I always enjoy taking Reese out each year for a little {unprofessional} birthday photo shoot.  I was extra excited this year since it was the first time trying out my new big daddy lens Chet gave me for our anniversary!!!

SURPRISE!!!!  Yeah!  He did good!

She chose Coronado Heights for her shoot location, and I mentioned stopping at a sunflower field on our way there....only I couldn't find the field Chet and I had found a few days earlier.  We decided to give up on the sunflowers....we were losing light fast and I was pretty nervous about being at Coronado Heights alone with just the girls.

When we got there, a St. John's military school charter bus was parked at the bottom of the hill, and all the guys were running up and down it...cue more anxiety!

And lots of staring for Reese and Ev....

And then Evee had to pee.

Cue squatting in the grass as teenage boys run past us....

We survived though.  I was disappointed not getting any close up shots, but the lighting was just too dark.

Here's what we did get...

At the end, she insisted on me using the flash....



































"Shoot for the moon. Even if you miss, you'll land among the stars."



Love watching you grow up, Reesee!

Officially 9!

Reese officially turned 9 on August 31st!

As hard as it is to believe Chet and I have been married for ten years, it just seems unreal that we can have a nine year old!

There was no "planning" when we got pregnant with her...there was no planning with any of our kids!  But with her, we had been married just three short months meaning parenthood wasn't even on our radar.  Funny how things work out.  Couldn't imagine it any other way!

She's such a great kid, and I hope she always knows how proud we are and how much we love her ♥


































She chose to have her birthday dinner at La Fiesta!





















































We are so thankful for the support of our families.  It always means the world to the kids having everyone be a part of our activities!








































































Cru and Chet had to bail early due to football practice.

After supper, we enjoyed cake, presents, and FaceTime!

Current obsession - big eyes!



































A new watch and pedometer


































SURPRISE! A Polaroid camera!




































































































In the middle of opening her presents, she got a surprise visit from her buddy, Reid....



































































Happy birthday, Reesee!  I know you're already thinking about how fun it's going to be to turn 10, but lets focus on making nine as awesome as possible!

10 Years

10 years of marriage!

Wow!

Sounds like a long time, and we've done a lot in that time...three kids, three houses, multiple jobs, and everything else in between, but it definitely doesn't feel like 10 years!  Guess that means I've got the right partner by my side!

In between our normal daily chaos, school, and practices, Chet still made me feel very special on our actual anniversary.  A couple days after our anniversary, we managed to escape from reality for a night....thank you, Grandma and Grandpa!

We had a brief discussion a few days prior to leaving about getting matching anniversary tattoos....I'm the rebel of this relationship ;)

Annnnd we all know Chet's the smart one, so he decided not to go through with it, which was perfectly fine.  He also said he didn't feel like spending our entire day in a tattoo shop...prior experiences didn't leave the best impression. I was disappointed, but fine with it.

So, once in KC, we made a quick trip to our favorite kids second hand store, picked up Caid and headed to Top Golf, the latest and greatest craze taking over KC.

 
Sidenote....on the way to Top Golf, right around the corner from Caid's apartment, was a tattoo shop.

There was a 4 1/2 hour wait for golf.

We thought about going to the casino, then Caid decided to work out, so after taking him back to his apartment, Chet asked if I really wanted a tattoo.

Yes.

So, we did!  Well, I did!



































Our wedding date in Roman Numerals ♥

Chet and I were both very impressed with the shop and the artist.  I will definitely go back ;)

Chet booked a hotel room while at the tattoo shop...that's the way we roll...no planning ahead!  After checking in, we picked Caid back up and headed out for some Mexican food!

Four and a half hours later, we found ourselves back at Top Golf.

They told us we'd have another hour and a half wait....grrrr!

We killed time at the Cheesecake Factory!



10:30pm....back at Top Golf.  Our faces must have looked familiar because the hostess asked us how long we've been waiting, and when we said since 4pm, she quickly gave us $20 in coupons and took us to our bay.

About damn time!

Despite being on the lower level, we had a lot of fun!



















































































We left around 1am...Chet and I are old!  I think Caid was just getting started!

The next morning, we did a little shopping before driving home.  Chet asked me to meet him in the bookstore...



