Today, we celebrated the fourth early with Jim, Sam, Ben, and Logan!  We had a blast!.  Last year we got together for the fourth too!  It is so fun to have such awesome friends to spend time with and who understand life with multiples!  Now that the kids are getting older, it’s even more fun to watch them play!  They all love hats, stuffed animals, bouncy toys, and cars.  It was such a fun, relaxing afternoon.  I can’t wait until we do it again!

All of our kiddos!

Yummy dinner!

Josh and Maggie are so happy to finally get their hands on the marshmallow pops!

Maggie loves her marshmallow pop!

Wild ones!!!

Ben, Evie, and Maggie are laying on the tent they collapsed!

Evie and Maggie are chatting with Sam.

Evie’s playing the guitar!

Josh and Jim are in deep conversation.

Sweet Evie

Logan and Ben are enjoying the toys.

Maggie and Evie are having too much fun!

Logan finds it odd that Maggie and Evie are on the zebra together.  Neither was going to give up their spot.  That’s why!

Logan and Maggie are on the coolest toys!

Josh and Evie are happily playing.

Maggie with one of Logan’s hats!

Josh’s playing on his own.

Daddy’s giving Maggie kisses!

Logan loves puppy too.

Oh yeah.  One other thing.  The trip thinks Ben and Logan have the coolest toys!  It’s so funny to watch them!

I love you all.

Ginny

Having sisters is an interesting dynamic.  I know.  I have two of them.  One day you love them.  The next day you won’t speak to them.  You fight over petty things like whose turn it is to clean out the dishwasher or fold the laundry.  You argue about what movie to watch.

However, there’s the flip side of being sisters.  No matter what happens, you’re always going to be there for the other.  You are going to lift them up when their worlds are crumbling.  You are going to celebrate  with them as the earn awards, graduate, get engaged, get married, and have babies.  You are with them for life….love it or hate it. 

My girls don’t understand that yet.  However, when I went to check on the kids, the girls were both in Evie’s bed.  It was so precious.  I love that they love each other on such a primal level.  There are going to be fights, hurt feelings, and disappoints over the years.  However, when all is said and done……they will always be sisters and best friends for life.

I love you all.

Ginny

I can tell the kids are growing up (way too fast for me personally though).  Today, Evie went to  Josh and rubbed his back and gave him a kiss.  Both Evie and Josh told me to “shhhh” because sissy was still sleeping.  Then, when we went to Publix, I asked Josh to hold Evie’s hand and Evie to hold my hand.  Maggie was in my arms.  They followed my directions, and we happily walked into Publix.  They gives kisses to each other, me, and their Daddy on a regular basis.  They are out of their cribs and in toddler beds.  Evie is getting interested in the potty.  They can entertain themselves.  They only make half the mess with food they used to make.  I think that when I blink, I’m going to be at their college graduations.  I’m not ready for that yet.  Anyways, here are a few more pictures from the beach!

I love you all.

Ginny

Oh, the thing you will do.  This is instead of  “Oh, the places you will go”….

You will play in the ocean.

You will play in the sand.

You will learn how to swim.

You will ride the choo-choo train.

You will ride on the swings.

You will fly on airplanes.

You will ride a ferris wheel.

You will love life.

I love you all

Ginny

We went and had beach portraits taken this morning.  My kids were NOT happy about it.  However, we did get a few good pictures.  I can’t wait to see the pictures from the photographer!

Thanks to Lydia we got this first picture….and I adore it!

Is he not the most handsome little guy in the world?!

Maggie was not happy…can you tell?

Evie looks like she’s straight out of a Strasburg catalogue!

Daddy and Josh

Me and my girls….with the sun in my face!

I love you all.

Ginny

I think my kids were meant to be fish!  They absolutely love the water!  None of them are afraid of the waves.  I think we were meant to move to the beach one day!!!

Daddy with Evie and Josh!

Building sand castles is fun!

My crew!

Beware if Maggie!

Daddy, Josh, Lydia, and Maggie

Josh’s boogie boarding….with Daddy’s help!

He got a wave!

Then, there’s sweet Olivia with her Mommy!

