Christmas highlights

My mom always makes Swedish Coffee Buns on Christmas Eve. All three of my girls got in on the action, twirling, buttering, and sugaring the dough. Arianna slicked her hair and face with the butter when we weren’t looking. Not surprising.

Building a little gingerbread village:

Drew’s was a train.

Before Christmas Eve dinner at my grandparents’ house:

(I’ve had a haircut since then.)

On the way to church, goofballs:

It’s so hard when you’re 4.  You have to wait for everything at Christmastime.

Christmas morning:

Breakfast, after stockings and before gifts.

Wherein Rebecca and Emily come to live with us.

Papa flying his new toy.

Carrissa’s surprise iPad.

Drew kept hiding behind the chair to play legos in peace.

One of the most beautiful dolls I’ve ever seen,

with THE cutest boots.

Watching football? Can’t remember…

Dollhouse minivan that plays 4 stations of music – HILARIOUS to watch her dance.

Hope your Christmas was merry!!!

Merry Christmas!

Funny thing about our Christmas card this year – Olan Mills took a sweet forever to send me the CD with the digital file and permissions. (We went ahead and used a photo from the church directory shoot – not my preference but, well, there are 7 of us.) Anyway, so I JUST got around to picking them up at my mom’s Costco yesterday, which means none of our friends and family have even seen it yet. Oh well, Merry Christmas!

And here we are

Big post long overdue but I’m sooo tired so we’ll see how it goes (ha – I wrote this last night). We drove the 20 hours to my parents’ house on Tuesday.  We left at 3:45 a.m. and about 30 minutes in Madeline acted like she was going to throw up.  It was pitiful and scary and we wondered if we should just cancel our entire trip.  She’d been coughing so hard it was making her gag, poor thing.  She ended up being completely fine! Whew! Kids were great on the trip, so thankful.

Saw lots of these, which for some reason really intrigue me:

We didn’t tell my parents we weren’t going to stop, so it was fun to surprise my mom when we were relatively close. (I thought it would be hilarious to send her an iPhone pic of just the St. Louis arch but we got sidetracked with the camera and took a wrong turn and then forgot. Plus I wanted to be a lot closer before we said where we were.)

SNOW!!!

Arianna stayed out in it the longest.  SO glad I went ahead and got her snow pants.

Wednesday night we ate supper over at my Grandparents’ – they live in the same neighborhood.  This picture cracks me up; how it appears Ethan chose to sit with Dad when really he just got plopped down there.

Still sucking that thumb.

My mom took this photo of my dad and me yesterday and I love it.  (One of the FEW times my hair has been seen down lately – it’s awful and needs a trim).

Hope you’re all having a merry week!

DPP 8 – Christmas Dinner

Last night was the Ladies’ Christmas Dinner at church. Pictured here we have Italian Creme Cake, Kahlua Cake, Candy Bar Brownie, Peanutbutter/Pecan Pie, and Fruit Trifle.

No, I did not eat it all.


(December Photo Project)

We are now official Black Friday shoppers.

We had a really fun Thanksgiving and I hope you did, too.  On Wednesday this sweet girl came with me to do the shopping.

This is for Lisa, totally copied her lattice-top idea when Andy asked for a “real” apple pie.

Thankgsiving morning, snuggled up in jammies reading books:

Getting the table ready…

Drew’s first daddy-authorized help with a real knife.  Glad I wasn’t there.

My siblings all came over and the food was gooood.

After we put the kids to bed we pulled out the decaf and this.  Soooo fun.  I made Andy play again just us two nights later.

Here’s the BlackFriday part.  Once everyone had left I was a {little} hyped up on coffee and wide awake, checked my email and the internets to find that lo and behold, the stores I wanted to shop at Friday were open! at midnight! which was in 20 minutes!

Andy was in the shower and I told him I had this crazy idea of getting my BF shopping done THEN, while the kids were all asleep.  That’s just as good as shopping deals, right? Shopping with no kids? Yeah.

