Backyard project

This has been our biggest and longest project thus far! We started back in March clearing the yard. I regret that I didn't get a good before picture but the backyard was very over grown and looked really small. We removed rocks, bricks, railroad ties, chain link fence, vines, over grown plants, a lot of shrubs, some very large wild peach trees, and two large trees.

This is the back fence when we started

We halled off several trailer loads of shrubs and tree limbs

The kids loved watching the tractors work in the yard

Steven worked hard to make our backyard look good

Ryan worked hard helping us remove stumps in the yard

Addison eating her snack on the tractor

The boys had fun watching the tractors

Collin spent a lot of time on this tractor

and loved every bit of it

Driving the tractor around the block (I'm sure our neighbors loved us)

This is how our yard looked for about 4 months while we did one step at a time

Addison's first haircut

Yes, she is 3 and just getting her first haircut (if I can really call it that)! We only snipped off the frizzy ends that have been driving me crazy every time I fix her hair so it was nothing drastic. Addison was so excited to get her first hair cut. She has watched Mommy, Daddy, Bryce and Collin get several haircuts but this was her turn and she made sure they knew it! For the first two years of her life she barely had hair so I wanted to let it grow out a little before we got her first haircut. Now I'm hoping her hair will start to grow more.

This is how little hair Addison had at 1 yr. and 2 yrs. old

Addison before her hair cut

She sat in the chair so well and did everything Valerie asked her to do

Can you see the excitement on her face

Snipping of the ends

Valerie and Addison with her new haircut

3 three year olds can be challenging!

Everyday is a challenge around our house and last week proved to be a big challenge! One evening, I heard water running in the bathroom. I went to the bathroom to tell the kids to turn the water off and I noticed hair on the floor. I stood for a minute with a confused look on my face, where did that come from? Then I hear "Mommy look, I wash my hair" as I look up I notice Collin with Steven's razor in his hand rubbing his head with it, hence the hair on the floor. Fortunately he only cut his hair and didn't hurt himself with the razor!

One mischieveious little boy with the funny haircut!

Daddy's tools have become another obsession with the kids. They would argue with me and say "I working Mommy"! They just couldn't understand why I wouldn't let them "work" with real hammers, screw drivers, wrenches and even exacto knives! How we don't have more injuries in this house is beyond me.

Another day I got a phone call from a friend and snuck off to the other room so I could actually have a conversation. A short time later in walks Bryce saying "Mommy look my hair all wet". All three decided they wanted to play in the rain and where soaked from head to toe! What could a little rain hurt so I let them play in it for a while until I heard thunder and we all decided the fun was over. 

July 4th

For the 4th we attended the Round Top parade with friends. This was our first time at the parade in Round Top and I have to say it was a great parade. There was a lot of candy, beads, and toys thrown out and what other parade would you see a fire truck pull over to hand your child candy and a cowboy stop so the children could pet his horse and even sit on it for a while.

Bryce, Addison and Collin

Just a few of the "floats" in the parade

Collin, KK and Charlie

This firetruck stopped his truck to hand a piece of candy to Bryce who was throwing a fit about the candy in the road (he didn't want the candy to get run over)

Collin and Addison enjoying the parade

Emmie and Addison

The best part was watching the parade with friends

Bryce watching the parade with daddy

This cowboy was really nice to stop and let the kids pet his horse and even nicer to let Bryce sit on the horse with him

That afternoon we all napped well, that evening we ate some yummy BBQ that Travis made and then watch fireworks at the Country Club with the Janner Triplets.

The Janner triplets with the Siemsglusz triplets

Collin, Addison and Bryce being silly

Playdate group

This is our second year to get our playdate group together over the summer. Its a great time to get the kids out of the house and even a better time for the mommy's to enjoy some adult time!

Kade, Collin, Addison, Jake, Cooper, Khloe, Kimber and Bryce

I thought this picture was too funny not to include.

Everyones face is looking at the camera but all of the eyes are looking somewhere else!

Llano River

I'm a little behind on posting so be prepared for some updates. The weekend before the 4th I braved a three hour drive to Llano with three 3 year olds for our Michalewicz Reunion. It was a quick trip but we enjoyed fishing, playing with our cousins (and meeting new ones), and seeing everyone.

Bryce, Addison, and Collin along the Llano River

Kathy and Les

My aunt and uncle from Virgina (soon to be Australia) flew into Houston Friday and met up with me in Brenham to help with the drive. It was great visiting with my aunt during the drive and I really appreciated the help with the kids.

Addison fishing with Tegan and Uncle Jason

Bryce caught his first fish

The "multiples" of the family

back row: twins Lucy and Louis, twins Alexis and Jessica

front row: the triplets and twins Elise and Ian

The Wilde Family

Swim Lessons

For the last two weeks we had the kids enrolled in swim lessons with Ms. Natalie. She was super patient with the kids and taught them to blow bubbles, kick, float, put their face in the water, spiderman walk along the edge and just be comfortable with the water! We learned Addison is our little fish and loved the water. By the end of the lessons she put her head under water and blowed bubbles, she would jump in and go under and was always the first one in the pool. Bryce was not as excited about the swim lessons and cried through several lessons. He didn't like going under water or venturing away from the steps, his favorite was playing with the toys on the steps. Collin hated swim lessons and also cried and screamed through several lessons (poor Natalie), he mostly enjoyed playing in the "little" pool or the cold hot tub. Their lessons were done individually for 30 minutes so we were hanging out by the pool for an hour and a half each day. Thankfully they had a swing set, mommy packed lunches and we were able to hang out in the little pool to keep everyone occupied for that long.

Addison learning to float

 blowing bubbles

Addison and her teacher Ms. Natalie

Bryce excited about jumping in on the first day of swim lessons

Bryce practicing his kicking.

All three would kick harder so they could splash mommy!

Bryce swimming

Bryce with his teacher Ms. Natalie

Bryce and Collin having fun in the little pool

Collin doing the spiderman walk along the edge of the pool

Collin with his teacher Ms. Natalie

Collin and Addison hanging out