The Roses: A slightly FUN day.

Yesterday was not only the day that my closest baby sister was born (HAPPY BDAY LIZ!!)....

but it was also the day that we were able to to go on a really cool trip.. one that I wanted to do last year, but we were never able to make it..... and when Nat's sister asked if we wanted to go with them I was really excited!!

There's a place in Carlsbad, (NM, not TX ;) called Christmas on the Pecos and you get on a boat on the Pecos river and ride down and look at all the houses. Kinda like the light show on the Concho in Angelo, but in a boat instead of a car.

Its pretty neat... and pretty cold.

When we first got there, it wasn't that cold.... and we were early to go to the little shops so I didn't put the kids hugenormous jackets on them, and planned on letting them wear their lighter jackets till we got on the boat.... and I didn't even think twice about it!!

Horrible, horrible mom.

The kids were just running around like crazy enjoying all the Christmas lights and decor and then Payton completely LOST it when she realized how cold she was. I felt like a pile of mush for letting her get to that point.... and basically, she did not stop crying/whining the whole rest of the time. We were dumb and didn't grab her buhlie before we got on the boat... and I know that would have made the world a better place for her.

A lot of the time its overwhelming to go in public with all 3 kids... add ginourmous poofy jackets on each kid to the point where they cant walk and you've officially got a Disaster on your hands. At one point I was just like --oh my word... WHAT WERE WE THINKING?!?! I usually try to deter myself from thinking that as I want to enjoy time out with my kids and want to do as much as we can with them for the short amount of time they are in our home.

Payton whining. Stetson trying with all his might to run and climb and flee. and Madelynn overwhelmed by EVERYTHING....... they proceed to tell us the kids have to wear life jackets.

I wanted to cry.

But I didn't, and about 10 minutes into the ride and us probably driving everyone bonkers with the crying and question asking (yay for 3 year olds who ask questions ever 2.4 seconds) we finally got everyone settled and satisfied and we ENJOYED the light show.

Madelynn loved looking and recognizing Santa and his reindeer, frosty and Santa's work shop. On our way back we got pretty chilly and were glad to be headed to the warm truck!!

We debated on even going on this trip cuz of Aussie. We knew she would be due to give birth any time after the 8th... and we knew it was gonna happen soon... but we decided to just pray over her and go.

When we got home we went in to check on her and we heard little tiny baby sounds coming from the bathroom (where her whelping box is, and where we've been leaving her when we leave the house) and my heart melted... she was in full blown labor and had already delivered 2 puppies. I was completely relieved that she did it all on her own.

** POTENTIALLY GROSS, LABOR, BLOODY PHOTOS.

This was #3 being born which I was sooo excited to be able to witness her do all the nasty junk, and do it perfectly.

Proud Daddy... (Axel... not Nat)

Long story short. She was in labor from about 10 PM to 4 AM... She stopped at 7 (puppies) and I thought she was done so I finally went to bed around 3... then I was awakened again by the distinct sound of the chomping and licking of a new puppy ran in there to see that she had delivered another...

and another.

and she stopped at 11 pups at 4 AM.... and we were both pretty tired at that point.