First Day of 4K and riding the BUS!

Hailey - Emily - and Addy.  My baby girls are officially BIG!  They had their first official day of 4K today...and their biggest highlight was getting to ride the bus! :)  They were so excited that they were ready to go and waiting outside at 7:40 a.m.  (The bus comes at 8:13 and school starts at 8:20 so they are the second to last to get picked up! Super nice with 3 girls in the house!)  :)  But today they were so excited that they waited outside forever! :) They wouldn't move from their little standing spot at the end of the driveway for fear the bus would just drive by.  So cute.  Don't they look so little standing there?! I can't believe they are so big! 

I love that they wanted to wear tutus on their first day of school.  :)  They are definitely getting more into clothes now.  Emily would wear this one dress every single day in a row if I let her.  Addy doesn't care as much about clothes and Hailey definitely knows what she doesn't like and has her favorites too.  She already picked her outfit for tomorrow. :)   For now, they still like matching though which makes it so much easier for me!  No fighting about who wears what outfit and so much easier shopping!  

I am so happy for my girls that they have each other to experience pretty much all "firsts" with.  They really are built in besties and I think that is so cool. I definitely missed my girls today.  I am so thankful for them and just humbled today to see how far they have come.

Addison

Hailey

Emily

This was on Tuesday - they had their "meet and greet" day where we dropped off all their school supplies and met the teacher and stuff. :)

Here they are dancing on the driveway with just a little excitement. :)

"WHEN IS THE BUS COMING MOM?!?! " I heard that a LOT this morning. :)

So they resorted to sitting.. :)   (Addy, Em, and Hailey)

Blowing me kisses good bye like it's no big deal.  :)  Once we saw the bus turn the corner I asked for a hug at least. :)  They were so good!  They saw the bus and started jumping...then ran to me for a quick hug...and then walked right on the bus.

There's Addy in the window waving!

And this is when the tears began....for me! :)  I did tear up as I saw my babies drive away...but held it together better than I thought and just tried not to think about it and got busy doing stuff! It's such a weird feeling sending your kids off like that.  I am SO excited for them and love seeing them experience new things ....and I also feel this sense of accomplishment like WOW...we really made it through those first years!!!  Amazing!  But then  it's so sad too how FAST life goes and how QUICK they grow up!  One of my friends said you either feel like going out with other mom's for a "BooHoo" breakfast or a "Boo-Yeah!" breakfast! :) Ha!  I feel both!

I walked to school to pick them up from school  (bus only brings them home if they stay all day).  So then we had the whole walk back to chat about the day.  They were talking a mile a minute and we had to take turns telling stories (or I'd probably hear every specific detail from Addy) :)  They were comparing the day to 3K and how different it was....they told me all about their new friends...and snack time..and recess time....  They loved it!

Back to School thoughts

I can't even explain how I've been feeling the past couple of weeks.  This whole "back to school" thing has got me by surprise!  If you would have asked me a few years ago, I feel like I would have thought that I would be ecstatic for the going back to school time of life.  I would have thought I would be pumped and proud that we "survived" the crazy parenting years with all our kids at home and that I would be SO ready for some peace and quiet!  But nope, I don't feel that way!  This year just feels so different.  Last year, they were headed to 3K and I was READY for that!  It was only two mornings a week so I was excited for my first real break and a chance to run errands in peace! :)  And let me tell you, that time FLEW by!  And it was so easy sending them cuz the girls were SO READY for school and loved every minute of it!  But this year, just feels so much BIGGER!  I think it's because they get to take the bus....and they will go 3 mornings a week with the option to stay for lunch OR the option to go all day!  We will mostly just do the 3 mornings but STILL!  I'm having a hard time with this!  It's a whole new transition that I'm just not quite ready for...it's hard when all of my friends still have a 3 year old and/or baby at home so they are still in that busy "stay at home" mom stage.  But then I feel so different now, so out of place!!  With all THREE of my children leaving at once!  I try to get a hold of myself because this isn't even all day every day yet!  What in the WORLD will I do then?!  I guess what makes this all harder and more emotional too is that I am just not ready for full time school kiddos yet.  I still want to be in the "stay at home" busy mom stage SO BAD.  This all just went too too fast and I still have that deep desire for another baby...for one more chance to experience growing a miracle...for one more chance to go through all the stages of raising a child (with probably less chaos than the first time around!)  I really can't explain how I feel about it all.  It's like I'm sooo happy and pumped for my girls and feel so blessed to have them...and then at the same time, just feel empty too!  (Which I know is crazy because I AM so blessed!)  I wish I could explain it all...so many feelings, so many emotions...  I guess I just want to pause life a little.  Raising triplets is the best thing in the world...and I have loved the past 5 years so much ....only problem is....it just FLIES by.  And I feel like it's hard to even savor the moment because I don't know how great it is, until it's gone ya know?  I've been very sentimental lately too because we've been watching home videos....and I see my babies as newborns, at the super cute crawling stage...at their babbling baby talk stage....and then their learning how to walk waddle stage....and I just LOVED IT ALL!!  Even all the chaos!   And just like that - it's gone! All.At.Once!  AHHH!!!  I get teary eyed just thinking about it again.  I know that I'll always be the girls' mom even when they are at school....but it just feels SOOO different.  I'm adjusting to not being needed 24/7... sorry I just felt like writing all my thoughts out.  What a crazy transition.  School officially starts on Thursday.  The girls, on the other hand, couldn't be more excited.  I just think it's so weird how I can feel two totally different things at the exact same time. I'm so excited for them....yet sad the 'at home" stage is pretty much over all at the same time.  Please keep praying for Ryan and I and our infertility struggle too.  Please pray we find our contentment in Christ...and that we continue to trust Him as we wait for His perfect timing....and that we will be able to BELIEVE His timing and His plan really is perfect. :)  
The other day the girls said "Mom, I really want a baby brother."  And then Addy said in a really thoughtful way "But Mom, if we had a baby brother, how would we watch cartoons?  Would he have to watch boy cartoons on another tv?"  So funny the things they think about.  That thought has never crossed my mind...but now that I think about it, -what DO people do with different sex kids? :) We are clearly ALL girl over here! :)  Stay tuned for the back to school pics in a few days!!!

