life lately | camera roll

happy monday!  I found myself going through my camera roll for like a half hour last night after the babes were in bed.. I always do that, am I the only one?  surely not!  after it was all said and done I ended up going and giving the big girls an extra kiss goodnight and laid a hand on Baker's back before going to bed myself.  doing that right before I go to sleep makes we just want to wake them and give them a tight squeeze.. and then send then right back to bed:)

we have been so busy around these parts lately.  well, always.  but lately its been more of the fun busy than the obligatory busy.

three growing girls

glitter tee // leggings // lucky tee // xl chiffon

 these girls are outrageously funny.  half the time I am dying of laughter and the other half I am pulling my hair out.  the big girls are completely obsessed with Baker and the feelings are absolutely mutual.  she stops at nothing to keep up with those two.. which is why it doesn't surprise me at all that she is so much busier than the twins ever were at this age.  I honestly never really 'baby proofed' the house when the twins were little.. we kept them pretty contained.  oh, but with Miss Baker.  baby proofing is ON.  she's into everything! 

we celebrated Dr. Suess' birthday at preschool and thanks to my girl Britt, she gave me all the tools I needed for a super easy DIY costume.  if you know me, you know I don't have a DIY bone in my body.  I wish I did.  so bad.  I am creative, no doubt- but putting it all together myself - I often leave that to my favorite small shops.  so- what that means is that this was a simple as it gets, but they look SO cute, right?!  they loved it!

Parker and Jolie went to their first 'dress-up' birthday party last week.  Parker was all about that Janet Jackson and Jo shocked me when she picked the pop star glitter mini dress over the gigantic princess dresses they had available.

nail polish + glitter up-do's + eye shadow + face tattoos

dolled and dressed to the 9's!!

at the end they were sad to have to give back all of their accessories- but good news.  we got to keep the purple hair extensions.  

we randomly packed up and made a trip to the lake to visit granny and woogie for a couple days.  the twins LOVE it there and of course the moment we turn onto their private gravel road leading to their front drive the twins hop into the front seat!   

 I don't even recognize her!  she's getting so big.  her long legs and her sweet face changing by the day- getting longer and losing that baby chub to her cheeks. but her eyes when she smiles- they haven't changed a bit! I cant even describe the joy this girl brings me.  this age with Jolie Grace is really fun. she is SO silly.  her daddy dressed her that day- even tied her hair wrap and goodness she was so proud and in love.

also.. these cotton shorties from Target are perfect for the warm weather months to come. we have them in every color!   

 Jordan's Aunt Jenny - who we call Cookie - lives in Seattle so we don't get to see her very often.  the girls know who she is and love to FaceTime here and there.  we recently set a standing bedtime story date for Tuesday nights.  we exchange books and read them together two thousand miles apart.  

last week's read?  

thats not funny bunny!

and this week the girls will have their first read through the three little pigs.  

that social life

a couple weekends back we went out for Jordan's 34th slash date night with friends slash becoming groupies to one of our favorite musicians.  we started the evening at Queenie's for tapas and wine and then headed out to meet up with more friends and enjoy live music.

we live in the next town over from a college town.. and it was early (before 10pm), so we were having a grand ol' time- girls up at the front doing a little jig and the husbands standing in the back with their beers.  

**can you pick me out in the lady crowd?**

photo c/o

 midnight came fast- and goodness I have never felt so old.  college felt like SO LONG AGO, and it was time to go when the bar filled with the 21+up crowd.. mostly twenty one.

it was a fantastic, much needed, adult's night out!  

the next day Jordan cashed in his birthday present to himself..

he's been wanting to get something to represent the two miscarriages we had in 2014.  he has tattoos for all three of the girls, and it didn't feel right for him to not have something for those babies in heaven, too. 

