Easter 2017

We kept it simple this Easter and decided to go on a family hike. 

There are lots of fun little trails in Austin!

And you know, I think we needed a simple weekend. 

We found this beautiful little waterfall with blue/green water (yes in Texas!), and decided to get our feet wet! 

Jake is pretty excited to explore! 

Hey baby boy!!! Whatcha think you're doing?

My big babies! Sometimes, actually all the time- it's the little things in life that are the very best. Blue Texas skies, spring flowers, little waterfalls, and lots of little feet in the water...

Sisters. Beautiful beautiful sisters. They make my Mama bear heart roar!!! 

And this boy... my first baby boy love! He fills my heart like no one else can! What is it about baby boys?!? 

Maggie Ila- she collects things. All the things. Rocks, leaves, even dirt! haha! And I love her in her overalls. :) 

I just love all these little feet we've created. 

Baby Jake's Blessing

I remember this day. I HAD to get pictures of baby Jake in his blessing outfit before he grew out of them! It was a rainy day but I just HAD to go take pictures! 
Oh my baby Jake... these pictures make my heart burst.

Hey there Jake!!!

That little baby gaze... 

Oh I love him... they grow so fast. 

With the older kids I remember rejoicing in new things they'd do and yearn for new things they'd learn. Now, I just cry. STOP GROWING. It's ridiculous. Just pathetic. I've turned into my Mom and my Nana... a bawling mess.
I understand now Mom.

The greatest accomplishment, the thing I love being most of all is a Momma. 
His Momma... 

Beautiful Boy

And this is my favorite picture of them all! 
THAT EXPRESSION.
I want to gobble him up.

hahaha!
That one long baby hair on the top of his head!!! My heart!

You know you're cute don't ya Jake?

I feel like sunshine is just pouring out of him in this picture--- the light of my life! My baby!!!
I just treasure these pictures.

Lularoe! Lula WHAT???!!!

So cute pictures of the kiddos doing crazy things didn't happen this week.
But I couldn't break my Sunday night blogging streak! I just couldn't!!!
So I'm going to talk about what we've been up to.... for the past 15 months!!! 
Lularoe.
Yep, I'm a Lularoe consultant. 
I still giggle when I say it out loud sometimes... cuz it's just funny! Me??? A fashion consultant?
hahahaha! 
Seriously though, I love it and it has blessed our family financially so much! 
Tyler was the one who decided I should do it! That man is so freaking amazing.
He see's my dreams even before I do. He's my everything. And we do this together.
This weekend we got our Lularoe room closer to being all set up.
I just love the barn doors Tyler built! 
He is such an amazing carpenter. It's my favorite thing in the house!

He also built this leggings/orders dresser! It's beautiful!

I've got so much on my plate. I mean FOUR KIDS and running a business? Crazy woman! Sometimes I think to myself... is this what I'm supposed to be doing? 
And the answer in my heart is always a YES. 
Because I know it will pay off. Because my husband has my back. Because we're in this as a family.
Because we believe in dreaming big and working hard. 
Super excited to see what the next 15 months has in store! 

Family Park Date

It was too pretty of a day to stay home! So we packed up and went to the park!
All the kids love to be outside, but baby Jake especially loves it! 
Look how handsome he is! My Mommy heart!!! 

HIGHER! HIGHER! HIGHER!
Since experiencing the sing with Daddy, I'll never sufficiently measure up! 
hahaha! 

Maggie has always been my dirty kid.
Must get dirty everywhere she goes!
Rock angels...

BAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!
Every time I see this picture I snort out loud.
This is Maggie's smile right now and its so funny and cute! Those teeth! 
She sticks them out and crinkles her nose! And all those whispy hairs make me so so happy.
I'll always remember this Maggie. No matter how big she gets.

Because Luke's gotta win... hahahaha!

Rachel Lynn... the big sis!

Those brown eyes of hers are mesmerizing and are gonna put many a boy in a trance one day!
Heaven help me.

BANG. KA-POW. BOOOOMMMM!!!
Those are the sounds my heart is making when I look at this picture.
My BABY. My BABY. My BABY.

Hey there Maggie girl!

Because I never want to forget his baby head...

Or his baby toes...

Bedtime Stage

Stages.
You know... stages. The throwing a fit stage, the only Mom can buckle me in stage, 
the have to take a bath after every meal stage...
Well, this is the stage we're in with Luke...
When transiting Luke from a crib to a bed we'd put him to bed and lock the door so 
he could wander around everywhere and then open it after he fell asleep.
Since becoming potty trained, we've stopped that and he has learned that he can 
just walk out the door. So we find him in random places around the house when we go to bed. This time it was on the stairs...

Oh my Lukeman... you're so cute. 
Even if you don't stay in your bed.

