We've Got Spirit!!

It was spirit week at the girls school this week - which meant that they got to dress up in certain ways through out the week - for funny hat/hair day on Monday, Dan made balloon hats for the girls to wear (which of course meant that Evie and Aaron had to have balloon stuff too.  Tuesday was class colors day, Wednesday was Dress Up day and Thursday was twin day - Eileen and Anna wanted to be twins, so I told them that if they got their room clean, we could go get twin outfits for them.  They had fun picking out matching outfits together.  

James has developed an obsession with the broom recently - he finds it and drags it all over the house - he has even managed to figure out how to drag it downstairs by himself.  I caught this cute picture of him the other day - trying to sweep up a little piece of paper on the floor - it was so funny to watch.  

James had his 15 month well child check up this week - he is growing well - and the doctor was very impressed by his gross motor skills - after watching him sweep the floor - so was I! 

 

Friday night, Dan and I got a babysitter and went to the temple, then out for dinner - the temple was wonderful and so was dinner :)  It was such a nice evening!  

Saturday was totally crazy - we started out the morning by getting some cleaning up done outside and inside - followed by a walk/ride to the park for a bit (during which Aaron got a blister from wearing the snow boots that we told him not to wear and Anna fell and scrapped her knee)  James new favorite word is "WHEEE-Oh-WHEEEE"  He uses it when I play with him and make him slide down my legs - and he really used it in the park - he sat on the swing for 20 minutes just swinging and saying "wheee-oh-wheee-oh"  

 

Anna has decided that she wants to be an artist when she grows up since she draws so well - and because art is her favorite subject in school.  

Saturday afternoon, we went over to Dwayne and Nicole's for Anayia's birthday party - we all had a lot of fun!  Then i had to run out for all the stuff for the fireside on Sunday followed by a baptism in the evening.  Sunday was just as crazy - Ward Council in the morning - church - followed by friends coming over for dinner and the Stake Easter Music fireside.  Eileen came and sang with me in the choir - it was so fun to sing with her and Anna came to listen and did such a good job of being reverent and listening!  Now I am exhausted and ready for bed - but first I'm going to enjoy this massaging chair for a bit longer....

Gone Daddy Gone...

This week has been a bit crazy - Monday, I went down to my Grandpa's so to help him downsize and to divide up family things that he needed to give to other family members.   We had thought about going down as a family, but my mom thought that with all the scattered boxes and mess - it wouldn't be a good place for kids - she was right - and I ended up being very glad that Dan had stayed home with the kids for more reasons than that - mostly the fact that I had ended up being there until almost 10 pm.  It was really neat to see some of the family heirlooms that he had.  My Grandpa had his father's old WWI uniform and a map of parts of France from WWI.  They were some really neat pieces of history - and not just history but my own family history.  Also some things that my Grandfather had gotten from his military time over in the Philippines.  

Dan left for Philadelphia Tuesday morning.  :(  Having my mom around really helps - 5 young kids - even really good, and independent for their age kids is a lot for one person.  We got tons of snow on Monday - and so Tuesday there was still a LOT on the ground - well Tuesday, we went for Piano lessons as usual - but the apartment complex where the piano teacher lives doesn't allow any one but residents to park in their parking lot and the street that it is on usually gets plowed just enough to make huge piles of snow on the side of the road where you would usually park - so I aimed for a spot where someone had been parked recently so there was a gap in the snow and hoped for the best.  After lessons, I went out and started trying to get my car to go forward - it wouldn't - the next thought was to get it to go back - while it would go back a bit - there was much more snow behind, so while i could  go back - it just made things worse.  Oh and by the way - this is on an incline.....  So here I am - I can't go forward, I can't go backwards - I'm stuck - I had managed to help someone else in my predicament - she pushed the gas while I pushed the car - that worked for her - but my van was a lot bigger than her car - finally, a young man shoveling snow noticed my problem and came over with his shovel and offered help - between his shoveling - then me pushing with one leg out the driver seat, him and his brother behind the car and two sister missionaries who stopped to help, I finally managed to get free and get heading home.  I was rather sore the next day though - my shoulder muscles had gotten quite a work out and somehow I had managed to strain a muscle on my inner thigh..... just glad it's over and VERY glad for the thoughtfulness and kindness of a young man who was willing to serve.  

