The McNulty Quads

Parents of the Year..

2012-01-22T20:28:00.000-08:00

Every so often, Gen and the kids stop by the soccer fields on their way home. It's nice to be in one place as a family, even if I'm coaching.

In addition to running around with "the big kids," our gang loves the challenge of scaling the mini-goals. Russ is our natural climber, while the girls all give it the ole college try - but prefer to excel in their own respective areas. Caught this video as we were wrapping up the night, and we've had quite a few laughs watching the end of the clip over and over. Impressed with the little man's determination, but feeling a bit guilty for the lack of attention paid to Ally =) Classic, classic, Ally.

Video Vault: Don't Stop Believin'

2012-01-12T07:40:00.000-08:00

Found this clip the other day while backing up my semi-broken phone (yep, had to eat some SERIOUS crow with Gen after Libby dropped mine and required a replacement). I'd completely forgotten all about this morning from a few months back. Makes us realize how lucky we are to live in a time where we can capture moments like these from our phones. That, and the fact we have so much more material to hold over our kids' heads when they're older. Thankfully, our parents didn't have the same luxury...

When things get hectic in our house, music can be a welcome distraction. Good thing, the kids were raised on the classics, and Journey is one of their FAVORITES. Hilarious to watch this clip and see each kid's unfiltered personality personality shine through. Have we mentioned that Ally loves the camera?

Video Vault: Jingle Bells

2012-01-09T08:09:00.000-08:00

Back in December, the kids participated with their class in the annual holiday program. Despite the all-school program being cancelled (music director fell ill), the youngest group carried on with a few of their own numbers. Two weeks of preparations for a few minutes of glory.

A few observations:

The room contained more mobile A/V equipment than most press conferences. Lots of proud parents, grandparents, and friends in attendance.
Libby - small in stature, shy in group settings, but hilarious all day long. Smiling sweetly and singing along, the kid embraces the role as youngest sibling well.
Ally - although she's stoic on the clip, Ally is a born performer. She sings ALL DAY LONG. After this program, she politely informed us "next time, I'd like to sing on the stage....but alone. It'd be easier to hear me that way". We worry about her confidence =)
Molly - the first "hey!" chorus illustrates her approach to life. Love it. Love her.
Russ - the video doesn't do justice illustrating his indifference. He mouthed about every fifth word, and was more concerned with getting to the desert buffet afterwards. He has his priorities.

Enjoy this rendition of "Jingle Bells"

Pneu more Pneumonia. Please!

2012-01-01T20:36:00.000-08:00

Since Thanksgiving, we've had one constant in this house:

Russell John battling pneumonia.

We're currently on bout number 5, and sprinkled in between the girls have cycled through viruses and respiratory bugs as well. Not a fun way to spend the Fall and holiday season for anyone, and can't count the amount of school and functions we've missed as a precaution. It's nothing new, as viruses creep into his lungs and linger much differently than the girls - always have. If we had a nickel for every breathing treatment and oral steroid this kid has been on... we'd have a ton of nickels...

Read More... »

Caption Needed...

2011-11-27T05:15:00.000-08:00

That whole picture-is-worth-a-thousand-words thing make sense, but for some reason we keep drawing a blank on an appropriate caption for this gem. Thoughts?

Escape from Alcatraz?

Read More... »

Tony Bennett Was Right

2011-11-17T07:00:00.000-08:00

"I left my heart in San Francisco
High on a hill, it calls to me.
To be where little cable cars
Climb halfway to the stars!
The morning fog may chill the air
I don't care!
My love waits there in San Francisco
Above the blue and windy sea
When I come home to you, San Francisco,
Your golden sun will shine for me."

- Tony Bennett

A few weeks back, we made a quick trip to the city by the bay. Gen & I marvel at the fact we only live 95 miles away, yet rarely get back to the campus where we met, and find time to share the amazing city with our gang. We couldn't have picked a better weekend to head down either - unbelievable Fall weather!

Actual photo - 75 degrees & Sunny...in OCTOBER!!

Read More... »

Who Needs the Tooth Fairy?

2011-11-09T05:09:00.000-08:00

If Russ' reaction is any indication, the actual Tooth Fairy, $ under the pillow, etc. may not be as exciting as the actual tooth coming out. Amazing how quickly this guy can go from fear to elation.

Halloween Hangover

2011-11-06T11:53:00.000-08:00

Halloween came and went too fast this year. As usual, the kid's costume selection process was chaotic, hilarious, and resulted in an eclectic collection of personas:

Molly: Little Red Riding Hood

Libby: Rapunzel

Ally: A Beautiful Angel

(don't you dare call it just an angel...)

Russ: An "Alien Spider Monkey"

(no, seriously)

A full day of costumes and celebrations at school, followed by the annual family Trick-Or-Treating festivities and Grampy Russ' pad made for an amazingly prolonged sugar high.

Read More... »

Things We've Learned to Live Without...

2011-10-27T21:18:00.000-07:00

5+ years of life with our gang has provided some interesting realizations. Any family can relate, but we've definitely learned to live without a few key things.

Silence - When the preferred method of communication is "scream-over-your-sibling-for-supremacy-and-priority", 8pm bedtime and the weird lack of noise feels foreign.
Read More... »

D&D's Wedding in Sun Valleeeey

2011-10-11T22:37:00.000-07:00

Ever been to Ketchum, Idaho? Until a few weeks ago, neither had Gen. We had a chance to venture up for a quick weekend to help celebrate Danny & Dana's wedding. Danny is one of my oldest friends, and we knew this weekend would be a memorable one with the unique town and awesome people included.

As only Gen can do, her photos seemed to perfectly capture a flavor of the weekend's festivities.

Home of Ernest Hemingway and Adam West. No, seriously.

Read More... »

How Do You Organize Chaos?

2011-10-02T00:00:00.000-07:00

Like most families, we've struggled to organize our lives via hourly, daily, and weekly schedules. With Gen back to work, and the kids in school, lately we seem to be on the losing end of daily battles to stay on top of it all.

Gen & I try to stay on the same page, and recognize our own differences in how we deal with it all.
Read More... »

Saturday Morning Conversations

2011-09-18T19:10:00.000-07:00

An exchange on Saturday morning made me realize how lucky AND outnumbered I really am in this house:

Molly: "Why is mommy sleeping in?"

Conor: "Because she deserves it."

Molly: "Oh...ok. She also said she deserves diamonds."

Love them both. Happy Monday Everyone.

Conor

1st Day of Kindergarden, By The Numbers

2011-09-11T22:06:00.000-07:00

306 Photos to document the day from house to classroom.

Libby, Molly, Russ, Ally

16 glue sticks and more...

20 white uniform polo shirts (to start with!)

8 wide eyes, twinkling with excitement.

4 big kids, ready for the adventures of school.

Russ, Libby, Ally, Molly

2 parents, pumped for the next phase of our lives.

0 tears from the kids or parents
(Conor lost the bet, I kept it together... until I got in my car!)

Russ

Libby and Ally

Molly

We're so happy for this new chapter in our lives, and can't wait to share new adventures!

Happy Monday Everyone!

XOXO

Gen & Conor

Work, Weekends, & Weddings (Part 3)

2011-09-03T21:04:00.000-07:00

WEDDINGS

The McCauley/Nelson wedding festivities spanned a full week, and were an absolute blast! With matron of honor duties, Libby as a flower girl (with Earl as her escort, of course), and lots of family attending the events - it was an all around great time.

Katie - bride, and best friend since 1st grade!

Can’t say enough about the bride, groom, and their families. The wedding was beautiful, in the scenic hills of Lincoln, CA and the kids danced up a storm that night at the reception. HUGE thanks to Papa John and Grandma Deb for taking them home afterwards, allowing Conor & I to have a night away and sleep in for a bit the next morning!

Mr. Earl

Bridesmaids & Flower Girls!

Me, Libs, & Mr. Earl (in his tux, of course =)

Ally, Molly, & Russ - Ready to Party!

Katie and Ryan, we wish you love, happiness, and a life that is NEVER boring! :) Thanks for letting us be a part of your special day!

Mr. & Mrs. Nelson!

Work, Weekends, & Weddings (Part 2)

2011-08-21T23:50:00.000-07:00

WEEKENDS

We haven't had a problem keeping busy on the weekends lately. The kids were beyond excited a few weeks ago with the arrival of Papa John & Grandma Deb. We were lucky to have 10 full days with them, especially with an important wedding on the horizon =) As usual, Conor & PJ had some home improvement projects lined up to tackle during lovely Sactown heat.

We knew when we bought this house it would be a "work in progress" for some time, and it hasn't disappointed. The whole fam got in on the action one day, helping with yard projects, while PJ & Conor built a retaining wall, cleared some ground, and spent countless hours digging and gettin’ dirty to spruce up the yard. It’s still taking shape, but looks much better than it did! At this rate, we'll have a beautiful landscaped yard by the time the kids are in high school =)

Thankfully, the majority of their time here was spent swimming, exploring the river trails, checking out some movies, and just hanging out each day. Even had a chance to snap off a few pix...

Angelic sisters (Ally, Libby)

Group tree hugging is all the rage these days...

Mo-Mo, looking way too old lately

Who knew Papa John's speed hurdles would be such a big hit?

PJ & his quartet of future tracksters

Best of all, we got a visit from Uncle Mike for a few days as well! The kids love him, and were enamored with his renditions of Dr. Seuss' classics =)

Looking back on the past few months makes us realize how lucky we are. It's been a very special and busy summer. We've enjoyed being a family as much as possible on the weekends and I'm sure we'll look back on these times with great memories when we're scattered off in 8 different directions with sporting events, socials, and life in general in years to come.

Hope you and yours are enjoying a great summer (what's left of it) as well! Have a great week!

xoxo

Gen

- S

Work, Weddings, & Weekends (Part 1)

2011-08-14T21:28:00.000-07:00

Life has been speeding by at a breakneck pace for the past few months. I'm gonna try and catch up over the next couple of posts :).

Returning to work has been a blessing, I LOVE my job and we are truly grateful for this new stage in our lives. It’s also presented some scheduling challenges we hadn’t faced before... the kids don’t start school until September.

After scrambling to line up help and fun to keep the kids active and engaged in July, things settled in very nicely. We were lucky to have two awesome babysitters help out before they headed off for college. Chelsea & Lauren, both awesome young ladies that Conor had a chance to coach in soccer,were awesome and the kids absolutely LOVED them. Somehow, we never got a picture with either before they had to take off - but we hope to see them on holiday break. We miss you girls!

Next up, the kids attended a day camp at our awesome gym, for two weeks. Our quartet can be handful, and the staff does an amazing job keeping them occupied with creative projects, swimming, and all around fun during the day. Thank you to everyone at CalFit! Ya'll are like family to us.

