Lili Logic

Lili says that Brother's umbilical cord is his "electrical cord". Makes sense, kinda! It's how he gets his energy and strength!

Random Rachel

Random Rachel time! With a twist! I have some random pictures that need to be shared. 

We opened Brother's carseat and stroller last week! We washed it, stared at it, smiled at the thought of the little guy that will soon come home in it. And then covered it with a blanket to keep it semi clean til his arrival. Hubby and I loved getting them out, the girls loved getting the boxes. They got pretty creative and made some robots!! Too cute. Cadee even came up with different functions for her different colored buttons! And the next day, Lili made a mask out of a paper plate for hers. I love their imaginations!

Cadee-Bot

Playing in the box
(My sweet little girl got pink eye last week. You can kinda tell in this picture. Poor thing.)

Tracing her letters on the iPad

Memaw and I were able to find the Bieber-Lover some Justin Bieber pajamas. 

Boyyy was she excited! And will probably want to wear them every single night. 

               

We had a chance to visit some friends on Monday. This is a picture of Cadee with their 6 week old, Cy. She was so super sweet with him. We also visited with friends that have a 1 year old little guy, and Cadee just wanted to play with and hold him too. I cannot wait to see this big girl with her baby brother. She is going to be so good with him.

A Look at Our Weekend

This weekend, we made the trek to see Hubby's family (about 3 hours away) to celebrate my brother-in-law's birthday. We had fun playing with their wiener doggies and spending time with the fam. Needless to say, the girls were satisfied and totally content and quiet on the ride home. (Cadee wasn't in the mood for pictures this weekend. :( Sadness. I wasn't playing favorites! Just honoring her little 7 year old wishes!)

I made these little cuties on Friday!

Happy 23rd birthday, Brother!
You won't forget this one. 

Chloe 

"Mom! Look at my Loookooolaylee!"

This one slept the ENTIRE ride home!
Usually, she waits til we are about a half hour from home
to zonk, but not this time!

"Won't My Mommy Be So Proud of Me?"

You know the song...
"I'm bringing home a baby bumblebee. Won't my mommy be so proud of me? I'm bringing home a baby bumblebee....Ouch! It stung me!"
Sometimes I feel so proud of things I've done and think to myself- My parents taught me well. Or I send pictures of said accomplishments to them. I send them ALOT of pictures of my girls. I'm soooo proud of the little beauties that I've helped create. And, their sweet hearts make me super proud too. But, there are rough days. If you are a parent, you absolutely know this. There are days when I feel like the only way I can be heard is to yell above the chaos. Or days when my seven year old tries to talk her way out of bath times or bedtimes or any sort of times, really. Or when my four year old gets that stubborn little look on her face and refuses to obey. It can be so frustrating! Let's label these "squished bee days". I think I'm doing a good job and then it stings me and I squish it. In the end, I know my mommy is still proud of me. How do I know this? She tells me. All. The. Time. From walking through the mall and not losing my kids, to announcing another pregnancy, to making chocolate covered strawberries look all cute in tuxedos, to standing up to that seven year old that doesn't want to brush her hair, because she just did it yesterday. She always tells me how proud she is of the woman I've become. Of the mother and wife I am. I can't take a whole lot of credit. Monkey see, monkey do, right? But, I cannot appreciate enough knowing that my mommy is proud of me. Even on the days I get stung and squish my bee. (We won't go further...like the days I wipe off, lick off and then throw up my bee...)
I hope that I can someday look back at these days and remind myself of the people that helped me through this season. This chaotic, fun, heart-wrenching, hard, sweet, temporary season. I know my mom will be at the top of the list. And I will still be working to keep her pride. (Even though I know I don't have to work very hard for that.) And I hope to remember to tell my daughters how very proud I am of them. Each and every day. From their small accomplishments like getting dressed by themselves, to their big accomplishments like raising their own sons and daughters.
Mom, thanks for always being proud of my bumblebees. No matter how big or small. Thanks for telling me you are proud and then helping me clean it up after I squish it. I hope to keep making you proud. And I hope to pass on this legacy to my girls. 

