Thankful Thursday

I have had an overwhelming response to my "Coupons to Troops" post. Thank you, thank you, thank you. I'm getting batches in the mail from people I don't even know... it's so wonderful to see people using their time and effort to show support and to help make the temporal needs of our soldiers' families more easily met. I've got families just getting the paper to clip the coupons and send them my way. How great! In my opinion, the annual pay that these military families get is not sufficient for their duty they dedicate to us and our country! So it's great and easy to help out.

Again, if you're interested.... get me your expireds!!! It's such a waste to throw them away! I ship to a naval base in Guam and an army base in Germany. The military families (well, mostly wives gives the feedback) are so appreciative. And it's nice for them to know that we care... even when it's a whole bunch of coupons!!!!

Sunday Afternoon Pictures

Matching Gymboree Dresses!!!

(not me- them)

Originally, I had these dresses for Kylie and Kacey but thank you ebay! I was able to find a larger one for Kylie, and Kacey went up to Kylie's size and Kadyn got Kacey's!

A moment of silence for the shoes. Seriously, no lie... my favorite pair of shoes. I like them so much, they don't go on the ground with my other shoes. No No. These go up on the top shelf, away from the other shoes (or children wanting to walk around in my heels).

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The girls went to their first baptism on Saturday. They were very excited. Kylie regularly talks about how the Daddy hold his hand here, and you hold your hand here... and dunk. In fact, she likes to pretend in the pool. So I was thrilled for her to be able to see one for the first time and even more fun, it being her friend Bryan who was getting baptized. (that and I secretly hope Kylie will marry Bryan- but that's another story) Kacey was also very attentive during the baptism.. to the point that I was afraid she was going to jump in... she was a little too close for me. I had to go up and grab her.

Soccer Season Comes to an End

And today was our last soccer game. We had a fun season, and Matthew looks forward to coaching us again next year. This year we seemed to be on the younger end of the age bracket... so next year, we're gonna be awesome!!!

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Here's our Team Photo

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For the last quarter, Matthew put all the girls in for 4 minutes. And then all the boys in for 4 minutes. It was fun seeing all our cute girls out there :)

Ummm...

Naptime's been rough in our house over the last week. Kacey's been reluctant, and I'd give up and say she's outgrowing it (like I did with Kylie)... except for the fact that she really needs it! If she's doesn't get her nap, you can tell... and she cries all afternoon long. Everything will set her off. So I try desparately to get her down to nap.

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I used to be able to shut her door. No good. She's walks out, I put her back in. She walks back out in 5 minutes. Repeat routine 100 times.

So we use a baby gate. No good, she's learned to climb over it.

So we double baby gate it. Oh yeah, Matthew and I are pros. We learned this trick from Kylie.

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I walked up the steps and this is what I found.

So I peek in, and this is what I see. Now I'm nervous. I didn't hear her at all, so I'm not sure where she is.

And this bed is JUST right!

At least she's asleep.

Although this isn't a habit I want to create. It's bad enough she wanders in the middle of the night and I usually wake to her head on my pillow. But she's staking claim now! :)

Coupons to Troops

Check this out!
http://thefinancelady.blogspot.com/2009/06/coupons-to-troops.html

Thankful Thursday

My greatest daily challenges are definitely my most valuable blessings.

It's funny how that works.

(too bad that doesn't make the challenges any easier)

1. We were in the store, and Kacey heard someone take the Lord's name in vain--- which she knows is not allowed. She said quiet loudly, "No, we don't say that. That's bad. We say 'Oh my gosh or oh my golly." Good job Kacey! Of which, she smiled at me that sweet little adorable smile and then said, "I'm a good girl."

2. Kadyn's crawling! Last week, it was more of an army crawl but she's learning fast. Now she's working on getting her behind up in the air... but she's a quick little slider on the ground. It's happening really fast; all of a sudden she could sit up on her own, then the rolling, now this... I can't believe she's nearly 9 months.

