More Than One Hand

I am horribly late (bad mommy) but HAPPY BIRTHDAY to my baby boy.
You are 6!  That's more than a whole hand old.

In honor of his sixth birthday I sent cupcakes to school with him on Friday.

Homemade, red velvet cupcakes with a filling of white chocolate whip cream and cream cheese frosting.  YUMMY!

Photo op before school with the birthday hat!

He is so grown up.

Now one of the whole gang

And one with his fabulous teacher Ms. Beth.

Lastly, one from Saturday morning right after he woke up and was "officially" 6.

These have honestly been the fastest 6 years of my life.  I can't believe how much he has grown and changed over the years.  I wish I could freeze time and keep him my sweet little boy forever, but I also look forward to seeing him grow into a wonderful young man.

The big birthday bash for all my April babies is this weekend.

I'm frantically trying to get everything ready.  The party is outdoors at a local park.  Please pray for beautiful weather.

A Clown?

Harrison has always been my "helpless" child.  He is super smart and can do things for himself, he just chooses not to.  I can ask him to go get his shoes and socks on and he will instantly say "I can't find them anywhere."  Of course, he hasn't bothered to move from where he was and look for them either.  If I have him try to zip up his jacket or turn off the light in his room he will grunt and say "I can't do it.  It's too hard."  In the mornings when I ask him to go get dressed for school his response is usually, "I can't move.  My legs are straighted."  I know I shouldn't, but depending on how tired I am, I just give in and do whatever it is for him.  I know, I know.  Definitely a bad habit to get into.  I don't want him to be completely helpless his whole life.  I do want him to move out on his own...eventually.

With that in mind, husband and I have been pushing him to do more things by himself, or at least give things an honest try before giving up and asking for help.  And he has made major improvement.  He can buckle his own car seat belts, get himself a snack or a drink, turn the lights off sometimes but given how short he is this one isn't complete laziness on his part, go to the bathroom on his own, and various other tasks, including get himself dressed.

The getting himself dressed thing is a double edged sword however,

Because sometimes he comes down dressed like this

and tells me "Look mom.  I'm not a clown anymore."

My favorite part of the outfit....

the gray dress socks pulled up to his knees.  They go so well with the blue striped t-shirt and plaid shorts.  He is definitely a fashionista in the making....but at least he's not a clown.

Another One Bites The Dust

This week I have been waging a war.
A war against a vicious fever/stomach virus that has been going around.

I've been waging the war....and losing horribly.

It started with John David who came down with this mess on Sunday.  The first time he threw up I was hoping it was just extreme exhaustion due to a super packed weekend of ball games, ball practices, grandparents visiting, birthday parties, and church.  I was wrong.  He soon spiked a fever over 102 and felt horrible.  He lay curled up on an extra crib mattress in my bedroom crying and whimpering because he felt so horrible.

I went into disinfectant, hope to keep anyone else from catching this mess, mode.  I have done countless loads of laundry, scrubbed bathrooms, walls, cabinets, floors, everything, in hopes of killing this virus and sparing the other three, and husband and I, from the sickness.  All to no avail.  On Wednesday, Ava woke up from her nap with a fever of 102.  On Thursday, Ella's temp went up to 102.  Both girls have been vomiting.  Oh the joys of motherhood, and the joys of motherhood with a houseful of small children who love to share their germs.

Last night as I was dosing both girls with fever medication and setting out the "puke pots" just in case either got sick during the night, the lyrics of Queen's 80's hit "Another One Bites the Dust" popped into my head.

Another one bites the dust

Another one bites the dust

And another one gone, and another one gone

Another one bites the dust

Hey, gonna get you too

Another one bites the dust

Husband found the song on the internet and played it for me while I laughed and danced the stress off.  I mean, when three of your four children are sick as dogs, you haven't left the house in a week other than to run carpool for the ones that haven't yet gotten sick, you haven't had a full nights sleep in 5 days, what else can you do but laugh and dance to 80's rock music.

Harrison is the lone hold-out among the children and has yet fallen victim to this nasty virus.

