Virginia Beach: The Final Recap

It's hard to believe the final Virginia Beach recap I'm posting took place almost a year ago to date. I didn't intend for that to happen, but life got in the way of blogging about vacation. I wanted to finish it before this year's vacation, and I hope to be more timely with that recap!

Speaking of this year's vacation, as this post goes live, we will be preparing for our trip to the beach! We're leaving very early Saturday morning, which also happens to be Liam's 5th Birthday. Spending 12+ hours in the car isn't exactly the best way to spend a birthday, but he will be spending the evening of his birthday on the beach! (Hopefully that will make up for it.) We're all looking forward to spending a fun, relaxing week together at the beach!

For now, let's go back to almost exactly one year ago today...it was day seven of our Virginia Beach vacation, and it was Liam's 4th Birthday...

Life Lately

I'm back! The past three weeks have been rough. Liam got sick on July 24th, and it took him over a week to bounce back, then I caught his germs. I haven't been that sick in many years. I literally stayed home for almost an entire week, and couldn't leave my bed or the couch. I'm still not 100%, but it's a huge improvement from last week!

Needless to say, I won't be posting a weekly recap this week. If I did, it would look something like this: Monday sick, Tuesday sick but had to run a few errands, Wednesday sick, Thursday sick, Friday sick but starting to feel better, Saturday and Sunday weak and exhausted. I only pulled out my camera once the entire week, and I didn't get anything done! Lily spent this past weekend at my parent's house, Dylan had a friend sleep over on Saturday night and he spent all day Sunday with us, and Lexie went to her friend's house on Sunday. I feel like the past three weeks of Summer passed by in a blur while Liam and I were sick!

We hit the ground running today (Monday)! Liam has his last three days of preschool this week, and we have so much to do to prepare for our upcoming beach vacation. I also have to get back to work, and catch up on some sponsored posts that had to be pushed aside while I was so sick. I have so much unfinished content in my drafts folder, but right now I only have the brainpower to focus on real life posts! I'll get back to focusing on content after I get back from vacation and the kids go back to school. So for now, let's chat...

Family Fun at Virginia Beach {Day Six}

We are less than two weeks away from our next family vacation, and I have yet to finish recapping our last trip. I took so many pictures during the last three days in Virginia Beach that I have to break it into two posts, but I'm determined to finish the recap over the next week! Although I do want to share our family trip, it was honestly very low on my list of priorities over the past year!

We absolutely love Virginia Beach, and have gone there the past few years, but we opted for a different beach this year. We're excited, but looking back at all the fun pictures makes me regret that just a bit! If only we could plan TWO beach vacations each Summer...or just move to the beach!

The Mom Life Chronicles

The past few weeks of Summer have been a blur. After taking care of a sick Liam for two weeks, I ended up catching his germs. Although I didn't get nearly as sick as he did, the sore throat is brutal, and I'm now on day four of feeling miserable. That makes mom life a bit tough! Here's hoping the germs leave our house soon, and nobody else gets sick!!!

Here's a glimpse at mom life over the past week...

Lily's 7th Birthday

Lily celebrated her 7th Birthday on Friday! I remember the day she was born so vividly. It doesn't seem all that long ago, so it's hard to believe my baby girl is now 7 years old!

Lily had a great birthday, and we spent the entire day celebrating! She kicked it off with a room filled with balloons, and it ended with a tent full of kids. Every moment was special, and I have no doubt she's going to remember her 7th birthday fondly!

Friday Favorites

Happy Friday!!! If you read my post on Tuesday, you know we're recovering from a tough two weeks. The good news is Liam is on the mend, he's done taking steroids (YAY!!!), and today is Lily's 7th Birthday! We have a LOT to celebrate! 

I'm keeping this week's Friday Favorites short and sweet, and sharing 5 awesome things that we are currently loving!

When Sickness Strikes...

