Monday, April 22, 2013

Busiest week EVER! Leading up to the BEST week ever!


My busiest week EVER just happned to begin IMMEDIATELY after the busiest weekend ever!  On Monday, I had to go down to the trade show downtown so sweet Amy watched the kids for me!  I watched Dylan that morning while she worked, we got the kids from school then she had mine in the afternoon!  Don't know what I'd do without my sweet Amy and our constant kid swapping!  Amy kept them that entire day and evening so that Chris and I could have a date night downtown after I was done working at the trade show.  I have a picture of us at that date night, but I won't be posting it because it's at a horrible angle and I look horrible!  Ha!  Back to Dylan and Caroline - he has always treated Caroline like his future wife... this time was no exception! 
I ended up not working out with my group at church the next day so that I could just get things done around the house so I offered to watch Amy's kids again so that she could get some stuff done!  Caroline got all decked out in her pretty dress for her boyfriend!
We passed some time by going out for a walk!  Park drove Sisi in his truck and I pushed the babies.  Park's truck ended up dying when we were like 4 blocks from home... but thankfully it was mostly downhill and he just cruised the rest of the way.  I had to push the truck a little ways with the stroller... that was fun!

We made lunch fun!!
That afternoon, I had to go drop the kids of, yet again, so that I could go get my hair done!  Parker and Caroline were supposed to go to Amy's again, but I got Kristin to cover for Amy so she could have a break for crying out loud!  Ha!  (Yes - I continually realize I am seriously blessed with all these amazing friends!) Park had fun playing with Tanner and C-line, then the babies went down for naps and Parker apparently had fun being the most hyper kid in the world and nearly destroying Kristin's house!  I bet K can't wait to have her own rambunctious preschooler!!
Remember Tanner "hugging" Caroline the other day and it looking like he was kissing her feet? Well now he's worshiping the car she drives, too!
On the way home (which is only 5 minutes) Parker was passed out!  I think Kristin wore him out!
And I was thrilled to have nearly 5 inches off of my hair!  I'm a little curious if it was really 5 inches because my hair is still pretty long!  But I was so happy!  It had been about 4 months since my last hair cut and color and it was very much due!  And yes - another selfie of me... I've learned that for the most part... I wouldn't be in many blog posts if I didn't take selfies every once in awhile!  Good grief!  In exception of this past weekend for Park's birthday - I'm never in pictures any more! 
Later that day we had Chris' softball game!  We haven't been able to make it to any yet because of illness, weather, timing, so we finally made it to one!  After his game, we got to play in the park for a bit.  This girl LOVES swings!
By Wednesday, my kids were already exhausted... I went to wake up sleeping beauty around 9 am to get Parker to school and she was still passed out.

Wednesday was just as busy with Chris' company's dedication ceremony.  Each year, his company has this ceremony where they invite area pastors to come and pray for the company, the employees, and to publicly dedicate the business and what they do to the Lord.  Todd Nichols, our worship leader from Mountain Lake, our old church, led worship then we had a time of scripture then laying of hands on the employees for prayer.  I love this ceremony every year and am so blessed to be a part of such an amazing company.  Yeah, yeah... it's not the company I work for... but I very much feel a part of this company.  I join them once every few weeks for their company lunches they have every day, am invited to social events throughout the year (wine tastings, cabin getaways, company trips to the mountains) and I very much feel like I am a part of the CBI family - as much as Chris does.  OK - maybe not as much as Chris!  But much more than most wives do of their husband's companies!


Yeah - that was only Wednesday afternoon!  Ms. Julie was home with the kids and after I got home, I left her with kids for a bit longer and ran to run a few more errands (oil change for my car and sun screen to make sure we don't fry in Mexico and exfoliator for my skin before my spray tan on Friday!)  As soon as we got home and took a breath, it was time for church and Awana and Bible Study!  Off we went!  After we ate dinner at church, we had 15-20 minutes of down time so we took the kids behind the church to let them play on the playgrounds.  Caroline showed her true no-fear self!  She went down the huge slides that Parker has always been a little wary of... and she laughed the entire time.  Ughhh I am going to have my hands full with this one!  Here she is running down the hill behind church!  So cute.