A Look at Our Weekend

Eeesh! Running a little late on posting about last weekend, but this collage was worth the wait. :) Ok, maybe just for me. Enjoy this beauty that my Hubby came up with.
We had a great weekend just hanging out and doing whatever our little hearts desired. It was sooooo nice! And definitely just what we needed coming into this busy week. Here's a look at the sweetness of our weekend....

1- On Sunday we enjoyed some time at Barnes and Noble and some Starbucks to finish out the trip. It was a nice, relaxing time. So cool to be able to do those kinds of things with my whole family. Everyone had great attitudes and were well behaved. Ahhh.
2- Cadee deemed Saturday her Pajama Day at home. That girl loves to lounge in her robe. Well, honestly, she just loves to lounge!
3- Lili convinced Daddy that she needed a horsey ride.
4- Cartoon time with the snugglies (Dodger, Kitty and Newpin)
5- Cadee practicing her wrestling moves on Dad
6- We had some friends over Saturday morning, and they were all for our lazy, cartoon-filled, Sunny D-chugging morning!
7- The girls decided they needed to go test out the icy backyard. It was hilarious watching them pull each other on their sleds. You could hear their giggles filling the air!
8- Lili got some snuggles in with her Daddy. (Before the horsey rides.)

9 & 10- Some extra sweetness, just for me. Cadbury eggs and Peanut butter patties. Mmmmm!
11- I got to go to Target BY MYSELF for almost an hour. I could have spent alot more time, and money, there. But I found these things that I decided were absolutely necessary. Blank cards, new markers!, and Mr. Popper's Penguins (great family movie!).
12- Lili girl. There's a *peek* at our weekend!
I will try to be much more efficient with this weekend's recap! 

Lili Logic

My in-laws have a foreign exchange student. They have hosted him through his last year or two of high school and now he is attending college in the states. He has been there since Hubby moved out. Lili and I were talking about where this man is from and why he lives with Memaw and Bebaw. And I said- "Well he goes to school here and his family lives far, far away in Europe. So Memaw and Bebaw have been nice enough to let him live with them."
Lili thought for awhile and said- "Oh! I remember! His family lives in 'Yummies'!"
I giggled a bit and said- "'Yummies'?? You mean 'Hungary'??"
To which she replied with giggles and grins. 

Best Friends

This post is all about doting on my friends. I honestly believe that God has given me the bestest friends in the whole wide world. And I think that everything that has happened in my life has led me to these friends. From where I went to school, to what sport I pursued, to the church I grew up in, to having a baby at the age of 18 so that I would seek out "mom-friends". God has been so faithful when it comes to providing a pretty great support team for me.
These are the types of friends you ask God for. I'm not even kidding you. The friends that you know you could show up at their house at any given time and walk into their kitchen and raid the cupboards and they'd probably just ask you to grab something for them too. And a diaper and wipes while you're up. 

The kind of friends that you are so close to that you know their texting patterns. You know not to text them on Sundays, because they don't even bother with their phones that day. Or not to text before 9 a.m. because their kids love to sleep in. Or, you can text them, but you'd get a much faster response if you just call them. 

The kind of friends that you go on trips with. The kind of friends that you look up to. The kind of friends that can give you advice in the most humble, honest way possible. The kind of friends that you see yourself going to Bridge Club with in 40 years. The kind of friends that you laugh with, cry with. The kind of friends that you bear your soul to. 

These are the friends that God has blessed me with. I will never understand in a million years why I would ever be worthy of such loyal, thoughtful, kind, God-loving, people-loving, understanding, sweet friends. But, I thank God everyday for them and the sweetness they bring to my life.

Cravings

I've had some cravings with this pregnancy as of recently.