I.love.it.  its really awesome and even more so because it has serious sentimental thought to it.

on the move

 drooler bib

this little girl is going through some fierce changes developmentally. she's most definitely cutting more teeth.  she's most definitely going through a growth spurt.  and she is most definitely taking assisted steps and pulling herself to a standing position without help- like free standing.  

she is eight months.  how is this happening?!

she is waking 1-2 times at night searching for her paci and then nose diving into her mattress once she find it.. and then there is at least once a night that she insists on having a snack to get her through the rest of the night.  I'm just going with it- this too shall pass.. but omgggg, I'm so tired.

the weather has been ridiculous.  seventy-five to eighty degree temps on the regular.  we have been eating it up!  spending as much time outside as possible!  with the longer days it really has felt more like summer than spring.
 bow // onesie

...and then in true Texas fashion the temps dip to the 40's + 50's this past weekend.

a couple months back Jordan and I got ourselves a fitbit and we have been loved using it as we are really trying to be more active.  we've been going on 4 mile walks around our neighborhood everyday as weather permits, and while we can feel the benefits- its getting the girls in the habit of being active.. and wearing them out for a solid afternoon nap or early bedtime!  

Jordan pushes the double stroller and me and B are in the single.  

most of the time the twins will run along side the stroller and Baker will cat nap here and there.  

quilt

and we always end at the park to let the big girls swing and go down the slide a handful of times.

 sweatpants // ball teether

that about rounds out life as of late.  we've got a fun week + weekend ahead of us- its going to be a beautiful time for egg hunting and celebrating Jesus!  another Baker's first and I have had the best time finding fun things to fill the big girls' Easter baskets.  this is the first year we have really done much as far as the 'easter bunny' is concerned.  ohhh- its going to be so good!

weekday snaps | life lately

ya'll.  life has been so busy!  between work, raising babies, and simply going through the motions of life we have hardly had time to sit.  

so.  heres whats new.

last weekend we had Nicole of mrs wilson's restorations at the house almost every day.  she installed this beauty and I cant stop looking at it.

when we moved in there was this random space when you walked into the house from the garage and I'm not sure of the original homeowners had plans for this space and never did it?  after 3+ years in our house we finally made the plans to get it finished.  I was tired of backpacks and shoes and carseats just hanging out in piles near the door.  

give me some organization, please.

Baker's closet is next on the list.. it is the most unfunctional space in the house.  I'll share more on that when we get that little project complete (should be this next week!)

canvas c/o // bag c/o // bows

 scoot scoot scoot.  basically my frequent floor duster.  it won't be long before she figures out how to get up on all fours to move around, but she's got the army crawl slash windmill movements down pat to get where she is going. 

jammies // lounge pants

 two words: growth spurt. 

I found myself googling "six month growth spurt" because she's been wanting to nurse almost every two hours and then eating like a horse on top of all that.  the other night I was making veggie burgers for the big girls and threw a couple squares on her tray.  she.loved.it!!  these are our favorite (premade) veggie burger and we buy them in bulk at costco:) 

I eat them with a little hummus or guacamole for lunch.. and now Baker will, too!

 ..so many bubble baths.  Baker is basically trying to crawl out of the sink, so those won't last much longer, I'm sure. which is such a bummer because she's a hot mess after meal times and its easiest to just stick her in the sink after peeling her our of her highchair.

and more bubble baths.  sometimes when J is at the fire station for 24 hours we spend an hour or so in the tub.  basically until their little fingers are pruney and their teeth are chattering.  they love it and its been awhile since we've done that. 

whale bath toy c/o

 I skipped the red in my hair this go round at the salon.  although this picture still says 'a hue of red'.. its more dark brown.  being outside so much over this last month because of the random spring like weather the red was fading really fast.. I was ready for a change.  

also.. my favorite bar necklace got the upgrade.  I had one that just read the initials of my girls "bb + pj + jg" and I wanted one that had their full names "jolie + parker + baker". 

 shine life delivered beautifully, once again.  

sweater  // skirt c/o

 I had a much needed girls night out with a good friend.  Andrea's birthday was this week and she and I met at the nail salon for a little pampering and then had dinner afterward.  I wish I could make my life work in such a way that I could do something like this every single week. I had such a good time with her- really good for my soul.

