It’s been forever since I’ve shared what we’ve been up to and these are my favorite posts to look back on.. I love seeing what we were doing a few years ago and even just a few months ago (assuming I’d been up to date on posts.. Ha!) so I figured why not bring those back?!

We had a busy weekend of travel- and on Friday after daycare and work, we headed to my Dad and Stepmom’s house about two hours away from us. Aye aye aye, its usually always worth the headache of the travel (and it was in this case!) but man, the crying of not just one but TWO babies gets to be a little rough! I think Annabelle cried for the last hour in the car.. and not just cried but SCREAMED and was gurgling because homegirl just does not breathe when she’s that upset. Made for a fun car ride….

Thankfully, once we got to my Dad’s, the girls could all stretch and get out! They live near a lake so we headed down to their access so Magnolia could do a little fishing. The twins LOVED the wagon ride (Magnolia got the golf cart ride) and Clementine couldn’t stop waving at anyone she saw outside with saing “Hello!”. It was pretty cute.

Magnolia refused to touch the fish after she caught them but Clementine really enjoyed touching them and putting her little finger in its mouth after seeing Grandpa do it..

Saturday, we just hung out for the day and headed back down to the lake for more fishing and sand time for the twins! It rained off and on so we stayed close by and the guys got out golfing.

Annabelle loved the sand and Clementine loved trying to walk out on the pier. No joke, she seems to be our adventurous one as of now.. They kept running around the grassy area with snacks and just were giggling as they ran!

Meanwhile… Big sis (as the twins call Magnolia) was doing this with her big cousin.

Then Magnolia took a break from fishing and her and Clementined enjoyed the golf cart 🙂

And then also enjoyed being out on the pier and in the water with Nean!

While Annabelle enjoyed alllll the snacks!

We ended our weekend with a trip to the Milwaukee Zoo to meet up wtih my inlaws for a food truck type event.

The twins loved seeing the elephants and giraffes – let’s be real, any animal they could actually see – ha! It’s hard when you have to try and find the animals in their areas or when you’re in the stroller where the railings are the exact height…………..

Magnolia loved the music (of course the animals), the face painting and the carousel.

Annabelle, on the other hand, hated it. I wish I had a picture from the first time she went on it – it was the saddest thing as she held onto it crying (with her head on the bar where her hands were). She was riding with Logan’s cousin, Jenna and she had to just grab her off while it was still going! They thought maybe it was the motion going up and down that she didn’t like so they gave it another shot but turns out she just isn’t a fan!

Did I mention she loved the face painting? Aye aye aye – what happened to just getting a small little animal on your cheek or something?

Magnolia got to ride on a pony too – her first time and she loved that too! She kept saying “Mommuy, I got this! I don’t need you to hold me” as I walked next to it trying to avoid all the poop that happened to be alllll over.

Clementine was really hoping she was big enough to go on but she’ll have to go next year!

I didn’t take my phone out for any pictures (I think I got like 2 total) so thankful for others having theirs out to grab some pics! We headed home and enjoyed a peaceful 2 hour drive…………. Did I say peaceful? I meant this time, Clementine screamed and cried the last hour instead of Annabelle. Gosh, so fun!!

It was a full weekend and honestly, I’ve traveled the last 3 weeks in a row so I’m beyond exhausted! Such a fun weekend though and I’m reminded that our summer days will be coming to an end too soon so we need to soak it all in!

Hope you had a fabulous weekend as well – and looking forward to a busy week!

I mentioned last week on Instagram, that I’ve been having a hard time since having the twins and moving here last year.. Things have somewhat quieted down with the twins and our craziness (who am I kidding, it’s still a shit show for anyone watching!) and it’s given me a chance to say “who am I? what are we doing?”.

Last week, I traveled away from the girls for the first time for work. My inlaws have only taken all 3 girls at once one time so I’m just used to being with the girls! So when the thought of having to leave the girls for multiple nights (and be in another state), I kind of lost it. I was nervous – and honestly, i’m not sure what for after it’s all said and done. BUT before that, I was anxious. I wanted to go since it was back “home” to Minneapolis but I also wanted them to be there too. (it was also very weird to not go to our old home after work meetings/dinner vs the hotel down the road) Momming is a funny thing, isnt it? I’ve been dying for some alone time and when the opportunity comes, I’m nervous and going the opposite way!

Rewind to a few nights before leaving to Minneapolis and it hit me… the person I was when we lived there doesn’t feel like the person I am now. I feel like i’m just lost – like what do I enjoy doing outside of the kids? I used to love fashion, blogging and the occasional photoshoot prep for Magnolia. I feel like for so many years, it was getting the girls here; infertility, miscarriages, failed IUIs, multiple rounds of IVF, difficult deliveries and then you know, being a Mom to Magnolia and Twins.. that it’s hard to imagine my world involving anything but them. And when you’re busy with the kids before work, then work all day and then it’s nonstop after work, it’s hard to have time for yourself anyway.

Before we moved here, I had friends. This sounds funny, but honestly, I didn’t see those friends often. A few of them, I did a little more, but others I saw only when we had annual parties. There were basically groups of friends and we weren’t good enough friends with any of them to be included in their normal every day things they did together but yet after being here, I was yearning for those friendships.

Since we moved here, I’ve met a few different people but I find that I’m making more effort and not much being reciprocated that it makes me question myself as well. It’s difficult when the girls aren’t involved in a ton of activities for me to meet other parents at and I don’t see any of the parents at daycare pick up to start conversations with – it left me wondering where do you meet people when you’re older? I work from home so there’s another avenue for meeting people that I don’t quite have. Then the question was, what do you even talk about these days with said “friends” you’re trying to make? Ha!

Logan and I are so different in that he knows what he enjoys; golf and he’s more than happy going by himself and being paired up with whomever. So this doesnt bother him as much – but he knew this was a bigger deal for me.

Honestly, this is how I felt before my trip last week. I can tell you though, my thoughts changed after my work trip. It felt so good to be back where we’ve lived the last 11 years; where i’ve worked the last almost 10 years. It felt good to see people in person (not enough to not want to work from home!) and to just make me feel more confident with all the work I do. I have a good job but sometimes when you’re working from home, it doesn’t feel as “professional” aka KRISTI GET READY EVERY MORNING!!! Ha! Need to work on that still versus mid day before I grab the girls!

I saw a couple of my girlfriends briefly for a happy hour and a dinner and I can’t even tell you how amazing that was. Not worrying about their thoughts of me, not worrying about who I am with them but just being me and being able to talk about everything and anything. It just felt good to be me. I came back feeling more refreshed and remembering who I am a little more.

I’m ready to see them all again (and more!) next month for a wedding we’ll be attending in our old neck of the woods! I know Logan’s excited as well. It’ll be our first “getaway” and I wish it was for longer because it’ll go real fast for basically a night in the cities but it’ll be nice to be us again too!

I’m stll thinking of ways to meet people more and to find people I “click” with more but until then, I’ll survive! All that to say, if you’re in the same boat of “who am I? They say it takes a village … do they just show up??” then you’re not alone! We’ll all get there and if you have any tips or suggestions, let me know that too!

As I lay with Magnolia one more time tonight, (that girl can extend bedtime for almost an hour – I swear!) I’m reminded of how fortunate I truly am for the life I have and my family. I am beyond blessed with my three girls and I thank God every day for them. There was a time when I didn’t think I’d be a Mama so when I’m down on myself, I’m reminded when I look at them of how lucky I am that I might not have time for all the other stuff.