The Last Day of School

There is this horrible "Fred" movie (if you are not familiar with "Fred" movies then count yourself lucky and please don't look them up - they are awful!) that has a song in it that all of my kids were singing the whole last week of school  "The last day of the school is the best day of school"  over and over again.  We were all excited for school to end!  Lilah is so excited because once school ends, it can start again and she will get to go! (She has been ready to go to school for about a year now.)
 Instead of being frustrated that they didn't "do" anything the last week of school, I decided to just be glad that the kids were having fun and enjoying themselves.  I can just count the last week of school as free babysitting and then it doesn't bug me as much!
We started the day off right with doughnuts for breakfast!  They had a half day and came home for lunch.  We went out to get some celebratory ice cream that and ran a quick errand.  As I herded my five kids through Target (and tried to keep them quiet and orderly and put everything back that they pulled off the shelves and keep Celeste from being run over because she insisted on laying down on the very bottom part of the cart, by the wheels) I remembered why sometimes it's a bit of an adjustment when school gets out and why I don't go out as much in the summer.


Here is a typical "photo shoot" with Madeline:

Mom says "smile" and this is what I get 

Ok - Madeline, smile with your mouth open.

Ummm...not like that - smile and say cheese

Madeline just give me a regular smile.

Can you look at me and smile?

After school ice cream treat!  Anna Elise didn't want ice cream and Celeste didn't want to be in the picture.

Girls Weekend

I had an AWESOME getaway!  It's been several years since the girls all got together so it was about time to have an Allen Girls Weekend!  We all (6 sisters and 1 sister-in-law) traveled to my mom's house for several days of relaxing and fun over Memorial Day weekend!  I flew out to Washington State on Thursday.  My sister Janet and her cute little Stella picked me up at the airport, took me to get my haircut, and then drove us out to my parents house.  The rest of the girls trickled in that evening.  We stayed up WAY too late talking, laughing, and catching up!  On Friday we just hung out and relaxed.  We did a favorites exchange (why didn't we take a picture of all of our favorites?) where we got goodies, kitchen gadgets, and some beauty things too - so fun!  We also worked on a puzzle, played bunco, got beautiful quilts from my talented and amazing mom (yes, she made 7 quilts for the weekend!) and ate some yummy food.  On Saturday we went shopping!  Little Stella hung out with her dad, but Trina's spunky Taelyn got to come with us and did so well!  We drove to Seattle and hit several stores.  I know I stocked up!  When do I ever have a chance to go shopping with my sisters and mom without my kids?  Never!  On Sunday we went to church and relaxed.  Early Monday morning my trusty driver, Janet, drove me back to the airport.  Can't wait to do it again in another couple of years!  I LOVE my sisters and wish I could see them more often.  You gals are awesome!

Meanwhile, back at home, my kids were living it up!  My little ones had so much fun playing at my friends houses on Thursday and Friday.  Over the weekend Mike took them all out to play!  On Saturday they went to the Bass Pro Shop to see fish, color turtle magnets, and hang out.  He also took them to lunch and then home for some fun.  On Monday they went to a Memorial Day presentation, the James River, and a neighbor's BBQ.  They got mom treats and flowers to welcome me home.  I appreciate the great dad that Mike is to our kids!

There we are:  L to R Stephanie, Nancy, Betsy, Trina holding Taelyn, Mom, me, Janet, and Jana

Our haul after a day in Seattle...not bad!

The kids at the Bass Pro Shop 

 At Lowes checking out the riding mowers

Wading in the James River - yes, several of them ended up soaking wet.  Kids don't 'wade'!

Happy Birthday Celeste!

