as we speak

 

as we speak...

she-

1.is still loving school. she's very serious about it. she has to do her homework ON MONDAY!! even though it's not due until friday. she won't let us walk her in her school...she doesn't mess around with this school stuff,ha!

2.is dressed up as rapunzel when she's not in school clothes

3.loves writing stories in a little composition book she has at home. she illustrates them as well. so cute.

4.is VERY into all types of music. she is the child that knows all the words to every song she hears.

5.is having a hard time after school each day. we leave at 7:40 and get home at 4 pm...that makes for a LONG day. she's tired and it's causing her to get very grumpy,bless her heart. hoping she'll adjust soon.

 

she-

1.gets herself dressed every morning as soon as she wakes up and before she comes downstairs. she used to choose dresses but now has moved on to separates which can be...um...interesting? don't you DARE tell her that that striped tunic does not match that floral skirt. don't you DARE.

2.tries to pick up the babies and carry them around all day long. responds to SADIE NO!!! with a smirk.

3.loves the fresh beat band, always wants to watch it and sing and dance along.

4.is loving taking showers "ALL BY MYSELF"!!!

5.could do puzzles all day long. she is patient, serious,and VERY good at them.

she (lucy)-

1.smiles all.day.long. this is not an exaggeration. she is the happiest baby i've ever known.

2.splashes like a MANIAC in the bath and scares me half to death. she lunges, bounces, tries to stick her mouth in the water...terrifying.

3.puts everything in her mouth

4.loves to give me big open mouthed kisses (more like slobbery licks, but i'll take 'em)

5.says DADADADADADADADA all day long ever since j came home. hmmph. i only hear MAMAMAMAMAMAMA when she's hungry. :)

 

she (cate)-

1.has taken to making this LOVELY face constantly. this is the "bulldog" face. all of our children have a period from about 9-11 months where they do this face obsessively.

2.snatches and grabs at everything. especially faces.

3.loves baby mum mums and gerber puffs. i buy them in bulk mainly because of her.

4.doesn't want to be held. there's too much CRAWLING and EXPLORING and PULLING UP to be done!

5.screams really loud and sooooo high pitched at me if i take something away from her!

he:

1.is always holding at least one of his daughters. i cannot find a photo of him without at least one girl in his arms since he's been home.

2.may or may not have called 911 (his first time alone with more than 2 of the children) 10 minutes after i left b/c sadie swallowed a nickel. you decide whether this is fact or fiction.

3.has been helping me do some crossFit work outs. he is in amazing shape. me? i almost died. but i didn't throw up and i didn't quit. i consider this progress.

4.is very very jealous of the iPad he gave me.

5.made us the best hamburgers this weekend. one of the best hamburgers i've ever had,actually.

 

she-

1.is certifiably obsessed with her iPad2. she could spend all day on stumbleupon and flipboard if she let herself. it's a serious addiction.

2.is in a slump at the gym. still loving zumba and strength/cardio classes, but HATING step. also not loving turbokick or kickboxing. burned out. reevaluating how many classes per week to attend and how many crossFit workouts to subsitute.evolving.

3.is wanting to do a blog redesign BADLY.it is consuming her thoughts !:)

4.has been getting ocular/silent migraines lately. think the aura that comes with a migraine without the actual migraine. it's been a lifelong thing, but they are never fun.

5.has lots of fun craft projects in mind. MUST get hands on twinkle lights asap.

 

and we?

are loving being a we.

happy tuesday y'all!

xxo

s

Comments

[Kelly Rodgers]

Fabulous post. Happy Tuesday beautiful steph xxx

[Jen Thompson]

I'm thinking the silent/aura migraines must be a thing that starts at age 34 because ever since I turned 34 I've been getting them! The first one scared me half to death but now I'd actually take them over the painful ones.

[Jackie]

You have such a beautiful Family ! I am addicted to the ipad as well. I just sold my first ipad to upgrade to the ipad 2 and it can't get here fast enough. What is your ipad wearing?

[Juanna]

love the photos of all your girls especially those cuteeeee baby faces hehe ((:

[Stephanie Howell]

Jackie...shes just wearing a plain pink cover but Im ordering a gussy sews iPad pouch soon!

