Bring in the Reinforcements!

While Rob was gone at intensives, we had the pleasure of having Sarah, Leah and Caden come to keep us company! It was so great b/c they were able to come on Tuesday night and stay til Wed night....it was such a nice break in the week and we were off to Minneapolis on Friday to see Daddy!All of the kiddos took a bath on Tuesday night...Addyson was getting over a cough and Leah and Caden were just starting to get one so we thought it would be advantageous to steam up the bathroom and all hang out in there for a while. We had a lot of kiddos in one room that is for sure ;)Gracie was pretty excited about the "high" ponytail that I put in her hair. She wanted to take a bath but had just washed her hair and didn't want to get it wet, so she was amazed by this solution ;)Caden is growing so fast! He was hanging out on the bathroom floor until it was his and Addy's turn in the tubHis mommy better look out b/c he is one HANDSOME little dude ;)

My sister was a rockstar! She stayed through Wed evening in order to help me with watching the girls while I went to lab! She had 5 kiddos under the age of 5 for 5 hours! THANK YOU SARAH!!!!All of the girlies cuddled under a blanket, hanging out on the couch together!Look at those BEAUTIFUL ladies! Oh the fun they will have together!Gracie and Addyson cuddling....Addy doesn't look too sure about it ;)Getting ready to go to the Pizza Ranch and Addyson trying on her new jacket from Grandma Great!!! All the girls had to have headbands in their hair to go too--I think that lasted til we sat down at the table at the Ranch and then all the headbands were on the table ;)"Trying" to get a picture of everyone all together ;)Big sister, Leah, holding the Cade-manKarys wanted a turn too!!! Look at those eyes ;)Oh, and we can't forget Gracie! She would never miss a chance to hold a baby ;) Caden isn't looking too thrilled anymore though--this game of pass-the-baby isn't working for me!Someday we will get a pic of everyone together, all looking at the camera, AND smiling!Mommy and Addyson in her new bunny jacket! What a little honey! Are you sure you can handle this, Mom? You and Auntie are taking 5 kiddos to the Pizza Ranch...are you sure we shouldn't rethink this? =)

Edge of Darkness...

ok so this blog post is going to in a sense be my therapy and just vent session that I need to be able to go to sleep. Rob and I went to see the movie tonight, Edge of Darkness...for me that is exactly what it was. I just CANNOT handle movies. Why should I? What is the point of watching, on a big screen none the less, a daughter die in her fathers arms?!? Within the first 20 minutes of the movie!!! I felt my entire body tense....I have never reacted to a movie like this ever! Never have I been in a movie where Rob has had to lean over to me more than three times and ask me if I was alright and needed to leave. "What is wrong?" I don't know...is it my parental instinct that just can't handle watching a father not only hold his daughter and she dies but have to wash her blood off his hands and watch it go down the drain? The blood and gore...I am good right here in my naive little head pretending that stuff like this doesn't happen. Why do I want to pause my own life for 2 hours only to allow myself to sit and watch these "ppls lives" and all the pain/torment that they withhold. Why do I need to decipher what is being said half of the time b/c I have to translate the script in my head removing all of the four letter words and are interspersed between conversations.

Oh, Sweet Jesus, I sit here now listening to Hillsong's Yahweh over and over. Trying to wipe the images from my mind...trying to truly trust and find peace in the lyrics..."And He shall reign FOREVER and EVER!" I can't do these movies...at all! I know that there are many things I could find wrong with the happy feel good movie as well but tonight I would trade any of those predictable chick flicks in for the knots in my stomach and the lightheaded feeling I had as I left the theater. Praise God for the $20 I had in my pocket so I could leave for a while....and PRAISE GOD for the Crazy Core Skittles that brought me a glimpse of joy/hope during the middle of the movie...Next time I just need to leave...oh wait-there just doesn't need to be a next time!

Sorry about my vent....hopefully me talking to you will help me sleep ;) Thanks for being such a good listener!

Christmas Fun...indoors and out!