Wednesday was less exciting only in that we got more snow and so couldn't do much - including my choir practice getting cancelled :(  

Thursday, we met Grandpa and Aunt Joan for lunch - a cute little place over near Aunt Joan's house - the menu looked really yummy - but the food itself was only ok - but it was still good company and fun!  James was really happy and content almost the whole time!  Anna had been complaining the night before about leg pains and she frequently seems to have growing pains - but this time it seemed to be lasting a lot longer than usual and hurting her more than normal, so we took her in to the pediatrician to check her out.  He said it looks like growing pains and just keep trying painkillers and warm baths or heating pads.  

Friday was my mom's last day.  It was mostly uneventful - for me, the big thing was getting to the grocery store for anything we needed to get through the weekend - I REALLY didn't want to try and go grocery shopping with 5 kids in tow.... Also Friday Night, we had a little movie and pizza party with the kids downstairs - we put out a blanket and the kids watched Heidi with Shirly Temple and ate pizza.  

Saturday was busy - thankfully James slept in - so I could sleep in a bit too.  Saturday evening, was our Stake Women's Conference.  I was doing a musical number for the conference, so I had to get a baby sitter for the kids.  Then I met my pianist to go over the musical number and had a great evening visiting with friends and listening to uplifting messages and eating good food.  Plus, as I was practicing the song at home - Anna wanted to sing along with me and Eileen started asking about what the song was about, so we were able to have a nice gospel conversation because of it!  The musical number went well - I was once again amazed at how the Lord uses me as a means of conveying the spirit - not because I am such a great singer - but because he makes me better than I am, and when I am using my talents to serve Him - he makes me more than I am on my own.  

Sunday was exhausting, as always - but James was surprisingly good and so Sunday was only slightly more exhausting as usual - not nearly as bad as I was expecting.  Dan got in late and set up the massaging recliner that he got for me - and so I am sitting here, getting wiggled by my massaging chair and typing this :)  I could stay here all night......  

Hehee - funny pic of the week - I found Anna in the bathroom doing Evie's hair and having already done James'.  I thought he looked pretty cute and Anna was quite proud of herself - but Eileen didn't like his hair and kept trying to flatten it - however, Anna did such a good job that even the next day, it kept trying to stick up.  

Snow Day

 We had a busy week this week.  Monday night, Dan and I got a notification from the kids schools that school was cancelled on Tuesday because of the weather forecast.  While the weather forecast was 8-12 inches of snow and blizzard condition - we were a bit surprised since when the notification was sent - there was nothing on the ground yet - and while it snowed all the next day - only about 2 inches even fell on the benches and the roads never got bad - so we aren't sure why the snow day was called.... So the kids got to spend Tuesday home with me - a snow day with all 5 kids was a bit insane - though they didn't let it keep them inside all day - all the kids went out and spent some time on the swing set during the day.

Wednesday, we went with Frankie and Tina to the Mammoths and Mastadon's exhibit at the Denver Museum of Natural History - the kids all had a fun time checking stuff out - though Evie had a bit of a problem with wandering off - I've never had this problem with her or any of the other kids before - so it was a new experience to have to keep eyes on her at all times.

James has discovered our book shelves - and decided that pulling books off of them is fun - that is frustrating - but sometimes, he just takes one of the books, lays or sits down and starts reading it to himself - he holds the book up, flips through pages and babbles to himself.  It's so cute!!  

Wednesday night, after choir, I was stretching out before bed and part way into a hamstring stretch, I felt sharp pains in my back.  I stopped what I was doing and went to bed hoping that a day of taking it easy would solve the problem - however, by Thursday night - I was still in a lot of pain, so I called the doctor and set up an appointment for the next morning.  The doctor things I strained my lumbar muscle and gave me some pain meds, muscle relaxers and anti-inflammatory meds, and instructions to heat and then ice it.  After two days of that - I think i'm starting to feel better - but then again - the pain meds are making me a bit loopy and mask the pain - and just when i think maybe it's really getting better, the pain meds wear off and I'm in pain again - hopefully this will get better quickly, since Dan leaves town next week for a few days.  Thankfully my mom is in town to help while Dan is gone, and to help my Grandpa pack up and move.  She drove in safely last night and is staying with Grandpa for now.  

