The Ugly

The last part to my long drawn out vacation story.  Our drive home turned ugly at the end.  Overall being in the car for 22 hours with 3 young kids wasn't to bad.  The drive out was good, the drive home was not as smooth. 
We left the Outer Banks after breakfast, close to 9 am.  During the day the drive was great.  We stopped at some of the same rest stops that we hit on the way into Outer Banks.  We were able to stretch and eat lunch and dinner. The boys napped on opposite schedules.  We played a hand full of movies.  The peaceful drive soon cames to an end as the sun set.  Payton and Hayley passed out in the far backseat.  Cooper took a later nap after dinner so Cohen fell asleep first for bed.  Cooper was the only one awake and was getting tired.  He couldn't get comfortable and was getting cranky and started crying.  The back and forth game started now.
We couldn't do much to console him while in his car seat.  Mitch and I couldn't decide which seat was more trying the driver or the passenger.  As the night went on and got later it was hard to drive but it was equally difficult to fetch pacifier and lovey for the boys.  They would alternate on who was sleeping and who was having a melt down.  I think who ever was asleep never would fall into a deep sleep and then would be affected by who was crying.  Who ever was throwing a fit would eventually tire out and fall asleep but then the other one would start in. This went on through the night.  We even pulled over outside of St. Louis because we were so tired and was going to take a nap so we could continue driving.  We got the boys out of their car seat and each held one and put our seats back to take a short nap thinking they would nap on our chest.  Yeah...right that backfired.  They thought it was play time.  We just wanted to make it home so when that didn't work we put them back in their seats so we could get back on the road.  That really set them off. 
We finally arrived home with heavy eyes and headaches by 6 am.  Somehow Payton never woke up the entire night.  Listening to someone crying from 8:30 at night until 6 am can make you feel like pulling out all your hair, or just jump out of the moving car.
Once we got home we got them in bed and Cooper only slept for 45 min.  Since we were up we started unpacking the car.  Cohen was up about an hour later. 
That same day why unpacking and tyring to put things back in order, Cohen learned to climb out of the coral gate.  So much for keeping them contained.  I was about in tears since I was so tired and knowing there was no way to keep them out of trouble now.  The gate is officially done, I tried again another day but he didn't forget.  So Mommy doesn't go anywhere without my monkeys right behind me. 

The Bad......

My mom and Aunts decided it would be a good idea to have a photographer take family pictures on the beach. I was pretty excited hoping for a good family picture, Christmas card pic could be done early.  It isn't every day you get a beautiful ocean scene as the back ground.  We had our day and time scheduled.  Well you can guess what happened.  Of course the weather didn't go according to plans.  When at the beach you never want rain, only hot blazing sun with no clouds.  On our picture day rain clouds would come and go. 

(We actually had 2 rainy days.  Trying to keep that many kids entertained inside without many toys can be task.  Not one I would volunteer for.)

 We all were getting showered and ready and you can see the dark clouds in the distance.  Of course we were hoping and praying they would hold off until pictures were finished.  We weren't so lucky.  

We were all ready when the photographer arrived we rushed down to the beach.  First things first was the group family picture.  That was what inspired the whole idea in the first place.  As he was placing us with in our family and trying to keep kids next to their parents you could feel it.  Drip...Drip...Drip. Slowly but surely it was sprinkling.  All that time spent making your hair pretty, sorry girls so much for that.  From there we went in order of who had the youngest kids.  Megan went next and then it was our turn.  The photographer grabbed the chair to move it and nailed Payton in the mouth with it.  She bit through her lip and was screaming with blood filling her mouth.  Michele went to get some ice for her.  Like we could really take pictures then.  A couple of other families went next why we tried to calm her down and get the bleeding to stop. 

I tried to take a couple of my own of the kids.  Yeah didn't really  turn out all that cute.  I should have just let them walk down the beach and got them from behind.  Then I wouldn't have needed anyone looking or smiling.  I didn't think of that at the time.  The boys were ready for bed and they were done. 

