WARNING! This is what happens when you have 2 older sisters.

Faith and Eden were helping me by entertaining Beckett in Faith's room with the door shut tonight while I put away laundry. This is what Beckett looked like when Faith opened the door. I took out 17 hair elastics. I can't believe he sat still for all of those.

Happy 37th B-day to my MAN!!

Kyle turned 37 today. I wish I had some pics. to post. On his birthday he helped someone move and then worked several hours on a new play set for the kids (I will post photos later-when it is completed). His parents came over to help out. He and I went out to eat and to a movie. I think it was more of a treat for me than for him. He had wanted to go fishing this morning but decided there were too many other things that needed to get done. I truly appreciate his selflessness. I would have demanded the day to myself (this is why we complement each other). The kids all picked out cards for him-they really enjoy doing that. I made him brownies and got him a cover for the grill (he really did want that). He is also going to buy an elliptical. Happy Birthday to the best husband ever!! I love you! He is still hot at 37- even though he is just 3 years away from 40.

I HEART BABIES!

I have been SO lucky that several of my friends have had babies recently and I even have a few that are pregnant right now. I love, pregnancy and childbirth-especially when it is someone else!! I mostly love babies!! So my friend, Tina (we met in England but she now only lives about 20 min. away) had a beautiful baby girl this week. Her name is Jade Caroline and as you can see by the photos-is BEAUTIFUL!! Congrats to her family and I hope Tina isn't mad at me for posting these photos on my blog (Holli did it first). She should have known better when I had my camera out yesterday. As you can see by the photos, Tina looks like a million bucks. I was also able to get together with two of my other friends I met in England (Amy and Jenny). We ate out after our hospital visit-Ahhh good times!! We have sat together at many, many English pubs so it always seems a little strange to be sitting together in an American restaurant where the food and service are actually good.

Easter

We had a very nice Easter on Sunday. We decorated eggs on Sat. night, had an egg hunt and lunch with both sets of parents on Sun. at our house. We had a very nice time together as a family. We ate lots of good food and have MUCH to be thankful for!

Road Trip

The kids were out of school Thurs. and Fri. last week so we decided we were overdue for a little road trip. We drove to Chicago and stayed downtown for two nights. We stayed in a nice hotel with a very nice pool. I think the swimming was the kids' favorite part. We squeeze into a room with two queen beds-that means 3 to a bed. I told Kyle that this won't last forever. Very soon we will need connecting rooms. Eden has been taking swim lessons for the last few months so it was fun to see her improvement. Everything was VERY crowded!! We went to the Field Museum on Fri. and the Shedd Aquarium on Sat. The Aquarium was where the huge line was and it was just PACKED inside. We had a great time at both and saw some very interesting things. We ate at the Rainforest Cafe (Eden was afraid of all the robotic animals) and at Hardrock Cafe. When we lived in England we took a lot of fun trips as a family and haven't had much time to do that since we moved back - we have all missed that. Beckett was slightly temperamental. He is at the age when he wants to be down and free. I think next time we will leave him at home with grandparents!

Eden lost her first tooth!

Eden lost her first tooth a week ago today. I am late on reporting this. She was thrilled as you can tell from the picture. We were eating lunch and Quiznos and it just came out. She isn't even in kindergarten yet!! Faith and Sawyer have been very late with losing teeth. Sawyer is 8 and has only lost his 2 bottom teeth. Both Faith and Sawyer lost their 1st tooth the summer before they entered 2nd grade-so at 7 1/2. Eden is almost 5 1/2.

Stuff

I have been meaning to update but I have been to obsessed with my new obsession-The Twilight Series. I am through the 1st two books and started the 3rd yesterday. I also saw the movie. I can't believe how much I am enjoying these. I have been paranoid that I am weird and that these are for teenagers but I heard Stephenie Meyer say in an interview that she wrote them for women her age and that it has just been a bonus that tweens and teenagers like them. Now I feel better. The last two books aren't in paperback yet so I dropped the big bucks and bought the hardbacks. I have to get through them so I can return to my life. In other household news, the carpet is going in our basement today-yipee!! My parents and in-laws have put many, many, many, many hours into the basement and we are so appreciative!! There is still stuff to be done but it is getting there.

Last week, Shelly with Aleigha and myself with Eden and Bex went to visit Amy and her girls. Amy lives about an hour away. She is still on maternity leave and Shelly had the week off to spend with Aleigha. We just hung out and had a great time. Eden and her two girls (Maisy and Trixie) played the whole time.

My friend Jenny also celebrated her 30th b-day on Sat. Myself and a few friends of hers (and mine) put together a surprise party for her at Alexander's. It was a lot of fun and she was very surprised. I have been friends with Jenny for almost 8 years!! I love her and we always have a good laugh together. She was very depressed about turning 30. Now that I am just over 4 years away from 40 I don't know what the heck she is talking about. She is the VERY TAN one in the picture. Next to her I am starting to look like the vampires in the books I am reading. I know you read my blog, Jenny!!

We are looking forward to a weekend away. The kids have Thurs. and Fri. off school and we are heading north to stay in a hotel and have some fun. We are kind of going to "wing it" so I will post about it when we return.

Sleep Anyone???

I don't get enough sleep. Beckett STILL isn't sleeping through the night and I blame it on the breastfeeding. However, I did notice today that he is cutting a molar so that doesn't help. Is it too early for a molar? I know...I should know-he is my 4th. I will have to look that up. Also, I'm not stopping breastfeeding. He is my last and I will suffer for another few months. I also like to stay up late at night so that I have some "alone" time. I do it to myself but I REALLY need my alone time-REALLY!! Well, I decided at the beginning of the week that I was going to start going to bed earlier and I did on Sun. and Mon night...

Yesterday, I got a disturbing note in my door that a sex offender is living in my subdivision. UGH!!! We live in a very large subdivision but WHO CARES!! My friend, Jenny, helped me hunt down where he lives and fortunately he lives on the other side-quite far away actually. He is a sicko. It isn't one of those 18 year old 15 year old things-much worse. Our subdivision doesn't allow fences and now I am thinking this needs to change. I am going to have to go to one of the meetings with all the old people. In addition to this I started reading "Twilight". Yes, I know I am a bit behind. It is so good and it is causing me to lose some sleep due to staying up late reading it. Then I think about it when I go to bed. Of course, I don't believe in vampires but it is still freaky. Kyle loves to fish which is why he bought a boat and yesterday was this prime fishing day at a lake nearby. He actually took off work today and spent the night on the lake, in his boat to get his prime spot for fishing (kind of like Black Friday). I was a bit concerned about him sleeping overnight in his boat (he is home now and all is well). Needless to say, I got horrible sleep last night. Now I want to get an alarm system.