Yay For Summer

My beautiful family.

Below is an outtake from trying to get a photo of our family. Then you can see that even if your family is crazy, a good photo is possible:) The main culprit of craziness/refusing to behave? Koen Chapman. Grrrrrr...he is SO frustrating. We had our extended family session yesterday which Gary and I did. So stressful with our own kids involved but overall I think we got some good ones...which I will get to edit once I finish work photos first:)

The five babies...mine's #4:) The oldest two are a week apart and then the three youngest are about 6 weeks apart between each one.

My sisters and the babes. I actually did email a photo into Global so we'll see if they do a follow up:)

{It's so interesting to me to look at all these babies and know how they all were born. Like, 4 natural births (one being a VBAC), one C-section, 2 had vacuum deliveries, only one overdue?, one induced, all 5 had midwives, 3 had OB's as well, small range of lbs from 7lbs 7 oz to 8lbs 8oz, four had 90th + percentile heads, all 5 breastfed:) The funniest thing is when we have a play date and one baby cries, almost all of us have letdown...you know, we all start leaking:)}

I am so, so, so thankful to have Gary home for the summer. Why?

1. I can exercise in the morning while it's cool. I'm on week 3 of running and I've lost 3lbs. `Only' 14 more to go. I'm actually enjoying the running and it's getting better:)

2. I can work during the day. I do love photography and I may have taken too much on for July but August will be a bit slower so that will be good:)

3. Non stop help!!! Two parents for three kids. I love it. Nya is a pretty easy baby but ya, there are days when she doesn't nap and she poops 10 million times. Days when we are sweating and having to hold her for hours or she screams (when she gets overtired, so difficult to help her get to sleep). However, the evenings are lovely so I will not complain!! Usually in bed by 9pm and then just up once or twice!

If you are jealous of the teacher summers off, please note that the salaries are not fabulous and that's why we need another income. Also, there is a lot of extracurricular volunteering and work at home that happens. So ya, there is the other side to it:)

Okay, Nya is napping so I'm supposed to be working....off I go! Oh, and to any of you that are following the running program, please let me know how it's going in the comments below!!

Have an excellent week!!

Love, Louise