Some food cravings...
Lipton Pure Leaf iced tea- raspberry. Ohhh yum. If only it were a bit cheaper.
Cantaloupe. It's on the grocery list every week. I buy them on Monday, and by Wednesday, it's gone. I am the only one in my family that eats it. Well, besides Baby Boy.
Rice. It's a good, filling side. It's easy to make. And I can stick it in the fridge and eat it when I'm hungry again in 3 hours.
English Muffins. Half with margarine and strawberry jam and the other half with a little bit of PB. Delish.
Bananas. Especially at 4 a.m. when I wake up STARVING.
Pizza with ranch dressing and beef and bean burritos. Both are not exactly the healthiest, and they are both from my childhood. It's so funny how random things like that sound good again. 

Some non-food things that I crave to do...
Blogging. It's so fun to have a record of these past few weeks and to give my family (3+ hours away) something to read about my life.
Organize. Organize. Organize. I'm all about purging and reorganizing. And doing it again 8 days later. If I'm in the zone, stay out of my way!
Shopping. Usually just window shopping. I love looking through the baby and kitchen aisles over and over again. I usually don't buy unless Hubby is with me though. 

Uber Excited

I'm pretty stinkin excited for this upcoming week and all of the goodness it holds for me. Not only does it mark 1 more week off the countdown, but I also get to enjoy some extra sweetness.

It starts tomorrow, Saturday, with some dear friends dropping off their girls for the day! Call me crazy, but I love a houseful! And if that means that I'm 6 months preggo, watching 4 girls and possibly their little guy for 7+ hours- so be it!! Plus, when their 2 girls are here with my 2 girls, it is always a party. And I rarely see any of them for hours!

On Monday, I get to spend the day with some friends from Ames. And I love my visits with those mommies. They teach me so much just by being around them. I'm super excited for the chance to veg out and show off my bump. I love these ladies and their kiddos and any chance I have to hang out with them, I take it. So, when Hubby said- Hey, I need to take my car to Ames to get it fixed, I was practically jumping up and down with my hand raised. Like a first grader. High on pixie sticks. For reals.

On Tuesday, Lord willing, NANA AND BAPA ARE COMING!!!!!!!!!!! Wahoooooo!!! I know my girls would be excited, if I told them. I don't usually tell them things that they would hang their hopes on like that. Especially when it could fall through. And especially when it comes to grandparents. I know they would be crushed if it didn't work out. So, I guard their little precious hearts, and it is always a surprise when Nana and Bapa (my parents) come down. I'm uber excited for this visit, because my DAD was the one that mentioned that we should do some baby shopping! That is huge for him! One. Because it's shopping. And Two. Because he has been hesitant about me having more than 2 babies for quite some time. As a man, he's thinking of money. And as a dad, he's thinking of my sanity. I get it. I know where he's coming from. I love having my parents here. It's comforting and familiar. It gives me a chance to "host" them like they did for me for 19 years! Plus, I love seeing the extra smiles on my girls' faces. Sweetness.

On Tuesday is also another OB appt. Another chance to hear his precious heart beating. Another chance to hear "everything is normal. It's going well". Another chance to blissfully look away as I step onto the scale. Another chance to have some worries relieved, some questions answered. Another check mark on the way to D-Day!

On Wednesday, we will hopefully be able to get new dressers for the girls and continue moving stuff around to make Brother's room more his own. He still has pink and purple curtains and a pink lampshade... Working on it! I was grateful that my parents sent down all of the baby blankets from when the girls were little and I was pleasantly surprised to find there was a TON of blue, green and yellow! God is good! Even then, He knew I would need them.

On Friday, Cadee has a field trip! Woo woo! And then we are headed for Sioux City to spend some time with Memaw and Bebaw and Uncle Bryce (Hubby's family)- since Bryce's birthday is next week.

Can you see why I'm uber excited?!? 

Lili Logic

After we told the girls that we were going to be having a baby, Lili was a little confused on the timeline. We were able to explain to her that baby would not be here until after her birthday. The next day, she took cupcakes to her teachers to tell them the good news. On the way to school she said, "I should say that you're pregnant so they know that the baby is in your tummy and not here yet."
Good thinking, Lil.