3. Kylie is really maturing right before my eyes. (Truth be told, I just hate it. I will be the Mother sobbing outside the kindergarten room that dreaded first day, reluctant to leave in case my super independent child needs me... haha... so someone be there to walk me out). Don't get me wrong, Kylie has her fair share of attitude. But all in all, she's such a big help around the house and with her sisters. She'd give Kadyn the food out of her mouth, or more appropriate- the toy out of her hand, if that's what Kadyn wanted from her. The love she has for her sisters, and her willingness to take care of them as the "big sister" is just great to watch.

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~~~~Little sidenote story: I've noticed that at Ballet, Kylie's very mothering to Kacey. In fact, no way no how Kacey would be able to be in that ballet class without Kylie. She'd be too scared. But Kylie's always one step ahead of her, helping her with this or doing that. At one part in their routine, all the girls hold hands to make a circle. Kacey's a little slow, while Kylie's one step ahead of everything and knows when the circle part is coming. No matter what, Kylie will stop and wait to be sure she's got Kacey's hand during the part. Even if other little girls that are around try to grab Kylie's hand, Kylie won't do it. She waits until Kacey realizes what's going on (and Kacey always goes right to Kylie, even if Kylie's further away- I mean there are 12 little girls in the class, but Kacey finds Kylie) and Kylie then takes Kacey by the hand to do the circle part. It's small and simple; no one else would notice... but I notice. I notice it every time. It's precious.

Sunday Afternoon Pictures

We finally figured out how to get Kadyn to not look at Daddy anymore in the pictures. Matthew literally snaps his fingers in front of her face as he sits down with us (running from setting the camera timer) and then hurls a toy over our coffee table (right in front of the camera) before it clicks for a picture. It works! Genius!

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SIDENOTE: Loved, Loved, LOVED, the New Moon trailer. Here it is if you're living under a rock and missed it, or if you're like me and just want to watch it again (and again) and maybe again :)

http://weblogs.newsday.com/entertainment/celebrities_blog/2009/05/new_moon_trailer_watch_it_now.html

Sunday Afternoon Pictures

Daddy got some cute pictures of the girls this morning. But then they were burnt out and family pictures were rough!

Keep scrolling, you will see... This was before I got to her... Matthew's unskilled in the bow department. Love those blue eyes!

Love my baby's curls. That's completely natural, just a little detangler spray!

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Okay, so come join us in our little morning photo shoot...

Focus girls... Kacey, put down the milk. Kadyn, camera, look! Kylie, good girl... keep it up!

Everyone say, Tinkerbell. Kacey what are you looking at? Put the milk down.

Somebody take her milk, Kadyn look at the red light... not at Daddy.

And affirmative... we hid the milk.

Yup. That's it, we're done.

Thankful Thursday

This is probably implied in nearly every post I do, but I am SO THANKFUL to have 3 beautiful little girls. I never thought I'd have girls, Matthew's from a strong line of boys... who have sons... So I figured I signed up for boys and there was nothing that could be done.

When we found out Kylie was a girl, I was THRILLED. And I thought it was a fluke. I figured I'd had my one girl that I could do prom with and whatnot, but the rest would be boys. Then we found out Kacey was a girl... ECSTATIC! You all know the crazy levels I hit trying to find out Kadyn was a girl. I'm truly blessed to have 3 little girls, I consider it to be an honor to be the mother of my 3 beauties.... and I'd gladly take more little girls if Heavenly Father would have it that way!

Sunday Afternoon Pictures

We went orange today,

I love Kylie's face~ she's so happy to be the pickle in the middle.Matthew even accommodated us with his orange and blue tie. My tan little babies...

You learn something new everyday

*Quick Soccer Game Update*

We survived the hot sun and heat of a noon game... the big highlight was I learned something about myself today that I really didn't know before.

Kylie was goalie for a little while. She must have blocked 6 goals in that quarter! She was really awesome, we were so proud of her! At this one point (all you moms that were there, know) this punk of a kid on the other team kept kicking the ball, it just wouldn't go in because Kylie kept blocking him... every time, she kept blocking him. But it was too close for comfort for me; this kid was overly aggressive. I'm not crazy, he intentionally pushed some of our players. Matthew (who was right in the thick of it) said there should be a rule that they can stop it because with 5 year olds and their "coordination," it could be dangerous. (This was all a matter of like 5 seconds by the way.)

