Friday, May 31, 2013

I hate chalk, and paint, and definitely play dough

Happy Friday everyone!

Ok I have a confession...I hate chalk, bubbles and play dough. And paint. And glue.
With (little) kids that is. 
They are super messy and stress me out. 

But yesterday I sucked it up, pulled out the chalk and graffitied our driveway with the kids. 
I even managed to get these fun pictures of them.



and even though the kids (and my floor and then part of my couch) ended up covered in chalk dust it was worth it. 
Because they had a blast doing it and we were doing it together.

Quality time with my kids takes time and energy.
And sometimes it takes me sacrificing the things I want to do (or need to do) to be the kind of mom they need me to be. 
Some days it means me reading the same book over again for the fourth time in one sitting or spending 20 minutes cleaning up a painting project that took 5 minutes to complete, or pushing them on the swing for an hour, or giving up my free time during the little ones nap to chat with the big ones, or fill in the blank. 
But this is motherhood.
This is my calling. 
And I want to do it well 
for my kids and for the Lord. 
Even if it means lots of bubbles, and chalk and play dough. 

Tuesday, May 28, 2013

Memorial Weekend

We have had quite the exciting weekend. 

 Tuesday night during our family photo shoot, Mackenzie broke her elbow.
She was running and just tripped and fell the wrong way. 
Poor baby definitely inherited my clumsy gene :( 

Then on Wednesday we went to see an orthopedic surgeon (they weren't sure if she would need surgery but for now it looks like she won't) and got a hot pink cast.

And then super early on Thursday morning we left for Zion and Bryce Canyon. 

It was a great vacation! 
Utah is so beautiful!
Can't wait to show you all the pics and fun we had (post coming soon). 

How was your holiday weekend?

Wednesday, May 22, 2013

Shopping with kids

Being out with 4 kids ages 5 and under can either go really well or really bad. 
Most shopping trips are somewhere in between. 

God bless Costco for making a shopping cart that fits 4 kids.

Sometimes all 4 kids are whining or crying or fighting and I am sweating trying to get out of the store as fast as I can. 
75% of all shopping trips end with at least one kid being banished to sit in the cart with their mouth shut and their hands folded. 
And every now and then we have a really peaceful shopping trip where all 4 kids do really, really well.

The other day I was at Target with the kids.
It was a fairly normal shopping trip (no major meltdowns or anything).
In the 20 minutes I was there six people made comments to me.
They were as follows...
1. and 2. "Wow, you have your hands full." (I got this one twice)
3. "Hey only one more and you'd have a basketball team. So you might as well have one more. Are you going to have any more?" (I'm pretty sure there are more than 7 people on a basketball team)
4. "Wow, you are serious stuff. I only have two and I'm going crazy. I don't know how you do it with four."
5. "Wow, 4 kids! And they are so well behaved. Normally I see people's kids climbing out of the cart and screaming." To which I replied..."Good thing you didn't see me a few minutes ago."
6. "You are busy!"

Lol! Every time I go out with the kids someone says something but I don't think I have ever gotten this many comments in one trip. It was so funny!  

Proof that all Target shopping trips don't go smoothly.
Madelyn, a bottle of opened sunscreen plus a crying baby. 
Just keeping it real people. 

What is the funniest thing any one has ever told you while you were out with your kids?

Tuesday, May 21, 2013

Adventuring

Getting ready to go 

 here 

and here in a couple days! 

So excited to see Bryce Canyon and Zion National Park up close...
not so excited about packing for 6 people and the loooonnng drive to get there.  

Friday, May 17, 2013

A peek at our week (or 2)

Hey guys! 
It's Friday...yippee! 
Hope you guys had a great week...here's a peek into ours.

Feel free to follow me on instagram if you want to see way too many pictures of my cute kids (and some other stuff).  My instagram name is kristinsellars (super original).  

