Our Height Chart....that is no longer

For the past three and a half years we have been excitedly watching our kids get taller and taller by measuring and recording their height on the wall inside our closet.  I am sad to say this height chart is gone.  Before we repainted the house {for the renters} I had to take a few pictures of it to remember.  I cannot wait to finally get settled again in another house permanently, so we can make another height wall.

Slacker, or something like that

Yes we are still alive over here.
Just busy with packing, moving, Jesse's shoulder surgery, working, swimming, playing, fighting, etc.
Until I have a chance to write more, here are a few pictures from our recent photo session with my parents:

Maddie with Kater-bug

Eli's "Un-Birthday"

When I found out I would most likely be having my third child close to Christmas it got me thinking.....  Everyone I knew who had a birthday near this glorious holiday hated the fact that it was sort of tied into Xmas.  Then when I had my child three days before on December 22nd, I knew that I needed to think of something extra special to separate his birth from the festivities.  Last summer I came up with this awesome idea to host an "Un-Birthday" party for him every summer on June 22nd for his 1/2 birthday.  So far we have done two of these celebrations and I have loved the chance he has to have presents and a special party just for him and I love that it sort of spreads out his presents over the year.  We still have a little family dinner on his real birthday that is complete with cake and balloons, but on his un-birthday we hold a little party and give him presents and cupcakes.  I think that when he gets a little older, this will be when we also have his friend parties as well.  This summer it was a little chaotic time for us, as we were in the midst of packing up our house and moving in with my parents until our final move to New Hampshire.  We were still able to fit in a little party for him that included swimming, pizza, presents and cupcakes!  We are so thankful to all of our family that has supported this decision we have made about E's birthday and their willingness to celebrate with us for his "Un-Birthday."  WE cannot wait to celebrate more birthdays and unbirthdays with you Mr E!!! You truly bring so much love and happiness into our home.

Eli and Robby were super excited to find cupcakes at the store that were TMNJ themed {ie: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles}

Esther gave Maddie this lovely little headpiece and Miss M announced that it was her Rapunzel hair like from the movie "Tangled" and stated that now all she needs is to earn enough money to buy a Rapunzel dress and shoes.  Too bad that her Rapunzel hair did not last long enough to arrive in NH with us.

cute Kater bug with a cupcake face

Zacky also enjoying his super messy cupcake

Eli LOVED his new Cars rolling backpack and monster trucks that he got from his party!

Rocky Point Part Dos

{Before I get tooo far behind on my blog, I figured I would hurry and post the second part of our Rocky Point adventure several weeks ago}

The next day (Saturday), with Jesse in tow, we happily explored the beach, played in the tide, swam in the pool, shopped at the local swap meet, ate some yummy shrimp tacos, and spent some fun time together.  In fact, we had so much fun that we decided last minute to stay another night.  We ended up finding another condo one building down and so we loaded up all of our stuff and moved over to the new place.  I was so glad we decided to stay another night, we seriously had such a relaxing time together.  Jesse and I kept telling each other that we have never really had such a relaxing, fun, family-time vacation with our kids before.

Other than the kids sharing a pull out couch that night and getting up WAY TOO EARLY the next day {as well as Eli crying in the middle of the night and then sleeping the rest of the night in MY bed} it was another perfect night.  Too soon the next day, we had to pack up our things and head back home.  Luckily I still got my piping hot tortillas at the border and I also got to see my hubby get pulled over behind me and checked to make sure he wasn't drinking and driving :) 

Apparently the cop on the road saw him weave a few times and pulled him over to test him for alcohol.  Thankfully Mr E was in the backseat, so when they asked if there was anything in the car that he shouldn't have he replied "Nope, just a snotty little boy".  When I pulled back around and parked near him, Mr E was being his darling little self and had both of the cops completely wrapped around his finger.  Other than that, the drive back was smooth. 

Too bad it will be awhile until we can head back to Puerto Penasco!!

--First thing in the morning, Jesse took the kids out to the beach and they came back with buckets full of shells and all sorts of sea creatures!

--One of my favorite parts about the trip was being able to sit in a lawnchair with ocean water surrounding me.  Eli was a little afraid and sat on my lap most of the time, while Maddie loved walking around and exploring while she chatted on and on to herself :)

--Our beautiful resort :)

--Two out of three of my handsome boys

--Was taken by our five year old.  I actually prefer it this way with me mostly cropped out of the picture. I am sure everyone can see my husband's beautiful olive skin paired with my ugly pink/burned skin.  :(

--Tired and cuddly little guy

and where was Robby during all of this you may ask?

He was busy digging in a sand pile and REFUSED to stop what he was doing for any photo-ops

--at the street taco shop eating fish tacos....yummy!

--probably one of my absolute favorite pics of the whole vacation :)

--proof that although Miss M is ADORABLE, she has a sassy, crabby side to her that emerges almost every day to the dismay of her family.  I was busting a gut as I took this picture of her, it totally captures her LARGE personality

--don't they totally look like they belong to me??

--one of my favorite parts about living on the beach for 3 days is the fact that you don't have to comb, fuss, flat iron, blow dry your hair.  Everyone expects that you will have nasty, messy buns in your hair on a regular basis.

--Maddie was actually very happy at this moment.  The goggles totally give her a "droopy eye" appearance that makes her look like she was just crying :)

--and by the way, these have to be the BEST tasting mangos I have ever put in my mouth.  Not to mention how pretty they look before you eat them.

--the wave wall that Jesse built with the boys.  They loved trying to block any waves from splashing through.

Eli was also making us laugh because he kept picking up our discarded mangoes and eating them with sand and all

--We were dying laughing when we saw how Robby was cleaning the sand out of his pants...that's my boy!

Goodbye Rocky Point...may we meet again SOON!