Growing up is going FAST!

     Hutch is nearly 5 months old, which means it has nearly been 5 months since I have tried to sit and write down the happenings of life! Oh boy... That's nearly half a year! That's a 1/4 of Zion's life! In fact, to make a point on how quickly (or painfully slow -- not sure which it is) these past months have gone -- the other day I wrote down the date --/--/2014, and then laughed at myself, stratched out the 2014, to put the "correct" year...2013. Now that is just sad.

   What can I say? Life has been a little delusional as of late! There have been many moments where I have diagnosed myself as --- mental, crazy, and insane. But the rational that I have been using to comfort myself -- whether true or false -- is that this is a season, and everyone who is living life has moments that feel like insanity, and if people don't remember those moments it is only because their highly-evolved brains have allowed them to repress and forget. Something my brain will likely do once I move out of this stage. This is why so many mothers of grown children wish their kids were 2 years old again. They don't remember the parts of extreme physical exhaustion from giving all your nutrients to your nursing child, waking up 4 times every night for multiple children, plus a few times more for your own weak bladder. They don't remember mental challenges of the sicks days, the grumpy days, the mundane days, the moments where everyone bursts into tears at once for some un-beknowns reason. They don't remember their whacked out emotions from the too little sleep, and stressors (marital, locational, vocational, etc.) that inevitably exist because life is real and not some fantasy land. {Okay so maybe that last one moved us from "funny" into "too far" -- I'll stop now}.

These pictures are a terrific reminder that the chaos is worth it! That life is so fun and full! And that we do forget the tiring days quickly:)! Hey, it almost makes me ready to have baby #4 --- yeah, but not really...

Beginning of March...

middle of march

End of March

Zion strutting her stuff {March}

Babysitting girls! To watch Zion, Obie and William Sauder. Think the team is big enough?

Little girl becoming a little momma:)

Mister Handsome at beginning of April (I think)

Obie hangin' out on his turf

Brett finishing making the desks for the Expat Homes office 

Hutch in mid April

Sad to say but Obie put his shoes on for the first time himself! Yeah we spoiled him... {April}

And yet we don't spoil them. The Kids making their own PB&J sandwiches because I was too busy for them.

"School time". Just kidding, we don't pretend to be smart, we totally call it coloring:)...

Easter Candy Bags!! Zion that candy went right to the rolls in your arms!

Our wonderful friends Mike and Nicole Zins (Momma Steffen loved these guys:), and that because they truly are the best!). They were so wonderful by making Easter special for Obie and Zion. They got them little book bags with cookies and toys in them. I wanted to cry. I shocked myself at Easter, it was actually the hardest holiday for me so far. Maybe it is just little girls that make special memories in the pastel colored holiday, and the buying of a new Easter Sunday dress:). 

End of April -- Beautiful little guys

Zion, why are you crying? You would fit much better in the other tub right next to you.

Expat Homes Orientation Day!! 

Just a picture of a mess. The picture doesn't show how the plato got smeared into all of the surrounding floor.  Scrub the floor 3 times and it finally all came up. It maybe would not have taken so long had Zion and Obie not been trying to help. But it was so fun -- all of us pretending to be Cinderella singing "Sing Sweet Nightengale". I love that movie. 

Everyday of their lives

First visit to the Dentist! 

Zion too! The dentist did not actually do anything but have them sit in the chair. She wanted them to feel like the dentist office is fun and not a scary place to come. 

My birthday... 26th! 

Look at them:)... This is the kids bed on our First Family Vacation! It was a wonderful trip to a town north of us called Pai.  

All of us swimming together! {Pai Vacation - May 2014}

Obie trying to convince Zion that coffee is delicious. He loves it for some reason, he even asked for a cup the other morning at breakfast -- it was a hilarious request to hear from a 3 year old! {Pai Vacation - May 2014}

Hutch swimming on for the second time in his life {Pai Vacation - May 2014}

Out to eat on Family Vacation! {Pai Vacation - May 2014}

Walking Street in Pai {Pai Vacation - May 2014}

Wrestling match {Pai Vacation - May 2014}

Family photo

{Pai Vacation - May 2014}

Obie selfie

{Pai Vacation - May 2014}

Zion selfie

{Pai Vacation - May 2014}

Obie the animal... there are days I feel that this is truly where he belongs

Taking our guests, Mrs. Shipp and her son, Steven, to the elephant camp

Here is Mrs. Shipp getting in the Fish Spa. They were hungry!

Mrs. Shipp was the first principal Brett worked for! He loved her, and we LOVED having her FUN personality around giving us LIFE and LAUGHS. We CAN'T wait for next time:), thanks for making all the way out here!

We found the best burgers...

in Chiang Mai, that is.

Cutie, Huh? {June 17thish}

There is March, April, May, and June... Good job Liv!

Love, 

Steffens