Trick or Treating

I love re-living life through our kids. I thought I was a pretty excitable person...but oh wow, Ryan and I couldn't keep up with all of the girls' excitement tonight! They were like running from house to house and could hardly contain themselves. It was tough teaching them "trick or treating" etiquette as they all wanted to grab like five HANDFULS of candy from each house...or decline a certain "type" of candy, forget the "thank you's" because they were so focused on what candy just dropped into their basket :) ...you know. But they were so cute! The very first house they went to, Ryan and I stood at the end of the driveway and they ran up....they just looked SOOO big! Can't believe it.

They had to debate in between EACH house who was going to ring the next doorbell....it was quite the ordeal... They are soooo excited with their candy...and even more importantly, THEIR own PERSONAL candy in their OWN little basket. They just love running around the house holding their little basket.... I LOVE experiencing this stuff with our girls! They are too much!

Here they are, riding in "style" around the neighborhood...

Princess Cinderella (Addison), Princess Belle (Emily), Princess Sleeping Beauty (Hailey)

Getting a good picture of the girls is hard..now that they say the word "cheeeeeesssee" and hold it until you're done snapping... :)

Still "cheeeeessssseeee-ing" :)
This is what it looked like at every house we went to. Addy was in the lead...running...always saying "Let's go! Come ONNN!" It's funny to me that she is the first born too. Can you just hear her leading the way...in the womb saying "Let's GO guys!" :) Then Emily kept tripping on her dress...and then Hailey's basket was getting too heavy so she got slower and slower the longer we were out. :)

We went to a Halloween trick or treating party on Saturday night with the girls too. The adults even dressed up for that one! Ryan and I sported AWESOME 80's denim.
And here's a random pic of Hailey, prancin' around the house, that I love. Pink high heels, a Packer jersey...and a microphone. Happy girl. :)
Okay and Addy I love you and I'm sorry for posting this pic already but I just had to show how life really is around here. The girls were sitting exactly like this today while Addy was going potty having a big old chat about who knows what...then I come in w/ the camera...and up goes that hand as you can imagine. :) Privacy is hard to come by around here. :)

San Diego "Spa-Like" Weekend

I am so refreshed!!! :)

Last weekend, I went to visit my high school bff Tatum and her hubby Eric and beautiful daughter Avery in San Diego!!! I love how some friendships are truly God-given. Tatum and I wouldn't have made it through high school without each other...and then now, we don't get a chance to talk very often, but when we do, it's just like old times. Plus, every time I'm with Tatum, she encourages me in my walk with Christ in so many ways. Tatum is one of those people that has so much JOY, is extremely generous, and just full of life and prayer. She may only be 5 feet tall....but she has been a BIG sense of support and strength and laughter in my life. I love you Tate!!!

We basically just spent the weekend catching up!!! We talked and talked and talked...and without interruption! It was fabulous! I was like shocked at how quiet her house was...and how we were able to finish an entire conversation without a million distractions. :) It was SUCH a relaxing trip for me...just to be able to get away and hang out with an old friend and meet her new bundle of angelic joy. :) (Avery is SOO good!!!) But then Tatum went ahead and made it even MORE relaxing for me by being her generous self and surprising me with a 2 1/2 HOUR massage and facial! I couldn't believe it!! We were loving it!! :) And, believe it or not, but this California spa lady, fixed my white eyebrow! :) (For those who don't know, in 6th grade my eyebrow turned white and I haven't been able to dye it for years! I am just a very good colorer so most of you probably can't tell). :) But yea, she had this special stuff to fix it! Amazing! :)

Anyway, we also hung out with my other good friend from high school Sara- who just got married...so it was such a treat to meet her hubby and see where they live too.

I felt kinda bad for Tatum's hubby Eric though because he is a HUGE Phillies fan. I mean huge...and then here I come....from Wisconsin...and just happen to be rooting for the San Francisco Giants because of Ryan's Uncles...and then the Giants WIN.... and then I felt bad...just a teeny bit bad... :)

Anyways, it was a GREAT trip. I was able to read 3 books which I haven't done in forever..and I just feel so relaxed and refreshed! I came back and yesterday the girlies were whining and fighting and it was funny how I could just handle them so much better! It was hard to leave the girls...and I missed them...but it totally does make me a better mom! Thanks to my amazing hubby for being a trooper and taking care of the girls...and to Grandma Kathy for helping out too!!!! I'm so thankful for you!!!!!

Tatum, sweet Avery, and me at a park by the beach

Our "pose" with Avery

The BEACH!
Isn't she ADORABLE!?!
And yea, we watched the Bronco game and in about 5 minutes they were losing like 24 - 0...and so we decided we should go shopping instead. :) Here we are with Sara, me, Avery, and Tatum.
She is too much. Where were all these cute head bows when my girls were babies? :)

Aves and Auntie Shell

Fall Fun 2010

Triplet dominoes on the slide...

