The Fourth

What a week!! Lots of pictures to share. And first up, our smallest firecracker!
 

Everleigh was not a happy camper on the fourth of July. It was SO hot. So hot. We just contributed her crabbiness to that. Took her clothes off, and dipped her in water. BUT, it continued the next day...and the following...Miss Ev woke up with little red spots aaaaalll over her body. YEP. I'm pretty sure baby girl got the chicken pox. I called the clinic...they didn't want to see her...I was really just calling to see when the first vaccination was given. 18 mo. (shoot!) So....we just gave her lots of love and calamine lotion, and she seems to be just fine. It must be a mild version??? It's hard to tell because she's been throwing lots of tantrums (especially when she sees my phone and I won't give it to her) and has been super attached to me lately. So, we are just hoping this is the end of it....??!! Sigh.

Other than Everleigh's pox and the serious heat, the fourth of July was a blast!! We celebrated at the Lokkens, and also celebrated Cambree's 7th Birthday! Then we did a few fireworks at home. Madden cried "No, me go ni-night!" and Hudson didn't have much of a reaction at all. Then Craig and I took Paisley to see the "real" fireworks (no offence to yours, Craig :) ) --it was really fun!!

Hudson and Makyah throwing snaps...

Craig, his sister Melissa and his brother, Randy.

And this is how those boys always treat their sister.... terrible!!

The 3 amigos...

Happy 7th Birthday, Cams (on Wednesday)!

Uncle Randy catching Miss P on Lokken's super fun, fast, slide!

And Grandpa Mike acting silly on the slide!

In and out of the water, all day long!

Anytime my mom is around, Madden is attached to her!

See...it was hot...so we tried to cool Everleigh off. She hated it.

The other Grandpa Mike, teasing the kids on the raft...

Sitting down to watch Daddy's fireworks...

Sparklers! (and tired kiddos)

Miss P and Daddy at the big fireworks show

I have to say, it had been a really long time since we fought traffic to see the show from the park. But, it was super cool. I think that just might be our new tradition!

This week, Paisley, Hudson and Madden finished up swimming lessons! Thank you to all of our babysitters who helped with Everleigh while we swam! Hudson asked to go home about 75% of the time. He loved "circle time" and I'm pretty sure he loved singing the songs way more than actually swimming. Madden tried to swim right out of our arms, dunked his head and impressed the teachers with his no fear attitude. Both boys passed the class!!

Not that we will have a decent certificate to prove it....

Cuties!!!

And Miss P went from being pretty nervous, to a bit daring! She passed her first (non-parent/tot) class (level 1) and went from being an "Otter" to a "Seal"! She's so proud of herself...she can go under water without plugging her nose and can float for "like 2 seconds mom!!"-- we are so proud too!

On July 5th, my mom turned the big....ugh...(yep, I'm saying it, mom) 5-0! I know. She's gorgeous and she doesn't one bit look 50. I have to have some of those genes in me somewhere, right?!?! :) I had been planning a surprise party for a while...and I cannot believe we pulled it off! She was super surprised, and even more excited that her three best friends traveled hours to celebrate with her! Thanks, Mike for all of your help...and...Happy Birthday, Mom!!

Play time around our house has been nuts lately. The kids have been fighting like CRAZY. So basically, I'm going CRAZY! If you are a stay at home mom (or dad) of four small children, I will totally bow down to you. It's hard! I have had 6 days off...and I'm telling you...work is sounding pretty good right about now. However... I did capture a few non-fighting, non-screaming, non-hitting moments on camera.

Madden the monkey...

Phone is for me! (It's always "hot dog"--which is the Mickey Mouse theme song...and Madden is ob-sessed with my mom's i-pad...and because he watches Mickey Mouse on her i-pad...he calls grandma "hot-dog" :) )

And Everleigh has been acting like a puppy for several days now. She sticks her tongue out and pants.

Hudson and Paisley play really well together most of the time. Why? Because he pretty much does what ever she says. They've been playing doctor. But only Paisley can be the doctor. And if Hudson asks to...she tells him that he can be the nurse, and that she is the good hospital doctor. Earlier today, I saw Paisley watching tv and Hudson laying on the couch (which he never does)--so I asked her what was going on. She said that Hudson was very sick and was in the hospital for a thousand years, so he had to lay there until she told him he could move. And he did it!!

Here they are in the workout room, ahem...I mean, hospital.

And the rare, but always welcomed, sibling love!!

Hope you all had a fabulous week!
Until next time...
XOXO, B