If You Build It....

They will play.....and play... and play!! This year we used our tax rebate check to get a play area in the back yard for the kids. The weather and our health finally allowed us to get it built this week. Our ward missionaries were looking for some service hours, so on Thursday afternoon, Dan came home early, we fed them lunch and they got stage one of the building finished - then jokingly informed us that the kids couldn't play in this - they would be moving into it. :) The kids disagreed.

Wednesday, after taking the girls to school, Aaron, Evie, James and I all went to the library - we had fun in the kid area, then we found that we were just in time for a story time!  We went and the kids all really seemed to enjoy it - then after, we each picked out a book and went home for lunch and naps and reading more books!  After, I asked Evie if she had enjoyed Story Time.

Evie:  We didn't go to story time.
Me: Of course we did - don't you remember the train book he read?
Evie: Yes
Me: ...and the train song we sang?
Evie:  Yes
Me:  And coloring the trains after
Evie:  Yes, but that wasn't story time!

Thursday night - we got to go see Disney on Ice - our ward had gotten a bunch of free tickets, so we bundled into the car and gave a ride to some friends and went and watched the show - it was a lot of fun - the kids all really seemed to enjoy it - even James enjoyed himself - but they were all EXHAUSTED by the end - and it didn't help that traffic getting out of there was worse than ANY event traffic I have ever seen before.

Thursday I made cookies - while I was making them Evie asked "Are you making FROSTING?!?!?"  I told her I was making cookies.  "Are you making FROSTING for the cookies????"  She asked me this at LEAST 5 more times before I could finally convince her that what she saw was not frosting, but cookie dough and that there was NO frosting involved in any way.  

Saturday, Dwayne and Nicole and family came over to help finish building the play area and watch the second session of General Conference with us. The kids had a blast outside playing and helping - Anna also had a friend from school over for a play date in between sessions. Dan had to put up the swing set after the second session - but by the time he left for priesthood meeting, the whole thing was finished.

We have had a hard time getting them back in for any thing - even meals for the last 2 days - summer break might be ok after all :)  The weather has been perfect for being outside the last few days and we are finally really enjoying spring (hopefully!)

Saturday, I finally took a look at the shoes that Eileen keeps claiming she needs new ones of - and realized that they actually had lots of holes on the tops, so we went out and got her some new tennis shoes.....  While out, I got a pair of little sandals for James - he LOVES being outside - and I feel better about him being out there with shoes on his feet - and he's already learned that bringing me his shoes helps him get to go outside - he LOVES being outside - mostly he just walks around and picks up little sticks and tries to sneak rocks in to the house.  After getting shoes, I couldn't resist a quick stop at Barnes and Noble - and grabbed a book there that I LOVED as a kid to read with Anna to encourage reading with her and encourage her to read out loud - it struck me as the type of book she would enjoy - "Sideways Stories from Wayside School" so far we have really been enjoying reading it together!  

Otherwise, our week has been normal - we are looking forward to my mom coming at the end of next week and not looking forward to Dan leaving early the week after for a business trip.  

    

Eileen thinks that hanging upside down with no feet is very exciting and impressive.  

Evie loves playing on this thing - but is still learning about not walking in front of swings and trying to keep up with her bigger siblings

James had a blast swinging with daddy and wasn't happy when it was Evie's turn...

Aaron has been loving the play house - but we think he might be suffering from allergies - the poor kid seems like his eyes are always red and puffy - and he told me the other day that the tickle bugs keep tickling his eyes and that is why he is always rubbing them - of course, he blames a LOT of other things on tickle bugs too.....

Apparently this move is called the "Airplane" and not long after, Evie (with some help) climbed on her back and swung with her - it didn't last too long though.  

General Conference was wonderful - so much great, uplifting and inspiring council from our apostles!  Evie saw the Mormon Tabernacle Choir singing today and saw the women in their pink dresses and said loudly "GEEZE - they're all PINK!"  She has such a funny way of getting to the point.  :)  

So now we just need to decide what we want to "DO" next on our house.  :)