Father's Day 2012!

  I can't believe I almost forgot to do this post!!  We normally spend Father's Day celebrating Kevin, and my daddy with the whole family.  Well, this year Megs and David were in the hospital with Aubry and Boo Boo was sick.  But I think we still managed to make it pretty special for the Daddy of this house!  He awoke to kids throwing cards in his face and opened one of his presents in bed.  We had bought him some new swimming trunks and shirts. Once we got him out of the bed I showed him his surprise in the kitchen!!  I had found a Mr. Coffee maker (makes the one cup like the Keurig) on clearance at Kroger for $45 about a month ago.  It was a great deal and I had so much fun shopping around and buying different flavors of coffee to try.  I will admit it......I am going to enjoy this present just as much as Kev will!!!!  But it is something that we would never just go out and buy, and I think he was pretty excited to have it as well.
  After church, Kev let the kids pick a place a to eat.  So, of course we headed to none other than Stevie B's:)  That is just another reason why he deserves to be honored on Father's Day.  He definitely puts the kiddos way above himself and will do and does everything for them.  We love him more than the sky and I hope Maddie and Turner will know and appreciate one day just how blessed they are to have Kevin as their Daddy!!
  I am also blessed beyond words to have my Daddy and the Father in law that I do.  I can't say enough great things about them and hate we weren't able to celebrate with them that day.  We gave Boo Boo his surprise a few days ago--a Bike!!!!  He has to get totally well before he can begin riding it, but we hope that he enjoys it.  We will give Da his gift this weekend. 

  It was a good day, and I am so thankful for all the male role models that are in my life and Maddie and Turner's.  God is good!!

Chuck E Cheese Friday!

Yesterday we spent the morning at Chuck E Cheese.  It has been a while since we went and the kids loved it!  Chuck E actually was walking through telling kids to follow him if they wanted free tickets.  So both kids started following him and they ended up dancing with him to music.  Maddie got embarrassed and ran back to daddy but Turner got down with Chuck E and was able to catch a bunch a free tickets:)  I think that is the biggest difference between my two kids.  Turner is such a performer and not shy at all in front of crowds!  Maddie danced for two seconds and then looked as if she going to cry.  We played a bunch of games and had pizza for lunch.  We were there for almost 2 hours and spent $26.  I don't think that was too bad for lunch, drinks, and fun!!
  That afternoon Maddie and Daddy went for a bike ride and then the kids went swimming.  I need a put the video up, but Turner has started to swim without floaties!!!  We are so excited for him and he is doing great!  Maddie started swimming the summer she was three too.  He isn't able to touch the bottom of pool yet, so it will be much easier for him next year.  But he is getting a great head start!!
  We ended the day with a bang!  We went over to Megs and Bubba's house to welcome Aubry home:)  We are so excited she is home and the kids plan on spending a lot of time over there.  Aubry slept through most of our visit, but did manage to shoot poop across the changing table as I was changing her:)  The life of a newborn.....how quickly you forget the fun and excitement they can bring!! 

  We had a great day spent as a family and are looking forward to pretty low key weekend!!

Our Spunky Skunk!

Maddie is doing so well on her gymnastics team!!  Tonight at practice she did a back walkover on her own, a cartwheel on the floor beam, and received a medal for doing the best job on the beam!!  We are so proud of our little gymnast!!

Reflections and Fishing!

