Another Adult

 It wasn't that long ago that I posted the boys turned 18, and now Emersyn has joined them. She's a little like I was and is still in High School but 18. 
I don't have many pictures when pregnant with her. I felt huge, which I get is dumb to say after having twins, but nothing felt like it fit me. Also a lot of estrogen in my system was not good. This was the farthest along picture I had. And the day she was born went pretty quick, so I don't have anything from that morning. 

I labored for 12+ hours with her. It started between 5-7. It never got stronger but was about 3 to 5 minutes apart for the contractions. The only thing is this was September 22nd; I had a scheduled c-section September 24. The boys held on so I thought that was going to be the day. I thought it so much that I was able to get the RN I had with the boys to take a shift that day so she could be my nurse again. The night of the 22nd was the longest of my life. We did go in, but after a couple hours they sent us home and said we'd make it to the surgery date. Contractions didn't stop and I went in again about 8 am. I was dilated I think 3-5 and the admitted me. The doctor asked if I wanted to do a v-bac, but I ultimately said no. I regrated that decision for a long time. I was told by a few people that I never had babies a 'normal or natural' way and it wasn't 'real'. I let that get to me too much for a long time. I grateful now all the knowledge with how had c-sections are and I'm just as much a women for how I delivered my babies. 
The cord was around her neck, so it was good I didn't try a v-bac. She also ended up in the NICU, my opinion was due to a mile allergy and staff weighing her wrong. But she came home and was the perfect little girl I was hoping for. 

She's always stood her ground with her three brothers and has always been the breath of fresh air, or girl air, needed in a house full of boys. 

She is very excited to leave the house and start college. So far she is wanting to go to U of I and study phycology or psychiatry (or last time she told me). I'm excited to see all she learns and grows and gets to experience with college. I know it won't be easy but it will be good for her. 

For her birthday she really wanted some new shoes. For the boys we did a bigger gift, so she wanted some money to go to her trip and then some in cash. 

She requested apple crisp or chocolate strawberries, both were easy so we did both. 

Her main focus right now is school, friends and work. She's doing the AA program at Renaissance, so when she graduates, she'll already have an associates. She just started a new job, she's no longer at Stella's but now at Bardenay, a restaurant in Eagle. It's only been a week, but she loves it so far. She is a hostess. Then being her Senior year, she's doing all the fun things and is with her friends as much as she possibly can.  She's busy but loving it. Recently we have gone crazy with so many different nail products and she makes some really cool designs when she does her nails. 

Emery was 7 when she got asked the birthday questions the first time. In that post it said she knows if she wants anything all she has to do it ask her dad, and that is fully still the case. His little girls gets whatever when she asks him. At that time her favorite food was Oreos, Her favorite subject was painting and her favorite thing to play with was her camera she got for Christmas the year before. Now her favorite subject is Biology. Her favorite food is pasta and her favorite toy/game/ thing doing to do is doing nails.

It's Been a Bit

 It has been a long time, a few things have happened but I just have not sat down to write them down. 
Mom came down one weekend and we got dinner, got a hotel, talked all night, went for breakfast then went to A Way With Clay to do pottery. It was such a relaxing, fun, much needed weekend. I did a book jewelry box and mom did a mug. Right when I finished mine I thought of other things I could have done over words. 

Mom's looks really cute!

We have had a painting in our front room for a few years. Brad and I did a pour paint on three canvas'. They were separate for a while then we added to them and made it one.

You can kind of see it here. It was a little bit of a story to the painting. I didn't mind it but didn't like how it was set in the end. I wanted it another way and Brad and someone else liked it another way. It was put the other way and I kind of had a bad taste for it for a while. Finally we wanted a project so we decided to paint over it. 

And I like it a lot more than the first one. 

A Few Pain Points

I have to first say, I do love having my kids home. My one want in life was a family. An amazing husband, check. Amazing kids, check. Kids who are growing into awesome adults, check. 

Having 7 at home right now is a lot. It's not bad, but it's a lot. Five, almost 6 adults is just in general a lot. Two married couples... a lot. Doesn't make it bad, just means a few things may need to change. 

One thing, the fridge is always PACKED. Beck has food he gets and likes. Cam and Cailey are the same, plus just the food it takes to feed us all, it get packed in a fridge from the early 2000's. We are renting, so technically don't own a fridge. We decided that we would buy one that we can take when we move and then have two to alleviate some of that pain point. I tell you, this new one is a BIG one. It's super nice and so far, I love it.

It was fun to empty the old one, move it to the garage, fill it, get the new one, cool it down, then fill it. It was a mess for about 24 hours. 

She's beautiful. 

The other pain point so far is very 'first world problem-y'. Cam, Beck and at times Cailey and/or Jacks watch movies together. I love my kids love the be together and share that, but the TV they use the main family TV. The annoying thing (or was annoying) about this house is there are two family rooms. One we never used. It was an old couch and the piano. When they watch movies, if Brad or I want to relax and watch something, we have to in our room, aka office. It just wasn't what we wanted. SOOOOOO we got another TV. Was it really needed? Maybe not. But will it be nice to play 'Don't Starve' while the kids watch a movie. 

It's a lot, but it's a good lot, and were figuring it out as we go. 

Wisdom Removed

Last week Emery got her wisdom teeth out. They were growing in really bad so we really should get them out. It was a quick procedure it went really well (maybe not all for her) 

She was a little nervous going in, but every one is. I know mine weren't bad, but I was like 14 or 15. 