Uncle Casey, Aunt Susan, and Olivia are floating!

I’ll tell you about the airplanes and choo-choo trains later!

I love you all.

Ginny

To be honest, we just have such a “normal” life.  I’m not sure anyone really wants to see the “average day” pictures.  Plus, the kids are keeping me crazy busy!  I’m having an absolute blast each minute with them though!  I’m starting back to make a concerted effort on the blog.  I hope you don’t think our “normal days” are too boring!

We’re having a blast right now! 

We want to say hey to Lydia’s family!  We’re having a blast!  Thanks for letting her come with us!

Maggie, Josh, and Lydia are all playing!

All of the girls!

Evie and Josh

Josh and Maggie LOVE it!

I didn’t think we were going swimming, but I guess I was wrong!

I love this picture of Evie!

My babies are so happy!

Evie and her Daddy!

Where’s Evie?  Peek-a-boo!

Do you see Lydia playing with Josh in the back?!?

Evie loves the slide!

My big man!

Magsters is so happy!

Lydia playing with the babies!

I want to tell Raj

HAPPY FATHER’S DAY!!!!

You are the most wonderful father and husband!  I’m so glad you’re on this crazy journey called life with me!  I love you!

I love you all.

(More to come!)

Ginny

Thank goodness!  I’m so glad they aren’t wailing this year!  Evie is still the most cautious, but she still does enjoy it.  Josh is the kid who loves it the most.  I’m a little surprised.  I thought Maggie would have loved it the most!  I definitely can’t make assumptions with my trio!

These are pictures I took the first time we went to the fountains this year!

Josh lovin’ the water!

Evie are Daddy are watching the craziness!

Josh is explaining the art of the fountains to Evie!

Evie’s just interested enough to check everything out from a distance!

Somehow, I didn’t get any pictures of Maggie.  I think it’s because she was running around like a wild woman while we were there!

Can you believe my babies turn TWO in three days?!?!?!  How did this happen so fast?

I love you all.

Ginny

I have everything I ever wanted.  Three is perfectly plenty for me.  I’m so blessed and happy! 

I LOVE Evie’s grin here! 

My sweet Josh

Maggie’s taking a break!

Evie in deep thought!

Miss Mags

My Josh

Evie and “Puppy”

Maggie in mid-stride!

Maggie and Josh

They’re even in their birth order here!

I have learned to be thankful for the many gifts and blessings I have been given. 

I have a peace saying Three Is Perfectly Plenty for me!

I love you all.

Ginny

Don’t say it at all!!

That would be a perfect description of a very large part of this past week.  However, they redeemed themselves on Friday and turned back into the children I know!  Thank goodness!

Josh with the broom and Maggie!

I just wish they would have stayed sitting down!

Maggie doesn’t think her side has enough water!

I got the water table out for the kids play with on one beautiful Friday morning.  Well, before I could look up, they weren’t standing around the table splashing and playing, they had all climbed into the table!  Oh my goodness! I guess my kids like the water a little bit ! 

Evie would like to “share” Maggie’s side!

Much better!  Evie has the entire table now!

She’s “King of the world!!” (Think Titanic folks!)

Maggie doesn’t give in that easily….she has the broom!

I did consider scolding them and making them get out.  Then, I though”nah” this is fun too!  This was one time it just wasn’t worth it to try and change the situation!!  We all had a blast! 

Evie would not leave the poor teddy bear out of the fun.

The kids climbed in and out and in and out of the table.  We only had one fall, and that was Maggie…no real surprise there!  We did have numerous power struggles over who had “control” of the water table.  It was funny, yet not funny, to see how they know how to not share.  I promise you I’m NOT teaching them that bad habit.  Life with three self centered (as every other kid their age is too) two year olds is interesting…….!

My two princesses!

Wild!  Wild!  Wild!

It was a fun and special time.  I can tell the little pool in our backyard is going to be used constantly!  I have no complaints.  Our yard will have a fence in a week or so, and I will be happy to spend all of our times outdoors in the water!  I am so lucky to have three strong willed, yet loving children….even if there is some pushing and shoving from time to time!

Evie looks WAY too grown up here

I love you all.

Ginny