Disney Trip 2016

Hey, let's go to Disney World!  This year we spent the start of our Christmas break at Disney World with my side of the family.  We had never been this time of year so we were so excited to be there when it was cold at home and when the parks were all decorated for Christmas!

First things first, fast passes for Snow White and Seven Dwarfs Mine train.

We purchased a stroller pass for the week so the big kids had a landing spot but we didn't have to transport it to or from a park.

We rented this stroller from an outside company for the babies to hang together.  It's nice because they drop the stroller at your hotel and you return it there at the end of your trip.  However, we should've probably rented two separate strollers because there were times we needed to separate.

Get that baby some ears!

It was neat to see their fancy Christmas decorations and holiday light shows, but it was VERY crowded.  Like mid-summer crowded.  And pretty chilly.  I wasn't prepared for the cool evenings.  We were on the dining plan so we ate like Kings!  Quite the way to start off the Holiday Eating Season!

And now, without further ado, a million pics from our trip!

There was a day while we were there that pretty much the rest of the US has colder temps, so that was exciting!

Character breakfasts are ALWAYS a hit!  This one was in the restaurant at our hotel, the Yacht and Beach Club resort.

All the characters always noticed MaKenzie's shiny engagement ring!  But they strangely always thought she was engaged to Matt...which was awkward.

The Horner family met up with us for a few days which was very fun!  My kids ADORE them!

Sci-Fi drive in restaurant that we thought the kids would love but Cade HATED the old Sci-Fi shows they played.  They totally freaked him out.

Reese participated in the Jedi training.  She loved it and talks about it often.

Reese and I split off from the group one night and got caught in the rain!  We were drenched...and since we weren't with the group we didn't have any rain gear.  People felt sorry for us and gave us trash bags. 

My main Disney tip: eat all the Mickey shaped food you can eat!

Other (more informative) Disney posts here.

Christmas Festivities 2016

What turned out to be our last Christmas in KC...we had fun with our traditional holiday events and outings!

Ready for Reese's school program

I'm not sure why this counts as Christmas other than it was in December and they are cute.

We went to Journey to Judea (live nativity experience) with our small group friends, we will miss this tradition!

Cade's school art was on display at Barnes and Noble.  He found his Santa...this was not the "art display" I was thinking it would be...

Reese was the narrator for her school program.  This involved A LOT of memorization.  She did an amazing job!

Our 6th (or 7th?) trip to Crown Center Santa with the Heine family!  Our group keeps growing and growing!

A phenomenal Santa pic if I do say so myself.  Actually Santa is the one bringing us down here.  Look alive, man.

And finally, some Christmas cheer on ugly sweater day at school.  The jumper will win any competition. Ever.  I may have to break it out just to wear to the grocery store or something around here this year!  Haha!

Fall Fun 2016

We were able to squeeze in some fall fun going to the Trick or Treat Night at Olathe North and the pumpkin patch!

We Trick or Treated with the Birt's around the neighborhood and scored enough candy to last us until Easter!

Cade's class Halloween party was my "room-mom" debut.  Other than over-estimating the cutting skills of a kindergartner (the mummy craft took for-e-ver) it went smoothly!

And of course, we painted our pumpkins!  (Which if I didn't have this pic of it, I would not know that we did this because I have no recollection of it. #3kids)

This all leaves me wondering what the fall will look like in Arizona...I've got to think that pumpkin patches aren't really a thing here.  I'll let ya' know...

Welcome, Cousin Owen!

So...it's been awhile.  We've got some catching up to do--but first--my in-draft posts.  So a little randomness, a few recaps, some updates on the kids...and then details of the MOVE.  

You could easily convince me that it is October 2016.  Life has been a blur since then.  So let's start there.  On October 6th we welcomed Gentry and Scott's firstborn, Owen!

It was fun to travel to Wichita with MaKenzie to meet Owen!  Cam and Owen were instant buddies!

September 2016: The End of Maternity Leave...the Start of "Real" Life

I've never, ever, ever been so sad to see September go.  It's that time.  Time to put on my (literally bigger) big girl pants and head back to work.  Monday, October 3rd will mark my first day of the 16-17 school year at work.

I hate transitions...I'm a worrier so naturally I'm filled with worries of what it will be like as a working mom of three.  I think I'm just mostly scared of keeping all the day to day responsibilities afloat while feeling like I get good time with three kids in the evenings.  Will there be enough time to go around?

While I am fearful of the transition time, I am beyond thankful for the time I have gotten to be home.  I'm thankful I got to walk Cade to and from school and have time to play with Reese in the mornings.  Thankful for my time snuggling my Squishy baby and watching The Price is Right and endless reruns of Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders: Making The Team  (I freaking love that show).  I suppose I'm even thankful I got to have my hernia repair surgery while on maternity leave and before my insurance deductible started over.  And, of course, I'm definitely thankful for my mom and Matt's help when I've been down during the recovery.

This September has been unlike any other, filled with:        

Baby smiles and snuggles!

A closer look at Reese's imagination! She was playing school and I think she would be a great teacher if she chooses that profession one day, if I do say so myself. ;)

Saturdays filled with baseball and t-ball!

Even a rock-painting party while G-Mom was here.  My mom has helped us out so much this summer.  I can't thank her enough for always being there for me when I need her and stepping in to take such good care of my family and I!  She's amazing!

I had never been to Chick-fila for breakfast so I put it on my "maternity leave bucket list" to go there one morning.  The last Friday of my leave I was able to mark it off the list.

September consisted of a lot of down time in my room and a lot of relying on other people as I had a surgery on the 8th.  Non-medical explanation, they tacked a large piece of mesh into my abdomen to repair two hernia places that resulted from my pregnancies.  It hasn't been a painful recovery, after the first week anyway, mostly just uncomfortable and inconvenient with the lifting restrictions (nothing over 10 pounds for four weeks except Cam--but definitely no lifting of the carrier or pushing a stroller or grocery cart).  That really limits a Mom!

In a way, it was nice to have the limitation of just snuggling on my bed with Squishy.  

I'm filled with mixed and conflicting emotions about spending 45+ hours a week away from my family and home.  But I have so, so much to be thankful for.  So many blessings!  And my job is definitely among those blessings.  It will be difficult to pick up the pieces of my classroom (they have had FOUR long-term substitutes while I was away...I don't even want to know the details of that) and get into a routine again.  It's time.  I'm as ready as I'm going to be.  Lord, give me strength!