Mallie turns 3

 We've been calling Mallie a 3 year old for months now. She is just so darn self sufficient that we never really felt like she was a 2 year old. She has dressed herself for at least the last 7 months. She will push a chair anywhere to get what she needs to feed herself and she is always finding trouble. She is spunky, crazy and a "free spirit". Just last week at the park Ashton poured water down the slide and not two seconds later Mallie was buck naked ready to slide down because she knows it's faster naked. I mean this girl has some serious street smarts. David and I watch her in awe.

We celebrated her birthday Sunday while David's family was here. She got lots of fun toys and her favorite thing ever. Puzzles.

 The kids associate birthdays with party hats. I think it's the cutest thing ever.

Ashton helping her unwrap.

Eating cake with the fam.

She melts my heart. Mostly because I know something very mischievous is lurking right behind that darling smile. Happy Birthday Mal!! 

Clifty Creek and the Inlaws

David's family came to visit on their way to Branson last weekend. On Saturday miraculously the high was 75 so we decided it was perfect hiking weather. We found a perfect 2 mile loop to an arch called Clifty Creek. David had a sore throat so he volunteered to stay home with Lucy and his Dad stayed home with him.

The rest of us set out. Along the trail we saw a snake and tons of little frogs that Cody and Chanelle caught.

Super scenic spots with great Missouri foliage.

 Stopped for lunch a little early when we thought we may not find the arch after all.

And then we found it! It was awesome and huge!

So we hung out for another hour.

And Cody climbed to the top of the arch which we thought was so impressive.

Let me start out by saying when I chose this hike I knew we would need sufficient backs to carry the girls. They could never do the whole 2 miles of hilly terrain. Well, as soon as we started hiking back to the car Mallie immediately said she was done. So David's Mom kept Mallie (who fell asleep) on her back for at least 30 minutes up hill as she was trying to stay hunched enough over because Mallie stopped holding on her back. As I was walking behind her, begging her to let me take a turn, I kept having visions of how I would tell David that I killed his Mom on a hike all in the name of Mallie's nap. It was so impressive. Only a grandmother would do that for a sleeping child.

This is Chanelle taking her turn with Hannah. Nothing better than awesome Aunts and Uncles!

Here's the after church shot. Can I tell you how amazing it was to have 4 adults sit with me. I didn't see Lucy or Hannah the whole sacrament meeting. Proof that David's Mom lived to tale the tell of the hike. Thank goodness. Thank you for coming Jacobsons you took the title of easiest house guests ever!

Midway

I feel like I should write an Ode to Midway poem. We spent almost 3 weeks up there and are so sad to say goodbye. Midway has been "home" for the Ashtons  for as long as David and I have been married. Which is ironic because my parents have lived in that house for almost 6 years and it's the longest they've lived in a house ever. Talk about ADD. Anyway...all my pictures are from my phone. I'm going to start taking out the real camera as soon as I see these published but hey.. it's what I have.

We had a VERY long travel day on July 3rd. Left our house in Missouri at 12:30pm and arrived in Midway about 8pm. Add an hour for the time change. It took forever but the kids were champs. They are amazing travelers. It never fails that at the end of the flight they get complimented for how well they travel and I smile proudly because they are awesome.
Then we spent the 4th of July with all the Ashton cousins.

We got the yearly picture...this one was my very favorite of the bunch.

We jammied the kids and let them stay up for fireworks.

They all sang Happy Birthday to America and waved their flags.

And then we spent lots of time enjoying the weather and family.

And we spent lots of time swinging in the hammock and eating Ice Cream.

Lots and lots of ice cream.

And then Nana and Papa brought out the water slide. And that was a big hit.

One brave day Cally, Mandy and I decided to brave Café Rio during the lunch rush with Jason being the only husband present. That's 13 kids 5 and under. We realized we were insane but totally proud of ourselves that no one was lost or run over by a car.

We of course went to the duck pond one last time.

I love Midway. I love the Utah grass and the bare feet and the mountain air. Someday when we're dropping kids off at BYU we'll make them take a nostalgic drive with us and show them these pictures. I wont mention that for the latter half of our 20 day trip there was a lot of sickness. I'll just end it and say we were so happy for another perfect Midway summer at Nana and Papa's.

Backyardigans

I love looking out my kitchen window. Usually I watch the kids play and see lots of animals. Cardinals, blue birds, squirrels, deer, rabbits. You name it, we have it. I'm starting to feel like I'm growing old because I love to talk about nature. Anyway, the last few days David and I have noticed that there are a family of groundhogs living under our neighbors stairs. We have our own set of groundhogs but they live in the forest line and they are much fatter. We've names the Henry and Wilma and the kids think they are our pets. It's pretty fun. I went out to take pictures of the new little family yesterday.

And then these two kids said, "Wait take a picture of us!" and threw their arms around each other.

Out of all our backyard creatures these are two of my very favorites.

