{GIRLS} night!

 Clint went to California for a school/work convention for four days last week.  While he was gone, I had a few night time visitors.

Notice the amount of space left for me.

 We also had a late-night party, complete with chocolate chip cookies, nail polish and glitter with Kidz Bop on the radio.  We danced and partied hard till like 8.  Ha!  

That's a late night in our realm.

September

On our way to school one morning, Sage got to sit in the front seat because the back seat was full of moving boxes.  She had her window down and was completely oblivious to my watching her as she danced and sang at the top of her lungs and smiled non stop.  Sage is without question, the HAPPIEST person I've ever been around.  She is just genuinely happy.  All the time.  She is such a joy to be around and Heavenly Father sure knew what he was doing when he had her be my first child.

 One of the MANY trips to Home Depot.  We had happy campers, and not so happy campers.

I thought my hair this particular morning was pretty indicative of how the previous day had gone. 

 I posted this on Instagram, and it's noteworthy enough to be talked about twice.  Somehow they are all smiling and happy  here, but seconds prior, I'd about got us kicked out of the store for screaming.  I mean....leave each other alone for two seconds people!

{EMERY}

 This soon-to-be four year old started pre-school this month!  She is going to a gal in our neighborhood with some of her little friends and is loving every second of it.  Sage and Charlotte both went to one year of preschool, but I felt like Emery needed a little outing twice a week this year.  (ok ok.  this was more for my benefit than hers.)  As silly as it might sound, I can already tell a difference with her.  She sits still while we read stories now, is a better listener at church, and is just happy to have a "big girl" activity.  She goes for two hours twice a week, during nap time.  Which works out really well because every-other-day naps is better for her right now.  She was trying to reject naps and now goes down much better on her non school days.  She loves to tell me she isn't my best friend and if I say anything she doesn't like, she lets me know she doesn't love me.  This used to really bug me but now it doesn't faze me too much.  For example.  If I tell her she has to eat her sandwich before she gets a piece of candy, she will say, "fine the.  I don't love you anymore".  Exactly like that.  The little turd.  She tries really hard to keep up with her older sisters and has started to play really well with Ivy.  She loves to play tag and have one on one time with Clint and I.  She's got the sweetest little voice that I wish I could capture and keep forever.  We sure love our sassy-frass.

{IVY}

 This kid.  

I feel like I haven't written down enough about her.  She is two and I am still trying to wrap my head around the fact that I'm out of the baby stage and my youngest kid is two.  It breaks my heart but at the same time I KNOW I am done having kids and pray almost daily that I don't have an "accident" baby.  That sounds really awful.  I realize that.  But I know my limits and I know I've hit it.  Anyway.  

At TWO,

Ivy is most definitely my most spoiled child.  She gets away with way more than my other girls ever did.  Probably because she SCREAMS until she gets her way.  She gets tossed in her bed a lot to cry it out.  She is unbelievably picky.  She will eat yogurt, cereal, granola bars, and toast.  That's it.  She'll eat an occasional sandwich, but for the most part she licks the mayonnaise off and eat the cheese and calls it quits.  I am constantly trying to force good food down her, but she just won't have it.  She is addicted to her pacifier and blanket still.  About a month before we moved, we were pug free except for night time.  And then for some reason she started reverting back to needing her pug at all times.  It was about the time I started packing and I honestly feel like she just knew changes were happening and she needed that extra comfort.  So, at some point we will take it away again.  But for now, I'm spoiling my last baby a little longer.  She can be a BRAT.  Often.  She LOVES to pull her sisters hair and thinks it's funny.  She gets in trouble a lot for that.  She loves to run on her tippy-toes and swings her arm back and forth big time when she walks.  It's hilarious!  She is always putting on a show for us and keeps us laughing constantly.  She gets woken up every morning around 6 because her sisters are getting ready for school, so by noon--she is out like a light.  I kid you  now.  If it's 12:02 and we are almost home, she can't last.  She snoozes a 12 on the dot.  I love my little Ivy so much.  She completes our family and makes us so happy.

{NEW} house!

 Every month, for the past six months, I've hoarded pictures of my house.  I was scared to write about it or talk about it or do anything involving "it", until it was officially ours.  I kept thinking something would go wrong and/or we would realize it was too expensive for our budget and change our minds.  I didn't sleep for approximately six months.  Seriously!  I stressed a lot over this move.  

When Clint decided this was the house we were getting, I fought him.  Hard.  I cried almost every day and night because I was so worried.  He was insistent, and determined.  He even went and put our names down to sign on the house without telling me.  For real!  I was a hot mess.  I cried several times in front of the sales lady, and embarrassed the crap out of all of us.  But whatever.

Now that we are here, and IN, and settled (for the most part), I am so content.  I'm sure we will still struggle to make our new payment and there will be days when I wonder what the crap we did, but I am CONTENT.  I'm sleeping.  Like, sleeping for 8 hours a night without waking up to pee or wander around or ANYTHING.  This hasn't happened to me in years.  I have struggled with insomnia for a very long time and it has been so hard for me to deal with.  It has been such a blessing for me to be able to sleep and feel rested when I wake up.  

I LOVE my house.  Like, LOVE it!!!!  I am having so much fun planning little projects and making it ours.  More on that later.  For now, ....the progression.

 MAY 1, 2015

Break ground! 

 MAY 20:  Foundation is poured

MAY 28:  Lumber dropped to begin framing

JUNE 2:  Framing begins

JULY 27:  Inside gets a make-over

AUGUST 3:  Outside gets stucco'ed

 AUGUST 25:  I go crazy packing crap 

(and throw in a table re-do)

 SEPTEMBER 1:  It's official!  We sign papers early AM, have a very unhealthy lunch at In-N-Out to celebrate being homeowners, and then meet up with Maracay to get the keys.  

At this point, I was ecstatic.  So was Clint.

Angel Way

So, this really happened!  

We said good-bye to the sweet little home that kept us in close quarters for the past three years.  While I complained a time or two about the size of this place, it served its purpose and served it well.  We brought Ivy home here, we lost teeth here, we started school here, we made lots and lots of memories here.  I am so grateful for the friends we made while living here and for the lessons we learned.  I'm not sad to be leaving this house, but it most definitely holds fond memories for me.  So long, Angel Way!

August Wrap

Oh, right.  August is over.  Whoopsie.  Here's a quick recap:

Apparently this chick found my phone, turned on the camera, and took a few selfies while I was coaching.  What the what?!

 Little C lost another tooth!  She's up to like...five?  now.  I think.  Sure.  Five.

 And while daddy was out of town for one thing or another, we visited good ole Bosa.  THE best donuts ever made in the history of donuts.