Smiles!

Celeste is almost 8 weeks old now.  She is smiling and cooing.  She seems to be much more aware of the kids and loves to watch them play.  They like to get right in her face when they talk to her and she cringes when they get too close, but she lets them hold her and loves to watch them.
She sleeps really well at night.  She eats at 9:30 and then sleeps until 6 and goes right back down until about 9:30.  Then she is up for the day!  She does not nap well and she likes to be held which means I don't get a lot done during the day!  She seems to be very social and likes to be talked to - I'm hoping as she gets bigger the kids will entertain her and she will be ok in her seat or on the floor occasionally .  We all love her and really enjoy having her in our home!
Everyone asks me who she likes like and I'm not sure.  When I look at her now I see Allen in the top half of her face and then the Russell on the bottom.  She just looks like one of us!    

Here she is smiling and cooing.  

We are working on getting a new camera with video built in - so stay tuned for some videos, hopefully soon!

PARTY!

We had a Summer Party for the kids.  We weren't able to have it on the 21st, the first day of summer, but we still had a lot of fun doing it on the 22nd!  We made pudding pops, made a huge beach picture, and then enjoyed our party favors - they wrote in their new notepads, used their new silly straws, blew bubbles, and ate some treats!  We are really enjoying our summer!

 Making pudding pops with chocolate pudding and Oreos!

 Our beach picture

Showing off their favorite party favor

Yesterday I found Madeline using her notepad to draw faces of everyone in our immediate family and Grandma and Aunt Jenny as well (I guess you'll have to come visit if you want your face included)

A close up - each one looked a little bit different and she knew which one was which!

I'm So Glad When Daddy Comes Home!

Happy Father's Day!  The primary children sang several Father's Day songs in sacrament meeting today.  They sang I'm So Glad When Daddy Comes Home, My Daddy is My Favorite Pal, and Families Can Be Together Forever.  We were practicing in the car on the way to church.  We couldn't remember the words to the second song and I'd even drawn a blank on the tune.  I told the kids to think really hard and help mommy remember.  Madeline said ' Jesus is my pal and he is going to help me remember the words, so I'm just waiting with my eyes closed!'.  We did finally remember the words and practiced (much to Anna Elise's dismay, she didn't think Daddy should hear the songs before they were performed).  Lilah even went up with the kids and sang too.  They all did a great job!  They all know they have a great dad!

Summer Break!

The kids last day of school was on Friday.  They came home before lunch so excited to start their summer break.  Anna Elise told me it's actually Spring break, summer doesn't start until June 21st.  We started summer break off with a trip to the Science Museum.  The kids LOVED it!  I was a bit nervous about taking all 5 to a large public place by myself - but we did fine.  We got an annual membership (half off through Groupon - love it!).  The kids didn't want to leave and can't wait to go back!  I've been a little bit worried about having the kids start summer break the same week I have to go back to work, only 7 weeks after having Celeste, but I think we'll be ok.  I've come up with a routine that we are going to try, a list of fun 

activities and ideas, and some new chores for the kids - we are ready for summer!

 The kids favorite thing at the Science Museum were these over-sized foam 'tinker toys'

Calvin built a car

 I'm not sure what Madeline was building

 Anna Elise built stairs

Lilah built this track and walked up and down it over and over

Chincoteague Island

On Friday Mike called me up and said that he was going to be done early and we should go on a trip to Chincoteague Island!  Since the next several Saturdays were busy and we wanted to do this trip before July when it gets crowded we decided to do it!  I drove home (yes, I was at Target, my new addiction,  I have thought of one good reason to go back to work, other then to pay my mortgage and buy food, I won't be able to go to Target every day!)  Anyway, I drove home, fed the little girls, packed up  the car and we were ready.  We met the kids at the bus stop and took off for the Eastern Shore.  To get to the Eastern Shore (a string of islands on the north east coast of VA) you have to go across a 13 mile bridge (with two tunnels).  It's just a series of islands with small towns and is somewhat isolated.  It's beautiful and very easy paced.  We got to Chincotgeague Island later then we intended - but still had to swim in the hotel pool - that's the kids favorite part of any vacation!  We went to bed (but not to sleep, does anyone have kids who sleep in hotels?) Celeste surprised us by sleeping until 6:30 (that is 8 and half hours!).  In the morning we took a walk on the pier, checking out crabs, oysters, and birds.  Then we had breakfast and took off for our boat ride.  We rode on a pontoon boat around Chincoteague and Assateague Islands.  We saw the wild ponies (some had just had babies earlier that week), where the saltwater cowboys heard the ponies, where they swim from one island to the other for Pony Penning day, clam farms, lots of wildlife, the light house and other landmarks.  The kids all got a turn driving the boat with Captain J!  Then we were off to a cool playground to get some wiggles out, had lunch and hit the beach.  The beach was beautiful!  It's on Assateague Island which is a nature preserve, so no buildings, just beautiful natural beaches.  They had outhouses, changing places, showers, lifeguards, etc so we had what we needed, but could enjoy the beach without all the merchandising and build up that we see at Virginia Beach.  After the beach we got some homemade ice cream and headed home.  It was a quick trip but so much fun!   We want to go again and see what else they have to offer.  If you have never heard of the famous Chincoteague wild ponies go here to learn more about them.

 The wild Chincoteague ponies - you can see a foal and a Stallion running off his competition.

 Lilah taking her turn driving (wearing Calvin's hat) 

 

On the boat using the binoculars

 All the kids buried in the sand - Calvin was buried on his stomach!

Homie, Sweet Homie

Our kids are crazy.  Anna Elise and Calvin both happened to select the same fake gold $ necklace from their school prize cart.  They figured it out when they got home and showed each other what they got from the cart.  They thought it was pretty funny...and we thought it was hilarious that they would both pick the same cheap necklace.  A day or so later we caught both Calvin and Lilah wandering around the house with their "business" hats in various irregular positions.  We wonder where they are getting these ideas already...

Clavin and Anna Elise sporting their "bling."

Calvin with his brim "flipped up."

 Lilah with the classic backwards cap.

Memorial Day Week!

We celebrated Memorial Day all week!  Mike's sister, Jenny, came to visit and we had a great time!  On Monday we grilled hamburgers and wanted to celebrate with a cook-out, but ate our food inside since 90 degrees was a little too warm for us.  On Tuesday we all went to the beach!  The day after a holiday is the perfect time to go - there weren't too many people there.  The kids had a great time playing in the waves with Aunt Jenny and Dad while Celeste and I hung out under the beach umbrella.  Even Lilah, who hates water, got in and had fun.  On our way home we drove through Mike and Jenny's old neighborhood and they relived 'the good ole' days'.  We stopped for pizza (of course) for dinner and made it home just in time for bed.  The rest of the week Jenny spent a lot of time reading books, playing games, swimming, etc with the kids and helped me out a lot.  She watched the kids (yes all five, during dinner/bed time) while Mike and I went out for a quick date.   Mike was able to be home a little bit more and we really enjoyed having her!  Come again soon Jenny!

 Madeline

 Jenny building sand castles with the kids

 

 

 Lilah buried in the sand

 Anna Elise - she spent the whole time in the water

 Aunt Jenny, Mike and the 4 kids

 Celeste chilling under the umbrella

Lilah burying her dad