Our Visitors

Still playing catch up on everything I've missed blogging about.  Today it's the out of towners we've had visit us these past few months.  

My BFF (and maid of honor) Christy came all the way from Boston...(technically she didn't come to see me...she came for a wedding of another friend of ours) but I tried to spend as much time with her as I could...I only get to see her about once a year. Not. Enough. 

Wade's buddy, Levi, brought his family from Kansas City for their Spring Break.  Wade and Levi are practically the same person in different packages.  Such a beautiful family.  We always have such a great time with them.   

 

 The kids are drawn to Levi...we have another couch but everyone wants to squeeze in by Mr. Levi!

 

 Wade's parents got to come spend a weekend with us.  We squeezed A LOT into the weekend.

 They were able to catch both Cade and Brooke's soccer games, attend J.P.'s birthday party, and help Wade build a new outdoor playhouse for the kids! Phew!

My brother Heath brought his family up for a quick visit.  We were able to get all but 2 of the grandchildren with Grampa.   

Wade's sister Katie brought her family from Tulsa too.  We didn't slow down much while they were here.  The Science Center, the New Melle Festival, Cade's baseball game...another fun filled weekend.  

Our last visitors just left this week.  My friend Liz brought her 4 kids and one of their friends for a few days.  9 kids!  Squeezed in the Science Center, the Arch, the Zoo...and even an ER visit.  Did I mention 9 kids? I watched them one morning/afternoon while Liz had a deposition in STL.  That was interesting...with that many different little people it was hard to find something to please everyone.  Liz and I wore ourselves out trying to keep up with them while we were out.  Next time we agreed to do an adults only night!  With wine.  Lots of wine. 

I didn't manage to get pictures of all our visitors...I've been slacking a bit I guess.  My very-pregnant  friend Jessica came to visit too, and I didn't manage to get any pictures.  However, she's driving up again tomorrow, with her newest baby (and her other 3) so hope to get some then! 

Sports, sports and more sports...

A big reason I havent had time to blog?  Sports.  This is Wade's thing. He's an athlete, he loves sports. We both want the kids to be active and love whatever it is they choose to do. Figuring out what activity that is...well, we haven't gotten there yet.  Wade wants the kids in as many sports as they want to take at any given time. I think they should get 1 sport per season.  So far, he has won this disagreement.  We juggled 6 sports schdules for a few months, the 3 oldest were in 2 sports each, which made it very difficult with Wade's travel schedule...but Grampa was there to "pinch hit" for him.  We have games and practice most every night of the week, sometimes back to back practices and sometimes double booked...but we survived.  Here's a few pics of the kids...

RILEY -- (gymnastics, tumbling, and basketball) 



Basketball, she loved!

Her basketball coach says she is the most "aggressive" on the team (which is a good thing in basketball)...she wasnt afraid to steal the ball. She really loved playing too. She was one of 2 girls on her team (9 boys).

We had to give up gymnastics when basketball started, so she was just in tumbling and basketball.  Tumbling has really been good for her.  When she started she could do an ok cartwheel.  Now she does a perfect one handed cartwheel, a roundoff, and a back handspring.  Currently working on the roundoff backhandspring.

BROOKE -- (soccer and gymnastics)

Brooke was a VERY good soccer star too.  She loved getting out there.  She hustled after the ball.  Probably the best player on her team.

Brooke averaged 2 goals per game!

Brooke LOVES "gee-nastics"

CADE -- (soccer, spring baseball (coach pitch) and summer baseball)

Cade liked soccer in the beginning, but he tuckered out by the end and was ready to move on to baseball. 

Baseball is more his speed.  Not as much running...he can goof off while on the bench and make his friends laugh. 

Cade has to slide home every time...even if the ball is no where close to him.

Someday J.P., someday it will be your turn. 

Cade and Wade...

I love his face in this one.  I know there's a lot of baseball pics, but I had to include it too!

The Holidays I missed...

Holiday Catch Up.  Thought I'd send a photo or two of all the holidays I've missed in my blog absence.

St. Patty's Day.  Dog Town.  Micki and Trey.  Micki and I have been friends for 25 years now.  How is that possible?  I just turned 25 this year ;)  

 

*In Wade's defense, that is not his Bret Michaels hat)...he'd want me to let you know that.  

In St. Louis, this IS a holiday...Opening Day.  Busch Stadium. 














My friend Mandy has season tickets and asked us to go.  It was really phenomenal...I've never been to an opening day.  Fly-bys, bald eagles, hall of famers, the Clydesdale's...it was a production.  Happy we got to experience it with my other life-long friend, Mandy (again 25 years).  Mandy, Micki, and I have all been friends since 4th grade.  That's the grade Riley is going into this year.  Really hope she chooses her friends well.  I know I'm so happy to still have them in my life, we've been through a lot together.














Riley's 9th Birthday!!!














And her birthday sleepover...








One of my favorite moments from the sleepover (which thankfully had very little drama).  12 little girls all dancing to the Wii.  We only have 4 controllers but still had a dozen little dancers.  The video is the best, but it's hard to see.  You'll have to take my word for it.

April Fool's Day
A tradition from my mom...check out the kids dishes/utensils.  They LOVED this.  Each with a different color milk.  My dad still holds the record for best April Fool's joke...not sure that will ever be topped.  Wilson's know what it is, and we'll leave it at that.

Easter

Egg Coloring...

I hosted Easter dinner at my house which was the 1st time I'd ever made a ham.  My kids all looked so beautiful before we left for church, but I didn't get a picture until the end of the night.  JP was exhausted and not in the mood to take pictures, so this will have to do as our Easter pic this year. 

JP turned 2!  But he didn't know what to do...