Wedding Wknd and more

 A few weekends ago, Ryan's cousin got married and the girls were flower girls!  By now they absolutely LOVE weddings!  They play wedding all the time.  It's so cute.  Someone is the bride, the groom, and the flower girl.   It is hilarious hearing them say their vows.  "....my awfully wedded husband.."  etc.  For this wedding, it was so much easier than past ones!  The girls were like "mom, we got this.  Go sit down."  Addy skipped down the aisle like it was no big deal.  They LOVE it!  :) Here's Addy and Em..

H - A - E

 Then last week I had my high school small group girls over for a pedicure party.  I love how they all get into it and wash each other's feet...they brought loads of nail polish and epsom salt and even aroma therapy stuff!  Can't believe they are seniors already!  I love spending time with these girls and trying to help them survive high school and grow closer to Christ all at the same time. :)  Here some of them are washing feet...

 Our kitchen was filled with like 15 high school girls plus my girlies who were ALL about it.  :)  Ryan was glad he was at the Brewer game that night for work. :)  :)

 Aroma therapy - haha ;)

 Here are some older pics from my phone that I just haven't uploaded in a while!  Addy loves riding with no training wheels!  And I love that it makes her go faster and isn't as loud! :)

 Best buds (EAH)

 Hailey and Emily LOVE coloring and writing.  I bet they could honestly sit ALL day and color and draw and never get sick of it.  Addison loves reading and looking at books.  Here is one of Hailey's drawings of our fam that I loved. :)

 Wedding pic again :)  EAH

 The day of Ryan's cousin's wedding, I also had a good family friend get married an hour south of the other wedding!  So, I watched the girls as flower girls..and then drove down to the other reception!  Busy day but so fun to try to be at both!  Here is the groom's sister Kim who's wedding I will be in next summer!  Yay!

 Then the other night, Grandma Kathy and I went over to a friend's house from church who's golden retriever just had 9 puppies!!!  They are 4 weeks old and SOO TEMPTING TO BUY!!! :) :)   I grew up with a golden that looks a lot like the mommy so it brought by TONS of memories.  The girls loved those puppies and now are asking me if we can have triplet puppies....that was an immediate NOPE!  :) But still, it's cute that they like the idea of pets now.  :)  (HAE)

 Em

 Addy

 Hailey

 And I was just in AWE at this mama dog and how she just stood there and let all 9 puppies nurse.  And I thought nursing 3 was crazy!!!!  So much of how these puppies interacted reminded me of my own "litter." :)  Just how they would sleep all cuddled up next to each other...and then how they'd walk all over each other and the one getting stomped on wouldn't really care cuz they were just so used to being kicked and poked all the time.  :)  Makes me sad that these puppies will all go to separate homes though cuz I love how mine still have each other!!! :) But no, I am not interested in raising 9 puppies. :) Oh dear.

 The girls and their friends at the zoo! (Isabelle, Hailey, Addy, Emily, Tyler)

 And then yesterday my friend Carolyn who had triplet girls (2 identical too) on the exact same day as my girls but just 2 years later...came over.  We haven't seen each other in a while and it was SO good to see her and see how her kids have grown up!  Addison & Sydney (fraternals, love purple) :) , Hailey and Taylor ( love pink), and Emily & Brooke (green girls!)

Kara & Cory and Northern Bay!

Hey!!!  So I have to make this a quick post as we have been having random computer problems.  Boo...but we just had a great couple of weeks!  This summer is absolutely FLYING by!  The day after my parents left, my sister Kara and brother in law Cory came for a visit!  I LOVE when they come!  We have tons of fun with them and laugh a lot.  Here we are at the lake!

Kara and Em tubing.  :)  Kara even slalomed which I've never done before so now my little sis is showing me up and I MUST learn soon!! :) :)   I'm close though! I'm close! :)

Cory and Hailey

Sista time on the "Blue Lagoon"

Sista time in the water (Hailey and Emily)

Kara's friends drove up to see her.  So good to see these girls and Katie's cute little boy Cade!

Cory LOVES fishing.  I'm sure he taught Ry a thing or two. :)

Then we went on our annual trip with our family friends to Northern Bay!  We had a ton of fun again but did miss Josh and Heather (who are expecting their first baby soon!)
I love how our families are so close and Ryan and I had 3 girls...and then Shane and Jody had 1 girl....and then our their side... Zach and Heidi have 3 boys...and Heidi's sister Heather is expecting her first boy.  So fun  that they are like brothers and sisters! :) (Tyler, Hailey, Braden, Emily, Addison)

We had an "Olympic Tournament" with lots of lawn games and card games.  Here I am totally focused on lawn dice. :)

Baby Erin!!!  So big!

My father in law and I won the Ladder Golf finals!  Woohoo! :)

This is how competitive and focused he gets.  I love it!

Thought these bro's were pretty cute in their matching Titleist hats. :)

Hailey and Grandpa

Em and Grandma

Addy, Em, and Erin

Then guess who won the Olympic gold medal?  Me!  Although if I would have known that I would have to stand there and have everyone sing the National Anthem to me, I may have tried NOT to win. :)

Our tournament board made by 2nd grade teacher "Grandma" Dawn.  :)  So good!!!