field trip fridays...the zoo!

 

 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Just a fun, perfect Seattle day at the zoo with friends! (And family :)

 

Happy weekend to you!

 

 

 

a new season

Fall is in the air.

After going to my friend's house Monday night and seeing all her fun Halloween and Fall decorations, I was inspired to put mine out. And with all this rain, it looks like I was just in time. Fall is definitely here! With it I feel like there is so much to do! I need rain boots for Louisa and Michael. Need to figure out Halloween costumes and ideas for fall crafts and nature lessons. Mike and I have been working on getting the yard cleaned up and prepared for fall and winter. I also want to get some white lights up in my kitchen for dark mornings.

We are also planning on switching rooms around since Louisa wants/needs her own space. Looking to get the computer room painted and turned into an almost 6 year old's room. (Kind of a fun project, right? :)

I just feel like there is lots to look forward to with this new season. It was such a lovely, fun summer and so I'm still a little sad to see it go. But hopefully we have a lot of new memories to make with fall traditions and the holidays coming up!

7 Quick Takes: 7 ways life is different with 4

-1-
SLEEP

I used to think I knew what being tired was like. BIG LAUGH. Having four kids has taught me that feeling fully rested is a rarity (and a luxury) and that my normal state of being ranges from being "just a little bit sleepy" to "barely operational." And I have to be okay with that. For now at least. Even though when I wake up in the morning I am immediately daydreaming about the next time I will get to lay down...

-2-
MARRIAGE

For the first time, I feel like it actually requires effort to feel connected with my husband. For us, it was pretty easy to do this for the first 5 years and 3 kids. Truly! Sure, we would get stressed out and sometimes take it out on one another. But our parenting frustrations would usually bond us together even closer and at night when the last set of little eyes finally closed, we would be so happy to spend time together alone. We still do, however I find myself to be so tightly wound these days that it's almost difficult for me to relax even after all the tiny humans are asleep. I am so tightly wound. I don't necessarily want to talk - or sometimes that's ALL I want to do. For hours. But then he's confused because he doesn't really know which times I want that and which times I don't and....yeah. Emotions. Stress. 

It's all kind of muddled but suffice to say, I find I need to be much more intentional about setting my day aside so that I can focus on my beloved. As many times as I've failed at that lately. And I know this is temporary because life is overwhelming right now, but I know that if we aren't able to remain close and loving now - in the thick of things - we won't be very happy together later on when life slows down!

paper plates. mixed matched cups. etc. Things that would have driven me crazy once upon a time.

-3-
NORMALCY 

Even though Emmett is almost four months old, I still don't feel like life is "back to normal". After all three of our other babies were born, it was usually about 6-8 weeks (longer after our first of course) that I would start to feel like "yeah, life is settling in. We are okay." I kind of keep waiting for that to happen but I don't know if it's going to take another few months, or a whole year, or perhaps never? No, at some point the new normal will be discovered and I will accept and embrace it. I know this is a process I've gone through with the birth of all my other kids, it's just definitely taking longer this time.

-4-
NOT ENOUGH ARMS

Going along with that train of thought, I've heard from many-a-mother that everyone has their "hardest year." Sometimes it's after having 1 child, some 3, or some 4. Especially true for larger families, it seems like most moms can pin point their hardest year in their parenting life. I'm pretty sure it's this year for me. I'm not sure what it is that's so different going from 3 to 4. I know I know, most rational people would tell you "Uh, YAH, it's gonna be kinda hard having so many little kids! It's kind of basic math here: you know, the ratio of adults to children?"

I guess I just thought I'd still be able to get it all done, but right now it's physically impossible for me to do everything around here, as much as I want to! Now, according to Kendra, I've got a lot to look forward to....

 though Louisa is already very sweet and helpful.

-5-
VANITY

For the first time in my life, I literally, actually, definitively do not have time to shower and get dressed up every morning. I just do not. 

Does that sound dramatic? From a girl who used to spend a good amount of time grooming and looking in the mirror, you better believe I am telling you the truth. Unless I set my alarm for 6:30 a.m. and actually wake up to it (see former Take 1) I most likely will not get in a shower. Not alone anyway. And definitely not with enough time to blow dry my hair and curl it afterward. Shave my legs? Maybe once a week. Maybe.

These are things my former vain self wouldn't imagine NOT doing. If you would have told me five years ago that I would go all day without brushing my hair or putting on eye liner, I would have laughed you out of town. See, and even with three kids I was mostly able to manage getting fully ready, most of the time, and I pretty much prided myself on that point. But now days, it truly. isn't. possible. I can get in a shower and put my hair quickly up into a bun and dry my bangs if I am extremely intentional. I can quickly shower in the evening or during nap time other days. Today, I am still in my jammies at 2:30 in the afternoon.

