Summertime, Summertime, Summertime!

Started the end of the school year with me being 6 months pregnant, trying to be as involved as I could!

Little did I know, that being an involved parent at school the last month, would be cut short.  I was able  to go to Luke's kite flying day, and then thankfully, I got to postpone getting the foster care placement a few hours, so that I could go on his field trip that he was SO excited for me to go on.

We got a surprise of 3 baby eggs in our grill...sorry birdies, we like to grill.  It was so sad though.  After we cleaned out the grill, we had to watch the mom bird and dad bird come back and search for them over and over again.  I think it is ironic that shortly after this picture was taken, we got a call about three more birdies needing to join our nest.  We have learned that these new little birds are also very loved and have lots of family who love them dearly.  Including us now.

Then came the new birds.  Here they are, our cute new borrowed kids.  Penny (6), Mia (2), and Easton 

(10months) They are happy and healthy and smart little kids.  Everything about foster care is bitter sweet, but we are learning to take it one day at a time and trying to enjoy them as long as we have them.  Penny calls Kyle daddy and me Emily.  Penny is loving having such a good dad.  She puts up with me:)  No, really, things are going great.  We are starting to realize we will really miss these kiddos.  Ruby and Penny are attached at the hip and Isaac and Luke adore her as well.  Everyone fights over Easton and Oliver is learning to put up with having a little sister.  He sometimes tells Mia, that I am HIS mommy, not hers, but it doesn't seem to phase her.  She pretty much calls all moms, mommy.  Easton has become very attached to both Kyle and I, and is going through stranger danger right now with most other people.  Everyone is adjusting really well...except maybe Oliver, who has had his reign as the youngest cut a little short. We decided to hire a "nanny" that hangs out with me for about 5 hours a day Monday-Thursday.  I feel just as busy, but it is nice to have someone else running around checking on kids while I change diapers, make lunch, and sometimes even take a shower!  I am able to get out and run some errands too.  Mostly I just really needed an extra pair of hands, and this was a good solution.  I felt like I couldn't be a good mother because there were just so many needs to fulfill and I am so tired. And for the first time, I felt depressed, and guilty for feeling so sad and crying so much--blame the pregnancy hormones:)  But really, I needed some help so I didn't just crumble and now I have it and things are going so much better.  I feel a little weight has lifted from my shoulder.  Still, I am exhausted.  I used to THINK I was exhausted with 4 kids...well, that was EASY now that I look back on it.  Three kids (soon to be 4) in diapers, is much more exhausting:)  But look how cute they all are.  So worth it, right?!

Trying to get a good mother's day picture with 7 kids 9 and under is Hard.  And pretty much impossible.

Sweet Sisters. 

Ruby will claim them for as long as she can.

When they are bad, we just throw them in the dungeon box.:)

Grandma and Grandpa Fillmore came for a short visit.  The kids already had a camping trip planned, so they didn't get to see them very much, but they did enjoy some ice cream with them!

Mia LOVES grandpas.

Kyle took 5 of the kids camping with his family.  They all had a great time.

Crazy hair and sock day for Kindergartners

Oliver's idea of crazy hair day.

Ruby of course, had to join in the fun too.

Ruby graduated (sorta--she still has another year) from preschool!  She danced a Hawaiian dance and sang songs and recited poems.  She did great!

Ruby insisted on wearing the poodle skirt my mom made for her:)

Penny Graduated!  Yea!!

Cute girl

Her awesome teacher Mrs. Bryson.  Luke had her too.  Penny loved her class.

Last day of school party at the neighbors

Oliver got really tired and cold.  Mia loved the snow cones:)

Mia turned 2!  Her family threw her a party at McDonalds and me and the kids were invited.  Everyone had a great time!

Saturday is our "mom doesn't really care if we do our hair or dad helps us get dressed day"

After working hard and pulling weeds and planting our garden with (little complaining) and lots of breaks, our garden is looking awesome!  We have strawberries, raspberries, carrots, sweet potatoes, green beans, peas, celery, lots of broccoli, cantaloupe, spinach, and cucumbers.  We also have peach trees, a nectarine tree, and apple trees!  So excited for it all to be edible!

Story time looks like this.  Crowded much?  Each kids chooses one book.

Giggly boy.  He is happy a lot.  Except when he's not.  Kyle calls him Easton when he is happy, and Beaston when he is not.  There is no warm with this kid...just hot or cold:)  I think he is pretty darn cute.

My violin recital.  YES, MINE!  I had a fan club too.

Yum, frozen yogurt!

This girl is TROUBLE.  She is cute too, so we like her, but I have never had a busy 2 year old like her.  She is into EVERYTHING.  She has to be watched constantly, and if I don't know where she is, panic sets in.

She is very smart and learning to be more independent.  When she came to us a month a go, she insisted on being carried Everywhere ALL of the time.  She is getting better though...being 7 months pregnant doesn't make me a huge fan of carrying young ones all around the house all day long.  She used to throw a tantrum every time I sat down after picking her up--she wants to point, and have me move wherever she wants to go.  She is much better at playing on her own or with the other kids now, and doesn't mind as much when I just give her a hug when she wants to be picked up.

Crazy hair and sock day.  Luke was pretty proud of his own style.

 Brothers Rock

Isaac's recital (Luke got sick at the last minute...it was so sad. We plan on doing another "recital" for him at his teachers house.)

 Isaac played TWO songs and did awesome!

 Our most recent summer adventure---cheering on Ruby at her dance recital!  She did awesome!  She danced to Big Girls Don't Cry and she was a cutie of course.

 Big kisses for daddy

 Ruby's fan club

 Ruby's teacher

Some of the other big girls don't cry dancers

 neighbor and best pal Karly

And we end with me being 7 months and 9 days pregnant.  No picture for that.  We have a lot of BUSY this summer.  I'm trying to take deep breaths, eat lots of ice-cream, and praying to really find the joy in this current life of ours to get me through.  We really do have a lot to be thankful for.