Then, the kiddos did a week of Bible camp with Mary Jo. Again, where has my camera been?? They had such a wonderful time and LOVED spending each day with MJ. Mary Jo, you are a Saint. Thank you for the beautiful week. The kids can't wait for next summer. :)

We are such lucky people, to have so much love in our lives. Even though I'm working, I know the kiddos have been in wonderful hands. It's been great practice for the upcoming school year and we are ALL ready for Kindgarten to begin.

TTFN more to come asap............................

xoxo

Gen

Rolling With My Homies!

2011-07-22T18:00:00.000-07:00

The Dirty South will never be the same after the Sweet Sixteen took to the streets!

Back Row: Jenn Suz Moni Amy Jo Sandra Charity Mari Kelly Gen

Front Row: Beth, Jenna Kami Casey Heather Jac Misty

Quad Mommas 2011 Shirts:
Front:

Back:

Our 3rd annual trip was a blast and we are already working on QM 2012!

Ready 4 Kindergarten!

2011-07-07T20:43:00.000-07:00

The kiddos did very well in their Kindergarten readiness class last month. They are more than prepared to start school in the Fall and cannot wait! They made tons of new friends and truly didn't want it to end.

They LOVE to make new friends!

The teachers had a fun little afternoon planned and I was one proud mama. The kids didn't know I was coming for the graduation and the looks on their faces when they saw mine melted me. It's in moments like that, I think to myself, "Life just does not get better than this."

It really is the simple things in life. Growing up with a single mom (& three other siblings), I remember being over the moon when she made it to ANYTHING. God love my mother! Now that I'm a mom, I realize how lucky I am to have a wonderful job and supportive husband, that make it possible for me to still be there for all the important moments, no matter how small.

With four very different children, we know this is just the first of many events. Speaking of the kiddos being so different, THAT was our FAVORITE part of seeing them in school. None of us, teachers included, could get over how independent they were from each other. They are each HUGE individuals and acted like it! Each child made different friends and found his/her own path. How cool is that? We weren't sure what to expect and they blew us away both academically and socially. It will be really fun to see what happens in the Fall!

We are so proud of you Russ, Ally, Molly and Libby!

Here are a few of my favorites caught on camera...

Libby-Super shy

Molly- Social butterfly

Russell- Dude's Dude

Ally- Class ham

Crowd Pleasing Entertainment!

Miss Dana and friends!

Mrs. Yim and friends!

Ms. Mary and the kiddos!

Thank you so much to all the wonderful teachers and friends we made in this Summer School! We will miss you in the Fall. Please keep in touch!

Catch Up & A Chance To Win!

2011-07-07T14:03:00.000-07:00

Thank you all for the sweet anniversary messages! It truly means the world to us. We are so happy and can't wait to see what else life brings our way.

In other news, the kiddos haven't been feeling too great this week. It's no fun running fevers in the summer time! It should not be allowed. Speaking of things that should not be allowed, I also think that all menopausal symptoms should STOP during these 100 + degree days too! Can I get and "AMEN" on that ladies!?! ;) Holy LORD, drop me in the pool and wake me when it's over! ;)

Anyway, I promise I'll post some fun last day of school photos later tonight. I love working but the blog has taken a back seat. I need to catch up!

In the meantime, check out my latest review from bodycology and enter to win a great gift basket! Click here.

Happy Thursday Everyone!

Happy Anniversary- 8 Years Today!

2011-07-05T07:00:00.000-07:00

It's been 8 years since we said "I do." We could have never have imagined what life had in store for us.

July 5th 2003

Yet, here we are....

2011

Happy, strong, in love, and ready for what ever comes our way. Life is GOOD.

Thank you for a beautiful 8 years, Conor! I love you more than ever. Here's to a less eventful 8 & MANY many many more to come ;).

XOXO

Gen

Happy 4th!

2011-07-04T21:27:00.001-07:00

(L to R)

Molly, Russ, Libby, Ally

We hope you all had a great weekend too!!

XOXO

Conor, Gen, Russ, Ally, Molly, Libby & Penny

The Tooth Fairy Cometh!

2011-06-23T23:52:00.000-07:00

Ally Boo Boo lost her 1st baby tooth tonight!

She scared me to death! I didn't even realize it was loose and thought she might have been hurt. Then she said, "I thought I had popcorn in my teeth and it just popped out! It doesn't hurt, mommy!!" Upon inspection - sure enough, she even had a few more loose teeth! How on Earth did we not realize this? I mean, I brush her teeth twice a day. Guess I was just thinking they were too young, so I wasn't looking for it?

Anyway, once we realized it was a good thing, she got SO excited and SUPER PROUD. Then the other three kiddos started crying and begging me to make their teeth loose. Ya, not how that works.

20 minutes later....

She wiggled out #2! It was super loose and the little lady has no fear! Luckily #3 is not ready yet. So, the Tooth Fairy was only on the hook for 2 teeth tonight.

After they were all tucked into bed, I decided to take a cue from my fellow quad mama, Charity Donovan, and have fun with it. I, of course, will do something extra special for each child's first tooth. But this was Allly's special night.

A note from the T.F.

A bag for future teeth (I painted fairy foot prints).

A heart shaped dollar, and glitter to sprinkle all around her.

I think I'm more excited than she is! The morning can't come soon enough!

Have a great weekend!

School Days

2011-06-20T22:46:00.000-07:00

It's the 3rd week of summer school (a 4 week program) and the kiddos are doing fantastic!

(L to R)

Russ, Libby, Ally, Molly

The teachers tell us the kiddos are MORE than ready for Kindergarten in the Fall.

Ally Boo Boo

Little Libby

Molly Mo Mo

Russell Man

So, THAT is awesome.

The not-so-awesome part: the melt downs before and after school. With "perfect classroom behavior," something seems to happen each day before and after class that is inexplicable. We chalk it up to an adjustment period like everything else. But Holy LORD. I'm fairly certain they are trying to make all my hair fall out.. the fighting, the melt downs, oooomgeee!!! But, it is GREAT practice for the coming year, soooo.......... we've got that going for us! Guess I'm a glass half full kinda girl at heart. Aaannd some days it doesn't hurt if it's a wine glass. ;)

I hope you're all having a great week!

Happy Father's Day 2011

2011-06-18T23:51:00.000-07:00

Ally and Daddy

We love you Daddy!

4 lucky kiddos

(L to R)

Ally, Libby, Conor, Russ, Molly

AND..

Happy Grandfather's Day!

This one is for our awesome, track loving, Papa Jon!

xoxo

Russ, Ally Molly, Libby

We hope you all have a wonderful day!

Jumping Back in With Both Feet!

2011-06-14T22:20:00.000-07:00

The kiddos started summer school AND soccer last Monday. The very next day, I went back to WORKING. We haven't slowed down since. Can you buuuuleeeve it? I know I can't! It all happened so fast.

In the past, lots of changes meant lots of anxiety and adjustment for our house. So we braced for the effects, and waited to see how it all went.

I am happy to report that the kids are thriving in the classroom. THRIVING!! We are so proud of them! The teachers tell me they are all way ahead of the game and more than ready for Kindergarten this fall! They are also making friends like crazy. It's incredible to watch. Can you feel my smile as I type!?!

Twice a week the kids head out to a great youth soccer program with a ton of other kids their age. The results have been equally hilarious and heart warming to watch.

(L to R)

Molly, Russ, Ally, Libby

The ONLY shot of all four playing.

One of the quartet has now boycotted 3 practices....can you guess who (hint - not who you'd expect...)

Russell-Man: what's not to like about running, kicking, and having some extra testosterone around?

No, she's not enjoying it at all.

Mo-Mo is in hog-heaven with the competition and chance to run her heart out with the other kiddos.

The kid who didn't want to wear cleats, now doesn't want to take them off!

Ally is having a blast on the field!

Little Libs, who could not wait to sport her gear, has decided that it's way more fun to hang on the sidelines, pick flowers, catch lady bugs, and chat my ear off.

Hey, whatever makes you happy, Libby.

As for me, I didn't realize how much I missed working!! Of course, I have been doing the most rewarding job in the world for the last 5+ years, but, change is good! I'm sure my enthusiasm has a lot to do with the fact that I have been blessed beyond my wildest imagination. I have landed the perfect job at the perfect time. I'm back at my high school alma-mater in a web/marketing role. I get to be a mom and at the same time, do something I love, at a place I believe in with all my heart. Can't ask for much more than that, eh?

All these changes have come together beautifully, and prayers have definitely been answered. The kiddos haven't been effected by my new position in the least, since I am only working when they are in school. Despite jumping into these new situations all at once, we're welcoming the changes with open arms!

Life is GOOD.

Such big kids!

Ally and Molly

Having a little post soccer dinner out with Nani Donsie

Nani Donsie, Libby, Ally

Me and Mo Mo

Me and my Russell Man

Happy Wednesday everyone! I hope you are all having a great week.

WIN A $100 Best Buy Card!

2011-06-08T20:26:00.000-07:00

I'm dreaming of ways to make house work easier! ;)

Check out my latest review post here and enter to WIN a $100 Best Buy gift card. All you have to do is leave a comment.

Happy Wednesday!

Cleats, Feet, & Summer Fun

2011-06-05T22:04:00.000-07:00

Can you guess which one of our children wanted NOTHING to do with her brand new soccer gear?

I'll give you a few hints... she loves trees, animals, and all things natural and wild. She's goofy, stubborn, and... has some mild sensory issues. If she could live in only her undies, she'd be a happy girl. Let's just say she's taking a while to warm up to the new equipment...=)

"BUT WHY CAN'T I PLAY SOCCER BARE FOOT!!???? "

-The one, the only, Allison Ann.

Molly, on the other hand, so excited she can't hardly stand it!

We can't really tell if Libs is amped up...

Russ is already loosening up, just like Daddy, ready to roll!

(L to R)

Libby, Russ, Molly, Ally

Soccer is starting, summer school has begun, and life is good.

Happy Monday everyone!

When Mother Nature Is Hormonal...

2011-06-01T21:02:00.000-07:00

What do we do when it goes from sunshine to rain storms? Do we run for cover?

(L to R)

Molly, Libby, Russ, Ally

Nah, we run to get our puddle jumping gear...

Begging the duck to swim to shore.

Ally, she kills me.

What am I wearing? Don't ask, I know I look super cool! ;)

Sweet Libs

Molly and her caterpillar, Fred.

Libs and her Lady Bug, Del.

Not many things are bigger than your head buddy, but this rock comes close.

Ally, our nature-loving tree hugger.

