Today our hearts are full of joy as we celebrate the birth of Christ!
A child is born to us!
A son is given to us!
And he will be our ruler.
He will be called, “Wonderful Counselor,”
“Mighty God,” “Eternal Father,” “Prince of Peace”.
Isiah 9:6
with peace,
Amber
I really love fall with it’s crisp weather, lingering pumpkin spice scent, and rich traditions. This year Texas weather has been insanely warm hot so it’s been a little harder for me to get in the fall spirit. Seriously, my kids were wearing shorts last week and the air conditioner has been running. Nonetheless, I filled our home with warm fall décor in hopes fall would one day appear. We aren’t hosting Thanksgiving this year, but I decided to set our new dining table anyways. It was begging for a little splash of fall. Since having the table fully decorated, I realized it stays looking pretty and never collects random items like usual. From here on out, I think I’ll have to keep seasonal tablescapes out.
On the table, I pulled together an assortment of glass hurricanes and filled them with items I had including cranberries, wine corks, and coffee beans (the aroma is fabulous). Deco mesh and heirloom monogrammed chargers completed my table scape. To fully enjoy our fall table, we may have a family dinner there this week. I’m certain the kids would enjoy a “fancy” meal. 
I kept the entry way simple with a collection of antique books, a fresh pumpkin, a framed fall printable (a gift from my friend, Amber), and a pumpkin spice candle. Did I mention I adore pumpkin spice?!?! Even with summer like heat, the scent feels like fall.
This was the first year the kids each chose their own Halloween costume and weren’t part of a theme. Long before Halloween arrived, they determined exactly what they would wear and proudly stood out as individuals- Rainbow Dash, a pirate, Rapunzel, and Spider-Man. George and I pulled together coordinated costumes, however. Complete with bowl cut wig and fitted red pants, George dressed as Howard Wolowitz while I was his wife, Bernadette from the Big Bang Theory.
Though the kids celebrated their fourth birthday this summer, we still hadn’t taken four year photos. We decided it was better late than never so we staged a fall DIY photo shoot. One of the kiddos (I won’t name names…) may not have cooperated with my Pinterest-y clothing scheme, but we managed to get some great shots and had fun taking them.
The individual photos capture each child’s personality perfectly…
Happy fall, ya’ll!
hugs,
Amber
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Shortly after the quads were born, we sent letters to companies who have multiple birth programs. Within a few months, we received a handful of coupons and product samples. With our multiple birth offers, we also heard about the Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Baby’s First Circus program. Since Ringling believes that all children should experience the joy of the circus, every child under 12 months old and living in the United States is entitled to receive his or her first ticket for FREE. After receiving our vouchers, I cached them away to use when the kids could appreciate them. This summer proved opportune for the kids first circus. Shortly after celebrating the quads fourth birthday carnival style, Ringling’s Circus Extreme was in our area.
Despite seeing books and pictures about the circus, they really had no idea what to expect. After arriving at the venue, we saw the animal encounter exhibit where you can see all of the animals that will appear in the show (a lot like the zoo). Then, we headed to the area for the pre-show where we could see the performers and some of the props. None of the kids wanted to be too close to a clown, but Sydney tried on a cape from wardrobe.
As soon as we settled into our seats, the kids started complaining of hunger so I set off to grab the best concession for the price: popcorn and water. Harper made sure we got our money’s worth and didn’t miss a single kernel.
Once the show began, it was a tad dark and loud for the kids so I passed out ear plugs and glow sticks, which eased anxiety tremendously. In hindsight, I wish I’d brought flashier glow items too…the kids begged for the many light up souvenir items, but the price tags were ridiculous. The would’ve loved our dollar store wands just as much. Next time..
We were all thoroughly impressed and entertained by the eclectic performance which included everything from the traditional circus clowns to magical mermaids, trampoline gymnasts, and poodles.
What’s your favorite circus act? I was a bit partial to the poodles.
Hugs!
Amber
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As the quad’s fourth birthday approached, I decided it was prudent to host at a party venue rather than at home. Last year we rented a playscape and it was fabulous not having to clean the house before or after having a slew of preschoolers at the party. I was ecstatic to find a similar venue that included fresh popcorn and cotton candy with their party package. Since we’d be serving carnival fare, I decided to run with that theme. Once again, I commissioned my friend, Amber , to design custom invitations that I had printed at Costco.