Husband and I are fighting hard as well.  

I pray no one else catches it.

I pray I don't catch it.  If mommy gets sick, who will be left to take care of me.

On a positive note, my house is really clean, the laundry is caught up, and I have gotten a decent amount of sewing done this week.  

A Whole Lotta Birthdays!

Happy Birthday Ella and Harrison

You are 4 today.

I can't believe you went from this

to this

so darn fast!

I made cupcakes for the twins to take to school as a treat.  Ella requested pink cupcakes with purple frosting while Harrison requested green cupcakes with blue frosting.  Here's the result.

I put a miniature rolo candy on the top of each one.  Those were a big hit and they were both really excited about their cupcakes for their school friends.

Here they are with their fabulous teacher Ms. Tish.   

To make today more exciting, it is Ms. Tish's birthday too.  We made Ms. Tish her own tray of birthday cupcakes to share with the other teachers. (Or to eat all for herself if she wants.  It is her birthday after all.)

Not only is today the twins birthday, and Ms. Tish's birthday, but it is Jessica's birthday as well.  (She was obviously meant to be part of our family.) 

So we wish her a big HAPPY BIRTHDAY too.

Too bad she can't be here for her own pink/purple or green/blue cupcake.  I guess we will just have to make her her own birthday dessert when she and John Robert next come for a visit.

We will be celebrating more birthdays later this month and will have a big birthday bash in a few weeks.  

So for now

HAPPY BIRTHDAY BABY TWINS!

I love you!

TAX DAY!

From one non-practicing CPA who didn't do tax work when I was a practicing CPA and who was up way too late finishing her own taxes to all of you

Don't Forget...

Today is Filing Day

If you haven't filed your tax return yet you better get it in the mail today.  You have until midnight.

On a happier note...in honor of tax day Sonic has half price drinks and slushes ALL DAY!

I've already stopped for my afternoon caffeine fix.

Now....off to make cupcakes for school for my barely not tax day baby twins who will turn four tomorrow.

Around here, the fun never stops.

HAPPY TAX DAY EVERYONE!

National Sibling Day

In honor of National Sibling Day

here is a big

I LOVE YOU

to my favorite brother 

and sister

You are best siblings a girl could ask for.

And the best aunt and uncle these siblings could ask for!

Hoppy Easter

This year, we spent our Easter in Cincinnati visiting Anna, John Robert and Jessica.  We made a "long" weekend of it since the kids were out of school the Friday before Easter.  I asked, made, encouraged husband to take Friday off as well so we could spend a little more time actually in Cincinnati.  We left Thursday around 5:00pm and drove to Nashville, about half way, and stopped for the night.  It made the  600+ mile trip from Arkansas to Cincinnati much more "doable" by breaking it into two days.   Too bad we couldn't take our time on the return trip and make that into two days as well.

For lunch on the way up we stopped at McDonald's.  I know, not the healthiest of lunch options, but they had a playground and getting some energy out was more important that calorie content at that time. They had a life sized statue of Ronald McDonald that Ava absolutely loved.  She climbed all over Ronald McDonald posing for pictures.

 Honk Honk!!

We brought beautiful weather to Cincinnati with us and tried to make the most of it.  Friday afternoon after we arrived Husband, John Robert, and Jessica took the four kiddos to a nearby park for some outdoor fun.

On Saturday we took advantage of Cincinnati's awesome children's museum.  They had all sorts of things to play with, a huge water table, ball yard, gas station, grocery store, veterinary clinic, and indoor climbing yard.  All four children had a blast playing and exploring all the new things.

Hey Dad...Look at me.  I need a little red convertible!

Price check on aisle 2

Future star of the stage and screen

Shoveling rocks

Bus Driver...take me to the beach!

The indoor climbing area was called The Woods and was made to look like a forest.  They even had a small area just for toddlers to explore.

She sure looks up to something here.  And yes....she spent most of her time at the museum with only one shoe on.  She kept taking one of them off and I finally just gave up.

After the museum we dyed some Easter Eggs.

