14 plus one day old.....

I feel like life has been crazy for us the past 15 days with having Marin and having Grandma KayLee here, but today, the plus one day, is a little slower and nice. So what has been happening, I have been trying to adjust. First I don't know what I would have done with out KayLee here. She was so amazing about doing the laundry, cooking (which there is no way I would ever get to pre-prego weight with that woman's amazing cooking), and playing with the kids. I am so lucky to have such a generous mother-in-law who is very aware of the needs of others. I really hope that one day I can be the kind of mother-in-law she is.

We had such a great visit and we were constantly doing something fun. We went to the zoo, amish country, chuck e cheese, Catan action, shopping, ate out, took Grandma for her first Malley's experience, and even got her to the pool one evening. It was so sad to see her go (I didn't have the courage to say good bye so I stayed in my bedroom as they pulled away, I am getting worse with good byes). Here are some pics of our good times with gram.


At the beach


The Der Dutchman restaurant


Mommy holding the peanut while eating


Group shot that some missionaries took for us.


Getting the hay


The horse and buggy, and notice how Porter is holding his shorts, he had another fall.


These two are best buds, always playing.


On the train, KayLee bought tickets for the kids so her and I could go into the quilt shop.


Gotta love Chuck E Cheese


KayLee playing memory with the girls.


I love to watch Porter swim, he loves to do laps!


Carlee showing her slide skills to Grandma.


Tessa was a little more interested in her sucker from Kim.


KayLee and Marin at the pool.

So, I think it is pretty clear that we had a great time with Grandma being here and I will admit, I was a little tired the day she left. More on Marin....she is a great baby and the kids love her. I think I am having a struggle with myself and Tessa. She is just so young still and I keep forgetting that she is just two years old. Tessa just speaks so well so it is easier for me to forget her age, she just acts older. Other than that the kids are great and are loving having a baby in the house. Marin has been sleeping great too, just waking up to eat and poop, and then right back to sleep it is. I have been having fun with her in the night, I love seeing her face in the light of the night light and her little dark eyes looking up at me. I just can't help but smother her in kisses. And since I am awake while I am feeding her I have been catching up on some of my favorite movies and I just started watching the first season of Lost, Andy got it for me from the library.

Everyone keeps asking me how it has been transitioning to having four kids and I don't know how to respond. I think this week will be the true test, Andy works everyday and Porter is starting first grade, so get back to me later in the week. But so far it has been okay, I am just doing the best I can and I have had a lot of great support from everyone around me. And on that note, here are more pics of the past 14 days......


Marin in the sunlight, we were afraid of her jaundice getting worse. I love her little body.


Tessa can never just give her one kiss at a time, it is so sweet.


Carlee is so good at getting her to sleep.


Another cute Marin pic.


Marin got her first real dip after her cord fell off, the whole crew got to help.


We were already in bed when I saw Marin looking so cute I had to get up and get the camera. I love her hair after her bath, it is so funny and full of volume.

A Treasure....

KayLee and I were out looking for antiques and found this old baby scale and we both knew instantly that it would perfect for baby pictures. KayLee stole this scale for only eight bucks!!!! Hello, the guy at the store did not do his research...we did. Anyway, we played with it tonight and thankfully Marin cooperated and it doesn't hurt that KayLee has a rockin' camera. I think the outcome is great. I look at this picture and cannot believe that this angel is mine.

Marin Ruth has arrived....

Marin was born on Saturday August 7, 2010 at 2:44 p.m.
She weighed 8 pounds 11 ounces and was 21 and a half inches long.

I cannot believe that she is here and so many thoughts, feelings, and emotions are going through my mind right now. I cannot even begin to guess how many hours I have spent just starring at her and thinking about how beautiful she is and how amazing her spirit is. I feel so incredibly lucky to have been blessed with another healthy baby girl.

Having Marin was a whirlwind, the day and whole experience was nothing like I thought it would be, but I would not change anything. I am just so grateful to have an amazing husband, children, and support system (KayLee, I cannot imagine the past few days without you here). I have had many of those moments where I evaluate my life since I met Andy and since we have been married. I am truly humbled by all of it, how did I get to be so blessed. I never in my wildest dreams that I would have 4 children, let alone, one boy and three girls, but now that I do, I cannot imagine my world any other way.