Little Libby, Little Monkey.

Miss Mo Mo

Russell Man (swirl and all)

One of these days they are gonna be too big to all fit on this gate!

Again, goofy little nature lover Ally.

I hope you're all having better weather than we are!

If not...

Get out and get muddy, it's good for the soul.

Back in the groove..

2011-06-01T08:09:00.001-07:00

I have had the best intentions about blogging. I have so much to catch up on and so much to share. Then, I get the kids to bed and instead of writing, I pass out.

I'm 6 weeks post op and doing really really well now, just tired at the end of the day. It's a been a very long recovery, but worth it. Doc says I will feel like this for some time and.. that's okay. I'm healing! I'm just happy to be back to normal life, I missed my kids so much when I was down. I missed the chaos of daily life. It's great to be back in the groove.

Anyway, I'm working on several new posts right now. I'd better catch up fast too... soccer starts this week & summer school next week! We are so excited.

Happy Wednesday EVERYONE!

I'll leave you with my 4 favorite smiling faces.

PS: To see some of the fun stuff we've been up to, check out Suz's post here!

Happy 5th Birthday!!!!

2011-05-13T12:30:00.000-07:00

Our babies, they will always be my babies, turn 5 years old today. Weren't we just putting up crib tents, duct taping diapers, and locking up the Vaseline? I know I always get sentimental this time of year. I just can't help it. We have come so far and every year it just gets better.

This year is the beginning of a new chapter in our lives. The kiddos will start Kindergarten, soccer, and all kinds of other fun stuff. It's also going to be a huge transition for us as a family - I'll be going back to work! As I look to the future with anticipation, I find myself smiling at the past. What a wild ride it has been and... WE SURVIVED (so far at least =)!!!!!!!

In honor of this happy day, I'd like to share a few fun qualities, that I LOVE, about each of our VERY DIFFERENT children. I think I'll go in birth order, a whole 3 minutes apart..

Russ Man

- Goofy as all get out!

- A laugh that makes you smile, even when you don't want to!

- Rough and tumble

- Dare devil

- GIANT imagination and AMAZING creativity

- Patient (especially when his sisters beg him to play "Prince Charming" in their princess games)

- Kind

- Loving

- Brilliantly artistic

- Perfect mix of a dudes dude and mommas boy!

- Loving

- Wants to be "A Dinosaur Artist," when he grows up

I could go on and on. Those are just a few of the fun things that make you special, Russel John! I love you buddy, with all my heart. I am so proud to be your mommy and I love watching the incredibly little boy you are growing up to be. Happy 5th Birthday!

XOXO Mommy

Ally Boo Boo

- Silly silly silly silly!!! We may have a future SNL star on our hands here. But, she tells me she wants to be "a singer, like Katy Perry, my favorite." God help us.

- INCREDIBLY loving and wears her heart on her sleeve

- Selfless

- Mrs. Doolittle, the animal whisperer.

- Mini Nani Lou Ann in EVERY way- keeps her memory alive and well.

- Flower child

- Fish- would likely swim in a snow storm if I'd let her

- Soulful

- Particular/picky

- Deep

- Musical

- Precious

- Passionate

- Love - is lead by her heart in everything she does.

You, Allison Ann, are a beautiful person both inside and out, a true gift on this Earth. I am so proud to be your mommy. You fill my heart with so much happiness, I think it might burst! Happy 5th birthday! I love you.

XOXO Mommy

Miss Molly

- WISE

- Mature

- Amazing

- Athletic

- Smart as a whip!

- Leader

- Friend

- Outgoing

- Loving and kind

- Thoughtful

- Competetive

- Super sensitive to other people needs.

- Heart of gold

- Says she wants to be a "Doctor, so I can help people."

I love you with all my heart, Miss Molly Lou Ann. I am more proud of you than you will ever know. Don't you ever forget it! I can't wait to see all the wonderful things life has in store for you. Happy 5th birthday to my little mamas girl.

XOXO Mommy

Little Libby

- Fiesty

- Determined

- Fast

- Cuddle LOVE bug

- Funny

- Self assured

- Fearless

- Monkey

- Sweet

- Gentile

- Stubborn

- Graceful - wants to be a ballerina, when she grows up!

- Hops, skips, jumps every where she goes

- HAPPY

- Sensitive and kind

My little Beetle. Girl, you are one hard nut to crack. But under that tough exterior you are a giant cuddly mush ball!! Libby, I love you with all my heart and am so very proud to be your mommy. You are going to do great things in this world.

XOXO Mommy

Happy BIRTHday to our 4 little miracles.

Thank you for making me a mommy and letting MY DREAMS come true.

For more bday fun check out this sweet slide show Auntie Julis and the folks at Good Day Sacramento put together for us. They have NEVER missed a birthday!!

TGIF everyone! Have a great weekend.

5 Years OLD on Friday & A Fun Chance to Win ...

2011-05-12T07:34:00.000-07:00

Our kiddos TURN 5 tomorrow! Can you believe it!?! I've been working on their birthday post all week and still can't get through it without a few tears. Yep, I'm a mush ball!!! ;) Stay tuned for that tomorrow.

Speaking of Friday, the kiddos and I will be on Good Day Sacramento in the morning. It will be streaming LIVE HERE, if you want to catch it. The segment starts at 7am Cali time! I plan on being as upright as possible and enjoying this BIG DAY, I wouldn't miss it for anything! 5 years ago today I was fighting labor and begging to keep those babies cooking.

Also, in other fun news, before my surgery, the kiddos and I had the chance to try out this AWESOME new line from ARM & HAMMER.

Check out my review blog and enter to WIN a $100 VISA GIFT CARD! All you have to do is comment here. It's so easy!! Good luck!

Have a great Thursday everyone. The kids are CRAZY excited today. The older they get the more fun the birthday milestones are. We aren't having a party this year, but it will be a very special day!

Humbled & Healing

2011-05-02T21:24:00.000-07:00

Holy smokes are we behind on the blog! For good reason, but still! Anyway, I've been chronicling the last couple weeks with my cell phone. The picture quality isn't the greatest, but I tried not to miss too much. Bare with me, this post may be all over the place, it's hard to organize almost two weeks worth of thoughts...

So, right now, I'm 13 days post surgery. I am FINALLY starting to feel human and praise the LORD have my sense of humor back!! Truthfully I'm glad I waited to write this post or I would have had to change my name to Debbie downer...

Day 2. NOT FUN.

It's amazing how much things can change in just a couple days.

Day 6 & my best Gary Busey impersonation!

(Conor DID wash that nightgown for me in between ;)

Anywho, THANK YOU to all of you for your thoughts and support. Everything went off without a hitch. Dr. Longo built me a shiny new core and removed a lot of my old skin. I still have some good stretch marks and that's okay, cuz it wasn't about that. I'm actually happy to still have plenty of war wounds to remind me of my babies. ;)

It's not pretty, but here it is..... OH and if your squeemish SKIP SKIP SKIP THE NEXT PICTURE...

Goofing around with my hip to hip incision on day 10!

I was cracking myself up (ouch) and the kids got a kick out of it too.

(I thought it best to spare you from the Day 2 pic)

Right now, I'm working on getting upright and my back is BEGGING me to get there fast. For those of you thinking of having this surgery, and also have VERY SERIOUS back issues, I will tell you right now, it has been BRUTAL on my spine. BRUUUUTAL! My poor back, I am at a loss of words for just how bad it hurts. We knew this going into the surgery, but nothing could have prepared me for the severity and discomfort of the back pain. The good news is, the worst is over and I am getting stronger every day. As soon as I can get 100% upright, that's when the real progress will begin... now if I could juuuust get my back to help me out on that one!

Now, at the risk of sounding sappy, I have to tell you how unbelievably amazing my husband, family, and friends have been. Although it has been crazy painful, it has been a completely stress free recovery. Completely.

The first 5 days were the worst. Conor took care of me night and day, a pretty gruesome task. I was sure I was dying! That man of mine is one awesome and loving dude. While Conor took care of me, my mom and sister had our children for the first few days. Thank you so much mom and Lou! We love you.

Being spoiled at Nani Donsie's house!

When the first week was over, Conor headed back to work. Grandma Deb flew down from Portland and took the reigns for ALL of week 2. That woman deserves a freaking medal!! She, with a consistent smile, single handedly kept our 4 VERY ACTIVE/WILD (almost) 5 years olds busy and moving for an entire week- while taking care of me and the house! She made me tired just watching. Bless your sweet heart, Grandma Deb. God has carved out a special place in heaven just for you!

Having fun with the wonderful Grandma Deb!

Easter Duds

On Easter Sunday, Deb took the kids to my Gramp's while Conor stayed home with me. I was so sad to miss the egg hunt. However, they took lots of pictures and had TONS of stories to share with me when they got home with the ultimate sugar high! They have each been so loving and gentile with me through this recovery. They really do have such precious hearts.

They take such good care of me!

-Molly putting lotion on me feet. God love her.

Sweet Penny has literally not left my side.

So, Grandma Deb left Sunday morning AND Auntie Erin will soon be on her way down from PTown, for week 3! Seriously, how wonderful is my family!?! See, last year, I let my stupid, stubborn pride get in the way when I had my hysterectomy. I rushed my recovery, and over did it. It was like I was out to prove I couldn't be slowed down. I was DUMB. I proved nothing and only ended up hurting myself, badly!

This year, I like to think that I've learned my lesson and can act like a grown up. I'm not rushing my healing, I'm not trying to prove how tough I am and I not trying to impress anyone but myself. Most importantly, I'm accepting help... something that is really hard for this stubborn mama to do! See, Mary S., you can teach an old dog new tricks! But, in all seriousness, all I can think about as I lay here is, I am one seriously lucky girl. God willing, this is the last surgery I will ever have and I can spend the rest of my life caring for all of those who have cared for me. I cannot wait to give back all the love I have received.

I hope you are all having a wonderful Spring and I promise to get back to blogging regularly ASAP. I didn't want to bore everyone with too many surgical details, so if anyone has any questions or would like to talk, please feel free to email me anytime at mcnulty6@gmail.com.

Comic Relief

2011-04-11T22:10:00.000-07:00

I spoke too soon.

Within hours of my last post, I was swimming in fevers and vomit.

The girls taking care of Russ

-the first to go down for round 2 of the never-ending illness

After 16 straight days, stuck inside with very sick kids, a traveling husband, and my own health issues, I was just about to hit my breaking point.

Yep, just as I was about to lose it, when we heard a knock at the door.