A Day in my Sweet LIfe

My day started at 5 a.m. I woke up to a coughing 4 year old. And I always kick myself for waiting to offer cough medicine. Once I gave her medicine, she was quiet in 15 minutes. Except for the snoring. As I tried to drift back off to dream land, I heard little footsteps again. Cadee was up. She remembered that I told her last night that she needed to take a bath this morning. So, I started her tub and let her play while I laid back down. An hour later, I woke up to a completely bathed and dressed Cadee. Now, before you scold me for leaving my 7 year old unattended in the tub, Hubby was still home within earshot. She was totally fine. After thanking her for bathing and getting dressed without a fuss, I sat on the couch and brushed her hair while she watched Monsters Inc. on Disney.
After a normal morning with breakfast and getting to the bus on time, Lili and I decided we needed to run some errands. Target, Old Navy and Walmart. All of which she listened to her Justin Bieber on the iPod and sang along. Quite loudly. I got some funny looks for letting my 4 year old be such a diva, but I also got some moms that smiled at me like- I totally get it. And it is so temporary.
After all those stores, I wanted to stop at Homemakers for some awesome sheets for Hubby's valentine gift. Lili informed me that that was boring. Yeah, good point, Lil. We decided on something else- picture frames for his desk with pictures of the girls in them. So, we came home to unload and get ready for school. Lili decided to finish her waffle from breakfast (again, no scolding. It was a toasted waffle with a little bit of butter on it. Not a big deal that it was sitting on the table for a couple hours.) After putting groceries away and getting some lunch, we loaded up the Valentine's boxes and cards to take to school.
I dropped off a very excited preschooler and ran to Target quick to pick up Hubby's pictures and frames. Only to find out that they didn't get my order, there was no record of it, and therefore, my pictures were not ready to be picked up. Frustrating, waste of time.
Left Target quite irritated. I went to Cadee's school for the rest of the afternoon to help with some reading assessments and a little bit of the Valentine's Party. Just what I needed to brighten my day. Some face time with my peanut. (And hearing other moms dote on my daughter. Gotta love that!)
3 o'clock came all too soon, and it was off to pick up Lili from preschool. Her school parking lot was PACKED. I'm assuming from all of the parent volunteers for the elementary parties. But, it's so ridiculous that the school does not have more parking. I was glad to get my girl and safely get out of there. It was crazy.
A phone call from Target. They got my pictures and printed them. So, Lili and I ran there and got the pictures and some frames. (Whew! Lili really had her heart set on this present.) Made it home in time to get Cadee off the bus. Then we camped out in Brother's room, with the door locked so Hubby couldn't come in, and finished our cards and wrapped his present. It was some really sweet time with my girls.
Hubby came home and opened his cards and presents and smiled through each one. I love watching the girls beam with pride and love when Daddy says thank you for something they made or did. So sweet. Then, Hubby decided we were going out for dinner! (YESSS!!! 5 nights off- in a row- from cooking dinner! This never happens! And believe me, I KNOW how spoiled I am.)
Smashburger. Babies R Us. Target- again. Home. PJs. Cough medicine for Lili. Brush teeth. Chit chat. Hugs. Kisses. Prayers. Lights out for girls. Music playing. Heater on. PLOP ON COUCH. Oooofta!! I am pooped. That's a whole lotta sweetness for one day. 

Happy Valentine's Day

We all sat down at the table tonight to fill out Valentine's cards and make Valentine's boxes since the girls both have their parties tomorrow. It was so fun to see the girls get excited about giving these special cards and treats to their friends at school. I really enjoyed the time we spent together working on this. Hubby and I caught each other's eyes a few times and just smiled at the silliness and sweetness of our girls.
I loved watching Lili light up as she thought about each of her friends and teachers that would receive one. And, watching her hoard some of her Justin Bieber Valentine's for herself. Little stinker. Cadee was so thoughtful with each person. I gave her a list of her classmates, and as she went through them, she thought for awhile about that person and the specific Valentine they should receive based on their personality and preferences. She really did a great job and I hope that her friends can tell how much thought she put into each one. On one little girl's, she even put "To: Chloe the Sweetie".
I think Valentine's Day holds values and traditions that we should be practicing everyday. Treat your loved ones special, tell them you love them and be spontaneously sweet. Make a memory. I feel sad for the ones that save all of that for 1 day out of the year. I am so glad that our children will know how much we treasure them each and every day. And I pray that they continue to love and care for others the way that they do now. God has definitely blessed our girls (and hopefully our boy) with BIG hearts! It is our job to teach them how to protect them and share them.
I'm glad this isn't a solo gig!