Em

Picking pumpkins at the farm....it was very windy and dusty as you can see by Addy's willingness to look at the camera. :) AHE

Addy, me, and Hailey on the Hayride
Dad and Em

Em wanted NOTHING to do with getting dirty and sticking her hands in that pumpkin.

Focused Dad.

Addy was all about it.
And Hailey became brave after a while too!
Ta Da! H, E and A with their pumpkins.

A couple more bday pics...

Addy, Hailey, and Emily got to open one more bday present from Papa Hank and Great Aunt Pauline today. Pauline MADEEEE these sweaters and hats! That concept is AMAZING to me! Pauline stuffed a role of lifesavers in their sweaters so that we could bribe the girls to keep the hats and sweaters on long enough for a picture. :) It worked!!! Great thinking Pauline! And THANKS SO MUCH!

And here's the pic of the other limo bus that picked the guys up from golfing yesterday. This one was brand new! So fun! :)

Inside the limo...

We had a great time at the restaurant and Ryan was surprised AGAIN to see all of us there. Such a fun day. Thanks so everyone for celebrating with me!!!

Happy 30th Birthday Babe!!!

HE WAS SURPRISED!!!!! SUCCESS!!!! I LOVE surprising people!!!!!!! Especially my hubby!!!! :)

So...Ryan is the type of guy that never wants a present. For Christmas, he's always content....birthdays...never has any ideas on what he wants/needs. He's really just content with no presents half the time! (Let's just say I have a lot to learn from him). :)

So...for his 30th bday (which is on Monday), I really wanted to just GO ALL OUT for him. Especially since he goes all out for us working so hard all the time and putting up with so much estrogen in this house. :) So, this past month has been busy!!! I've been sneaking around and TRYING to hide all my emails to everyone and lying through my teeth about who sent me what text, and hiding food/drinks for the limo... But it WORKED! I thought he might have caught on....but he really seemed to have no clue cuz there were tears in his eyes! I LOVE THAT! :) :) :)

So this is what happened this morning. We had family pictures being taken from 10 - 11. 12 of Ryan's good buddies were meeting the Limo Bus at the church parking lot at 11:45 and then the limo would take them golfing - Ry's favorite thing in the world. Okay - so a little after 11, Ryan says, "let's bring my car to get an oil change." And I'm like "ahhh...!" So we quick take the girls and go....then when we're almost home Ry says "Let's stop home and get the dvds that are due back at the library." By this time it's like 11:20 and i'm like "AHHH!" So we start driving there...THEN he remembers that he left his golf clubs in the back of his car which is now at the oil change place (Brother Shane had asked him to go to the range this afternoon as a decoy). :) I'm like "OHHH MYYYY.." So I am like speeding all around and Ryan is like "You are the worst driver ever! Why are you so tense? Why are you driving so fast?" I just kept laughing and tried to tell him, calmly -eh hem, that's that how I always drive! :) So anyways, he did think that was a little weird. So we got home at like 11:43. PHEW! Good thing it actually took the guys a little bit to get over to our house. So....I was trying to stay outside so he could just see the limo drive up...but Ry got hungry and started making himself a lunch. I wanted to scream "you have LUNCH COMING IN THE LIMO!" But I didn't... So I was outside with e and h when I saw the limo driving up. I ran inside and told him that Shane was here already (they weren't supposed to go to the range til 1). So Ry came running out and then he proceeds to see all the guys file out and tell him to get on the bus! :) This is when he got a little teary and got SO PUMPED. You should have seen it. All the guys were like middle schoolers - so giddy. It is the most perfect day out today so they were all a little excited I think. :) So yea, then off he went! Another limo is picking them up after golf and bringing them downtown to the Ryan Braun restaurant - where all the ladies will be...and more couples who couldn't go golfing. SO FUN!

I love you so much Ryan!! You DESERVE this!!!! Hope you're having a HOOT!!! Happy 30th!!

Here he is eating....a couple minutes before the limo came...

Then out they come one by one....tons of his buddies...

They just kept coming!!

Inside the Limo Bus - I had to get a limo big enough for 12 guys and 12 sets of clubs!!! :)

Here I am "stalling" outside with my camera....sweet Em..

Absolutely GORGEOUS day... I'd say it's the best day of the YEAR actually. :) Fall in Wisconsin is heavenly. :)

The girlies were so confused what was happening too. Here they are waving goodbye. (Too bad Addy was shirtless. :) Ry was in the middle of changing her outfit when the limo pulled up). :)

Have fun Daddy!!! :) We are celebrating you ALL weekend!!! You're the BEST!!