The idea was great!

before the photographer arrived

not havin it, it's bed time

before getting hit with the chair

The Good......

Last week we traveled to Outer Banks, North Carolina for family vacation.  We have made this trip before but not with 3 children.  We are always up for an adventure, and that it was.  I decided to make 3 separate entries to cover the good, the bad, and the ugly of the trip. 

We set off on our adventure at 7 am on Saturday morning.  We had children buckled, cooler loaded, and car bulging at the seems.  We made stop at rest stops or gas stations.  When it was time to eat, we took out our sandwiches and had lunch let the kids stretch their legs and changed diapers, and had potty breaks.  The kids did wonderful.  We watched many movies, thank heavens for movies in the car.  We drove to Evansville, Indiana.  We stopped at my cousin, Megan's house for a break and some dinner.  We loaded back in the car at midnight to caravan the remainder of the trip with her family.  We couldn't check in to our house until 3pm on Sunday. We wanted to arrive as close to check in as possible and wanted to be unloaed by dinner.  That was how we decided we should leave around midnight.  The kids slept well until morning and then again we made our rest stop and had breakfast and coffee.  We made it to our house by around 3:30.  The "are we there yet" didn't start until after lunch so that wasn't to bad.

Just for your understanding my entire family was on this trip.  My grandparents, both my aunts and uncles, my parents, all of my cousins and their families, my brother and his family.  2 other houses that were with in blocks of us had my grandma's sister, 2 of my mom's cousins and their family and another house had my grandpa's sister and their family.  In our 10 bedroom house their were 28 people, 11children, and 9 of the were 6 years or younger.  This was one happen house. 

We loved spending time with everyone, the kids loved playing on the beach.  The first time the boys were on the sand they were not a huge fan but they grew to love it by the end of the first day.  The last couple of days the waves didn't even scare them and they would charge towards them. They wore Mitch and I out chasing them and keeping them from getting knocked down by a crashing wave.  Nap time was always welcome by the afternoon.  We let the big kids 4,5 and 6 year old just play all day so they would be ready to crash come bed time.  They all had so much fun building sand castles and looking for sea shells, or burying each other in the sand.  The big kids enjoyed jumping waves, especially after a storm and the waves were huge.

We took turns cooking dinner for the house.  It was hard to know how much food to make so that we didn't have to much leftovers but enough to feed everyone.  Megan and her husband Chase, and Mitch and I made enchiladas with bean and rice for our meal with a yummy buster bar dessert.  We also celebrated her daughter Evie's birthday because she turned 3 the day we all went home.  We would usually feed the kids first and then the adults would eat.  Our good friend Hayley was with us and she was great with keeping all the little girls occupied by painting their nails or playing hind-and- seek.

Uncle Rolli and Aunt Joyce brought over happy hour one afternoon with snacks.  That same night the older kids( I am included in this group) went out to dinner with Mema and Poppop without kids.  My parents and my aunt and uncle stayed home with all the kids.  We enjoyed a wonderful seafood dinner together. 

There will be more to come on our rainy days and drive home later.... here come all the pictures...

Leaving our house

my baby and me

Payton and Aubrey 

Michele and Jason 

Michele really excited about starting our 1,000 piece puzzle 

Steven letting his food settle 

the kids eating first 

the girls with Hayley 

part of the clan 

Happy hour, Claire trying to drink Uncle Dave's wine 

The big kids night out 

our beach house 

Cooper found Poppop very comfortable 

Daddy building sand castles with Payton 

I wanted a pic with each kiddo, much easier with one at a time 

Coop

Payton 

Cohen thought play peak-a-boo with this inner tub was the greatest game ever.

