So, This is Goodbye...

This is such a hard post for me to write.

Not hard in a bad way. Quite the opposite really because we have come so far. But it is so bittersweet to have reached this milestone.

We spent last week saying goodbye to our therapists as they each stopped in for one last session. As of Sunday, they officially aged out of the Missouri First Steps program. Of course, they aged in to Special Education Preschool, but that doesn't make saying goodbye to our friends any easier.

I took photos of the kids with each of their therapists as they came by. I think the hardest thing for me was knowing that the kids didn't understand that we were saying goodbye. They love our therapists, and already miss them since they weren't here this week.

On Monday, Jessica came for her last session. Jessica has been working with the kids for about two years. She has come 3-4 times a month to help them with their physical therapy. Things like walking, sitting, climbing stairs, and jumping. She pushed them hard (and they didn't always like it), but all of our kids made great progress with her help.

It was Abby's day for Jessica's last session.

Caleb (who refused to cooperate), Abby, Jessica, Ellie, and Elijah

On Wednesday, Tasha came to see the kids for the last time. She was so kind to bring a birthday gift for each of them to celebrate this new milestone. Tasha has been with us for about one year. She was tasked with their speech therapy. The woman has an insane amount of patience working with kids who have language delays. The way I see it, you can make a kid sit, you can make a kid point to photos, but you can't make a kid talk. Tasha was awesome! Her patience working with the kids really went far.

Tasha handing out birthday gifts.

Elijah, Ellie, Tasha, Abby, and Caleb

But by far, the hardest day for me was Friday. On Friday, we had to say goodbye to Debbie, our Occupational Therapist. Debbie has been with us from day one. She was at our intake meeting, and she has been in our house 2-3 times a week for the last 2.5 years. That's at the very least, we have had 300 visits or 18,000 minutes spent with her in our home. That is a lot of time. She has seen me in every state from being put together to falling apart at the seams. I've cried through frustrations with her, announced to her that I was finished with motherhood, and pawned extra homemade cinnamon rolls off on her.

Ellie, Abby, Debbie, Caleb, and Elijah

It just about killed me to see her walk out the door. You get attached to these people, you know? They become friends, representatives of stability when you never know what will happen with your kids next...in many ways, they become family.

Debbie and Mommy...saying goodbye.

This week was our first week without our therapists. And the kids noticed. Ellie and I had the following conversation this week:

Ellie: Miss Debbie is here!
Me: Oh no, sweetie. Miss Debbie isn't here. She isn't coming back.
Ellie: She's here! She's here!
Me: She's not here, honey.
Ellie: *runs over to the front door to look for her* Where is she? I can't find her!
Me: I'm so sorry, Baby Girl. She isn't coming to see us today.
Ellie: Oh...okay.

Break. My. Heart.

Ellie was especially attached to Miss Debbie

All that to say, these sweet ladies have left a lasting impression on our lives, and I will forever be grateful for the time they spent with my children. Our kids wouldn't be where they are developmentally, without the hours and hours and hours that they put in. I know they love our kids, and our kids love them. Heck, I love them too.

Many thanks for all you've done, Jessica, Tasha, and Debbie. We will miss you!

This is such a hard post for me to write.

Not hard in a bad way. Quite the opposite really because we have come so far. But it is so bittersweet to have reached this milestone.

We spent last week saying goodbye to our therapists as they each stopped in for one last session. As of Sunday, they officially aged out of the Missouri First Steps program. Of course, they aged in to Special Education Preschool, but that doesn't make saying goodbye to our friends any easier.

I took photos of the kids with each of their therapists as they came by. I think the hardest thing for me was knowing that the kids didn't understand that we were saying goodbye. They love our therapists, and already miss them since they weren't here this week.

On Monday, Jessica came for her last session. Jessica has been working with the kids for about two years. She has come 3-4 times a month to help them with their physical therapy. Things like walking, sitting, climbing stairs, and jumping. She pushed them hard (and they didn't always like it), but all of our kids made great progress with her help.

It was Abby's day for Jessica's last session.

Caleb (who refused to cooperate), Abby, Jessica, Ellie, and Elijah

On Wednesday, Tasha came to see the kids for the last time. She was so kind to bring a birthday gift for each of them to celebrate this new milestone. Tasha has been with us for about one year. She was tasked with their speech therapy. The woman has an insane amount of patience working with kids who have language delays. The way I see it, you can make a kid sit, you can make a kid point to photos, but you can't make a kid talk. Tasha was awesome! Her patience working with the kids really went far.

Tasha handing out birthday gifts.

Elijah, Ellie, Tasha, Abby, and Caleb

But by far, the hardest day for me was Friday. On Friday, we had to say goodbye to Debbie, our Occupational Therapist. Debbie has been with us from day one. She was at our intake meeting, and she has been in our house 2-3 times a week for the last 2.5 years. That's at the very least, we have had 300 visits or 18,000 minutes spent with her in our home. That is a lot of time. She has seen me in every state from being put together to falling apart at the seams. I've cried through frustrations with her, announced to her that I was finished with motherhood, and pawned extra homemade cinnamon rolls off on her.

Ellie, Abby, Debbie, Caleb, and Elijah

It just about killed me to see her walk out the door. You get attached to these people, you know? They become friends, representatives of stability when you never know what will happen with your kids next...in many ways, they become family.

Debbie and Mommy...saying goodbye.

This week was our first week without our therapists. And the kids noticed. Ellie and I had the following conversation this week:

Ellie: Miss Debbie is here!
Me: Oh no, sweetie. Miss Debbie isn't here. She isn't coming back.
Ellie: She's here! She's here!
Me: She's not here, honey.
Ellie: *runs over to the front door to look for her* Where is she? I can't find her!
Me: I'm so sorry, Baby Girl. She isn't coming to see us today.
Ellie: Oh...okay.

Break. My. Heart.

Ellie was especially attached to Miss Debbie

All that to say, these sweet ladies have left a lasting impression on our lives, and I will forever be grateful for the time they spent with my children. Our kids wouldn't be where they are developmentally, without the hours and hours and hours that they put in. I know they love our kids, and our kids love them. Heck, I love them too.

Many thanks for all you've done, Jessica, Tasha, and Debbie. We will miss you!

What I'm Into - February 2014

This post contains affiliate links. Thanks for supporting our blog and our family!

photo credit: my kitchen :)

Want a little glimpse into my life? :)

Books I Read:
I'm currently about halfway through The Good Girl's Guide to Great Sex (which is great, btw!), so I'm officially still leaving it "In The Queue." I didn't actually finish any books this month. Instead, I've been spending a lot of my reading time researching the English and French schools of thought as they pertain to essential oils. It's really a fascinating topic as each side is COMPLETELY convinced that their way is the best way. It gets quite heated! I've started dabbling in them, have seen some positive results on a few things, but I'm still not completely sold on a lot of the information out there. Ever the skeptic... :)

Books in the Queue:
The Good Girl's Guide to Great Sex by Sheila Gregoire: Sheila writes a great blog called, To Love, Honor and Vacuum. She writes about marriage and relationships in an entertaining, authentic way. Since I love her blog, I thought I'd give one of her books a try.

Made to Crave by Lisa Terkeurst: Lots of food cravings...maybe I will learn something helpful in this book...

Can't Miss Television:
The Dead Zone: Based on a Stephen King novel, a guy wakes from a coma after several years and can suddenly see the pasts and futures of the people that he interacts with. We are watching it on Netflix right now. It's kind of a fun twist on those detective shows.

Music I've Listened to:
KLOVE: I've been listening to a LOT of Christian radio this month. I'm getting all ramped up for a fun event in March (see "What I'm Looking Forward To" below!)

Movies I've Watched:
Ghostbusters: I'm actually watching it as I write this post. I've never seen it before. Crazy, right? It definitely has that "80's vibe" going on, but I feel like my life is a little more complete now that I can cross it off my list.

Braveheart: Another movie that I had never seen! I thought it was really good, but I hate it when they die at the end. And yes, I knew that was going to happen because I studied William Wallace in school. Still, I prefer when they don't die at the end of movies.

Duplex: A comedy with Drew Barrymore and Ben Stiller. It was pretty funny! They buy a duplex with a very old lady who rents the upstairs. She drives them nuts and won't move out no matter what!

Yummy in My Tummy:
Sugar Cookies: You know those really rich, thick sugar cookies with tons of icing on them that you can buy in the bakery section at the grocery store? Yeah, those.

