Team Chase: 5 and Counting {our blessings}

Saturday, October 20, 2012

Fall Fun 2012

This October has been a little less hectic for us than years past in terms of busyness on the weekends. Part of this is purposeful...with three kiddos, we HAVE to take a day or two each week and catch our breath. Additionally, after a full-throttle entrance back into the working world, I realized that not enough time and effort was being put into our little guy and ensuring that his connection to us was remaining secure. Don't get me wrong...things are going great! I just don't want to look back in a year and wonder what we should have done differently to ensure his secure attachment.

I also have to give some serious props to my awesome hubby! His job is quite demanding and he works a lot of hours, but he has been so amazing to recognize when I need him and to make our family his priority. Case in point, Bek hates going to Camden's swim team practice...I mean HATES it. He pretty much screams and cries the full 45 minutes when he has to go. SO, Trev has made a huge effort to be home in time to stay with Bek and Melia, which makes our night 100% more smooth. Amazing. {Sorry, ladies, he's taken! ;) }

Well, this weekend, Trev had an opportunity to go camping with a couple of his buddies, so I decided to really single-mom it up. Oh, friends...I am not made for it. To those of you who do it on a daily basis, you have my utmost admiration...single parenting is not for the faint of heart! It was a good day, but I am EXHAUSTED and ready for bed and it's only 8:30. :) I was able to take some great Fall pictures of us with the friends and cousins that we got to hang out with today and wanted to post them for you to enjoy...

Maple Leaf Parade

Bek and his cousin, Bree, sharing a snack at the parade

Melia and her cousin, Karissa who got to spend the whole day with us! :)

Protective of her cousin

My kids are so blessed to have LOTS of cousins and friends!

Those faces!

Pumpkin Patch

In the "Corn Crib"

This is how he watched most of the festivities

Just a few of the kids in our Inter Country Adopt Joplin group...so blessed to have so many people with a love for adoption in our lives.:)

Sweet cousins with amazing stories...so glad God allowed them both to be "grafted in" to our family...so blessed!

My sister, Lindsey, and three of her four...love them!

Bek and his friend, Maleeya {discussing the sandwich, perhaps?}

Hayride

One sleepy baby

The petting zoo

Happy Fall, friends!

Sunday, September 30, 2012

Still Alive!

You remember that Aretha Franklin song "I Will Survive"? Yes, it was LONG before my time, but it has been droning in my head for the entire month of September.

Now, don't get me wrong...we have had a TON of fun this last month, but I largely underestimated the difficulty of the transition back to work and to our overly busy lives. Getting five people up and out the door before 7:30 each morning, delivering each kid to their respective classrooms {and meeting the no-tear goal}, being gone all day at school, getting home in time to leave again for swim or dance lessons, fitting in dinner, getting three kids bathed, getting homework {and housework} done, making lunch for the next day, setting out the next day's clothes, and getting the kids to bed has left me pretty exhausted every day. However, I am so grateful and my heart is so full. The first two weeks left me in tears pretty much every day, but we have hit a stride these last couple of weeks and friends, I think we're going to survive!

We have really tried to do some fun things as a family on the weekends and, looking back over the pictures, I think we've succeeded. :) So, to make up for all the weeks with no blog posts or pictures, here is a look back at September with the Chases...

Labor Day Weekend Camping