#the52project Week25

post by casey.



jacob: "I just gotta say, you've been a different kinda mom lately...better!!!!"
me: quizzical/questioning/should I be offended face?!!??!?

i can't say I don't agree with him! This summer has been jam packed and I'm already 30WKS along, with baby number4 and it seems I've found a patience that didn't exist in those early weeks. Not to mention those early years of motherhood. 

Full Disclosure: I hit a wall of exhaustion this weekend and may have told Jacob that if I had had a newborn at that point (and the other 2 littles, who were fighting nap time that day, as well - not to mention, Jacob was working)...I would have curled up and died...DIEDDDDDDD. I may have cried at the thought!
BUT I'm coming out of it and feeling much more alive today!

besides that...my mind has been going a million miles per hour! The next few weeks of August are full and will go so quickly. 

i'm currently stressed over the idea of getting healthier and cutting processed foods out of our lives and the possible effects that is having/has had on us...and yet I don't have a ton of energy/motivation to doooooo anything about that...I'm overwhelmed by this topic...I'll stop there;(

homer starts school in a few short weeks and I've been able to put that to the back of my mind but I'm gonna be a mess over that change in our days:'( I'm excited for him and sad for me and so proud of him and anxious about the big guy he's gonna become and a lot concerned about what friends he'll make, that will inevitably chose the 'moms' I'll be surrounded by the rest of these 15ISH years;)
OH, and we want to enroll him in Karate! I'll keep you posted on that! Kinda depends on cost and timing and such.

and Rocky is like...OLD. Tall and less and less like a baby everyday. I'm soaking up his cuddles and just trying to be present and really LOOK at him and hold him and be aware of those moments when they're happening. He's never stopped being the.best:')

theo is just...*hmmmm...?!*...she is a character! So cute! So much my baby girl yet:) She brings the entertainment, that's for sure!

as you can tell, I haven't spent endless nights quietly sobbing myself to sleep...hardly any...a few, at most...5 of 7...weekly;).

here's to enjoying every last bit of this summer and new beginnings and births and being better - mom's, wives, selves:):).


my good stuff: an uninterrupted  2hr nap:). 1-1/2YR olds dancing (and 3 and 5YR olds...and husbands;). a pre-arranged babysitter for a ME day.

a portrait of my children, once a week(ish), every week(ish), in 2017

homer - no cooler (or sassier;) dude!

theo daisy - the cutest freaking shopping buddy! 

"mom!!! Take my picture!"

rockyp - got his first buzz, a few weeks back!:)

#the52project Week24

post by casey.



we've been SO busy but if you asked me what we've been up to - please don't - I probably wouldn't be able to name even a few things that we've been doing?! Besides breaking up fights between the elder 2 from the minute they wake uppppppp...or selling crap on Facebook - what a nightmare - and pool days and lake days and local carnival weekends and chocolate shake consumption to the point of illness;) and coffee mornings and early morning and late night solo walks...Our days have been full and exhausting and good:)


my good stuff: coffee outside on a new-to-us picnic table! sister's who drop off creamer when you're running low:) being pregnant:):)

a portrait of my children, once a week(ish), every week(ish), in 2017

homer - being a big helper:)

theo daisy - always a lady;)

rockyp - my workout buddy (this also may have been the only workout I've done during this pregnancy;)

#the52project Week23

post by casey.

so the new 1 of 52 plan, for me, is to just keep posting when I find the time to post and we'll just see where things shake out at the end of the year;). 

i sent Jacob off this morning for his 6 day road-trip/camping trip! He left at 530AM and should be in Breckinridge, CO by midnight and then he'll be home sometime mid-morning on Saturday. I miss him already and the days, frankly, suck without being able to look forward to ending it with him:( Gosh, we're lucky that our lifestyle/careers don't involve being apart for any significant amount of time because I'm about as needy as they come;).

my good stuff: sleeping-in...till 915AM:) sending your excited husband off on a week-long vacation! a potty-trained 3YR old!!!

a portrait of my children, once a week(ish), every week(ish), in 2017

homer - sharing my watermelon addiction:)

theo daisy - can you imagine EVER wanting to spank her ass?!?!! She's so, deceivingly, cute;)

