Lots of water fun & lots of burn!!!

Tuesday we went to Eastland to the water park. Both Kim's went with me & we also met some friends from church there also. Racheal & I had been there several times before. She actually went down the little slides this time. This was the first time the triplets had been there. They loved it! We walked all over that pool, especially Kim Ross. She had Reese & she wanted to go constantly. Ryan did not want to hold my hand so he fell & went under a couple of times, but he did not fuss a lot. We were out of our regular sunscreen & bought Coppertone for babies. Let's just say I do not recommend buy this EVER again! I threw my can in the trash. The triplets are sun burned under their eyes & the tops of their forearms. My back & shoulders are really sunburned. I haven't had a burn this bad since I was a kid. Thanks to my cousin Mary Beth for coming to our rescue & bringing me some biogel & a mister for biowater. It feels so much better. The babies also turned 17 months the day we went! I cannot believe they are already that old. We'll be having another party before you know it! Thanks Christy Brixey for the pictures since I forgot the camera.
Ryan, Reese & Rylie. Reese was trying to get away. She did not want to stand still for a picture!
Ryan & Rylie
Shelley, Ryan, Kim Burks, Rylie, Kim Ross, Reese.
Racheal inching her way down the slide!

Bye Kim!! Hello Kim!!

This post is a little late, but a couple of weeks ago we said goodbye to Kim Ross. She is getting married and going to school. But hopefully she can get her classes arranged so that she can work in the mornings & I won't have to load the trio up to take Racheal to school. I have also been busy trying to help with her wedding shower & get everything ready for that.

We have a new Kim. Her name is Kim Burks. She also graduated last year, but is going to Tarleton & living at home. She will be here in the afternoons in time for me to go get Racheal.

Racheal's room!

When Racheal turned 25 (I mean 5)!! She decided princesses were for babies & wanted her room redone. She decided she wanted polka dots. It has taken a couple of months, but it is finally finished. It is really cute & should last her a long time!! Her comforter is also reversible so if she get's tired of the polka dots, she can flip it over to stripes.

Here are before pictures:

Racheal's new room:

New window & new bench.
Closet doors now magnetic board.
Racheal's new bed & new comforter & pillows. D-dad also made her steps so she could get on her bed. It is really tall.

She also had her first eye appointment yesterday. She did not do very well with the eye test at her last doctors appointment. He said her left eye was a little weaker, but not that much & she probably would not even be able to tell a difference with glasses. So yeah!!! No glasses yet!

Happy Birthday Cousin Nat Nat!!

This past weekend we went to Crockett & Palestine for my cousin, Natalie' 2nd birthday party. The kids all had a great time. The triplets got to roam around free of a gate. The actually did really well. Ryan loved opening the cabinet doors. Racheal stayed with them & I will meet them in Waco tomorrow to get her. She has had a blast. She & Natalie play so hard. It reminds me of Jana & I when we were little. Monday they went to the Tyler zoo. The only thing she had to say about it was that it stunk really bad. Yesterday they went fishing in Athens & she caught 3 fish. She was so excited. Today she is swimming. Sunday on our way back home, we broke down.

We were about 10 miles from Jonesboro. We called Randall's parents & they were on their way home from Jonesboro. Luckily we were close to someone they knew. She came & got me and the kids & we stayed at her house while we waited on the wrecker & his parents. We were there a couple of hours and the trips were getting really tired & sleepy. Finally I loaded the kids in Meema's car & headed home. Randall went with the wrecker driver because he thought he could get a vehicle when he go there---wrong! No one was there so Randall's dad had to drive to Stephenville to get him. It turns out it was just a belt & it was fixed by lunch on Monday. If we keep this up we will have a brand new van!
Racheal, Reese, Natalie, Ryan, Rylie (All the Great Grandkids!)

Racheal & Natalie

Ryan kissing Reese in the pool. Rylie did not like the pool at all! He just screamed so got sent inside with his daddy.

Happy July 4th!!!

Not much going on here. Just staying home & being as lazy as we can be with 4 kids. After we get the triplets to bed tonight, Racheal & I will go watch the fireworks. I realized I had not mention on here that Reese was walking now. It happened sometime the week we got back from vacation. She still walks really stiff, but at least she is FINALLY walking! Also during our vacation she also got another tooth on the bottom right. Next week is busy for us. Racheal has VBS in the mornings & swim lessons in the afternoons. Also tomorrow our new "high school girl", as Racheal calls them, is coming to see how it goes. We hope it all works out because she is the only option we have right now!

New pictures!

Here is Ryan new hobby! You have to keep shorts on him or he jerks that diaper off!
We had a great anniversary. We stayed at Star of Texas Bed & Breakfast in Brownwood. It was really nice & quiet. No tv's, no phones, no kids!!!!
Inside our cottage!
The bathroom at our cottage.


Racheal is taking swim lessons this week from Shelley Brawley. We have already made huge improvements from last year. Shelley tried to get her to jump in & she was scared so I got behind her & pushed her in.
Racheal finally went down the slide. The first time I had to grab her feet & pull her down. She got on & decided whe wasn't going down. The second time she went down by herself.

Happy anniversary!!!

