Happy Birthday(s)

I can't believe this boy is looking so grown up! He was so excited to be turning 3 today! He had a special lunch with his daddy and was excited to wear his "tennis clothes" for his birthday.

This beautiful girl woke up dancing because of her excitement. She had a special lunch with her mommy. We went to a Mexican restaurant. She has a serious chips and Salsa addiction. I am willing to join her in that addiction.

We made our own pizza for dinner. You don't want to know how much pepperoni is under that cheese on Riley's pizza.

We had a Spiderman and Princess cake. We know how to party in this house.

Quinn ignored everyone's "Happy Birthday" singing by closing his eyes throughout the song. Riley loved the attention.

They were blessed with some awesome gifts from some awesome people.

Gotta love the outfit she had to wear. She made her own princess crown.

Quinton~ You bring so much energy to our family. I love that you are so strong-willed and aggressive, yet you can't say good-bye to anyone without kissing them on the lips. In a few years that may be weird, but for now, keep on kissing! Your big blue eyes and overall cuteness makes my heart melt. I love how your best friend is your daddy. In your eyes he can do no wrong. He is a great man to look up to, buddy. I can't wait to see you continue to grow!

Riley~ You bring joy to our family. You are laughing, talking, and dancing most of the day. Your love for people is inspiring. You always want to do your best at everything. I appreciate how great of a big sister you are to your siblings. I will always enjoy our shopping and Taco Bell trips. Your beauty and contagious smile are an outward reflection of your beautiful heart. I can't wait to see you continue to grow!

Happy Birthday kiddos!!!

Mom's Day Out

Every Tuesday a group of stay-at-home moms and their kids meet at 9:00am. There is no agenda, study, craft, or organized play time for the kiddos. We rotate homes and just fellowship. The kids run wild, fight, and sometimes pee all over the house. The moms talk over the chaos and drink coffee. Over the past couple years, those Tuesday mornings have meant the world to me. Its a place to go where no one cares about your sweat pants, unwashed hair, and screaming children. They all get it.

This past Saturday, some of us gathered for a "mom's day out". The kids stayed home with dad and we were able to be refreshed. We reserved a hotel room in order to sit, talk, play games, and eat unhealthy, but delicious food.

We even all put on our "mom suits" so we could relax in the hotel hot tub. We showed each other our beautifully imperfect stretchmarks and scars. These 7 bodies have birthed 23 babies.

Motherhood is hard. These mommies wake up early and go to bed late. Our current salary is $0. We all chose this path and we all understand that the sacrifice is worth it. We also understand that the sacrifice means many lonely days. Days all of us would love to just take a break from the laundry, the discipline, the lack of sleep. Days we all long for a lunch break, a nap, and a "thank-you". Thankfully, God gave us the rest we needed at just the right time. Of course, rest for a woman can include a little shopping. We tried on jewelry and clothes from the clearance rack. We then ate a quiet lunch out.

Rest can also include a few intense games of Dutch Blitz. We discovered a few of us are a little competitive.

I am so thankful for these ladies and the encouragement they bring. A couple of our husbands said we needed to do this more. I might just take them up on that!