Out East with my bookends

Jaden, Truman and myself were able to go out and visit the Jones one last time before they moved from Virginia.  I've been able to go out 3x before, but every time was in the winter, which is NOT the most lovely time to visit there.   So this June, I took my bookends out.  They both did so well on the plane.  Tru slept on all 4 flights...amazing the people around us.  Jaden brought his phone with games, and a movie, so he did great too.  I....I was a big squished and wishing I was a few inches shorter, but I survived. 

We did a lot of awesome things out there.  Aunt Tamee kept Tru the first day so Jaden and I could tour the DC mall w/o stops.  We hit all of the museums and the archives. It was a lot of fun!  We did miss this cute face though.....

 A couple of days later, we brought Tamee and Garrett (or they brought us) back to the mall to see the monuments.  This is Jaden and I with the Jefferson monument behind us.

 The Washington monument with two nerdy teen/tweens .

 My strong 14 year old pushing the Washington monument back up.

 And yea, I took a few pictures in front of the white house....

 And my favorite, the Linconln monument....

 Dab!

 The reflection pool and washington monument behind us.  And Garrett, the baby lover, doin his job.

 Sadly, Garrett had to leave us on Sunday to go to scout camp in Kansas.  These two had such a great time together.  They're both obnoxious and hilarious and great boys.  So glad they have each other as cousins.

 The last day there we went to the grand falls.  Its right between Virginia and Maryland, so Jaden could knock one more state off of his list this summer.

They were really pretty falls, much prettier than the ones here in Az, but I have to say, the ones here in Az seem much more powerful (and chocolatey)

 I have a lot more pictures, but I have to download them from my phone, so I'll leave you with one last picture, the only one we took at the Museum of Natural History....titty twister!!!!

Summer Days....

Today was a typical summer day, except one thing...my BFF Jana and I talked this morning and she reminded me of the days when I used to take pictures of my kids during ordinary days.  Now I feel like I only take pictures during events, or vacations and not on any of the amazing ordinary days anymore, so today, I took pictures.  Kinda sad that Kam was at a birthday party all day, so I'll have to catch her on another day, but for now, here are the other 5.  Truman mostly sat around smiling, but I LOVE that he just falls asleep wherever.  I was playing with him on my bed early this morning and I went to do something in the other room and came back to THIS!  I LOVE IT!  He's perfect!!!!!

 These last two are right after I popped his binkie out...hence the adorable kissable pouty wips!

 Meanwhile Jase had the other 3 boys out doing yard work all afternoon.  Vivian kinda just wandered around checking on everyone.   Pearcen was the weed/lawn blower.  He just went around after the boys getting the grass and weeds off of the sidewalk.

 These two older "men" did the mowing....

 Vivian ate watermelon

 Luckily, they were done just in time to go play in the irrigation (gross, I know)

 And Vivian....ate watermelon

Did I grow up this fast?!

FOUR MONTHS!  I can't beleive it was really 4 whole months ago that I helped this guy come to earth!   It seems like a few weeks ago!!!! I LOOOOVVVEEE seeing him grow, and get chubby and learn, and watch and smile and laugh and get control over his hands, but I hate that the newborn phase is behind us...forever....and he tries to lift his head sometimes (luckily he likes to cuddle). Packing up the baby boy 0-3 m and the 3-6m clothes is so incredibly sad!  But seriously, this baby round chubby gushy adorable yummy face.....

 He's blading...which I LOVE.  Pearce was a bald boy for about 6 months and with these round ole heads it's like a perfect little que ball. I love it!  He still has a bit of blonde fuzz...contemplating buzzing it.

 And this one.  Even though she's in, what I might say is the ROUGHEST phase any of my kids have ever been in (with the exception of a bit of teenagerness), I really am sad that she's growing up.  Vivians perks:  She loves to cuddle, color, watch TV, read books, help cook, sneak chocolate with mom, dress girly and get her hair done.  Vivian challenges: runs away, yells...A LOT, isn't the quickest learner with consequences, shoves clothes everywhere (learned from her older sister), cuts things (including hair and books), and sneaks chocolate without mom.   She keeps us all in stitches with her awesome dance moves, and hilarious sayings.  Never Grow Up Vivvy Girl!

Playin a little catch up...again!

So I of course neglected my blog...just like I'm neglecting many things in life right now...not because I want to, but because having 6 young kids in a tiny home in a place where I haven't yet made friends well, at least friends that i can just dump my kids off at their house (except the ever amazing Kiri, but she's pregnant and I'm not that mean), so other than keeping these kids ailve, entertained, and somewhat involved, I don't get a whole lot of anything else done.  Just today, after living here for 5 months, have I started to decorate a bit.  I'm just REALLY tired of decorating rentals and taking it down a few months later, but I'm also more tired of living in ugly, plain rentals all the time.  So I'm going to work with what little space I have here, and make it cute, uncluttered (which is INSANELY harder than it seems to unclutter 1000 sq ft with 8 people's crap), and LOVE IT!   What I DO a LOT of is this......

 I sit around and make Tru laugh.  It's SO hard for me to put him down when I get him to sleep.  It's got to be the most calming thing int he world to snuggle a chubby sleeping baby....but I need more time to do it!
Also, we had a 10th birthday for Bostone!   He wanted a sports party again...which is this mom's dream party. Just take a bunch of kids and drinks and popsicles to a park with a baseball, soccer ball and football, then they come back and eat cake!  This kid is so awesome.  He's learning to roll his eyes at us, and to put up a bit of a fight when he doesn't want to clean his room, but overall, he's a pretty easy and loving kid.  He's always had a smile that makes everyone else smile.  It's so contagious, as many of his teachers have told us.  He's a gem and I can't believe we've had him for a decade!!!!

 Back to Tru Barrymore.  This was when he was somewhere around 2 or 3 months and just chillin in the "bath" (our laundry sink that he has now outgrown).  Everyone LOVES to come in when Tru takes his bath  It's so much fun to watch him giggle and kick.

 We also had Tru's baby blessing last month and the Bollwinkles.   Grandma Mulder and Gramscile were both able to come.  It was a great evening....even though I was anxious to see what name Jase said since we've been throwing Benson, Anderson and LeGrande out there.

                                                        All of my favorite men ever!!!!

                 Truman and his favorite Grandpa. I need more pictures of this.  These two have a little cuddle or giggle time most everyday.  They're best buddies.

 And us with Tru.  Even though I DREAD cameras for a year or so after each baby, when I look back I LOVE the baby blessing pictures.   Just something great about another one in the books with this guy!

 These two are so great at playing together most of the time. I loved this day when they were playing store and doing some grocery shopping.  They're so great at sharing with each other.  Things only get rough when Pearce realizes he can tease her...then she'l let out a great yell, which she has...a great yell!