 

Since we had to leave Sunday morning for the long drive home, we had our Easter dinner Saturday night complete with ham, roasted herbed potatoes, asparagus, brussel sprouts, deviled eggs, rolls, and peach & blueberry cobbler and ice cream.  Just for me John Robert and Jessica found some of my favorite Jeni's splendid ice cream, goat cheese with red cherries.  Yummy!  It was all delicious.  At dinner we got to meet my sister's new boyfriend, Mike or Michael as she told me to call him.  We all really liked him and he seemed to handled our "four kids 5 and under" chaos very well.  The kids have had fun telling Gigi, Grandma, PaPa, and all their teachers at school how they got to meet Anna's new boyfriend Mike.  If he comes to visit Arkansas he is already a celebrity.

The kids were a little worried the Easter Bunny wouldn't be able to find us in Ohio but their fears were unfounded.  The Easter Bunny brought all sorts of goodies to not only the kids, but the rest of us as well.  There were new books, batting gloves, Hot Wheels cars, babies, lipstick (really cherry chaptstick), and movies in the baskets along with all the yummy candy.  

We had a fantastic, if too short, visit.  Poor Ava came down with a stomach bug on Saturday night so she spent all night Saturday and all day Easter Sunday vomiting.  Not the best way to spend your Easter but by Monday morning she was back to her usual happy self.  

The "big kids" all slept together on a big futon cushion on the living room floor.  I snapped this quick picture of "Brotherly Love" Saturday night after they had all crashed from sheer exhaustion.

When we left Sunday morning it was drizzly and cool.  I snapped this quick photo out the window of the sign for the town of Bonnieville, Kentucky in honor of one of our favorite teachers Ms. Bonnie.  I had intended to get the kids out and have them pose by the sign but due to the weather and baby girl's stomach bug we didn't get the chance.  Next time Ms. Bonnie, I promise.

Thanks Anna, John Robert, and Jessica for a great Easter.  We miss you guys already.

Spring Break Fun

I know I am behind but things have been crazy around here.  I mean they are always crazy but baseball season has started and this year both John David and Harrison are playing so that means double the baseball craziness, I mean fun.   But baseball fun is for another day.  Today is for Spring Break.

We didn't have any big exciting plans or take any big exciting vacation for spring break as husband had to work.  It's too bad law firms don't have spring break too.  The children and I did do a few things to have fun and keep ourselves busy during our week off of school.  Of course, the weather, which had been beautiful the week before spring break, turned cool and rainy the week of spring break.  Oh well, we made the best of it and enjoyed the pretty days we had working in the garden and going to the zoo while spending the rainy days inside making yummy treats.

We had a wonderful day at the zoo with our good friend Kevin.

Ella is keeping the boys in line

Look mom....I'm a scarecrow!

Don't forget me.  I'm having fun too!

We travelled to Snowball to spend Friday night on the farm with Grannie Susie and Grandpa  and the cows, of course.  On Saturday we went to a cattle auction at a local sale barn.  Ever since marrying into a "cattle family" and becoming a part time cowgirl I have wanted to go see a cattle sale.  A cattle sale or livestock auction is exactly what it sounds like.  Local farmers bring their livestock to the barn to be sold at auction, typically to feed lots or other farming operations.  Most of the cattle sold are bull calves that will be steered and fattened up before being taken to the butcher and turned into hamburger.  We all had a good time at the auction.  The children loved seeing all the horses and cows and really loved spending time with Granny Susie and Grandpa.  The only problem...the calves being sold were so cute I wanted to buy them all and put them on our farm...not to fatten up but to save from their eventual fate.

Here are a few shots from our adventure to the livestock auction.  

The sale barn

 A couple of calves waiting for their turn in the ring.  Aren't they adorable?

 A horse also waiting patiently for his turn.

The boys checking out the cattle in the pens behind the auction barn

And just a cute shot of Baby Girl.  She sure loves her daddy!

 We had a fun spring break but Mommy sure was ready for school to start again.  What are we going to do to keep everyone busy this summer?  Better get to work on that.