Hayley jumping waves with Payton 

Her other jumping buddy Carolyn 

Hayley and Payton 

we are all in one photo!!  Cohen almost pulled my top off in the process

Coop learning to surf 

Uncle Tyler showing him how it's done 

Cohen mouth full of snack and surfing, I have such talented children 

Payton building a home for her sand crab she found 

Papa Jim and Cohen watchin the waves 

family photo #2 

my mom took kiss pictures of all the couple 

can't get a better vacation then on the beach with this view 

18 Months

On June 29th the boys turned 18 months.  I can't believe they are that old already.  We had their check up the following week and then left the next day for vacation. I am behind schedule a bit.  It amazes me how different boys are from girls, even at such a young age.  Payton played and loved her dolls and didn't destroy anything.  My little tornado's are another story.  They love wrestling and have now started taking each other down.  They climb on everything, especially Cohen.  We call him monkey boy for good reason. 

my 2 adorable, loving boys

 sister wanted in a too, my 3 kiddos

Cooper

•  Everyday a he is saying a new word.  His language skills have really taken off.
• He has learned to scowl, he does it on purpose and then starts laughing because we always laugh at him when he does it. 
• You are such a good little eater, you eat almost everything we give you. 
• You love to sit and read books, you like to sit right in the middle of my lap and you don't want to share my lap with Cohen.
• I love all your facial expressions, you smile with your big eyes.
• You have started babbling and talking to Cohen, you both seem to understand the other one.  I love watching the two of you. 
• You are 95% for height at 34 1/4 inches
• You are 60% in weight at 26.0 lbs
• You still sleep with your lovey and pacifier, you love your pacifier.  I dread taking it away from you.
• You love your sister, you love on her and wrestle with her. 

Cohen

• You are slowing saying more words, I think you take it in and then you will talk more all at once.  You like to say only one syllable words. 
• You are still a monkey and climb on anything possible.  The latest was the dining room table, up the backs of chairs, Payton's dresser.  I have to watch you every second. 
• You learned how to pull the cage down, so we can no longer keep you both in the family room.
• You love to give kisses, and you are such a mommas boy, I soak up every minute of it.
• You are a very picky eater, you only will try it if it looks good to you.  This changes on a daily basis.
• Monkey boy is your nick name.
• Your whole face lights up when you smile, it is contagious.
• You love your big sister, and you can say "sis sis"
• You love to plow things down or over. 
• You have the most ornery laugh grunt noise you make.
• You are 95% for height at 34 1/4 inches
• You are 60% in weight at 26.6 lbs
• You still sleep with your pacifier and lovey.
• You talk and play with your brother which I enjoy watching so much.

Happy 4th of July

My day started a little earlier than the rest of my family. I meet my Aunt and Uncle and we did the 4mi on the 4th run. We had a good time and it was a beautiful morning. I made it back home just as the kids and Mitch were finishing up breakfast. We packed it up and headed to Grammie and Papa Phil's house. They practiced their cleaning skills by dumping rocks and sweeping them up over and over. Amazing how kids are so entertained by the littlest things. Gotta love it. Of course we had to come up with 3 brooms because they were fighting over them. We spend the later morning hangin out and then enjoyed lunch with wonderful smoked meat Papa Phil did the day before. 

sweeping

 it takes lots of concentration

 Cohen was the only that sat on my lap long enough for a quick pic

 the boss

 Grammie helping the boys put her pretty ball back, and then they would tip it over again

 they didn't look but thought it was so cute

 loving!!!

 their favorite grandsons

 all the their favorite grandchildren

  
 Once nap time was over it was pool time. We went to Nana and Papa Jim's house along with some family friends, Nieces, grandparents, Aunt, Uncle and cousins. The minute we walk in the backyard Payton is in the water and usually stays there until it's time to go home. The boys have become little fish as well and can swim with their floaters on all by themselves without help.(the only way they like it of course). We ate dinner and celebrated Mema's 75th birthday with cake. We were both in the pool with the boys so I realized I got no other pictures of the rest of the family.

Daddy and his boys

 the only way we could get Payton in a picture

 Momma and her boys

 Coop checkin out the corn

 monkey boy, deciding what to do with it

 Payton picking out her piece of cake, while mema is opening her gift

 My 3 great kiddos

 we don't torture our daughter even though she looks like it

 Cohen throwing pops with the big boys

 Hannah and Payton

 The kids getting ready for the show to start

 Miss Payton