outdoors Archives - Page 2 of 11

Blog, Family, iphone, kids, Kids Say, new house, pregnancy

August iphone photos and kids say

I’m really excited that September is here! I wouldn’t exactly place myself in the category of a fall fanatic (because I don’t like pumpkin flavored anything or the sun setting at 4:30!!) but I do love the fall weather, fall vibes, and all things cozy. Aaaand my due date is pretty much a month away. Looking back at these pictures from August just reminds me, again, how quickly time zooms by. So I know it’ll be no time at all before I’m holding a tiny little baby girl.

1) QT has had their shakes on sale this summer so I have to go by and get one every once in a while. 2) 31 weeks. 3) Mother/daughter pictures are pretty much my favorite. 4) Sometimes setting them on the counter is the only way to keep them out of trouble.

That picture of my Spiderman daredevil? Somehow we have made it this far with 4 boys and no major injuries…yet. The kids have started a new game where Kingston climbs up doorways and walls while the other kids run underneath. If he drops on you, you’re out. Sounds like we’ll be showing up in the ER pretty soon.

Okay, this isn’t an iphone picture but I didn’t include it on my blog anywhere else. August 11th was the one year anniversary of the date we closed on our house. We took a front porch family photo last year so we decided to recreate it every year. You can see last year’s picture in this post (second collage down) if you’re interested!

Don took off a week of work so we could have a little staycation! We did a little St. Louis exploring and finished a bunch of house projects. It was a much needed break!

Let it be noted that Kai is wearing shorts in that second picture haha. He likes to call himself the “policeman.” He carries Des down the stairs when Des discovers that someone left the gate open.

1) Give Desmond a bottle lid and he will snuggle and be content for hours. Never took a pacifier but recently started this. 2) “Take a picture of me jumping!” 3) A little glimpse of my favorite little area in our house. I’ll be doing room tours asap (hopefully next week!) 4) Evangeline wanted to match me with our hair. I hope she never wants to stop matching me!

I have cut back on ice cream but I definitely live up to the pregnancy + ice cream stereotype. Also, that picture with the kids on me? That’s motherhood, right there. Any time I lay down, I usually have multiple kids laying on me. I’m glad Don got that picture for me.

More room sneak peeks and snuggly babies! (This gorgeous blanket is from Stella and Lu. I cannot recommend this shop enough! We have a blanket and a lovey and they are so soft and beautiful. And what always makes it better for me, the sweetest shop owners!!)

diy kids room decorations and polka dot walls

Ending this month with probably one of my favorite pictures ever (I say that a lot.) I’m 35 weeks now. I saw a couple of websites say that baby is the size of a pineapple, though most said honeydew melon. I went with the pineapple because how cute is this little photo op?

This month’s Kids Say! Have a happy September!!

Liam–“Maybe I’ll want to watch Bob Ross when I’m older. Like….when I get home from work.”

Kingston–“Guys!! I’m going to go to the doctor and the doctors are going to shot me!”

Me–“What do you want to do when you get older?”
Liam–“I want to be a spy, a glass blower, or a painter.”

Me–“I can’t figure out why that plant just looks like it’s dying.”
Kai–“I think it’s because it wants other plants with it…so it can have a family.”

Evangeline–“Look! I’m cute now!”
Kingston–“Well, you’re always cute.”

Me–“Liam, can you believe that in 8 years, you’ll be driving…all by yourself?”
Evangeline–“If Liam drives, then that means he would be a mommy!”

A sign that we are not an athletic family..
Kai–“Why does Desmond have bowling shoes?”
Me–“They’re not bowling shoes. They’re called tennis shoes.”
Kai–“Oh, he’s going to play tennis?”
Me–“No. That’s just what they’re called. Some people call them sneakers.”
Kai–“Oh! So he can be sneaky when he wears them…”

Kai–“If you were an alien, we’d never get to see you because aliens don’t exist.”

September 2, 2016

Blog, city garden, Family, kids, pregnancy, st. louis, vacation

summer nights in the city

This summer I have been avoiding the heat as much as possible. While it’s nice to stay indoors, it’s not so nice to stay indoors with 5 kids who have suctioned out every bit of my energy. My body is really starting to feel like I’m 5 weeks away from having a baby. Meanwhile, the kids are building up more energy by the day. If I could bottle up even an ounce of their energy, I think that would last me for the rest of my pregnancy and beyond.

My favorite compromise continues to be an evening trip to the Citygarden. We tried to go a couple of weeks ago on Don’s weekend. We had made it all the way up to the city and then we saw the multitudes of people in their Cardinal’s attire, heading to the game. All those fans decided to fill up every single parking space within a few blocks of the Citygarden. Let’s just say I wasn’t too happy with Cardinal’s fans at that moment. We ended up hitting up a park by our house instead.

We learned our lesson the next time around and checked the Cardinal’s schedule before heading up. Instead of parking issues, this time ended up being a cooler evening–in the 70s. So instead of herding 5 kids down multiple blocks in downtown St. Louis at night, we just had shivering kids with blue lips. I’d still say that’s a better outcome. The best part is that we had the place to ourselves pretty soon after we got there!

I’ve mentioned it before but we always go in the evening because 1) you don’t melt from the heat, 2) less crowds, 3) better lighting for pictures, and 4) the colored fountains at sunset. And nothing is better than to take your kids somewhere and be able to sit down and relax while they all play (without any fighting!!) If we can make it up there again before the baby is here, I will so take that chance.

Although, there was this small incident when Kai sprayed Liam and you can see that he wasn’t too thrilled. Does it make me a bad mom if I was cracking up at this moment? Especially at the fact that I caught his reaction on camera?

Desmond wasn’t so sure of the fountains at first. He sat on his daddy’s lap and in the stroller for a good chunk of time before he got down and experienced the joy of running close to the fountains. But if even a drop of water touched him (or he thought it was going to) he would run back to us.

We spent a solid 10-15 minutes watching big swarms of birds flying above us and around the buildings. Evangeline was positive that they were all “looking for their mommy.”

Liam wanted me to go with him to check out the “sunflowers,” as he called them. Liam’s photography skills definitely surpass anything I was able to do at 8 years old (and even still at 28!)