he makes us laugh

Xander:  Grammy, did you go to Lucy's?
Grammy:  noooooo, we didn't go to Lucy's.  (confused)
Xander:  But what about your cup?
Grammy:  OH, yes, we went to Wendy's.  (restaurant)   :)

Mom:  okay, now these are words that end with "S."  plates, cups, spoons, chairs, tables, foods, drinks, napkins, beans, drinks...  can you think of one?
Xander:  tentacles?

Happy Birthday Daddy!

Daddy had a big birthday and we celebrated in a big way!  We enjoyed hanging out ( = playing games) with sisters and brothers for days on end, a little getaway for the two of us, and a big celebration on the big day.

we spent a night at this old mansion

sideways picture and I can't make it right!!

my party planner extraordinaire threw a fantastic party for her daddy.  she started the week before, putting the kids to work on a fabulous banner.  but she didn't stop there.  she inquired of daddy, his favorite cakes, and wrote a long list for me to choose from.  and while he and i were away and she was at grandma and grandpa's, she *really* set to work.  She asked much of Grandma Anna, and when everyone arrived for his party, Libby had bags of decorations, as well as personal goody bags for everyone in the family.  Each was filled with treats either found at grandma's or that she had convinced grandpa to buy for us.  Above, she shows one of the porcelain dogs that found their way to the party.  Below, we model our new sunglasses.  Chime in, all, what did you get in your goody bag?

Happy Birthday, my love!  I am so thankful to share your days with you.  I love you!

accessorize

if I could document accurately the loves of phoebe's life, I would be telling you of music, food, and accessories.  I know she and I will be great friends someday.  :)

here she is, accessorizing in her brother's crocs and cowboy hat.  

Libby Rides!

One warm spring day Libby came to us and announced that she was ready to ride her bike without training wheels.  She is so sweet and funny how she gets an idea in her mind and pronounces it so.  Sadly, her tires were flat and it was several days before we got them filled with air and we had a day without rain.  But the soonest day that met those two criteria she was out and determined.  Brian went out to help her for a while, running with her up and down the street and she soon took flight!

stop.drop.&.roll.

In her last days of school Libby went on a field trip to the fire station at Eppley.  She had a great time and had much to share with us about her new knowledge regarding fire.  She also came home with a new workbook, and in the workbook a checklist.  The checklist is serving to assure her that we are or are not prepared for the moment our house burns down.  She knows me too well.  :)  

One of the items on the checklist was, "The members of your family know how to stop, drop, and roll." 

Well.  No!  Not ALL of the members of our family did know how to stop, drop, and roll.  And so that must be remedied.  Libby crafted some paper flames, taped them to our bodies, and taught us the proper method of extinguishing.  Phoebe did quite well, and so:  checkity check!

Easter Photo Shoot - take 2

Easter Photo Shoot 1

I don't know what I'm looking for when I group the kids together and try to take a picture.  Maybe just a moment frozen in time where 3 kids look pleasant, 6 eyes are open, no weird expressions or gestures.  I'm not good at capturing that moment.  I'm sure it must exist...

Spring Concert

Libby's class performed with the other Kindergarten classes at her school in their Spring Concert.  She was so excited and quickly got herself dressed up as soon as she got home from school.  She also fixed her hair.  The result wasn't quite as ... presentable ... as her wardrobe selection.  I was thankful to be able to tactfully convince her to let me run a comb through it.  :)  

Xander chose his favorite sweater and was pleased to stand by her side.

play

i heart summer.  but, these pics are from the spring.  i also heart spring.  and so do the kids.  isn't it great to get outside after a long cold winter?  yes.  phoebes hit the swings for the first time of the season and she was a fan.

i think it's worth mentioning, these pics were taken april 27.  i'm that behind in blogging, and phoebe has changed that much.  amazing. 

xander and our sweet neighbor donovan enjoyed swinging, too.

but not libby.  she chose to illustrate the afternoon's events.

i love my kids!

princesses

I lack photos of our fabulous evening, but we celebrated the Royal Wedding the evening after Will and Kate had tied the knot.  The five of us gathered in the den with wedding cake (pound cake) and watched in awe.  Even my littlest princess seemed impressed!

gross.

The truth is, I'm not a big fan of candy.  I like it fine, but I never crave it.  I never really want it.  Give me rice krispie bars or brownies or chocolate chip cookies or sugar cookies or o'henry bars or puppy chow.  Give me puppy chow.  But candy?  nah. 

Certain candies top my "nah" list and actually qualify as "gross."  Much Easter candy makes that list, and Cadbury Eggs are probably the grossest candy I can imagine.  

My hubby thinks that's why I don't like the kids to eat them.  But he's not entirely right.  I suppose there is a part of me that wants to protect them from the Cadbury Egg.  But also, I think that's WAAAAAY too much candy for a person weighing 37 pounds, and I also think that's WAAAAAAY too much mess for someone living in a house that I have to clean. 

Case in point.  :)

product endorsement : FROG TAPE!

Okay.  I don't do many product endorsements.  But this one I simply couldn't resist.  I wish I could remember how many walls I've painted in my life, and how much time I've spent taping trim.  It's really my least favorite part of painting.  I lack the patience to waste  take the time to put that silly blue tape on my woodwork, around my doors, windows, etc.  Especially since EVERY time I peel that junk off my wall there's a messy ridiculous "line" that needs touched up.  Most of the time I skip the tape and do my own cutting which sometimes works out, and sometimes doesn't.  :)  But the last time I was at Ace Hardware (oh yeah, you heard me) I motion-triggered an infomercial telling me about frog tape.  Supposedly pretty good stuff.  I bit.  I bought. 

I later painted my hallway (with a faux linen treatment, that I happen to like, btw) and imagine my udder surprise when I peeled the frog tape from my trim and discovered A CLEAN STRAIGHT LINE.  Seriously folks.  Apparently the frog tape has PaintBlock Technology.  It uses the moisture from latex paint to create a perfectly tight seal along the edge of the tape!  However it works, I love it.  And I think you might, too.  Check my before and after pics.

Don't worry.  I won't do this often.  :)  

http://www.amazon.com/Frog-Tape-82011-Painters-60-Yards/dp/B0019RVXFO

1 week 2 teeth

my baby lost two teeth in one week.  she looks so much older with her big empty space and i loove her new little lisp in her speech.  you're beautiful, libby lou.