Anderson Automobiles

Hubby and I have been counting down the days til this weekend. His parents were all excited to take the girls for the weekend, and we were more than happy to meet them halfway to make it happen! Valentine's Day is one of our bi-annual events that we make sure we have a weekend "off" (the other is our anniversary in August). It is glorious. I love having my whole family around me. But it is so nice to have a weekend to relax with my hubby!
Everything went as planned on Friday. I had the car packed, picked Cadee up from school and met Hubby closer to his work so we could hit the road to meet Grandma and Grandpa. We sent the girls on their way and spent a nice hour drive back with some adult conversation and even some *gasp* silence! Then....my gas pedal stopped working. I could push it to the floor and we got nothing. No power. So, we rolled to the nearest gas station off the interstate and called our friend to come rescue us! Luckily we were only about 10-15 minutes from where Hubby's car was parked. I am so so glad that he was with me when this happened! It was much easier to laugh about and still enjoy the rest of the weekend with his optimism in high gear.
The car is at the mechanic now. And we just got back from meeting with my parents to borrow a vehicle. Which is dubbed "The Beego". (It is a blazer, not a car, and the girls could NOT pronounce 'vehicle' for the longest time, so it came out as "beego"). As soon as I had car trouble, we had a decision to make. Either A- Lili was going to miss school until the car was fixed because I drive her to and from school each day. Or B- I knew that my dad would have an extra vehicle I could borrow. See, my dad LOVES to "collect" vehicles. I use the term "collect" very lightly here. Because when you think of a collection, you think of prime cars that you would keep because they are classics. When actually, my dad collected these cars because of their prime price. And their tinkering value. He loves to tinker. So the more cars, the more tinkering he can do. Hubby and I laugh all the time about his "used car lot" and how even with us borrowing a vehicle for a couple weeks, he still has at least 1 extra vehicle.
I must say, I'm extremely glad that my dad collects cars. I am glad that I know, without a doubt, that no matter what happens he will always be there for me and back me in whatever I need. Whether it's a car, gas money, a compliment, or to borrow his wife for awhile. When I told him about the car trouble, he must have called or texted at least 5 times offering to help with anything we needed. I know it kills him that we don't live closer so that he can just take care of it himself. That's what he's always done my whole life. Taken care of me. I am grateful that he didn't stop the minute I moved out.
So, thank you, Dad. For taking 5 hours out of your day off to meet me with a Beego, Casey doughnuts, a full tank of gas, one of the best hugs, and a compliment to make me glow even more this week. You certainly know how to make a girl feel loved and cared for.

Random Rachel

I honestly thought this pregnancy would hurt less. I mean, let's face it, there's not a whole lotta muscles there anymore for my growing uterus to split in half! Turns out, I was wrong.

Most commercials with people singing in them are quite annoying, in my opinion.


I'm kinda getting sick of my long hair. I want to chop it. Hubby likes it long, and quite honestly, I don't think I have the guts to cut off all this hair that I've been growing for over a year!


My dreams are filled with houses. All shapes and colors. Just a nice, quiet, owned-by-us house.


When Hubby and I let the girls go to Grandma and Grandpa's for a weekend, I feel like a teenager again. Just him and I. Pretending we have no worries for one. whole. weekend. Go ahead, sigh with me. Ahhhh. :)

Lili Logic

"Jesus died to take away our cinnamons. Our cinnamons are our grumpies."  

She's so funny.

Say WHAT?!?!

It's crazy, I tell ya. We are 24 weeks along!! And thanking God for every second of this normal, perfect pregnancy. Only 3 weeks left in our second trimester and then the REAL countdown begins! I love watching him grow and move in my belly. But, we are so excited to see our baby boy, snuggle him, and smother him with lovies! Poor Brother. He won't know what hit him! :) I'd really appreciate your prayers in these last few months. Prayers for comfort, patience, and to ease my anxieties about becoming a mama of three! 