What a BUSY but exciting month!! Whew!!!

3 Princesses turned 3 on the 3rd!!

Belle (Emily), Cinderella (Addy), Sleeping Beauty (Hailey)

So a couple weeks ago, we were telling the girls about how they used to all be inside me...and how they used to kick each other and ME all the time. They were so concerned. :) Then I said..but one day you wanted out...and they said "Did you push us out Mom?" And I was like "Well, not exactly..a Dr. had a special knife that he used to cut mommies tummy and pull you out." And Addy said...with a completely serious face.."Did he use a fork too Mom?"

Ohhhhh what a fun year with millions of comments like these coming out through their amazing personalities. My girlies are the BEST. Seriously, I think I like their birthday even more than they do. It is just SUCH a celebration of WHO they are and that they were given to Ryan and I. We love them more than anything and they bring us more joy than we even handle sometimes! :) I'm not gonna lie though, this year was a TOUGH one for me. Potty training triplets wasn't my favorite...and then transitioning 3 2 year olds into big beds was also a challenge to KEEP them in their beds every night. So we have definitely added some lovely gray hairs to our heads this year :) but even WITH the challenges, we wouldn't trade our lives with Addy, Em, and Hailey for anything.

Addy is growing up so much! Not only is she shooting up in height, but she just acts like a little mama. :) She is very observant and into learning and reading books lately...and has always been a nurturer..likes to do whatever I am doing. She's also pretty sporty! Loves kicking the soccer ball around and riding her bike.

Emily is peace. :) She is still pretty easy going and laid back. She likes to look out for her sisters and will hand over a toy if it means they'll stop fighting. (most of the time) :) :) Emily is an awesome colorer (word?) And somehow stays in the lines. :) She also loves to ride her bike and play outside.

Hailey is still quite the communicator and can get so concerned about where people are or what might be going on. Hailey is my sweetie. She will randomly just come and give me hugs and say "I love you mom." out of the blue. MELTS my heart. Hailey loves to dribble basketballs and play in forts (as long as the 'big bad wolf' a.k.a. me, ry, grandma :) will come knock it down every now and then). :)

Anyways - my little princesses are THREE. I am excited to see what this year will bring with them getting more and more grown up. Thanks for walking with us through this journey!!! We are loving it!!

Happy Happy triple GOLDEN or should I say PLATINUM :) birthday Addison, Emily, and Hailey!!! We LOVE you so much individually...and we are also so thankful that you have each other, because we know you are even better with your sis's growing up alongside of you. Praising God for each of you today!!

Belle (emily) and Cinderella (Addy)

Addy and Hailey at their princess party today. Very focused on their gifts.
Of course you have to have a royal ball at a princess party. So here the kids are dancing to Disney tunes. They were loving it.
Prince Braden and Princess Reese (they say they are going to get married some day). :)
More dancing..
Having a royal tea party

We played "Pin your lips on the Frog Prince" :) (Ryan made that frog!!! Not bad huh? :) Too bad the girls said "Look Dad, a King CRAB!" :) I think it looks like a frog Babe. Good job. :)

Prince Braden sportin' the bow tie. :)
A few of the princesses!
Happy Birthday Hailey Grace!!
Happy Birthday Em!!
Happy Birthday Addy!!
Yesterday we celebrated at Grandpa Kim and Grandma Kathy's house....Hailey enjoying her cake. Each girl had their own cake that was decorated by Great Aunt Val, Great Aunt Deb, and Great Great Aunt Mary!

The girls were all so funny with how they blew out their candles. We sang to Hailey..and then when we were done singing, she realized she still had a lot of lunch food in her mouth...so she chewed and chewed and chewed before she blew out the candles. The anticipation was killing us!

Still chewing.. :)
Em was very perplexed watching Grandma light the candles...
and then she blew them out with huge blows!

Then Addy gets a little shy when everyone is singing and looking at just her.... so sweet... and then she has to blow her candles out like a thousand times because she couldn't quite figure out how to actually blow AIR out.

The girls opening up their first presents from Grandpa Joel and Grandma Gwen when they woke up....they got these sleeping bags! So here they are going "back to sleep."
Emily, Addy, Hailey
And last wknd, we had a bonfire with the girls outside. They LOVED it! Next year we will try camping. :)

Here's Emily roasting a marshmellow!

Hailey :) Didn't like all that heat in her face. :)

Addy LOVING the smores. When we were all sitting there eating our smores, Addy said it was the best sandwich she ever had...and Emily said "Thank you Mom & Daddy." I love it when they say thank you with out being prompted. I think that meant they REALLY liked the campfire. :)

Emily, Hailey, and Addy