Sent from my iPhone

[JenniferSanborn]

That picture of Cate is hilarious! LOL

[Jonnelle]

Oh my heart, those pictures are AmAzing and love the updates on your beautiful family!
Sadie's picture cracks me up (as usual! I know I must comment that once a week, but she's hilarious with her expressions!).
Have a terrific Tuesday. :)

[Stephanie H.]

You know it's really a shame that your girls have no personality. I mean come on, they are such boring little creatures, right? ;)

Your stories about them always make me smile, and many times laugh out loud. My fav? When Sadie told her crying baby sister to "Suck it up, sister!" (or something like that) I laughed out loud over that one!

I am not a big taker of classes (exercise classes that is), but I am a runner and lift weights and I have found that I have to vary my workouts so I stay motivated and don't get bored. I have not tried to CrissFit workouts, but have heard they are brutal...and effective. Might just have to give it a go myself.

Enjoy having J home - happy Tuesday!

[Pat]

You are so blessed! Such a beautiful family. How do you do it all? You are an inspiration to me.

[tara pollard pakosta]

awww love these kinds of posts!
I need to do one sometime soon!
about the working out: that's what I did, worked out 7 days a week, 2 hours a day and BURNED OUT! I say workout maybe 3-5 days at the very most for 45 minutes, that's plenty!!! enjoy it or you will give it up!!!
you look AWESOME!!!
tara

[Laurie LaRiviere]

what a lovely post Steph! that Sadie is hilarious, love her little scrunched up face, those babies, and Harper, how blessed you are to have such a beautiful family, love the way J is looking at the little one in that photo, so sweet. I get migraines too, come out of the blue like an ice pick in the side of my head, luckily they are short lived, not fun at all. Have a good week!

[amy tangerine]

SO much love in this update, just warms my heart!

[Berta]

Sadie and Cate make the cutest faces :-) And Harper and Lucy have the sweetest smiles! Great post!

[jennifer Camplin]

Oh my...

beautiful family!!

:)

[MilliD]

Thank you for giving me some much-needed smiles today (as usual)!! :)

[Kirsten]

Said it before, and I'll say it again - adorable family - and quite a cute pic of yourself, Missy!

[Abbeyviolet]

I love this post. It makes me love your little family more, but also really inspires me to copy it for ours as I love capturing "us" and lists so a great fit. Hooray for you all and here's hoping the migraines go away!

[lauren]

awesome update! so happy that the six of you are together again! :) *

[Natalie]

Hahaha OMG! my middle daughter used to make that same "bulldog" face. adorable!

Great update, thanks for sharing
hope your week is awesome!
:0)

[Michelle]

Such wonderful photos!!! The one of Sadie and Cate crack me up. Miss Frowny Browny there and Cate's expression.. oooo.. her eyes just snap. Is she going to be your mischievous one? I love the photo of Jim with one of the babies. Such a fun, cute photo of you as well!!! I am glad you are all together again.

[Candy]

Firstly, I am thinking you are the soldier here (everyday in the war zone, etc.) ...and secondly, I have had those Aura migraines...came with menopause. And so I think they are associated with hormones? Just throwing that out there if you want to find a specialist. How do you drive with those? I have to pull off the rode and actually stopped giving kids rides just in case it happened while driving for school events, etc. You have some serious creative genetics going on in your family. Perhaps voice or dance lessons are in their future?

[christina rayevich]

cate's face in that pic... TO DIE FOR!! so hilarious!
xo

[Brianaj]

You know, some day when all these wonderful girls are in school you should consider being one of those photographers that goes to people's houses to take pics of their families in their own surroundings : ) Kind of a funny thought but you really capture the emotional side of your family well.

[Sarah]

This cracked me up! My kindergartener is VERY crabby after school and just last week paired zebra stripes with floral shorts. She may be your girls' bff from far away! ;)

[julie]

Where did you get the pillow in the picture with Sadie? I love it! I've seen the sign but never a pillow.

[Stephanie Howell]

Home Goods!!!

Sent from my iPad

[Michelle]

Bless you, Stephanie. I get those same migraines. They are scary b/c you have to convince yourself that they "are just a migraine" and not something more serious every.time.you.get.one. I cannot imagine going thru that w/ 4 little girls and your husband out of town :( Loved all of the photos & updates!!!