I peeked out the window to find our mailman, who is TERRIFIED of our dog (the sweetest dog in the universe!) standing there, shaking, and holding a package. Poor guy! Holding back the dog, my germ-spreading munchkins, and looking like I had just crawled out out from under a rock, I greeted him with painful tears in my eyes and a forced smile. I'm pretty sure that the sight of ME was far scarier than the barking dog!! I took the package from his grateful hands and yelled "Thanks," as he high-tailed it down the driveway.

I took one look at the return address and started to smile. It was from my cousin, Lauren. Not only is Lauren a LOVE and one of my favorite people on Earth, but she is also a fabulous teacher with a wicked awesome sense of humor! I knew whatever was in the package was gonna be GOOD!

I opened it up and found this.

My grin went from ear to ear and MAN did it feel good to smile! The kids were jumping up and down and screaming, "What is it? Is it for us?!" LOL. "NOPE! This is for mommy only!" I didn't want them getting any MORE ideas!

I sat down and started thumbing through the pages (don't worry, despite the edgy title, it's endearing and entertaining). Each new entry was funnier than the last. By the time I turned the last page I was laughing so hard I had to catch my breath. This book is TRULY THE FUNNIEST I HAVE EVER READ and it turned my pathetic frown upside down.

God love you Lauren and your perfect timing! I am a "glass is half full" kinda girl 99.999% of the time. But, we all have our limits! Life sure can suck sometimes. But, at the end of the day, if we don't have a sense of humor, what else do we have? We ALL need that reminder once in a while.

As I sit here, wrapping up this post, Conor is home, the kids are FINALLY on the mend, and I have rembered how to laugh. Laughing is good for the soul!

If you haven't read this book or been to her web site, don't miss out. For all of us moms and dads, it's good to know that NO ONE IS PERFECT! NO ONE!

One of my FAVORITE quotes in the book!

Have a great week everyone! My surgery is only 8 days away and I'll admit it.. I'm REALLY looking forward to the break! ;)

8 Little Lungs

2011-04-04T22:08:00.000-07:00

Our poor kiddos have been so super sick and I have been flying solo. Conor was out of town for work when the kids took a turn for the worse. He came home Saturday night to find a sad sight:

We have been locked up in this house since last Thursday! It's been nothing but round the clock breathing treatments, antibiotics, oral steroids, vomiting, crying, sleepless nights, and coughing up 8 little lungs.

Our kiddos turn 5 next month.

But, those preemie lungs are still hanging around.

We've done endless loads of laundry, colored a few trees worth of paper, and watched Tangled no short of 100 times.

Just when I thought all of us might go insane, we FINALLY turned the corner this afternoon. I was so happy to see them running around and playing that I nearly cried. Though, that may have been out of sheer exhaustion! ;)

Turns out... I'm REALLY BAD at balloon animals. Hey, I tried! ;)

(Thank you for the care package Auntie Barb!)

Thank you GOD for the light at the end of the tunnel. Our children are NOT indoor kiddos and neither is this mama!!! Here's to NO MORE sick peeps for quite a while! I think we've had our fill for the rest of the year. Can't wait until we can get outside and enjoy these insanely gorgeous days!

Happy Tuesday everyone!

Game On.. Game On..

2011-04-01T07:53:00.000-07:00

We have been totally cracking ourselves up over here. We live on a court and love it more than ever now that the kiddos are able to ride their bikes up and down the street. I find myself, and anyone outside with us, laughing hysterically as we call out "GAME OFF," when a car comes and "GAME ON," when the coast is clear. Some movies NEVER get old, especially when your kids have no idea what's so funny! ;)

Party on, excellent!

Game on folks, game on....

Molly, keeping the street safe one sign at a time.

Ally Boo Boo and her "Ugly."

Russell the Easter Bunny

INDEPENDENT little Libby

Ally reminds me so much of my Nani, every single day!

God love her.

MO Mo

Russell

Libs

Sweet Penny

Libby and Molly- a little sisterly competition

Happy Friday everyone! Have a great weekend.

Quadathon #2

2011-03-28T09:07:00.000-07:00

A while back, babyblogaddict.com did a Quadathon. A few of us quad mamas participated and it was really fun. Now, it's time for round 2!

This time they will be chatting with 4 of us, asking questions, and sprinkling fun giveaways throughout. Check our spotlight here.

Happy Monday Everyone!

Love and Living

2011-03-24T20:48:00.000-07:00

I want to THANK YOU from the bottom of my heart. The love and support you showed me after my last post brought me to tears. Honestly, I was really scared to pour my heart out in such a public way, and even more terrified to be so vulnerable and exposed. Thank you for embracing me, my imperfections, depression, and battle scars. It means more to me than words could ever say. I promise to continue to keep you updated as this journey progresses.

I'm happy to report that we are having a really great week. Conor's sister, Erin and her boyfriend, Joey are in town for Spring break. We adore them both and have been smiling since they arrived.

It's been rough lately, not being able to do all the fun stuff we usually do. I just cannot take them on long walks and adventures solo right now. Our sweet kiddos have really missed the river and nature hikes. Having Erin and Joey in town has been awesome in so many ways. One of the best things, being able to get out and explore again. The kids are having a blast and are so happy to be out living life again. They are BIG TIME outdoor kids and watching them laugh while splashing in the mud makes us all smile ear to ear.

In their world, life just does not get better than THIS...

(L to R)

Libby, Autie Erin, Ally, Russ, Joey, Molly

Russell John

Miss Molly

Little Libs

Ally Boo Boo

Happy dirty kiddos

Bath time anyone?

(L to R)

Libby, Molly, Ally, Russ

Erin and Joey brought the kiddos bikes down with them. It's a long story, but, we had to leave them in Portland after Christmas. When they found their new wheels in the garage it was like having Santa come in March! ;)

Ally

Molly

Libs and Russ

Goof balls!

(L to R)

Russ, Ally, Libby, Molly

It really has been a great week. Erin and Joey, we are SO happy to have you and love you with all our hearts. Have a wonderful weekend everyone!

Broken to the Core (and belly shots too...)

2011-03-18T20:51:00.000-07:00

I hate this. I hate what it is doing to me and I HATE what it is doing to my family. I cannot be the wife, mother, friend, and person I want to be. I am pathetic ALL. THE. TIME. I feel, broken.

Broken.

So what is this little pity party all about? What could possibly be THAT bad? I have a wonderful husband, beautiful, healthy, happy, children, and a fantastic life filled with so much love it's bursting at the seams. I am incredibly lucky and I truly have NOTHING to complain about. The problem is, my body did not get the memo.

Conor affectionately refers to me as his "Little Lemon." Like a car that didn't get the full inspection off the assembly line, my body does not work properly. It really never has (rewind 7+ years to our battle with infertility). I prefer to say that God put me together after happy hour! ;)

But, the truth is, it's not funny. After eight long years of dealing with a variety of health issues, no amount of deflection, humor, or power of positive thinking can change the fact that it's affecting our life in a way that is no longer acceptable.

So, get to the point, right?! What's the problem, this time?!

Well, I need to start from the beginning...

When we started this blog Conor was the one who wrote it. We were pregnant, scared to death, and wanting to keep our family and friends all over the country in the loop. He wrote about the pregnancy hysterically from his point of view. But, I never shared my side of the story. Why would I? He did a fantastic job and his view made me smile every single day. God love that amazing hubby of mine. But now, 5 + years later, I think it's time for me to open up a little about what is was REALLY like for me.

When I was pregnant with the quads my body was asked to do the impossible, and it did, surprising quite well. Despite my initial inability to carry 1 baby to term, I carried the quads to 31 weeks and 5 days. Around week 17 I was measuring full term (40 weeks). For a minute, try and imagine how big I was. I was FULL TERM AT 17 WEEKS AND CONTINUED TO CARRY TO 31 WEEKS AND 5 DAYS. Pictures do not do it justice.

The last picture we took- the babies came nearly 2 weeks later.

When I stretched my arms out in front of me, my left hand fingers could not touch my right hand. I shot out like a torpedo. I gained 80 lbs of belly, baby, cords, four sacs, four bags of water, etc. It was in short, insanely painful, but worth every moment. EVERY. SINGLE. MOMENT. At the end I was practically standing on my head to keep them in and I would have done anything in my power to make sure our babies made it safely into this world. The repercussions of carrying them did not matter to me. All that mattered was our babies. Period.

As a result of the pregnancy, I was left with broken ribs, a wrecked bladder, and a uterus that had to be removed last year. I thought that was the worst of it until they recently discovered a skeletal muscle system that split from sternum to pubic bone.

To this day my liver still gets stuck under my right rib cage when I stretch or bend over. I never expected my body to look "normal" again and I didn't care, as long as it worked. In truth, I'm proud of my war wounds. So proud, I'm gonna show y'all a picture of my post prego belly for the very first time on the blog....

Yep, I just waddled to the bathroom to take this pictures for y'all!

Why did I "waddle?"

I'm getting to that part, I swear! ;)

My BFF the blue back brace. I'm NEVER without this sexy bad boy.

And.. my glorious belly.

(I can't even pretend to suck it in anymore)

Pretty Huh?! ;) When people don't believe that I carried my babies, all I have to do is lift up my shirt. And believe you me, I have done this. In public. More than once. No Joke.

To make a long story short (although failing at that already...), my hysterectomy fixed a lot of my internal issues. THANK GOD! But, it only fixed part of my real problems. After my hysterectomy I thought I could take on the world. One small problem, I have NO abdominal support. ZIP. ZERO. ZILCH. How could I? My core muscles are unattached and flanking my sides. I had no idea how important those muscles were until I couldn't use them correctly. It turned into a vicious cycle. The more I tried to use my core the more my back hurt. And, it hurt, A LOT. So, I worked my core harder, thinking it would strengthen my back. The harder I worked my core the more my belly began to bulge and the worse my back got. UNTIL I began to slip disks. Whoops.

The best way I can explain it is .... it FEELS like all my weight is being held/supported by my spine, and only my spine. Sharp, shooting pains down my lower back, into my hips and legs. The pain is blinding, and utterly debilitating leaving me unable to stand, sit upright, sleep comfortably, breathe or even have someone touch me. The result is months of sleepless nights and pain that even prescription narcotics can't put a dent in. Without a functional core, we are off balance in every aspect of our lives, not only physically but emotionally as well. Until now, I've never really understood what that meant.

After COUNTLESS doctors visits, physical therapy sessions, stressful/painful testing, and surgical consults later, I have no core and will NEVER have any core support again IF, I don't have a full Abdominoplasty. That's right, a "tummy tuck" is actually the potential answer to my problems. BUT, this surgery is so much more. My doctor is fantastic and comes highly recommended. Dr. Charles T. Longo. He is the best reconstructive plastic surgeon in town. He is going to build me a new abdominal wall, bring my skeletal muscles back to center, reattach them, and make me a new person. I can't lie, I'm starting to feel a little like the bionic woman! With a new core, it's possible that the damage I have done to my spine (Lumbar 1-5) will HEAL (as much as spinal injuries can heal) and life will, for the first time in 9 years, be PAIN FREE!!