 J sent these pics to me while I was at work this week.  my silly girl.  makes my day away a little bit sweeter when I know she's having such a good day at home with her dad.

also.. that blanket was made by Jordan's aunt Judy when the twins were born.  I am not very sentimental about keeping things, but there is something special about seeing her play on the same blankets that P+J played on when they were her age.  I'll never get over that feeling.

 Parker and Jolie have started this thing where they stick up for each other..err.. put claim on one another?  I don't even know what to call it, actually.   

'this is my sister.'  

'be nice my sister.'

'thats my sister.'

I'm definitely loving this.  and the bond that they share with Baker is unreal.  the big girls walk in the room and Baker basically looses it with excitement.  they are so helpful and so very interested in sharing, showing, teaching, and playing with Baker.

I mean.. those sweet faces.

bows c/o

 too. big.  what is happening here.  she's big enough to sit in a grocery cart (almost) unassisted.  and TWO.   theres only one of her.  

I would take like eleven of Baker. no joke.

cardigan

we went to the rodeo this week- and its exactly as you would picture it to be.

barrel racing, calf tying, bull riding.. the whole bit and the big girls loved it!

my company buys out a couple sections every year so we can all go and bring our families and this was the first year I was able to go.  we made a night out of it and took the big girls to dinner before hand while Baker stayed home with her BB and Papa.  we hadn't gotten this time with just the two of them since before the littlest sister was born, so this was a good good good time. 

 ..and this gem popped up on my time hop this week.  Oh my goodness.  I pray so hard this girl never changes.  ever. 

so- there we have it.  life lately in a nutshell. 

happy fri-YAY!  I hope this weekend is a great one- XO!

Thirty One

..is the new twenty nine.  As each year passes I definitely don't feel older (at all) outside of the fact that this baby weight isn't falling off the way it did when I was in my twenties AND the exhaustion from the attempt to keep up with my twin toddlers all day long.  It just doesn't come that easy and at the end of the day I could curl in a ball in my bed and pass out.  I was stopped at a stop light and glanced up at the rearview mirror and caught a glance at the (new?) wrinkles on my forehead.  

So, there's that.

31.  

This weekend was spent with friends and family that are so special to me and I felt loved so well.  Just one of those weekends that you didn't want to end.  Monday- you usually ruin everything.. but lets rewind. 

Friday night our sweet neighbors (that also pull a crazy train caboose where ever they go) took us out to Denton on the Square for dinner and dessert.  We live SO close to that area and have never ventured to that side of town- and it was SO much fun.  Dinner at Roosters and then dessert at Beth Marie's.  Birthday Cake ice-cream for me:)  Denton is a college town and we stuck out like a sore thumb when we plowed our way through with our SIX kids.  I'm giggling as I remember the looks of those barely of drinking age 'adults'.. I thought I knew it all back then and I can't they think the same.

 Live music on the courthouse lawn had these girls dancing the night away!

 Saturday came early and it started with a surprise lunch date for one of my favorites.  Jessica and I share the same birthday and her husband Jon invited us earlier in the week to surprise her for lunch.  He was sending her on a scavenger hunt throughout the day with different girlfriends to meet her at all the different places she would go.  I was excited to get our families together to share a meal.  

Required group shot to document the outing.  We all could use a couple more kids, yes?

 We had a couple errands to run before heading over the the Massey's for a family birthday dinner and while Dad ran into the store to grab something, me and the girls hung out in the car - because sometimes it takes longer to unload than it does to make the purchase.. Miss Baker kept me company in the front seat.

 Saturday evening was really good.  Good food (slow cooked brisket, potato salad, baked beans) and good company.  It had been a little while since we did a 'family photo' and even though not everyone was smiling or even looking at the camera I absolutely love this picture so much.

