Visitors!! (This week, I want to remember: 4/9 - 4/13)

Monday, April 9

It was another gorgeous day, so we spent most of it outside. My kids did this for what seemed like hours. I love the look of sheer-terror-turned-sheer-joy on Lola's face as she comes down!



Then, when biking got old...they turned to the four-wheelers! Or, to the "fweeee weeeeeweeeers" as LoLo says!

My babies. :)

Tuesday, April 10

Tuesday, while the kids were playing, I took some time to look around our property. It is so pretty right now, with everything in bloom. We have one of the most unique trees--it is called a tri-colored beech (I think) and it has pink, grey, and white leaves.

This tree is just starting to break out in bloom!

 How pretty the trees are....how ugly my garden is. Oy. 

Much work is needed.....soon enough, soon enough!!

The apple trees have....wait for it....APPLES!!!

And excited as I was about the apples, I was even more excited to see such an abundance of peaches!

Today Lola got her stitches out, too! She was a champ--it took four of us to hold her down, but she did as well as could be expected for someone who is quickly becoming terrified at the sight of medical personnel!

She wasn't smiling when we left the office....

...but a Panera muffin sure put one on her face quickly! 

Chowing down.

{If anyone makes a comment in the light of "just like her mother", you are dead to me.}

Wednesday, April 11


Wednesday, we did a lot of stuff around the house, because we were getting ready for some exciting visitors on Thursday!!!


Thursday, April 12


The cousins are here! The cousins are here!  Rog and Aimee and their children came down for a visit with our family. We had a great time visiting with them--and the kids had the best time together!

Colin is soooo good with little ones--he directed the games on Thursday. 

First was Ring around the Rosie...

{We all. fall. down!!}

Ethan saw the fun and had to join in....

...but nothing could convince Cameron. 

He preferred to stand (sit?) guard, on Lola's bike, with his gun. :)

After playing in the yard, Colin decided it was time to give the dollies a chance to get outside.

This was fun for all, and went on for quite some time.

They gave each one a turn in the swing--and then decided to pack them all in at once.

Lola riding the four wheeler

Now, Lola and Miss Annelyse were quite something together. Both are the babies of the bunch and both are young--so they are used to getting their way. As it always is with kids, each time one was playing with something (you name it, it didn't matter!) the other one wanted it. In this case....it was the four wheeler.

Annelyse spotted Lola riding it, and headed straight in her direction.
(You can barely see the "oh no you don't" look on Lola's face behind her!)

Lola, in turn, spotted her coming--and took off! It was so funny to watch them!

 Then it was time for some chalk drawings....

....and fighting Uncle Rog with the light sabers. 

This could have gone on a lot longer, but we had to remind the boys that 

Uncle Rog is a lot older than daddy and much weaker, too. *giggle*

 Then it was time for a snack....

....and watching Rio!

Well, we started to watch it--but the kids decided they would rather play outside. It was nap time anyway, so Shane took the biggies to the park while the littles stayed home and slept.

The two little ones woke up and played well for a bit outside together.

(Except maybe an argument or seven about who got to go down the slide first. lol)

We had a lovely dinner of spaghetti, salad, and garlic bread, then Daddy and Colin headed off to baseball practice. In the hour that Daddy was gone, do you want to know what I did?

That's right folks! It took me almost a whole hour, but I got all six kiddos bathed! lol  The girls actually loved the bath. We had such fun singing and playing (and splashing, splashing, splashing. Hey, my floors got really clean!)  

Annelyse's nickname is LeeLee; Lola's is LoLo (or LoLee) and Olivia's is Livy.  So me, talking to them in the tub, went something like this:  "LeeLee--I mean LoLee, come here, let me rinse your hair. Livy--I mean LoLo--I mean, LeeLee...."

And on and on in the same manner for approximately 30 minutes. I decided next time we are together, I"m giving them numbers.

One

Two

and 

Three.

*grin*

(Learn your numbers, kids, cause Auntie can't remember your names. The end.)

Friday, April 13

The next day, while I was getting ready, the girls decided they wanted to play in the bassinet. So, I obliged! They had me cracking up--this went on for 15 minutes!

Then we took another trip to the park. The kids just loved it there.

They slid 

and slid 

and slid down the slide.

 And Ethan and Luke made up a game of "let's see how many rocks we can fit in our shirt, take them up, and dump them down the slide to make really loud noises."

We had such a great time--please, guys....come back soon!!

What a great week!