Hudson got to meet his great great grandma for the first time. It's so cool that there are 5 generations alive on Aaron's side of the family. I hope to be able to see my great great grandkids one day too. 

Maddie moved into the big girl bed and Hudson took over the crib.
Since she's been in her bed she hasn't gotten out once. 
Not even at nap time. 
I put her in, tell her not to get out and she listens. 
Thank you Jesus for an easy toddler!! (so far at least) 

it's been hotter than Hates around here

For the past couple months we have been letting Mackenzie stay up 10-15 minutes or so later than the other kids. It's our time to chat and I'm always amazed at what she wants to talk about and the questions she asks me. It's one of my favorite times of the day. 

Aaron taught me how to play cribbage. And we have played it almost every night since. 

Our little pack mule. 

Water table fun. 

My hubby's solution to hands free driving. 
creative babe. 

giant spa 

green smoothie stache 

pretty girls

Wes got sunglasses just like Daddy's

that smiles melts my heart

reading with Daddy 

The kids had their end of the year performance at Bible study. 
It was adorable as always.
This year Maddie totally stole the show. 

Picture worthy moment. 
All 3 playing together peacefully.
Any 2 of them play together great but add in the 3rd and it's usually not pretty. 

I'm one blessed lady. 

After church on Mother's Day we went to the beach with some friends. 

Me and my littlest man

oh how he loves her

staying cool 
in the giant blow up pool.
go big or go home

things are growing!

cutie boy

more pool

i love snuggles with my Maddie girl

a minute later I looked down and she was out

special delivery 

Wesley and his preschool teacher Mrs. Yartz. We are so blessed by her! 

Madelyn napping with her baby :) 

Thursday, May 16, 2013

2 months old

This little man is 2 months old already!
Hudson went from being a sleepy newborn to a smiley baby overnight. 

He loves to be in the middle of whatever is going on and just watch the craziness around him and he loves. loves. loves. his big sister Maddie (I got the cutest video of him smiling at her). 
We are soaking up every minute with our littlest guy. 

And since I was in professional photographer mode I tried my best to get a picture of the 4 of them. I finally ended up with this gem

but it took a whole lot of these kinds to get it. 

Wednesday, May 15, 2013

future MVP

Watch out Babe Ruth. 
With this guys skills he's sure to be a future MVP. 
Or a male model. 
He's so cute I can't handle it. 

I'm so glad I grabbed the real camera and snapped these pictures of Wes and Aaron doing some batting practice.

Like our homemade tee?
We are fancy over here. 

He was so excited to be hitting it 

and even more excited to be doing some boy activities (he's still surrounded by girl stuff 99% of the time).

Love you buddy!

Tuesday, May 14, 2013

a trip to Disneyland and a ride on Splash Mountain

This cute little girl turned 2 a few days ago

so we went to Disneyland to celebrate. 

Well actually we went to Disneyland because Aaron's dad was visiting from Florida and he was able to get us in for free.
Yay for Disneyland! 
And yay for free! 

Seriously. 
Could they be any cuter. 

Madelyn was so excited to be at Disneyland! 
She was so cute and excited to go on all the rides.
She was not so excited about all the adult sized Disney characters (that weren't human). 
I don't blame her. 

Family picture success. 
Everyone present and not crying. 

A little midday nap in the stroller. 

We had a great day meeting the princesses,

going on rides, and even bumping into some friends of ours
but the highlight of our trip was definitely taking the big kids on Splash Mountain for the first time. 
They had been begging to go on it all day. 

so we went and it was awesome. 

If they had a video tape from our log ride I would have bought it.
Even at the crazy expensive Disney prices. 
It was hilarious. 
Luckily we got this picture. 
The kids faces pretty much sums it up. 

And this was our after picture. 
We were all soaking wet. 
I think Aaron and I will be laughing about it for years to come. 
The kids, not so much. 

So thankful for a fun day at Disneyland 

and lots of wonderful and funny family memories.