The picture above sums up the past week of my life! Taking care of Liam, who ended up getting REALLY sick over the weekend, and preparing for a meeting to discuss inclusion with the school district took up all of my time. Everything else got pushed aside...no blogging, no photography, no sponsored work, no summer fun...and rightfully so. The needs of my family always come first!

Some of you might have seen all the "excitement" unfold on Instagram or Facebook, but if not, I'll sum it up. Liam managed to go 8 months without getting sick a single time, but made up for it in one short week. He got a low fever on Tuesday and it came and went throughout the week. It was odd, because he rarely gets a fever, but he didn't have any other symptoms...and then those Chickenpox popped up! Just like his big brother, he ended up getting a mild version of the virus even though he was vaccinated. Then, on Saturday, he went into respiratory distress, and ended up in the ER. It was truly one of the most terrifying experiences I've ever had with one of my kids!

Here's how the week progressed from a simple fever to an overnight stay in the ER...

What's Up Wednesday - Life Lately in July

There are only 6 more days left in July, and the first day of school is exactly 5 weeks away. Summer is passing by so quickly, and I feel it slipping from my fingers. The next time I share a What's Up Wednesday, it's going to be the first day of school, and I will most likely be a worried, sobbing mess, because it will be Liam's first day of Kindergarten! 

Before I focus too much on what's to come, here's what we have been eating, watching, reading, wearing, listening to, and loving...

Summer with The Chaos Crew

We returned to our ridiculously busy schedule this past week. I went back to leaving the house every single day - often multiple times - but we packed a lot of fun into the past seven days! Life in the Summer is always entertaining and full of chaos!

As we approach the end of July, Summer just seems to be speeding up. I can't believe it's going to be August next week. August is full of birthdays, reunions, parties, our family vacation, and the first day of school. It's going to be fun, but I know it's going to fly by as quickly as June and July did. What I wouldn't give to press the pause button!

Here's what life is like with the Chaos Crew (AKA 4 kids who keep me on my toes)...

Down For Adventure in Pittsburgh with Just Ducky Tours

I partnered with Just Ducky Tours for this post. All opinions are 100% my own.

As often as I say that I want to move to the beach, I do realize that Pittsburgh is a wonderful place to raise children, and that we're lucky to live so close to the city! Pittsburgh has some of the best universities, hospitals, doctors, museums, and professional sports teams, and has an amazing cultural district that appeals to any lover of the performing arts.  Pittsburgh ranks as one of the most livable cities in the United States, one of the best places to raise a family, and one of the best cities to visit. (I can also attest to the fact that it's a great place for a child who has Down syndrome!)

There are so many fun family-friendly activities in Pittsburgh, and my own family loves to spend the day in the city! It's just a short drive south from the suburbs, and there's no denying that Pittsburgh is a  beautiful place to visit. No matter how many times I experience it, my breath still catches every time the first bridge and skyscraper come into view as we approach the city.

On Monday, we decided to have a staycation day, and tour our city! We did it the way every Pittsburgh tourist should...with a Just Ducky Tour. We quack quack quacked our way through the city, and directly into the river without changing vehicles, learning fun facts about Pittsburgh along the way! (If you're wondering how that's even possible, read on!)

Mom On The Go

Happy Monday! After one of our laziest weeks ever, this past week was more on the go. The Mom Taxi and Dad Taxi made a huge comeback over the past few days!

If you have no idea what I'm talking about, just wait until your kids get older! When I had Dylan, more experienced moms would tell me to enjoy the quiet early years, because life gets busier the older your kids get. It is 100% true! And when you multiply it by four, life can get hectic!

Here's how last week played out (according - mostly - to my cell phone)...

Summer Friday Favorites

I received several of the items below free for review. I only share the things I love the most!

Happy Friday! Summer life is in full swing, and we are loving the hot summer days. Even though some days are almost unbearably hot, it's my favorite time of year. Summer life is the best life!