The week of the party, I had the kids create carnival themed crafts to hang as banners. As center pieces, I used Dollar Tree Mylar balloons arranged in popcorn containers. Since our party overlapped with the dinner hour, we served hot dogs from a crock pot along with fresh fruit. It was a super easy way to feed a crowd and keep with the theme. Since George is a cupcake connoisseur, we never order bakery cakes. This year, we used a rainbow cupcake recipe from Just a Taste and it was ahhhh-mazing! Whether or not we actually make rainbow cupcakes again (the rainbow part was slightly tedious), it will be our go-to recipe for from scratch cupcakes and frosting. The cake was dense and sweet, but not overly so and the frosting complimented it perfectly. For this particular party, the rainbow color in the cake was a fun touch.
To cook hotdogs in a slow cooker, spray your slow cooker with cooking spray then fill it with hot dogs (mine held about 50). Cook on low for 4 hours.
For party favors, I filled cello bags with animal crackers and fruit snacks then embellished them with a printable gift tag from We Heart Parties.
Before our guests arrived, we snapped a family photo, and I was glad we did since there was never another opportunity. The kids filled their time bouncing in the bounce houses, playing in the kid town, exploring the train, and playing games as the adults mingled.
It probably feels redundant for guests, but to make each of the kids feel special, we sing happy birthday to them individually, in birth order. It doesn’t take a lot of time, but I know it means the world to them.
I’m quickly noticing the challenges of this new season with four year olds, but am appreciating the end of the threenagers reign.
hugs!
Amber
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In the past few weeks we’ve been struggling with a lot of sibling bickering, sassy backtalk, and physical aggression. I’ve done my best to redirect this behavior and to keep toys and activities fresh, but the behaviors persisted. As a result of these challenging behaviors, my own patience is dwindling.
When mentioning my frustrations to a friend, she kindly asked how much outdoor play the kids were getting. With triple digit heat, outdoor play has also been a struggle. Unless there is water involved, we have to be out early and truthfully, we haven’t been getting a full hour daily. Some days, after 30 minutes we are headed in to escape the heat.
Today I was set on getting at least an hour of outdoor play and sunshine, but we had to beat the heat to do it. When I heard the boys wake up at 6:40 am, I immediately asked them to get dressed. Bum-fuddled, they obliged. Then, I ushered them to the backyard where I served breakfast. It wasn’t long before a pair of sleepy headed girls joined us. After about 20 minutes of outdoor play, we decided it was time for a morning bike ride. Once all four were helmet clad, we set out to burn some rubber. There was nice cloud cover so we stayed out riding for about an hour. It was glorious! There was some bickering and pushing later in the day, but it was better.
Tomorrow we will repeat this extra early outdoor play and see if it continues to improve everyone’s mood and behavior.
What are your favorite outdoor activities?
Hugs,
Amber
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Last weekend we savored family time in Klyde Warren Park with my parents, sister, and brother-in-law. Despite being open only a few years, Klyde Warren Park proved itself an urban oasis. I was surprised to find a sea of lush green grass and tall shade trees surrounded by the world renowned Dallas skyline. Naturally we spent the majority of our time in the Children’s Park, but we also relaxed in the reading and games nook as the guys played a bit of frisbee in an open field. In the Park, the kids had a great time climbing the “spider webs”, exploring the tree house, creating music, and spinning on merry go rounds.
As a mom of preschoolers, I was impressed with the cleanliness and ample size of the restrooms. When the kids ask to use the restroom at a park, I cringe, but this one was on par with popular restaurants and shops. Because we had brunch plans, we only spent a few hours in the park, but there is much more to do- on another visit. For instance, the kids could splash in the fountains, visit the butterfly garden, wander the botanical gardens, participate in story time, or bring the dogs to the bark park. We could also nosh on food truck delights. If George would agree to watch the kids for a bit, I might enjoy a little yoga in the park too. There are plenty of free things to occupy us for hours!
