Horrible Rotten Day

Today was just one of those horrible, rotten days you just want to forget. A's sick and miserable, G's sick and miserable, C is on the mend and bored to death and S is mad because we've missed her last day of swimming lessons. Somehow though in the midst of all this (as I can say looking back because in the moment was sheer misery) they are still amazing and have their moments of fun and creativity. So I thought being grateful is thinking about and reflecting on my day (other than the vomiting and lots of pooping going on). It included S pulling C around on a leash (kitty C), a bucket full of ice and soap-four kids- and a whole assortment of stirring devices making some soupy concoction with chef S at the helm.

The poop patrol on the lookout for doggie doo in the backyard which A insists for some reason unbeknownst to me must be picked up IMMEDIATELY regardless of what I am doing.

The care and concern for your sister or brother. When I go in to find G (even though he is clearly sick too) sneaking in to check on A hugging her and asking her if she's okay.

Sick kids sleeping in bathtubs.

But the BEST of all and today really stuck out in my mind was the 20 minutes or so we all spent together in the backyard this evening. A sitting in my lap, C and S working the soccer ball and W tyring to teach G to throw the baseball overhanded instead of the underhanded pitch he was insisting on (along with sound effects of woosh or swish). I don't know what it was about tonight but it was just special being all together as a family in the backyard playing.

On another note I don't remember from childhood was the locust chirping all day long. The kids actually think they are talking to them and it's so funny to listen to the kids ask them "questions" just to get a "sbuzz" in return.

Life is GOOD. God is good and maybe it's time I start recording to remember and start living in the MOMENT instead of worrying and anxiety about what's next. Guess we will see.......

Greatful Journal

Apparently I am the world's worst journaler (if that's even a word). Today I was cleaning out the closet when I came across a "grateful" journal I had kept about ten years ago. I remember picking out that journal what seemed like years ago and remembering how I would forever write down everyday a little piece of my history. I think I made it all of 10 or so days before life once again became too busy to write, but oh how I enjoyed looking back at a snippet of that time in my life.

Today my life is vastly different. For starters I am ten years older. To wish away youth is such a foolish thing that as you age you would give almost anything to get it back. But the biggest change is that I am a MOM. It still seems so surreal to me that I am the adult with the husband, kids, dog and beautiful house. When did I grow up and start having to deal with adult situations? The thing I miss most about being young is not worrying about what lies ahead. Now that I'm a bit older I constantly worry about what the future holds for our family, the health and well being of the kids, Walter and myself. With that comes ANXIETY about what's ahead-something that is a bit new for me. Don't get me wrong I wouldn't trade where I am now for anything in the world but I could do without the anxiousness I feel, the questions I have-am I a good mother? am I am good partner/wife? Those things seem to weigh heavily on me as I try to balance time for everyone in the process of trying to reconnect to who I really am. I've lost sight at times of just living in the moment rather than the day to day grind and worrying about the future. Today was one of those days I don't want to loose in that day to day existence so instead I've picked up the pen yet again to see where it will lead me. Maybe just today, tomorrow, next week or not again for years but once again I've found a snippet of time to record so another 10 years from now I can see how far our family has come.

We're Back!

Okay so it has only taken me almost a year to get back on our blogger account! After changing email accounts and then addresses along with a little sleep deprivation in there somewhere and not being able to recover passwords we are now back on line. I won't even begin to promise regular updates because there is just nothing like 3 three year olds and a 5 year old to make you super crazy busy and well just a little plain crazy too! Hoping soon to update with some pictures as the past year has pretty much flown by and well our "babies" are no longer babies!

Hot, Hot, Hotter

Well finally found a minute to update everyone on how things are going here in Texas. Hot doesn't even began to describe the temperature here lately. We were spoiled rotten for two years in LA by almost year round perfect weather and we miss it! We miss our "Happy Hour" as it was loving coined by our friend Karlton. We spent most afternoons outside running around in the front yard and hanging out with our great neighbors. Now most afternoons are spent lounging around inside where there is airconditioning. The kids are going stir crazy and so is there momma! Fall can't come soon enough!

