life lately // august

Somehow, in spite of mama being so sick with this pregnancy, we made it through summer vacation, and even had fun! While mama rested most of the day, the kids played. We are so lucky they are such great friends and play together so well. So this month, we got prepped for back to school, and right before school started, we got to catch a glimpse of our new baby...and share some fun news!

1) some days, it is all fun and games!
2) sunday besties!
3) teamwork
4) splish, splash!
5) rain rain - please stay!
6) puddle jumping fun x 4
7) always wondering about that baby in there...
8) 20 week ultrasound - and sneak peek at baby j!
9) hmmm...everyone voted girl...
10) and they were right! it's a girl!!!!!!

Tie Breaker

Tie Breaker! from Tysha on Vimeo.

We had our 20 week ultrasound this week, and got to see that our baby is growing and developing beautifully. It is always a relief to get to this point, and to see that things are going well and that baby looks healthy, as we choose to decline all other sorts of testing along the way. We also got to find out who this tie breaker baby will be - and we did a fun little cake reveal with the kids to surprise them with the wonderful news! Take a peek at the video to find out - boy, or girl!?!

life lately // july

We finished our big road trip and arrived home to sleep in our own beds on July 4th, Independence Day. It's actually my favorite holiday, but we were all pretty zapped from our big long trip, so we kept it really low key this year. A little BBQ and fireworks on the front lawn with neighbors. We had such an amazing trip, but it felt great to get home, too. Unfortunately, about a week or so after we returned home...so did my nausea and pregnancy sickness. In all it's wonderful glory. So, honestly, the rest of the summer was super low key. It was hot hot hot and we tried our best to stay cool. The kids were troopers through it all, though my being sick profoundly limited our summer fun. But we did get out a few times, and we made a few fun summer memories.

1) grow your own...watermelon! hazel loved helping in the garden.
2) chop chop! aspen and mama donated a combined 22 inches of their hair towards wigs for kids and women fighting cancer 
3) mama's growing belly - sixteen weeks, poolside 
4) swinging like a big boy!
5) daddy is good at helping us keep cool
6) jammin'
7) giving baby j some morning cuddles
8) so proud of the sunflowers she grew from tiny seeds!
9) this boy loves the little waterslides!
10) that bucket is going to dump any minute!

life lately // june

As we seemingly slowly made our way to June, we had some big news to share - we could finally tell the world why I had been bed-ridden for the past several weeks, so sick, nauseous, and vomiting - and Hudson did a great job of sharing the news to our families with his little blue onesie and a big smile: he's getting bumped up to big brother status just shortly after his second birthday! School also got out the first week of the month, and we had two birthdays to celebrate! We kept things really simple this year since I had been so sick, and had a joint pool party for our birthday girl and boy. They loved it! Finally -- and quite miraculously, just days before our huge road trip, I turned a corner for the better as we prepared to head off on a 16-day adventure around the American Southwest. We visited 10 National Parks and Monuments and had a fantastic time! What a month! 

1) our big announcement! hudson's gonna be a big brother!
2) another library card holder in the house!
3) celebrating our two june birthdays with a pool party
4) big adventures this month - our great southwest adventure/roadtrip!
5) grand canyon national park
6) hiking up the narrows in zion national park
7) ruins at mesa verde national park
8) touring santa fe
9) hiking tent rocks national monument 
10) our climber girl - can't keep her down!

Sawyer turns 8

I can't believe this guy is EIGHT! I love these little snapshots of him blowing out his candles because this year two of his very favorite things to wear have been his "bug shirt" (it even glows in the dark!) and his hat. The day after he wears his bug shirt, he asks me, "mom - when are you doing laundry again?" I tell him I usually do it twice a week - once on Monday and once on Thursday. "Good!" He says, "I can't wait until my bug shirt is clean again!" He would wear it every.single.day if we let him. He has just got to the point where he alternates it with his navy blue skateboard shirt - I guess he likes dark colors? It makes me laugh because it caught me by surprise that he would be fixated so much on a favorite article of clothing at this age. I guess I thought that would come a little closer to puberty or something? Anyway, he loves wearing his bug shirt and hat and he likes to try and make sure things "match" ("do these go together, mom?") I am fairly certain I know where he got that trait (ahem, his mama!). Anyway, 8. He told me that this year, he didn't want a regular cake. He wanted a cookie-cake! I was like - what is that!?! He said a little girl in his class at school had brought a cookie cake in for her birthday and he thought it was so good he decided he wanted one for his own birthday! So, I scoured the internet and found a recipe for a cookie cake - it was decadent - and really good! I still haven't been feeling very well, so I wasn't able to make it to church on his birthday - but I did make his cake while I was home and everyone else in the family was at church. So, when they came home - the house smelled so good! And Sawyer's eyes lit right up when he saw what I had made for him! We sang him Happy Birthday and ate cookie cake and then he got to open a small gift - new pajamas and a coloring book. He loves pajamas! So they were a hit! This year, we decided to he was old enough to give him something he had been asking for several years now: his own guitar. We did the little gift so he had something to open on his special day - but a few days later, his Dad took him on a special outing to go pick out his own guitar! He was SO excited! It didn't come as a total surprise - we had told him we might get him one when he turned 8 - but I do think it was a good lesson that good things come to those who wait! ;) 

Sawyer is also preparing to be baptized. He is taking the missionary discussions and reading the Book of Mormon. As his parents, we really wanted him to have ownership of his decision. And has decided to be baptized! So we are going to help him prepare this summer and he will get baptized in the fall. He is excited to invite a few of his friends from school - and we are thrilled for him. There are so many bitter and sweet parts about watching your child grow and grow up. All I can say is I am proud of this boy. He is a good one! He is incredibly smart, deep thinking, thoughtful, energetic, loves loves his family and siblings, is so artistic and has so many wonderful talents. He takes to heart making good choices and decisions and I am excited to see what kind of trail he will blaze into his undoubtedly bright and exciting future! Love this little guy so much! Eight is going to me GREAT!

