Play Ball!

We started softball this week. Of course both games were in Ark City but at least they were on the same night!! The big girls did a GREAT job (more pics/vid of them to come). Adler caught and Chelo played infield.

I had my hands FULL with the baby (since Heath coaches BOTH teams I get to fly solo with her every time!!) so I didn't get to take any pictures. I wanted to get a video of Crosby's VERY first ever at bat. I kinda got caught up in the moment so this is a TERRIBLE video but what can I say?!?!? Oh and I just realized that I filmed it VERTICALLY too so you will need to turn your head!! OOPS!

Adler's Birthday ParTAY!

Saturday was as BUSY as ever at Casa Curtis! First thing's first....Adler, Paisley, and I went to the WRC for the annual "Stand in line for an hour to get your spot in summer activities"!!!!! The girls got all enrolled (more on those activities later!!) so we were happy about that! Then it was back home to rest for a few before it was time for me to get around and drive to Belle Plaine for graduation! When I got home Ads and I went to the store to get all of the supplies for the family birthday BBQ and her girlfriends sleepover!!

The weather held on us so that was good (we would've probably been fine on the porch anyway!!) and the kiddos just ran around and played while the adults talked, laughed, and passed the baby!


My mom made these FUN cupcakes!! I THINK they were supposed to be MONKEYS but they turned out to look more like cute little bears!! Thanks Grammy!!

The birthday girl!


The fifth grade friends! Adler, Izzy, Sarah Cate, and Keaton

Auntie Anna and baby Paisley

Chelo and her BFF Kara

Adler and Grammy

Grandpa and Grandma Curtis were there (with Eyan and Beriah)

Paisley checking out Uncle Randy!!

After all of the BBQ guests left I ran up to my room for a quick (okay 2 hour---that is my STANDARD nap time pretty much no matter what!) nap. I had promised 7 little girls that they could have pedicures that night and they weren't going to let me out of that!!

When I got up (about 9:30pm!) we did SPA pedicures and just chatted and had a great evening. I learned a LOT about 5th grade girls that night let me tell ya!!! After that they watched a movie and ate popcorn while I puttered around picking up the house. I think I got to bed a little after 1am but of course when I laid down to sleep I decided to watch tv and ended up watching TWO hour long episodes of Tough Love Couples!! I LOVE that show--guilty pleasure! I was SURELY paying for it the next day though when my baby got up at 6:30am!! Oh well.....late night is usually the only time I can "catch up" on my shows!!! It was the LONGEST day but such a good one!! (and I am getting used to those SUPER long days now!!)

In the song we sang "Happy Birthday dear Dana" (that is her silly school name right now). In case you were wondering!! And so when I watch this in a few years I will remember why we said that too!!!

Happy 11th Birthday Adler!!!!

As my mom said to me, "Danelle, can you BELIEVE you have an ELEVEN year old??" And my reply is Yes, I can...it was 10 I had a hard time wrapping my head around for some reason!!

This goofy, fun loving girl is really becoming her own person...growing and changing everyday. She has been such a blessing to have with the new baby. She is my RIGHT HAND (as long as I can keep her from bickering with the other two)!! We joke about how I am always saying "Adler get me _____ and Alder get me _______" and after I have asked her to help me with about ten things (without complaint I might add) we realize how much she has done laugh and I add in "Adler can you go wash the car, Adler can you go pick up Crosby from practice!!" it cracks us up!! She can do so much yet I have to remind myself that she is still just a kid!!

In keeping with our Curtis family birthday tradition....we all get up a little early to give the birthday girl her gifts. We like to start the bday girl's day off right!!! (I know that this is Adler's bday post but just LOOK at that baby's belly!!!)

This morning she got a Zebra Scentsy warmer and a Silpada peace sign necklace. Her sisters aka the "Seesters" also sent balloons to her to school today! shhhhhh.......

After opening gifts she and I went to the doughnut shop for birthday breakfast (another tradition) and to get doughnuts for her class for birthday treats. I think she was having a SUPER morning and I am sure she will have a great day at school!! We are having a birthday party bbq for her on Saturday so there will be more pics to share soon!!!

Happy BIRTHDAY ADS!!! WE LOVE YOU SOOO MUCH!!

More Christie Family Weekend Pics!

Here are the rest of our pictures from the weekend before last when Jared, Melissa, and Beckett came to visit us from Minnesota.

As always there was a TON going on with the family PLUS all of the things we wanted to do while the cousins were in town. So needless to say we were VERY Busy people!!!