Nesting Urges

Thank GOD for the whole nesting thing. Or I feel like I would never get anything done. Granted, it's all very random, and none of it pertains to Baby Boy very much. But- I'm determined to get these things done!
Brother has 3 outfits, some Cyclone booties and a hat, some binkies, diapers and a few blankies to his name. He may not have a crib or dresser yet, but gosh darn it, he will have clean fan blades and windows! And our fridge will be sparkling clean before he gets here. And my recipes will all be in order in a nice little book before his birth day. And the game closet, oh the game closet will be organized! 

A Look at Our Weekend

This weekend we had alot of fun with our family! My parents and sister came down and we all got to spend some time at my brother and sister-in-law's eating, celebrating some birthdays and playing card games. It snowed a ton here on Friday and Saturday! It was the perfect snowfall for making snowmen, snow forts and snow balls! The girls also got some sledding done with their new sleds. It was a really fun weekend and we all turned in early last night because of it! Here are a few moments I was able to capture...

Lili with her new penguin sled!

Cadee got to feel baby brother moving!!!
The look on her face after she felt him each time was absolutely priceless. 

Their snowman!

The birthday cake! It's supposed to look like zebra stripes on the inside. It didn't really work...but it tasted
A-MAZING!! I wanted to decorate it all pretty, but I ran out of powdered sugar. 

Lili pooped after a long fun day! 

More fun in the snow at home

Teen Mom

No, this post is not about that show on MTV. Although, I must say that I have watched that show and my heart hurts for those girls. They are just so lost and have no identity, it seems. And I am so, so glad that I was grounded enough to realize what I needed to do and had the perfect people around me to support me and help me be the best teen mom I could be. 

Hubby and I on Cadee Grace's birth day 12/1/04

Senior Prom- April 2005

What being a teen mom taught me...

Being a teen mom taught me, first and foremost, that there are absolutely consequences for every action. Good or bad. Is Cadence a consequence? Yes, but I feel like she is a good one. Some of the ugly consequences were... damaging relationships. Between me and my family, me and my now in-laws, me and some of my friends who may have looked to me for advice. I still see the effects of this today. And it still breaks my heart.
Another consequence would be that I missed out on SO much of being a teenager. While everyone else enjoyed their senior prom and after prom party, I was sore from not feeding my baby and I wondered how she was every second of that night. It was hard for me to be the care-free teenager when I had so many other things to think about.
Having a baby at the age of 18 definitely changed Hubby and I's relationship. It made us both step back and go- whoa. We have to grow up. And NOW. And we need to decide quickly if we want to do it together or make it work separately. Thank God that I was dating a man that suffers from extreme loyalty. And he was all in with Cadence from day 1. (How could he not be? She melts everyone's heart! Still does!!)
Those are just a FEW consequences! I won't go into the toll it took on my body, my (lack thereof) checkbook and all the trust that I spent 18 hard years of earning from my parents!

Baby Cadence and I

Being a teen mom taught me unconditional love at it's finest. Unconditional love from my Heavenly Father, my family, and from me to my baby girl. From the second she was born, I felt an unbelievably strong pull to this baby. And I knew I would do everything I could to make her life perfect. To make sure she new her daddy and paternal grandparents. To make sure that she felt loved at all times, no matter what. And to make sure that she understood that she is not a mistake. She is a blessing.

Nana and girls

Being a teen mom gave me a huge appreciation for MY mom! No, she was not a teen mom, but I was at that time in my life where I didn't think I needed her. And having a baby erased that feeling completely!! Not only did I need her support (emotionally and physically) and help with Cadee, but I also needed her wisdom. She LITERALLY taught me everything I know about taking care of a baby. I would not be a good mother without her presence in my life. And this still rings true. I appreciate her everytime one of the girls pitches a fit at the store, or sasses off, or changes their outfit for the third time that day or refuses to eat the dinner I made. I text my mom and I say- "thank you so much for doing all of my ridiculous laundry" or "I am sorry for the times I acted like this". 