When she came out to the car she looked suuuuuuper out of it, but also super happy (or high from meds) It was hard to walk but we got it. The cotton made it hard to hear her but we did it. She told me four to five times about how annoyed she was they tried the IV in her forearm but couldn't get it, like they couldn't with her tonsils, so they had to to it in her hand. After time 3 I told her she already said this and she was shocked. Then she said about four times how the last thing they asked her was 'do you like country music?' She does not really. After telling me this the third time she stopped and said she does not remember getting into the car. 

Went home and she 'watched' movies all day. I think movie 4 or 5 she actually watched and didn't just sleep through it. 

She took about 4 days before feeling to do school and life again, now she isn't in much pain, just a little pressure. She still has some healing to go, but definitely on the up.  

C&C

It's been fun having Cam and Cailey home this summer. Lots of games, good food and laughs, and we get to keep it going all year. 

Camden likes to blog like I do. He liked reading the one I did as he got older and so he started one for him and Cailey. It's fun to read his life through his eyes. (https://thebarnescc.blogspot.com/)

They went to the fair. Camden is a homebody like Brad and I; Cailey likes to get out a bit more, but Cam is a good husband and goes. Does he complain...maybe it's the thought that counts? 

They spent the evening at the fair. Cailey saw lots of animals (Cam didn't want his allergies to go crazy). She loved the chicks. They weren't sure, one poo-ed on her. 

She even milked a cow after seeing other ones too. 

Cam HATED heights as a little kid, but they went on the Faris wheel and he did well. He maybe was a little nervous. 

They also floated the river. 

Since they were here the first day of college, we made them a candy gram too. It started this past Monday and so far so good. 

Cam and Cailey, I know it wasn't your 'Fantasy' to have the school year living with us, but you have to 'b-ready' for anything. Two more years and you'll be making 'cheddar', but right now you will just have to keep cooking up some 'mmm' tasty food! Focus on school for more, before you know it, you will be 'rasin' some 'little sour patch kids'! Here are some Gardetto's aka brain food. 

The Big Day

Last weekend was Katelyn's wedding. Being a bridesmaid was such a crazy, fun, busy, different experience from any wedding I have had. I felt so honored to have been chosen. I met Katelyn when I started working at my current job. She spoke with such poise, I wanted to be her when I grew up. Then I learned I am 9 years older than her. I am her lead at work, so we work closely every day and I love the friendship we have built in work and out of it. Me being me, I was also worried to join a group of 3 other girls, all three were so nice and welcoming and I think we got along together so well, even though I am on average 10 years older than all of them. 

Night before we set up and did a run through of how to walk down the isle. 

Next day we got to the hotel at 8 am and all got our hair and makeup done. I'm not super girly, I do my hair and makeup like someone who does no know what they are doing, so it was nice to be pampered that night. 

This is Delaynee, we hung out this whole day mainly together and I love who she is and her super happy personality. We laughed and had fun all day together. She helped me take an okay selfie. 

The room was full of wonderful women who all were so nice and were there for each other all day. 

My hair. I wanted it fully up to help with the heat. I am very glad I did this.

A glowing beautiful bride. Everything fit her perfectly! 

An RV with AC was totally the way to go! This was on our way to take pictures. I'm so glad they did it beforehand. It was NOT a dress I could sit in easy. 

Beautiful bridal party. 

The wedding was at BSU Stueckle center, so they had 30 minutes on the blue to take photos. It was cool to be that close on the field and they got a lot of really cool pictures. 

I lost it during the mother/ daughter dance but seeing this part was so sweet. While not my thing fully, I kind of wish I did this part. 

To go with the sports, the bouquet toss was a football toss. I loved it!

Some of our work group that came. 

They really love their dogs and their favors were dog treats. Our dogs loved them. 

The end of the night. Two pads to remove eye-makeup, false lashes, many bobby pins and hair ties, sore feet but fully worth it. I got home about 10:30pm, super tired but fully loving the whole day. Now I have a formal dress if I need it for anything. 

Shinedown

Went to my first concert in FOREVER and Shinedown always does such a good show. It was Beck, Paul, Michelle and me. They are a band I would go to every time they are in town. 

First Day of School

We only have a few of these left but school started this year. Jackson is in 10th and this is Emery's last year, she's a senior. The end of the school year Jackson was maybe as tall as Emery, he grew so much this summer! I think they were both ready to go back. Emery can't wait to  be done and move on to bigger and better things. 

"High school has been a 'peach' b 'twix' your 'fruity mix' of friends, the 'Air Heads' and a few 'rotten' teachers. Don't be 'Sour' it's over. Senior year will be better than 'Junior'. You are 'Mega' smart and will be 'satisfied' by your accomplishments. 

Welcome back to school! 'B-ready' so you don't get 'rotten' grades. Try not to 'Takis' to the other 'Nerds' too much or your teachers may get 'sour'. You are growing into a  young man that's 'hubba bubba'! You can 'Pepper' the 'Air Heads' with your Riz. Here's a KitKat. (we couldn't thing of something)

Kids Happenings

This group that Jackson is in for mutual is really good. They do a lot of fun things he loves. This past week they learned to make sushi. A few weeks ago they went shooting. I love that he has leaders who can show him gun safety. They all said he was a good shot and hit most of the clay pigeons. At my Grandma Arrington's funeral one of my Aunts said that she was a good shot, I had no idea this was true, but if it is, maybe he got his good shot from the Arrington side. 

The seniors can pay for a parking spot and paint it. So for the year they have their own. Emery and Jenna did spots by each other and they did a scene from Five Nights at Freddy's. They took them a long time but they look cute.