On May 2nd my baby turned 3!  Lilah tells me that if you are 0 or 1 you are a baby.  If you are 2 or 3 then you are a toddler.  So technically my toddler turned 3.  Celeste is very short for her age (10 percentile),  is hair 'challenged', and loves to act like a baby (someone who is 0 or 1) so she is often mistook for much younger then she is - so I will call her my baby!   She had a fun birthday.  She picked toaster strudel for her breakfast.  We had park group in the morning and took mini cupcakes with pink frosting to share with her friends.  That night we had Hawaiin Haystacks for dinner and chocolate Barbie cake with pink frosting.  She loved being sung to and opening her presents.  She had a great day!

Opening presents

Birthday Cake

Happy Birthday Calvin

Calvin turned 9 yesterday!  Calvin is all about football!  He got a new football and a BYU football jersey!  He is constantly telling us he needs a brother to play football with. 
He picked a mint Oreo ice cream cake and we all really enjoyed it!

Opening Presents     http://youtu.be/-B1Ys6ZLkfU

Singing Happy Birthday   http://youtu.be/Syws3Vac1cc

House Update

I had big plans to do a video of my house after we were all moved in and it was perfectly decorated.  There are two problems with my plan - my house won't be decorated or done for a long time & this would require that my whole house be clean at the same time.  So instead of a beautiful video you get a few pictures from my phone.  Maybe I'll get Mike's wide angle lens and take some good pictures, maybe not.   Regardless, we are loving the house, the new school, and the large lot.

Dining Room

Living Room

Looking from the kitchen across the eat in area into the Family Room.  We added all those pantries on the right for more food, school stuff, and toy storage.

Family/TV/Play Room

Fireplace mantel in the Living Room.  Thanks Mom!

We had the old kitchen cabinets out and all but two of our new cabinets put in when we moved.  We haven't done anything since.  Once we have the two missing cabinets installed, the trim and kick plate in, and some hardware on - then I'll post pictures of my new kitchen.

February Mish-Mash

What we've been up to in February (besides unpacking & settling in):

 Celeste traded in her pacifier for a new stuffed friend, who she named Pasi.  Mike decided she was ready and we had a conversation with her and she agreed.  Although it's been tough, she hasn't asked for her pacifier, she seems to understand it's gone.  She does cry for it and gets really sad and misses it, but doesn't ask for it.  I'm really missing her naps that mysteriously stopped at the same time the pacifier was traded away.

 

Cutting the tip of her pacifier off & kissing her new stuffed animal.

 

Snow Days!  We've had more snow and more cold weather.  The kids have had several more snow days and have had a lot of fun.

Building a snowman with very wet snow

 The snowballs were so heavy they had to roll them up the ramp to stack them.  Then they fell off.  Madeline was not happy. 

Luckily they were able to rebuild the snowman! 

 Swimming in mom's bathtub.  Although they look cute and are smiling - they fought the whole time they were in there.  It's not really big enough for 5 kids.

Anna Elise and Calvin spent a lot of time making bracelets.  So did Celeste when they left their stuff out and weren't paying attention.  She was able to put a lot of rubber bands on their loom. 



Blue & Gold Banquet for Cub Scouts.  Calvin made this snow skiing/boarding mountain cake for the 'Olympics' themed cake decorating contest.

Lilah started preschool.  She goes twice a week for 2.5 hours.  She was excited to find that her friend from church is in the same preschool class.   She was really nervous on her first day, but loves it now.  She is so 'ready' to go to school.  Celeste spends all her time begging mom to play with her when Lilah isn't home.

We Moved!

The loan finally came through and we were finally able to wrap it all up and move - 2 weeks late.  We were all SO excited. We were ready.  Moving into a big, brand new house is not something I ever expected to happen.  I keep asking the kids 'can you believe this is our house?'.  I still can't believe it.  We love the house.  I can't wait to get everything moved in and unpacked and arranged and settled.  I can't wait for the kids to go to their new school and make friends and have a better learning environment.  I can't wait to plant grass and have a big lawn and for the kids to go explore 'the woods' behind our house.  I feel so very blessed.

Nothing like playing in an empty moving truck on moving day!

 Our new house!