This guy...

This guy...


-works a minimum 12 hours everyday, comes home, throws down his stuff and can start a wrestling match with the boys within 5 seconds.
- plays "good cop" to my "bad cop" routine of corralling the kids into bed by sneaking them out of the back door to catch fireflies in a jar.
- most days takes one of the boys swimming at the pool when he goes to do his exercises at 6:30 am...and buys him a kids hot chocolate on the way home.
- sings and softly howls like a wolf to get his little girl to coo and smile at him.
- loves and cares for his family by working a difficult and wearisome job without complaining...day after day.
-takes it upon himself to teach his kids important things to be a well rounded person, like "guess what...chicken butt" jokes.
-often climbs into bed with the boys to tell them stories of when he was a little boy and would ride his bike to the pool.
-loves nothing more then to watch sports in his recliner with a sleeping babe on his chest.
-shows his boys by example how to treat and love a woman, and shows his girl how she should expect to be treated.
-gets fin up an hour after bedtime just to walk to the store with him to buy Apple Jacks cereal for the morning.
-takes the boys on random "man dates" so that Lilah and I can enjoy some peace and quiet.
-makes his two month old baby girl do hilarious booty dances and shimmies to the radio just because it looks so funny.
-cleans the babes in the tub way better then ever could.
-has a dance party with the kids to James Brown and the Black Keys every time he does the dishes.

This guy is the father to our children. And not a day goes by that I don't thank God for that.

Baby Kate

I became a Keegan aunt for the first time and let me tell you, it felt so weird to be on the other side of things! I'm used to doing the birthing, not the waiting... :)

Here's a snapshot of a convo between Me and Pat while Nicole was in labor.



After a long labor, Nicole was such a trooper and had to have a Csection. Finally we all got to meet beautiful Kate! I'm telling you, a labor/delivery unit is like crack to me. It's a good thing I already have a two month old otherwise I would have some serious baby fever just from visiting Kate. Poor Pat will turn pale just from reading this.


It is such a blessing to me to see Nicole and Rob as parents. They are already such an awesome team together.


First cousin pic. Lilah 11 wks, Kate 11 hours :)


So in love with this beautiful face and grateful that God has gifted Lilah with a sweet lifelong friend.

Summer so far...

We're at the park everyday. Enjoying the sunshine before the humidity suffocates us.





Uncle will's out of school and we have great plans for him for the summer. They may or may not include holding babies and chasing small boys around the playground.


We hit up good ol' KF for pops' birthday party. Where it all began... It is seriously comical to see old pool members faces when they see Pat and I again and we have our three small ones in tow.


We were at veterans park one morning and the boys channeled their inner Spider-Man's on the exercise equipment.


Miracle=both of them smiling in the same direction.


Cole felt the need to drop his trousers in nature and pee in a public pond. I had to feign shock but really I was relieved I didn't have to hike him back to the bathrooms. Just keepin' it real.


Pat, Sarah and I have decided to become foodies this summer. This may not go hand and hand with my other goal of toning up postpartum. O well, at least it's an achievable goal :)


The boys with their baby. They still adore her, and she is still the easiest little lovey. Time please freeze.

Memorial Day weekend

We had the most amaaaazing weekend. Beautiful weather, children that slept decently, good food and Pat was home for three days! Bliss!
Saturday we headed to Bass lake to go fishing for the first time. Let's just say there were a lot of worms involved and nary a fish to be caught. At one point Fin asked Pat to look up "how to fish" on his iPhone so we could catch something :) Because that's not insulting at all...


Saturday night Nanny and Pops were so So sweet to take the boys to Camp Willow Run to visit Anna and Cait and then spend the night at their house to give Pat and I a break. The boys were in heaven. There may or may not have been tears when they had to the come home...


Pat and I had the best time going to the pool, eating dinner at an outdoor restaurant and sleeping until eight (!!!) the next morning. Our Lilah girl was so sweet and chill the whole time that it just felt like the two of us.