*I keep scrolling back to this photo because I can't help but smile and tear-up when I look at my freaking precious girl:):')

rockyp - the only one that doesn't complain about the 'heat'...mostly, because he can't speak words;)

#the52project Week22

post by casey.

doing my best to type up this blog post while Theo asks if she can "take my eye balls out". Alrighty, then;).

it's only Saturday but it feels like we've lived a lifetime since 6PM on Friday night! It's been go-go-go. Not a bad thing but the homemade cards - the only thing we had loosely planned for Jacob - did not get accomplished today. Shittttttt. With that being said, tomorrow may be pretty uneventful because Jacob has to work AND he doesn't have any cards to open;). Happppyyyyyy Father's Dayyyyyyy!!!;)

wrapping this up because crying kids, combined with the word "noooooo" can only signify one awful/cruel/painful thing: BEDTIME;)

my good stuff: adding France to the Travel List - specifically, L 'Escale du Ciel:). talking baby names with Jacob. quiet/nonshared dinners after the kids are in bed:)

a portrait of my children, once a week(ish), every week(ish), in 2017

homer - I still don't know how to turn a grill on and then there's this kid who is damn near ready for his own business card!!!;)

theo daisy - a, sometimes, sweet mess:)

rockyp - no one can spot a bird like RockyP;):)

#the52project Week21

post by casey.



anyone happen to know what week we're on!? Anyone out there???? Yeahhhhhh...I think we're all in Summer Vacation mode and the inevitable is happening: blog neglect. But don't worry...the blog isn't the only thing that we neglect during Summer Vacation;) There's days that I don't think we actually eat a real meal cause we're constantly outside and snacking and on the go and fending for our own damn selves;). And the kids should for sure be getting baths every night and they're for sureeeee not getting baths every night and so then their sheets should be getting changed and that ain't happening either! And since we're outside 24/7...the inside looks like we hustled to get outside and so yeah...EVERYTHING IS DIRTY!!!

and that's just not at all a complaint:) We're loving our days together and we're so lucky that we get these days together and there are still time-outs and fits over not being able to play on electronics and sassy mouths and me yelling and themmm yelling;)...but we're doing okay...better than okay:)


my good stuff: good friends getting engaged!!:) Wednesday Beach Day! winning an Instagram give-away:)

a portrait of my children, once a week(ish), every week(ish), in 2017

homer - passing on my watermelon obsession to my boy:)

theo daisy - will she forever be my only girl?! Gosh, I love her spunk:)

rockyp - refusing to stay my baby:)

*he can't sit there by himself but insisted and I allowed it long enough for this photo:)

#the52project Week20

post by casey.


jacob and I are headed to a Brewer Game tomorrow morning. It's slipped my mind over the last week, since planning it. But now it's finally here and ALL I can think about! Some time away, alone, with Jacob...WHOOOOO HOOOOO!!!! Homer's regressed a bit in the attitude/sassiness department and so I'm worn.out. Apparently, Jacob told him that if he was scared of something (like bad dreams or a 'monster' under the bed), he could "beat the crap out of it". And soooo Homer took that information and kinda ran with it and has been informing everyone that will listen, that he will beat the crap out of them, it, us, you and your dog. ARG;)

BUT this weather. And flowers. And sun. And daily walks:).


my good stuff: 930PM solo grocery runs. warm May days:) a dry nap for Theo!!

a portrait of my children, once a week(ish), every week(ish), in 2017

homer - always bored. always annoyed.  (always = mostly;) 

theo daisy - her goofy self is bubbling screaming to the surface:)

rockyp - he doesn't often fall asleep randomly...this was the sweetest surprise:)

#the52project Week19

post by casey.

the baby-kids are strapped in highchairs and so I'm gonna knock out this quick blog post!! 