As the weather began to heat up, and we worked up an appetite, we retreated to LARK on the Park for Sunday brunch. The chalk art and natural light in the restaurant were stunning, and the food was delicious. I later learned the chalk art is rotated quarterly based on artist submissions. We especially appreciated the #DallasStrong piece, honoring the five police officers tragically lost earlier in the month. Dallasites are proud, and I believe will continue working to make necessary change and heal.
You can dine at LARK on the Park while artists create these stunning chalk drawings.
If you live in the Dallas area, and haven’t been to Klyde Warren Park, I promise it’s worthwhile. If you live afar, but happen to visit the Big D, Klyde Warren Park is a Dallas must see attraction.
hugs,
Amber
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This summer, I didn’t create an official summer bucket list, but we’ve had plenty of summer fun. We’ve enjoyed library story time each week, which includes stories and songs followed by a literature based craft. Last week, story time was cancelled for Big Vehicle Day at the library. Since there are typically about 20 kids at story time (with four being mine), I wasn’t expecting much from the event. I anticipated a slightly larger crowd than the regulars, and a parking lot with perhaps a garbage truck, school bus, and a construction vehicle. I grossly underestimated the library! Big Vehicle Day was quite an event. Upon or arrival, I instantly regretted not making the kids dress alike as I spied a sea of preschoolers and their parents scattered around a lineup of vehicles. Since it was a sweltering hot Texas day, we did a quick stroll past each vehicle, and then each child choose one vehicle to explore further. We saw everything from mounted police to a street sweeper and an ambulance.
It was no surprise that the girls chose to check out the pink glitzy limo from a local children’s salon. The kids had never seen a limo before and were thoroughly impressed with the sparkling interior lights and countless drink holders. Harper was underwhelmed, however. As we exited the limo, the girls had a shiny star painted on their cheeks and fairy glitter spritzed in their hair. The boys opted out of this sparkle treatment.
Mason chose to tour a recreational vehicle and Harper wanted to check out the wrecker. Since we couldn’t go inside the wrecker, Harper was allowed a second choice. He quickly settled on the Dan Dipert tour bus, which turned out to be a lovely reprieve from the heat with its blasting air conditioner.
Before heading home, I thought it was important for the kids to thank the police officers and see one of the squad cars. Much to my chagrin, the kids were totally uninterested in seeing any of the police vehicles, aside from the horses. Since my uncle is a fire chief, they’ve seen the inside of many fire rescue vehicles and have even used the radio in the chief’s car. I can only assume the police cars didn’t seem novel, that or it was just too hot. Sydney was the only one to go inside the squad car, but all four obliged me for a photo with one of the officers.
#backtheblue #DallasStrong
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hugs!
Amber
This summer, we took our first family vacation with the quadruplets. In fact, we took them to the same beach and condominiums where my grandparents took my mother and her siblings, then all of their grandchildren for decades. While we were on Mustang Island, we made sure to introduce the quads to our tried and true family traditions. We also added a few new items for our future family trips.
My dad has always been an early riser, waking up before dawn on regular days. On the eve of a vacation, he’s generally awake giddy with anticipation while some people are just going to bed. We ALWAYS left for a road trip between five and six am.
George introduced our family to the Czech Stop, which is located just north of Waco, Texas. There you’ll find a variety of fruit and sausage kolaches (the most authentic you’ll find!) as well as other tasty treats. The kiddos all enjoyed free M & M cookies.
I learned about the goodness of Buc-ee’s on my way home from our first annual Quad Mom trip. It’s a family-friendly gas station designed to meet the needs of travelers. They have spotless bathrooms complete with attendants and sanitizer as well as an array of tasty treats, supplies, and Texas memorabilia. If you ever travel through or to Texas, it’s a must stop shop.
Of course no beach trip is complete without playing in the sand. Sydney had some difficulty with the dry variety, which posed a few problems, but damp sand was okay in her book. We ordered an incredible Sand-Free Multimat, which is designed to repel sand, but it arrived about six hours after our departure. I guess we’ll have to try it next year!
