Birthday Bowling

For weeks, the kids and I looked forward to celebrating Hudson's birthday at FatCats with a few of Hudson's friends.  Unfortunately, Dalanie had made a few too many poor choices so she was unable to join us.  We were able to bowl, mini golf, and play in the arcade.

 

 Case, Hudson, Gary

Ruby was a little diva bowling with these boys.  They would set up the ramp for her, carry her ball, let her push it down, and celebrate when a few pins fell over.

 Hudson and Gary both had on lucky shirts.  No worries, I still out bowled them. . . barely.

 A few minutes in the arcade and then even longer trying to decide what to buy with their tickets.

The kids were so appreciative and well mannered.  I lost count of all the times I was told 'thank you.'  It was a low key party with absolutely no stressing!  We stopped at DQ on the way home for Blizzards and came home to a clean (as clean as I left it) house.  That's the way to go for parties.

Our Days

With a 4 day school week, Fridays have become our chillaxin' day.  Some days the kids will fix breakfast.  Their specialty are still white chocolate scrambled eggs and no one ever complains.

Dalanie has been creating these "dresses."  It's great to see her try to tap in to her creativity.  She tends to be very structured and usually requests lots of help because she's afraid of her pictures not turning out.  She is budding into a little reader with her bag books from school.  She also participates in family scripture reading (aka our 3-ring circus.)  Her and Ruby's favorite verses are ones that start "And it came to pass. . . "

We spent a yucky weather day at Blast Off.  It was a fun reunion with friends since some have moved and some are moving.  I get sentimental. They are kids that we've done Joy School with and spent many play dates and primary classes with.  

Ruby is full of spontaneity and consequently lots of messes.  She moves from one activity or outfit to the next so quickly that it's hard to keep up with her.  She will ask if she can dance for Delsie and then she'll appear in some sort of leotard costume and twirl to her heart content.  She is quite the talker and full of compliments.  "I like your sparkly pockets . . . or your glasses . . .  or your hair."  Her heartfelt "I love you, Mom" makes up for all her messes.

Hudson is becoming a good little piano player.  We have really enjoyed the Let's Play Music program.  I like being involved in lessons and practice.  He played "I'm an Indian" and sang for the talent show at school.  He is devouring the Boxcar Children books and becoming much more proficient with his math facts.

With Brent being gone a few days a week with Precision Planting, we're having to get more creative on how I spend one on one time with the kids.  It seems like they all need me at the same time.  One night I was practicing piano with Hudson, trying to teach Dalanie to use the sewing machine, and nursing Delsie while Ruby put barrettes in my hair.  It was a little crazy, but so rewarding.  Dalanie is an amazing little sew-er.  I thought she'd be pedal to the metal, but she is very smooth and careful.

Our life is well, pretty 'plain and simple.'  Lots of little things that make life great.

Service Call

When Brent mentioned that he had to go half way across the state to get some planters going, I knew it was going to be a lot of miles in a little time.  It would probably be easier just to stay at home with the four kids, but I needed some time with Brent.  Out of the 24 hours we were gone, we spent the majority of them in the Suburban.  The weather was warmer but the wind picked up, holding the kids and me hostage in the Suburban for a good portion of the day.  Needless to say, we came up with some crazy things to keep us entertained.

 The kids enjoyed playing on some dirt hills at our first stop in Parma.

 It sure looked and felt like spring with things greening up.

Two Months

Just for fun, I wanted to document how similar Dalanie and Delsie look as babies.

The top one is Dalanie, bottom one is Delsie.  No wonder I'm always mixing up names.  (Actually Ruby is thrown into the mix quite often and will just ask why I called her such and such.)

Delsie is such an easy going little girl.  It doesn't matter if I nurse her, throw her a bottle, or use the closest pacifier- she takes it all.  She is especially noisy in the morning when she is waking up.  She grunts as she stretches and toots.

Her big sisters love mothering her.  In the beginning Dalanie claimed her as her own baby, but now is content to just be a helper with her.  Delsie tolerates it all quite well until she gets a blanket over her face or pacifier forced and held in her mouth.  It makes her mad and then she overheats. 

Not too happy about turning two months old.  I tried for a cute photo shoot throughout the day and for a few days too but the milestone happened and shots ensued.  I can't blame her for being a bit upset with me.

Sleeping babies are so peaceful.  Nothing puts me to sleep faster than holding one.  At this point in time she is our: Delsie McGee, Dels, and McGeely.  During Christmas, my parents asked Ruby what her new baby's name was going to be.  Without much hesitation, she came up with McGee and it's kind of stuck.

Aren't those cheeks kissable?  It's a vicious cycle, they're so kissable and the kisses I'm sure are what make her thrive and grow and be so kissable.

Dr. Seuss Party

The kids and I needed an excuse to dress up, plan a party, and run around the gym and a Dr. Seuss party fit the bill perfectly.  The kids and I brainstormed zany games and perused the party store all in the party's name.  Here's what we came up with.  Thing 1&2 tag (aka partner tag or back in the day fag-tag.)

The menfolk spectators.

Story Time put on by Hudson.

 His audience dwindled rather quickly.

But he continued reading to the bitter end.  He wouldn't quite until every last kid had left.

Mr. Brown can moo, can you?  Adapted from an oinking game where a person is blindfolded in the middle of a circle.  They point to a person, moo an absurd moo and the person they pointed to has to echo the moo in order for the person in the  middle to guess who it is.

Bowman Family:

Bolander Family:

Hilder Family:

Seuss Trivia and no surprise, the kids won.

 A special guest appearance by the Once-ler who performed "How Bad Can I Be?" from the Lorax.

He had all the kids up and moving.  He was also the winner of the people's choice costume contest.

Mattson Family:

Fox in Socks Sock Hop where players tried to stomp the floppy socks off of their opponents.

 

Don't forget the Green Eggs and Ham relay race and the Hop on Pop Popcorn Bar.  It featured Lorax poop, One Fish Two Fish popcorn, and bacon popcorn to name a few. 

Weird and Wacky Hillman Family

Amber and Elizabeth

Dixon Family: (Tammy was my photographer for the evening)

Newman Family:

We got to dress up.  Check

We got to run around the gym. Check

We got to hang out with people we enjoy.  Check

It was a good time.