Wednesday, July 30, 2008

Bubbles :)

When we got home from picking berries and the sprinkler park the boys wanted to get in the big bath tub. I started the water and then when and got the little girls cleaned up when I came back to turn off the water this is what I found...



They had added bubbles....lots of bubbles :) It was too funny!

Monday, July 28, 2008

Last one...I promise!

On Thursday last week NaNa worked for a couple of hours and I took the kids up to the store to see her. The kids enjoyed rocking out to the music!







And playing with the blocks, Veggie Tales castle and ark



When NaNa got off work we went to Sir Goony's golf for a round on mini-golf. It was a little too hot and the 3 little girls were really too tired so after the 2nd or 3rd melt-down we called it quits and went home. The girls all took naps while Caleb, Riley and I went to Blockbuster and got a couple of movies.

The kids at the beginning of the course (that is Riley's hand sticking up...I didn't even notice you couldn't see him until we got home and I was uploading the pics)!



One of the holes had these tombstones with little mounds...this is what Riley did on that hole...



Caleb and Kelsey in the cave under the waterfall



Madison and Shelby



Caleb, Kelsey and Madison helped make dinner...salmon patties, mac & cheese, corn on the cob and fresh veggies with ranch dipping sauce :)

Kelsey and Caleb making the salmon patties





Madison grating the cheese



And the adults finished dinner with homemade blackberry cobbler (made from the blackberries the kids picked) and vanilla ice cream while the kids had vanilla ice cream with chocolate syrup :)

Taylor's Home!

Sunday night Taylor came home from her week away! It was really good to see her, I missed her very much. It was the 1st time that I had been away from her that long. She had a really good time and I am so glad :) But it is really good to have her home....it doesn't feel right when one a piece of our family is missing, especially for that long.

On the way home Nana, Taylor and Caleb stopped in Cookeville to meet Hannah...it was only fair since Madison had gotten to meet her plus it gave Nana a good excuse to love on her newest granddaughter :) The kids enjoyed getting to see their new cousin.

Caleb holding the new baby!



Taylor holding Hannah



In awe over the new baby :)

Saturday, July 26, 2008

Meeting Baby Hannah

Today we met NaNa in Cookeville to do our kid swap. Riley is going to be baptized Sunday evening and she wanted to be there for that so she took the 3 Overall kids home (and Caleb went along for the ride and to see his cousin get baptized) and bring Taylor back home. They will be back Sunday evening. I have missed my Taylor. Anyway we just have Madison for the next 36 hours and boy is it different to only have 1 child after a house of 5. So quiet and she is content playing all by herself.

We also got to go by the hospital and see Hannah :) We hadn't been planning on seeing her this soon but it worked out were we could. She is absolutely precious and we enjoyed getting to spend some time with all 3 of them. Rachel looks great and is feeling good, Daniel is grinning from ear to ear and constantly taking pictures :) They were going to go home about 5 this evening, they just had to wait for a 4 pm blood draw :( and then they could go home!

Madison loved getting to see the baby. She has a head of dark hair (she reminds me of Madison when she was born) and Madison just kept stroking her hair :) It was very sweet. She also wanted to kiss her over and over. Hannah allowed this like a trooper. Madison even got to sit in Daddy's lap and hold Hannah....it was very cute :) Hannah makes all these cute little noises that made me want another little baby (just not right now).

I got to change her diaper....and got "christened". I was changing her and she peed all over her bassinet :) She was screaming her little head off the whole time :) She has a great set of lungs but only when mad and boy was she mad that I had taken her clothes off and exposed to her to the cold :) She actually slept most of the time we were there though she was wide awake when we got there. Madison loved getting to see her eyes open and watching her suck on her fist/hand :)

Sweet Baby Hannah



Seeing Baby Hannah for the 1st time



Daniel and his new daughter :)



Matt and Hannah



Madison holding Hannah



Madison sneaking in a kiss :)



I love being an Aunt :)



Madison loved rubbing her head :)

Friday, July 25, 2008

Hannah Michelle Aytes

She's here!!!!!

Hannah Michelle Aytes is here :)

She was born about 4:30 pm (which was a great labor/delivery for a 1st baby...only about 14 hrs)! She is 19 inches long and weighs 6 lbs and 4 oz. She has dark hair (like Madison) or so we have been told. Rachel had her naturally aka NO pain meds! Way to go Rachel! We haven't seen any pics yet but hopefully soon. I can't wait to meet her!

Baby Hannah is on her way!!!

This morning at 6 am the phone rang...I got to answer it since I was up going to the bathroom (and everyone else was still sleeping). It was Daniel calling to say that Rachel was in labor. She had been having contractions regularly for about 4 hours. They weren't heading to the hospital yet (they are going the natural route and wanted to stay home as long as possible. I wasn't able to go back to sleep....way too excited about becoming an Aunt again :) Nana is getting ready to head to Crossville and I am getting ready to have 5 kids (2 - 3 yr olds, 2 - 5 yr olds and a 7 1/2 yr old) all by myself :)

Hopefully things will go smoothly and quickly (since she is doing this all natural.

We can't wait to meet Hannah.....and see who she looks like :)

Thursday, July 24, 2008

Sprinkler Park

Yesterday after berry picking we went and enjoyed a couple of hours at the Sprinkler Park :) The kids really enjoyed it (except Shelby) and there was hardly anyone else there! I highly recommend going late in the afternoon....we went a little before 5:00 and left at almost 7:00. It did make for a late dinner but was worth it and ok since we didn't have to get up early the next morning.

Riley enjoying the sprinklers



Kelsey dancing



Sweet Madison (I love this picture)



Caleb being silly :)



Caleb and Riley spraying other people :)



Madison and Kelsey playing



Shelby



Madison trying to squirt someone :) She could barely reach the handle!



Madison playing and Shelby watching (this was as close as she got to the water)

Wednesday, July 23, 2008

Fruit and Berry Farm

Today was a busy day filled with some fun activities! We started out with a trip to the Fruit and Berry Farm where we picked blueberries, blackberries, grapes we didn't think that they tasted like grapes) and picked apples off the ground to throw to the horses and goats! After that we went and enjoyed the sprinkler park for a couple of hours! The kids (except Shelby who didn't like the water though we aren't sure why) had a ball. I will save that for another post b/c this post is going to be long enough with just the Berry Farm adventure. We finished our day with baths and a supper of "breakfast" which the kids devoured :)

Posing with a John Deere



Madison was the one that surprised me the most as she normally sticks to my side and today I was forever having to "yell" at her to come back as she would be 20-30 ft ahead of us and you could barely see her in all the vines.



Caleb and Kelsey



Riley



Shelby



NaNa, Caleb, Riley and Kelsey (who is behind the bush) picking blueberries



The little girls taking a break



Checking out the goats and chickens



Throwing apples to the horses



I love this picture of the 2 boys :)



Just a "rockin"




NaNa and Kelsey enjoying their slush's (Kelsey actually didn't like them)



Caleb enjoying his slush



Madison enjoying a slushie :)



Shelby enjoying her strawberry slush



Riley



"The "Buddy Club" members