Happy 36th Anniversary

Just found out the McPherson's anniversary is also today and they are celebrating 36 years.  So thankful for in-laws who are committed to one another and are always up for a fun adventure.  Above is when we convinced them to indoor skydive while visiting!! 

Happy 41st Anniversary

Happy 41st Anniversary to my parents! 

Glad to have parents who are committed to God, each other, and their family. 

Memorial Day Weekend

This Memorial Day weekend we had a lot of family hang out time and Jon and I even had a date!  On Thursday we celebrated 9 years of being married so I arranged for a babysitter and surprised him with a date.  We went to dinner and Jon had a list of 9 things he had to complete by the end of the date.  Some things were selfish on my part like requiring he order and appetizer and then later take us to Barnes and Noble for cheesecake (because I had a coupon for both).  And others were just silly things like finding a book that described the last nine years and then finding a magazine that had something we would like to do as a couple before our 18th.  Jon, ever the romantic, found a book titled We Can All Do Better so I decided I would go with You Have No Idea.  He later explained he meant it was about him not the way I took the title of his book meaning he thought I could do better.  For our magazines Jon found an awesome place to camp in CO while I just found one that said travel South America since I need to get to go to that Continent in order to be one step closer to visiting 6 of the 7 by the time I am 35.    Friday we hit the road and traveled to Marbles a really fun children's museum and learned the different speed we will be traveling as a bigger family of small children.  The pictures below are from that fun trip.  Saturday Jon got to work on his sermon while I took 2 girls and did small trips around town and then invited neighbors over to our personal beach in the backyard.  Sunday after chapel we were going to picnic at the pool instead we ate at the PX and then went to the pool.  It took us 30 minutes to get everyone dressed and ready to get in the pool and after 1 hour they were all ready to eat snacks and go home - it was a good thing too since our sunscreen ran out after only getting one of Molly's arm.  Most of us have spent some time out in the sun so we were ok, Jon however is pretty burned. 

Sisterly Love

Group shots are a little more difficult now

Riley loves the food

Molly loves the shopping

Jon just plays around like a good dad and buys what he is told

Someone had to rest with Kelly and Jon was willing to sacrifice and do that

Kelly and I working on her touch quota

The Dancers

SLAM DUNK



An artist is born

Life with 3

They have matching outfits - their shirts say big and little sister

 We had Granny and Jon here until Monday and then reality set in!  My mom stayed an extra day so I didn't have to drag all 3 girls to an 8 am dr. appointment for Kelly.  I don't know what time I would have actually made it if I had to get them all up and out that first day!!  Last week Riley was dealing with and ear infection that didn't heal from the last round of antibiotics and was super fussy but since get a second round she is much nicer.  Molly is still dealing with the adjustment and we are having a few attitude problems every day but here's to hoping with some prayer we will get over that fast.  She also got invited to her first manicure/pedicure birthday party with her friend next door.  3 seems pretty young to start with getting a mani/pedi I know I didn't get one until college but that is what she and Chloe love to do!  They went to an actual place and got real ones not the free ones in the driveway and Molly loved it - she picked out some interesting designs!  Kelly is growing - she lost her belly button extension so she got her first bath and at her appointment we found out she is up to 7lb 5 oz.
We have kept busy playing with friends in the afternoon after trying to hash out our new morning routine.  Monday my friend came over and while the kids played she cooked our dinner for us so that night all I had to do was reheat the meat.  Yesterday we spent the afternoon at Monkey Joe's jumping with another friend and I "cooked" a frozen pizza for the family.  Tonight I might just break the streak and cook something real for the first time since the 5th or I might just let us eat leftovers and shoot for this weekend:)

Being a big sister is very hard

First bath!!

Ladybug nails

Lighting stripe toes

Kelly's first picnic

Feasting with the flies

It only took 10 tries to get 1 or 2 good ones.

Our 3 Army Brats

Kelly 2012 edition

Riley 2011 edition

Molly 2009 edition

Family of 5

We are so grateful for the help of Granny and BertBurt this week in transitioning to a family of 5.  Molly and Riley have both had a lot of extra attention and it was definitely needed.  We have only had one outburst from Molly letting us know she wanted NO SISTERS - aka she was done sharing.  Riley just wants to love Kelly and sometimes doesn't know her power.  Kelly loves to sleep during the day and party at night.  We are beginning to think she doesn't know what to do in the quiet and that is why she cries at night so we bought a sound machine and will see how that goes.  Also while we had extra hands around Jon and I decided to invest in a swing set for the back yard.  After a few hours and a few suggestions from an expert (ME) they got it together and the girls have been enjoying it all day today.  Tomorrow is baby dedication at our chapel and like last year we are getting to participate and dedicate Kelly.  I think 2 kids 2 mother's day in a row is enough for me!!  We are so thankful for skype as Kelly has been able to meet a lot of our family through it until they can get here or we can get to them.  Enjoy the video and pictures from the past few days!

