Geeze Louise!

I feel like my head is still spinning from the last couple of weeks.  I mean seriously.  Shawn has been traveling but only with little one nighter trips and we've been busy doing all the usual stuff, kid's sports, school enrollment, kid's physicals, birthday parties, etc.  Life is flying by in a series of blinks.

Ben finished T-ball with a great season, and he really enjoyed it.  His coach even said to call and he could work with him one-on-one during the off season.

We had tons of fun with this season.  I thought it was going to be overwhelming at first, but it turned out wonderful and Ben had so much fun.  Next year we may play Ben up a league since he loved it so much, played so well, and will hopefully be playing with kids closer to his actual size.

Sydney started Blastball, which is like T-ball but with no actual big games just a scrimmage after they practice.  She liked it but wasn't in love with it.  I think she was really into it for the medal if I'm being honest.  We make our kids try something they are interested in, for one season since we have to pay and if they don't like it or want to do it they don't have to do it again.  How else will they know what they like if they quit after the first day?  She still says she wants to play T-ball but I suspect that it's because that comes with a trophy at the end.

When the last Blastball day was over we all went out for ice cream at Silas and Maddys.  It's one of our favorites and a family tradition (usually) to go get ice cream after the last day of a sport, a dance recital, or a school program.

I do have to admit, we are an odd group.

Shawn's summer softball league ended.  We enjoyed watching his last game with my mom (my step dad is also on the team) and afterwards all went out to eat.  My father-in-law even came out to play with them on the last game of the season, although he didn't go out to eat with us after.

I love how the girls were tormenting Rob, my step dad, and he didn't care.

Soccer camp has come and gone.  The kids LOVE soccer.  Sydney even admitted to me, after making me promise she wouldn't have to quit any activities, that soccer is her favorite, even over dance.

Have you ever in your life seen anyone this excited to be running?  Just running back and forth the width of the field.

Sydney also had dance camp every evening for one week.  At the end of the last day they showed the parents what they had been working on. It was a dance sampler camp, so everyday they learned about a new type of dance.

In sad news, my daughters dance teacher who owned the studio had to sell due to health.  She pretty much gave up teaching last year when she was diagnosed with breast cancer.  Now she's sold the studio to one of the dance teachers she hired when she was forced to quit teaching.  It's heart breaking.

My youngest nephew, Payton, turned two on the 28th.  Time sure does fly by, that's for sure.  Shawn was out of town on his Payton's birthday, but that didn't stop me and the kids from going to Kansas City and celebrating with the cute little man.

I didn't get any pictures with Payton looking in a direction to see his handsome face so the first picture, my lovely sister Courtney (Payton's mommy) took.

Isn't he super adorable with his blue eyes and dimple?  Lady killer, for sure!

We had quite a wait before they seated us so my step-dad entertained the kids.

I don't think my Sydney realizes that 4 is much younger than the 25 my sister (in the middle) and her friend Lauren are. She seems to think she's just one of them.  The great thing about our family, both Shawn's side and mine, is that they let her be one of the adults when she wants to be.  Everyone is included.

It's not a summer without enjoying a little time at the pool, although with our busy schedules, we've spent a lot less time there than I would have liked.

Yup, Ben just isn't Ben without a hint of butt crack...  Hahaha!

I should also mention, we make Sydney wear the life jacket even though she can swim decently, because we are extremely out numbered.  Ben can touch when on his tippy toes, Sydney cannot and if something were to happen, due to the babies we worry we wouldn't get to her fast enough.  She does take the life jacket off and swims on her own with an adult who does not have a baby with them.  Rylie on the other hand is very nervous in the pool, which is both a blessing and a curse.

Little Rylie got her first ever haircut.  It was just a bang trim, but a haircut none the less.  I was surprised too, because she's the child you can never get to sit still no matter what you bribe her with, yet she sat so well for this.

And now I can see her beautiful little face again!

Three of my four kiddos have had doctors appointments for checkups.  The baby has because, well babies go often, and the big kids have for their yearly physicals before school starts.  This means a lot of sitting in waiting rooms. Scottie is such a good baby though.  She usually waits pretty well.

Rylie is my child that is the most difficult while we wait.  She gets bored so easily!

I turned 29 on the 18th.  We went out to eat with the family at Harrah's casino.  Buffets are always the best with kids.  Picky eaters can get their choice of food.  Everybody is happy that way.  Also, we had meal vouchers so nine people ate free as well as all of the kids.  We took our friend Torren, who is really family to us, out there so someone had to sit in the back.  It was me.  It's usually me when we all go together.  I don't mind.  The kids and I jam to the radio, talk, and take selfies together.

Shawn and the kids got me some really thoughtful and awesome gifts.  Way more than I ever expected!

Yes, my husband and I are both Amazon addicts.  I ordered most of the kids school clothes on Amazon this year as well as their new backpacks.  We have Amazon Prime so we get free 2 day shipping on all prime purchases which makes it really easy to spend lots of money.  Hahaha!  It sure is dangerous.

I've been trying to find time to read.  I'm hoping to get everyone back on their school schedules pretty soon (especially with school starting for Ben in a week) and I can read after they go to bed.

Scotland turned 3 months old...  She's actually almost 4 months now!

We've still found time in our crazy lives to play though!  We do love a good park trip.

Rylie, the second you put her in the car and tell her to climb in her carseat, climbs right up front and pretends to drive.  She's definitely trouble.

We also bought some new toys for our 4-legged big girl, so we can play with her in the back yard.  We put our patio furniture and the grill on the back patio now.  We have a nice little yard back there, but I want some little twinkling white lights for out there.

We've been working our little hiney's off in making this house a home.  I'm doing everything I can to keep up with normal things and unpack.  It's exhausting but coming along, slowly yet surely.

Yes, I'm aware those are weeds but my kids picked them so in the kitchen they will go.

 

Alright, it is super late, and I have three children asleep on my floor and one sleeping in my bed as I type this.  Shawn will be up for Bed at any moment so I do need to go to sleep myself.  I haven't gotten to mention the fair we went to last weekend in this post.  We had so much and I took so many pictures that I will do a post just for the fair, tomorrow.  I'm also hoping to do a day in the life sort of post before school starts soon if not several in the upcoming days, weeks, and months.  I'm hoping to really get back in here.  I just don't find much time to myself these days.  What time I do have lately, I've been learning to sign.  No real reason other than I find it interesting and fun. More about that later also, I'm sure.  I need to make the time to catch up on my blog though.  It really does feel good to talk about what all crazy things we've been up to.

And I'm leaving you with this adorable picture of Shawn playing with Scotland.  He was holding her above his head and dancing, while singing "I'm all about that bass."  Scottie thought it was so funny. She was laughing and really enjoying it.