Kindergarten

Payton started Kindergarten last Thursday. She goes to the half day morning class. She really enjoys it. We are all getting used to having to be out the door early every morning. Preschool started much later and was only 3 days, so the whole family is adjusting to our morning routine. She has a couple friends in her class that she already knew and I know she will thrive in school. Here are pictures from sneak peak and first day.

Larry and Kathy watched the little 2 so we could go to sneak peak and focus on Payton

Papa got her a new bling bling shirt for Kindergarten

Colton and his buddies dropping off their sisters first day of school. Colton was the only kid without a shirt, gym shorts and cowboy boots. That is how we roll :)

Steve and I celebrate our kids growing and moving into different stages. There was a part of me that thought, it just got real, that our kids are growing up. Steve shed a tear as he says I am the head and he is the heart. I am so thankful for his heart!

July Farm Trip and Wedding

About 2 weeks ago we headed down to both of Steve's family farms to visit grandparents and attend a family wedding. We first visited Papa and Granny Southards. We had a scare with Papa and his health about 6 weeks ago so we were thankful to get down there for them to meet Stetson and spend some precious time together. It is so peaceful down there, I love getting away there.

Next we headed to the dairy farm where Papa and Granny Coats got to meet Stetson as well. Steve's cousin Whitney was getting married so there was a lot of family in town for the wedding, we had a great time catching up with everyone. Colton and our niece Selah were the ring-bearer and flower girl.

 The Southards Farm

Boys practicing shooting their bows

We spent a lot of time on front porch, the weather was amazing, unseasonably "cool" for July

I love this picture, sign for their house and the old farm house in the back

4 generations of Southards men

The Coats Farm

 

Cousins reading together

Beautiful Bride and groom

I love this picture because it captures those 2 stinkers personalities

Lake trip

2 weekends ago we made our first trip to the lake for the summer. We were late getting down there this year due to Stetson's arrival and traveling to Nashville. We love slowing down and just hanging out there. This summer is a little more complicated with a 17-month-old that we don't trust around the water and a little guy who doesn't even know what is going on. I broke out the real camera for some pics down there, not just iphone pics :)

She is a hot mess right now

The boys

Steve took the older 2 to the local county fair that was going on

IYC in Nashville

We recently got back from a week in Nashville at The Opryland Hotel for IYC. IYC is a youth convention that we have been a part of for the last 10 years (it is every 2 years). Steve actually attended it as a student, but for 10 years we have been a part of staffing it. It is one of the highlights of the year for us, getting to be a part of a top-notch conference for teenagers, and seeing God's movement in their lives. 10 years ago, Steve was in the intern with the Director and it was in Nashville (it rotates 5 cities around the country). We had just gotten engaged a few weeks prior to IYC. Here we are 10 years later, hauling 4 kiddos with us and Steve's little brother Ben was one of the intern's this year. Steve's whole family was there (older brother Tim and wife Shari staffed it too and my in-laws had kid duty). It was a great week. There were stressful times with all the kiddos in a hotel for a week, but it doesn't get better than Opryland for the kids sake. I know my in-laws loved being with the kids but they had 6 kids under 7 years old (including our younger 2 which can be demanding) but I am sure they were exhausted too!  Steve and I also had the privilege to speak at a conference about Purity. There are about 5,000 teenagers coming together to worship God and grow in their faith. 

Here are a few pics

Cousin's 1 month apart in age

Kids enjoyed the pool at the hotel with Gigi

Cousins walking to dinner

Watching fireworks

Worship service

The whole Southards clan

Our family of 6

Stetson Edward Southards

Stetson Edward Southards 

Friday May 30th, 2014

1:26pm

9 lbs 15.7 oz 

21 inches long

15 inch head

We were supposed to be induced on Thursday May 29th, but the hospital was overfull with women who walked in during the night having babies. So we were pushed back to Friday and they guaranteed we would get in that day.  Much to my surprise, Friday morning at 3 am my water broke. So I knew I was having that baby one way or another that day, no getting pushed back. I had felt a little water leak in bed and thought I better get to the bathroom and as I stood up I had the gushing water down my legs and just had to laugh, first time my body has ever gone into labor on it's own.

We went to the hospital around 7 am and he was born at 1:26pm. He was a big big boy who peed on the way to the scale, so I say he was a 10 pounder!

The transition home has been much harder that I had hoped for. So many people had told me that #4 is so laid back and it is an easy transition. That hasn't been the case for us. He has been super fussy since coming home and has about wore this momma out. So thankful my mom has been here twice already to help as Steve has been out of town. We actually ended up at Children's Mercy ER last night as he was having problems breathing (I felt like I needed to justify myself to the Dr and let her know this was baby #4 and my first time ever visiting the ER, not just running in for every cough). Dr thinks he has reflux so we are starting him on meds today to see if that helps. I have tried everything else "natural" so hoping this helps. I know this is a season that will pass, but it has been difficult. I have flashbacks of Colton who screamed for 2 months straight. Hoping we can get it under control sooner than that.

The older 2 kids love having a baby, Colton has really taken to his little brother. Presley is another story, she is a baby herself and not too sure about this little guy :)