To Dallas and a Birthday

David turned 31 on the Friday as we were leaving San Antonio. We were supposed to go to Sea World that day. We had our tickets ready and were sitting in the parking lot as it poured buckets of rain and was lightening like crazy. We were so disappointed (David and I probably more than the kids) and even prayed it would stop. After almost an hour of rain they closed the park and we headed back to Dallas. It was a bad way to turn 31. Luckily heading back to Allen to his parents house was a consolation prize full of games and David's favorite ice cream cake! Mom saved the day.

Never too old to blow out candles. Happy Birthday Babe! You're never too old to wear a ninja turtle shirt!

Smooshed faces and all, I'm determined to take more pictures of us.

We love David's siblings and so do the kids. Uncle Code and Lucy.

Aunt Boo and Hannah and Ashton photo bombing. Mallie was too busy eating my yogurt for a picture... what an unfortunate mix up that was.

I only took picture of our afternoon at Yogurtville. Staying in Dallas for a couple days on the front and back end of our San Antonio trip was the best. The kids and I were spoiled by Mom and Dad and every time I leave I can't help but feel so blessed that I can spend 3 days with David's family without him and not even flinch that he's not there. It's home to me too!

To San Antonio and back

When David told me he had a CE course in San Antonio I decided to join along. We've been thinking San Antonio might be a good option for when we move next year. I knew on our way we would stop in Dallas so I texted Bree and asked her if she would be around. We were both thrilled to realize our husbands would be in San Antonio for conferences at the exact same time. So we caravanned down on our own. The rest stop with 7 kids and two moms was hysterical. We made it down and got to hang out with our friend Lauren that we have been missing since we both moved away 2 years ago. As soon as we got to San Antonio we brought our 7 kids immediately to her house who were going crazy to get out of the car. Lauren handled in like a champ and it was so good to see her.

The first day we went to the zoo. That's Bree's 3 month old I'm feeding not Lucy (she was hanging in the stroller) although they are the same size!

The hippo came nose to nose at the window with the kids. So awesome!

 Ashton and the picture with the crocodile.

 Bree's little girl Elle and Hannah buddied up immediately. They were darling together and so girly. Hannah needs more little girl friends it was hard for me to say goodbye to them!

The kids wouldn't stop eating their shaved ice long enough to smile.

Overall being at Fort Sam Houston made me appreciate the cleanliness of FLW. Still a great option and so much fun to tour the city. Definitely worth doing two nights in a hotel by myself with all the kids. Thanks Bree for making the trip too! Even if it did just make me miss you more. I'm still waiting to see the picture from Lauren's house but she was an amazing hostess and made us all breakfast on our last morning there. Vacation with the little ones on my own? Check!

He'll be there

I usually wait to go grocery shopping until David is home. The kids take turns coming with me. We chat and bond and they get some one on one time. Shopping with 1 is a luxury that I love. Last week as I was heading out the door with just Mallie I heard Hannah run up the stairs and beg to come. It wasn't her turn but I felt sorry for her because I usually sneak out so know one knows they're being left behind. She put on her cute sad face so I told her to grab some shoes. It was at that moment that David said, "Don't do it. It's not her turn."

As soon as we walked into the commissary the last car cart was taken. Which wouldn't have been a big deal if we didn't have to see the family stroll away right in front of us with the little girl giggling and having the best time of her life steering. Then the whining began. Hannah got herself under control just long enough to put apples in a bag and then the two girls proceeded to annoy and yell at each other the rest of the short 15 minute trip. They were bad and I was impatient. By the time we got to the car Hannah was in full on melt down mode over her mermaid that she and Mallie had pulled right in half in a tug of war at the check out. When she sobbed asking me when I was going to fix it I replied, "never if you keep on crying." Am I glutton for punishment or what? Did I really hope that answer would stop the crying?

We got home and I asked David to handle her because I didn't want to yell at her. He fixed her mermaid but she wouldn't stop crying. I told her to go to her room until she was done crying. This is a common occurrence for little emotional Hannah. She'll go to her room cry for 15 minutes read a book and then come out mostly under control. I unloaded the groceries, told David about the frustrating trip and went upstairs to try and do some scripture reading. I could hear Hannah still going strong crying in her room on the other side of the house.  I was having an internal battle about whether or not to go to her room. I didn't want to spoil her and let her think every time she has an emotional melt down I would come to the rescue telling her it will all be okay. If I do that wont I be encouraging these melt downs and crying fests that seem to occur just when I'm at the end of my mothering rope? And then the thought came so clearly to my mind that the Lord will comfort us every time we need Him. Every single time. He wont tell us we're getting spoiled or ignore us. He'll be there.

So I went right to Hannah's room, knelt down and opened my arms to my little crying girl. She didn't say a word  and just curled right in my lap where I rocked her. In a matter or seconds she had gone from crying to just a few sniffles. I said, "Are you okay?" and she responded with, "Thanks for helping me calm down Mom." And then she proceeded to apologize for everything she had done. What a powerful lesson the Lord taught me.