Happy 4th Birthday!!!

On Monday, January 6th, the triplets turned four years old.  The following weekend we had a party to celebrate.  The trio and fifteen of their friends descended upon Everland Play at Mall of Georgia.  We did a Disney theme with a joint "Cars" and "Cinderella" party.  The kids had a ball.  They played games, ate pizza and cake, and even visited with Mickey Mouse and Cinderella.  They got so many presents they couldn't even open them all the day of the party.  Don't worry...we've opened them all now!

Well it's not going to be me!!!

If there's one thing I have been pretty good at this year it is eating humble pie!  I keep making bold declarations and then promptly end up eating my own words.  When most people would hear I had a blog to keep track of our busy life as a family of five they would tell me there's no way to keep it up forever.  And for three years I proved them wrong.  Week after week I posted every detail of our lives complete with pictures and the occasional video.  Sometime around their 3rd birthday I just lost it.  I just couldn't seem to find the time to fit blogging in.  Kurt went back to work and suddenly the few precious moments of free time we had to ourselves in the evenings disappeared like the setting sun in the sky.

But there's a big part of me that wants this outlet.  Correct that...needs this outlet.  So I'm going to try and start again.  First, I'll just post a couple of my favorite pics from 2013.  Then from here on out we'll start fresh.

Family photo in front of where we got married

My favorite picture of the year

Best friends forever

2013 School Picture

Christmas 2013

Beach Babies

At the end of April (2 weeks earlier than usual) we took our annual beach trip to Panama City Beach, Florida.  When the trio was 4 month old they just lay like lumps.  A year later when they were 1 1/4 they did not care for the sand very much.  A year after that at 2 1/4 they liked it but I could tell they were just along for the ride.  But this year was very different.  The kids are 3 1/4 and they just had the best time.  We swam every day and built sandcastles on the beach every day too.  Two years ago we got a tip to bring a little pool down to the beach to fill with water since the kids are too young for the ocean.  That was the highlight of the trip!

At night we ventured out to the local restaurants for delicious fresh seafood.  And the weather was so warm and beautiful there.  I swear sometimes I think I could just pack up and move to the beach.  No one wanted to leave on departure day but I promised the kids we could spend lots of weekends this summer at the neighborhood pool and that seemed to pacify them.  The kids were so good all the way home in the van.  We only had small meltdowns at dinner and that was near the end of the journey.  So proud of my babies!

The inflatable pool was a hit!

Building a sand castle with Mimi

Swimming with Daddy & Papa

Sarah and Lucas being so brave and swimming solo

By day 3 even Jake was swimming solo

Two boys who DO NOT want to leave the pool

The busy days caused lots of solid naps!

Family Pictures

Back when we lived in Newnan we scheduled an appointment with a photographer who was also a member of my Moms of Multiples group.  Through a series of scheduling conflicts we went over a year and a half without ever getting the session done.  But we finally got around to it and they turned out great.  They were "real" portraits instead of posed studio ones.  The photographer is www.brennabphotography.com

Easter Fun

The kids had a ball at Easter a few weeks ago.  We had a brunch with the whole family over at Mimi and Papa's house.  Thankfully the rain held off long enough to hunt Easter eggs.  By the time we were heading out though the rain came in full fury.  Here are some pics from the hunt:

And a collage I put together of each of the kids' first four Easters.

Brusha, Brusha, Brusha

At the kids' dentist appointments a few months ago the dentist said we could start using regular toothpaste instead of the "baby" non-fluoride paste we'd been using.  It took a little time to get used to the switch because we had to teach the trio to swish and spit out the paste.  But they are getting the hang of it.  Of course their aim is a little wild so our sink looks like it's been sprayed with milky water.  Oh well, that's life!

Moms of Multiples Spring Party

A few weeks ago our Gwinnett group had a party at a local park.  Everyone brought a dish to share and plastic eggs for the kids to have an egg hunt.  There was even an Easter bunny there posing for pictures with the kids.  Although the bunny was pretty scary.  Not sure where he came from!  There was a limit on the number of eggs each child should collect and there were many responsible parents enforcing the rules but some were not.  There was this one little girl loading up her basket as fast as she could and no parents in sight.  I hate irresponsible people!  But despite this issue the kids had a ball.  And I even saw an old high school friend there with her family.  A great day!

Kurt gives Jake a boost to watch the trains

The scariest bunny ever!

Jake counting his eggs