[samantha]

These are always my favorite posts. Such a loving family you have:)

[Marla]

My little boy swallowed a nickel when he was about two. I immediately called the advice nurse. :)

I'm so glad you're all together again! God bless!

[andie librandi...]

UUUUUMMMMM....that picture of cate just made me pee my pants. how freakin' adorable! i hope my baby goes through the "bulldog face" stage! love it!

[Rachel]

Looks like life is good in the Howell house!! Love the pictures of everyone. Especially Cate's bulldog face :)

[Leslie Good]

Oh how I love these photo posts you do. Love the one of Cate and her "face". I immediately thought of the lion in The Wizard of Oz, saying "put 'em up, put 'em up"! Cute!! Enjoy your "WE" time...precious!

[Shannon Shurtleff]

Girlfriend. I get ocular migraines. Ever since I was pregnant with my toddler. :( I get blurry edges, spots, lights, it is insane. ((HUGS)) I hope you can find some relief.

Love all the photos. I know you are loving having your husband home. I have survived #5 for 1 month & 2 days. LOL!! Love my little tickers...

[Stephanie Howell]

You gooooooooo girl!!!!!

Sent from my iPad

[Olivia Martin]

When Carter (my eight year old) was in kindergarten his teacher commented on how quickly and intensely he worked puzzles. When I told her that he and I had been working 100-300 piece puzzles for years, she told me that puzzle working was a good indicator of great math skills. I forget what her reasoning was, but she said that all of her really good math students were great puzzle workers. Must be all the thinking & problem solving that goes into working them. I bet Ms. Sadie will be really good at math!

[carol]

love these posts! your bigs are so much like my two girls.....it always cracks me up the similarities ;)
sorry about the aura's....they are no fun. I feel semi-blind for hours when I get those kinds. So happy you are having some good quality family time right now.

[Donna Heart]

Hi Stephanie, I rarely make a comment here, but stop by fairly often to see all your creative ideas - and you totally inspire me with all you manage to achieve each day! You certainly live life to the full :) But I just had to say that I too have occular migraines. I reckon for me it's linked to not drinking enough water - usually that seems to knock it on it's head... Your girls are beautiful and you're a wonderful mum... You go girl! X Donna

[tricia]

i love these kinds of posts!!! i need to start doing them for my blog!! i finally broke down and gave myself a blog makeover...it had been too long!! :)

[Kathy Martin]

Totally cool page...love hearing a bit about everyone! Life sounds good!

[Heather I.]

Wonderful family!! Great pics & I'm loving the bulldog face! God bless you & your family. Hope you enjoy your days and nights together.

The sacrifice you guys make is tremendous & dont often think enough of what our service men & women and MOSTLY their families go through (even having 6 cousins and an uncle still in the air force - my parents were both in as well). So grateful for the courage that it takes. God bless!!!

[Denise Nichols]

You have a beautiful family, Stephanie. Love hearing about their unique personalities. You are not alone. I have occular migraines, too. While I am thankful that they are not painful, they are a pain. I hope you find relief for yours. Have you noticed any pattern to yours? Mine seem to occur related to blinking (carnival) or fluorescent lighting.

[Christine Campbell]

THAT IS THE BEST FACE EVER!!!!!!!!!! I may have woken up my neighbours LOL.
Steph, I suffered through migraines for 20 years - seriously, since I was 13 and finally when they were trying to find out what was wrong with my right eye and sent me to a neurologist and did an MRI did they put me on meds for migraines daily - been just over a year and now that I know what my triggers are and used to the meds (which i will be weened down or off of starting in december - you can't take them forever) it's made a world of difference. It means no more coffee or dark pop and I have to stay away from anything else food-wise that bothers me. Some things I can't help like weather and hormones but for the most part they are pretty much gone. No fun to suffer no matter what kind you have.

[Carolyn HP]

Wow, I love this post... new to your blog through Ali Edwards. I love how cute your family is and your whole blog from the heart approach is the only way to go about chronicling the every day story of our lives.

[jennifer mercede]

Your Perspective is inspiring!