What all did we do??? Well, here are just a few things:

Many a game of kickball was played....

until with this shot Dad broke the ball......

soccer games Saturday morning at 8 and 11am!!

birthday breakfast for Jared....

a little friendly wager on the Kentucky Derby....
Chelo's horse #12 wins....or does it?!?!?!?

the girls gettin Beckett all dressed up for his dad's birthday fiesta!

the food.....

ice cream cake.....

how many candles are on that cake J-Dog???

A few family shots before they head out....the cousins....

the babies....

WOW!! So much going on and so much fun! We always talk and dream about being a little closer to my family so until that day comes we will be content with our little weekend visits here and there.... Love you guys, thanks so much for coming!!

We Moved This Weekend!!!

Well, {we moved} my mother that is!!! And BOY was it a TIME!! Not only did we pack and lift and clean...I also put on a garage sale for her in the meantime!! At one point I was alone with my kiddos at the AC house for 3 hours while running the sale. It was HECTIC to say the least! But she made $750 and I boxed up what was left (quite a bit) to take to Winfield to put in my sale next month).

Oh well...I knew it would be a long, hard weekend but I did gain/was reminded of some VERY valuable life lessons!

1. I can drive a big, loooooong uhaul with a baby strapped in beside me!!! (and pretty much do any other thing I needed to do as well!)

2. Change is a GOOD THING!! It is inevitable so we need to embrace it and know that whatever lies ahead will be as great as we make it!!!

{the AC home I grew up in that we sold}

3. While you are moving IS NOT the time nor the place to try to convince your mom to downsize!! Just put your head down and focus on the task at hand and "Get it done!" :) ESPECIALLY when she has friends that also remind me that in fact she DOES need 25 terra cotta pots!! ;)

her new lovely stone cottage in Winfield...just 6 blocks away from us!!!

4. Good friends and family helped the hubby and I and made the move a TON easier!! Thank you to: Greg, Anna, Randy, Dave, Teresa, Davin, Uncle Bob and Aunt Becky, and to all of my mom's friends and extended family! I don't know what we might have done without your help!!

5. and the #1 thing I was reminded of this weekend....moving = sore muscles + bumps, scratches, and bruises but is EXTREMELY good exercise!!!

I hope you all had a great weekend and I will be back to post Mother's Day later!!!

Celebrating Mother's Day

After a looooong day yesterday packing and moving my mom i needed some SERIOUS R&R and what better day to do this than Mother's Day???? Unfortunately i didn't get to sleep in (up at 7am with a blue eyed baby ready to wish me a happy mother's day!!) cause heath works Sundays, but the girls and I REALLY took it easy! Heath brought me home some breakfast and the girls and I just hung out on the couch most of the morning. We took my mom to lunch at El Maguey. The girls went to her house to play for a bit and Heath and the baby and I came home and napped on the couch!! YAY!! That NEVER happens! My house is ALWAYS so active now!!

When mom brought the girls home we grilled steaks and all watched the Blind Side together. It was one of those things I had been wanting to do for a while but kept putting off. I am soo glad we finally got around to watching it...it was WONDERFUL and I loved it from the very beginning! After that we pretty much capped off the lazy day with an early to bed!! Woohooo!! What a LOVELY day!

I LOVE Mother's Day...it is one of the only times of the year that I relax, nap, eat, and just do whatever is going to make me happy without feeling one ounce of guilt! It is kinda sad that I don't do it more often. I have been thinking about taking a little vacation from some things in the weeks ahead (this would include blogging) to relax and recharge! This past year has been pretty rough for me for a number of reasons and I am putting a lot of pressure on the SUMMER to cure a lot of what ails me!!! C'mon Summertime, you are my FAVORITE season and I KNOW you can do it!!!!

Happy 1st Birthday Baby Bucket!!

Feliz Cinco de Mayo y Feliz Cumpleanos a nuestro primito Beckett Christie!! We were soooo lucky to have Beckett {aka Bucket aka Boss aka Jefe} and his mommy and daddy (our cousins) to visit us last weekend from Minnesota.

flashback:

Here are Beckett and his Dad on his *birthday* last year:

And a few months later when they came to Kansas for a visit in July:

We had such a wonderful time catching up with them and are sooo blessed that they make the trip to Kansas about once a year. It means a lot to us because we LOVE them so much! I have more pics to post that I took with Jared's camera so as soon I get those I will put them up!!