4 kids and all...

I heard someone say the other day "you know... she's tired...she's got...like...4 kids...and all."  yeah... that pretty much sums it up.  4 kids and all.

When did summers get so busy?  And I don't even feel like we have a schedule quite like some of my friends.  June was full of a beach trip, VBS, doctor appointments for everyone, getting ready for 4th of July activities and birthday parties.  Then July hits.  Next thing I know I'm ordering new backpacks and school supplies.  Swim lessons, Kids' Camp, and our yearly summer trip to Tennessee to visit my family.   Bam.  School starts the week after we get back.  I had "plans" to clean out closets, swap seasonal clothing in the kids' closets, do some major cleaning out with baby clothes/items and decorating our master bedroom.  Not.happening.  ugh.

I've had another psoriasis flareup and I can't use pregnancy or breastfeeding hormones to help that out anymore.  I finally met with a rheumatologist concerning my psoriatic arthritis (seeing as how my psoriasis WAS under control at the time).  I have been taking methotrexate since March and they have increased my dose twice and I'm still not seeing a huge benefit yet.  The arthritis is slightly better but I caught strep at the beach and it triggered a flareup.  So obviously the mtx didn't prevent that (which it technically probably should have).  Next step is adding Humira injectable...and I was really hoping to avoid that.  But here I am with Mati Claire telling me it looks like I have chicken pox.

I started back on my Advocare and TeamFit plans.  Its INTENSE!  I feel like I spend most of my days either taking my supplements, planning my meals so I can be prepared on the go, or actually eating one of my six meals.  You definitely don't go hungry on this plan but its definitely not for the sissies.  We've discovered MuscleEgg.  When you there are certain days you can be eating up to almost 15 egg whites a day.... you will vomit egg whites when you exercise.   so we drink them now.  tastes like chocolate milk.  again, its hard core stuff!  But I'm dedicated to losing weight and getting in shape!  I would post pictures, but I'm not ready for that yet.  I have lost technically about 15 lbs.  put on alot of muscle too (so you can't really go by the scales).  I've lost a total of 12" all over so far.  I still have a long way to go, but consistency is the key and I'm hanging in there.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY to my 2 beautiful girls!  Mati Claire turned 9 and Merritt turned 4.  Being 5 years apart, its really hard to do a joint party when they are so different and in different times in their life.  Merritt is still a die-hard Mickey Mouse fan and Mati Claire wants preteen activities.  They may look similar but they are total opposites.  When Mati Claire begs and pleads with me to not have to share "her day" -- its really hard to argue with her.  BUT... this mommy is pushing 40 and I can not party for 2 straight days anymore.  With the planning, the cleaning, the gifts, the traveling to wherever, the feeding, and even the fun of it... I can't hang.  Soon next year we have decided we will do a joint swim party (now that Merritt isn't terrified of the water anymore).  I will even 2 separate cakes if they want, as long as its on the same day and same time - so I only have clean up ONCE in one location.

Getting in shape to be "40 and Fit" brings me to my next note:  Matt will be turning 40 next year!  How I wish the blog had emoji's!! hahahahaha!  Me being the planner that I am... and accepting the fact that he is NOT a party kind of guy (at all)... we are going on a trip!  Alone!  Well, together, but leaving the kids with my parents!  For TWOOOO whole weeks!!!!!!!!!  oh my goodness I'm so excited!  And I have a whole year to try to contain the excitement!  Flights are booked.  Trip/hotels are booked.  Now I'm nervous.  a whole year to contemplate how I'm going to leave Mason for 2 straight weeks = we will be Facetiming ALOT!

 We loooove our "Chachel" so much.  Mitt wasn't a fan of jumping -- but only if Chachel did it with her!  And Mason can spot frosting from across a room.  He goes crazy for cake!

 a Minnie party for our skinny minnie!  We love our Mrs. Ty too!  The world is a better place because of Mrs. Ty!  It is a Minnie miracle that the cake survived the car trip for an hour.  I think it was about to fall apart by the time we got to the lake!

March Madness

March has been crazy busy!  I guess that's every month for me now though.  :\

Tried to relax during our Spring Break.  Mattox's birthday.  He's 6 now if I didn't post about that.   He had a very low-key birthday this year and didn't mind his lack of a big party as long as he still got some cool birthday gifts.  Nerf guns!