Happiness is:
I have to say the same thing as last month. Last month, I had *just* broken my leg, and people had come around to help us. During February, we had meals, help with childcare, and even people coming specifically to drive me to appointments since it was my right leg that broke. I'm doing so much better now and can move around with only a little bit of soreness, but the kindness of friends and family is still overwhelming to me!

What I'm Looking Forward to in March:
A good friend surprised me with a ticket to the Third Day/Skillet concert! WOOT! Even better? She bought the VIP tickets for the pre-concert Meet and Greet! How fun is that?! I'm looking forward to an evening away from the family and some girl time!

The kids start preschool in March! That is super exciting for our family!

I'm linking up with What I'm Into at HopefulLeigh.
This post contains affiliate links. I get a small commission when you buy something through the link. Thank you for supporting my blog and family this way! For more info, please see my disclaimer page.

This post contains affiliate links. Thanks for supporting our blog and our family!

photo credit: my kitchen :)

Want a little glimpse into my life? :)

Books I Read:
I'm currently about halfway through The Good Girl's Guide to Great Sex (which is great, btw!), so I'm officially still leaving it "In The Queue." I didn't actually finish any books this month. Instead, I've been spending a lot of my reading time researching the English and French schools of thought as they pertain to essential oils. It's really a fascinating topic as each side is COMPLETELY convinced that their way is the best way. It gets quite heated! I've started dabbling in them, have seen some positive results on a few things, but I'm still not completely sold on a lot of the information out there. Ever the skeptic... :)

Books in the Queue:
The Good Girl's Guide to Great Sex by Sheila Gregoire: Sheila writes a great blog called, To Love, Honor and Vacuum. She writes about marriage and relationships in an entertaining, authentic way. Since I love her blog, I thought I'd give one of her books a try.

Made to Crave by Lisa Terkeurst: Lots of food cravings...maybe I will learn something helpful in this book...

Can't Miss Television:
The Dead Zone: Based on a Stephen King novel, a guy wakes from a coma after several years and can suddenly see the pasts and futures of the people that he interacts with. We are watching it on Netflix right now. It's kind of a fun twist on those detective shows.

Music I've Listened to:
KLOVE: I've been listening to a LOT of Christian radio this month. I'm getting all ramped up for a fun event in March (see "What I'm Looking Forward To" below!)

Movies I've Watched:
Ghostbusters: I'm actually watching it as I write this post. I've never seen it before. Crazy, right? It definitely has that "80's vibe" going on, but I feel like my life is a little more complete now that I can cross it off my list.

Braveheart: Another movie that I had never seen! I thought it was really good, but I hate it when they die at the end. And yes, I knew that was going to happen because I studied William Wallace in school. Still, I prefer when they don't die at the end of movies.

Duplex: A comedy with Drew Barrymore and Ben Stiller. It was pretty funny! They buy a duplex with a very old lady who rents the upstairs. She drives them nuts and won't move out no matter what!

Yummy in My Tummy:
Sugar Cookies: You know those really rich, thick sugar cookies with tons of icing on them that you can buy in the bakery section at the grocery store? Yeah, those.

Happiness is:
I have to say the same thing as last month. Last month, I had *just* broken my leg, and people had come around to help us. During February, we had meals, help with childcare, and even people coming specifically to drive me to appointments since it was my right leg that broke. I'm doing so much better now and can move around with only a little bit of soreness, but the kindness of friends and family is still overwhelming to me!

What I'm Looking Forward to in March:
A good friend surprised me with a ticket to the Third Day/Skillet concert! WOOT! Even better? She bought the VIP tickets for the pre-concert Meet and Greet! How fun is that?! I'm looking forward to an evening away from the family and some girl time!

The kids start preschool in March! That is super exciting for our family!

I'm linking up with What I'm Into at HopefulLeigh.
This post contains affiliate links. I get a small commission when you buy something through the link. Thank you for supporting my blog and family this way! For more info, please see my disclaimer page.

Little Things Thursdays: #61

This post may contain affiliate links. Thank you for supporting our family and blog!

Welcome to The Little Things Thursday!!

If you are new to our link-up, we like to take a minute to look back on the little things that brightened our week. So often we get busy and forget all of the things that we enjoy as we go through our daily lives. This is an opportunity to stop, remember, and enjoy those things! Nothing is too small...in fact, the smaller the better! That's the whole point! If you have a blog, link-up below. If you don't blog, I'd love for you to participate by leaving a comment. Ready?

1. We Are THREE!

If you missed the birthday post over the weekend, we now have a house full of three-year-olds! Goodness gracious...how did that happen?

2. 3 Year Check-Up

We have four very healthy kids! At their 3 year checkup, the girls officially were taken off of their Boost supplemental drink that we've been using to help them gain weight. Okay...secretly I took them off of it back in November. I just prefer that they get their calories from real food. I watched them, and they weren't having a decrease in weight, so we worked hard - and ate lots of peanut butter - to gain what we needed. I do still have four very skinny kids though!

Caleb: 28 lbs, 8 oz

Abby: 26 lbs, 2 oz

Elijah: 29 lbs

Ellie: 24 lbs, 2 oz

Still small, but we all managed to make it on the growth curve for height and weight!

Oh, by the way, the photo above is of our pediatrician examining Ellie's Big Bunny. Ellie asked if she would check her bunny's ears, and our doctor was very sweet to oblige her. Good news! Big Bunny doesn't have an ear infection!

3. Minnie Mouse Stylin'

We had a little Disney Playdate this week (photos coming!) and one of the party favors were these plastic Minnie Mouse glasses and bracelets. I snapped these photos this morning while the girls were eating breakfast. Once they put them on, they wore them until they were done eating. They are so funny!

Doodle (Elijah) wanted to be included in the fun too, so I helped him put a set on. Oh yes. This photo will definitely make another appearance in his wedding slide show!

But Caleb was having none of it. Don't worry, Buddy. I'm sure I'll come up with some "special" photo for your wedding!

4. These Boots Are Made for Walkin'

Since Mommy wasn't wearing her walking boot for a bit today, Abby thought she'd use it. Hey...as long as she doesn't fall over and break her own leg!

5. So That's How Washable Markers Work

Up until now, I've avoided markers like the plague. The PLAGUE. We have washable markers, but come on...quads + markers = the stuff of nightmares. The truth is, though, that we do have washable markers hidden away for a day when I'm feeling particularly brave. Apparently, I didn't find my bravery soon enough. Elijah found the markers and decided to test them out.

6. Impromptu Interview

We were out at our 3 year checkup, when my phone let me know that a friend from college had sent me a message. They needed a mom of preschoolers to do an interview with the news. Sure, I'm game! I thought they would come out later in the week, but it turned out that they needed to do the interview immediately. As in, they asked where I was and said they were in route.

By that time, we had met up with Daddy for lunch at Chick-fil-A, so it ended up being a pretty public interview! Seriously, the news truck pulled up in the parking lot, and they interviewed us in the kids' play space. It definitely made for an exciting day! You can see the news clip below. I asked the Channel 41 anchor, Jadiann Thompson, if I could grab a photo with her after the interview. We tried to get the kiddos in the photo, but they were pretty tired by that point. The only kid who is happily smiling away is the random child in the upper left side of the photo. No idea who she is!

Now it's your turn! What Little Things brightened up your week? Link up your post below (or leave a comment if you aren't a blogger) and make sure you come back next week to play again!

The link up rules are super simple!
1. Please add the button or a text link to your sidebar or post to share the fun that we are having over here!
2. Please visit at least one other blog linking up and leave some blog love. Maybe you will find someone else's "little thing" is exactly what you needed to read!
3. Please keep your linked post clean and respectful! Any links directing to offensive posts will be deleted.

<center> <a href="http://www.abeautifulruckus.com"><img src="http://i1310.photobucket.com/albums/s654/faithfulrose1/TheLittleThingsThursdayButton.jpg" /></a></center>
This post may contain affiliate links. For more info, please see my disclaimer page.

This post may contain affiliate links. Thank you for supporting our family and blog!

Welcome to The Little Things Thursday!!

If you are new to our link-up, we like to take a minute to look back on the little things that brightened our week. So often we get busy and forget all of the things that we enjoy as we go through our daily lives. This is an opportunity to stop, remember, and enjoy those things! Nothing is too small...in fact, the smaller the better! That's the whole point! If you have a blog, link-up below. If you don't blog, I'd love for you to participate by leaving a comment. Ready?

1. We Are THREE!

If you missed the birthday post over the weekend, we now have a house full of three-year-olds! Goodness gracious...how did that happen?