I started this blog as way to have journals and pictures from over the years of the kids growing up.  My memory is terrible and I don't want to forget a thing!!!  Most of the time I just include pictures and things that we have done that day.  While that is great, I really want to document what has been going on with me these past few months.  We went to Kelly's yesterday to hang out and let the kids fish.  I want to share some pictures from that as well.  They caught a BUNCH of fish!
  I think I kind of got in a funk after my miscarriage in early April.  Or maybe it was a full blown depression...I don't know, I have never dealt with that before.  But this was my third miscarriage and by far the most difficult.  I think because we actually had a picture of Baby Starks, and heard a heartbeat (even though it was low), so it was very real to me and my family.  We were planning how to rearrange the rooms, I was throwing up throughout the day, and we just couldn't wait to become a family of 5.  God had different plans....and I have finally gotten to the point to where I am ok with that!
  I had gained about 10 lbs already....it sure doesn't take me long to inhale those extra calories:)  So about 2 months ago I decided to take up running.  I don't care as much about being thin, but I do want to be healthy and feel good about myself.  I have signed up to run my first half marathon and ran 7 miles about 2 weeks ago.  I know I can do it and am so glad to have something to work towards and feel so much better already.  When I was working, I always felt guilty about doing something just for myself.  I felt like every spare minute I had needed to be spent with the kids.  Now that I am home with them all the time, I have no problem with leaving to go run for an hour.  I NEED it!!  It gives me some time by myself, and I think results in me being a better wife and mom.  So running is one positive thing that has come from the miscarriage.
  One big concern that I have had these past two months and have been praying about is how I would feel about Megs being pregnant and having her baby.  I was so excited for her and anxious to meet baby Aubry, but at the same time it was hard being around her while she was pregnant knowing what we had just lost.  I didn't want to take anything away from her special time and wanted to be just as excited for her as she had always been for me.  She is a fabulous aunt and I just prayed that I could be the same.  I didn't want my disappointments or sadness, to have any effect on her or my feelings for Aubry.  Let me just say......God totally took care of that for me.  I am head over heels in love with that sweet little girl and can't wait to get them home.
  Aubry was born with an infection, that is causing her to stay in the hospital for an extended stay so she can get the medicine she needs to get better.  She has an iv in her poor little head, and Megs and David just want her to be well and to go home.  Again......not the scenario that they would have chosen for Aubry's arrival.....but God is in control and taking care of everything.  I imagine this situation is just going to make them hug her a little tighter and love her a little bit more.  I know it has done that for me!  It also reminds me of the huge responsibility I have towards my kids and how important it is to make each day count.  We are never guaranteed tomorrow, and I don't want to waste a single day.  It is amazing to see the prayers going up for little Aubry and the visitors that are coming in and out of that room.  She is so loved already and I am so proud of the family and support system that we all have.  My parents have been a rock throughout all this and I pray that we are the same for our kids throughout the years.  What an awesome example I have had!

  So these thoughts all came from a little fishing adventure we went on yesterday.  We are blessed beyond measure!!!

Aubry has Arrived!!!

Aubry decided to join the world around 4:30sh on Saturday, June 9th.  It was such an exiting day and I was so proud of my kiddos.  They were at the hospital for about 7 hours that day and did wonderful!!!  Everyone was so excited to meet her.  Megs was a real trooper and did a great job herself.  She had gone into labor around 4 that morning, went to the hospital at 10, and had her that afternoon.  Not too bad for a first baby!
  We just love her to pieces and can't wait for them to come home.  Aubry has been running a little fever and possibly has an infection somewhere.  They have an iv in her sweet little head giving her antibiotics and we hope to hear something from the doctor in the morning.  I want to share a few (or a ton:) or pictures from the past few days.

THESE ARE IN TERRIBLE ORDER--A GREAT EXAMPLE OF MY LACK OF PATIENCE:)

Fun Friday!!

Today was a busy fun day!!  I am expecting the kids to pass out any minute:)  We spent the morning at the Collierville Sprinkler Park.  We packed our lunch, spent some time in the water, and then headed to the playground.  When we got home Maddie and I went on a bike ride to her Kindergarten.  She loves doing this and I am glad she is seeing how close the school is to our house, and is so comfortable going there.  Then this afternoon we met Vicky and her two kiddo's for some ice cream at Baskin Robbins and then headed to Ellendale Park to play.  The pictures pulled up exactly opposite of how our day went:)  We are loving having daddy at home and are having no trouble staying busy!!!

One thing I have done this past week is prepare a lot of meals ahead of time and put them in the freezer.  I am going to try and keep quite a few on hand for busy nights, or nights that I just don't feel like cooking.  I am hoping to do a post soon of what I made and the recipes.  Most were double batches that we ate one night this week and they have been yummy!!!

Looking forward to a pretty low key weekend spent at home and possibly in the pool!

Bowling in Savannah!

We are having a great time at Nonna's!!!  Kids have played with cousins, visited grandparents, gone swimming, and today we went bowling.  The kids loved it!!  They are currently at Nonna's, while Kev and I are headed to see a movie-YAY for us:). I have learned to blog from my phone and am loving it. 

Summer Buzz!

Love our big boy!