The count down to school is on. Miss S will be going 5 half days a week and she is "sort of" excited she tells me. She still asks about all her old friends at LCUMCC. We are hoping she will make some new friends soon. Lots of kids her age in the neighborhood all too waiting for cooler weather finally get to come out and play. The triplets too are looking forward to school. We have talked about it a lot and now each day G asks Shool today?? Too cute. They are talking more and more and it is so exciting, of course some days the non stop talking is overwhelming :)

We are all doing well. Walter is finally getting settled in at work and we are getting settled in here at home. We are getting the chance to catch up with family and old school friends and that has been great. Now if we can only cool off the weather :)

Here are a few pictures to share....
The kids at an indoor park

Out on the boat



More of the kids...




Joy gets a girls weekend away with some old friends

All Moved In, Sort of

Hi to everyone from Texas! We are finally moved in (if you don't count the several boxes hiding in the garage). We are also finally back on the internet. It took forever for us to get connected here so hence the month long delay in updating.

The kids are going great. Our flight from LA was uneventful which is an amazing thing to say with triplets +one. Our only snag was in security when G decided that he was not really into taking his shoes off before going through the security line. I think he thought they were going to take his shoes forever or something, but other than that not much to report.

The rain clouds have finally lifted. It rained every single day for the first two weeks we were here. The kids loved it the first couple days since rain is not something you see everyday in Los Angeles. In fact in the two years we lived there we really only saw it rain a handful of times, but that fascination quickly wore off since they realized they couldn't go out in the rain all the time. The plus side is I have never seen Dallas this green at the end of July. Usually by now everything is dried up and brown and there have been several days of 100+ temps. Now admittedly we are wimps after spending time in California because low 90's is hot, but the kids don't seem to notice.

The kids also love the "new house" which is what they are still calling it. Having stairs to run up and down has been super exciting for them and a little room to spread out has been nice. The backyard though leaves much to be desired. It is really small compared to our yard in California, but we are adjusting.

S is finally starting to take a liking to Texas although that was debatable up until recently. For days she cried that she hated it here and wanted her old house and her old friends. She is like her momma...she hates change! She misses playing outside and looking for critters. Unfortunately she is learning lots of Texas critters bite. She still loves bugs but now asks me if they will bite or sting her before she tries to capture one. She is ready to go back to school since the kids don't start until late August again here, but she is still saying she doesn't want to go to a new school. So we will see how that one goes.

We have really enjoyed having the grandparents close by and the kids are being spoiled rotten, but we miss California too. Hopefully later in the week I can update with some pictures of some of new adventures in the big state of Texas!

Crazy Busy

Things have been crazy busy around here. We are winding down our "extended vacation" here in Los Angeles and we are starting to say our goodbyes. We are having lots of "lasts" lately. Last play dates, last therapy sessions, last family gatherings with the extended family (for a while at least) and reality is starting to set in and it's hard! LA is the only home the triplets have ever really known and all their "firsts" happened here which makes it all the harder to leave. We have been really blessed to make lots of great friends in our time here and of course that always makes it really hard too.



On the flip side though we are so blessed that we are getting the opportunity to move back home to where we grew up. Our kids will grow up knowing their grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins and that's something we are so excited about (even though we could do without the heat and mosquitoes!:)

I am guessing with the move happening this week and being out of pocket for a the next few weeks it will be a while before we will be able to update so signing off for now. Hoping to update everyone on our moving adventure soon. To our Texas friends and family we are anxious to come home and we will see y'all soon and to our LA friends and family we are already planning on how we will get back for a visit :)

More Babies!

We are now the proud parents of another set of triplets (2 boys and a girl). How might you ask? Well it all started when Shrek had triplets and in return our triplets needed some triplets. Confusing hun? Well here is a picture of our two sets of triplets :)

Our triplets with their Shrek triplets.

G's New Highlights

Not that things haven't been exciting around here. The problem is it's been way too exciting. Never a minute to even sit down and post. Think of what a tornado would do if it whipped around your house and that's what we have going on times 4. The kids are off to school and I am off to work picking up the pieces of what's left of our house after the kids go spinning through it. A new, bigger house can't come soon enough. It's going to have a playroom for sure so I can shut the door on clutter. Right now my living room looks like a scene from a toy store.

