Happy Halloween!

We had so much fun tonight. The kids really got into it this year and I had such a relaxing and fun night. We started out with some pizza for dinner with our friend Jane. Daddy had to go to school tonight so I called in some reinforcement so I did not have to do it all alone. We got the kids all dressed up and tried to take some good photos but they did not want any part of their picture being taken. I guess with three two year olds what do you expect.
We then headed out to some of the neighbor's houses. Everyone was really excited to see them. The first few houses the kids would not say anything but then once they got the hang of it they started to shout "Trick or treat"!
When we got back home "Auntie Jane" let them each have about 4 pieces of candy. They thought that was cool. Then Jane showed them how to throw the candy in the air and dance around so we all did that for awhile too.

Daddy surprised us and came home early from school so we got some time with him too.
As you can see in the pictures Aimee's eyes are really red and puffy. This is because she has pink eye right now and her eyes are sore. Poor thing. She still seemed to have a great time.
It was really fun and just what my heavy heart needed!

In Memory of Michael Larson 1965-2006

My blog has been quiet this past week. My cousin Michael unexpectectdly ended up having some significant problems with pnemonia and today he passed on.
This is very hard for me right now as Michael was one of my favorite people. I feel that we had a special bond and he always went out of his way to be so kind to me. When I was a child he lived with us for awhile and he would always take me to the movies and out to eat. He was so good to me all my life.
Michael was a wonderful musician and he played the piano and sang at my wedding. He did such an incredible job. He always took such pride in his music.


















I think I am most sad that I did not get a chance to say goodbye to him. He also never had a chance to meet my kids. I always just figured we would have time later for him to meet the kids. Life gets so busy that pretty soon all this time has gone by and you ask yourself where did it all go. This has been a good lesson to me to live in the moment and to keep in touch with your loved ones as much as possible.







I sent Michael an email a few months ago and attached some pictures of my kids to it. This was our last coorespondence to each other. This was his response to me:

Nicole- the pictures are totally adorable!!!!! Your children look like movie stars already and so intelligent and witty. Thank you so much for sending them to me. I'm so touched to have them. You are so blessed!!!!! I love you!!! Michael

I take comfort knowing that Michael is at peace and I pray that my heart gets a little lighter in days, weeks, months to come.

GATE FREE....

Gate Free...Well not totally as we still have one at the top of the stairs but it is mostly used to keep cats out at night when they decide they need attention at 3 am!
Yesterday when I got home from ECFE Jon came out of his office and asked me if we really need the big long gate up anymore? I thought about it and decided that no it really was just in the way so he (with help from the kids) took the gate down. One word to describe the feeling...HEAVEN. WOW! It feels great to have that small little piece of our house back. It really made a huge difference and it is nice to know that we do not need the gates anymore. The kids seem to enjoy the new freedom as well. It is easier for them to push their strollers and shopping cart around now. I guess we should have done this a few months ago but at least it is down now and we are all enjoying it!

Multi-tasking Queen!

Since I have become a mom to triplets I have really learned the art of multi-tasking! My mom took this picture this weekend when the girls wanted to play beauty shop (brush mommy's hair) and KJ wanted to read with me. This time it actually worked out well as I could read and let the girls play with my hair at the same time. However, one of the hardest parts about having triplets is when they all want me at the same time and they fight for my attention.

I feel that I do a good job to make sure I spend equal amounts of time with all of them. Jon and I try and take one with us on errands just so we can have some one on one time. I love when I get a chance to be out with just one of them. It is so much easier on me and I get to give that one child so much attention.

We have a lot of reading time on the couch were they all get to pick a book and we read all three books. They are pretty good about sharing my lap. I love those times of snuggling and reading.

I pray every day that these kids will grow up feeling that they are loved equally and that the treatment around here is fair. So far I feel Jon and I have done a pretty good job at this.

"Mickey House"

We have a new obsession in this house. His name is Mickey Mouse or as KJ likes to call him "Mickey House"! I bought KJ a large Mickey Mouse doll at the store on Saturday. Once I saw his reaction to the doll I knew we would not leave the store with out it. He was thrilled and it melted my heart. He just LOVES his new Mickey and it goes everywhere with him now..even to bed. The other night Mickey had to sit at the dinner table and have a bowl and a spoon too.