Luckily he has a few veterans to show him the ropes.  

Why do we buy him presents anyway...this box was his favorite thing to play with.

Mother's Day! 

This year the best present my kids gave me was a nap! 

Memorial Day

We had a stellar Memorial Day.  We had a little family baseball game, took the kids fishing, swam at our pool, and grilled a feast (salmon with a jalapeno/fruit salsa, kabobs, grilled pineapple...)   

Grillmaster Wade...














Fathers Day (x3)
Celebrated thrice with the 3 greatest father's I know

Papa Pec

Grampa Top Gun

and Wonderful Wade

And the Mack Daddy of all...My very favorite holiday...Independence Day!

I just LOVE everything about the 4th. 

Sunny weather, tank tops, flip flops, fireworks, cook-outs, swimming, friends/family, parades, the kids excitement...all to celebrate the greatest country in the world!

My friend Sherri snapped this picture.  It wasn't intentional, but love that our house is in the background behind us. 

More to catch up on later...

One last attempt...

Funny how in my last entry it was snowing and now we're in 100+ degrees weather.  At the end of the day, I have neither the time nor the energy for this blog.
I know I've lost all my friends that used to comment regularly.  However, I'm going to try one last time...and if my busy life keeps me from getting to it, I'm going to have to abandon it all together. It's had a good run...5 years this October.  But now I have 4 children and a traveling husband and it takes all my energy to just keep it together here.  I haven't scrapbooked in over 15 months (last crop was Nat'l Scrapbook Day 2010), haven't picked up my guitar in a year, and have only read about 8 books since we moved last July (before the move I averaged 2-3 per month). 
So I'm in a movement to get back to the things I love outside of being a mommy.  (Things above mentioned being at the top of my list).  But also keeping a journal of what we do, day in and day out (my online scrapbook).  I enjoy being able to go back and read things I've forgotten about AND I love reading my friends and family blogs.  It makes me feel like I know what's going on in everyone's world when you dont have the time to talk regularly. 
A week from today it will be a year since our world was flip-flopped (our move from Tulsa to STL).  No more excuses, we're settled in, we've made new friends...time to poop or get off the pot (as the sages say).  So here it is.  One final attempt to keep this blog going...if anyone out there is still with me.

February 2011 in Pictures

Started February off with a snow day...

And they kept coming...feel like the kids are going to go to school all summer.   

Here's a sampling of our snow days.

 

 (Cant really tell from this picture, but I built 2 forts for the kids)...they used it for snowball wars. 

Superbowl.  For the first year in many we didn't host a Superbowl party.  It was WEIRD.  Quiet.  We actually got to watch the game...(well Wade watched the game, I watched the commercials).  The favorite...no question...

 

Probably watched it 20 times.  Think we loved it so much because we live it.  No doubt about it, we're a Star Wars family, everyone in this house loves Star Wars...see below. 

The Hulk vs Vader.  JP screaming in the back...normal night in our house. 

Goodbye...

You will not be missed. 

Like I said in my last post, I had Lasik.  There was pain...mostly just the first day.  Nice doctor gave me a Valium after surgery so I'd sleep through most of it.  Worst part...a week of ripping off the tape on my protective eye sheilds each morning...AND scrubbing my face of all the sticky residue.  Best part...HAD to stay in dark bedroom with eyes closed for the afternoon/evening of my surgery (Ahhh...quiet....something I NEVER get).  Riley was so sweet.  She desperately wanted to cook me breakfast in bed the day after AND it had to be pancakes and chai tea latte...really sweet thought.  Loved every bit of it...until I had to get up and clean up the kitchen...from my breakfast and theirs.  C'est la vie...my siesta didn't last long.

Riley has such a big heart.  I love that she thought to do that AND she was so adamant with Wade on what she wanted to make and wanted to do it all herself, with no help from the him or the kids. 

 

Before Valentines Day, Cade got off the bus with 6 green hearts he made in class.  He had 6 different sizes starting with a tiny one for JP and a they went up from there.  That night after we did homework, ate dinner, took Riley to tumbling, put all the kids through the bath, Wade and I exhausted, walked into our room to find this and I just melted.  What a sweet kid. 

Brooke keeps spilling at the kitchen table so we decided to put her in the high chair...JP didn't like it one bit.  He'd scream at her and push her across the floor trying to get her out.  The rest of us laughing hysterically.  Poor kid...it was just SO hilarious we couldn't help it.

One more note about Cade.  The boy is neat.  He keeps a VERY clean room.  Even filling out his valentines.  He separated them by color and stacked them into neat piles as he filled them out.  I used to be like that.  Before I had FOUR children I was uber organized.  I've laxed a bit on that the last couple of years...now a days I'm just trying to stay afloat. 

  

Valentine Parties.  Very. Big. Deal.  Valentines parties might be a bigger deal than Christmas parties.   

Mondays we have gymnastics so we had to eat  a late Valentine dinner.  Tonight we had fondue.  Such a great dinner with all sorts of fresh vegetables, a couple fruits, chicken and bread.  Dessert was chocolate covered strawberries.  Very Valentin-ey!

Typical meal time...Sampson knows the best seat in the house for getting fed.

Helping me unload the dishwasher.  This one doesn't take after his brother in the "neatness" category.

The best birthday gift.  Wade and the kids detailed my car for me.  The windexed windows, vacuumed mats, and cleared out all the toys.  A much needed bath for the old silver bullet.  Perfect, perfect gift...

that AND having the 4 best kids on the planet!

Saturday night, family movie night. 

Riley began basketball at the end of the month and loves it!  She's out there with all boys (one other girl on her team of 11).  She hustles, she's energetic, this may be a really good match for her.   

Hope to catch up with March before April hits...stay tuned.