2. 3 Year Check-Up

We have four very healthy kids! At their 3 year checkup, the girls officially were taken off of their Boost supplemental drink that we've been using to help them gain weight. Okay...secretly I took them off of it back in November. I just prefer that they get their calories from real food. I watched them, and they weren't having a decrease in weight, so we worked hard - and ate lots of peanut butter - to gain what we needed. I do still have four very skinny kids though!

Caleb: 28 lbs, 8 oz

Abby: 26 lbs, 2 oz

Elijah: 29 lbs

Ellie: 24 lbs, 2 oz

Still small, but we all managed to make it on the growth curve for height and weight!

Oh, by the way, the photo above is of our pediatrician examining Ellie's Big Bunny. Ellie asked if she would check her bunny's ears, and our doctor was very sweet to oblige her. Good news! Big Bunny doesn't have an ear infection!

3. Minnie Mouse Stylin'

We had a little Disney Playdate this week (photos coming!) and one of the party favors were these plastic Minnie Mouse glasses and bracelets. I snapped these photos this morning while the girls were eating breakfast. Once they put them on, they wore them until they were done eating. They are so funny!

Doodle (Elijah) wanted to be included in the fun too, so I helped him put a set on. Oh yes. This photo will definitely make another appearance in his wedding slide show!

But Caleb was having none of it. Don't worry, Buddy. I'm sure I'll come up with some "special" photo for your wedding!

4. These Boots Are Made for Walkin'

Since Mommy wasn't wearing her walking boot for a bit today, Abby thought she'd use it. Hey...as long as she doesn't fall over and break her own leg!

5. So That's How Washable Markers Work

Up until now, I've avoided markers like the plague. The PLAGUE. We have washable markers, but come on...quads + markers = the stuff of nightmares. The truth is, though, that we do have washable markers hidden away for a day when I'm feeling particularly brave. Apparently, I didn't find my bravery soon enough. Elijah found the markers and decided to test them out.

6. Impromptu Interview

We were out at our 3 year checkup, when my phone let me know that a friend from college had sent me a message. They needed a mom of preschoolers to do an interview with the news. Sure, I'm game! I thought they would come out later in the week, but it turned out that they needed to do the interview immediately. As in, they asked where I was and said they were in route.

By that time, we had met up with Daddy for lunch at Chick-fil-A, so it ended up being a pretty public interview! Seriously, the news truck pulled up in the parking lot, and they interviewed us in the kids' play space. It definitely made for an exciting day! You can see the news clip below. I asked the Channel 41 anchor, Jadiann Thompson, if I could grab a photo with her after the interview. We tried to get the kiddos in the photo, but they were pretty tired by that point. The only kid who is happily smiling away is the random child in the upper left side of the photo. No idea who she is!

Now it's your turn! What Little Things brightened up your week? Link up your post below (or leave a comment if you aren't a blogger) and make sure you come back next week to play again!

The link up rules are super simple!
1. Please add the button or a text link to your sidebar or post to share the fun that we are having over here!
2. Please visit at least one other blog linking up and leave some blog love. Maybe you will find someone else's "little thing" is exactly what you needed to read!
3. Please keep your linked post clean and respectful! Any links directing to offensive posts will be deleted.

<center> <a href="http://www.abeautifulruckus.com"><img src="http://i1310.photobucket.com/albums/s654/faithfulrose1/TheLittleThingsThursdayButton.jpg" /></a></center>
This post may contain affiliate links. For more info, please see my disclaimer page.

Preschool Outfits for the Kids + $50 Carter's Gift Card Giveaway!

Thank you to The Motherhood and Carter's for sponsoring this post! And thank you to YOU for reading along and supporting our family!

This is totally fun! Ready?

Carter's asked me to go shopping at one of their stores and check out their new spring line. Ahh!! So fun!

I had the hardest time narrowing down my choices, but did end up settling on an outfit for each of the kids. I'm even more excited, because they start preschool next week, and now have some cute, coordinating outfits to wear to school.

It is SO the little things in life that make me happy!

So here is what I found:

For the girls, I loved these adorable shirts with skirts (and hidden bloomers):

Neon Cotton Bow Tee/ Chambray Anchor Print Skirt /Blue Cotton Bow Tee/ Sateen Print Skirt

But ended up going with these tshirts and jeggings instead:

 3/4-Sleeve Striped Tee / Stretch Denim Jeggings / 3/4-Sleeve Striped Tee / Stretch Denim Jeggings

I seriously cannot get enough of jeggings. Way. To. Adorable!

Speaking of adorable, I almost bought these sets for the boys:

Green Contrast-Cuff Plaid Shirt / Charcoal Ripstop Pull-On Cargo Shorts / Blue Contrast-Cuff Plaid Shirt / Khaki Ripstop Pull-On Cargo Shorts

But at the last minute, I went with these tshirt/shorts combos:

Irresistible Striped Tee / Grey Flat Front Shorts / Seriously Handsome Striped Tee / Blue Flat Front Shorts

Elijah's shirt says, "Irrestistible," and Caleb's shirt says, "Seriously Handsome." I think they are both adorable! :)

I really wanted something that they could all wear to preschool and enjoy on a regular basis. These sets seemed like a fun way to welcome spring!

Carter's is having a huge Baby and Kid Sale with items up to 50% off from February 18th-March 4th. I also had a 20% off coupon to stack with their sale prices. So here is what I ended up spending:

• Retail cost BEFORE the sale prices was $140 + tax
• The sale price knocked my total down to $74.40 + tax
• Then I stacked my 20% coupon on top of that, and ended up with $59.52 + tax

When all was said and done, I paid 42.5% of the original retail cost. Yahoo! You know I'm a consignment sale shopper, but it can be really hard to find coordinating clothes that way. I loved getting to pick out exactly what I wanted at such a steep discount. Happy Mama!

Shoot...now that I've written this post, I'm wondering if I should have picked up the other outfits too...hmmm...

Feel free to use this 20% off coupon if you plan on visiting a Carter's store to take advantage of their Baby and Kid Up to 50% Off Sale. You can view the Girl's Spring into Pink Collection and the Boy's Little Mate Collection if you'd like to see more! Just remember to stack those savings!

~Giveaway!~

Carter's would like to send one A Beautiful Ruckus reader a $50 gift card to help outfit your little one for spring! Please use the Rafflecopter widget below to enter. Winning entries will be validated prior to announcing the winner with an alternate drawn if the entries cannot be verified.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
The contest ends at 11:59pm on Tuesday, March 4th. The winner(s) will be randomly chosen and contacted by email on Wednesday, March 5th. The winner(s) will have 48 hours to respond to the email with their information so that the prize can be forwarded to them. A Beautiful Ruckus is not responsible for the delivery of the prize and is not responsible if the sponsor does not deliver. This giveaway is open to residents of the United States. A Beautiful Ruckus was compensated for writing this sponsored post, however all opinions are 100% original and authentic. For more info, please see my disclaimer page.

Thank you to The Motherhood and Carter's for sponsoring this post! And thank you to YOU for reading along and supporting our family!

This is totally fun! Ready?

Carter's asked me to go shopping at one of their stores and check out their new spring line. Ahh!! So fun!

I had the hardest time narrowing down my choices, but did end up settling on an outfit for each of the kids. I'm even more excited, because they start preschool next week, and now have some cute, coordinating outfits to wear to school.

It is SO the little things in life that make me happy!

So here is what I found:

For the girls, I loved these adorable shirts with skirts (and hidden bloomers):

Neon Cotton Bow Tee/ Chambray Anchor Print Skirt /Blue Cotton Bow Tee/ Sateen Print Skirt

But ended up going with these tshirts and jeggings instead:

 3/4-Sleeve Striped Tee / Stretch Denim Jeggings / 3/4-Sleeve Striped Tee / Stretch Denim Jeggings

I seriously cannot get enough of jeggings. Way. To. Adorable!

Speaking of adorable, I almost bought these sets for the boys:

Green Contrast-Cuff Plaid Shirt / Charcoal Ripstop Pull-On Cargo Shorts / Blue Contrast-Cuff Plaid Shirt / Khaki Ripstop Pull-On Cargo Shorts

But at the last minute, I went with these tshirt/shorts combos:

Irresistible Striped Tee / Grey Flat Front Shorts / Seriously Handsome Striped Tee / Blue Flat Front Shorts

Elijah's shirt says, "Irrestistible," and Caleb's shirt says, "Seriously Handsome." I think they are both adorable! :)

I really wanted something that they could all wear to preschool and enjoy on a regular basis. These sets seemed like a fun way to welcome spring!

