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!

small style – playground edition

I actually had the little girls buckled into their carseats on Monday in plenty of time to go pick up carpool.  And then I realized the van battery was dead.  Why does stuff like that ALWAYS happen to me?!

Andy wasn’t answering his phone, neighbors weren’t home… I felt so stuck.  Oh, and the church office is closed on Mondays so I couldn’t get a hold of anyone at the school to tell them why I wasn’t there.  Finally I called my sister and she went over and I was able to talk to Madeline’s teacher.  She decided she could get some extra work done and the kids could all wait in her classroom.  I finally got a hold of Andy and he came home and jumped the van and then I was on my way.  Drama.

ANYway, we took the afternoon “off” and relaxed at the playground. I’m using those photos for today’s Small Style at Mama Loves Papa.

Arianna’s dress is Old Navy from last year and shoes are Pedipeds.

Madeline’s tank and shorts are Old Navy and shoes are from Simple.

Drew’s tee is from Old Navy, athletic shorts from Target, shoes are New Balance (from Shoe Carnival). Adelaide’s dress is Tea Collection (another of my favorites).

{small style}

G’morning! I’m linking up again with this fun little party.

Drew’s tee and shorts are from miniboden (my current favorite for boys who are hard on their clothes).

Arianna’s dress is an older line Matilda Jane (my favorite designer for girls), tee is from Target, and shoes are Livie & Luca (ebay).

My sisters came over for a little while yesterday and they have been dog-watching this little puppy. Arianna was very concerned about the leash. Funny.

For other Small Style, or to participate, visit Mama Loves Papa.

{small style}

Sooo, I can’t seem to write a coherent blog post these days but I totally can participate in this super cute mini-people party! Since, you know, kid clothes are my hobby…

(Kinda like What I Wore Wednesday but for the littles. Yeah, FUN.)

I took my two little girls to the children’s museum on Tuesday and met a friend there.

On Adelaide: dress is MJC, ruffle leggings are from Babies R Us, and jellies are from Old Navy.

On Arianna: tee and top are MJC, ruffle jeans are customs from Emmifaye Boutique (Etsy), and shoes are Livie & Luca.

She was running and tripped head first into the little mini picnic bench – nice forehead, huh?

Pearls are Madeline’s, I think they came from Walmart. I love how Arianna knew exactly what to do with them. :)

For other Small Style, or to participate, visit Mama Loves Papa.

With Grandmommy

Whenever my mom is here she likes to get photos with the kids.  I’m not sure where Drew was so it turned into “with the girls” instead.  I just had to share these because they made us all die laughing.  And you can bet #4 will reappear at her rehearsal dinner in about 21 years.  (I was 22 when I got married…just used that number.)

Presenting “What to do if you don’t want your picture taken, steal your sister’s hairbow.”

Notice Madeline? What in the world!

Ooh, and this one too, just ’cause it makes me laugh:

Can’t remember what she was mad about but whatever it was, BABY NOT HAPPY. (I’m a bad mom to laugh, I know.)

Hi there

Sorry, didn’t mean to just randomly disappear for a week! We’ve been busy {having fun} with my mom here. Last Saturday all the girls went to the tea room. Well except Arianna; that would not have been relaxing.

And… we’ve been busy playing at home, eating crackers.

Monday was my sisters’ birthday so we took them out to dinner.

And had cake at their apartment.

Tuesday I went through our filing cabinet and ALL our papers and threw out a can and a half of trash! The kids have gone on bike rides and been on lots of walks.  One day we ran errands, the kids played at the mall, and I met some girlfriends for dinner.  Yesterday we had some friends over for tea and I made a dress.

This morning Andy and I went out for breakfast and we have another date planned for tonight.  See? When my mom’s here we just CRAM IT ALL IN.

girl baby

My mom comes today and you should SEE my house. NOT READY. So I’m just gonna post some Ari photos and pretend it passes for a post. heh. (Some before the accident, obviously.)

Love baby jeggings, make me laugh:

First popsicle (brrr!):

Think she liked it.

This is a common sight around here; she loves to use my rice cooker pot as a hat:

Have a great Friday, yo.

{weekend photos}

I need to get these up before they are way too old!

My mom sent some Melissa & Doug painting sets for the kids to do with their Papa. They loved it. (Anything involving paint and mess is usually a big hit.)

Then we went to a park.

That night (Saturday) the adults went out to dinner at Chili’s – which my brother said was like going to Europe and eating at McDonald’s. HMPH! (At least you can count on the food being good, whereas some of the local places he suggested can be hit-or-miss or just plain expensive.)

On Monday Papa took Drew to Walmart to get new tires for his bike and also came home with a new bike for Adelaide. (Aunt Cassandra and Mommy have both taken a little detour over her old one.) I’m sure my dad hadn’t planned on spending the entire day fixing Drew’s bike but he sure had one grateful little recipient!

I fixed dinner here for everyone on Monday night before he left Tuesday. Great visit! Come again, Papa!

choir

Our church choir had their Christmas concert last night. Not that you can tell from this distance, but Andy is seventh from the left, second row from the top.

(SOOC)

#20

ready

(for Christmas Sunday)

(SOOC)

#19

walking!

Catch ya later, Mom.

I gotta take Drew his shoe.

Drew, here’s your shoe!

(Dropped it. Oh well.)

#18

Also, we’ve been coloring up a storm

#17

for real this time

My sisters helped me decorate them. We ate… a few.

#16

experiment

Last night a local professional photographer gave my friend Gretchen and I a little workshop. We had to cut it short because it started freezing rain but I did learn a few things. These photos aren’t very interesting except that they were taken last night in my living room in VERY low light, with no flash.

(SOOC)

And these two I was experimenting with the f/stop. Notice how my (VERY MESSY) table is blurry in the first shot…

but then clearer in this one, while keeping the blanket on the couch and the little toy stacking cup ALSO still (mostly) in focus:

(I know, boring. Sorry.)

#15

baby ballet

Alternate title: Big Fat Fluffy Bum

#14

a monday in photos

Woke up to this:

School was canceled so we snuggled down for a pajama day. Andy was supposed to go somewhere at noon except the van was dead and his car was parked in.

I had this scary vision of him pushing my van right over the hill. (He didn’t.)

He tried jumping it several times but never got the van to start. We thought it might be a bad battery but he got a new one and it still won’t start. My car loves to act up during the holidays.

Sooo, a perfect day for me to catch up on a little of this:

and have a little of this:

I googled “free Christmas coloring printables” and printed out a few sheets for the kids to color. Those are great because we don’t necessarily have Christmassy coloring books layin’ around every year. But then we got a package in the mail full of Christmas story and craft books. Thanks, Mom!!

We rounded out the day with baths and a little bit lot of sprinkles:

Here’s mine:

YUM.

#13 (top photo)

pretty

Snow flurries today!

#12

baby

(Forgot to hit publish on this yesterday and then Andy and I came down with a pretend-flu. Feeling better now!)

#11