 Taking a break... and taking a squat?  She very well may be pooping... you will never know.
 And she's off again!  And yes that is a necklace she's wearing!  It's actually a teething necklace that was a gift for me/her for her 1st birthday!  She found it today in my drawer and hasn't taken it off since!  Such a girly girl!
 And then she does this!  After church, she realized Park's 4-wheeler had been charged up when he was riding it around the garage so she hopped on immediately and zoomed it around the driveway.  We may need to paint it pink or something! 
AND THAT WAS ONLY WEDNESDAY!  Good Grief! Thursday promises just as busy with a full day of work at my office, making my Dream Dinners Thursday night, a spray tan on Friday afternoon then leaving Friday after Chris gets home from work for Savannah to drop the kids off!  I am writing this on Wednesday night and scheduling to post on Monday, so if you're reading this on Monday, Chris and I are loving life in Mexico!  We got here on Saturday afternoon and are here for an entire week!  I don't think I'll be posting til we get back so until then... ADIOS!  I'll leave you with some pictures of our resort - a.k.a. "Freaking Paradise" as our best friend Kristin says!  :-D






Sunday, April 21, 2013

Birthday day and Anniversary day!

 We woke up Sunday morning to yummy homemade pancakes made by yours truly, sent offAshley and crew, then got ready for church!  We went to Creekside United Methodist church because that is where Kayley goes to preschool and she was singing in church that morning!  My parents went, too, then we all headed to Carrabbas for some yummy lunch!  That afternoon, we played with ALL of Park's new toys!  Play-doh for nearly an hour... then art stuff for the next hour... then games for the next hour... I was exhausted!
 After dinner, we met up with Aunt Whitney, Uncle Doug and their kids for ice cream at Dairy Queen! 
 Park and KK at DQ (6 months apart in age)
 The babies at DQ (3 months apart in age)
 Garrett does NOT like ice cream!  But he liked Park's cone the he didn't want.
 Caroline thought G-man was NUTS for not liking ice cream!  This girl eats EVERYTHING!
 Our family picture on Park's birthday and our 6 year anniversary!
 After DQ, Chris had to run to his office to finish our taxes and Park and Caroline and I headed to Target to return one of the repeat gifts he got (ONLY ONE!)  We went to the Lego aisle and I gave him two options of different Lego Duplo sets he could get.  He sat in the buggy for about 15 minutes and debated which one to get.  I mean... it was a TOUGH decision.  He finally decided so we headed to the container section to get some more containers to store his new toys in!  Well, while we were there, he started saying he wanted to go back and get the other Duplo set.  SO.... we headed back.  It's his birthday for crying out loud.  While we were there, he still couldn't decide so when daddy called, I thought surely daddy would help him make this decision.  He didn't help.  We hung up with daddy and I had to make a decision for Parker.  Which he did NOT like.  I got him his Lego set and headed to the register.  This child KICKED AND SCREAMED the entire way to the register, at the register, on the way to the car, in the car and on the way to pick daddy back up at his office. 
 Does this look like the face of a happy birthday boy?  To say he was exhausted is an understatement!
 He ended up peeing on himself on the way to pick up daddy because he was so upset he couldn't hold it in.  We got home, showered him and then got in bed with him.  He was so tired he could barely keep his eyes open.  Chris and I both laid with him til he calmed down.  Keep in mind he had been hysterical the entire way home, the entire time through his bath, getting dressed, and into bed.  After he calmed down, we were able to have a few minutes of sweet time before bed.  When it came time for prayers, he started praying normally, then he started crying hysterically... not in a fit like before... but legitimately crying tears while he prayed.  He was saying, "Dear God, please forgive me for having such a bad attitude tonight.  I love you so much.  And I really want you to come live in my heart.  I really, really want you to come live with me in my heart.  Please come live with me in my hearrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrt!"  This obviously made me cry, too and also so happy to have such a sweet boy.  As upset as I was with him the entire time he threw his fit... I had to look at my life and realize that this little boy is no different than me.  I am not perfect, never will be, but I can learn from his sweet prayer.  Remembering to ask for our Savior's forgiveness every time I mess up is something I think I likely forget to do.  I love learning lessons from my kids... they are life lessons I don't forget.  Ever.

Friday, April 19, 2013

PIRATE PARTY TIME!

First I have to mention HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MY SWEET HUBBY!  This post is posting on his 32nd birthday... seeing his birthday is only 5 days after Park's birthday and our anniversary, his big day tends to get overshadowed every year!  Poor guy!  OK - back to Park's party day!

