his first fish...

We have had my nephew, Riley, for the last few days. One thing about having this boy at our house is knowing we are going to fish in our neighborhood ponds as much as possible! He is definitely going to have a love for fishing like his Uncle!

 

We went out fishing after work yesterday, and the boys caught some pretty good catfish. One was almost as long as Kason. We were going to hold him up beside it and right as we did, the fish flopped, hit Kason throwing dirt and blood (from Justin's cut hand) all over him. I thought he was going to cry when he just started laughing. Thankfully he loved it... this kid doesn't have a choice!

Courtney, Hadlea and Riley

Hadlea was the worm getter... I am still not sure how they convinced her this was a great job!

Kase needed a bath after the mud and blood incident! He was sure happy to do it...

and mommy was sure happy to give him his first 'hawk!

come on hair... grow!

more from medford....

When we went to Medford for my get together with my high school girls and Kelsey's baby shower, we also had the Kilian reunion for my dad's family. Gigi and Poppa were happy to show off their babies!

Saturday night we went to church and out to dinner...

Someone is a little spoiled at Gigi and Poppas. Laying in a baby bed watching the iPad with her baby Mola!

and someone got LOTS of attention!

Poppa and his babies after the reunion!

cuties!

and after we got home, I found this on my camera roll! silly girl!

I would say it was a jam packed weekend...

and daddy was in heaven on a fishing trip...

forever friends

In this day and age (that made me sound super old), it is so hard to meet people... more or less find friends. So when you have a group of friends that have stayed together since high school, you definitely know it is a special group. Now... have we had our differences, yes. Have there been blowups between all of us, yes. But when you can all work through it, you again, know it is something special! After all, like the quote says below, we all know too much about each other so we better stay friends! Ha!

Last summer, I started planning a weekend get together at the Hard Rock in Tulsa. I didn't think all 7 girls would be able to make it. Everyone has kids, husbands boyfriends, etc. But when all 7 confirmed, I knew it was going to be awesome! And it was! I swear my face hurt for a week from laughing! After that weekend, we vowed to do it every summer. We had said last year that this summer we were all going to take a trip... well... at the time Alea was prego and didn't tell us and the next month Amanda and I both came up prego! So... it was a stay at home type of get together this time!

Since 3 of us had new babies, I thought we would get the kids together and let them play... then we could all see the babies. I asked my AWESOME momma to cook us dinner... which she did! And everyone brought a side/dessert/drink. It was perfect! Alot of eating, drinking, gossiping (don't judge), and breast feeding went on! Ha! At one time we were all in the living room... two breastfeeding and me pumping! I am sure it was a site to see! Ha!

Between the 7 of us, we have 10 kids. TEN fah-reaking KIDS!

Mommas: Catherine, Me, Jennifer, Amanda, Alea

Non-Mommas: Lacy, Mikki

Babies: Katelyn, Hayden, Ady, Logan, Hadlea, Kason, Demi, Charlee (not pictured are Amanda's two boys Ivan and Jake)

The big kiddos:

Hadlea, Kate, Ady

Hayden, Logan

The 3 little babies: Kason, Demi, Charlee

Kason and Demi. Little cousins!

Big girls!

Aunt Lacy and her girls!

These girls are becoming the best of friends!

This is what a self groupie pic looks like at 2am!

Another successful get together in the books... we again, are hoping for a vacation next summer... unless someone else ends up prego. Ha!

baby shower for kade

I have mentioned several times how big my dad's side of the family is. It seems like once someone announces they are prego, they start coming out of the wood works.... which is totally awesome! I love seeing all of the babies and taking Hadlea home to family functions to play with them. She doesn't quite understand she is related to all of them, but she will one day. I just hope she makes alot of memories with her cousins like I have... some of the best times of my life.

When I was prego with Hadlea, there was definitely a baby boom going on. You can read it here. I will do another baby boom post soon. We have 4 others prego at this time too.

We went to my cousin Kelsey's baby shower this past weekend. If there is one person on earth that is prego that makes me feel SUPER old, it would be Kelsey. Her dad, Gary, is my Godfather. I used to go stay summers with them and babysit all 4 kids! ...yes, FOUR KIDS! I am not sure how I did it, but I have some of the best memories doing it. Gary and Amy always treated me like one of their own. I just loved being with them.

I cannot put into words what Kelsey means to me. She is seriously the sweetest most humble little baby ever... she will ALWAYS be my baby!! She is due with Kade Michael in August.... and she looks amazing! When Kade is born, he will be the 117 person in our immediate family (from my dad's parents to the youngest great-grandchild, which will be Kade. If that makes sense at all. Ha!)

