Recently

The kiddos and I were doing riddles recently while waiting for D's medication at the pharmacy. In front of 3 or 4 listening strangers, D gave this riddle: "I'm a drink. Only adults can have me. I have ice in me."

"I don't know..." I said hoping he wasn't going to make me look like an alcoholic.

"Pop!" he said, proudly.

Jackson has been requiring us to call him "Dash" whenever we refer to him.

Leo is SO in love with hide and seek. Just say the word "count!" and he'll charge to the living room, put his little hands on his cheeks (as if covering his eyes) and chant a variation of one through ten. When he gets to ten he shrieks and runs down the hall, inevitably falling as his little feet cannot run nearly as quickly as he wants them to. He knows all the good hiding spots, so he'll go from room to room, looking behind doors and in closets and shrieks again each time he finds one of his brothers. Adorable.

Patrick and Leo have been pretty tight lately. Patrick is very good humored when Leo tackles him and Patrick loves to say words for Leo to repeat.

More Park time

We love North Park. There really aren't too many other options in Holdrege, but it is a great place to play.

The lake is very pretty and the whole park is well maintained.

The kiddos love watching the ducks and geese and we can often see fish, too.



Patrick dressed himself....I really don't have to say that, though, do I?



I taught the kiddos the art of rolling down the hill until you feel like you are going to get sick. I feel like I could roll down the hill a little better a few years ago.



Whoops...

We had a sidewalk repaired last week right down the street. I let the kiddos watch when the cement mixer came and the city workers were fixing the walk way. We didn't get to stay the whole time, but I promised I'd let them look later when the sidewalk was done.

The three big kids ran ahead of me while I carried Leo.

Part of me did feel really bad that I let them run through the fresh cement (it really was an accident), but that was only about 20%. The other 80% of me was thinking Now I'll be able to remember how crazy my four little boys are everytime I walk down this sidewalk.

We went to visit Luke at his work a little while later and, Luke, being the responsible one of the two of us, called the city immediately and told them what had happened. When I asked him if he apologized he said, "No! I didn't tell them it was us!"

The sidewalk, sadly, got fixed before my kiddos' footprints became permanent fossils in our neighborhood sidewalk.

Patrick at 3

Two months late: Patrick's 20 question answers from his 3rd b-day.

What is your favorite color? Blue

What is your favorite toy? Dump Truck

What is your favorite fruit? Strawberries

What is your favorite TV show? Jake and the Neverland Pirates

What is your favorite thing to eat for lunch? Bars

What is your favorite thing to wear? Robot Shirts

What is your favorite game? Something

What is your favorite snack? Chocolate Chips

What is your favorite animal? Bunny

What is your favorite song? ABC's

What is your favorite book? David is Naughty (Actually called "No, David!")

Who is your best friend? Uncle Ben

What is your favorite cereal? Orange

What is your favorite thing to do outside? The Slide

What is your favorite drink? Chocolate milk (True. Him and Jackson would drink a gallon of it a day if I would let him)

What is your favorite holiday? Birthday

What do you like to take to bed with you at night? Blankie, llama, owl clock

What is your favorite thing to eat for breakfast? Mac n' Cheese

What do you want for dinner on your birthday? Chicken nuggets and french fries

What do you want to be when you grow up? Mommy :)

Faster than a speeding bullet

Today D and I were talking about how the Leprechaun may be coming to his classroom tomorrow to mess it up. 

"That sounds fun. Wouldn't you like to be that leprechaun and go into the classrooms and make them all messy?" I asked him.

"No," after he thought about it for a bit. "I want to be superman, so I can clean it all up!"

Thank God for Sunny Days

There have been about 5 days in the last few weeks with good enough weather to get outside a LOT. It seems the higher temperature has brought happier kiddos, less fighting, less stress....ahhh....let's just say it's been a long winter around here and any reprieve has been very welcome!

I took the littles for a walk to a book sale a few blocks away. After that we went to the park. After coming home for lunch we went back to the park, followed by naps and then jumping on the neighbors trampoline. It was one of those days I felt so lucky to be a stay at home momma.

Jackson spent the entire day carrying around Elmo, calling him his "baby" and shushing us frequently because "My baby is sleeping!"

We fed the ducks and geese at the lake. Technically, we only convinced the 2 angry swans to eat our bread, but that was enough for us!

More playing in the back yard.

I had two extras last week on a nice day. Jackson LOVED having the baby and helping feed her.

Dominic now knows how to spell Superman. Now he can spell "his" name no matter how he is dressed.

The next day we went to the park and happened to be there the same time as Jessica and Joseph. It's great that we live in the same town and can just bump into each other without even trying to!

Here's to lots more sunny and 55 degree days!

Wahoo

We went to Wahoo a few weekends ago and went to a carnival/waffle feed at the school.

We came home with all kinds of junk treasures! These glasses were my very favorite, though.

And we got to see Aunt Lizzy. She's so great with the kiddos!



Baby Sophia Grace

Our new niece, Sophia Grace, was born on February 13.

Jena and I were able to meet her when she was about 10 days old.

She is so beautiful!

Apparently I didn't get any pictures of Sophia with her mom, but that is because Jena or I were holding her the entire time we were there!

So precious!

We are so happy to have you in our family, Sophia!

Leo

This little has gotten so many words recently.

And he loves giving kisses.

He is so happy to follow his brothers around now that he can run!



We love you, baby Leo!

Cousins

I've been watching Jessica and Joseph once a week for a few hours. I've had them for a few months now and I'm starting to get it down to a science--a.k.a. always put the littles in front of the tv when getting lunch ready...

The weather has been nice lately and I've been getting tons of pictures outside.

 Joe-Joe wanted to get pushed around on the big boy bike for a while.

"Let me Out!!"



They all took turns pulling the wagon.



We made it to the end of the block and back in about 30 minutes :)

Marti Gras

We Celebrated Fat Tuesday with the J family.

Meal complete with Green, Yellow and Purple fruit. Jena taught us what each of the colors represented....although I can't remember now... :)

Green, yellow and Purple pancakes. Apparently, eating pancakes dates back to when Catholics gave up all dairy products as well as meat during Lent, so they would make pancakes to use up all the leftover dairy in their home before the fasting.



And lots of littles in jammies enjoying the meal together.



Thanks for hosting us!

Some outdoor play

I'm so addicted to my camera right now.

Obstacle Course-ing

Luke set up a super sweet and fairly complicated obstacle course for the littles, involving darting around stools, crawling under tables and jumping over giant pits of hot lava.

I just liked some of the action shots I got.

Those not running would stand on the table chanting for the little who was.

Even Leo.