I first drove to Old Navy since they were giving out cameras with a $40 purchase – figured I’d give it to Drew.  Yeah right, the line snaked around the parking lot.  So I left and went to Carter’s because the boybaby has no clothes.  Tons of jammies, no clothes.  They opened at 10pm so there was no line and I got him a couple of Real Clothes.  Drove back to Old Navy and the line was still ridiculous so I went home to bed.

About 2 weeks ago, we went out in the morning to discover Andy’s car window broken in and his briefcase stolen – WITH his macbook.  Sad, sad day.  We tossed and turned about what to do for several days and looked for used online, etc.  A little nervous about that.  I told him to just take mine and he said he “wouldn’t do that to me.”

Anyway, he had browsed around the mac store and a little birdie told him the 2010 model was going to be one of the BlackFriday deals since the 2011 model had just come out and they still had lots left of the ’10.  So yes, Andy got up at 3:30am Friday and could. not. find. a. parking. space. at. the. mall.  By the time he got through the hour-long line there were 4 left.  But he got his! and he’s back in business.

We slept in that day.

(Caught! Official thumb-sucker!)

Oh buddy. Your sister will make you tough.

And what do you do come Saturday when everyone’s tired of turkey? Make party food!

Let’s not count the days ’til Christmas quite yet m’kay?

counting down

A couple little updates…

We spent a lovely Father’s Day over with our Lewin friends and it was so nice to have a holiday meal that I had nothing to do with. (Okay, we did bring ice cream & sprinkles for the kids.) Produce from their overflowing garden, yum. My kids were asking for 2nds of her green beans. Everything was gooooood.

They played in their kiddie pool which was hilarious with all of them – like space enough for each of them to have a big toe in. And it was hot.

(don’t mind the undies)

Yesterday we hung out with them again but you’ll have to wait for Friday to hear about that one.

I found out last Thursday that I’m about 5cm. (That means nothing unless my water were to break.) I talked my mom into coming earlier, she gets here a week from Thursday. That’s my tunnel vision — make it to June 30. I have done nothing, thanks for asking. I AM planning on pre-registering at the hospital tomorrow. (I guess I figure people can bring me a list if I end up being admitted before I get around to getting anything done.) Just get this baby out, we’ll work the details out later. :) (And also, welcome to being the 5th child. Hope you get a baby book.)

Well, Arianna is napping and my other kids are being quiet for once, so I think I’m going attempt a little nap. (Because we all know I need one.) If you don’t hear from me for a while, you can just guess why. I am going to try my hardest at having Fun Mom Friday up this week though, so get your posts ready!

and yeah, it was hot

(These photos are misleading because it looks kind of like we were the only ones at the pool… when really it was a huge crowd.)

Memorial Day 2011

Apparently she loves macaroni salad.

Adelaide, being her quirky little self

A pretty good kick-off to summer!

hello, summer

The kids finished up school on Friday. Which means I have a 2nd grader, a 1st grader, and a pre-K-er. (And more in the wings, ha.) But seriously?! A 2nd grader?!!!! Wasn’t he just in diapers?

Yesterday’s high was 91, today’s supposed to be 92. It’s not even June, which means I think we’re in for it. Andy took the kids to the fountains at the park Saturday night, that totally counts as a bath, right? Anyway, I think we’re going to be in the water a lot this summer, just a hunch. Last year we had Max so a kiddie pool in the backyard was out of the question because he would have eaten it. He ate the hose. But it is on the list for this year. Our summers are just too hot to be without water nearby.

And speaking of, we’re going to a pool-party-Memorial-Day-bbq later which means I have to get my act together and get some stuff done first. I really hope all of you are having a great start to summer and Happy Memorial Day!

Wherein Andy turns 30

I know at least a couple of people are dying to know how last night went and here’s where I should just tell you I totally lied yesterday about having a small family party for Andy’s 30th.

We had a surprise party and actually pulled it off.