we had a pretty busy morning, that began with us sleeping in (SLEEPING IN: where the kids get up at 6AM - which is unlike them - and instead of getting out of bed at that REASONABLE hour, I make them lay in bed with me and somehow we all fall back asleep from 730-845AM:). And then both boys got hair cuts and that went relatively well! I didn't even have to sit in the chair with Rocky - he's such a big boy:) and they all got, no less than, 3 suckers each for good-ish behavior;). Now I'm cleaning myself up and heading to a baby appointment...SOLO:):)

my good stuff: a sunny mothers day, spent outside:) early morning solo walks. strawberry sundaes.

a portrait of my children, once a week(ish), every week(ish), in 2017

homer - starting school this fall. Mixed feelings, on my part...but he's such a big guy now!!!!:')

theo - artist.

rockyp - he's been teething, maybe?!, and such a little cling-on:)

#the52project Week18

post by casey.

the weather is reallllyyyy starting to warm up around here and we're enjoying so many walks and I've even gotten a few opportunities to expose my newly pregnant - and very white thighs - to the world, again;) And I've pushed mowed the lawn - which I love doing but rarely can because...kids...and we've made promises to not make any TO DO LISTS for this summer! Of course, a clean-ish house and paying bills and maybe doing some camping and a lot of walking/hiking and spending an obscene amount of time at the beach/pool and read some books outside in the sun during nap times...we've got plans but we don't want to have expectations of things that *must* be done - especially, house/fixer-upper related. This summer...we chill:)

the other day me and the kids went to the park and on this rare occasion, they played nicely, which allowed me to start a book - The Magic Of Motherhood by Ashlee Gadd - and the sun was shining and it was just what I needed to remind me that I don't need to be planning our next vacation - although, it's mighty fun to be doing that:), or what project I'd like to start/finish or what our lives will look like next year or next month or next week, I don't needdddd to be thinking about much more than how happy I am right this moment:)

here's to slowing down:) - another great book, I recommend to everyone (which I started and finished on our 3 day trip to Tulum, post HERE) - Chasing Slow by Erin Loechner. So so good:)

my good stuff: hot showers after Jacob gets home from work...which allow me to lock the door (me on one side, children on the other;). waiting on the arrival of a new shirt in the mail:) the arrival of a baby bump:)

 a portrait of my children, once a week(ish), every week(ish), in 2017

homer - when we leave for our walk in the mornings, it's still pretty cold...but by the time we head home...some of us aren't wearing shirts;)

theo - the sass is strong with this child...representing May the 4th with her Yoda sweater:)

rockyp - being adorable...I may rush him in to have his eyes checked, in hopes that he'll need glasses (kidding BUT he could totally pull this off!!!!;).

sixteen weeks.

post by casey.

oh my gosh you guys, I'm pretty much the most excited to be back at this again:) I've said it a million 3 times before;) and maybeeeeee I'll drug Jacob get to do it again someday;)...but this is just fun and I love it and it's not just the babies...it's the trying and the test and that POSITIVE and that anticipation and the pregnancy and the appointments and all that weighttttt fooooddddd!!!! and then the birth and then that BABY!!!!:)

don't get me wrong...I sometimes get a little mad at myself for my lack of self-control in the weight-gain department. And I've started to have some slight back issues with the last 2 pregnancies (Rocky's and now it seems this one as well, but it's short lived, thankfully!). And you get tired and you get a bit feisty/HANGRY at times and there are just not-so-magical days. And I get a little nervous about the lack of sleep to come. Sure. Yes. That happens. Overall though...OH MY GOSH YOU GUYSSSSSSSS. I love it!!!!!!!!!

why haven't we been twinning for the last 3YRS?! What was I thinkingggggg!!!!???

i don't know that I'll do much of the details...like I used to - see example here. Like listing specifics and being completely obnoxious;) or anything. I'll just mention things as they come up. 

