I was just heading to bed and realized that since my computer is headed in to be fixed tomorrow I had better download my iphone...and since I'm downloading my iphone, I thought I should probably do a post of what is already sitting on my hard drive.
And this is how I end up staying up until 1am.
These are not going to be in order. There are some from all the way back to April and some very recent. It's a mess. It's our life.
This photo is an example of why I struggle with little league. It was pouring. Was Matthew's practice cancelled? No. Because if you cancel practice every time it rains here you would never practice. Nevermind it was too wet to hit or throw the ball. We'll just have sliding practice in the mud!!
Fun times for the Mom who has to do the laundry and who is driving carpool and loading up the wet, muddy boys into her van.
Love Little League.
Love, love, love Little League.
Moving on.
This is what my kitchen looked like when I got home from Andrew's party. Between the rush to prep and get out to the park by 8:30 and then everyone carrying everything in and dumping it. There you have it.
Oh my.
"Start in the corner and work in a circle."
After Andrew's Bday movie (Despicable Me 2 ~ SO SO cute!!) we let the kids play some games at the Theater. Dan beat Matthew at Air Hockey. He's always such a gracious winner.
The kids were THRILLED to get to do this ride that they ask to do every. time. we leave the theater. And every time I say no. Except when it's your birthday! (Matthew and Kitti got to play too).
The kiddos before we headed out for Andrew's birthday movie/Dinner....
Kitti had to bring Annabell shopping one day. I just love this sweet age.
Andrew is forever asking me to "snuggle." He has been cuddly since the moment he was born and snuggled up on my chest and went right to sleep. he would burrow his little head into my neck as a baby ~ could never get close enough. He's still so cuddly.
I've been on a big organizing/cleaning streak. I worked SO hard last week and got a ton done. Despite the fact that things stay like this for 10 seconds, I still am determined to try to maintain order. It's a losing battle.
While Matthew and Kitti had a playdate, Andrew and I had quality time. Including a board game.
Andrew and I went and got ice cream cones and drove by our church to check on the progress. It was something else!
I'm excited to watch it come together!
Andrew and I enjoyed the sunshine while we waited to join Shannon and her girls for ice cream.
We reorganized the garage (again) and put up new shelving. It has helped so much! These sort of projects used to be so hard with the kids. Now they play and it's great!
Mom and I ended up being seated right by Shannon and her Mom/girls at The Cheesecake Factory. This cutie came and stole a bite of our cheesecake!
(We really invited her).
I could do a whole "Ugly Truth" post labeled "The Week Mama Lost Her Mind." And tell about the countless times one week that I lost my patience at the children about toys and how it all culminated one afternoon with me flipping out. I might have sent them to their rooms while I picked up toys off the ground and put them in garbage sacks and told them we were giving them away as they cried. And one child might have packed their bag and run away to the Japanese Maple in our driveway. And another child might have laid on their bed crying because I told him earlier to "stay on your bed" and so he couldn't go and stop the runaway. While a third child also packed a bag (but never ran away) and simply cried in dismay that she was losing a sibling. I might have been too angry to act with much compassion about the runaway and was grateful when a certain Daddy walked in the door to this scene.
The Runaway returned home to crying and relieved siblings and everyone was glad to have him back.
We are a whole happy family again.
And yes, toys really are being given away.
Ah, parenting.
PS. The Runaway packed an Angry Bird blanket and 3 stuffed animals.
Last day of swim lessons! (Kitti moved up, no one else did. Pretty sure we'll be taking swim lessons when they're 18).
Birthday cookies!
I had Shannon's girls to the house when she went for a hair cut. They had a blast playing....
(These 2 are SO much alike!)
And then I headed to the park where Shannon was going to meet us.
This is the last photo of Grace before the park accident that left her with 5 stitches in her forehead. Gotto love when the child you're watching has to go to the Emergency Room for stitches! She was on the tire swing with Claire, who got off and the tire flipped up and a big metal bolt hit her square in the forehead. It was awful. Lots of blood. Made me realize I need to amp up the first aid kit in my van! There was one other adult there who gave me her napkins, a small bottle of water, grabbed her child and left! While I sat on the ground with a bleeding, crying Grace in my lap! We got her in the van and Hannah did great holding the napkins to her head. We met up with Shannon and all worked out, but oh, what a day!
I kept the rest of the kids while Shannon took Gracie to the hospital and we got to work making cards for her.
Hannah had a slumber party and they watched a movie in the backyard. They still had the projector for the weekend and so we joined them for an outdoor movie. So fun!
We were celebrating Matthew and Hannah's birthdays as they have boy/girl parties now.
They went through this short phase where they were a little awkward and it was like they suddenly realized they were different genders. And now they are buddies again, it's great.
We started the day with swimming, then had dinner at Shannon's then watched the movie. So this is the day in reverse. Like I said, not in order.
I so love all of these kids.
Andrew wanted a picture of himself on the big red ball ouside of Target. Matthew used to have to touch ALL of them when he was a toddler before we'd go into the store.
We took Andrew to Toys 'R Us to get Birthday ideas. He found a "Fart Blaster."
Excellent.
Just what everyone needs!
I kept Shannon's girls so she could do Hannah's birthday cake in peace and she sent cookies/frosting for the kids to decorate. Hannah made a lovely cookie.
While Shannon was working on the cake, I took all these critters to swim lessons!
And survived!
I normally do not buy toys for the kids outside of holidays. But Kitti scored this unicorn backpack.
I'm sorry, but how can you say no to that cuteness? I mean, it matched her outfit! :)
Grilled shrimp and cilantro lime rice.
It's what's for dinner.
I forced the kids outside one day and they weren't in the mood. They played for a bit and then Matthew and Kaitlin sat in chairs biding their time. I looked out and thought it was funny.
First day of swim lessons!
Kaitlin wants to dress herself every day.
It is painful. This is the kind of stuff she puts together. Actually this is really cute & tame in comparison. I'm not sure how we'll navigate this during the school year.
Our family trip to the beach (this year for 16 people) requires this kind of planning....
It's a big job going on this vacation, but also really wonderful. More on that later. It is nearly midnight and time to turn in!
