Cute as A Button

T loves his hat.  He wears it everywhere, and it isn't always on the right way, but it is so cute and shows his personality, I couldn't help but snap this of him wearing it almost sideways.  He's such a funny kid, always exploring and using things the way they were never meant to be used! This summer is going to be interesting with him because all he wants is to be outside and we don't have much of a yard!

L and I went to the aquarium with her class a few weeks ago, and she had so much fun! By the time we got to the penguins she was done, I think there was some serious overload because all she did was run from one place to another saying "I want see more!"  This pic is one of my favorites as she is face to face with a shark (I think it was a shark)!

And how can I not love this photo! L is a little mommy to everyone in the family. She tries to take care of everyone and make sure we are all doing the right things.  E can't stand it when L tells her she needs to eat at mealtime. T gets furious when L makes him put things away and he's not finished. J just doesn't like to be mauled with her neverending (read stopping) love and concern and pushing his pacifier in until he keeps it there. And I certainly don't appreciate it when she is telling me to get dressed, or make dinner or take care of J! However, there are some of the sweetest moments with her care and compassion, as proven in this photo.

E Graduates from Kindergarten

Congrats to E! She graduated from Kindergarten yesterday and is done with school until the fall. It was very strange to sit down with all the other parents and families, and see my sweet E walk in with her classmates to "Pomp and Circumstance," and the tears just started to fall. What is happening to me?! This is a happy day, and great occasion, and I'm crying?

E did a great job, she sang two songs, one about the ABC's and one about friends being forever. She also did a dance to a song from Lilo and Stitch, hence the grass skirt and flowers in her hair. She just kept smiling the whole time and those gaps in her teeth were so precious, especially considering all of her classmates had the same kind of smile!

She received some purple flowers from her grandparents and a journal from Matthew and I. What a great day, just to think about how far she has come in the past nine months or so. She has learned to read and is reading on a 3rd grade level, she lost several teeth, she had some hard lessons about friendship and compromise, received reading glasses, broke a bone, so many memories!

My Yard!

So, when we moved in to our townhouse, the backyard consisted of a 20x4 foot section of weeds, you know, the kind that have thorns and thistles and grow to be more than 6 feet tall. It has stayed that way for almost 5 years, while we dreamed of what we could do to make it better.....
Maybe we could cover it with weed-guard fabric and put paving stones on it, maybe build garden boxes to try and grow some veggies, maybe just gravel or wood chips or maybe. . . well you get the point.
Finally, we decided the time was right (and our desperation for a safe place for the kids to play) and we finally did something. You can see in the photos the before, during and finished product. It isn't amazing or anything, but it is exciting for us!

E's Accident

Wow! What a weird week this has been! We drove home from Idaho Monday (what a great trip we had to Wyoming! I'll post pictures of that as soon as I find the cord to my camera). That night L had a fever and didn't sleep well, so Tuesday morning I took her to the doctor, and she has strep.
Then, Wednesday E didn't feel well, but didn't have a fever or anything, so we just thought she needed rest. Last night at about 1:30a.m. I heard a cry, and went to E's room to find her sitting on the floor in tears. The long-story-short version is that she broke her clavicle, pretty bad, and has strep!
Poor kid, she's been so brave, and we won't know any real definite specifics until tomorrow afternoon when we go see a specialist. I'm not sure how to get her pajamas off short of cutting them, but then what does she wear? I've got to go get some button up shirts this evening!
Anyway, thought it would be interesting to see her x-rays (forgive the fence in the background)! Hope for the best and I'll keep updating the blog with whatever we learn!

J is Growing Up

Hey! I'm going through a spurt right now of adding posts. Enjoy it while it lasts! Anyway, J is so cute! He is 6 weeks old today, and I was able to snap a smiling photo yesterday of him. He's such a great baby, mellow, eating and sleeping well, and sleeping through all the noise of his siblings. We are truly blessed to have a mellow boy at this point in our family's life. E, L, and T love him and give him kiss after kiss and snuggle after snuggle.

Matthew finished up his last class for his masters degree with another 'A'! Now he has to prepare for a comprehensive exam in May and write his thesis. Hopefully by this time next year he will be finished!!!!!

E and L both have field trips tomorrow - what fun! E is going to the Bean Museum and L is going to the aquarium! Aahh to be a kid again and be free to just go and enjoy. How great it would be if mom could go on a field trip, planned by someone else, with a sack lunch made by someone else and have no responsibility except to learn something! However, I wouldn't trade my kiddos for a field trip!

Great Recipe

This is a wonderful recipe for play-dough I received from L's playgroup leader a year or so ago. It uses kool-aid, which makes it smell delicious, and is really soft and easy to work with.

Kool-Aid Play Dough
2 1/2 C. flour
1/2 C. salt
2 pkgs. unsweetened Kool-Aid
3 T. oil
2 C. boiling water

Mix dry ingredients. Put oil in dent in middle. Stir in 2 cups boiling water quickly. It will be sticky at this stage, allow to set in a lump until cooler to the touch. Knead well. Now it should be soft and smooth and not sticky. Store in refrigerator when not using.

If I make it this week I'll take a picture or two and post it with this!

E learned to ride her bike down the hill next to our house yesterday. She is very proud and having a blast going up and down and up and down. I can't believe she's so big and independent now!