We woke up bright and early, I made homemade waffles for the crew at my house then got ready for the big morning ahead of us!  I had a blast planning this party for our little P-man!  For food, we only had little pirate piggies in a blanket and pirate sword fruit kabobs, juice and of course, pirate cake!  That was the best part of having a morning party... I didn't have to feed everyone!  Here was our set up!
 Parker through the years.... birth, age 1, 2, 3 and 4!  His cheeks got smaller and his chin got point-ier!
 We all had our pirate gear on! 

 The first part of the party, all the kids got their faces painted by our very own professional face painter!  I gave all the kids Jake pirate tattoos and gave them all their pirate bandanas and eye patches... some chose not to wear which was fine!  Then all the kids just played for about 30-45 minutes while everyone arrived.


 The morning of the party, my dad showed up early to help finish decorating!  He did all the fish netting all around the porch and he decorated the pirate ship with the flag, netting and banner! 

Sisi (Izzy) opted for no face painting on her face, but was totally up for a heart on her hand!
 Our very own pirate was the biggest hit of the party!  He was awesome to all the kids and let them all beat him up for most of the party!
 The pirates had fun "shooting" him from the pirate ship!
 Marti was all for the pirate stuff!


 I was hoping I'd get a picture of the flag blowing in the wind and I did!  Love this $3 flag from Amazon!  :)


 We had an obstacle course during the party and at the end the kids got to find their buried treasure in the sand box!  The obstacle course was up a slide, down a slide, up a slide down a slide, jump on the trampoline, go through 2 tunnels, down the race car ramp, up the ladder, down the slide, walk the plank (seen below) then find the treasure!  It was a hit!
 The pirate definitley burned some major calories during the party!

 Sweet Catherine took in all the pirate fun from the ship!
 Amy and I at the party!

 The pirate with all the kiddos!


 Pirate with Pirate Campbell (Park's cousin) I wonder if she knew her hair was hanging directly in front of her face...
 Pirate with Pirate Jac (another cousin)
 Pirate with Pirate Alex (friend from church!)
 Pirate with the birthday boy!
 Pirate with Jac and Miller (cousins)

 Pirate with Kayley (cousin)
Robin was able to come by the party for a bit!  She's basically family and has always been invited (by Parker!) to his parties!  She has also been invited by my family to always stay and eat with our family after parties!  My fam loves the Berlins!  Oh - funny... Robin said that when she walked out of her garage that morning, she could tell that there was something pirate going on in the neighborhood because all she could hear was "ARRRRGH!  ARRRRRGH!"
 About 20 minutes til party end time, we got the cake out!  Pirate cake of course!
 Then we zipped through presents the last 10 minutes!  This was the first time Parker has opened gifts at his party and he did awesome!  After each gift, he ran to the person who gave it to him and gave them a hug, a kiss (to the girls) and thanked them!




 Hudson was more interested in carrying around his buried treasure than opening gifts!  Ha ha!  I think he got the most loot!
 Caroline was more into playing with the necklaces and plastic baggies than the gifts, too! 
 She has been wearing these necklaces every day since the party!
 Our family picture with the pirate!


 Parker walking the plank!  (After the party he was READY to take "Jake" off and put on his real clothes!  Ha!  Pirate sword, hat and face paint stayed on of course!
 Camo pulling Caroline in the pirate wagon!
 Sweet Catherine walking the plank.
 Camo posing for the camera!  So cute.

 My entire family stayed over all day after the party and we all played with Park's new toys!  I went upstairs to take a nap since I had been up since 5 am! 
 We all headed to Cinco that night for dinner!  Here is a pic of the original Hopkins family!  Whitney, on the far right, is the oldest, Ashley, on the far left is middle and I am the youngest and the best of course. 
 After Cinco, we headed to Chill Hill just outside the restaurant to let the kids get some yummy ice cream and any toppings they wanted!
 All the Hopkins cousins - minus Ivy because she was sleeping in the stroller!

 All the big kids ran around the area between Chill Hill and Cinco after they finished their ice cream and Caroline and Caroline walked around together.
 We always try to remember it's our anniversary on Parker's birthday, too!  It's really easy to forget.  6 years together!  This was taken about the same time that we would have been at our rehearsal dinner luau 6 years before!
 Running kids!




 Me and my sweet girl.
 Our pirate Parker was ONE happy boy! 
 HAPPY BIRTHDAY P-Man!  We were excited that we got to wake up the next morning to Parker's REAL birthday!  Ahh - will it ever end?!  Ha ha!