GROCERY STORE

It is SO FUN going to the grocery store with four kids. What a freakin circus!! I can't believe we made it out of there. And that I will forget how crazy it is and do it again at some point!  I am thankful, however, that Olivia was mindful enough to catch the event in photos......

This one here sums it all up, no words needed.....

This picture is pretty cool.... Nick was being a dude and showing off his dancing skillz.....

P.S. A big thank you to whoever made those big, cheap, long-lasting suckers. They have saved my life more than once...

BEN

Me, to Ben, who was laying on the landing on the stairs: Hey Ben, can you go find Kate's Lola please?

Ben: No. I am tormenting a bee. A yellow jacket......

"MOM! Look what I found!!" I love how big his eyes get was he is excited.....

Then we went outside and took turns whapping it on each other and getting all fuzzy.

KITTY

Yesterday morning, we took the big kids to swim practice. I made the mistake of sitting down right next to the baby pool with Kate, who was fully dressed. It took about 3 seconds for her to be waist deep in the water. and she wasn't too happy when I drug her out and laid her on the towel to dry off......

A little coloring project. I love how quietly she colors, making tiny little circles on the paper and leaving a trail of un-capped markers behind her.....

Last night Kate was playing puppets on the kitchen floor and nibbling on the red pepper that was supposed to be part of our dinner.....

This morning, nothing would do until I took the top off of my deodorant so she could use it.....

I don't think she could be any cuter or more hilarious....XOXO

BUSY

Ben is a total creative crack-up. I swear he has some new project every minute. Yesterday he was making a new cereal by taking old cereal boxes apart and gluing the graphics onto another box. And he keeps asking to go to the store to buy something to fill it:

A couple of days ago he was building the world's tallest tower and asked repeatedly if I would take a picture and send it to the Lego magazine. Only it wasn't made out of Legos.....

 

 That same afternoon he made a paper airplane with a picture of Aunt Steph that Kate miraculously printed from my phone:

That night when I took him to bed, I told him he had a choice: he could either earn 5 marbles for staying in bed and going to sleep or get a spaken for getting up and wandering around. He's been really working hard for marbles so of course he chose to stay in bed. Then over the next hour or two I keep seeing these little bits of paper fluttering down from the loft. A scrap from somewhere, then an animal TATOO, etc. Finally we see Ben up there and I get upset. Then he gets upset and says, "Don't you see! I am trying to tell you something! Haven't you read THE NOTES??? I AM HOT!!" I proceed to turn over the random scraps of paper and on each one of them he has written "I am hot." I thought that was the cutest and most clever thing. How could a kid that cute lose a marble?! 

This evening he went out and got a couple of branches with leaves on them and was doing little "L-U-V spells Luv!" cheers for Chris and Kate and I. And when he was supposed to be falling asleep, he was carefully cutting and accordion folding notes for everyone in the family. He just never slows down and I love it.;)

ANNIVERSARY/DADDY

IToday we celebrated Father's Day and our 16th wedding Anniversary! I got up early to help get things ready but when I went out to the hallway, I was quickly shoos back into the bedroom! The kids were already up and buzzing around. While we waited, Chris and I reminisced about all the houses and places we've lived. Some of them seem like a lifetime ago and others not so much! A few minutes later, we were escorted to the kitchen where "a table for two" was waiting......

The kids had cute cards for their Dad and "Happy Anniversary" cards too. We dined on one of Chris' favorite breakfasts.... Lucky Charms! (It was fun to see how excited everyone was to have a bowl, count their marshmallows, eat them last, etc.....and we put down nearly an entire family-sized box!)

We got ready for the day and headed to the mountains for a picnic. I think Kate asked "Where goin, Mom?" No less than 40 times on the drive up.;)  Olivia was the only one dressed for the brisk 47 degree rain that we came upon at Echo Lake..... So we descended into Evergreen and made a pit stop at Walmart for cheap sweatshirts before looking for the perfect picnic spot.

Everyone was starving when we made it to Rainbow Trail, but in Father's Day Tradition, we had to have a little taste test first! This year's test subject: DORITOS! 

This guys knows his chips! I think he only missed one and several of the favors were new to him. The kids LOVED watching him and of course helped sample the chips!