Carter's is having a huge Baby and Kid Sale with items up to 50% off from February 18th-March 4th. I also had a 20% off coupon to stack with their sale prices. So here is what I ended up spending:

• Retail cost BEFORE the sale prices was $140 + tax
• The sale price knocked my total down to $74.40 + tax
• Then I stacked my 20% coupon on top of that, and ended up with $59.52 + tax

When all was said and done, I paid 42.5% of the original retail cost. Yahoo! You know I'm a consignment sale shopper, but it can be really hard to find coordinating clothes that way. I loved getting to pick out exactly what I wanted at such a steep discount. Happy Mama!

Shoot...now that I've written this post, I'm wondering if I should have picked up the other outfits too...hmmm...

Feel free to use this 20% off coupon if you plan on visiting a Carter's store to take advantage of their Baby and Kid Up to 50% Off Sale. You can view the Girl's Spring into Pink Collection and the Boy's Little Mate Collection if you'd like to see more! Just remember to stack those savings!

~Giveaway!~

Carter's would like to send one A Beautiful Ruckus reader a $50 gift card to help outfit your little one for spring! Please use the Rafflecopter widget below to enter. Winning entries will be validated prior to announcing the winner with an alternate drawn if the entries cannot be verified.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
The contest ends at 11:59pm on Tuesday, March 4th. The winner(s) will be randomly chosen and contacted by email on Wednesday, March 5th. The winner(s) will have 48 hours to respond to the email with their information so that the prize can be forwarded to them. A Beautiful Ruckus is not responsible for the delivery of the prize and is not responsible if the sponsor does not deliver. This giveaway is open to residents of the United States. A Beautiful Ruckus was compensated for writing this sponsored post, however all opinions are 100% original and authentic. For more info, please see my disclaimer page.

Letters from Dad: #12

(Once a month, I invite Sean to take over the blog and write a little note to our kids. I love that he is willing to leave little nuggets of wisdom for them to look back on when they are older!)

Dear Children,

You are now three years old, and you have grown so much. In leaps and bounds.

When you were first born I worried about you so much, especially the girls; Abby with her oxygen issues and Ellie with the cysts on her brain and her stiff legs. Now, you are three and will begin preschool in a week. It’s been a long journey for you, and a long journey for your Mommy and Daddy.

We are so proud of you.

Three years, and it has gone by so quickly. But I still worry about you. I mostly worry about Caleb these days since he talks the least and is still something of a loner. People tell me not to worry about his talking, because one day he won’t ever quit. I know that day will be here soon, but right now in this moment in time, I worry about him. He seems to struggle so, but he also seems happy, so I should just let it be and stop worrying.

Children, there is a verse in the Bible about not being able to add a moment to your life by worrying. I can’t make Caleb talk. I can’t make you all sleep at night. I can’t guarantee that you will live a happy productive life. Only God can take care of us. It’s more productive to give my worries about you children to God rather than to keep them as my own.

Happy Birthday, Children! Continue to be happy and lead blessed lives. May you know God and live life to the fullest.

Love,

Your Daddy

(Once a month, I invite Sean to take over the blog and write a little note to our kids. I love that he is willing to leave little nuggets of wisdom for them to look back on when they are older!)

Dear Children,

You are now three years old, and you have grown so much. In leaps and bounds.

When you were first born I worried about you so much, especially the girls; Abby with her oxygen issues and Ellie with the cysts on her brain and her stiff legs. Now, you are three and will begin preschool in a week. It’s been a long journey for you, and a long journey for your Mommy and Daddy.

We are so proud of you.

Three years, and it has gone by so quickly. But I still worry about you. I mostly worry about Caleb these days since he talks the least and is still something of a loner. People tell me not to worry about his talking, because one day he won’t ever quit. I know that day will be here soon, but right now in this moment in time, I worry about him. He seems to struggle so, but he also seems happy, so I should just let it be and stop worrying.

Children, there is a verse in the Bible about not being able to add a moment to your life by worrying. I can’t make Caleb talk. I can’t make you all sleep at night. I can’t guarantee that you will live a happy productive life. Only God can take care of us. It’s more productive to give my worries about you children to God rather than to keep them as my own.

Happy Birthday, Children! Continue to be happy and lead blessed lives. May you know God and live life to the fullest.

Love,

Your Daddy

Beat the Winter Blues Giveaway

Who's tired of Winter?

I'm already counting the days until spring, although we are expecting another polar vortex to hit this week. With that news in the forecast, I need something to brighten up my February...how about you?

I've teamed up with some awesome bloggers, who have handpicked some specials things for you. We've all selected some items that we think will brighten up your day and help you get through the last few weeks of winter. One lucky winner will receive all of our "favorites". I am so honored to work with such a wonderful group of ladies. I hope you enjoy taking a peek into their lives and blogs and that you will pop over to meet them if you haven't already been introduced!

Meet the bloggers and see why they picked the items they did...just for you!

AP of I Love You More Than Carrots 

Facebook : Twitter : Instagram : Pinterest 

AP is a registered nurse turned stay at home mom to two beautiful boys and a third due early spring. When AP isn't growing a human, she prefers her wine from a (large) coffee mug and has a special place in her heart for Cakebread Chardonnay. Her greatest accomplishment? Surviving four years and two boys without a trip to the ER. Although she knows that parenting badge is right around the corner. After finding earthworms in her fridge on more than one occasion and catching vomit with her bare hands, she can honestly say that nothing surprises her anymore.

She says "As a mom to two handsome and devilish (or is it devilishly handsome?) boys under the age of four with a third due this Spring, there isn't a whole lot of time each day to devote to myself. Throw in a Polar Vortex or two and top them off with perpetual cabin fever and it's easy to fall victim to a bad case of winter blues. Two "treats" that have become an integral part of my day to day is the Naked3 Palette (it goes great with yoga pants and over-sized cardigans) as well as a Grande Non-Fat Caramel Flan Latte from Starbucks with extra whip. One makes me feel just a little more dressed up and ready to take on the day and the other, well, it supplies just the right amount of caffeine necessary to transform from a superhero to a train conductor to a top chef and do it all again an hour later. Here's to hoping these two things will help do the same for you, especially if you too, find yourself stuck in a bit of a winter rut. Want to read more about my caffeine-fueled many mis-adventures in mothering? I would love for you to swing on by."

Rebecca of A Beautiful Ruckus

Facebook : Twitter : Instagram : Pinterest 

Rebecca is the voice behind the blog, A Beautiful Ruckus. She's always loved writing (heck, she majored in it!), but didn't realize what an important part of her life it would become. Rebecca and her husband, Sean, welcomed boy/girl/boy/girl quadruplets three years ago, and Rebecca has been non-stop writing since! How else is she supposed to remember all of the milestones and antics that her quaddlers come up with? She loves inviting people to peak into their lives by reading stories on her blog. She also has other fun stuff like kids' activities, recipes, and giveaways...but the majority of the blog is about raising quads and figuring out how to mother four at the same time. When she isn't changing poopy diapers, she loves reading, eating desserts, and watching mystery and comedy shows on Netflix. And naps. Naps are also a huge highlight of her day!

She says: "Winter is admittedly not my favorite season. I'm a New Mexican transplant living in the cold and icy Midwest. When the snow starts falling, I burrow in and contentedly watch the snowflakes from inside my warm house. While I don't love the cold, I do love the beauty of an all-white landscape and the serenity that comes with it. Unfortunately, with the cold comes chapped lips and hands, and the frustration of trying to keep skin moisturized. I'm hoping that my prize makes your day a little softer and brighter! I'm giving away a Burt's Bees Tips N Toes Hands and Feet Kit to help with your dry skin. And because wearing personalized jewelry always makes my day brighter, I'm also giving away a handmade stamped necklace with your choice of initial from my favorite jeweler, VictorianaGlen!"

Lisa of Mom a la Mode

Facebook : Twitter  : Instagram : Pinterest

Lisa is the Creator & Editorial Director of Mom a la Mode, a blog that celebrates food, fashion, family life, pop culture and travel in the NYC Metro Area (and beyond!) If she's not dishing on the latest red carpet fashions or creating her own recipes for family-favorites for her husband and toddler son, she's chronicling her on-the-road adventures or reviewing the latest toy or arena show in the NY Metro area.  "I created this blog from my passions for food, fun, family and good living," says Lisa.  "It's been such a rewarding and enriching experience to have a daily dialogue with my followers and readers -- I'm constantly learning something new from them (and I often post about that on my blog!).  That is what I love the most about being active in social media -- the sharing and connections.  And above all -- the inspiration."