Is it possible that I won't live in fear of my back going OUT? God willing, YES! I know those of you with back issues get what I'm saying. It's time. AND, the best part, when he's done rebuilding my ENTIRE CORE, he cuts off all that extra skin hanging off my belly! Yes, in the end, I even get a nip/tuck out of this mess. Go figure. I've always joked about getting one, just never thought it would happen like this. Hey, I'm not about to complain about THAT little perk.

In all seriousness, the stress this situation has put on our family both emotionally and financially makes me want to crawl under a rock and die. Not being able to do "normal" things without throwing out my back is terribly frustrating and depressing. Chronic, debilitating pain is no way to live and I have suffered with this for far too long. My family has suffered far too long.

If this surgery changes my life, the way it is supposed to, their isn't a marathon I won't run, mountain I won't climb, or house I won't clean! GOD I MISS VACUUMING! Seriously, all it takes to throw my back out these days is pushing the old rug sweeper.

Despite all that carrying quadruplets has done to the old body, I would not take back a single moment, a single breath, or a single precious day. Carrying them as long as I did was a miracle and all it takes is looking at these faces and the pain doesn't matter one bit.

Miss Molly

Ally Boo Boo

Russell Man

Little Libby

YEP. Worth every moment. I love my babies more than life and all the joy they have brought into this world was worth the insignificant pain. When I started this post I was in a terrible and pathetic mood. My back went out yesterday after picking up Ally- who was hurt. It's moments like those that I NEEEEED to be a mommy and moments like those that my body has let me down time and time again. It's moments like those that I dream of being "normal."

Anyway, all this to say, I just want be able to be the mom I was meant to be and not laid up on the sofa every time I pick one of my kids up for a hug or push the Costco grocery cart. Ya know? Thank you from the bottom of my heart for listening to this rant. I can't tell you how good it feels to just get it out and vomit my emotions on this screen. I know I'm not the first or last person on earth to have these issues. Anyone been through this? Did it change your back pain? Anything I need to consider during the recovery?

My surgery is mid April. I will be in bed for 2 weeks after. I'm lucky to have Conor home for the first week. Within a month I'll be back to my old shenanigans with a new lease on life. Within a few months I'll be good as new (fingers crossed). It's time my hubby and children had a healthy partner and mom FULL TIME. I'm so over this senseless pain, I'VE GOT STUFF TO DO and I am so freaking tired of being down!

Happy St. Patrick's Day 2011

2011-03-17T10:32:00.000-07:00

Top of the morning to ya!

It's not our greenest St. Patty's Day, but today we are celebrating our Irish roots just the same.

Have a great one everybody! We wish you lots of love and luck!

XOXO

Conor, Gen, Russ, Ally, Molly, and Libby

Thank Heaven For Little Divas

2011-03-03T22:22:00.000-08:00

I can't tell you how many times a week someone says to me..."Thank GAWD you only have one BOY. Girls are SO MUCH EASIER!" Ha ha ha... Ummmmmmmm really!?! Not in my world. In my world they sweetly and EASILY drive me out of my ever loving mind! ;)

I LOVE this song, LOVE IT. I have since I was a little girl! However, it takes on a different/sarcastic tune now that I'm a mother to my own 4 year old little girls....

Thank heaven for little gir
ls

for little girls get bigger every day!

Thank heaven for little girls

they grow up in the most delightful way!
Those little eyes so helpless and appealing

one day will flash and send you crashin' thru the ceilin'

Thank heaven for little girls

thank heaven for them all,

no matter where no matter who
for without them, what would little boys do?

Thank heaven... thank heaven...

Thank heaven for little girls!

Boys are rough and tumble and dirty and wild. Russ is a handful all his own, just different. What makes the girls so frustrating is how SASSY, SNEAKY, and SMART they are. EVERYTHING is sooooooooo CALCULATED! AND the DRAMA, good LORD the DRAMA in this house!! They know EXACTLY which buttons to push and NEVER miss a beat. Some days I SWEAR they are out to put me in the nut house. I know, I know, "just WAIT for the teen years!"

TGIF Everyone! Have a great weekend!

Industrial Strength Improvements

2011-02-22T22:03:00.000-08:00

Life is changing so fast around here! The kids are officially registered for Kindergarten (this fall). Soccer starts up soon. I'm getting ready to head back to work part-time. Meanwhile our babies are turning into super independent little people with BIG attitudes and busy lives ;).

These realities have us thinking that a remodel might be in order to keep up with them all! A few ideas...

Forget the fancy industrial sized washer and dryer of my dreams. I think once soccer starts we are gonna need our own laundromat!

We've moved on from crowded, chaotic bath time to "big kid shower time." With 3 high mainance little ladies in our ranks, we think this might be an ingenious idea. Think of all the time we will save in the mornings!

Now that we are on metered water, Conor and I are always trying to find new ways to conserve, while removing the temptations faucets provide for Ally (the resident "drip...drip...drip...drip" serial offender)...

Like many households, keeping up with dishes is a challenge. Why not go commercial/restaurant style?

Maybe turn the play room into a computer lab.....Lord knows once they get into homework and online learning games, the battle for screen time will ensue!

We joke around, but would love to actually have some extra space to try a few of these out! I'm open to all suggestions...any other ideas?

Oh man, one thing is for sure, life will NEVER be dull. Happy Wednesday everyone!

Seattle or Bust!

2011-02-17T22:11:00.000-08:00

After two weeks of VERY sick kiddos, Conor and I were incredibly lucky to have a romantic 24 hours away! It was EXACTLY what the doctor ordered. The occasion? Brian (Conor's oldest friend) and Tricia's wedding.

It was MY first time in Seattle and I landed just in time to change my clothes and head off to the wedding with Grandma Deb, Auntie Erin, and Uncle Joey. Conor was in the wedding and flew up a few days before. Our kiddos were SOOOOOO jealous! I was texting them pictures the whole time! ;)

Erin, Deb and Me

It was a BEAUTIFUL and intimate ceremony. Just gorgeous!

The STUNNING Bride and Groom!

Tricia and Brian

The McNulty's

(Papa Jon was stuck at home recovering from surgery- we missed him)

Conor, Erin, Deb

Uncle Joey and Auntie Erin

My man and me

Conor and Joey

Let them eat cake

Conor and Erin

Conor and Me

Erin and Debbie

The wedding was a blast and so much fun to just BE together. Ya know?! Thanks for a beautiful night full of great memories, Brian and Tricia! You two are going to have such a wonderful life together, we are so happy for you.

The next morning we got our stuff together and hit the town! ;) No, really! Deb, Joey, Erin, and Conor set off to visit Papa Jon's childhood home in the Greenwood area of Seattle...

How cool. Deb says it looks "almost exactly the same!"

AND chow down on some YUMMY fish and chips at the famous Spud's in Greenlake...

NERDS!

Joey and Conor

Doesn't that look GOOD!?!

Meanwhile, I soaked up every moment that I could with my brother, Andrew! He's in the Navy, stationed just outside Seattle. I DO NOT get to see him enough. Words can't even explain how much I miss him...

Andrew and Me

I even got to meet his better half, "Andrew #2," for the first time in person (not on Facebook ;). Ladies, he is one brilliant, super awesome, SINGLE dude. Just sayin.............

Me and Andrew #2

AND I got to meet my brother's darling girlfriend, Rachel! They are VERY cute together and she puts up with his shenanigans, God love her. My brother has a pretty fantastic life up in the great NW.

(L to R)

Me, Andrew, Rachel, Andrew, Christine

To top off a great day, our way cool, crazy awesome cousin, Christine, also met up with us. Talk about a fun way to spend the afternoon. I WISH we'd just had a little bit more time together. It was such a fast trip but so worth it!

I love my family

Christine, Andrew, Me

My little bro and me- I HATE goodbye! HATE IT!

Too soon it was time to head back to the airport and say our goodbyes. It was such a great way to spend 24 hours. Thank you so much Tanya, Kat Lou, and mom for watching the kids and making it possible. We came home feeling like a million bucks and the kiddos barely noticed we were gone. LOL! ;) I can't wait to go back to Seattle again, what a fun city full of people we LOVE!

Happy Valentine's Day 2011!

2011-02-14T11:43:00.000-08:00

From our house to yours....

(L to R)

Molly, Libby, Russ, Ally

Conor and Gen

We hope your ALL having a fantastic day!

XOXO

Conor, Gen, Russ, Ally, Molly, Libby and Penny

The Land Of Oz

2011-02-08T22:48:00.000-08:00

Thank you for all the love on our last post. It has been a VERY rough couple of weeks around here. BUT, today things are looking up. The kiddos were FINALLY well enough to leave the house. Woot WOOT! AND Russ is doing a million percent better. I'll keep you all posted when we know more about what's going on with him.

Now that things are getting back to normal, I had to share our recent AMAZING trip to Kansas. It was an incredibly special weekend we will never forget! So how did it all come together?

For MONTHS, The Fantastic Mr. Billy Graf (husband, quad father, and author), schemed to bring all of us Quad Mommas and Daddy's together. The reason? Moni's birthday! Can we just pause for a minute and give this guy a round of applause!?! It was no small feat and he actually pulled off the SURPRISE, she had NO IDEA!!

But, I'm getting ahead of myself here..

The weekend started with me running away from home! Well, not really. I loved on our kids and promised to "be home soon." Then, left our babes in the loving hands of Shelby, Aunt Lou Lou, and Nani Donsie. THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH FOR MAKING THIS TRIP POSSIBLE! We had the time of our lives!

Shelby and the crew

Me and my babies

They had put me through the ringer that week and I would have been happy to just take a quiet trip to the grocery store. By the time I jumped in Conor's car, I felt like a kid ready for summer vacation!

FREEEEEEEEEEEEDOM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Conor and I decided to fly into Dallas, spend some time with the Steece crew, and then road trip it with the Goerlich's. We haven't seen each other since AZ, but as always, it was like no time had passed.

Joe, Chris, and Conor

The Steece dudes doing their thang!

(L to R)

Andrew, Ben, Ethan

Sav Steece, my future daughter in law ;)

Mari, Suz, Me

Swagger Wagon!

Though FUN, the trip from Dallas to the KS house was the longest of our lives. We COULD NOT WAIT to get there and hug on all our quad mammas and meet their hubbies! !

