Coloring

This morning Mike watched Lilah coloring.  He asked me if all three-year-olds could color inside the lines.  I don't know if they do, but I do know that Lilah can stay in the lines better then a certain 5 year old sister...Lilah has always been very capable and determined - she usually figures things out a bit early (she was walking at 9 months) but then she has to - to keep up with everyone else!

Outdoor Tricks

Today while I was at work Mike played with the kids outside.  He rode Calvin's bike backwards, so Calvin rode Lilah's bike backwards.  You can see it here.  Then the kids decided to set up an obstacle course.  You can watch all of them run it here.  It's a bit long, but you have to watch to the end to see Lilah run through it - don't worry she wasn't hurt =).

Encore

I had a couple of requests for the 'rest of the song' from Madeline.  However, she was feeling a bit shy, so I got the whole crew to sing it.  The camera cut off at the end, sorry.  Then Madeline was feeling more brave so on the condition that we kick everyone else out of the room, she sang it.  You can see Madeline here and everyone together here.

Party Time!

On Saturday evening we all went to a birthday part at a bounce house.  The kids had a blast!  They stayed up way too late, had way too much sugar and had a fun time playing.

 Mike dressed Celeste up in a costume - she wasn't that impressed

 Anna Elise and Lilah in one of the bouce houses

 Mike and Anna Elise wearing helmets

 Anna Elise on top of some climbing bars

 Madeline playing in a kitchen

Calvin with his helmet

Playing in the Rain

On Friday it was suppose to be in the high 70's.  I promised the kids we'd go to the park after school.  After the kids got home, Celeste woke up, and we'd all had a snack we were getting ready to go when the wind gusted and knocked the power out and the rain started pouring.  Nobody was happy.  An hour later the power was back on, the wind had quit and the rain let up.  The kids begged and I gave in.  We drove to the park.  After about 10 minutes it started raining and then pouring.  The kids had fun playing in one of the pavillons until the rain let up enough to run for the car.  I'm not sure how, but everyone but Celeste and Anna Elise (and I) were dripping wet!  They had a good time.

 All the kids on the tire swing before it rained again.  No, Celeste did not get to swing, that was just so I could take the picture.  

 These last two pictures are really bad - sorry.  I hope you can see how wet everything and everyone is!

Madeline Sings

Madeline came home from school today singing a new version of Old McDonald.  Her teacher at school, Miss Alita, showed them how it's done here in Richmond =).  It's even better in person.  Old McDonald Video

Snow Day

It snowed today!  Well, is snowed yesterday and last night.  The kids were so excited to get snow.  They were really worried that we wouldn't get any this winter (I was really hoping we wouldn't).  It was nice that it came on a scheduled day off from school so the kids could enjoy it.

 

Little Arms, Big Hugs

Celeste has always been very snuggly.  I love getting her out of bed!  Even when she was really little she would snuggle her head into your shoulder and put her arms around you - even though she didn't know what she was doing - it still felt like a hug.  Now that she is older, she is just as snuggly, but now she knows she is giving hugs and they are all the sweeter!

Little Helper

Celeste likes to 'help' me clean on Saturday mornings.  Here she is tagging a long while I was trying to clean up the kitchen.  I eventually gave up.  It's hard to do anything in the kitchen with her - if the dishwasher is open she is in it (literally, she climbs up on the door and crawls right on in), if I'm cooking she wants to see and taste, if I'm putting things away she follows. 

Oreo Cookies

This evening I went to a jewelry party (and had a great time) while Mike finished feeding the kids dinner and put them to bed.  They had Oreos for dessert.  He gave one to Celeste thinking she'd play with it and maybe naw on it a bit.  He turned around and it was gone - well except for what was left on her face.  I think she enjoyed it (who wouldn't)!

New Shoes

Do you think Calvin needed new shoes?

His new shoes light up.  Calvin was playing with them on the way home.  Mike could see red and blue lights behind him and thought he was being pulled over.

Show Off

We got a video of Celeste showing off.  She learned to clap over a week ago, but would never do it for the camera.  Tonight we caught her with Mike's phone video camera clapping and doing her brand new trick - waving.  I'm not so sure I like her growing up so fast!    YouTube Video .

We also made it to the Dr for her 9 month check up (we haven't been since she was 2 months old, yikes).
I thought she was smaller then my other babies, but apparently I am remembering wrong.  She weights just over 20 pounds, (75th percentile) and is 27.5 inches long (50th percentile).  She also has a large head.

Love

Happy Valentines Day!  We had a great day.  The kids all got Valentines from us this morning, Calvin and Anna Elise got them from friends at school, everyone got Valentines from Grandma in the mail this afternoon and I got one from Mike this evening!  What a great opportunity to share the love!  Love ya! 