She says "I'm going to be honest with you: Winter is my LEAST favorite of the seasons.  So that's why it's super important for me to keep myself and my family as busy and creatively-charged as possible to fight off those Winter Blues.  In the Mom a la Mode household, we do that in the KITCHEN! The colder and snowier it gets, the more I cook and bake.  Soups, rice bakes, snow cakes, interesting twists on egg rolls -- the more it snows, the more innovative my concoctions get.  In the spirit of creating in the kitchen to beat the Winter Blues, I'm gifting a Play-Doh Sweet Shoppe Double Desserts Play Set to keep the little ones busy "baking" inside when the weather gets rough outside.  Then for mom, a Weelicious cookbook, Stonyfield Yogurt and Funny Face Cranberries for some "feel-good food" to make for real.  Enjoy!"

Kate of Style Smaller 

Twitter : Facebook : Instagram : Pinterest 

Kate from Style Smaller lives in San Francisco with her husband and two little girls- Sophie & Maggie- whose mini style inspired the creation of the blog. Style Smaller is lifestyle blog; it's all about the places they go, the things they do, the looks they love, the people they meet, and the thoughts they think.

She says "We don't have a harsh winter, but we get some chilly foggy and windy days, and we love bundling up and going for walks to have hot chocolate at local coffee shops. We love getting stylish in winter cozies on our walks, so I'm giving away our favorite scarf: the Tapestry scarf by Peppercorn Kids. My kids take turns wearing this scarf, and takes any little outfit up a notch. We're throwing in a couple fun gold bead bracelets in too, because accessories make an outfit!"

Courtney and Julie of The Chirping Moms 

Blog : Facebook : Twitter : Pinterest : Instagram

The Chirping Moms are best friends that met at a neighborhood park in New Jersey. Courtney, a mom of two girls, and Julie, a mom of two boys and a baby girl, decided to jump into the world of blogging about 1 1/2 year ago on a rainy spring afternoon. Recently, Julie moved to the DC area but they have continued to enjoy writing the blog together despite the distance between them. Together, on the blog, they share their adventures in motherhood along with activities for kids, crafts, recipes and ideas for family travel.

They say "Winter has hit our towns hard this year. Preschool has been cancelled often and many days have meant staying in the house for hours. We have come up with some fun ways to keep the kids busy inside, but long for days at the park. One of our favorite things about being stuck inside all day: staying in our warm pjs and enjoying warm coffee or tea. We've decided to give away a pair of our favorite pjs from PJ Salvage with a matching coffee mug. As long and crazy as "snow days" can seem, with you're  a crew of little kids, it's fun to make some cozy memories snuggling together or adventurous memories out in the snow. These winter months seem long, but the years fly by. That's why we're also giving away a vintage growth chart ruler. These rulers from Carone Creations are handmade by a loving mom. They are a beautiful way to track your growing family. Remember, spring is right around the corner!"

We are excited to send one winner all of these fun items:
Naked3 Palette : $10 Starbuck's Gift Card : Burt's Bees Tips N Toes Hands & Feet Kit : VictorianaGlen Handmade Personalized Initial Necklace : Play-Doh Sweet Shoppe Double Desserts Play Set : Weelicious Cookbook : Stonyfield Yogurt :  Funny Face Cranberries : Tapestry scarf by Peppercorn Kids :  Gold Bead Bracelets : PJ Salvage Pajamas and Matching Coffee Mug : Carone Creations Vintage Growth Chart Ruler 

a Rafflecopter giveaway This post may contain affiliate links. For more info, please see my disclaimer page.

Who's tired of Winter?

I'm already counting the days until spring, although we are expecting another polar vortex to hit this week. With that news in the forecast, I need something to brighten up my February...how about you?

I've teamed up with some awesome bloggers, who have handpicked some specials things for you. We've all selected some items that we think will brighten up your day and help you get through the last few weeks of winter. One lucky winner will receive all of our "favorites". I am so honored to work with such a wonderful group of ladies. I hope you enjoy taking a peek into their lives and blogs and that you will pop over to meet them if you haven't already been introduced!

Meet the bloggers and see why they picked the items they did...just for you!

AP of I Love You More Than Carrots 

Facebook : Twitter : Instagram : Pinterest 

AP is a registered nurse turned stay at home mom to two beautiful boys and a third due early spring. When AP isn't growing a human, she prefers her wine from a (large) coffee mug and has a special place in her heart for Cakebread Chardonnay. Her greatest accomplishment? Surviving four years and two boys without a trip to the ER. Although she knows that parenting badge is right around the corner. After finding earthworms in her fridge on more than one occasion and catching vomit with her bare hands, she can honestly say that nothing surprises her anymore.

She says "As a mom to two handsome and devilish (or is it devilishly handsome?) boys under the age of four with a third due this Spring, there isn't a whole lot of time each day to devote to myself. Throw in a Polar Vortex or two and top them off with perpetual cabin fever and it's easy to fall victim to a bad case of winter blues. Two "treats" that have become an integral part of my day to day is the Naked3 Palette (it goes great with yoga pants and over-sized cardigans) as well as a Grande Non-Fat Caramel Flan Latte from Starbucks with extra whip. One makes me feel just a little more dressed up and ready to take on the day and the other, well, it supplies just the right amount of caffeine necessary to transform from a superhero to a train conductor to a top chef and do it all again an hour later. Here's to hoping these two things will help do the same for you, especially if you too, find yourself stuck in a bit of a winter rut. Want to read more about my caffeine-fueled many mis-adventures in mothering? I would love for you to swing on by."

Rebecca of A Beautiful Ruckus

Facebook : Twitter : Instagram : Pinterest 

Rebecca is the voice behind the blog, A Beautiful Ruckus. She's always loved writing (heck, she majored in it!), but didn't realize what an important part of her life it would become. Rebecca and her husband, Sean, welcomed boy/girl/boy/girl quadruplets three years ago, and Rebecca has been non-stop writing since! How else is she supposed to remember all of the milestones and antics that her quaddlers come up with? She loves inviting people to peak into their lives by reading stories on her blog. She also has other fun stuff like kids' activities, recipes, and giveaways...but the majority of the blog is about raising quads and figuring out how to mother four at the same time. When she isn't changing poopy diapers, she loves reading, eating desserts, and watching mystery and comedy shows on Netflix. And naps. Naps are also a huge highlight of her day!

She says: "Winter is admittedly not my favorite season. I'm a New Mexican transplant living in the cold and icy Midwest. When the snow starts falling, I burrow in and contentedly watch the snowflakes from inside my warm house. While I don't love the cold, I do love the beauty of an all-white landscape and the serenity that comes with it. Unfortunately, with the cold comes chapped lips and hands, and the frustration of trying to keep skin moisturized. I'm hoping that my prize makes your day a little softer and brighter! I'm giving away a Burt's Bees Tips N Toes Hands and Feet Kit to help with your dry skin. And because wearing personalized jewelry always makes my day brighter, I'm also giving away a handmade stamped necklace with your choice of initial from my favorite jeweler, VictorianaGlen!"

Lisa of Mom a la Mode

Facebook : Twitter  : Instagram : Pinterest

Lisa is the Creator & Editorial Director of Mom a la Mode, a blog that celebrates food, fashion, family life, pop culture and travel in the NYC Metro Area (and beyond!) If she's not dishing on the latest red carpet fashions or creating her own recipes for family-favorites for her husband and toddler son, she's chronicling her on-the-road adventures or reviewing the latest toy or arena show in the NY Metro area.  "I created this blog from my passions for food, fun, family and good living," says Lisa.  "It's been such a rewarding and enriching experience to have a daily dialogue with my followers and readers -- I'm constantly learning something new from them (and I often post about that on my blog!).  That is what I love the most about being active in social media -- the sharing and connections.  And above all -- the inspiration."

She says "I'm going to be honest with you: Winter is my LEAST favorite of the seasons.  So that's why it's super important for me to keep myself and my family as busy and creatively-charged as possible to fight off those Winter Blues.  In the Mom a la Mode household, we do that in the KITCHEN! The colder and snowier it gets, the more I cook and bake.  Soups, rice bakes, snow cakes, interesting twists on egg rolls -- the more it snows, the more innovative my concoctions get.  In the spirit of creating in the kitchen to beat the Winter Blues, I'm gifting a Play-Doh Sweet Shoppe Double Desserts Play Set to keep the little ones busy "baking" inside when the weather gets rough outside.  Then for mom, a Weelicious cookbook, Stonyfield Yogurt and Funny Face Cranberries for some "feel-good food" to make for real.  Enjoy!"