When we pulled up to the house, I'm pretty sure that Suz, Mari, and I jumped out of the car and ran into the house before Chris even put it in park! The bond we quad moms share is just unexplainable. Jenn King said it best, "I'm so glad that God chose my friends for me!" It's just so incredibly special. The dudes hit it off instantly too and it was like we've ALL always been friends.

Soon after we arrived we all piled back in cars and headed to a REAL BARN for the surprise. KS was a bit of a culture shock for this native Californian. BUT, I LOVED IT! When we arrived we were ushered back into a horse corral and knew it was gonna be a good night! ;) The surprise went off without a hitch and the party began. Meeting all of Moni and Billy's family was so great. Talk about an awesome and supportive group of people! No wonder Moni and Billy are so darn amazing.

Waiting for the Bday girl!

Ready to surprise our sweet Monster!

With our Bday girl! I love this picture, it's SO us!

Pretty Bday Momma!

Moni and Me

The next day we got moving and headed over to the Graf house. I could NOT wait to love on those BEAUTIFUL babies! AND apparently we brought the California sunshine with us because the weather was amazing. We spent HOURS in the backyard and to Billy's great disdain, I taught his kiddos a little too much about tree hugging! You KNOW you LOVE me Billy! They are such sweet and smart kids, like little sponges!

Champ and his best buddy Laine

Forest

Pius

The Graf dudes are ALL BOY! LOVE IT!

I fell in love with little Danna.

We bonded over sunflowers and long walks in the wheat fields.

Suz and Me

You know what else was also SO COOL!?! The fact that they don't have fences and they actually KNOW all their neighbors! Then there is the land, it's flat as a pancake and you can see everything for MILES! What a seriously cool place to grow up.

After we had worn the kids out, the AWESOME Auntie Lainie came over to watch the kidlets so that we could all go out for a bite to eat. She is a saint! THANKS LAINIE!

Feeding the masses!

I'm still amazed that we were only down 3 couples.

It was such a bummer that they could not make it.

Next time we will be a complete set of 32 ;)!

Later that night we hit up a local Karaoke bar. I'm pretty sure that with the combined talents of our lively group, Wichita will NEVER be the same. It was epic. EPIC!

Billy and Moni Graf

How cool is this? Casey Walker's band, Cavo, made the list!

Beth and Casey Walker- their kids are gonna have some SERIOUS talent!

The weekend was over too soon! NONE of us were ready to leave. With the ride to Witchta being far too long, the ride back was WAY too short. We've already started planning our next get together. We can't stand to be apart for too long.

I want to say a HUGE thank you to Billy for making this all happen. You are a rock star hubby and friend. We have loved getting to know you over the last few months and it's been fun to watch you and Conor continue your bromance! :) Also, a HUGE shout out and THANK YOU to ALL the family and friends who watched ALL our kiddos over this wonderful weekend. These trips are so amazing and so very important to us all. Thank your from the bottom of my heart for helping keep them alive.

Super Sick

2011-02-03T19:34:00.000-08:00

So sorry we have been MIA. Conor and I took an AMAZING trip with our quad mamas and papas (I promise I will blog about that later). But, when we got home our kiddos were crazy sick with a vicious flu (my poor Mom, sister, and Shelby-OMG!). We've been in the trenches ever since. Russ even gave us a pretty big scare, stopped breathing, and ended up in the ER. Thank God he is doing much better and was able to come home.

Break my heart :(

This was a while after he had a seizure in my arms, in the ER.

It was not fever induced and he has not had one like it in over 2 years.

We thought he'd outgrown them.

SEVERAL hours and MANY tests later- he started to perk up.

I was crying happy tears! He sure gave us a BIG scare.

We had come so far since his early days on oxygen and seizing.

My youngest brother, Dan, a full term baby, was also prone to seizures as well as major breathing issues, throughout his childhood. We believe a lot of the little mans issues are not only preemie related, but also genetic. Please pray that the doctors get to the bottom of this very soon.

Needless to say it's been a rough week. We've been going through Ibuprofen and Pedialyte at the speed of light- forcing liquids and hoping they stay down.

It's Thursday night and I think the kiddos are starting to perk up. They even wanted FOOD for lunch today and were able to keep saltine crackers down. THANK GOD! Maybe by the weekend they will be ready to enjoy the insanely gorgeous weather outside. You KNOW our kiddos are sick when when it's 70 degrees, sunny, and they can't get off the sofa. Poor babies. :(

Ally

Libby

Mo Mo

Russ

Anywho, just wanted to say, we are still here! Just surviving. I promise to blog about our amazing trip as soon as our kiddos are better. Right now, I'm off to bed... haven't slept in days... I hope this post makes some sense.

Solar Powered

2011-01-19T21:14:00.000-08:00

From the time the sun rises to well passed the time it sets, our little ones are non stop. It's like they are powered by the sun! We've been staying busy and getting creative with ways to keep them RUNNING all over the place. It's amazing, they NEVER get tired and are always up for more. Seriously, you'd have to see it to believe it. Thank goodness it's time to sign them up for soccer!! YAY!

Speaking of signing them up.... next week is Kindergarten registration!!!!! HOLY SMOKES, can you BUUULEEEEEEEEEVE how OLD they are!?! I am going to cry like a baby all the way through the paper work. Wasn't I just trying to figure out how to make formula in bulk?

Anyway, here are some cell phone shots I've taken over the last couple weeks. It's been fun trying to keep up with them...

THE DOCTOR

I took the kids with me to MY doctor. They were SO GOOD and grown up.

By the way, how NICE is this waiting room? They had wild turkeys in the tree just outside, super cool.

BURNING DAYLIGHT

After a morning at the gym, they NEEDED some fresh air. So, I pulled out this HUGE oven box and we made an afternoon out of it. That evening we brought it inside and they turned it into the "dungeon" of their princess tent... clever little boogers.

Libs hard at work

Seriously FUNNY Ally

Seriously SERIOUS Molly

When we were decorating the box, we still had some daylight to burn. So, we made a hop scotch grid and they had, "THE MOST FUN EVER"- Libby

FINANCIAL LESSONS

For Christmas my mom gave them each a Toys R Us gift card, their "own money." I decided to let them sit with me on the computer and pick out his/her own gifts. It actually turned into a fantastic lesson about patience and money! We've done this inside the store before as well- online was WAY more fun and less overwhelming for all of us.

ALL 4 kiddos picked a stroller and a baby to "push around the neighborhood like REAL mommies and daddies." I LOVE the way those little minds think. Of all the things they could have had, THIS is what they truly wanted. So so so so cute!

(R to L)

Libby & Celessa, Molly & Lizzy, Ally & Alyssa

Russ & Baby Russ

Aunt Barb said it best, "Hey, boys grow up to be Daddies too!"

I LOVED that AND he REALLY is a great little daddy to his baby. Little Russ has not left his side since he/she arrived in the mail. ;)

They COULD NOT wait to walk them around the neighborhood.

(L to R)

Russ, Molly, Libby (rockin' the model arm), Ally

Mommy Ally

So sweet.

I can see them like this in 30 years with REAL babies!

-Ally and Libs

Big Daddy Russ keeping little Russ happy!

These babies and strollers have gone with us pretty much everywhere for a week. I just went to check on my sleeping peeps and Russ is cuddled up, sound asleep, with his baby.

HOW TO CURE A COLD?

This weekend the kiddos and I caught a nasty cold. BUT, God forbid that slow us down! After a couple days inside our gang started to lose it. Russ was falling apart at the seams when Molly said to me...

"Mom, we cannot take one more movie.

We have GOT to get outside for some fresh air."

-Molly Lou Ann

"I can't take it anymore!"

-Russ

"Triple please can we go outside?"

-Ally

"Oh mommy, we can just bring lots of tissue!"

-Libby

The truth is, they just DO NOT like to be inside. AND Molly had a good point. So, we tossed on some warm play clothes, packed my pockets full of tissue, and hit the trails for a picnic adventure. We are so lucky to live where we do.

Russ and Ally are LITERALLY YELLING...

"WE LOVE TO BE OUTSIDE!!!"

This picture is SO Libby.

She prances everywhere.. gotta get his girl into ballet class STAT!

Our little nature lovers

4 going on 14!

-Molly

Big Guy!

Tree Huggers!

They BEGGED me to help them plant this dead "tree" so that it could "live." I didn't have the heart to tell them it was a dead branch. God love them. So, we planted our sad little tree a little ways up the road.

Happy Thursday EVERYONE! I hope your all having a great week! Lots of love from our house to yours.

Girlie Girls!

2011-01-10T08:25:00.000-08:00

We had the most wonderful Saturday with my mom and sister. My three little ladies were so excited to do girlie girl stuff, I didn't think they were going to be able to contain themselves before it was time to go.

Ready to go!

(L to R)

Libby, Ally, Molly, Me

First, we met up with my mom and sister for manicures! I wish I'd taken more pictures but my nails were wet! LOL!

In the nail salon & making friends!

After some pampering, we happily headed over to my Aunt Peg's house for the girls' first Tea Party. It was BEAUTIFUL and so much fun.

The lovely hostesses

- Auntie Karen and Peggy

Check out the BEAUTIFUL tables!

The attention to detail was AMAZING!

Cheers!

-Ally and Libby

My Mommy and Me!

Peg and Karen made EVERYTHING from scratch.

It was SERIOUSLY scrumptious!

Group photo!

Karen, Grace, Peg, Lib, Grace, Ally, Molly, and Nani Donsie

Meanwhile Conor and Russ caught up on some much needed dude time...

God love this little man and my sweet hubby!

I think both boys had a nice break from all the estrogen in the house and we had a great time being as girlie as possible. It was a fabulous day had by all!

Happy Monday everyone!

PS: Wanna WIN a $100 Visa Gift Card from Blogher and Jimmy Dean? Check out my review blog HERE to enter.

Cali Peeps

2011-01-06T09:43:00.000-08:00

Looking at the national weather, I realize how spoiled we are to live in California.

It has been INSANELY beautiful the last 2 days. Lord knows the kids and I couldn't let a couple gorgeous afternoons go to waste. Awww the perks of living in Cali- please don't HATE US ;) ....

- Sunshine in January (sometimes =)

-Short sleeves in Winter...

(L to R)

Molly, Ally, Libby and Russ

- Learning to pose like a model at age 4?...

Miss Molly

Allison Ann

Little Libs

-ENDLESS Nature Trails....

"OMGOSH I see something!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

-Ally

Following the leader

(Front to Back)

Ally, Molly, Libby, Russ, Penny

-TONS of space to NURTURE imaginations with nature....

Molly

Libby

-Tree climbing and hugging...

Our little tree huggers

Russell John

Allison Goof Ball Ann

-Hiking.....