Being his Mommy is my favorite. 
P.S- I love this stage. 

Krispy Kreme Babies

Weekends are pretty busy around here... We've (Tyler and I) have been working hard at building our Lularoe business and normally I have a party to prepare for on Saturday evenings. 
So we told the kids we'd do something special Saturday morning... so we went to the Krispy Kreme store to get some Valentines donuts! 
Jake approved!!!

Luke... oh Luke... 
I love everything about this little boy. 

Grins for the camera!!! That never happens!!! hahaha! 

Pretty sure he's yummier than the donut. What am I saying? That's a given!!! 
Oh how I love baby profiles!

Maggie Ila Payne... the sugar lover. All things sugar is what Maggie loves. 
Pretty sure it's what she's made of.

Rachel Lynn... the big sister. The lover of "mothering" and "nurturing"... you can see it in her eyes...

She also loves to pose for the camera... and I certainly don't mind...

These jammies crack me up. This is what happens when you're the fourth kid...
Jammies get too small? Mom just cuts the feet off... hahahahaha! 

We got home and I caught this picture of Dixie and I surprisingly love it. Sometimes its the most imperfect shot thats the best. 
And a few thoughts from Jess---
Life isn't perfect. In fact its far from perfect. I constantly have to remind myself to count my blessings and stop being so hard on everyone including myself. 
I came home from selling Lularoe... it was a long drive and not super fruitful. While I was gone Rachel accidentally left the water running in the upstairs bathroom and flooded it, causing the ceiling in the kitchen under to leak...... yep. A leaky ceiling.  It was easy to feel overwhelmed and stressed when I got home. And I'll admit it... I was. 
But after a good nights sleep I woke up feeling grateful. Grateful to have a home and a leaky ceiling. 
Grateful to have four crazy, mess making kiddos. 
Grateful.
I'm grateful!!!!
Life is so good. It really is! It's easy to get caught up in the stress and overwhelming moments. 
But golly... I LOVE MY LIFE. I love my children so so much. And I'm so blessed to be a Mama. 
The End.

Jump In

I had a wonderful Mommy opportunity to take a little road trip this weekend.
Driving by myself is therapy. I get lost in thoughts. Thoughts of my childhood. Thoughts of good times... happy times. Thoughts about my little family.
During this trip my mind kept going back to one thing... JUMP IN.
JUMP IN JESS. Just jump in.
When you walk through that door, don't let anxiety overwhelm you. Don't let the chores and dirty floors blur your vison and dampen your attitude.
You're babies are all here. THEY ARE HERE. They are all yours.
SO JUMP IN. Jump in at bedtime and do it with all your heart.
Jump in and make those cookies with the kids hovering and fingers sneaking into the bowl of dough.
Jump in tomorrow when they ask... "Mom, what are we going to do today?"
Just. Jump. In.
And love every second of it.

My Jake boy! Even though the days are long and leave me exhausted. I can't believe how fast the months go by...

I'm not a perfect Mommy.
I yell and scream. I lose my patience. I skip prayers. I sit on the couch exhausted instead of doing fun things.
But gosh dang it, I'm going to try harder.
Because gosh dang it they are growing so fast!
I love my tribe.
And this baby... oh this baby...
I missed him the most this weekend.
I was told he missed me too.
He'd walk into our bedroom looking for me and yell "ma-ma, ma-ma! at bathtime and bedtime".
I can't tell you how happy it made me to be missed. I missed you too little buddy.

Jake loves his Daddy. Especially when he eats his face.
JUMP IN.
This is our time.

Donuts,Cookies...... and Spaghetti!

Jake just want's people food. 
He has started to cry as soon as the baby food comes out.
Oh dear! hahaha!
I get my camera out ready to catch those smiles and boy are they hard!!! There's about 100 other photos of the ones you see below. He does NOT like to be interrupted when he's eating.
 haha.

The whole family gets involved! Hootin and howlerin!
Jake Jake Jake!!! Is that a yummy cookie?!?!?

Pretty sure he likes it... hehe...

So handsome!

On Saturdays if they kiddos are lucky we get them donuts.
It's heaven every time! 
I get lost in those eyes of his...

My little thumb sucker...

Spaghetti night this week was EPIC. 
The kid wouldn't stop crying until finally we realized he wanted the spaghetti. 
We plopped some on this tray and BAM! Now more crying. All business.

I kept trying to get his attention for a picture...
NO MOM! 
Can't you see I'm busy???????
hahahahaha!

Oh this baby boy. I love him.
I love him with cookies stuck down in his diaper, donut guts on this tummy, and spaghetti all over his face! I just LOVE HIM. I love this messy phase. It's the best. 
And we take a lot of baths. :)