Being a teen mom taught me that there is so much more to this life than high school. It's very easy to get caught up in the attitude of a teenager and what I wanted for MY life. But from the second I found out I was pregnant with Cadee Grace, it snapped me out of that mindset and into thoughts of- what can I do for HER? I no longer cared about what people said or thought of me (if I did, it would have ruined me entirely). My true friends are now my kids' Uncles and Aunts. They are that dear to me for sticking through it with me and being there for me for every single second. (I love telling Cadee about the slumber parties she used to be at with me and my two best friends.) And, the members of my family (immediate, in laws and my parents and siblings) are what matter most to me. Because at the end of the day, they are always going to be there for me.

Cadence Grace

Being a teen mom was HARD. It still is! I may not be a teen mom now, but I am a 25 year old raising a 7 year old! That has challenges all it's own! Not to mention, when Cadee was little, I was focused more on being her friend and companion instead of her mom. That's why she acts just like me. (Poor thing.) I am still a pushover when it comes to her. But in all sincerity. that little girl is the reason I have everything I have. My husband, my Lili, my baby boy, my relationship with my mom, dad and sister now and some of the BEST mom friends that a girl could ask for. Who knows which path my life would have taken without her! She put a RUSH on everything I had planned for my life. Yes, it's hard. But, man! What a blessing in disguise.
My song for Cadence is "Unanswered Prayers" by Garth Brooks. I cannot tell you how many times I prayed NOT to be pregnant. As awful as that sounds, I was scared out of my mind! Once I found out, my prayer changed, of course. And to this day, I am still thankful that God's plan was bigger for my life. I missed out on college, yes. But I can always go back. And Hubby reminds me quite often that he is glad I didn't spend a ton of money to go to college if my true passion was staying home and taking care of my family. I'm still earning my degree for that!
This is MY story. I don't encourage others to try it. I know how incredibly blessed I am to have my family. They are my spoonful of sugar. They make everything sweeter. Are there times I want to send everyone to bed and lock myself in my room? Maybe. But would I trade my life for anything? No. Most days are full of giggles, playing babies, pirates or Sorry, butt hugs, belly kisses, Lili logic, sweet good morning lovies, and plenty of snuggles. I couldn't imagine a sweeter life. Even if it was rushed.

Lili, Hubby and Cadee

Random Rachel

Here are some Random Rachel thoughts. You're welcome.


Does anyone else have an annoying microwave?? My microwave beeps 3 times when the time is up. Three loud, annoying, nagging times. I do everything in my power to rush over and get there before it reads "0:01" and fling the door open. Anything not to hear those beeps.


I can see a quarter from where I'm sitting. I wonder which Zani lost a quarter. And, if it's anyone except the hubby, they probably have no idea it's missing.


I'm a list maker. I have gotten alot of stuff done because it's on a list. And then, I have those days, where I'm motivated to do something, but none of it is on my list. So, I add it to my list, just so I can cross it off.


Window shopping is one of my favorite things to do. Online too.

It's B-E-A-UTIFUL Outside!

It has been nothing short of gorgeous outside these past few days. And we are taking full advantage! It's quite odd to see small mounds of snow here and there and be outside in a jacket! But, I'm not complaining! The girls are getting lots of exercise and outside time, and I am airing the apartment out. Ahhh.


Why yes, yes I did let my girls play in the giant mud river in our "backyard"! And, my 4 year old may or may not have sat in it for a substantial amount of time. The apartment owners may not think much of us for letting them dig trenches in the mud. And, yes they did track grass and mud and wetness from the door to the bathroom... And, yes, they were bathed and the floor was cleaned, again. But, yes, it was so worth it to see them playing together and hear them giggling.


Isn't her little Birdie hat so adorable? Or maybe it's just that cute little face that gets me every time.

We spent some time scootering up at the school today. Cadence got out early and Lili did not have school so we spent a good couple hours running and playing outside. 

My precious little girls.