Lunch was fun. We certainly had tons of chips!! 

At lunch we talked about the last time we spent our anniversary with the kids. It was in 2008, we were living in Germany, and our neighbor was going to babysit for us. She ended up not being able to but we had such big plans that we were not about to cancel! We loaded up the kids and headed to the next town over where the place were were dying to go was located. Pizza Hut!! We were SO excited to have American style pizza! It was wonderful. I remember that Olivia and baby Nick sat on one side of the table and Chris and I sat together on the opposite side. (This was a date after all!) We enjoyed our dinner and then spent some time in the parking garage. Turns out we didn't have any Euro coins with us and that was the only form of money accepted at the parking garage. So there we stood, with a four year old and a baby in a car seat, pan handling on our anniversary. It was hilarious and mortifying at the same time. We did get enough donations to eventually get out of there. Ah, good times!!

 We did a scavenger hunt with the kids after lunch and the boys took the win. This little lady in her trashy $2.00 "Rebel to the Bone" sweatshirt was most concerned with her cupcake and carried it around with her everywhere she went....

We headed into Evergreen's town lake to giving fishing a shot. The boys were SO excited, especially Ben. Sadly, they spent most of their time untangling their lines and catching trash. Meanwhile,  Kate and I went for a walk and found these......

Lots of baby Geese! We also found an Oreo that we fed to them and she loved it.

Our Father's Day celebration wound down and we headed home. Chris and I exchanged cards and had a little sparkling cider to celebrate our special day.

 It is crazy to think of all that has happened in the last sixteen years. I wouldn't change any of it! I told Chris that I love him more today than I did on our wedding day. And I meant it! XO

HORSE

Today, on the way to swimming, we passed an old barn on the side of the road. Ben was commenting on how he "wondered if that farm just had an old barn and a super nice house." And how "I didn't know the guy had a horse but he saw one. And he has chickens, too." And how he "liked it when we moved here and he got to hold the chickens and pet the horses. The baby horse!" And from that the following conversation ensued:

 Ben: How does a mommy horse get a baby horse?

Mom: Well, it takes a mommy horse and a daddy horse.

Ben: I KNOW that. I know how the mommy and daddy get very close like a hug, then they make a little egg and then it grows to a baby. But how does it come OUT? Does it come out back here (Points to his bum)?

Mom: Yes.

Ben: It's right where you pee but it gets bigger. It's like dogs but not slimey. It's just a horse. Like a brown one. Does it come out forwards or backwards? Dogs come out front wards....

Mom: Oh, okay.......

                                  

THIS WEEK

 We checked off our first items from the summer bucket list this week....jump street and swimming with friends!

Kitty wasn't too sure of this place at first, but I jumped with her a little ( until I got kicked off the little kid tramp) and then she had a ball. Lalo did, too.;)

We've had a lot of late nights and early mornings this week but it doesn't seem to phase Ben. This morning, he was up, had his chores finished and was painting a picture of a "Panda house" at 6:30 am!

There is a whole lot of swimming going on this year. The three big kids are practicing 1-2 hours four days a week and then we are hitting the pool for fun a couple of those afternoons. Throw in a day-long swim meet on Saturdays and we are practically living at the pool!

Kate is REALLY loving the water this year. She is always asking for "dimming pool!" Today I had to keep dragging her out of the deep water..... She goes so far in that the water is at her chin! I told her today she was too small to be that far out in the pool as she yelled, " NO I NOT! NO I NOT!" As I pulled her to shallow water....;)

Lovin the summer with my kiddies!!!!

CAMP

This girl just got back from her first year at Girls Camp.... And she LOVED it! She has been singing songs and sharing stories with us for two days. I am so glad she was able to go and have so much fun. I drive up the last night for the testimony and I am so glad I did. The spirit was wonderful and the girls really spoke from their hearts. The stars were out and despite the chilly temperatures, the evening was great.  I slept overnight in the van and then we took down camp and headed home in the morning!

WELCOME HOME

Two seconds after Olivia arrived home from camp, the kids were bugging each other. So they had to tell why they missed each other:

Nick to Olivia:

I missed you joking around.

I missed watching you fiddle with your hair.

I missed sleeping in your room.

I missed your tender skin.

