weekend + July fourth

Man I am riding the struggle bus to keep up with the daily happenings of this crew of mine.  a little recap for ya of our weekend and fourth of July holiday festivities.. lets start with Sunday, well because thats the only day I got dressed and snapped any kind of photos to share:) 

Sunday morning we made it (barely) to the early service at church and me and the girls were really feeling the boho vibe, and so Jordan kindly snapped a pic for us.  Baker is the only one looking and her eyes are closed.. so this is a perfect depiction of my life right now- ha! everyone going in different directions, and I'm in the middle trying to keep the plates spinning! 

..side note.. my pants are like 5 years old from LOFT, but I LOVE them. Definitely my favorite for summer.

Sunday afternoon we laid by the pool and grilled and filled up on homemade ice cream that never turned into ice cream because the motor of our maker quit on us after just a couple minutes of spinning. so we drank them as milkshakes.. and even still I use that term loosely.  

Brady looking so dang cuteeee in his trunks and hat.  give me all the baby boy hats.  all of them.

thanks.

you can find my sunglasses HERE (use code AMBER25 for 25% off!); my hat HERE, swim top is from KJ HERE, but the print is no longer available.  layered necklaces HERE (I'm wearing 14" and 16")

Brady's hat HERE and trunks HERE

our weekend ended, but not for long before it was time for more fun on the fourth!

I wil forever match these baby girls together.. well until the day they tell me they are over it and how "uncool" it is.  but until then.. (insert dancing red dress emoji)

big girls shirts HERE and their shorts HERE.. Baker's bows HERE via Sutter Sisters.  shortalls HERE and her cute little top HERE

oh my goodness I love this crew of mine.  

we headed out to meet Auntie + Uncle J and then headed to the Freedom Fest in Frisco.. but first, it didn't happen without a photo, right?

thanks to Uncle J for his mad camera skillz

you can find my tee HERE and my shorts HERE (on sale!)

my hat is from the texas rangers ball park..I haven't been able to find it online yet:)

lots of people.  lots of herding cats.  lots of sweat.

still so cute anyway, right??   these two babes.  I can't believe they will be TWO in like DAYS.

 hey Brady, why so serious?

waiting patiently for cool A/C and the best pizza we have ever eaten!

if you are in the area, hit up Pizzeria Testa and you won't regret it!

my favorite bandana bibs HERE, romper HERE, and sister handmedown moccs HERE

we didnt last long after dinner.. y'all it was SO freakin hot. we hit up the dip'n'dot tent and then headed back to Auntie + Uncle J's house to view the fireworks show from the park near their house. sparklers were a hit!  we stopped at a stand to grab some and I'm so glad we did- sweet Baker and Grayson were new to the sparkler scene and had such a good time with them! Baker kept saying "whoa!" everytime to fire works exploded- SO cute.

love ya, America! XO, Baker Bree

I hope everyone had a safe and happy fourth!

Father's Day at the lake

after last week's drama and craziness with Jolie, we needed a break.  mentally and emotionally drained coupled with the exhaustion of my first week back to work + Brady's first cold (allergies!!) I was DONE and needed to decompress.

we had planned another lake trip with our Supper Club before we even left the last time- which happened to be Mother's Day weekend, but it couldn't have come at a better time.  two days of uninterrupted fun and zero plans but eating, drinking, and playing with our closest friends + the kiddos that have grown up together since birth.  the weather was perfect, not scorching hot like I was afraid of, and there was even a little breeze off the lake.  we lounged on the giant back porch, drank beer punch (which is AMAZING) and made huge pots of spaghetti for dinner + about 400 sandwiches for lunch to feed this crew of babes.  we celebrated Landon turning 6 years old with cake and ice cream and then loved on the dad's on Sunday for their special day.  looking at these pictures from the weekend makes me realize how lucky we are to be surrounded with such a core group of people to do life with.  people I trust, love, and would do anything for.  and all these kids!!  how FUN (and chaotic) life will always be. 

five on Friday | life lately

so theres a bit more than five items on the agenda for this Friday edition of life lately, but ya'll - we have been SO busy!  my days are running together and my babies are changing by the second.. especially Brady that basically gains a neck roll every 24 hours and Baker clearly has bear hands compared to her little brother.  its all the "buttah" (peanut butter!) we've got a lot to cover, so lets hop right to it!