If you wait until dark and bring flashlights, you can easily spot and capture sand crabs darting along the sand. The kids had a blast chasing the little guys then setting them free. Whenever anyone in our family mentions catching crabs we all have a good chuckle. When my Uncle Dale was a little boy, Grandma chose a shirt for him at the souvenir shop that read, “I Caught Crabs on Padre Island”. Thanks to the family tradition of catching sand crabs, Grandma thought it was perfect. When Dale returned to school after summer break donning his new shirt, the principal called Grandma in a tizzy due to the vulgar connotations…..Poor Grandma didn’t realize the shirt wasn’t referring to sand crabs….
I recall my dad and Grandpa taking us to the pier at night to see creatures including sea turtles, dolphins, and sharks swimming in the sea. This time, we visited during the daytime and instead watched fishermen reeling in their daily catch.
George and I started this tradition with the kids. Next door to Scoopy’s is Snoopy’s restaurant, which is where our family enjoyed sea food on the water for decades. We thought the kids would enjoy a sweet, summer treat more though.
Rylin insisted we build a “large sandcastle” before departing from the beach each day. This particular one was the largest of our structures.
My father’s favorite pastime is fishing, and he’s been itching to take the quads fishing to share his passion since they were infants. For Father’s Day, we gave him a pair of Mickey Mouse fishing poles
10. Bought souvenirs at Ocean Treasures
I fondly remember browsing Ocean Treasures with my sister in search of the best bit of memorabilia. The kids had an equally good time cruising the long aisles for something of their own. Harper traveled all the way to Padre Island only to find ANOTHER fire truck for his burgeoning fleet. He later regretted his choice and begged for a submarine instead. The best part of our shopping adventure was seeing the magestic sandcastle.
It’s family tradition to take a dip in the pool after a day at the beach. The first day, the quads were uneasy in the baby pool, but quickly learned to steady themselves and splash around with their older cousins.
With close supervision, the kids learned to enjoy jumping the waves and watching the tide come in.
Before departing and heading to our separate homes, we’ve always snapped a photo with all of the cousins. This year we had the largest group of cousins ever, which included my cousins, Jennifer and Lindsay with their children. A total of ten kids under ten outnumbered the nine adults.
It’s always interesting how the tide brings in different things each year. Over the years, I’ve visited this particular beach many times and it’s never exactly the same. This year, there were a few scattered sea shells but many blue crabs, which I’ve never seen before.
The seagulls are a ravenous lot. If you toss a bit of food into the air, they’ll artfully scoop it up before it touches the ground.
We’ve always taken family beach photos, but this year I wanted them to be more than just random shots. I hoped to snap a few worthy of hanging on the walls or putting on a Christmas card. I charged our DSLR camera and meticulously coordinated the family wardrobe. I also heeded Lindsay’s tips for taking excellent beach photos. I made a grave error, however. I did not leave the DSLR camera outside long enough for it to fully acclimate to the humidity. Much to my dismay the lens was horribly foggy. Thankfully, George’s Samsung Galaxy 6 takes excellent photos, and was able to capture these. Despite being a phone camera, I was able to enlarge and print several for our gallery. Sydney wasn’t willing to let her precious toes touch the sand so we either carried her, or we improvised and sat on a table covered in an aqua picnic blanket.
I was admittedly concerned about how the quads would handle a long road trip, and sleeping away from home, but they surprised me. We stopped only twice each direction and whining was minimal. Of the in car entertainment items I packed, the Melissa & Doug On The Go Water Wow Books
hugs!
Amber
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When my mom was a child, her family took an annual road trip to North Padre Island, Texas. After school ended for the year, they’d load up their station wagon and head south for 10 days of beach bliss. My Grandpa loved the sea, especially deep sea fishing and swimming while searching for sea life. His love of the beach was passed down to each of his children who maintained this family tradition. While I was growing up we went to the exact same beach, and stayed in the same condos where my mother stayed. It became a family tradition with our entire extended family.