A few fun things made my love list this week! Some were sent to me for review, and I quickly fell in love, and others were fun finds while I was shopping. Here are six of my current Summer Favorites:

Liam in Times Square...AGAIN!

Three years ago, Liam's beautiful face was featured on the Jumbotron in Times Square. And this September, a picture of him will show up on the big screen again! The NDSS Times Square Video promotes Down syndrome awareness, right in the heart of New York City!

Each year, the National Down Syndrome Society puts together a beautiful video showcasing people who have Down syndrome, to help raise awareness about what life with Down syndrome is really like. It plays on the Jumbotron in Times Square before the annual Buddy Walk in New York City. It's a big deal, and we are honored that Liam is a part of it again!

8 Fun FREE Things To Do With Kids In Virginia Beach

We are about 5 1/2 weeks away from our next family vacation to the beach! After spending the past few years in Virginia Beach, we opted to visit a different beach this year. We are really excited to explore a new vacation spot with our family, but we are going to miss spending time at one of our favorite places!

I know this is ridiculous, but I never managed to finish up my vacation recap from last year! I just take so many pictures, and it turns out to be a daunting task. The busyness of life took over, and sharing our trip got pushed to the side. I do want to finish it before our next vacation, so I decided to break the last half of our trip into several separate posts.

As I was glancing through the pictures from Day 5 of our trip, I realized that we spent the day taking advantage of all the fun free activities Virginia Beach has to offer! They also happen to be our favorite things to do while we're there. So rather than just recapping our day, I wanted to share 8 fun free things to do with kids in Virginia Beach, just in case you happen to visit there one day! (And I highly recommend you do!)

Those Lazy Hazy Crazy Days Of Summer

I can't believe Summer Break is halfway over! Why does it have to go by so quickly?!? We just had the laziest week ever, and it was amazing. Those lazy, hazy, crazy days of Summer are truly the best!

I'm so glad we opted to have an unscheduled Summer this year. We've never had one of those kind of Summers, and it's awesome to be able to do what we want when we want, and not have to leave the house every single day. I know it's going to come to an end way too soon, so we are savoring every moment, and enjoying all the gifts Summer has to offer!

The Countdown to Full Inclusion Kindergarten

When we received Liam's Down syndrome diagnosis, a lifetime of worries stretched out ahead of us. One of those worries was "What are we going to do when it's time for him to go to school?" That decision seemed SO far away, but the years passed by quickly, and soon, it was time to make that decision. We were completely torn about whether we would send Liam to full inclusion Kindergarten in the Fall, or have him go to preschool for one more year, but last week, we made our decision!

At the beginning of the year, I shared my thoughts about "redshirting" my child who has Down syndrome, and we have been undecided since then. So much so, that I signed the declaration to send him to Kindergarten, but never turned in the paperwork. If you would have asked me one week ago what our decision was, I would have told you that he would be going to preschool for one more year.

Although this is our first time dealing with special education concerns, we had to make a similar decision about sending Lily to Kindergarten when she was eligible. Just like Liam, her birthday fell just before the age cutoff for Kindergarten, which would make her one of the youngest in the class. We put a lot of thought into it, and decided NOT to redshirt Lily. It wasn't always easy, and she IS one of the youngest children in her grade (some students in her class were over a year older than her), but it was the right decision for her. However, we had to consider other factors with Liam, who has special needs.

Fourth of July Festivities

The Fourth of July is one of my favorite holidays, and this year was a great one! We swam, we picnicked, we paraded, we ate too much food, we swam some more, and we watched fireworks. We had so much fun celebrating America's birthday with our family and friends!

The 4th of July has been a big deal since I met Grant. I quickly grew to love the holiday as much as his family did. Every year since I met Grant, we celebrated the 4th of July with his family. They always hosted a huge picnic, then we walked down to watch the town parade. Grant often drove his dad, who was the mayor, in the parade, and I occasionally joined him. Eventually, Dylan took my place. His dad brought fireworks back to the area, so we would end the night by watching the fireworks in the cemetery on the hill, then head back to his parent's house for a fire.