Today is our 10 th anniversary!! Can you believe it has been 10 years? A lot has happened to us over the last 10 years, some great & some not so good, but we made it through it together!!! Randall's parents are coming so that we can go watch a move & stay at a bed & breakfast. Thanks Meemaw & D-dad!! Love ya Randall!!!!

Happy Father's Day!

Happy Father's Day! Racheal, Ryan, Reese & Rylie

Yesterday we went to the lake for the Abbey Reunion. Racheal had a blast on the slide. She went off the end a couple of times.

Uncle Jessie took Racheal out on her first boat ride! She had fun!

vacation pictures

Reese, Racheal, Jonie Gruelle, Ryan & Rylie

Kim, Reese, Racheal, Ryan, Rylie outside the museum.

Racheal & her new friends at the dinner Friday night in Tuscola.
Racheal & her new best friend Erika.

This is a beautiful quilt! One raggedy friend made the appliques when she was dying from cancer. She gave it to another raggedy friend & her sister-in-law put it together in a quilt. It was amazing!!
These are 3 amazing Volland dolls! I have some similar to the ann & andy. The other is Uncle Clem with the original paper tag. He was going for the low price of $2600!

My Molly-E Raggedies that Randall bought me for our anniversary! I looked them up in the book and they are worth double what he paid for them!

All my Raggedy goodies I came home with!

This is what we came home to see! Our rock wall collapsed with all the rain.

Vacation!

We got home last night from vacation! What a week we had. I don't think we will be going on another vacation anytime soon. It was exhausting!! The first day after lunch, we noticed it was really warm in the van. The rear a/c was just blowing air-not cool air. We ran all over 2 towns trying to find a dodge dealership that works on Sprinter vans. We finally found that there was one in Little Rock. So the second morning we got up at 5 in the morning & headed to Little Rock! The said it was the compressor for the rear a/c, but they didn't have the part. They found it at a dealership close to Wisconsin. They shipped it to a dealership close to Arcola & Randall got up early on Friday & got it fixed! Thanks hone!!!
Back to the trip!! We arrived in Arcola on Thursday, first stop the Museum to see Joni & Tom. Then we were going to go to the other shops downtown, but it started pouring down rain. So we headed back to the hotel & I went shopping in the rooms! Friday we went to Tuscola & shopped there & had the Friendship Dinner. Saturday was the Friendship gathering. There were just a few booths & then we went shopping downtown & made one last visit to the Museum. We had fun & it was great to see all my Raggedy Friends. We are very thankful to Kim for coming with us. It would have been totally exhausting if had made the trip without her. I will try to post pictures tomorrow.

Dr appointments

Today Kim & I took all 4 kids to the dr. Racheal had her 5 year check up. She is now 72 lbs & is 46 3/4 inches tall. She is doing great except she didn't do very well on her vision screening. So we have to go to the eye dr before school starts. Ryan is still the biggest 24 lbs 3 oz & 31 inches, Rylie 23 lbs 13.5 oz, 30 1/4 inches, Reese is 22 lbs 8.5 oz, 28 1/2 inches. Everyone is doing great. They got 1 vaccine today. After the dr we went to McDonalds. We leave next Tuesday for Arcola, IL for a Raggedy Ann get together. Kim is going with us so we won't be totally exhausted.

Congrats Kim!!!

Last night Kim graduated from CHS!! We are so proud of you! She also sang a couple of songs & did a great job! She will still be around until August unless she doesn't find someone to take her place! I told her the same thing I told Kaylie. She can't leave until she find someone to take her place!!!
Racheal & Kim

Racheal & Allison Abbey (Racheal's favorite cheerleader!)

Summer!!

We have finally finished all of Racheal's activities for a little while!!! Yah!!!! Last week was a crazy week. Full of many activities & not much mommy time with the triplets. Rylie is still very cranky & cries when I leave the room! Wednesday night Racheal had her Fait Weavers party at the park. She had so much fun! Thursday was the last day of Rainbow Dreams school & dance rehearsal in Stephenville. Thanks to Tracey for taking the girls. Friday we had MOPS in Brownwood. It was great! We went to one of the mentor moms houses. Her house was amazing!!! We came home for a few minutes & then headed to Stephenville for dance dress rehearsal. We got there at 4 & didn't leave until 7:30. We were both so tired. Saturday morning Racheal had a birthday party to go to, then home to get ready for the recital. Also when we got home, Barb, Jana & Natalie were there.
The recital was great! Also thanks to the Shultze girls for watching the triplets for us. Then Sunday was the Rainbow dreams program!!


Racheal is the one in the middle. This was her tap. She was really shaking it!!

Racheal at the end blowing me a kiss!

The Comanche girls! Racheal, Reagan, Kenzey, Makenna

Racheal & mommy. Racheal got a trophy for excellence in dance & perfect attendance.


Ryan, Reese, Rylie on May 15. (Their adjusted 1 year birthday.)

Rainbow Dreams Program!

Racheal & her BFF Reagan


Racheal & Mackenna swimming. Notice Racheal had on a lifejacket, tube, & floaties. She wanted to make sure she didn't go under. She also went down the slide for the first time!!!

Preschool Graduation!

Apple Red Happiness!

This is a super crazy week! Yesterday Racheal had her last day at Tuesday School, then to dance & then back to Early for her program & graduation.




Racheal & Kim in their graduation gowns.
Racheal, Makenna, Kenzey



Racheal's Apple Class