And by the way, I'm embarrassed to say it but I remember clearly when I used to shake my head at hearing stories of moms like this. I used to loathe the thought of sacrificing personal hygiene for any reason! I hated those mommy memes that spoke of yoga pants and messy buns every day. But now, most of my pride is gone about this and I have to admit that's actually a good thing.

-6-
GENERAL DIFFICULTY

Honestly, Life just feels....hard. Maybe there were a few points before in my life where I would have said this, but overall, I've always been a super optimistic, bubbly, and positive person. I would say I was almost to a fault, because I don't think I could have told you before now that I would have much empathy for people who were struggling. I think deep down I always felt like people just needed to try a little harder if they wanted to be happy and successful. I always wanted to just push them toward these superficial means of feeling content. I feel like having four young children has taught me that sometimes people are just going through a hard time and really do need compassion and support.

I know for one thing, I will never judge a mother with any number of kids, if she tells me she is having a rough patch. I will be able to truly relate because it was only at 4 children, that I could honestly tell you that I didn't feel like I had it together either. 

-7-

SPIRITUAL LIFE

On bad days, I tell myself I am too tired to go to church. I grumble about the fact that Mary only had ONE child! He must have been easy to take to temple. (Is that awful? Please tell me I'm not the only one who has had this thought....) On bad days I want to complain all day to Mike about how hard this is, and I do. On the worst days I feel like I'm half losing my mind and I should go check myself into a hotel for a few nights BY MY SELF. Mainly so I can get some sleep. And not do laundry.

BUT! But, on my good days I could tell you that all of this all actually for my own good. That God knew it would take more children to sanctify me, to strip me of selfishness and pride that I love to cling to. He knew that 1 child, or two, or even 3 children would be wonderful for me, and that it would be hard sometimes, but that at the end of the day I would still feel like I was in control of most things (which I did.) But with four children I finally had to let go of my ideal day, my put together outfit and make-up, and my perfectly clean house. And maybe it will take even more children to continue to teach me these important lessons, or maybe not. Maybe four children is all we'll have or maybe we'll have more. I do not know the future. Honestly most of the time I'm too tired to contemplate it, but maybe that's not a bad thing. Maybe the Lord is leading my weary self down the path toward holiness because if I were stronger, more rested, more "in control" I would not be able to relinquish myself over to Him and then where would I be? I'm not sure but I'd rather not know. I'd rather be

right
here.

"Therefore I am well content with weaknesses, with insults, with distresses, with persecutions, with difficulties, for Christ's sake; for when I am weak, then I am strong."

-2 Corinthians 12:10

snuggle bugs and pumpkin heads

snuggle bugs

Pumpkin head

 His forehead gets in his way.
Also, want to know why his hair is wet? Oh, because he knows how to turn on the hose. And he can open the front door.

Also, look at this picture I found of Lou on this same camera card from almost three years ago. :)

She was a pumpkin head, too!

p*h*f*r

pretty

 look at that pretty girl eating a pretty pear!

love this 3 year old!

 

pretty school pencils

happy

 





 

After a rough go of school yesterday and a mildly rough morning, I was able to get some school stuff going for today. That made me happy and Mike too, who was worried about me yesterday when I was already sending frantic texts like, "Homeschooling is not going to work if I continually have to keep Michael entertained/out of trouble!!!"  and "This is hhaaaarrrrdddd!"

 

 

It worked out. It's definitely going to be a process of learning. I did find some helpful hints in this article my friend posted on facebook. Very good points.

 

 

funny

 

 

Hehe. Okay so Michael and Emmett are buds. Emmett LOVES watching Michael. He really does. It's super cute. But Michael still has a long way to go by way of using appropriate force with him. Even his kisses can be a little much sometimes...

 

(Though these pictures are a bit deceiving. Emmett was actually not crying because of Michael. He was already getting impatient about being on the floor and wanted to be picked up. Michael was actually being very sweet and trying to comfort him. Mama had camera in hand at this moment, oops!)

 

Real

One thing that's "real" is that I'm actually at Panera Bread right now typing this post out because the internet at our house is reaaaaaaaaalllllyyyy sllllooooowwww, and it was driving me bonkers. Mike took ALL FOUR kids out for a drive and visit to his parents so I was lucky enough to snag some alone time. The only bad thing is I had a second dinner here - oops! My plan is to start Weight Watchers next month. There, it's in writing so I have to do it! :)

 

 This post went full circle. Josie is distracted driving eating her pear....

More fun posts at Like Mother Like Daughter. Click on over if it's been a while since you've visited. I know it's been a while since I participated!