A couple of funny things inevitably happened. He showed up at home on Jim’s motorcycle, borrowed for fun (what else would Andy do on his 30th birthday?). But that meant his car was still at the office. Which we needed to “go out to dinner.” So my mom and I had to squeeze in picking up his car along with all our crazy running around town for last-minute party stuff.

Logistically, it was interesting getting her and the kids out the door BEFORE US when they were just “going to the park.” Thankfully Andy didn’t ask too many questions. I already felt like I was in the hot seat, trying to come up with explanations/excuses on the fly.

Then when we were trying to leave, the heavens opened and TORRENTIAL DOWNPOUR ensued. What in the world?! It wasn’t even raining over by the church! The highway was slooooooow going because of poor visibility. I thought we’d never get there and it was doubly frustrating knowing tons of people were standing around waiting for us. Oh and THEN, my sister and two of my kids (finishing up the last of the food when we left) passed us on the highway. Me, trying not to laugh, PRAYING Andy hadn’t noticed.

When we got off the exit I made him lay his seat back and cover his eyes since I forgot a blindfold. He thought we drove way past the church and was a little surprised when we ended up there. Everyone had parked in the back so the entire parking lot looked empty. I told him we had to just pick something up someone had left there for us and then we could go to dinner. Ha. Worked like a charm.

So it all worked out in the end.

9 years later

Happy Anniversary Andy! Love you more than ever!

cinco de mayo

My sisters are officially done with school (parents and grandparents are here for graduation – yahoo!) so yesterday my middle girls went over to play at their apartment and Ari and I hung out. (Drew lives outside.)

She’s been doing this thing with her mouth, like a duck beak – so funny and cute. I couldn’t get a good photo though…

And then Carrissa and the girls brought back queso & chips for a little Cinco de Mayo fun.

Ended the evening watching part of a movie on her laptop.

Junk food and movies – what else are aunts for?!

Are you tired of looking at Easter photos yet?

That would be Madeline holding up Arianna’s new suit.  It was a lucky coincidence I had put suits in the girls’ baskets – they all brought them in the car and so later when all the kids decided to go swimming they were happily ready to go.  Drew had to swim in his shorts – ha!  And no, I did NOT get in (that water was FREEEEZING) and Arianna spent the second part of the afternoon napping in a pack n’ play.

My kids were sick last night so they spent yet another day off school. It’s been a laid-back pajama day, which has been kinda nice.

Easter swingin’

A sneak peek into our Easter Sunday… do you know how hard it is to photograph four wiggly children? Let’s add one more!

A birthday and some Easter eggs

I’m heading to bed… mostly ready for Easter morning. The important things are done. I wanted to stick these photos up now though, since it’s quiet and no one is tugging on my pant leg.

For my birthday, Andy took me out to dinner…

…and brought me some roses. (Funny, he looks different already since I just gave him a haircut.)

When we got back my sisters helped my kids throw a little party.

They were so sweet and cute and hilarious, as usual. Adelaide said to me later “birthdays take a long time.” (She means because we celebrated hers and mine near the end of the day.)

This morning we went to our church’s breakfast and Resurrection egg hunt. I thought my camera was in my purse BUT IT WASN’T. So sad. Which means all I have is two pix of Ari getting into the loot after her nap.

Night, night. Happy Easter!

valentines at the ready

Apparently it’s necessary to sit ON the table when creating one’s Valentines.

And you can never have too many sprinkles.

Class treats.

Happy Valentine’s Day! (Have a cookie.)

Old news? Naaaah!

This one cracks me up:

Andy and I bought very little for our kids (thank goodness for grandparents!) but I did get them each a felt play crown from etsy.

“Mom! She’s touching my stuff!!!”

This one looks like MY baby pictures:

A silly tea party.

a boy and his [flying] toy

The coolest gift this year was, hands down, the remote-controlled helicopter Liz & Josiah gave Drew.

Andy and I have been playing with it when he’s in bed.

(Shhhhhh!)

Merry Christmas!