He LOVES to read!  I don't.  I think I've discussed this difference in opinion before.  But watching him that day....he really makes me want to be a better person.  And opposites attract ;)

Despite the fact that Chet WOULD NOT give in and let me visit KC's new Ikea before heading back home {he clearly knows me well!}, it was a great time away!

I don't think our loves missed us one bit...



































10 years down....forever to go!

Swimming and Movie Poolside Party

Wow, I can't believe how fast Reese's birthday {party} snuck up on me!  We literally picked the date two weeks before, even handed out invitations to her school friends two days before party!  How terrible is that?!

She, of course, requested a pool party again!  Can't thank Grandma and Grandpa enough for letting us host this crazy bunch of kids year after year!

Her and I do our best to incorporate a different theme each year with the swimming....this year included an outdoor movie!

It was a tad chilly for swimming...kids didn't seem to mind!  But the cool August evening was perfect for an outdoor movie!

I didn't take as many pictures this year, but here are the highlights....




























































































































































I have learned that it is not worth it for me to make my kids' birthday cakes!  I don't have the time, talent, or PATIENCE!

But because I waited until the last minute with everything, I really had no choice.  So, I went to Pinterest for some inspiration...popcorn cupcakes.  Seemed easy enough...cupcakes, frosting, marshmallows, and a little food coloring.



Holy crap!  I wanted to shoot myself!  I spent over two hours cutting marshmallows to look like popcorn....NEVER.AGAIN.



My assistant felt the same!









The kids watched Sandlot 3.  They were wrapped in blankets eating way too much popcorn and candy...it was perfect!





Thankful Reese has such great friends in her life!  They all made her party so special!







Reese doesn't officially turn nine until the 31st.  I'm in denial...and holding onto this last week of her being 8.  And she's already counting down until she turns ten....

Sporting KC

I haven't had the time to share as much as I'd like about Cru's love for soccer. 

So, long story short, he loves the game!

Something I have shared, Chet and I {still} know nothing about it.

But if he loves it, we love it.  I guess ;)

This summer, every night he would have tv time after his shower, he would ask if soccer, baseball, or football was on.  In that order.  Needless to say, we watched quite a few Sporting KC {the MLS team in Kansas City} games!

Chet and I talked several times about taking Cru to a game, but it just never worked out.

And then Chet texted me Monday {as in three days ago Monday} showing me that he won tickets to a game!

2nd row!

On a school night.

The first week of school.

He followed with...keep or give away.

Flippin' keep!!!

There were only four tickets, so Ev stayed home with Grandma and Grandpa.

We took off for KC right after school was out, telling the kids to nap on the way because it would be a late night, and I couldn't help but think, "What are we doing?  It's a school night...dumb dumb!"



What was dumb was thinking that we shouldn't have went!

Yes, it was late {rolled into town at 12:45am}! Yes, Sporting KC lost.  And yes, the soccer action from the second row was amazing to watch, but our boy....


to see him so in awe and so into it ♥  #thebest #andsoworthit


Cru's favorite player in above pic...far left with long hair.  A defender like himself. No clue what his name is!


He just kept saying the same words over and over, "How did he do that?!!!"




I want to know how their feet move that fast?!  And stay under control!

Cru was not the only one "in awe"....


































No, not me!

Reese!

Zusi....her fav!

I think he's kind of a big deal.  I mean his name was on the back of EVERYONE'S shirt!  And he spent the whole second half warming up ten feet in front of us.

Hollahhh!


Thank you, Chet, for this memorable experience!  Can't wait to do it again!

I did get a warm fuzzy feeling {or maybe just a feeling that wow, this is so much easier with only two kids!} thinking it was fun doing something with just the big kids.  Then, as Reese and I walked out of the bathroom, Cru was so serious and asked, "Where's Ev?"  Like we left her in the bathroom because she's been tagging along everywhere since birth.

She'll be included next time.

We brought her home a scarf.



































With all the soccer we've watched this summer, I noticed fans wear scarves.  WTH???  I asked several people why, but no one could answer, except google.

Apparently, soccer started in Europe, and it's colder there, so you wear a scarf to keep warm...and support your team.  Also, Europeans believe Americans should figure out their own way to show team spirit and quit wearing scarves.

You're welcome :)