Sunday we hung around, grilled out with friends, and the boys worshipped the lady.





Monday we hit up Waverly spray grounds and ate Mexican out. The only bummer was that Gigi's cupcakes was closed. Seriously Gigi, I feel strongly that the soldiers would have wanted you to keep on selling!


Wrapped up the weekend at my parents house for a cookout with the Arnold's and family. I'm pretty sure Cole snuck 11 brownies while I wasn't looking and baby Noah discovered the joy of cookies and BBQ chips so we'll call it a success all the way around.
At the end of the weekend everyone was exhausted, had pink cheeks from playing in the sun all day, and sticky hands from root beer floats. If that's not summer, I don't know what is.

In this season of chaos (3 kids ages four and under), there have been a lot of moments of crazy. When the littles outnumber the parents, there are times of being at your wits end and times of "seriously, can we round 7:30 bedtimes to 6pm bedtimes and call it a night?". But truthfully...Truthfully, there has been a conscious decision to learn to see the joy in the chaos...the gratefulness in the times of madness. And I want my kids to know that when they read back on this. And to know that a spirit of peace has to be sought after and chosen on a daily basis.


When I'm trying to cook dinner and everyone's hungry. When Lilah wants to be held right as I'm dumping hot pasta in the strainer, and Pats still stuck at work, and Fin and Cole are taking turns telling me how Starving they are...
I thank God for the food to provide. That I even have a husband to wait on. That He is giving me patience in a time of wanting to be short with the kids (or run out the door:)


When it's bath and bed time and Cole wipes out on the wet floor like he does every night. And "Fin dont dump water on your brothers head...Cole it is JUST water...youre not melting!". And I hear Lilah on the monitor fussing even though I put her down 15 minutes ago. And Finley comes out of his room two times after bedtime to say, "oooo, um, I forgot what I had to say", with a grin...
I am grateful that they're all clean and healthy. That they all WILL eventually settle down and go to sleep. That I will kiss their shiny clean cheeks before turning in and smell the peaceful sleep in their necks. And thank God that they are there. And they are mine.


When we drive to a park and everyone is fussing. And "no you can't climb in the water to catch turtles" and "no I did not bring a snack, we already ate snack before we came. NO I do not have ice water either". And we plop down halfway through a nature walk in the woods so I can nurse a hungry Lilah and smile awkwardly at every walker who tries not to look squeamish about the fact that they know I'm breast feeding. (Sidenote kids: I'm fully covered)...
I am grateful for this time when they are all home with me. When I don't have to share them with teachers and schedules and sports. When pat and I are their everything. And all they know is safeness.





So there is crazy. And plenty of timeouts, and "yay we made it through the day!", and wearing outfits that were also Jammie's the night before. But above all that there is contentment. And knowing this is where God has placed me. And there truly is no other job I would rather be doing. I have what I'd always dreamed of having when I was growing. And I may not have anticipated the nuttiness, but it still is a gift.

Location:Joy in struggles

Spring has Sprung

We only come in for naps, baths and nighttime. We eat outside more then in. Coats are put away and skinned knees are back. Fin has a garden this year and waters his plants 5 times a day. We picked strawberries and ate them like candy, listen for the icecream truck, and play on the beach at Jordan lake as often as we can. It's finally here.

Mother's Day 2013

My husband and boys spoiled me today. I would say Lilah did too but let's be honest, she's in a "take,take take" stage :) Milk and cuddles are her constants...

I woke up to a beautiful candle, gift card and hilarious card written by Pat as if he was each of the kids. Excerpt: Lilahs message to me was, "goo goo gah gah num num...toot". Hilar.

We hit up church and then ate subs for lunch. Because let's be honest, mama ain't cooking on Mothers Day.






For dinner we ate outside in this gorgeous weather at Tijuana Flats with my family. It was so pleasant and relaxing.



I am so So blessed that this is my job. It's hard but it's my dream come true.