Announcing...

We are (finally!) thrilled to share the news that we are adding one more little bloom to our wildflower bouquet - we are expecting baby number five and could not be more thrilled! Here is the first little peek we had at our baby, the dating ultrasound at about 10 weeks. This baby will be our tie breaker, our grand finale - our bonus babe. What a great and wonderful blessing! I have been so very sick this time around - definitely the sickest yet, almost having to be admitted to the hospital because I couldn't hold down even a drop of water for several days. Luckily, I turned a corner (just slightly) so that I didn't have to go, but it's definitely been a rough few weeks. It all hit like CLOCKWORK at 6 weeks. So...eye on the prize! I am still so amazed that we have been blessed with one more, and also have mixed emotions about this being our last baby. But mostly - just completely honored that this baby is coming to our family - a prayer answered. There is a bigger story behind this baby, but for now, I will save it for later. Here's to our little wildflower! Due New Year's Eve.

Hazel turns 4

I think it every time - because it's so so true - how FAST the time does fly! Here we are with our sweet Hazel baby turning FOUR! I will confess (because mom guilt is real!) I have been way too nauseous and sick to do very much to celebrate our sweet girl this year. It makes me sad. I don't think you need to go overboard every year, but  I was sad that I could barely even sit at her birthday dinner - I have been SO sick. But, I can't complain because even though I don't feel great, I feel better than I did a week or so ago (when I couldn't get out of bed or off the bathroom floor for over a month, basically). To focus on the positive: I made her a birthday cake, from scratch - a really really delicious buttermilk layer cake with cream and strawberries - it was SO good! We paired it with some strawberry ice cream and a little sparkler action and it was perfect! She was so excited and happy just to have her own special cake, and to have her loved ones there, singing to her! We gave her two special gifts, which have been on her wish list for quite some time. She never had her own baby doll - so we surprised her with TWINS! She got boy/girl twin baby dolls! It took her a few days to settle on names, but she finally decided on Sally for the girl, and Ross for the boy. I'm not sure where she got Sally - but there is a little boy named Ross in her sunday school class at church. They came with pacifiers and bottles, and little shoes and hats - and she has been so wonderful sharing them with her brothers and sisters, who were almost as excited about the twins as she was. Of course, for her babies, we had to give her a cradle. So now Sally and Ross can sleep soundly next to her bed (on the nights she chooses not to co-sleep, that is ;). I guess focusing on her joy in the little things - a cake, family that loves her, and some gifts to enjoy - well, it doesn't seem so bad after all. I think I am just going to have to accept that this year will be a tough one - for them in some ways, but mostly, for me. It is hard work growing a new little human. The kids are SO excited about this bonus baby - as are we! I hope they remember the anticipation of expecting and waiting for their new baby rather than all the things their mom couldn't do as well as she would like during this time. 

Hazel is such a joy to be around. She has a little bit of a stubborn streak that shows up every now and then, but all in all she is always smiling, always giving lots of love and hugs all around. She LOVES to snuggle up and doesn't hesitate a bit in telling you how much she loves you and likes you a zillion times a day. She adores her older siblings as well as her baby brother. She thinks the new baby will be a sister. She loves to be outdoors, loves to swing, loves to paint, and loves to play games. She is a good sport about falling into the "middle child" category. She is a sweetheart and has such a big bright spirit about her, though she is super petite and tiny. She will move mountains in her life - and she will do it all with a great big smile. Love her so much!

life lately // may

Oh, May. It was a blessed yet cursed month. I was sick for most of the month (hence very few pictures.) We watched our garden grow, and the rains fall. Texas is no longer in a drought - hooray! Everything is still blooming and lush and so green. It's lovely! We took a short trip to San Antonio the first weekend of the month to attend the San Antonio temple. On our way home, we explored the tiny historic town of Gruene - brimming with small town southern charm (and lots of crowds on Mother's Day weekend ;) We also cashed in on a Christmas Day gift of experience and went through the Wildlife Park, which was really fun. Mother's Day is when I started feeling sick, unfortunately. I could barely get out of bed for three weeks! Thankfully, I had a good day, or at least a good 3-4 hours, one day when the kids had a day off of school. We went to the Fairy Trail at the Zilker Botanical Garden. So magical and fun! Here's to growing a garden, making memories, and feeling better (hopefully) next month! Oh, and summaaaaaaah!!!!

1.  garden helper
2.  swing, swing, swing!
3.  golden hour 
4.  garden helper II.
5.  families are forever
6.  rest stop (gruene, texas)
7.  natural bridge wildlife park
8.  in search of garden fairies
9.  zilker botanical garden
10. brotherly love

life lately // april

April was an exciting month full of many adventures! This month was extra special as we got to spend some time traveling with our crew. We went on a grand adventure to West Texas and explored tiny towns such as Fort Davis, Marfa, and Alpine, as well as the infamous ghost town of Terligua. We saw a Star Party at the McDonald Observatory, slept in a teepee at El Cosmico, and best of all, spent a few days sleeping under the big stars at Big Bend National Park. It was a busy and super fun month!

1.  school carnival shenanigans
2.  when daddy comes home 
3.  little gardener
4.  spring adventures
5.  welcome to marfa
6.  glamping at el cosmico
7.  inside our teepee
8.  happy hammocking
9.  ghost town fun
10. what once was
11. beautiful big bend
12. music makin'
13. boys in bonnets
14. cannonball! (first pool day of the year)
15. on the trail
16. dino track hunting with buddies
17. 18 months - our handsome baby boy