I'm so proud of our trail blazers!

They have NO FEAR and would rather be outside over indoors, rain or shine!

Seriously.

-AMAZING finds around EVERY corner...

(we have lived in this area for over 2 years now and JUST found this amazing place yesterday!)

Ally said that finding the rock "mountain" was...

"THE BEST ADVENTURE EVER!"

- I admit, it was PRETTY cool.

They were in rock collecting heaven!

(L to R)

Ally, Molly, Russ, Libby

Seriously, how COOL is THIS place???

It's a new favorite destination for sure!

-Sweet PRINCESS Penny was not a fan of the rocky terrain.

She much prefers swimming in the river. ;)

(sorry bout my sweaty self- we went to the gym before this adventure)

-NEVER running out of excuses to get dirty....

Love this post bath cuddle pic!

(L to R)

Russ, Ally, Libby, Molly

Wherever you live and whatever your weather, I hope your having a great week. Sending you sunshine and love from our neck of the woods.

A Week In Portland!

2011-01-02T23:07:00.000-08:00

It's always so hard to say goodbye to the McNulty clan. This year we got to enjoy Ptown for over a week. You've gotta love that place and all the people who live there. Seriously! It was a wonderful trip.

I took a ton of pictures and made this silly little slide show...

It may take a second to start after the screen turns white

Personalize your own free digital slideshow

We hope you all had a wonderful holiday season!

Only In Portland

2010-12-30T22:30:00.000-08:00

Conor is always happy to be home in the great Northwest and his Facebook status updates have been cracking me up. Here are a few of his "Only in Portland" themed cell phone shots/captions. Gotta love it.

"Rabid collegiate fans with non-intimidating mascots..."

"Your garbage bin is 1/3 the size of the recycling..."

"Fred Meyers: where else can you find micro brews, organic sweet potatoes, deck furniture,
and bike carriers for your car?"
- Seriously, he is fiercely proud of this store!!

"Gourmet Food Carts"
- did you know Portland is #1 in the country for food cart variety & quality?

"No rainouts, on actual grass fields. Foreign concept in California..."

- Conor's alma mater, Grant High School

"Stanich's - hasn't changed a bit."

-Kids made us proud as they chomped down on the famous neighborhood burgers.

"Playgrounds and bike riding in the rain"
- NW people don't let a little wet/cold weather hold them back!

"Poetry posts...?"
-Yes, these are 100% real and all over the place!

"Bars in elementary schools..."
- They actually converted a school into a restaurant, hotel, bar, & movie theater!

"Blunt Honesty"
- Love the quirky touches all over town!

I hope you all had a great holiday season. We hit the road back to Cali tomorrow morning. The kiddos made out like bandits this Christmas and I can't wait to share all the pictures and fun we've had up here in the great NW. It's been a blast and great to have some much needed McNulty family time.

MERRY CHRISTMAS 2010!

2010-12-22T10:10:00.000-08:00

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!

Thank you so much for all the sweet comments on our last post. 2011 is going to be full of BIG changes in our family. We have truly entered a different phase of life and it is so incredibly cool. We have so much behind us and even more to look forward to. We wish you ALL happy holiday season and wonderful new year.

PS - If you're still looking for some great gifts and awesome deals, check out my Mastercard Marketplace review and enter to win $100 gift card! Click here.

Doctor Doctor!

2010-12-21T23:13:00.000-08:00

We took the kiddos in for their 4.5 year old Pediatric visit today. I CANNOT believe that we register them for Kindergarten NEXT MONTH! Where has the time gone? No, seriously, where? Weren't they just learning how to crawl last week?

Practicing the BIG KID line up!

(L to R)

Molly, Libby, Ally, Russ

They LOVE to visit Dr. Farrell and his entire staff. They love it so much, they weren't even afraid of the booster shots today! For REALS! We were so proud of them and so proud of the latest stats too. We've come a long way baby.

Chill'n

(back to front)

Russ, Ally, Libby, Molly

Dr. Farrell was pleased and giggling as he gave us the latest numbers..."Well, you have one in the 90th percentile (Molly) and one in the 10th percentile (Libby). Russ and Ally are smack in the middle at the 40th and 50th percentiles. It's truly fantastic." We LOVE how different they all are, inside and out!

In other news, they passed the hearing and vision exams with flying colors. Also, all 4 are well above average for their age developmentally- not bad for our little preemies. It's amazing what 4.5 years and a great early intervention team can do. Truly amazing.

After a fabulous, and VERY LAID BACK visit (what a change from the old days with 4 crying babies), we gave Dr. Farrell big hugs and headed out the door sporting HUGE smiles. All this linking back to old post is making me teary eyed. Man the time goes fast.

Dr. Farrell and the Gang

(L to R0

Russ, Molly, Ally, Libby

AND... guess who just happened to stop by?! The BIG MAN himself, SANTA CLAUS!! The kids were SHOCKED to see him and even more surprised when he knew they had been to see Dr. Farrell.

(L to R)

Conor and Ally (poor thing is frozen in fear), Russ, Santa, Molly and Libby

-hey it's an improvement from the years past!

Happy Wednesday! We're getting ready to make some great new memories with our NW adventure. Travel safely everyone and enjoy all the fun this season brings. Sending you lots of love from our family to yours.

Win $100 Visa Gift Card!

2010-12-20T09:04:00.001-08:00

Check out my review blog to WIN!

Menopausal life crisis before...

And after! ;)

All ya gotta do is leave a comment HERE to WIN, it's so EASY!

Happy Monday EVERYONE!

Getting Down & Dirty!

2010-12-13T11:09:00.000-08:00

I have been a bad blogger lately. The truth is, I've been incredibly overwhelmed. Our kiddos are going through a phase that is just freaking tough. I don't know if it's that the independence and energy of this age or, if it's the time of year. Likely both. But man, it's been challenging for me as a mama. I wish I could bottle what ever it is because, IT'S UNREAL. I think they may have all been born to run marathons, literally.

So we've been spending our days burning that energy, playing with friends, and filling those busy minds with all kinds of learning opportunities. They are so ready for Kindergarten next Fall and so am I.... remind me I said that when I'm crying like a baby the first day of school! ;)

I took TONS of pictures the other day and some video too. It cracks me up to see how much they have grown since this slide show last year, one of my favorites ever. The days seem long but the years are flying by.

Ready to puddle jump!

(L to R)

Ally, Russ, Libby, Molly

and run.................

and run...................

and run.

Libby and Russ

My 5 babies

(L to R)

Penny, Ally, Molly, Libby, Russ

Ally and HER baby! ;)

Russ, rarely without a stick.

Happy Miss Molly

Seriously GOOFY Ally

(just watch her in the next few shots below, far left)

(L to R)

Ally, Libby, Molly, Russ

She's air born! :) LOL!

Sticking the landing.. she's graceful like her mommy. WINK WINK!

FEARLESS Libby

Libs, leading the pack in a trail blazing exploration.

(front to back)

Libby, Molly, Russ, Ally

The Dude

Rock collecting.

Fishing.

(L to R)

Russ, Molly, Penny, Libby, Ally (yep, she's IN the water)

God love you, GOOF BALL!

Little Libs and a BIG stick

Time to explore

(top to bottom)

Molly, Libby, Russ, Ally

They are never afraid to get dirty, and neither am I!

In the "Magic Forest!"

Sorry about my annoying voice in the video below. But, I LOVE those little imaginations...

Untitled from Gen McNulty on Vimeo.

Speak no evil, Hear no evil, See no evil???

Molly, Libby, Ally

Cool shot above the river

Me and Mo Mo

Searching for "fairies."

Lunch time!

-Molly

Love my tree huggers!

Libby and Ally

"Omigosh Libs, it's Rudolph!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

- Molly SWEARS she saw him. Hey, I believe her. :)

They NEVER run out of energy! NEVER!

Molly and Libby

Molly

Ally

Libs and her Russell

Silly Little Man

Sweet Princess Penny

Monkey's. They have ALWAYS been monkey's.

-Ally and Libby

Molly and Russ

Russ and Molly

Little Libby

Sweet Molly

Sand Angles

-Ally, Libby, Russ

Finding "treasures" in the sand box.

Ally

It's dinner time. We've been playing for HOURS outside. They are STILL ready for MORE!

-Russ and Molly

Who needs a bath!?!

(L to R)

Ally, Molly, Russ, Libby

All CLEAN, dry, warm, bellies full, and ready for story time!

(L to R)

Russ, Ally, Molly, Libby

I wouldn't change a single thing about any of our children. They are full of love, life, energy, questions, imagination, excitement, and fun. But MAN, sometimes it's hard to keep up! Happy Monday EVERYONE from our energy packed household. I hope you have a great week.

Win $100 Visa Gift Card!

2010-12-13T10:24:00.001-08:00

I'm waiting for a video to upload and then I have a picture filled post ready to go! Stay tuned.

In the meantime, check out this weeks review post HERE and enter to WIN a $100 Visa gift card. It's sooooooo easy. All you have to do is leave a comment.

Happy Monday All!

Win $100 Visa Gift Card

2010-12-06T16:14:00.001-08:00

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laugh with me OR at me ;).

Molly and Mommy

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It's so easy. You KNOW i LOOOOOOOOOVE it when my blogger buddies get the prize.

Got Boxes?

2010-12-02T09:13:00.000-08:00

I HATE crowds. Like, HATE them! Especially after last year. Ha ha ha! So, this year, I decided to do all my shopping online. IT. HAS. BEEN. GLORIOUS! I got to take my time, browse as long as I wanted, and comparison shop all without leaving my comfy couch and glass of wine. Woohoo!

You also gotta love the free shipping. HOWEVER, I don't love all the boxes. Our recycling can is overflowing! So, I got this fun idea and ran with it. Before we knew it, we had built a cardboard town.

It took us all day! We designed each of the 4 houses uniquely, gave them street names, paint jobs, and plots of land (carpet).

Molly- thinking over her color scheme.

Russell- methodical and careful, ALWAYS.

Libs- mixing it up.

Ally Boo- taking her time.

Works of art!

Molly

Ally

Libby

Russ- ALWAYS so CAREFUL!

Time to dry!

(L to R/Top to Bottom)

Molly- San Francisco Street

Ally- Princess Belle Street

Libby- Sacramento Texas Street

Russ- Arizona Street

Once the masterpieces were finished it was time for bath and bed. We let them dry overnight and the next morning WE had HOURS of fun with them in the play room. Seriously, I'm still a kid at heart and it was so much fun. Our kids are at a great age to nurture their imaginations. Anything and everything can be turned into a game or a chance for learning. I remember when I thought all things were possible. I love reliving that with them.