Kate of Style Smaller 

Twitter : Facebook : Instagram : Pinterest 

Kate from Style Smaller lives in San Francisco with her husband and two little girls- Sophie & Maggie- whose mini style inspired the creation of the blog. Style Smaller is lifestyle blog; it's all about the places they go, the things they do, the looks they love, the people they meet, and the thoughts they think.

She says "We don't have a harsh winter, but we get some chilly foggy and windy days, and we love bundling up and going for walks to have hot chocolate at local coffee shops. We love getting stylish in winter cozies on our walks, so I'm giving away our favorite scarf: the Tapestry scarf by Peppercorn Kids. My kids take turns wearing this scarf, and takes any little outfit up a notch. We're throwing in a couple fun gold bead bracelets in too, because accessories make an outfit!"

Courtney and Julie of The Chirping Moms 

Blog : Facebook : Twitter : Pinterest : Instagram

The Chirping Moms are best friends that met at a neighborhood park in New Jersey. Courtney, a mom of two girls, and Julie, a mom of two boys and a baby girl, decided to jump into the world of blogging about 1 1/2 year ago on a rainy spring afternoon. Recently, Julie moved to the DC area but they have continued to enjoy writing the blog together despite the distance between them. Together, on the blog, they share their adventures in motherhood along with activities for kids, crafts, recipes and ideas for family travel.

They say "Winter has hit our towns hard this year. Preschool has been cancelled often and many days have meant staying in the house for hours. We have come up with some fun ways to keep the kids busy inside, but long for days at the park. One of our favorite things about being stuck inside all day: staying in our warm pjs and enjoying warm coffee or tea. We've decided to give away a pair of our favorite pjs from PJ Salvage with a matching coffee mug. As long and crazy as "snow days" can seem, with you're  a crew of little kids, it's fun to make some cozy memories snuggling together or adventurous memories out in the snow. These winter months seem long, but the years fly by. That's why we're also giving away a vintage growth chart ruler. These rulers from Carone Creations are handmade by a loving mom. They are a beautiful way to track your growing family. Remember, spring is right around the corner!"

We are excited to send one winner all of these fun items:
Naked3 Palette : $10 Starbuck's Gift Card : Burt's Bees Tips N Toes Hands & Feet Kit : VictorianaGlen Handmade Personalized Initial Necklace : Play-Doh Sweet Shoppe Double Desserts Play Set : Weelicious Cookbook : Stonyfield Yogurt :  Funny Face Cranberries : Tapestry scarf by Peppercorn Kids :  Gold Bead Bracelets : PJ Salvage Pajamas and Matching Coffee Mug : Carone Creations Vintage Growth Chart Ruler 

a Rafflecopter giveaway This post may contain affiliate links. For more info, please see my disclaimer page.

Happy 3rd Birthday, Kids!

Abby, Ellie, Elijah, and Caleb

Every year, on February 23rd, I take a deep breath and think,

We made it!!

I think most parents probably feel the same way when their kids reach another birthday. :)

Today our sweet miracle babies are 3-year-olds. Three very long, yet short years have passed since I was rushed to have an emergency c-section at 27 weeks, 6 days gestation. Our biggest was 2 lbs, 5 oz, and our smallest was only 1 lb, 14 oz. I'm excited to see how big they are at their three year checkup tomorrow!

I'm sure that this next year will bring new adventures as they continue learning, growing, and catching up with other kids their age.

Thank you for reading along with our adventures, supporting us everyday, and keeping our family in your prayers. If three is anything like two, we definitely need them!

Abby, Ellie, Elijah, and Caleb

Every year, on February 23rd, I take a deep breath and think,

We made it!!

I think most parents probably feel the same way when their kids reach another birthday. :)

Today our sweet miracle babies are 3-year-olds. Three very long, yet short years have passed since I was rushed to have an emergency c-section at 27 weeks, 6 days gestation. Our biggest was 2 lbs, 5 oz, and our smallest was only 1 lb, 14 oz. I'm excited to see how big they are at their three year checkup tomorrow!

I'm sure that this next year will bring new adventures as they continue learning, growing, and catching up with other kids their age.

Thank you for reading along with our adventures, supporting us everyday, and keeping our family in your prayers. If three is anything like two, we definitely need them!

Free App for Kids' Activities + 5 Bikes to Giveaway!

I'm excited to be teaming up with Productive Parenting and Strider Bikes to bring you an awesome (free!) app that you're going love - and a chance to win one of five Strider Bikes!

Thousands of Activities for Kids!

Productive Parenting has been around for years - offering fast and simple activities that you can do with your kids. The activities are created by a team of childhood education experts and categorized by age (0 - 5) and also by skills learned. And now they've taken all of their amazing activities and created an app. You download it from the iTunes store, quickly enter in the names and ages of your children, and each day you'll be given a new (simple) activity to do with your kids.

   

No props? No problem. Productive Parenting activities require little to no preparation or materials; but don’t let their simplicity fool you. They provide a solid foundation for Kindergarten and at the same time promote lasting parent-child relationships.

 

I don't know about you, but one of the hardest parts of entertaining kids is coming up with something on the fly. When the whining starts, my brain cells seem to stop. The idea of a prompt each day sounds like the perfect way to help out my Mommy brain! And I love the part where I don't have to go shopping for tons of new stuff to make the activities work. Little prep or materials is a definite plus at our house!

... And It's Free until March 5, 2014! Until March 5, 2014, the Productive Parenting app will be available for FREE in the iTunes store. After that, the price will be set at $1.99.Click here to download it now.

Download and Enter to Win

Download the free app, and use the Rafflecopter form below to enter to win one of FIVE Strider Bikes.

 

Retailing for over $100, STRIDER balance bikes are perfect for children from 18 months to 5 years old. This no-pedal balance bike teaches your child balance and coordination while developing confidence. There are multiple ways to enter each day, so be sure to check back to increase your chances of winning. Good luck! a Rafflecopter giveaway Giveaway is available to the Continental US and ends at midnight on March 4, 2014. Five winners will be able to choose from one of Strider's ST-4 Strider branded bikes (12” bikes for the 18 month-5 year old crowd)

A Beautiful Ruckus received no compensation for sponsoring this event, and is not responsible for the delivery of the prize. Prize delivery is the sold responsibility of Strider. Five winners will be drawn randomly and notified by email. The winners will have 48 hours to respond in order to claim their prize. If they do not respond within the 48 hours, they will forfeit the prize and an alternate winner will be chosen. This post may contain affiliate links. For more info, please see my disclaimer page.

I'm excited to be teaming up with Productive Parenting and Strider Bikes to bring you an awesome (free!) app that you're going love - and a chance to win one of five Strider Bikes!

Thousands of Activities for Kids!

Productive Parenting has been around for years - offering fast and simple activities that you can do with your kids. The activities are created by a team of childhood education experts and categorized by age (0 - 5) and also by skills learned. And now they've taken all of their amazing activities and created an app. You download it from the iTunes store, quickly enter in the names and ages of your children, and each day you'll be given a new (simple) activity to do with your kids.

   

No props? No problem. Productive Parenting activities require little to no preparation or materials; but don’t let their simplicity fool you. They provide a solid foundation for Kindergarten and at the same time promote lasting parent-child relationships.

 

I don't know about you, but one of the hardest parts of entertaining kids is coming up with something on the fly. When the whining starts, my brain cells seem to stop. The idea of a prompt each day sounds like the perfect way to help out my Mommy brain! And I love the part where I don't have to go shopping for tons of new stuff to make the activities work. Little prep or materials is a definite plus at our house!

... And It's Free until March 5, 2014! Until March 5, 2014, the Productive Parenting app will be available for FREE in the iTunes store. After that, the price will be set at $1.99.Click here to download it now.

Download and Enter to Win

Download the free app, and use the Rafflecopter form below to enter to win one of FIVE Strider Bikes.