Before I go one quick picture of why life in our house is never dull.

So what do you all think of G's new look. Should we keep the highlights C so lovingly painted on her brothers head? I'll try to post a few more pictures of the little tornadoes if I get everything done today.

Oh the sickness

I am so behind on all the happenings in our little corner of the universe. Can you hear me knocking on wood before what I am about to say?? I think we are all well. It has been two miserable weeks of sickness in some form or the other in our house. We've had sleepless nights, ear infections, sinus infections, coughing, sneezing, vomiting, and breathing treatments. No one was spared although Walter, S and I faired much better than the triplets. We are still not sure what everyone had but so glad whatever IT was is gone. At least for the time being. Let me tell you that chasing around 3 two year olds with a crazy fish looking mask and telling them to breath in the "smoke" is no easy chore. Especially when G is screaming NO FISHY! I now have a few more honorable gray hairs to add to the ever brooding patch of them on my head. Who knows before too long I might get tempted to cover up these crazy hairs and end up a blond or redhead. Of course that would require time to myself to get that done and time seems to be in short supply lately.

On another note we are now in the process of getting estimates for the big move come June. Southwestern wants it all done now even though it still seems so far away. I am praying that somehow we will be able to swing having the moving company pack us, because as it is now I can't even fathom it. I honestly can't clean up this 1000 sq ft. house so not sure how I could possible pack it. Oh well guess we will see. Although on another note we did celebrate the less than 100 day mark two days ago. Today we are down to 98 if anyone is keeping count. Not that we are or anything.

Well must hush. Waiting for the plumber. That in and of itself is a whole other story. Let's just say a house with 6 people needs more than ONE bathroom.

A Day at the Beach

I'm so not good at updating our blog. Oh well such is the life of one with 4 children 4 and under. All 4 little lovelies are off to preschool today so I have a few minutes to spare for a change (actually there's laundry to be done, dishes to be washed, rooms to be cleaned, etc...but I am ignoring that inner urge to go clean up for the time being).

Well we have been couped up in this tiny house for weeks with unseasonably cold weather for So. Cal and unseasonably snotty, sick and down right mean kids. Not to mention a momma who hasn't gotten enough "beauty sleep" as darling little S calls it. So by this weekend I had had enough. No more inside and we were off for some fresh air! Well luckily the weather cooperated and so did the kids. We spent Sunday at a beach near Malibu called Zuma beach and had a fabulous time. There were tears when G decided that sand was to throw in A, C & S's eyes, A hated the feeling of the freezing cold water on her toes, C decided naked was more fun than being clothed (she spilled her drink down her clothes and got to wander around in her bloomers) and S couldn't fine one single sand crab while we were there. But on a high note they spent a good part of the day terrorizing poor seagulls, chasing each other in circles and down right wearing themselves out. Once again we got a taste of the beautiful California coast and gorgeous weather. Things we are going to miss when we decend on Dallas in the 100 degree temps come July, but the thing we will have come July is family closer by to share these wonderful kids with. In fact Walt and I are planning on sharing them so much with the grandparents we may sneak back to California for a weekend to enjoy it with just the two of us.

On a sidebar we met a couple this weekend at the beach who we got the chance to chat with. We are always hesitant when approached because we generally get the OH MY GOSH ARE THEY TRIPLETS? and How on Earth did that happen questions (usually followed by other strange, weird and downright crazy comments), but we got the Is this all you are going to have question? I am so tired of hearing that one, but the dad jumped in to explain that they had 7 kids and their youngest was a junior in college. Both he and his wife went on to say what a blessing each of their children were to them and that we were so lucky to have these kids. The dad even said the saddest day of his life was when their last one went off to college. Walter and I walked away once again reminded of the enormous blessing God gave us when intrusting us with these children. There were many days that I prayed on hands and knees to be blessed with a child. Little did I know what God had in store for us and with each day regardless of our struggles we are reminded how truly blessed we are. On a sidenote we both commented on how young they looked to have 7 kids. So we decided having lots of kids must keep you young. We are hoping our 4 will do the trick :)