That tradition just wasn't the same after the death of Grant's father, who absolutely loved the 4th of July, and two years ago was the last year the picnic happened. Last year felt like a huge disappointment, so we knew things had to change. Although change is tough, this year we went to our friend's pool for a picnic/pool party, and we ended up having a fun day!

Welcome Wednesday Link Party

Happy 4th of July! I will be spending the day celebrating with my family and friends, and will be getting back to the blog later this week. I decided to take a break from blogging yesterday, today, and maybe even tomorrow, but I will be posting the link up for those who would like to share their posts. Wishing my fellow Americans a happy, safe, fun holiday!

Your Hosts! 

Whitney at Polka-Dotty Place / Bloglovin / Facebook / Instagram / Pinterest / Twitter 

Stefanie at Lexie Loo, Lily, Liam & Dylan Too / Instagram / Twitter / Pinterest / Facebook

Keri at Keri Lynn Synder / Facebook / Instagram / Twitter / Pinterest 

Mauri at The American Patriette /  Facebook /  Pinterest / Instagram

Sarah at Sarah E. Frazer / Facebook / Instagram / Twitter / Pinterest 

Lindsay at Lindsay's Sweet World /  Bloglovin / Facebook / Instagram / Pinterest / Twitter

An InLinkz Link-up

The Motherhood Chronicles

Happy Monday and Happy July! It's hard to believe another week of Summer has flown by, and June is over. Motherhood is never dull, so it's no wonder that time seems to fly by!

8 Simple Tips for Strong & Healthy Hair

I received this product for free from Moms Meet for review. Compensation for this post was provided and this page may contain affiliate links. Opinions are honest and 100% my own.

After years of parenting four children, I realized that my own personal care was at the bottom of my priority list. I didn't go beyond the basics for my hair or my skin, and when you are in your thirties, those things really start to matter. Even though I don't have much time to focus on my own needs, truly taking care of my hair (and my skin) can be simple!

I'm a busy mom, so I frequently pull my hair back in a ponytail or a topknot. After years of abuse, I noticed a lot of breakage. Undoing the damage is still a work in progress, made a bit more difficult by my changing hair texture, but I'm starting to notice an improvement. Not only did I learn to let my hair down more often, but I also started following a few simple tips for stronger, healthier hair!

What's Up Wednesday? ~ June Edition

It's the last Wednesday of the month which means it's time for What's Up Wednesday! Is it just me, or did June fly by ridiculously fast?!? I can't believe the month is almost over, and July is arriving next week!

On the last Wednesday of each month, I share a life lately post. It's a great way to share what my family is up to! Not just the daily recap, but the things we're eating, watching, listening to, reading, wearing, and more...

The Weekly Mom Life Recap

Happy Monday! We're starting the new week after having our first relaxing weekend of the Summer. It was LOVELY! The past two weeks have been really busy, so the break was much needed!

We finally have a fairly quiet week ahead of us. Other than my work (and there's plenty of that) and the usual everyday chores, the only thing we HAVE to do is go grocery shopping today, run a few errands, visit my parents on Friday, and go to a graduation party. I still can't run thanks to my broken toe, but I have big plans to start yoga again this week!

Here's a recap of what we've done over the past two weeks (Spoiler Alert: We've been busy!):  

Friday Favorites: Five Things I'm Currently Loving

Happy Friday, my friends! Life is super busy right now, which is why I'm writing this post at 3 AM. I had some HUGE collaborations to work on this week, and Liam had his June summer session of preschool, so there wasn't much time left over for anything else! All I can say is TGIF!

Dance Recital Mania

Lily's second year of dance came to an end this weekend, and we got to see all of her hard work during the dance recital on Saturday! Lily is not a competitive dancer, but she does take classes at an award winning studio that's filled with awesome teachers and incredible competitive dancers. We love the dance studio, and the dance recital at the end of the year is a big event!