Friendly neighbors

(L to R)

Ally, Libby, Russ, Molly

"What goes better with my paint job? Pink or yellow curtains?"

-Libby

Molly

Russ

Ally

Libby

HOURS of fun!

Happy Holidays EVERYONE! I hope your enjoying the season and not sweating the small stuff. Now, off to decorate the tree with my four little elves!

Bangs are SOOO in right now...

2010-11-29T10:44:00.000-08:00

The other day Molly found a picture of me from Christmas 1985. I was 7, with some RAD 80's hair! She became obsessed with the picture and began BEGGING me to give her bangs.

Me and my pound puppy

Christmas 1985

Thank goodness she didn't find a picture of me from junior high with my spiral perm and super teased high bangs! We'd be putting aqua net back on the map. YIKES!

Anyway, I DID NOT want to cut her bangs. We all know how annoying those suckers are to grow out, right?! So, I told her to think it about it for a while because "once I cut them, you're stuck with them!" Several days later she still wanted bangs, she was SURE of it! The girls all needed trims anyway, so she got her wish, and out the scissors came.

My hair philosophy: It'll always grow back!

Once I cut her bangs, Libs and Ally decided that they HAD to have them too. I think they look kinda cute! I left them a little long so if they hated them, the grow out wouldn't be so bad. But, they LOVE them. Huh, who knew? I guess we have some little style divas blooming around these parts.

Molly and Ally

(Molly keeps the picture under her pillow- goof ball)

Silly Libby

Good Lord they are funny girls. I can't imagine what the teen years are going to be like around here....

"Mom can you show me how to use and eye lash curler?"

"Mom can you perm my hair (or do the latest craze)?"

"Mom I think I could really use some face framing highlights."

"Mom do you really think LESS IS MORE?"

God knew what he was doing when he gave this mama three girlie-girls, they are right up my alley. But dudes.....we are soooooo gonna need a bigger bathroom!

Our little ladies

(L to R)

Molly, Ally, Libby

Happy Monday Everyone!

Win $100 Visa Gift Card!

2010-11-29T10:29:00.000-08:00

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Happy moisturizing everyone!

Happy Thanksgiving 2010

2010-11-25T10:23:00.000-08:00

Love,

Our 4 little Turkey's!

Gobble Gobble

(L to R)

Libby, Molly, Russ, Ally

We are so thankful for all the wonderful blessings and people in our lives. Have a great day everyone.

XOXO

Russ, Ally, Molly & Libby

Deep Thoughts By Russell John

2010-11-16T07:40:00.000-08:00

Lately, our little man has a lot on his mind. Over the last few days I've started writing down the questions he has been asking. I NEVER want to forget how thoughtful his 4 year old mind was. Either he's wise beyond his years or, just trying to stall me at bedtime. Either way we may have a future philosopher on our hands... or maybe a plastic surgeon (see #6 below)?

Part time super hero. Part time fashion icon. 100% Boy

Here are a few of my favorite Russell questions....

Russ: "Mommy, can I go visit Nani Lou Ann in Heaven?"

Me: "Oh honey, how I wish." - MELT MY HEART WHY DON'T CHA!

Russ: "Where do I get my (art) SKILLZZZ from?"

Me: "I'm not sure. BUT, I do know it sure isn't from ME!"

Maybe the next Bob Ross?

Russ: "Why did you want to be a mommy?"

Me: "Oh buddy, I wanted to be your mommy my entire life. It's all I ever wanted."

Russ: "But why?"

Me: "Because, I love kids and I love your daddy. So, we wanted to have children."

Russ: "But why?"

Me: "Because dude, because."

Russ: "But why?"

Me: "Oy vey."

Russ:"Is God a girl or a boy?"

Me: "Oh boy, that's a tough one. Most people refer to God as HIM."

Russ: "So is he a girl or a boy?"

Me: "Well, Russ, I'm not really sure. I like to think of God as more than that."

Russ: "But why?"

Me: "Because God is all around us, in everything, the trees, the grass, the wind....."

Russ: "Why?"

Me: "Because God created everything."

Russ: "Why?"

Me: "Because. He just did."

Russ: "So is God a girl or a boy?"

Me: "A BOY, he's a BOY, ALRIGHT!? Yes, that is my final answer."

Russ: "Where does the sun go when the moon comes up?"

Me: "The Earth, the planet we live on, is round. The sun circles the Earth and lights the rest of the world while you sleep."

Russ: "Why?"

Me: "Because, the sun likes to travel."

Russ: "Oh, that makes sense."

#6 (and my personal favorite)

Russ: "Mommy, why don't you have very big boobies?"

Me: "I don't know Russ, can we please not talk about that??!"

Russ: "Well, if you want them to grow mommy it's simple. All you have to do is eat LOTS of food and drink a little bit of water. THEN they will grow as BIG as a Mounnnnnnnnntaiiiiiiiiiiiin!"

Me: "I think I'm fine just the way I am, thank you."

Russ: "Humph, all ya gotta do is eat mom, it's not that hard."

Oh Russell, no matter what you grow up to be, there is no doubt you will end up entertaining others. We love you dude. Thanks for the smiles and always keeping me on my toes. You are are one thoughtful little man. NEVER, EVER change! I love you, Mommy.

Happy Tuesday Everyone!

Cell Phone Fun...

2010-11-09T22:56:00.000-08:00

I snagged this cell phone picture idea from Suz, my sister from another mother! She's so darn smart and I love her with all my heart.

Mari, Me, Suz and my cell phone (Arizona)

Anywho, I don't know about you, but I take SO many pictures on my cell phone these days. I'm always sending them off to family and friends. Or sharing the silly things we do on Facebook.

What my phone once looked like ;)

Most of my favorite pictures NEVER make it to the blog. SO, here are a few fun and funny moments caught by my phone- now I can finally erase them! The quality isn't the best but the memories are fantastic!

Hanging at the pool this summer!

(L to R)

Molly, Ally, Libby and Russ

I freaking LOVE this picture of me and Conor! It's so TERRIBLE and it's SOOOO us. He was dropping me off at the airport on my way to see my Quad Mamas in TX! Conor HATES taking pictures and did his best "tough guy" impression. I just had to send it to my mamas to let them know their Cali girl was on her way. Ha, I love that guy of mine.

This is what we USED to look like at Costco. I would push one cart with one arm and drag the other cart with the other. It worked like a charm. These days... I let them walk. However, sometimes, Libs likes to ride....

Libs guarding the cart and the other three nerds doing their BEST super hero poses!

(L to R)

Russ, Libby, Molly (with blue lips?), Ally

My little peanut, happy as can be.

Hanging out at home. Molly made this picture for Auntie Lou Lou. So, I took a picture and sent it to her. Ya gotta love that!

Russ, sporting his Texas pride!

Libs loving her Penny and hoarding ALL her toys in the backpack!

The day MY FAVORITE necklace in the whole world came in the mail!

I LOVE you girls so freaking much.

This shot makes me laugh. I wanted to get a cute outfit for a date night with Conor. The kids REALLY wanted to "help" me pick it out. So, I thought, what the heck... I'll take them shopping with me. I mean, how bad can it really be? It wasn't bad at all. Well, until about 10 seconds after this photo when Libby attacked Russ in the fitting room (look close, you can see it brewing on her face!). I had to sit them down for a nice/detailed description of appropriate dressing room behavior. After about 3 stops the girls fell in love with a hot pink number. I thought it was cute and wanted to high tale it outta the mall. So, once they went to bed I tried it on again and nearly fainted. I pretty much looked like a flamingo. I think next time, I'll enjoy the quiet bargain shopping solo.

First fondue! They LOVED it and it was a great way to sneak in veggies.

Wedding dress shopping with my best friend since first grade, Katie! The glowing bride will get hitched next summer. We are so happy for them and can't wait. I cropped the picture a bit in case the groom might be looking in on this post ;).

Our budding arteeeeeeest! The dude LOVES to color. LOVES it.

IN THE WOMB

When I catch these moments I'm always FASCINATED . It's the 3rd time I've caught them like this on on camera and it never ceases to amaze me. If you look at it from the top left down it's my pregnant belly. Long Molly- laying across the top, enjoying all the space in the world. Little Libs is smashed underneath her, curled up in a ball with Ally's feet in her face. Ally- fighting with Russ for position and Russ- trying to high tale it outta dodge. An exact replica of what it was like when they were in my belly. Simply fascinating!

Nothing like a happy group shot to make a mommy, or grandparent smile! I love when they all WANT to take a picture.

Being the goof balls we are, hanging in our back yard! When at home, Ally feels that clothes are optional lately. Luckily it's starting to cool off and it's too chilly to be in the buff! ;)

Such a funny kid. God love you Ally Boo Boo, you sure keep life interesting.

Our pet for nearly 3 hours, "Slippery Slide Slug." I let the kids admire him for a while and then we let him go in the yard. Russ was VERY upset to see him go, he was worried,"Mommy, a bird is going to eat him." So, Molly came up with the idea to gently place a leaf over our slug. That way he could hide. Russ was happy with that idea and all became right in his world.

Libs asking me to "take a picture!"

She's such a crack up. Notice all her little toys lined up and tucked in. I love this kid.

Last week- I cut ALL my hair off!

It feels AMAZING, I don't miss those long locks one bit.

Our first real rainy day this year! I felt so bad, I still hadn't found a new raincoat for Russ yet. So, he made do with an old hooded jacket. He, of course, could have cared less as long as he got to go puddle jumping!

My mom caught this cute one of Ally loving on me. So sweet!

Eating their veggie soup! These three cannot get enough of veggie soup. It cracks me up, but hey, I'm NOT complaining. By the way, I don't usually let them eat on the counter. In fact, the only other time was with the fondue. Guess that's why I've got pictures of it. Anyway, Miss Molly is noticeably missing because, like her Daddy, she is the WORLD'S pickiest eater. Well, in our house, you eat what I make, OR, you don't eat. So... she chose the latter.

Penny and Ally- a match made in heaven.

Happy Wednesday EVERYONE! I hope your week is going well and you're taking your own fun photos every chance you get.

McMonkey's!

2010-11-04T21:35:00.000-07:00

The kiddos got to climb the rock wall at the gym for the first time last week - a big milestone they couldn't wait to be old/tall enough to participate in. They have been monkeys for years and it was super fun to see them apply those SKILLZ correctly! ;) They got super high and even repelled down like pros.

Gooooooooo you wild little McNulty monkey's.....................

Miss Molly

Little Libby made it ALMOST to the TOP!

Russell Man

Ally Boo Boo

McNulty Monkeys!

(L to R)

Libby, Ally, Molly, and Russ

Have a great weekend everyone!