I just want to get up on the couch so I can give her a kiss

Success!

Best part of the swing set - TRAMPOLINE!

Enough gadgets for everyone to enjoy

Sharing!!

Music time with Granny

I'm coming for you Kelly

She hasn't been kissed in 10 minutes - Molly had to take care of that

BertBurt and his napping buddy

They put her at my level!!

Watching Jon and BertBurt fly - fun times!

Running out of lap!

Introducing the newest McP girl

Waiting for the hospital to release me!

 Kelly decided she didn't want to wait for a pesky induction so she took the initiative to come out 10 days before it was scheduled.  Let me start at the beginning now:)  Jon was originally scheduled to be the on call chaplain May 15 which was our induction date so he traded with another chaplain and managed to get Saturday May 5th.  I joked that because of that she would come then but didn't really take myself seriously (just as my mom as to the state of my house).  2 weeks ago at chapel our little kids teacher didn't show up because she went into labor 3 weeks early and had her baby, last week our pianist had to leave 15 minutes before chapel because she was the midwife for another lady in the congregation who decided to have her baby 3 weeks early so I also joked since we had kids church this week it was my turn to go 3 weeks early but remember I was just joking so didn't take myself seriously.  After we went to a birthday party Saturday we came home and I started having contractions 5 minutes apart - after about 2 hours I started texting my friend Karlyn about possibly being on standby for kids church just in case and Jon called Stephanie my doctor friend to see if we should go or just stay home since it was a full moon.  With 2 experienced moms basically yelling why haven't you left already we decided to go to the hospital and see what they said.  Jon contacted the next chaplain on the on-call list who graciously met us in labor and delivery to relieve Jon of that phone and obligation while I got checked in being I was 6-7 cm dilated.  We checked into the hospital at 10 and Kelly was here at 12:39.  Just like the other 2 girls her blood sugars dropped because of my gestational diabetes so she was kept in the NICU for 12 hours but was finally released to us at 1 the next day.  However the hospital lost a test I took so instead of the 24 hours most 3rd time moms get Jon, Kelly and I were held hostage for 60 hours!!  Ok maybe not held hostage but it is so much easier taking care of a baby at home than in a hospital room where nurses come in every time you get comfortable!  Molly was excited about the birth of her BabyAlive who she has been waiting for since it is Kelly's twin to her.  She is being a great mom to it as she changes and feeds it all the time and it takes many naps in Riley's bed.  Riley is just happy to have people to play with and so far really likes to try and share things with Kelly. 

Jon trying to reason with his youngest daughter as to why she should stop crying:)

Why yes I am a true McPherson - I sleep with my arms above my head.

What giving looks like at 3

 We like to involve the girls in giving to others whenever possible.  This past week Molly has had a lot of opportunities and it has been fun to watch her.  She helped Jon with putting labels on waters bottles that said LIVE in the FLOW John 7:37-39 that he gave out as part of his sermon illustration to remind others to live out what God has given you - don't be stagnate and only receive. Also her friend next door had surgery so she went through the $1 section at Walmart and picked out a bunch of gifts to give her - she might have had to be reminded once or twice they were for our friend and not her:)  She loved putting it on the door and has talked about how she gave lipstick to her sick friend.  Today we went a got her hair cut.  A few months back I chopped my hair off to donate and in passing I asked Molly if she would like to and she said yes so today was the day.  We went to the salon and Molly sat extremely still, during the process she said she didn't like it but since coming home she has noticed that she now matches Riley and me with short hair.  She is also glad that someone else will get to have hair or Rapunzel as she calls it:)

Molly modeling her Live in the Flow water bottle (and boo boo)

The bag of goodies to put on our friends door.  Riley isn't as thrilled but give her a few years!

Sitting very still for the last time with long hair

  

Cutting away

Styling the new do

Getting ready to bag it up and send it in

Short hair

The back