She's here!


Our biggest baby yet!


I finally get to hold her.


I loved looking over at Andy putting her in front of the window, I had to grab the camera and snap this, you can just see the joy on his face.


We are a big crew now.


Waiting for us to get home


Center of attention


If I cannot find Porter, he is probably doing this.


Tessa just likes to show her stuff.


Marin does a lot of yawning.


She is such a realxed little baby.

Summer Market, Family Fun Fest, oh, and I am 29 now....

I guess I will start with my birthday....thank you to all my friends and family who made me feel super special. My day was amazing, between cake and candles, flowers, cards, packages, singing messages, FB messages, and visits from friends, it was soooooo good. One of the best things about my birthday this year was the gift I gave myself, a ticket to the Lilith Fair. The concert was this past week and it was "all that and a bag of chips". People I saw-Sara Baraelleis (she sings Love Song and Gravity), Courtyard Hounds (they are the break off girls of Dixie Chicks), Mary J. Blige (she freakin' rocked the house with the theme song of my life No More Drama), and of course Sarah McLachlan. The night was amazing filled with music that both made me cry and gave me the kind of chills where you have to shave your legs again. I am a weirdo I know, but my whole life has some sort of connection to music and there are moments and memories that become so clear when I hear the first note of a tune. My friend Jill went with me last minute- - thanks Jill for the fun time and for eating Mc D's in the car with me.

Moving on to the Summer Market, which was on my birthday this year. It started Friday night and went all day Saturday. The market was fun and so beautiful. It was right on the lake and I really think I had the best spot. I shared a booth with a girl who had a product I was not so sure about, but she was very nice and pregnant too. Overall it was a great experience and I would do it again and I want to do it again. Now that I have done one show and know what to expect I plan on preparing this up-coming year and having different inventory, my mind is racing of things I want to make. Best moments of the show were my first sale, which happened to be when Andy was there with the kids and Porter and Carlee were both yelling "are they buying a towel mom, did she just buy a towel mom?????", surprise visits from Sara and Lauralee, and my 88 year old friend named Ellie who lived down the street who I met Friday night and she came back to see me Saturday morning, let's just say she was a talker but a true inspiration, and last but not least having an ice cream cone with Jill.


The view from my booth friday night


My booth on friday, can you see the orange bucket under the table that Andy made me bring to put my foot on.


The key chains I make hanging on the jar with my business cards.


Getting ready Saturday morning with Tessa, she came into the bathroom and said "excuse me, I have to get ready now" but instead she just made cute faces with her mouth.


Jill and I Saturday before we closed down shop, yeah, I know I am VERY pregnant.

I have to, have to, give a special shout out to a few people. First off Andy, you let me run with this crazy idea and supported my every step. You never complained that I was buying towels or when I made you go to Jo-Anns with me to use a coupon, or when I asked you five million times to do math with me. You are the best hubby and father. Jack, thank you for being there last minute to set up my tent for me and for carrying all of my stuff, I am a little handicapped right now and you filled in a big hold in the entire process, it truly means so much. Jill, dude, you sat with me and entire Saturday while I tried to sell some towels, hello, greatest friend ever. Thank you for bringing your chairs and for spending the day with me and for making some sales while I was busy or talking with Ellie, it means so much.

One of the best things about where we live is that it is so family friendly and there are always things happening that are FREE! Last night in our quaint little city was the Family Fun Fest which meant games and a movie in the park. After dinner we walked down, well I waddled behind everyone else, and the kids had a blast. They played some games with friends, got some free candy, made jewlery, had things painted on their arms, and finally settled down to watch Kung Fu Panda. I ended up going home early with Tessa, she was tired and I needed the compression hose on my legs, so we left and watched The Natural while eating ice chips in bed. Overall our weekend was crazy but very fun and memorable. Thanks again to everyone for your love and support, I feel so grateful for all the blessings I have in my life right now.


P-man requested I take this photo and that it be out on the blog.


The girls in their new ride from Grandma KayLee.


I laughed when I went to push the button to cross the street, can my belly look any bigger?


All shiny and new.


The sky above us.


Carlee at the painting station.