we're right on track for our usual 55lb+ weight-gain - one of the few times in my life I've been an overachiever. I'm feeling great. After our Zika testing - long story, as short as possible - we were tested twice cause Hey, Let's go to Mexico...where there's ZIKA...while we're pregnant:/. I don't know why we didn't think of this:( Both tests came back negative (one at 6WKS and the next at about 12WKS). I was about 14WKS before we got all the negative results back...and I have to tell you...stressed was a complete understatement. Like 'stressed' how you call your sister at work...and you're crying so hard cause you just can't stand waiting any longer to hear if your baby is okay and you forget to lead with your name...just sobs into the phone. Luckily, she doesn't have a long list of people in her life that feel comfortable calling her, bawling, at work and somewhere in that mess she deciphered the word Zika and figured it out;)  

since the miscarriage, those first 10WKS are stressful enough...you kinda try to not think about the baby. Not talk about the baby. Just put it out of your mind...JUST IN CASE. There's this disconnect. And then having to worry about the health of the baby for all those weeks...I was so ready to just be happy and excited and I just wanted to have those results and move forward. Not to mention, Jacob was feeling completely helpless but was, as always, insanely supportive:)

we have our negative results and I'm feeling assured that things are going to be okay. We also have our 'big' U/S in 3WKS and I'm anxious to get in there and seeeeeeee a healthy baby:)

we're finally feeling excited and happy and just...so so happy about this baby:)

it needs to be noted that I have gotten my leg stuck in those holes one too many times, while putting them on...then stretching/ripping the holes even more...and they're now stretched to the point where...there's more leg showing than actual denim. Are they capris...are they shorts...are they convertible capris....Damn it!!!!

i'll add that I thinkkkkk it's a GIRL! Like...I hate to say it out loud - cause you ALL know my track record...I'm 0 for 3 at this point;). But Like for realllllll, I know it's a girl this time! 

i mean...maybe;)

also...I'll add some moreeee 'proof'. 

I felt like it was a girl the minute I peed on that stick. And then we found that ring on the beach - see story HERE. And I didn't add in that post that I had shared with the woman, who's ring we found, that we found out we were expecting on the way down to Tulum and that I thought it might be a girl! And if you read my post, you'll have read that the ring we found, that meant so much to her, was a gift she had received from her husband on her first Mother's Day after having their daughter:) The only baby they would have:) So me and that woman, who's ring I found on the beach...we both totallyyyyyy think it's a girl;) Jacob's playing video games. The end;)

thanks for following along! 

thanks for the photos, Courts!!!!:) Don't I look like I showered in these photos?!?!? I'm telling you...she's magic behind the camera...cause I'm for sure, daysssss unshowered;) - not sure why I'm givin' you the wink there cause it's just the truth...I wish I could give you the 'eeekkk/teeth' emoji in so many places in so many of my blog posts!!!;) Jacob even tried to 'talk' to me about showering. There's an emoji for that as well: 'middle finger';).

i'll report back in a few pounds weeks!!!!:)

#the52project Week17

post by casey.

it's May1 and it's snowing outside. Two things: 1/ the snow doesn't bother me because it will be gone by morning and it makes for a pretty Instagram video:) and 2/ am I the only one that doesn't understand the Justin Timberlake May meme???? - this feels embarrassing to admit, even though I have no clue what to be embarrassed about;/ FILL ME IN!!!!!;)

my good stuff: leaving Target with no purchases (except for the slushy baby girl got for AMAZING behavior:). grandpas turning 85:) windows where there once weren't.

 a portrait of my children, once a week(ish), every week(ish), in 2017

homer - we decided against an iPad of any kind for his birthday because he clearly has an addiction and we're not ready to deal with how many hiding places we'll have to come up with to keep him off another device;/

theo - my baby appointment buddy:) This was the best day!

rockyp - sporting his new tank top and a double chin;)

#the52project

post by Courtney

firstly, it's been awhile since I've posted. Casey is wayyy better than I am. and all of my posts from now until forever will start with those same two sentences.

moving on... 

a friend of mine asked about the weekly photos I took of my kids a couple years back. I can't believe it was in 2014 when I did that last. I can't hardly believe it! ...looked again... I did about half of 2015 before giving up. and now I'm crying because they're so littttttle!!!

so we've challenged each other and I started. a day late, buttt here's to a fresh new start!

a portrait of my children, once a week(ish), every week(ish), in 2017

Peyton snuggling Coy

Lia doing homework

Austyn drawing

Tayt tormenting Nash (see next photo)

Nash being tormented

Drew being Drew

Meg dressing herself

Will preoccupied with cartoons

Coy being perfect

initial inspiration for the 52project