So this little brat of a boy let out a grunt (Matthew said, being on the field) and kicked hard as anything in frustration... totally whacked Kylie's hand. She was squatting, so we were lucky he didn't kick her in the face. I was outraged to say the least! I mean... come on, they're 5. That's ridiculous. It was all I could do to not go and smack this little boy and then go over and knock the living daylights out of his mother! I probably would have if Kylie wasn't running over to me with a puffy, red hand. (I'm Italian, my blood boils very quickly. Mess with my kid, and I'm going after you. And you're lucky if it's me, because if it's my dad... then it's really going to be ugly.)

Yeah, so I learned a little something about myself today. Maybe this isn't a sport we should pursue. After all she's only 5. It can only get worse.

(PS- the ball didn't even go in, she blocked it even while getting kicked)

Sunday Afternoon Pictures

Mother's Day, Pretty in Pink

POOL time!

The pool got up to 90 today, so that's where we spent our afternoon! SO fun!

This was Kadyn's first pool experience- well not being in my belly. It was nice not being pregnant and being in the pool.

PS- Okay, it's summertime so we get asked all the time. That red mark on her arm is called a hemangioma. It's a benign self involuting tumor that appeared when she was about 2 days old and has gotten larger (typical). It will eventually disappear by age 8-9-10 leaving minimal to no visible marks. It's more common in boys, and most often on the face or trunk. SO we consider Kadyn very special for having it-- and it being on her right arm. (It's probably because I read too many vampire books while pregnant.) But it looks like lip marks. I tell Kylie and Kacey that Kadyn was kissed by Heavenly Father before she came to us and that's why she has it. But now we won't be asked another 500 times about it, not that it bothers us, but we repeat it alot :)

This made me smile...

So keeping track... this is the 6th night in a row that I've done bathtime/bedtime by myself. Matthew's been gone for what seems like forever. And I feel like I deserve an award... Kari (one of my fabulous roommates from BYU... Kaylan obviously being the other fabulous one!!! love you girls!!!!!) must have been in tune with me, because she sent me this and it totally made my day! Thanks girl, Happy Mother's Day to you too!

http://news.cnnbcvideo.com/?nid=Hw5T6cqGh2NQ_jL1e_DTnjM4NjM5Nw--&referred_by=16021997-lY47R6x&p=moveon

Green Day

A whole new meaning to going green...

Thank you Aunt Judy for all the pretty dresses!!!

We miss you Daddy, try to survive the humidity (hehe!).

He's been there for 12 hours and he's already complained about 8 times.

Kylie took this one, she wanted her picture she took on the blog... this was the best one~~ my head was cut off in the others :)

Sunday

*Quick Week's Highlights*

-Soccer Game yesterday... we WON! Kylie even scored a goal yesterday, WAHOO! (yes, she got $5)

- Yesterday, we used the pool for the first time! Matthew's already sunburnt (not kidding). I just can't wait for my babies to be tan again, I love that.

-Kacey developed a fever out of the blue. She's got no symptoms at all, other than being really hot. Needless to say, no church for her.

-Matthew's already left for a business trip in Boca Raton all week. He was just gone 2 weeks ago, for an entire week. This stinks, but Kylie's excited because when he's gone I let her sleep in my bed.

-With all that said, no Sunday afternoon pictures which is a shame because I had cute outfits picked out... :)

Anderson Dairy Field Trip

Yesterday, Kylie's Preschool went to the Anderson Dairy. There's free ice cream at the end so I sacrificed and decided to be a chaperone! Cookies and cream, if you're curious... :)

It was really fun, the kids loved it!

More Ballet Pictures

So this might be ballet overload for you, but it was just the cutest little thing watching the 2 girls. And it was awesome being able to pull it off and have that hour just sitting there chatting it up with Missy and our babies.

Look at Kacey in mid-air...

Ballet Girls

The girlies after their ballet and tap class~

So cute!!!

Kacey, Chloe, Kylie, Riley

* Thanks for the picture Missy (she remembered her camera, I however did not)