5 Healthy Ways To Start Your Day

This post is sponsored by Natrol but the content and opinions expressed here are my own. 

I might be a lot of things, but a morning person is not one of them! No matter how hard I try, waking up early is just not my thing. I do, however, focus on healthy living, and I strive to teach my kids the healthy habits they need to become healthy adults. Following a healthy morning routine is how my family starts each day!

Friday Mom Life Favorites

Happy Friday! We are a week into Summer Break, and it isn't nearly as relaxing as I thought it would be. I'm taking a much needed break from the chaos, and sharing a few of my current favorite mom life things!

Down For Summer Adventures with Zip & Zoe + 75 Things To Do This Summer

This post is sponsored by Babymel Bags, but photos and opinions are 100% my own.

It's officially Summer Break, and my kids are gearing up for all the adventures that are ahead of us! While it's true that we're going to have an unscheduled summer, we will still have many adventures together as a family. The next 2 1/2 months will be filled with the things we WANT to do, not the things we HAVE to do!

Mom Life Lately

I always say that May is the busiest month of the year, and it is, but June is shaping up to be just as busy this year! Summer Break isn't exactly going as I envisioned it. The truth is, life in a big family is always busy and loud, and there's NEVER a dull moment!

School's Out For The Summer!

It's official! School's out for the Summer! We made it through a busy school year with four kids in four different schools, and all of their sports and activities. The reward is the 2 1/2 months of Summer Break ahead of us!

4 Untold Ways You Can Use Gift Cards to Save Big

Today's feature is a guest post about saving money. With four kids to raise, I love finding as many ways to save as possible!

As their name suggests, gift cards are meant to be given as gifts. They are a popular gift item, especially during the Christmas season. However, did you know that you can use gift cards to save money every single month of the year? Being a smart consumer is all about finding those secret loopholes and deals to score extra discounts. We are not talking about gift cards you get as gifts. Those are 100% profit because you didn’t spend money to buy them in the first place. Instead, we want to share how you can buy discount gift cards for yourself to save big.

The Ultimate Beach Sensory Bin

We are big fans of sensory play! It's messy, it's fun, and the benefits are extensive. With Summer Break officially beginning this week, I put together a beach themed sensory bin to get my kids excited about having a summer full of fun!

May Days: The Busiest Month of the Year

May flew by in a whirlwind of activity! Every single day was scheduled, and I'm not quite sure how we made it through unscathed. But we blinked, and the month was over! 

Our Unscheduled Summer

The end of the school year is just days away for most school districts in the Pittsburgh area. Any parent who has a child in school knows from experience that the last month of the school year is pure chaos. When you multiply that chaos by four kids, life gets crazy! After months of having something scheduled every single day, I officially declared we will be having an unscheduled summer!

Head over to Pittsburgh Moms Blog to read my full post...

What's Up, Wednesday?

Happy Wednesday! This long weekend was a rough one, but we're trying our hardest to adjust to life changes, and stay focused on the end of the school year/sports and activity season chaos. From weddings to school events to sports and activities, and everything in between, we have been keeping EXTRA busy this month!

10 Signs It's The End Of The School Year

As the end of the school year rapidly approaches, the chaos level increases! Every parent who has a child in school knows that the end of the year is the busiest, thanks to all the end of the school year activities. The last few weeks of school is also the time when kids and parents completely give up, and choose to focus on the Summer ahead!

Four Kids and a Wedding

For the second weekend in a row, we had another family wedding! This time, however, all four of my kids were in the wedding. The weekend was incredibly busy, and I just finished catching up on all the the things that got pushed aside, but we had such a great time celebrating the marriage of Alexandra and Zachary!

Weekly Life with Four Kids

Oh, hey, it's me! I'm just taking a very quick breather from the BUSIEST WEEK EVER. I can barely form a complete thought right now, let alone tackle the unfinished blog posts in my drafts folder, so I figured I would give you a glimpse of life with four kids!