So we have been singing:

Who's the leader of the club that's made for you and me?
M-I-C, K-E-Y, M-O-U-S-E!
Hey there, hi there, ho there, you're as welcome as can be.
M-I-C, K-E-Y, M-O-U-S-E!
Mickey Mouse! (Donald Duck!) Mickey Mouse! (Donald Duck!)
Forever let us hold his banner high, high, HIGH, HIGH!!
Come along and sing the song and join the jamboree.
M-I-C, K-E-Y, M-O-U-S-E!
He's our favorite Mouseketeer, we know you will agree.
M-I-C, K-E-Y, M-O-U-S-E!
Take some fun and mix in love, our happy recipe.
M-I-C, K-E-Y, M-O-U-S-E!
M-I-C, K-E-Y, M-O-U-S-E!

When we get done singing this all we get is "more mommy, sing more mommy, do it again"

To funny!

Sisters

When I first found out I was expecting triplets I secretly hoped

(on top of having three healthy babies) that they would be two boys and a girl.

I really thought that I was having all boys. I am not sure why but I guess

I just always truly thought that I would never have any girls.

So when the ultra sound technician told us that baby A was a girl I was in shock. Then you can imagine my surprise when she then told us that baby b was a girl. I remember looking over at Jon at that point and he was shuffling in his chair and I just smiled as I knew we was a little nervous about being out numbered. I still remind him that he is outnumbered as there are 3 females and 2 males in this house! :O)The girls have bonded from the start. They shared an isollett as the NICU was full and they needed the bed space for sick babies. I just love the two pictures above. It was really precious to see the girls snuggle together and I remember it making me feel a lot better about them being in there. If they only would of had one big enough so all three of them could have been together.

I never had a sister growing up but a great big brother. However, I realize now what a bond sisters can share. I am really excited for my girls to grow up together and experience so much together in life. I think that I would have loved to have had a sister the same age that I could talk to and share clothes with. Now I know that the girls won't always get along or even like each other but in the end I think they will look back and be so grateful for each other.

I tend to be such a girly girl that I think I understand now why God gave me two girls and a boy. I remember when I was pregnant one of my girlfriends told me that I was going to have girls and when I asked her why she said that she just could not picture it any other way. Aside from that she claimed that since I wore pink all the time (I love pink!) that I was growing girls in my belly.

At this point the girls leave K out of things a lot but I hope that as they get a little older they will learn to include him more. Jon and I have also discussed the possibility of having more children and although we are leaning towards not having any more children I do feel like it would be nice to give K a brother.

For now I am just so grateful for what I do have. Three wonderful, beautiful, and amazing children that continue to amaze us everyday.

To my girls. My hope to you is that you realize how blessed you are to have each other and a fabulous brother too!

Great Grandma Adele (AKA GG DEL)

This past weekend we drove up north 5 hours to visit my Grandma A or the kids Great Grandma A! We really had a fun time with her and she is such an amazing person. This weekend I could not help but think how lucky my kids are to get to know her and spend time with her. I sure hope that they will reach an age to be able to remember her someday. She is 84 and doing great. I swear she has more energy than I do. She remembers EVERYTHING... She just loves the babies. She calls them "our" babies and she is so patient and good with them and too them. When we first got there she told Jon and I to unload all the stuff and she would watch the kids. When we got done with that I went looking for them as she had them all outside. I found them walking down the side walk a block away all holding hands.

We had a great weekend of playing cards and watching the kids play on the big hill in her yard. The kids even got to practice their doctor skills on GG Del. They made sure that she is 100% healthy.

When we arrived at GG Del's I was not sure how the kids would act towards her as it had been a few months since we had seen her. I was thrilled when they ran right up to her and truly remembered her. They were so excited to see her again.
This last picture was right before we left and as you can see A did not want to say goodbye. We will see GG Del again over Thanksgiving and none of us can hardly wait. She is a true blessing and we are all glad she is in our lives.