Rhino Pajama's

I saw these little boy pajama's at Target and had a good laugh --- for those that know the significance of rhino's in the Schroeder house then you understand why I was laughing - I was really tempted to buy it just to cut it and stretch over some canvas for the wall... actually I kinda wish I had, its just too fitting

Some Photos

The kids grow fast. 

And I know before long I wont remember the details of our days when they were young. Their silly little facial expressions that they seem to make all day long will soon be a fading memory. There’s so many little details I never want to forget. The way they clap when they see Daddy’s car coming down the street, and the sparkle in their eye when he opens his car door. The times when (every) night they poke their head out their room and say “I want water… I want a kiss…. I want…anything but to go to bed” (okay they don’t say the last one but that’s what they're really saying), I know those moments, although at times feel so frustrating, won’t last. Soon we’ll look back and miss their excuses for more Mommy and Daddy time. Or how every night Shortie colors us a picture and drops it down the stairs for us to find when we go to bed. Heck, I know I’ll even look back with a little sadness on the moments with all five in car seats and how going for a drive always meant loud nonstop chatter.

Just the other day I was giving the boys a bath and bent my head down to wipe something off the tub and Conrad filled their bath bucket up with water and dumped on my head. Clapping. Loud happy clapping followed. He was so proud of himself thinking he was washing my hair or doing me a favor – because that’s exactly what we do to him --- It was so funny and precious I couldn’t do anything but laugh and clap along with him – he got me. Its moments like that I wish I could have caught on tape or never forget.

So I take lots of pictures – trying to help my memory remember all these times – the good and the bed (yup, I try to take pictures of when jam was tracked all over the house, when paint was smeared all over the basement, when my brand new expensive lotion was squirted all in the toilet… can’t forget those moments too…. If not for anything but evidence to show the kids when they are older). We are so blessed and the photos can serve as a nice reminder of just how blessed we are.

the boys

silly faces

more silly faces

eating celery

(hehe. future blackmail) helping me cook

playing keys together

Berry Picking

For part of the boys birthday (okay, honestly, we had been wanting to go anyway, but to make it seem even more special we told the boys it was for them) we went to one of the local farms and picked blackberries, raspberries, and dug up potatoes. The kids had such a blast! (so did Jon and I - we cant wait to have a bigger property and create our own farm). I loved that kids really got into and even with the potatoes they were all in the dirt digging - Conrad was trying so hard to climb over the plants he lost his pants at one point. We probably could have stayed all day but it was in the mid 90s and with the humidity it was just killer.  We are looking forward to going back during the summer and fall to pick even more awesome fruits and veggies...oh and beans!



Zekie picked several not so ripe blackberries, but he still ate them and had fun!



Schroeder family out berry pickin

they love the farm

pants are falling off

happy Graesynn - she loved the potatoes

dirty booty

trying to help dig up the potatoes - so cute!

Boys Birthday

Happy Birthday to my Birthday Boys!

the boys birthday wreath (its part of our birthday tradition - every Schroeder birthday gets a balloon wreath to match their theme, and its up for at least a week)

Yesterday Bubba turned 5 and Zekie turned 3!

We had wanted to do a huge party - guitars and trains - but another family from church was doing a party at the same time and we would hate to have our friends have to pick - so we cancelled our party and just had a super fun family day and we'll be going berry picking this weekend to celebrate.

We have a tradition of decorating the house during nap time. So the three boys took a nap and us girls decorated! Shortie was so excited to show the boys their decorations and presents all wrapped up.

We also had a great skype party with Gaw, Papa, Great Grandma and Harleigh Dog. (It wouldn't feel like a birthday without a skype party... technology is amazing)

Zekie wanted a chocolate cake with frosting - yummy! thats my kind of cake! (I made our really yummy vegan chocolate cake -- it was one of the first vegan baking recipes I ever tried, and now I can't imagine any other type of chocolate cake) We put the trick candles on the cake and at first he wasn't sure if he was fond of them, but then he really started laughing and having fun with it. Eventually everyone was trying to help blow them out - unsuccessfully. The last one wouldn't stay out until Jon flipped it upside down into the cake- eww, I made sure to avoid that wax filled piece...

Bubba wanted a vanilla bean cake (it was vegan too --- very sweet, so they loved it). They all had fun getting in on his trick candles.

I still can't believe Bubba is five! Zekie seems older to me, so being three was only odd, because I felt he should have been four. I mean, think about it this way = 4 months after his first birthday Conrad was born, and then 5 months after his 2 birthday Graesynn was born --he just turned 3 and he already has two younger siblings trying to chase after him. That just seems insane to me, so we keep thinking he must be older!

I love my birthday boys and we are so blessed to have the opportunity to celebrate 5 and 3 years worth of awesome life together!