 

Retailing for over $100, STRIDER balance bikes are perfect for children from 18 months to 5 years old. This no-pedal balance bike teaches your child balance and coordination while developing confidence. There are multiple ways to enter each day, so be sure to check back to increase your chances of winning. Good luck! a Rafflecopter giveaway Giveaway is available to the Continental US and ends at midnight on March 4, 2014. Five winners will be able to choose from one of Strider's ST-4 Strider branded bikes (12” bikes for the 18 month-5 year old crowd)

A Beautiful Ruckus received no compensation for sponsoring this event, and is not responsible for the delivery of the prize. Prize delivery is the sold responsibility of Strider. Five winners will be drawn randomly and notified by email. The winners will have 48 hours to respond in order to claim their prize. If they do not respond within the 48 hours, they will forfeit the prize and an alternate winner will be chosen. This post may contain affiliate links. For more info, please see my disclaimer page.

3rd Birthday Interview: Elizabeth Grace

This post may contain affiliate links for your convenience. Thank you for helping support our family!

And finally, our very spunky little runt!

Although she was the last to be born, the smallest baby, and is the shortest of her siblings, Ellie has enough personality to make up for all of that!

Her language level is at about 26 months, so I was actually able to get a few answers from her. Anything in quotes means that she actually said it. Otherwise, I'm filling in where necessary. :)

Elizabeth Grace

How old are you? How old are you, Ellie? Do you remember? "Three"
What makes you happy? Coloring!
What is your favorite animal? "More chicken?" (Maybe she thought I was asking what her favorite animal was to eat??)
What is your favorite color? Pink
What is your favorite thing to eat? "Chicken Fries!" (Chicken nuggets and french fries from McDonalds)
What is your least favorite thing to eat? It changes from day to day. (Mommy wishes she could figure out a pattern!)
What is your favorite thing to do? "Mickey Mouse Clubhouse!" (she loves watching it with her bunnies)
What is your favorite TV show? Curious George
What is your favorite movie? Mickey Mouse Clubhouse
What are you really good at? Mommy says that I'm great at finding spills of any type and wiping them up with my lovey bunny. Mommy also appreciates that I throw away the dirty diapers and put the dirty clothes in the laundry basket. I'm also great at helping pick up our toys!
What is your favorite song? Hopeless Wanderer by Mumford and Sons. I like to rock out on my spach-e-tar! (She uses a blue spatula as her guitar. lol!)
What do you and your mom do together? We wash our hands, brush our hair, and I like to stare Mommy down while she is going potty. I don't know why Mommy tries to go potty by herself. I think it's fun to help her!
What do you and your dad do together? We dance and sing to music videos. I also make Daddy kiss and hug my bunnies every time he leaves for work.
What is your favorite book? I love to read everything I can put my hands on: kid books, adult books, magazines, flyers, grocery sale ads, etc... Then Doodle and Abby come over and rip them up.
What do you want to be when you grow up? Mommy says that with my personality, I'm going to do big things...like be a motivational speaker.

If you want to jump back, you can read Ellie's 2nd Birthday Interview here.

And don't forget to read Caleb, Abby, and Elijah's 3rd birthday interviews too!

This post may contain affiliate links. For more info, please see my disclaimer page.

This post may contain affiliate links for your convenience. Thank you for helping support our family!

And finally, our very spunky little runt!

Although she was the last to be born, the smallest baby, and is the shortest of her siblings, Ellie has enough personality to make up for all of that!

Her language level is at about 26 months, so I was actually able to get a few answers from her. Anything in quotes means that she actually said it. Otherwise, I'm filling in where necessary. :)

Elizabeth Grace

How old are you? How old are you, Ellie? Do you remember? "Three"
What makes you happy? Coloring!
What is your favorite animal? "More chicken?" (Maybe she thought I was asking what her favorite animal was to eat??)
What is your favorite color? Pink
What is your favorite thing to eat? "Chicken Fries!" (Chicken nuggets and french fries from McDonalds)
What is your least favorite thing to eat? It changes from day to day. (Mommy wishes she could figure out a pattern!)
What is your favorite thing to do? "Mickey Mouse Clubhouse!" (she loves watching it with her bunnies)
What is your favorite TV show? Curious George
What is your favorite movie? Mickey Mouse Clubhouse
What are you really good at? Mommy says that I'm great at finding spills of any type and wiping them up with my lovey bunny. Mommy also appreciates that I throw away the dirty diapers and put the dirty clothes in the laundry basket. I'm also great at helping pick up our toys!
What is your favorite song? Hopeless Wanderer by Mumford and Sons. I like to rock out on my spach-e-tar! (She uses a blue spatula as her guitar. lol!)
What do you and your mom do together? We wash our hands, brush our hair, and I like to stare Mommy down while she is going potty. I don't know why Mommy tries to go potty by herself. I think it's fun to help her!
What do you and your dad do together? We dance and sing to music videos. I also make Daddy kiss and hug my bunnies every time he leaves for work.
What is your favorite book? I love to read everything I can put my hands on: kid books, adult books, magazines, flyers, grocery sale ads, etc... Then Doodle and Abby come over and rip them up.
What do you want to be when you grow up? Mommy says that with my personality, I'm going to do big things...like be a motivational speaker.

If you want to jump back, you can read Ellie's 2nd Birthday Interview here.

And don't forget to read Caleb, Abby, and Elijah's 3rd birthday interviews too!

This post may contain affiliate links. For more info, please see my disclaimer page.

The Little Things Thursdays: #60

This post may contain affiliate links. Thank you for supporting our family and blog!

Welcome to The Little Things Thursday!!

If you are new to our link-up, we like to take a minute to look back on the little things that brightened our week. So often we get busy and forget all of the things that we enjoy as we go through our daily lives. This is an opportunity to stop, remember, and enjoy those things! Nothing is too small...in fact, the smaller the better! That's the whole point! If you have a blog, link-up below. If you don't blog, I'd love for you to participate by leaving a comment. Ready?

1. My Bed!

He moved before I could snap the cutest photo, so you will have to kind of fill in the details. Caleb has decided that his bed is actually OUR bed. He likes to climb in it with his lovey and just snuggle under the blankets. It's really cute except for the part where he thinks it's his bed at 10pm, 1am, 3:30am, 5:45am...I think you follow me. We don't let our kiddos sleep in our bed, so it means a lot of trekking back and forth between bedrooms all night. #exhausting

2. Extended Family Photos

I don't have a photo myself, but Sean's extended family all got together to do family photos over the weekend. Family members even came in from out of town for it! Want to see the clan that I married into? There is a teaser photo on the photographer's FaceBook page. Click HERE to see it!

3. Ellie Sleeping Again...

Three weeks in a row, I have a silly photo of Ellie sleeping! I took this photo at nap time when I heard Abby bouncing around in her bed. I walked into their room to find nothing in Abby's bed, and everything in Ellie's bed. Can you spot her under the mountain of blankets, pillows, and stuffed animals? Sound asleep. (and yes, Abby and I had a heart-to-heart about keeping her things in her bed after I took this photo. It didn't work.)

4. Speaking of Sleep...

This is how Caleb normally sleeps. True story.

5. Neutrogena Nourishing Long Wear Makeup

Over the last month, I have had a ton of product review stuff come in, and I just got around to photographing and trying it all. I love trying new things like this, because I wouldn't just pick it up either wise. I especially like trying new makeup products! I get in such a rut as a mom, and so things like this are a splurge! This product actually showed up right on time since I was running low on foundation. I've always liked the Neutrogena brand, and their Nourishing Long Wear Foundation doesn't disappoint. It goes on smoothly and covers nicely. The way a product smells is a big deal to me, and thankfully, this foundation doesn't stink like some of the other drugstore brands. However, the one big con with this product is the packaging. It's in a glass bottle which means that when I get to the end, I'll end up leaving a whole bunch in the bottom because I won't be able to get it out. Because of that, I probably won't go out and buy it (unless someone can tell me how to get the last little bit out??). I really prefer to have my foundation packaged in those plastic squeeze bottles so that I can cut them open and scoop the last bit out with my finger. I like to think that just makes me frugal!

6. Boys and Their High Heels

Hehe! I hope my boys don't hate me for this, but I totally caught both of them checking out the girls dress up shoes! Ellie is actually a pro at walking around the house in her heels, and the boys (and Abby) can't figure it out for the life of them. But it doesn't keep them from trying!

Now it's your turn! What Little Things brightened up your week? Link up your post below (or leave a comment if you aren't a blogger) and make sure you come back next week to play again!

The link up rules are super simple!
1. Please add the button or a text link to your sidebar or post to share the fun that we are having over here!
2. Please visit at least one other blog linking up and leave some blog love. Maybe you will find someone else's "little thing" is exactly what you needed to read!
3. Please keep your linked post clean and respectful! Any links directing to offensive posts will be deleted.