 After dinner we sang "Birthday TIME" (as Parker says) and blew out candles on homemade peach cobbler.

 The best little candle-blowers

 SUNDAY

There is nothing I look forward to more on Sunday than a lazy day spent flipping between football games.  If we can work it out, we go to church on Saturday nights so we can sleep in and never come out of our jams all day.  

Yesterday we spent my actual birthday front and center at Cowboy's Stadium to see the boys play live.  It has been YEARS since going to a football game - so I was WAY excited.  We dropped the babes off with their BB and headed out just the two of us for a birthday breakfast before making our way to the game.

earrings // tee // jeans // shoes // phone cover

 We had amazing seats thanks to my friend Amy- she's the dietitian for the Cowboys.. basically the coolest job ever.  We have actually been sitting at dinner and her phone ring with a player asking her some kind of nutrition question.  Love it..and love her for sharing her tickets with us on my birthday!  

 After an amazing first half we settled for the loss in the end.  We were STARVING so after picking up the girls we went straight to grab an early dinner.  The second time I've left this little girl and she did so good- practice for when I go back next month.  I don't even want to think about that right now.

Also.. my hat is hiding the aforementioned wrinkles:)

bar necklace

 We stopped for birthday frozen yogurt before heading home.  The girls have really gotten the hang of  taking selfies.

 My heart is so full to kick off this 31st year of life.

Happy Birthday to me!  I have never felt so loved.

Day in the Life

..with 3 under 3.  My life is a revolving door right now and while we aren't officially on a schedule with a 6 week old babe, we've managed to maintain a semi-normal routine simply because our regular day to day activities with the twins must go on.  To be completely transparent, this day in the life has only really been true for probably the last couple weeks or so.  I mentioned in yesterday's post how impressive full-time stay at home moms are.  It basically took me four weeks to figure out that I needed to actually make a plan for the day or else I would get NOTHING done.  I am notoriously a list-maker, so why it took me that long is beyond me.  Lately we have been filling our day with playdates + errands, going to the park (when its cool enough) and bringing out 'rainy day' toys and puzzles I've stashed away on a random Tuesday afternoon when I am basically out of ideas.  I feel like we have finally hit our groove and are in a really good place.  Having 'plans' helps me get out of bed and moving- or I would just assume sleep the morning away with miss Baker because, hello.. we are all tired.  So, this is pretty much how our days go during the week.

6:00-7:00am -- Baker wakes to eat.  She eats really well during this morning nursing session and will often go back to sleep right away- letting me get another hour or so before the twins wake up.  The morning is when she does her best sleep- and I am usually waking her to eat again by 10:30am.

7:30am-8:00am -- Parker and Jolie are awake at this point.  They used to come in and wake us first thing in the morning, but will now find something to play with (usually their play kitchen or puzzles).  We recently bought a picnic table to go in the play room and those two will sit and play by themselves for what seems like forever.  It doesn't take long before I hear them playing together and I am up and out of bed.  Once they know I am awake- they follow me around like little ducklings.  Even to the bathroom.  I never ever thought twice about the luxury of peeing by myself before I had kids.  The last time I did one of these posts (almost a year ago!) there is a picture nearly identical to this one.. some things just don't change:)

8:30am-9:00am -- On most days I shower before bed, but sometimes if I am able I'll shower in the morning.  "You get ready to go in twenty minutes, mama?" Everything is in 'twenty minutes' with Parker and Jolie these days.  I set them up in my bed with a smoothie and dry cereal (move Baker to her rocker next to my bed..) and hop in for a quick shower.

9:00am -- Out of the shower and I'm dying for a cup of coffee!  I craved coffee during my last trimester of pregnancy and it has carried over to postpartum.  If I don't shower in the morning, coffee is the first item to check off my list for the day.

#girlmom tee // emerald sky

9:15am-9:30am -- breakfast + morning chores.  While I make my coffee and breakfast, I usually unload the dishwasher and get the house ready for the day (dishes, laundry, meal prep for dinner).