one. school's out

the big girls had their last day of preschool last week!  it was the fasted year if our life and looking back, those girls have grown, changed, learned, and loved so much since last September.  the end of this year was extra special/emotional/sentimental because their preschool (mothers day out program) is transitioning to a private preschool academy.  it was the final school year as CT Kids, and I'll admit to tearing up at drop off that morning when I hugged their teachers, Ms. Sarah and Ms. Stacey.  for that and many other reasons, Jordan and I decided to keep them out of a preschool program for this last year before they go into kindergarten.  it may seem so backwards to some, but this is the last year of these two being home all day everyday for the next 14 years!  I am still working part time and my days off are days that they would be in school- I just don't want to miss anything, you know? we have hired a nanny to help when myself and Jordan are not there and this sweet girl is working towards becoming a kindergarten teacher and she's agreed to tutor them for a couple hours everyday she's there!

sunnies HERE + suits HERE + shoes HERE

 two. bootcamp

so. I started back to working out last week.. bootcamp has left me pretty sore, but at the end of my second week of camp gladiator I am feeling pretty good! trying to figure out a schedule with Brady on all this has been a challenge but we are working it out!  I am doing CGFit, which is similar to what I did in my first camp that I ever completed last June (see my progress HERE) and I'm excited to get back into the swing of it!  its amazing how out of shape I have become. I plan to do a recap in the next couple weeks!

 three. summer supper club

last weekend we met the supper club crew for pizza (and lots of wine!!).  after dinner the adults passed around a pint of ben + jerry's and a spoon and watched all our babies run and play together in the fountains.  this was just a couple days before we welcomed number 19 to our group!

four. memorial day

we posted up in our usual spot at a family friend's pool and played the day away in the water.  the weather was perfect and the girls were DARLING in their matching suits.  I bought the twins these exact suits in purple last year and I snatched them up as fast as I could when I saw them online again this season. AND- that poolside hairwrap?! give me all the Shelby Chic!!  she's started to release her poolside line and I love it all!  use code PBANDJ for a discount that never expires :)

 the cutest yellow suits HERE

five. summer hair + baker's first!

mama went blonde for summer.. even with a bit of silver mixed in!  my oldest and dearest friend, Angela has been doing my hair since I was 14 years old after I went to Florida with some family friends and poured about four bottles of sun-in on my hair- anyone remember sun-in?? not to mention she did up-do's for four proms, three homecomings, a couple firefighter balls.. my wedding + all my bridesmaids.  and now she been giving my baby's their first cut.  Baker got the last of her baby hair trimmed out this week.  

baker's onesie HERE + shorts HERE

 girlfriend was being such a stinker.. throwing a fit over nothing at all, and therefore cried through the entire thing.  Jo was trying to comfort her.. and Parker stuck a half eaten dum-dum sucker in her mouth.. still with all the tears.

 in the end we both are loving our summer hair!  if you are local give her a shout HERE

six. hello, carter grant

I can't believe Carter is here!!  one of my best friends, Ashley, also known as Auntie to my kiddos (and the blog), had her second baby boy this week! I made my way up to the hospital on Tuesday just a couple hours after Carter was born to get in some baby snuggles and to hug her neck.  I always get so emotional about stuff like this! the next day we brought the girls up to meet the newest little guy. they loved him just as they love Brady!   Baker is so baby obsessed- she claims, Carter as her own! sorry Auntie, but this girl is convinced that she needs this baby more than you do. 

 Parker + Jolie's top HERE and clip HERE

 these dads and their boys!  so many years to come with these babies growing up together.  I can't wait!! how amazing is it that our babies are so close in age? love it.

seven. take me out to the ballgame

we took Brady out to his second Rangers baseball game this week! we celebrated Brittany's birthday at the ballpark and Brady tagged along while the girls had a sleepover with their BB and Papa.  this time he was awake for the majority of the game and finally passed out when I wrapped him up in the Solly.

 Brady's onesie HERE and similar shorts HERE

he's such a HAM.  I love every inch of this boy and I basically want about 4 more just like him!  who wants to sign my petition to present to Jordan in support of baby number five?

its the weekend! lets see what we can get ourselves into- see ya Monday! XO!