Alot of my cousins and babies showed up.

And this doesn't even touch half of them...

My cousin, Amanda, with our 4 kids...

Hadlea, Kason, Demi, Ivan and Jake

Amanda and I ran around together in high school. I loved having a cousin as a friend! We always were mistaken for sisters.

Kelsey Ellen,

I have no idea whether you read this blog... or if you even know it exists. But if you ever read this, know I love you so very, very much! I am so proud of the awesome woman you have become. You are going to be THE greatest mom ever! Kade Michael is already loved by so many people. It is such a great feeling to know people truly love our kids. We just have that kind of family. I cannot wait to get up there to see Kade once he arrives. I wish you nothing but the very best!

love.

my little loves.

they love each other bunches.

he is pretty much obsessed with her.

i just hope it lasts forever.

3 months and 3 1/2 years... by Addie Scott Photography

This would be post 2 of 3 of photoshoots of the kids... and remember, I didn't plan to have this many around this age, however, I am LOVING it! I just cannot get enough of their sweet faces! And I swear, Kason changes from one week to the next! You can find the first post here.

One of our favorite photogs, Addie Scott, had a watermelon mini session this summer. I always jump at the chance to get my kiddos in front of Addie. She is seriously amazing! I just wish she did it full time!

one proud big sister...

relaxing while sissy reads her book.. (or plays with stickers!)

handsome little face...

love. love her smile. so contagious!

totally my favorite!

Thank you Addie for capturing my babies!

It is always so perfect!

Hadlea Easton {3 1/2 years}

Where has the time gone?! Seriously! I know I have said it a million+ times, but I just don't seem old enough to be married... to have children (two children... gasp!)... to have a 3 and a half year old! I am kind late to this party as Hadlea turned 3 1/2 on June 9.

Hadlea might just be the funniest thing you have ever met. She is a BUNCH of things all rolled into one.... let's just talk about them... Hadlea is:

• Witty. Much like her father. She is always cracking us up!
• A picky eater. We are always trying to get her to eat anything other than chicken nuggets or fish sticks. She has now taken a liking to bologna. Yuck! She loves fruit pouches, cheese and crackers, PB&J, Eggos, Poptarts. She doesn't stray far!
• DRAMATIC. This girl is a total Diva in training! She definitely lives her life on the dramatic side. Everything is blown out of proportion at some point in her day! Ha!

• Loveable. My sweet girl is a lover. She loves to give hugs and kisses... especially to Kason and Berkley. She constantly tells us she loves us, without us saying it first. I have to say that might be my favorite thing about her.
• A permanent sleeper in our bed. Justin or I would lay with her every night until she fell asleep. It could take sometimes up to an hour for her to fall a sleep... which is no big deal, but within an hour, she would be in our bed. We spent two VERY long evenings trying to get her in her own bed without us having to lay with her. We finally gave in and sent her to our bed to sleep on her own. Worked like a charm!! We now read books and off she goes to our room by herself. We finally have our evenings back to get things done together! YEAH! And I am totally not minding the extra cuddles I get with her sleeping with us!

• An awesome big sister. We definitely had our trials after bringing Kason home. She often acted out or acted like a baby (crying, whining, wanting to be held like a baby, etc). And although she might do it from time to time now, I think we are over that hump. She constantly loves on Kason... aka smothers him to death. She is always concerned when he cries and always ensures he hasn't pooped! Ha!
• An outside baby. If Hadlea is inside for more than five minutes, and she isn't playing babies, she will drive you crazy! Hadlea doesn't watch TV other than Barney and Caillou, and those get totally old after a while! So once she starts getting bored, we ship her outside! (and I need an entire post about our awesome neighbors. They have been so good to help with Hadlea since Kason came along. If it is too hot for Kason or I need to feed him and Justin is gone, they will come over and get her when they are outside. They are for sure heaven sent!)

• A rolly polly catcher. She is obsessed with bugs. So obsessed, one of our sweet neighbors bought her a little rolly polly playground to put them in so she would stop putting them in baggies and killing them! And other bugs... if they are alive, she will stomp them to death. If dead, she will pick them up and throw them away. We are always having to watch what she picks up!
• A rock hoarder. I don't know what it is about rocks, but she loves them! We don't go anywhere that she isn't picking them up. Most little girls fill their purses with girly things, but not our Hadlea... she fills her purses with rocks! We always end up taking them down to the pond and throwing them in.