Jesus coffee mug // linen + lace shop

Breakfast for me these days is usually peanut butter + banana toast.  I think about it at 2am when I nurse Baker.. thats how much I'm loving it right now.  I also have a habit of eating the same thing for months and months and then never eating it again.  If its not PBB toast I'll eat a bowl of multi-grain Cheerios or oatmeal - wishing the entire time I would have eaten the toast.  Thats what second breakfasts are for, yes?

I always have helpers when I unload the dishwasher.. I think she takes the opportunity to steal some of the cooking utensils to play with.  For whatever reason, the girls l o v e to play in the empty bathtub while I get ready.  Fine by me- keeps them out of trouble and contained:)

9:30am-10:30am -- getting ready.  I blow dry and fix my hair.. and on this day we made plans to meet up with Auntie, so I did a quick version of my makeup routine (i.e. concealer + blush + bronzer + lip gloss) to look presentable.  I don't put it on if we are staying home.  Hair and dress for the twin babes also happens during this time and I haven't quite mastered getting out of the house on time with the girls after doing my hair AND my full makeup.  I'll get there.  Just not today:)

10:30am -- nurse.  I wake Baker to change her diaper, get her dressed and to feed a very hungry girl.  Parker and Jolie stand at the changing table to 'help' me, so it always take a little longer, but its all worth it to make them feel included in all things that have to do with her.

11:15am -- and we are off!  I usually like to be out of the house between 10am and 11am mainly because if we are planning to have any kind of nap that day, I need to be home by 1:30pm for the girls to go down and it not infringe on their nighttime routine.  We can miss nap here and there and it not result in total meltdowns at 5pm, but for the most part we try and limit being out of the house during their typical nap time (between 1pm-4pm).  On those days we are out and about - Jolie will usually cat nap in the car between errands.  Parker is notorious for falling asleep 3 minutes from pulling into the driveway.

We made a couple stops: fill up gas, post office, and then to grab lunch before meeting Auntie.

12:00pm-4:00pm -- playdates + errands. On days when we 'don't nap' we will make a day of it and run what feels like a bazillion errands and usually stop to play or do something fun for the twins at some point.  Typical: lunch, Sams/Costco, Target (<<duh), Barnes and Noble..they have a train table in the children's section - P+J love playing and reading the books..and there is a Starbucks for mama.)  There are several churches in our area that have indoor playscapes that we have been taking advantage of during this summer heat.  It wouldn't be so bad for the twins, but having Baker outside isn't an option unless we can get out before 9am when it isn't sweltering.  We have gone to the splash pad or the pool around that time of the morning.

The Ark in Coppell has an area with tables so we could eat lunch before the girls took off to play.  Lots of other moms had the same idea:)

While the twins ran and played their little hearts out, me, Auntie, Baker and Baby Grayson spent some time catching up.  That girl loves her Auntie.  She was chatting and flirting all over the place!  She's pretty laid back as long as she isn't hungry:)

1:00pm-4:00pm (if we are at HOME) -- Usually when the twins nap, I try to get Baker to take a nap as well.  Even though we aren't on a regular schedule, the afternoon tends to be more structured for her simply because her sisters have a pretty solid afternoon/evening routine.  I still feed her 'on demand' but it is consistently every 3 hours, so I kind of know what to expect as the day goes on.

If Baker is able to sleep at all during 1pm-4pm nap time, this is usually when I'll do laundry, answer emails, and straighten up the house.  The twins are a constant tornado of energy and while I once was able to walk behind them picking things up as they went, since Baker's arrival, I just don't have enough hands to do so.  SO- it stays a shambles until nap time and again until the girls go to bed for the evening.