 Lilah and Madeline showing their 'sparkle' Littlest Petshops that they got from Mom & Dad.

 Calvin doing a happy dance after opening Grandma's Valentine.

 Celeste wasn't too impressed with her Valentine treat.

 His and Hers.

I left a card for Mike on the bed this morning.  This evening when I got home from work I found my Valentine.  Um...he wins (which I guess means I win!)

The inside of that white box - Yum Yum!

Mt. Laundry

Today I did 11 loads of laundry.  I don't recommend washing that much clothes, bedding, coats, blankets, dress up clothes, stuffed animals, and towels in one day.  It's not very fun.  However, when your three oldest children have head lice, you don't really have a choice.  I also shampooed and combed three little heads in between all that laundry.  Hopefully we got all of them and Calvin and Anna Elise can go back to school tomorrow.

Here is part of Mt. Laundry after I'd run two loads.  That's me in the background combing Anna Elise's hair with my nit comb (Calvin took the picture for me).

Donuts!

Anna Elise and Dad stopped and bought donuts on their way home from the basketball game last night.  We had them for breakfast this morning.  Celeste is taking more interest in our food - she really wanted some of those pretty sprinkles!

 she did get a hold of the napkin and pulled the donuts off the table

Lilah's way of eating donuts

 

The girls are wearing their valentine hair bows from Aunt Trina

The Spiders

Anna Elise did really well on her 2nd grade Benchmark tests.  She was invited to attend a basketball game at the University of Richmond to be honored.  The Spiders played the Colonials from George Washington College.  Unfortunately they didn't win, they lost by 1 point.  It was an exciting game, Mike enjoyed it.  Anna Elise enjoyed going out on the floor at halftime to get her certificate and pencil - she also loved watching the cheerleaders.  The kids at home had fun with some treats at home with mom. 

She is the short one in the middle.  2nd and 5th graders take the benchmark test, and she is with several fifth graders - she looks so little!

Video Night

Friday night is video night.  We always eat some kind of pizza for dinner and then it's our YouTube video night.  Everyone gets one or two 'picks' on YouTube.  It started out as an educational activity and now it's just fun.  We see a lot of the same videos over and over and occasionally find some new ones.  One of our favorites is OK Go.  They have some really fun music videos.  If you haven't seen any of their videos I'd recommend these: This Too Shall Pass  and  Here it Goes Again.  There are many more.   The newest one we have found will 'blow your mind' (according to Mike).  I was so impressed!  I had to admit to him - it did 'blow my mind'.  What do you think?  Needing Getting.

There are all 'in the zone'

Cleaning House

This morning I took the three little girls over to our vacant rental house and did some cleaning.  Cleaning other people's dirt is really gross. I was able to work on it for a couple of hours.  It's not easy vacuuming and mopping with a little 'helper' clinging to your pants!
Afterwards we snapped a picture of the exterior - we needed one for our ad on craigslist.

If you know of anyone thats looking send them our way!  We really need to get some tenants ASAP!

A Picture on Some Days

So, I've decided to do a picture-on-some-days.  I'll take a post a picture on some days - hopefully most days - but not everyday.  So here is Monday's picture.  We had a family home evening on having a good attitude.  After our lesson we had everyone commit to one thing they would work on doing happily that week.  I just have to share everyone's answers:
Anna Elise - getting up in the morning
Calvin - doing my homework
Madeline - unloading the dishwasher (instead of attitude, she said gratitude, it was cute)
Lilah - a cartwheel (she has never tried a cartwheel before)
For both Anna Elise and Calvin those were HUGE commitments and they both did a really good job.  I have no idea what Lilah was talking about - she did have a good attitude this past week, but never actually attempted a cartwheel.

Afterwards we sang "If You're Happy and You  Know It".  We do every week.  Each kid gets to pick out a verse.   Here they are jumping and shouting "Hurray".  It's a lot of fun!

Yes or No?

Should I keep taking a picture a day?  I'm not sure.  I really enjoyed doing it and it wasn't that hard.  However, I feel like it's a lot.  It's just a lot of information about us out there.  Almost overkill.  I'm not sure why I feel like that, because I don't think Stephanie's is overkill or too much information.  So I wasn't sure if I'd keep doing it or not, but was leaning toward continuing for atleast another month.   Then this last week was just crazy and hard and I really didn't want to take pictures and it became a burden. So I didn't take very many in February (I think I took one).  So now I'm thinking that I won't keep doing it.  We'll see if I decide I want to take pictures this coming week.
OK - posts without pictures are boring - so here is a portrait of all the kids: 

Anne took the kids to JCPenny to get their pictures taken while we were in Cancun.  (Yeah, I know, AMAZING babysitter)