Long time coming...

Howdy-ho! It has been a long time since I've blogged. But I'm darn certain I start every blog post with that very same statement these days. To return to blogging on the occasion I decided I am not going to spend a bunch of time editing photos or over thinking the text because I don't have a bunch of time. So if you see an error or typo or anything of that nature just move on. I meant well. 

I'm not going to pretend that life has been all rainbows, sunshine, ice cream and kitties because it hasn't been. Although I can honestly say we've had some pretty great events around here and I think that is worthy of sharing. The biggest and best event by far has to be the arrival of Madeline Elizabeth Craft.

Sweet little Maddie arrived five days early after a date night. Three of our four girls arrived after a date night. Weird, eh? It was a fast and unbelievably painful labor. This was the quickest and most challenging of them all and I feel fortunate to have survived. No, I wasn't really on the brink of death but it sure felt that way. It was a good one to end on as we have ceremoniously passed the torch of providing grandchildren to all of our siblings who have yet to produce a one. Back to the topic of Maddie, she was born April 4th at 9:18 a.m. weighing in at 8 lbs and 1 oz and just shy of 22 inches long. Since arriving home Maddie has been an excellent baby and her older three sisters are adjusting quite well. Sure we have our troubles occasionally but mostly life is pretty wonderful.

Believe it or not this photo is from Christmas. I'm a little behind.

Putting on make-up in pajamas. And please over look the piles of things surrounding everyone in every picture. This is real life.

CJ turned Olaf with toilet paper. It's how we have fun around here.

And a Kate turned Olaf. Like Olaf, we all prefer summer.

When you see the rare moment of sisterly love you don't worry about camera angles or whether or not it's even in focus, you just snap that photo. A shot like this is like spotting a shooting star in the daylight.

Like I said, when you see a photo op you go for it- even if on the children isn't wearing pants.




These two filled their play tent with all of the blankets, sheets and pillows they could find and I didn't remember to redress beds until bedtime. Drama.

Extended family game of kickball. Above is my mom and Kate.

My mom's got skillz...

Matt fielded the ball and then chucked it at her. Thankfully the ball was soft and my mom was kind.

My grandma from Lawton was in town and she got in the action too. 
I LOVE this photo!

The rest of us all played too but I had to eventually put the camera down and play ball.
I got grass stains for the first time since I was a kid, but it was totally worth it.

Most days I couldn't pay this girl to nap but she so casually falls asleep on Matt's lap and snores the afternoon away.

And there you have it. A little bit of life from the past many, many months. 
My blogging is sporadic, inconsistent and imperfect but that's a little like life. Just keeping it all real.

"And now that you don't have to be perfect, you can be good." -John Steinbeck

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