Olivia to Nick:

I missed your comments.

I missed your creativeness.

Ben to Olivia:

I missed you cuz I love you.

I missed you cuz you protect me from Nick. He is e-vil.

Olivia to Ben:

I missed you because you are funny and friendly and sweet. (Nick added, "And fat. That kid is fat.") 

DECK

Tonight Nick and Brady had a great idea....popcorn, hot cocoa and a game of Ticket to Ride out on his deck! It was so cute seeing them out there. What a fun celebration for the last day of school! I think it was the first time their deck has been used since it was rebuilt last summer. I just finished painting a couple of chairs for it and just this morning, Ben tested them out for me.....

 

PARTY

Ben spent a full week planning a pizza party for a few of his friends. He had all the details lined out and rewrote his guest list three times.;) I had nothing to do with it, other than sending out a text to the moms to bring the kids. And getting the pizza. Ben asked what kind of pizza I was going to get and I told him I  would probably grab something at Papa Murphy's. He didn't like that and requested the kind with "the caveman" on the box. It only took me a minute to realize he was talking about the little Greek God guy on the Little Caesar pizzas.;) We made a fun ice cream sandwich cake and Olivia and her friend taught the kids a couple of outdoor games. While sitting in the grass, one of the little girls found a worm and immediately the kids turned from games to making a village and a house for the worm. It was great! Gotta love six-year-olds! 

BALLERINA

Kitty and I were cleaning out the basement today and we came across the bin of Livi's old dress-ups. Oooh, was she excited! This little shoe lover was thrilled with the variety of plastic shoes suddenly available to her. The last kid to wear this tu-tu was Nick.....;) and now it fits her perfectly. Ben's orange Easter basket completed the look......

MESS

Me: Kate, did you pull all of momma's files out of the cabinet?

Kate: Yeth (yes).

Me: How come?

Kate: Cuth (cuz).......smile.......;)

SWIM

First swim meet of the summer! These three little fish were so excited to get in the water. Nick hadn't swam since last year, Liv had been on break since February, but little Ben had been in weekly lessons all winter, practicing his 25-yard swim so he could make the team. He was the first one up in the mornings for practice and the first one ready to go at 6am this morning. Here he is getting heated for his first race:

He swam his heart out in both the 25 yard freestyle and backstroke! Way to go little buddy! The big kids had great races too. They did well for the first meet and had alot of fun with our friends the Porters between races. I swear after we get camp set-up, it's like a buffet of yummy food and fun games all morning long. They are in heaven!;)

This little gal was the cheerleader of the group. She didn't sit down for more than three seconds all day! She clapped and gave the thumbs up sign to the big kids as they finished their races. She ate a ton of food and drank everyone's Gatorade. She's a busy little gal but already this season is easier than last year since she is communicating more with us!

LOVE

Daddy cuddling his girl. And her Cinderella shoes.....;)

BED

I couldn't figure out where Ben was tonight when I went up to check on him.....and then I saw a corner of his blue blankie sticking out from under the bed. The search was over. Sleep tight angel. XO

POLITICS

Today as we were heading out the door for church, Nick was scribbling on some sticky notes. Chris asked him what he was doing and received no answer. He finished writing, stuck one on his blazer, and then handed one to Ben. I guess they were working together today with their wardrobe choices....Nick's tag read "President" (since he was the one with the blue blazer) and Ben was quite happily his "Vice President". Then he approached me and announced that I was his "First Lady." XOXOXO LOVE THESE TWO! A picture was a must have.;)

GRAPE

I was standing at the kitchen table today, watching the boys eat lunch. They were giggling and screwing around with their grapes and one rolled across the table right in front if me. Without thinking, I grabbed it and popped it in my mouth. The boys looked at each other and died laughing. Finally Nick said, "Mom, that grape has been in my hand, Ben's armpit and on the floor...."

DIAPER

Today I changed Kitty's diaper and when I finished, she started yelling at me. "Change guy! CHANGE GUY!!" I turned around to see what the heck her problem was and there was Buzz, lying in the diaper changing spot with his legs spread apart. He looked so hilarious just laying there that I couldn't help But play along. Kitty got him all changed. And then Spidey got in on the action too. Lucky guy.