Celebrating Marriage & Motherhood

We had a weekend full of celebrating! From a family wedding to honoring our favorite moms, we packed so much into two short days. We made lasting memories and spent the entire weekend with those we love most!

A Few Of My Favorite Things

                                  DISCLOSURE: The bag and the games were sent to us for review. I only share the items I love the most!

Happy Friday, my friends! We are getting ready for a really busy weekend. My brother's wedding is tomorrow, and Mother's Day (and Lexie's soccer game) is on Sunday. It's going to be a weekend full of celebrating! Before the chaos begins, I wanted to share a few of my favorite things with you!

Capture The Moments in April

April came and went in a flurry of activity! It was easily the fastest month of the year. I sure hope time slows down just a bit for the rest of the year! Even though time went by so quickly that I could barely process what was even happening, I did manage to capture the special moments!

A Week In The Life Of A Mom Of Four

Several years ago, I used to recap my life with my kids every week on this little blog of mine! I love looking back at those posts, but as my kids grew, life got even busier, so that became a thing of the past. Instead, I switched to recapping each month by sharing my favorite pictures. What ended up missing from my blog each week were the personal posts: the reason I started blogging in the first place! My new game plan is to share a "week in the life of a mom" post each Monday, and kick off the week on a personal note!

Mother's Day Gift Guide

Motherhood is a tough job! Moms work tirelessly all day every day, whether they work at home or away from home. With Mother's Day coming up, it's time to treat the mom in your life with something extra special!

The BEST Items to Buy At Aldi {Including Gluten Free!}

I confess, I used to be a grocery store snob. I only shopped at one local grocery store even though they charged more than their competitors, and I only bought brand name items.  That changed when Liam was diagnosed with Celiac Disease, and I suffered from sticker shock while shopping for his gluten free foods. Everybody I knew who had to buy gluten free food recommended Aldi, so off I went into the unknown. And guess what? I was VERY surprised by what I found!

Weekend Life

Happy Monday! Is anybody else in disbelief over the fact that it's the last day of April? Where did the month go?!? We had yet another busy weekend, and didn't get much time to recover before getting into school/work mode. Let me be honest: lazy weekends are a thing of the past!

Friday Favorites

Happy Friday, friends! It has been a while since I posted a Friday Favorites roundup, so I figured it was a good time to post one. Every so often it's good to take a step back from content-based blogging and just share a fun, carefree post that doesn't take much thought! So here are a few awesome things that are on my love list right now...

Down For Adventure in Virginia Beach - Day 4 {Travel With Kids}

Life in a big family is always an adventure! Vacation is no different. Two parents + Four Kids + 1 Extra Chromosome + Our Favorite Beach Vacation Spot = Extra Fun Family Adventures!

Dirt Dessert Cups for Kids

Happy Earth Day! It's not really a holiday, but I like to do something fun to acknowledge the day. My kids are all about desserts, so I decided to whip up an easy batch of Dirt Dessert Cups to celebrate! (I even made a gluten free alternative for Liam!)

The Busy Mom's Guide To Beauty - 15 Time-saving Products I LOVE

I may be a busy mom to four children, but I still care about the way I look! I know that looks don't matter in the grand scheme of things, but truthfully, my appearance is the only thing that makes me feel like I'm more than just a mom. The reality, though, is that I just don't have enough time for an in-depth beauty routine, so time-saving products are a MUST!

Life Lately & Weekending

To say that life has been busy lately would be an understatement! The older my kids get, the busier life becomes. And sometimes, nearly a week goes by between blog posts. As much as I wish I could do it all, I simply can't, and my family ALWAYS comes first! 

Capture the Moments in March

Every month, I try to capture all the moments that make life so special! I know I take a LOT of pictures, but there's a good reason for it. So often I wish I could freeze time, but since that isn't possible, photos will have to serve as a reminder of all the moments I hold so dear. Someday, I'm going to be so thankful to have these moments to look back on!