So I don't have all of the pictures that we took throughout the rest of our time at my parents house over Christmas...we did end up getting stuck there for a few extra days and were not able to get out until Sunday due the the interstate being closed. We had a great time playing cards, hanging out, and checking out the new toys. Speaking of new toys...one of the new things that my dad got for Christmas from my mom-for my mom too-was Rock Band for the Wii. It was so fun to hook that up and watch the girls think that they were rocking out in their own little band. I didn't play myself much, but was definitely entertained! Especially the last night we were there watching My mom, dad and Megan rocking out to some Beetles tunes.While my parents were getting all of the stuff for Rock Band out we tried to grab a family pic in our jammies. As you can see, Megan was trying to get her pose in the pic as the center of attention...that never happens!Getting ready to go. Rob was trying to walk my dad through how to hold the guitar and how everything worked. The girls were excited to sing away and tap it out on the drums with papa!Karys Joy rocking out on the drum set...in all seriousness-the drumming is HARD with this game. Maybe it is my lack of coordination but I think everyone had the hardest time getting the hang of this oneGracie on guitar and Dada on the drums...Lucy in the Sky with DiamondsLook out they switched spots and Daddy is ready for a jam session...1-2-3-4!!!!!The next day, Addyson also found lots of fun things to play with and get into! She is starting to sit up so well by herself without too many tips. She loved playing inside KJ's dollhouse...actually there was definitely more chewing than playing going on ;)She was in the perfect position to reach right in there and grab everything and playing so well-so content...and then...Sister comes...who just can't keep her little hands off miss Addy Grace, has to squeeze her-and smile for the camera at the same time of course!From there we definitely needed a distraction and it was time to head outside. After all we might as well make the most of the insane amount of white stuff accumulating outside and keeping us from travel, RIGHT? Mom and the girls, including Magpie, headed upstairs to wake Megan up. Exactly what she wanted to wake up to I am sure..."Hey, Megan! Wake up so we can go out and play in the freezing cold snow! It is a great reason to get out of your warm, dry, cozy bed!" I am not sure if she was sold on this idea ;)The girls were though! Down they went to get all of their stuff on and then some...Grandma made sure they had scarves and were all bundled up to endure the play time!They had pigtails, so their hair wouldn't get snowy and couldn't wait to get going...Gracie thought she was surely wasting time stopping to get her picture taken so she wouldn't even give me a smile...But they were both ALL SMILES after they were all bundled up and ready to head out! This was about to be their first time officially playing out in the snow!They headed down to the front yard first to find some good fresh snow to make some snow angels in...Grandma had to adjust her gloves a little before getting started b/c the snow was sneaking into themKarys dove right in and was loving the freedom of laying in the snow, waving her armsShe waved her arms so hard I think she had snow in her eyes when she stood up Grandma Sally had the demonstration going and was showing the girls how to stretch their arms way out and really make some BIG wings!Gracie plopped down right next to Karys and was able to really get her arms & legs going tooMeg peeks up for a quick smile as she thinks about how to get up without ruining her angel...I always thought that was the trickiest part and was never willing to mess my angel upThen it was time to find a new spot to play..."Come on, Karys lets go!" "I'm Stuck!"Don't worry, Karys! I am coming to help you!K, Come on...take my hands...Uh Oh! I fell back down...I don't think I can walk-I am stuck againGracie is such a GREAT big sister...goes back in to try to help her againKarys, you have to get up or your can't walk...Oh just come on....you can do it! They finally both made it out one behind the other with big smiles-operation stuck sister must have been a success!The next mission was to climb up this 'mountain'. Grandma Sally was the one helping Karys......and in one giant lift she had her up on the hill See Megan, this is how you get it done... Alright...looks easy enough...come on up girlie! Wow, are you helping me out at all?This is definitely harder than in looks....come on Gra, I got ya! Heave ho!They all finally made it to the top of the pile and were all smiles as the snow just continued to fall down on all of us!Everyone trekking out to find the perfect place to make some fresh snow angels..."I think this looks good, what do you guys think?" --MeggieGrandma Sally cheering them on and watching the three of them make their snow angels. She was definitely there for moral support and would go on to be the one to lift each of them up out of their angels ;)We FINALLY made it back in from the field!!! I told you guys we could do it!Taking a VICTORY pose on the tire swing! They thought this was so great that they could stand on the swing and it wasn't going to move nor would they fall off

Megan and Mom flop down in the snow...better catch their breath b/c the girlies aren't quite ready to head inside ;) Look at those BEAUTIES!They then headed over to the swing set for one last hurrah! Gracie ended up losing her boot in the snow bank on her way to head inside...this was the story she loved telling over and over and laughed about the most. She just couldn't believe that her boot would even think to fall off her foot and was so glad it didn't get too cold or snow in her sock ;)Megan all smiles...she couldn't go too high b/c the snow was piled right up to her bum!Everyone gathered together for one last picture before heading inside for some hot chocolate and marshmallows...or just marshmallows depending on your preference ;)

THANK YOU so much Auntie Meggie and Grandma Sally!!!! The girls had such a great time playing out in the snow! This was their first real experience doing this and they could not stop talking about it for days and weeks afterwards! You ladies really know how to entertain!