<center> <a href="http://www.abeautifulruckus.com"><img src="http://i1310.photobucket.com/albums/s654/faithfulrose1/TheLittleThingsThursdayButton.jpg" /></a></center>
This post may contain affiliate links. For more info, please see my disclaimer page.

This post may contain affiliate links. Thank you for supporting our family and blog!

Welcome to The Little Things Thursday!!

If you are new to our link-up, we like to take a minute to look back on the little things that brightened our week. So often we get busy and forget all of the things that we enjoy as we go through our daily lives. This is an opportunity to stop, remember, and enjoy those things! Nothing is too small...in fact, the smaller the better! That's the whole point! If you have a blog, link-up below. If you don't blog, I'd love for you to participate by leaving a comment. Ready?

1. My Bed!

He moved before I could snap the cutest photo, so you will have to kind of fill in the details. Caleb has decided that his bed is actually OUR bed. He likes to climb in it with his lovey and just snuggle under the blankets. It's really cute except for the part where he thinks it's his bed at 10pm, 1am, 3:30am, 5:45am...I think you follow me. We don't let our kiddos sleep in our bed, so it means a lot of trekking back and forth between bedrooms all night. #exhausting

2. Extended Family Photos

I don't have a photo myself, but Sean's extended family all got together to do family photos over the weekend. Family members even came in from out of town for it! Want to see the clan that I married into? There is a teaser photo on the photographer's FaceBook page. Click HERE to see it!

3. Ellie Sleeping Again...

Three weeks in a row, I have a silly photo of Ellie sleeping! I took this photo at nap time when I heard Abby bouncing around in her bed. I walked into their room to find nothing in Abby's bed, and everything in Ellie's bed. Can you spot her under the mountain of blankets, pillows, and stuffed animals? Sound asleep. (and yes, Abby and I had a heart-to-heart about keeping her things in her bed after I took this photo. It didn't work.)

4. Speaking of Sleep...

This is how Caleb normally sleeps. True story.

5. Neutrogena Nourishing Long Wear Makeup

Over the last month, I have had a ton of product review stuff come in, and I just got around to photographing and trying it all. I love trying new things like this, because I wouldn't just pick it up either wise. I especially like trying new makeup products! I get in such a rut as a mom, and so things like this are a splurge! This product actually showed up right on time since I was running low on foundation. I've always liked the Neutrogena brand, and their Nourishing Long Wear Foundation doesn't disappoint. It goes on smoothly and covers nicely. The way a product smells is a big deal to me, and thankfully, this foundation doesn't stink like some of the other drugstore brands. However, the one big con with this product is the packaging. It's in a glass bottle which means that when I get to the end, I'll end up leaving a whole bunch in the bottom because I won't be able to get it out. Because of that, I probably won't go out and buy it (unless someone can tell me how to get the last little bit out??). I really prefer to have my foundation packaged in those plastic squeeze bottles so that I can cut them open and scoop the last bit out with my finger. I like to think that just makes me frugal!

6. Boys and Their High Heels

Hehe! I hope my boys don't hate me for this, but I totally caught both of them checking out the girls dress up shoes! Ellie is actually a pro at walking around the house in her heels, and the boys (and Abby) can't figure it out for the life of them. But it doesn't keep them from trying!

Now it's your turn! What Little Things brightened up your week? Link up your post below (or leave a comment if you aren't a blogger) and make sure you come back next week to play again!

The link up rules are super simple!
1. Please add the button or a text link to your sidebar or post to share the fun that we are having over here!
2. Please visit at least one other blog linking up and leave some blog love. Maybe you will find someone else's "little thing" is exactly what you needed to read!
3. Please keep your linked post clean and respectful! Any links directing to offensive posts will be deleted.

<center> <a href="http://www.abeautifulruckus.com"><img src="http://i1310.photobucket.com/albums/s654/faithfulrose1/TheLittleThingsThursdayButton.jpg" /></a></center>
This post may contain affiliate links. For more info, please see my disclaimer page.

3rd Birthday Interview: Elijah James

This post may contain affiliate links for your convenience. Thank you for helping support our family!

Elijah is our next birthday kid!

Elijah, or Doodle as we like to call him, has roughly the same amount of vocabulary that Abby has: 23 month level. However, he "talks" non-stop! He has a whole lot to say even though we don't understand everything. The two phrases he uses the most are: "More *insert food*!!" and "All done!"

So here we go with my answers for our Doodle Bug. I'm sure this kid will be talking a mile a minute by the time his interview comes around next year!

Elijah James

How old are you? Two going on three.
What makes you happy?  More food! More snack!
What is your favorite animal? My brown bear (from the Brown Bear, Brown Bear book!)
What is your favorite color? Green
What is your favorite thing to eat? He loves just about everything, especially if it is a shape like "circles" (Ritz crackers), "squares" (croutons), "heart" (heart shaped cookies), etc.
What is your least favorite thing to eat? He doesn't like things that are mixed together like casseroles.
What is your favorite thing to do? Run in circles around the lower level of the house. He runs through the kitchen, living room, and dining room, over, and over, and over, and over...
What is your favorite TV show? Curious George
What is your favorite movie? He is so easy going, he doesn't have one.
What are you really good at? He is really good about collecting the dirty diapers as Mommy and Daddy change them, and throwing them away. He loves the praise that he is a good helper!
What is your favorite song? Begin Again by Taylor Swift (This is entirely Daddy's fault. He loves Taylor Swift. Not kidding!)
What do you and your mom do together? Elijah is a huge snuggler! He can't seem to get enough snuggles from Mommy!
What do you and your dad do together? In the mornings before all of the other kids wake up, he likes to sit on Daddy's lap to talk and help him eat breakfast before he leaves for work.
What is your favorite book? Doodle loves books! They are one of the things that keep his attention the longest. He doesn't have a favorite since he loves looking through all of them!
What do you want to be when you grow up? Daddy says that he will end up in the medical profession as a doctor, nurse, psychologist, or something like that. He loves people, and loves helping, and has such a sensitive, sweet spirit that we think he will end up doing something that helps others.

If you want to jump back, you can read Elijah's 2nd Birthday Interview here.

And don't forget to read Caleb and Abby's 3rd birthday interviews from last week!

This post may contain affiliate links. For more info, please see my disclaimer page.

This post may contain affiliate links for your convenience. Thank you for helping support our family!

Elijah is our next birthday kid!

Elijah, or Doodle as we like to call him, has roughly the same amount of vocabulary that Abby has: 23 month level. However, he "talks" non-stop! He has a whole lot to say even though we don't understand everything. The two phrases he uses the most are: "More *insert food*!!" and "All done!"

So here we go with my answers for our Doodle Bug. I'm sure this kid will be talking a mile a minute by the time his interview comes around next year!

Elijah James

How old are you? Two going on three.
What makes you happy?  More food! More snack!
What is your favorite animal? My brown bear (from the Brown Bear, Brown Bear book!)
What is your favorite color? Green
What is your favorite thing to eat? He loves just about everything, especially if it is a shape like "circles" (Ritz crackers), "squares" (croutons), "heart" (heart shaped cookies), etc.
What is your least favorite thing to eat? He doesn't like things that are mixed together like casseroles.
What is your favorite thing to do? Run in circles around the lower level of the house. He runs through the kitchen, living room, and dining room, over, and over, and over, and over...
What is your favorite TV show? Curious George
What is your favorite movie? He is so easy going, he doesn't have one.
What are you really good at? He is really good about collecting the dirty diapers as Mommy and Daddy change them, and throwing them away. He loves the praise that he is a good helper!
What is your favorite song? Begin Again by Taylor Swift (This is entirely Daddy's fault. He loves Taylor Swift. Not kidding!)
What do you and your mom do together? Elijah is a huge snuggler! He can't seem to get enough snuggles from Mommy!
What do you and your dad do together? In the mornings before all of the other kids wake up, he likes to sit on Daddy's lap to talk and help him eat breakfast before he leaves for work.
What is your favorite book? Doodle loves books! They are one of the things that keep his attention the longest. He doesn't have a favorite since he loves looking through all of them!
What do you want to be when you grow up? Daddy says that he will end up in the medical profession as a doctor, nurse, psychologist, or something like that. He loves people, and loves helping, and has such a sensitive, sweet spirit that we think he will end up doing something that helps others.

If you want to jump back, you can read Elijah's 2nd Birthday Interview here.

And don't forget to read Caleb and Abby's 3rd birthday interviews from last week!

This post may contain affiliate links. For more info, please see my disclaimer page.