Kick Off

Baby Graesynn Lyric was born December 1st, 2010

She was 6 pounds 6 ounces

just under 20 inches long

My doctor chose to induce me after a doctor appt due to a few different circumstances and after a very unpleasant few hours at the hospital with the doctor on call for Kaiser I was finally induced. Less than two hours later, and only one push, Baby Grae was born.

I was so excited for the other kids, for them to have a little sister. Yes, a little brother would have been a joy too, but we didn't think we'd ever have a chance to tell them they had a little sister.

She has long fingers and long toes, just like her brothers and sister. Her hair is the darkest out of all of them, and she has the same nose that Shortie and Zekie had. I think she looks more like Zekie than the other kids. She's amazing, and completes our family.

This was my first week home with all five kids by myself... I'm pooped, but not because of the kids, but because my darn ligaments in my hips and belly just haven't given me any relief. I'm hoping to have a chance to really start this blog and keep up on it - with all the stories of my adventure raising five. The honest look at what my days are like - my personal little record of our life.

Our Kiddos

Our four beautiful (handsome) kiddos playing at home. They are growing so fast!!! It is hard to believe Shortie is 5 and that baby Conrad is already 7 months!

Ezekiels Funny Faces

These are from April - he was just being a ham!

Mother's Day

Happy Mother's Day to all the moms out there!

but also remembering those that struggle today - with the loss of a child, the loss of a mother, or those that are struggling to enter into motherhood... my prayers go out to you!

In less than a week we will have been to California (we are there less than 36 hours) for our friends Nate and Garyn's wedding. Then off to Virginia Beach for our dear friends Jason and Shanna's wedding! So exciting!

Playing Around

The week before we left Gaw and Papa's house we were just playing around and then we had Shortie try on some of my old prom dresses.

This is her in my favorite prom dress... she loved wearing it!

Ezekiel thought it was pretty funny to watch Shortie walk around all dressed up!

Cousin Time

We went up to Denton for the day to hangout with my cousins family. The kids love being together!

All the Phelps family great grandchildren...for now...  Shortie and Dallas are only 6 weeks apart, and so are Conrad and Isabelle!

Sammy, Dallas, Isabelle, Shortie, Conrad, Bubba, Ez

These are some of my favorite -- I think they will get a kick out of it when they are older!

Doggy Days (Feb-March 2010)

Playing with Lucy while at Gaw and Papa's house. When we first got there Ez wasn't sure how he felt about Lucy, by the time we left we would have been happy to hold Lucy in his lap for the whole ride home so she could be his!

Turris Fortis Mihi Deus

My new tattoo!

Both Jon and I have a thing for tattoos - although everytime he starts to save for his tattoo the money goes to music supplies (he wants a huge [huge!] tattoo on his back. it would be a cross that was a little like a sword with the middle being the head of a lion and with a verse wrapped around).

Turris Fortis Mihi Deus is from my Kelley Family Crest and translates best to "God is My Tower of Strength"

It is on my right leg on the outside where I can read it when I look down - my right leg is the one that has caused the most hardship in recent years (my left has required the most surgeries, but my right seems to be the one causing the most confusion to doctors on how to 'fix' it) I wanted it up on the outside of my knee where it dislocates, but with a surgery in the future I didn't want the tattoo to get distorted.

Ears Pierced (Feb 2010)

Shortie about to get her ears pierced for her birthday while we were in Texas! I was more nervous than she was! She had been asking to get them pierced so Jon and I talked about it and decided to tell her that when she turned five she could. We thought maybe she would forget or change or her mind - nope! She was so excited that turning five means being allowed to chew gum and getting your ears pierced! We waited until we went to Texas to do it - just to add a little something special to it. She picked out little flowers with all different colors. They look beautiful on her!

More Snow (Feb 2010)

We had a HUGE blizzard - 30 inches of snow (on top of the snow we already had... for DC metro they've only had snow fall of 12 inches or more in one storm 13 times - 2 of which were this winter!) It took forever to dig out the van. About a week later I dug out Jons car  - there was no point to dig it out sooner because most streets weren't plowed very well if at all and his car sits too low to drive over more than a few inches. A couple of weeks after the storm is when we head to Texas. It was 80 plus degrees on Sunday when Jon flew home to DC, and then on Tuesday morning it snowed! Big flakes too - and it was one of the biggest snow falls for them too- although the  kids were not too impressed after being in our storms.

My Van after digging for a few hours

My van is free! yippy! (also thanks neighbors for the shovels) Poor Jons car is trapped

 

This is the street on the way into our neighborhood a few days after the storm

This is at my parents house in Leander TX! crazy snow!

Snow Storm (Feb 2010)

Back in Feb we had another snow storm - so we tried to have lots of fun inside. Shortie played dress up, Ez ran in circles around the house until he got pooped out and then he cuddled with Conrad. Bubba decided to pretend to fish in the living room. Always fun times at the the Schroeder home