• Going to be a cat lady. She is obsessed with cats. Totally!
• Good at getting her way... and this is no understatement. This girl can talk us into about anything! She can bat those big brown eyes and as long as she doesn't whine or cry, she pretty much gets her way!
• SPOILED! by everyone... Grandparents, Aunts, Uncles, Neighbors, Our friends. No other explanations needed. She has everyone totally wrapped!!!

I think the funniest thing Hadlea does at this age is demand we all have conversations exactly how she likes them! Here is the last one I can remember as we drove in the car....

Hadlea: Daddy, you say "Hadlea, what are you doing"?. Mommy, you say, "Justin, she is asleep." (as she pretends to be asleep in her car seat.)

Justin: Hadlea, what are you doing?

Me: She is asleep.

Hadlea: NOOOOO!! Momma, you didn't say, "Justin, she is asleep!" (notice I left our Justin's name in my response!) Now, do it again!!

Justin: Hadlea, what are you doing?

Me: Justin, she is asleep.

Hadlea: Good job Daddy! Good Job Momma!

And daddy and I are very appreciative of the praises we get for completing it correctly! Ha! :-)

 

Hadlea Easton, you are seriously the love of my life! I CAN.NOT. believe you are going to turn 4 in just a few short months! You are the strongest willed child I have ever seen. I am not sure how you got so stubborn, but you are awesome at it! ...But I honestly wouldn't have you any other way either! I am so glad God chose me to be your momma! You make each day better and better! I am so, so thankful I get to spend the rest of my days with you, Kason, your daddy and Berkley! I love you sweet girl... to the moon and back... bunches and bunches and bunches!

announcing...

Okay... so maybe I am a little late with sharing these, but they are just too perfect not to share! I went back and forth on whether or not I should send announcements for Kason. After all, most people had seen his pics on Facebook. BUT... I did send them for Hadlea, and my momma conscience was getting the best of me! I didn't want him to suffer from the second child syndrome more than he already had! Ha!

I looked and looked at different announcements. But once I received Kason's newborn pictures, I knew I wanted to include the picture with his canvas. (If you want to see his room or the background on the canvas, go here.)

I had remembered seeing a very 'boy-ish' announcement on Tiny Prints. I went back, found it and knew it was exactly what I was looking for!

Soooo... announcing our sweet baby boy...

Kason Havoc

These couldn't have turned out more perfect!
Tiny Prints is always totally worth the $ for their quality!

3 months and 3 1/2 years... by Sullivan Photo

I don't think it is any big secret that I take TONS of pictures of my kids... errrr... I mean, I have TONS of pictures taken of my kids. And although I get a few eye rolls and a few, "you're getting their pictures done again"... I don't really care. I am TOTALLY obsessed with them and their sweet faces! So this will be photoshoot 1 of 3 for Kason's 3 month pictures... and no... I am totally not kidding. Not even a little bit. Was this planned? Absolutely not. (have you tried to pick out clothes for 3 photoshoots in about 3 weeks. I hadn't either. until now. and it isn't fun. but I have to do what I have to do. ha!) So anyway... like I said, this wasn't planned.

We have a walking trail in our neighborhood that I am also obsessed with. I have wanted to take pictures in this place since I moved here. I kept saying I was going to do it myself, but I knew that would never happen. So I called Nicole and told her she needed to make it happen so I would quit putting it off...

and she made it happen. talk about perfection.... my new favorite pic EVER! Berkley's tongue.

Hadlea's cheek on Kason's head.

Kason's smirk.

PERFECTION...

Going into photoshoots, I ask for one good picture. Just one. It can be a good one of H, a good one of K or a good one of them together. But this shoot did not disappoint. I do think it helps that Hadlea knows Nicole by now and is super good for her. So maybe having their picture taken all of the time DOES pay off... Ha! (check out that walking trail... LOVE!)

I love pictures that show a kids personality. Just show who they really are.

This is just Hadlea's little smile. Love it!

And we were NOT leaving for the day without a picture of Hadlea and Charlie the King. Yes, this baby's name is Charlie the King. She received it in the hospital from Aunt Decky when Kason was born. She named her right there in front of everyone. (I should totally do a name post of all of Hadlea's babies. It would be a good laugh!)

Hello Mr Serious! He is totally his father's son!

And although she said she was done about 10 times, she kept coming back for one more picture with Kason. She is so proud of him!

Thank you Nicole Sullivan for always capturing my babies!

You are so awesome!

Stay tuned for photoshoot 2 and 3! :-)