Weekend with Nana + Duke

another weekend, another road trip! this time we headed south to visit my mom and dad for a long weekend.  my mom works for a large hotel company, so we bank on our hotel stay anytime we visit. we arrived Thursday afternoon and headed straight to the pool!  the temps have been hitting the 90's but the water is still freezing so while the girls and their dad took their first official dip of the summer season, I hung out in the chairs with my mom and Brady.

its no secret that I'm obsessed with all things kortni jeane!  mama+mini high waisted suits for the win!  I also cannot get over how amazing this off the shoulder top is- I was pleasantly surprised when I put it on and it offered so much support! I'm also loving the tie up front bottoms.. the wrap+knot combo covers the "c section shelf" you can clearly see through my bathing suit.  it is much worse after my third csection- hoping some cardio will tighten it up a bit! until then.. I'll be wrapping it up as best I can:)

babes!!  Baker was having the best time! 

 we went back to my parent's house and my mom made spaghetti, which I am still thinking about TODAY, and then pigged out on homemade chocolate chip cookies!  Jolie always dives nose first into my mom's collection of stuffed animals and Parker helps herself to the cat toys while said cat hides for the three days we visit.    

f r i d a y

 Friday morning my mom and I took the big girls to get pedicures.  growing up, my mom and I went to the nail salon often.. one of the only "mother-daughter" things we ever did.  I have been taking the twins since they were Baker's age and they always have the BEST time!  this was the first time all four of us have gone and my mom was dying at the cuteness.

  we left the nail salon and spent another afternoon at the pool. 

and another KJ swimmer!  the styles of the top and bottom are still available, but I got them back in March and I am not sure if the pattern/color is an option still.  

Brady has been living in these sleeveless onesies from golden hill designs- Baker was my first summer baby and basically wore a different color everyday!  my favorite is the urban brown- goes with everything!  

ALSO.. check out my sunnies from diff eyewear!  how adorable for summer and I just cannot get enough!  

use code AMBER25 for a special 25% discount on your entire purchase! 

uncle pat made the trip as well and got there late afternoon:)

Parker + Jolie's swim suits HERE

 when we have visited, the big girls always stay with my parents while Jordan and I (Baker and now Brady, too) stay at the hotel just a short drive away. I don't know why I didn't notice it before, but when I was kissing the girls goodnight I realized that the bed the girls sleep in at my parent's house is the same bed I slept in at my grandparent's house at their age.  

Saturday came and brought the rain.  we hung out at my parents house the entire day and my dad ended up pulling out old family photos. we drank coffee and snacked on my mom's chocolate chip cookies.. took naps and just didn't do a thing all day until we all went our for Mexican food on Saturday night.  

NOW we all know where my kids get their cheeks from!

 ..and can we just talk about how much this picture of me looks like Brady??!  I was shocked.. and how in the world did I not know I had so much hair when I was a babe?

s u n d a y 

saturday night Jolie started running a fever, so we took all the kiddos back to the hotel with us and made due with all these babies in one hotel suite.  thankfully Jolie's fever was short lived but it was actually a lot less chaotic and so much more fun than I thought it would be!

Brady snoozed the entire weekend in his dockatot and slept just as he did if we were home- yas!

we also have been using the nested bean swaddle and OHMUHGOSH its amazing.  I cannot speak enough great things about this swaddle!  I plan to do a full review very soon, but we love them!

 Brady's tank top HERE + leggings HERE

 find my diaper bag HERE + my favorite weekender HERE! 

 we grabbed coffee with my brothers just before we hit to road. I've got 13 years on Sam (on the left) and about 6 years on Patrick.. but they're not that little these days.

you can find my tee HERE + postpartum leggings HERE and my FAVorite sneakers HERE

 making the road for home we stopped for dinner and to stretch our legs.

pancakes + coffee (and a cheeseburger for Jo) on a Sunday night with my sweet crew of favorite people.

 second weekend in a row to be out of town and we are all thankful to be home for a bit to settle into summer! this week marks the last week of preschool for those big girls and we have many things planned for this summer- hoping we can fit it all in! 

can't wait for many more memories made with these kids and my hubby beside me.