anything of his big sisters. But most of all he loves his sweet sisters, hes constantly moving to be able to see them. It doesn't take them long to notice him and try getting him to laugh or tickle him. And occasionally make him cry because they are being too attentive. We love having this sweet boy in our family!