We all loved the beach and developed routines for each beach trip. However, when my sister, cousins, and I grew older we wanted to discover new destinations besides our familiar beach. We’d still take trips to our beloved North Padre Island, but we skipped the family trip to see new things. The last time our family went to North Padre Island was 2008. Both of my grandparents were with us, and we all vividly remember Hurricane Dolly visiting that year. I’d heard of hurricanes before, but never experienced one until Dolly. Though it was only a category 1 hurricane, Dolly brought incredible winds and more rain than I’d ever seen. Dolly literally chased us all the way up the coastline until Austin. Visibility was null. We could not even see the dots on the highway, and prayed we were within our lanes. Miraculously, everyone in our family made it home safely that year.
It wasn’t that long ago, but our photo collection is quite sparse for that trip. We didn’t have smartphones then, and relied on our Cannon Powershot, which we didn’t use much, apparently.
Grandpa and Aunt Terri enjoyed the beach views from the balcony.
We fed the seagulls bits of bread from the sea wall.
We took photos in the sunset.
The hotel gave us glow sticks as the hurricane came toward us.
This was the beginning of Dolly’s appearance.
Grandma and Grandpa humored us when the family elected to visit Crested Butte, Colorado in 2010.
It was a lovely trip, and we were all glad we headed north for a change. Colorado is gorgeous in the summertime, and the hikes were stellar.
My grandparents welcomed the quads to our family in 2012, and we captured this precious four generation photo. Grandpa became seriously ill in 2013 and passed.
The kids have fond memories of visiting Grandma. In fact, Rylin periodically talks about when we blew bubbles on the porch together last summer. Grandma passed away this spring, and though she lived a full 86 years, it was difficult to say goodbye. After her passing, we all knew that it was time we return to our beloved North Padre Island to honor our family tradition. Also, it would be the first time the quads, and several of the youngest cousins would ever visit the beach. Our family vacations to the beach are part of our family legacy, which I hope will live on for many more decades to come.
We all die. The goal isn’t to live forever, it’s to create something that will.
This year, 19 members of our extended family made the trip back to the beach and it would’ve melted Grandma and Grandpa’s hearts knowing that our family tradition is being passed to the next generation. Stay tuned for details about the trip!
hugs,
Amber
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When George and I were in college, a little league team used the university baseball diamond for games. The first time we noticed them at play, we paused briefly to observe. It was the cutest thing we’d ever seen. Itty bitty kids were scattered all over the field clad in oversized jerseys and enormous batting helmets. Parents stood in close proximity cajoling little ones to swing the bat, catch the ball, or run the bases. I thought to myself, if we ever had a little boy, he’d have to play tee ball. Little did I know, we’d have two little boys awaiting the opportunity.
After taking dance lessons last summer, the boys eagerly awaited their chance to try tee ball. Each week at the end of dance class Harper proclaimed, “Next spring, I play tee ball!” He was a good sport and humored me by attending dance classes. In the fall, I polled parents in our neighborhood and moms of multiples group regarding youth sports. I decided i9 Sports was the best fit for our family and enrolled the boys. It was affordable for us, the practice and games were scheduled back to back, and the league fostered character building.
The first weekend in April our season began. The first game was organized chaos: the kids struggled to make sense of the game and preferred to nosh on snacks or pick dandelions. Over the course of the season, our rag tag team of tee ball players grew. By the last game they could hit the ball off the tee and run the bases with minimal assistance.
“Never let the fear of striking out keep you from playing the game.” – Babe Ruth
Much to my dismay, the weather was anything but springlike. The girls and I shivered on the sidelines and attempted to stay dry on damp days. We made the most of it and cheered for our boys.
Each week, the team focused on a particular aspect of sportsmanship. At the end of the game, the player who best demonstrated the weekly goal earned a medal. There were enough opportunities for each player to earn one, but they had to earn it- everyone didn’t get a medal for being there. Mason earned his medal at the second game for listening. He beamed with pride as the coach hung the medal around his neck. Early on in the season, Harper often wandered away from the game and came up with excuses to avoid playing (e.g. use the restroom, snacks). Towards the end of the season, he became more interested in the game and started enjoying himself more. That week, he earned the medal for having fun with the game. This boosted his morale for the remaining games and he certainly had more fun.
Tee ball was slightly different than I envisioned, but it was a wonderful experience for our family and worthwhile. In fact, Harper recently asked when they’d play tee ball again.
hugs!
Amber
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