My Mason man turned 1.  I blinked and he's 1.  Why is it the harder you try to remember every little detail about everything during those first sweet months, that when you look back - it seems like a blur?  He pretty much sums up the definition of being the baby.  Looks up to the older ones, tries to do what they do.  He never lacks for entertainment!  He is ALL boy...and getting a little aggressive... he likes to hit and scratch at you.  Getting rough already!  I stopped breastfeeding about a week ago.  I cried and sulked for 2 days.  But its time to move on.  He was NOT happy about it, but finally taking the sippy cup.  He also quit baby food and only wants what we have for meals (another Merritt??)  If my pregnancy was any indication, then he won't have any trouble with foods!  He weighs 21 lbs and is 31 inches tall.  He FINALLY started sleeping all night on a regular basis!!!!  Hallelujah!  Will pull up, but not walking yet (thank goodness).  Seeing as his birthday is the day after St. Patrick's Day, I'm afraid he will always have a little green in his birthdays!   It rained that day, so we had alot of the decorations planned for outside - had to move them in - so they didn't get the same effect they were meant to.  :(  but he LOVED his cake and was my only child to dig into it!  He thought it was hilarious that I was actually letting him throw it everywhere!

(his pics below)

Merritt spent a week with Gigi and Poppy in Tennessee.  It was a REALLY nice and much appreciated break from her.  I did feel guilty.  But then again, all my other kids have spent a week with them in the summer (usually all together) -- so it was her first time!  I keep asking myself if its her age (terrible 3's) or if its her personality.   At the moment I think its a little of both.  But she.drives.me.crazy.  I am mentally drained by the end of each day from her alone.  I love her to death and would do anything for her, but her voice sounds like nails scratching down a chalkboard most days.  Constant, loud, and shrieking usually.   I feel like I'm attempting to break that free spirit of hers (with no success), but I honestly don't know what else to do.  She also has to learn to behave and the rules of certain settings.  That's such a fine line to walk.  According to everyone else, she's an angel.  Yeahhhh.... they don't see her at home.  Not buying that for one second.  But here's a pretty angelic picture of her, right? ;)

And Mati Claire is the best big sister that ever lived.  She helps.  She entertains.  She excels at school which makes my job easier.  She behaves.  Just an overall joy to have.  I would be lost without her.  

MC and her best friend Brooke at their 80's class party.

I stopped breastfeeding, and started my Advocare.  I also started my exercise plan for the next 12 weeks through TeamFitMom (www.teamfitmom.com).  It.is.insane.  You can tell its been 2 years since I've worked out!  But will post before/after pics if and when the time calls for it!

My local store/lady "Meme's Bakery" made this and it turned out perfect!  Delicious too!

"Mommy doesn't like for my hands to get dirty...so I'll try it like this..."

"Wait, she's going to let me do it anyway?..."

"and this is just the beginning...this is awesome!"

My sis and me.  excuse the medicine cabinet behind me...but that's real life!

We LOVE our "chachel"

Shenanigans is definitely his middle name!

my "wee one" with her Ty!

"the Luckiest Big Sister" and she knows it.  she loves her siblings even though she won't admit it.  

8 is Great!

Having 2 girls with birthdays 1 day apart is hard!  I think I know how twins must feel now always having to share your birthday with someone else.  Last year I made them do a joint party and Mati Claire and I agreed that we would ATTEMPT to alternate years with separate and joint parties.  So far it is working out well, because this year she turned 8 on the 8th!  I've always been told that its your "golden" birthday when that happens (I was 19 on the 19th, etc).  Hence…Mati Claire's GOLDEN 8th birthday!
I'll let the pictures do the talking, but I will have to upload the "Fotobooth" pics when the photographer emails them to me later!  There are a dozen more pics but these were my favorites.

Can you tell how happy she is?  Your love is my love.  Its hard to see in pic, but I loved the ribbon holding her birthday picture from each year.  And the light up 8 is just too cool (ordered both from Etsy).

Thank you FedEx for making my signs.  They turned out exactly like I wanted.  If I had plenty of time, I would have covered the garage door in pink paper and made it look like Pepto Bismol exploded at my house.  "Your birthday is the greatest day of my life" "She leaves a little sparkle wherever she goes"  "Dream big little girl"  "And though she be but little she is fierce"  "Thank Heaven for little girls"   

Robby Followell is a local (but known across the state) wedding photographer that owns a photo booth  "The Fotobooth".  I got to pick which background I wanted and how could I not pick the gold sequin? I didn't know how this would go over with a bunch of 8 year olds… but Holy Moly…. it was a HUGE success and we could not peel the girls out of it.  They were OBSESSED and it was TONS of fun for everyone of ALL ages!  Even Papaw got in on the action that I will share later!

Mattox told Robby that "[he] is not a Fotoboother."  Yet, we could not get him out of it and he took just as many pictures as the girls did!  