4:00-5:00pm -- snacks + play.  My straight house is a mess again.  It takes them NO time to undo all my putting away. Toys.Books.Puzzles.Everywhere.  Playtime is usually combined with a snack (right at 4pm) and sometimes a movie if we had a busy morning and the twins are ready to be awake yet.  Afternoon is also when Baker spends some time on her tummy.  This is new for us.. I waited to start tummy time until she was a month old.  Parker kept saying "Hi sugar!" When Baker has the stimulus of her sisters' company, she will lay on her tummy for longer than if she is doing without them.

5:30pm-6:00pm -- bathtime!  We don't take baths every night but when we do (about every other day) it is always of request to have a bubble bath.  I had just fed Baker and while she normally would be content in her bouncy seat while I bathed her sisters, she insisted on being held.  I had plans to bathe her after the twins went to bed anyway, so I just stuck her in there, too:)

6:15pm -- Post bath squeaky clean babe.  She loves to sleep on her tummy.  After the last nursing session of the late afternoon (between 6:00pm-7:00pm) she will sleep through the rest of the early evening.

6:15pm-7:15pm -- dinnertime!  I like to give a bath before dinner time mainly because we have been eating a little later than normal due to the summer hours of light.  Before Baker was born we were sometimes staying at the pool until 6:30pm!  In order not to feel completely rushed after dinner due to an impending bedtime, we've been doing bath before.  Usually we eat together as a family, but Daddy was at the fire station, so is was Annie's mac and cheese, watermelon + grapes, and Bubble Guppies instead.

7:30pm-8:00pm -- wind down. 'Chocolate milk' (1/2 packet carnation instant breakfast mixed in skim milk) and one more toddler show before bed.  Lately its been Peppa Pig or Mickey Mouse.

8:00pm-8:30pm -- bedtime for Parker and Jolie.  If Jordan is home he will rock them in the rocking chair in their room while they sing worship music in the dark OR read a book.. but 9 times out of 10 P+J will choose the music. If it just mama, I'll snuggle them in their beds and chat about the day.  Jo usually stays on topic and tells me all about her day - even when we have spent every moment together..

Please excuse my looking like a 12 year old, makeup-less face:)

..while Parker is just all over the place!  Last night she was talking about something (I couldn't make out what) blowing away and BB putting in her car so it wouldn't blow away - and then her story quickly turned to something about Bubble Guppies and then asking for more chocolate milk.  I just nod and go with it.  She does all the talking.

8:30pm-11:30pm -- dinner/tv/shower/blogging.  Occasionally Jordan and I will wait until the twins are down for the night before eating dinner, but when Jordan is at the fire station, I almost always eat after the girls go to bed.  This is also the time for the hubby and me to catch up on our DVR shows.  That is sort of our thing to do.. Bachelor in Paradise, anyone?  We have approximately 43 shows we love to watch together.  Before Baker was born I was one to wake up early, before the rest of my house, and do my quiet time + spend some time blog planning + blogging.  In this stage of life that just won't happen.  Blogging at night or in the late morning if we don't have plans is the easiest.. and my quiet time (right now I am following the She Reads Truth study: This is the Gospel) is whenever I can get to reading it that day.  I am sure once I go back to work and get into that daily routine again, it will be easier for me to be up earlier - but until baby girl is sleeping through the night and we have a better schedule I'll be fine to 'work' at night.

Our bed time is all over the place right now, so its almost easier for me to stay awake until its time to feed Baker again between 10:30pm-11:30pm (whenever she tends to stir and wake hungry.)  After I feed her I swaddle her up and lay her in the rocker next to my side of the bed.  Sometimes she will sleep for an hour and be up again to eat and other times she will sleep through until 3am before she wakes to eat again.

Writing it all out like this makes me realize how busy we are when I actually make plans.  I am probably just catching up from the lack of doing anything during the early weeks:)  I havent done one of these details posts since last September, and looking back it is crazy how much has changed.  I mean.. my big girls were SO little, just weeks into being potty trained and although I don't feel like things have changed all that much, it really has!

I know eventually we will get back to some normalcy, but right now, this is our normal.