Yes, I made this cake.  My second big cake so far.  I heart fondant.  I do not like the taste of it though.  I ordered her cake topper name thing from Etsy.  

The food was mostly done by Chick-Fil-A.  If I had to make a cake, I wasn't about to slave over food too.

Matt ordered me 'these' strawberries for Mothers Day several years ago, and I've been obsessed with them ever since for special occasions.  They ALWAYS show up perfect the day before I need them.  Shari's Berries online is awesome.  And you can get all sorts of colors and types of sweets (but specialize in strawberries)  www.berries.com
And somehow I forgot to take a pic of the pink chocolate covered with edible gold glitter OREOS!  They were awesome too! 

Mati Claire loved the live butterfly release we did at Merritt's first birthday party a couple of years ago.  Again, the kids love it and the butterflies usually hang around during the party which is neat.  

I mean Miss Sarah can't get any cuter.  She's so cute even her butterfly loved her!

The July birthday girls/sisters!  

Can't forget the babies!!! First cousins born 3 weeks apart are starting to take note of the other finally.  They stare each other down and Colton tells Mason his plan for future trouble.  Mason normally just shakes his head and agrees.  

Mason is so happy and smiling all the time!

tiny dancer.  music comes on = she's dancing somewhere.

 Pink play-doh with gold glitter and "8" suckers for the party favors!  Easy and cheap to do since I spent all of the budget on the Fotobooth and butterflies!

Mason is a Party pooper! Mrs. tyanne is the new baby whisperer!  He falls asleep every time she picks him up!

Superheroes to the Rescue!

Mattox has me wrapped around his finger… and he knows it.  He totally guilt tripped me into a party this year.  "But I didn't have one last year, and you said I probably wouldn't have one next year since Mason would be turning 1…pweeeease…and I want YOU to make my cake!"

The only reason I was ok with doing a Superhero theme was because I KNOW that Mason will want one too and I can reuse all the stuff I bought!  It wasn't as perfect as I would have liked, but I am learning to "let it go".  I never finished the food table's backdrop, but being pregnant I couldn't stand on top of the table to reach everything (Matt was asleep), the cake isn't at all what I had imagined but turned out ok for my first cake I guess… I am a perfectionist usually and the older I get the more I learn that "its ok!"  to let it go.  Mattox had fun, and thats all that matters!  

His birthday always seems to fall during Spring Break when all his friends go out of town.  Add that on top of pushing 40 weeks at that time, I decided to back it up a bit.  He still doesn't understand why a party is on a different day than his actual birthday (by a week).    Considering all the crazy weather we've had in MS during February, we couldn't have asked for better weather when the party started!

I have to give a HUGE THANK YOU to some people who helped me this week and during the party! I can't lean over very well/at all and I think it would have taken me a week to clean up afterwards if they hadn't helped.  Mitt never gets off my foot so I managed to get stuff done with you keeping Mitt entertained:    Nana, Ray, Chachel, and Miss Amy --- thank you so much!!!!!! Yall are awesome and Mason thanks you too!  Mitt prefers yall over me anyway!  Talking about Superheroes to the rescue!

My advice to any parent planning a 5 year old boy's party:  cardboard boxes.  lots of them.   and silly string.  lots of it.  

Just realized I never got a picture of the table withOUT Mitt standing in front of it.  She wanted that cake!  

I didn't make the Hulk fist, but I did make the rest of it.  My first cake, and you can tell I got tired of making layers (each layer was supposed to be double that height) b/c the Superman logo didn't fit.  But at 2am I was too tired to care anymore!  

"X-ray Vision" = carrots and ranch, "Thor's Hammer" = pretzel and cheese cubes, "Crunch" = chips, "Dynomite" = red licorice

That's ALOT of silly string.  The "Spiderman shooters" were a hit at the party.  They shot "the bad guy"

"Hulk Smash" brick wall.  Another big "hit"  

"Spiderman Maze"  Kids tried to build a maze with yarn and then walk/crawl through it.

Photo backdrop!

Party favor boxes included:  Hulk whoopee cushion, Spiderman coloring book/crayons, Batman cookie from Meme's Bakery, Batman throwing disc, and Spiderman bubbles and a sucker!  

  I am really glad I didn't wait til later to have his party, because I've been on the couch ever since with Braxton-Hicks contractions coming ALOT.  Grrr… not feeling well today so I'm glad we got his party out of the way before brother comes.  5 is a BIG deal because it means he is going to "big school" soon and his present from us was our trip to Disney World!  I'd say that is huge!