Another Hunt

Angie and Greg invited us over for a fun Easter Egg hunt between conferene sessions. Uncle Greg and Mark had just as much fun hiding all the eggs as the kids did finding them. We love having family so close!

Cattle Branding

This little monster is the reason we have started branding our children like cattle.

It's very simple really. Everyone has a brand seared into their skin. It lets everyone know that #23 needs to be returned back to our house if found.

Ok, I will clarify, because I'm sure everyone is very confused.

On Saturday morning, I had just finished feeding Reilynn, and Mark and I were talking in our room. P, K, A, and I thought B, were playing the Wii. Our doorbell rang. It was like 8am. Who in the world could it be this early! Oh, it was our neighbor returning Bailey from CLEAR DOWN THE STREET!!! I was in my jammies, unruly curly hair in every direction, and a baby on my hip. Yes, I know, I am fulfilling my hick-trailer roots. (Not that there is anything wrong with living in a trailer, let's just get that staight right now!!!)

The neighbor returned Bailey without so much as a smile of understanding, and walked away. Why couldn't it have been the neighbors that know me?!?!? This is the neighbor that has a handicapped daughter that rides her big tricycle around our cul-de-sac and my dog (the vicious poodle) tries to attack her with her bark. And no this isn't the same neighbor who has the 2 perfect children...it's another one.

My neighbors LOVE me!!!

Anyway, so I decided we are going to brand our children...the cattle ranchers have a good thing going! (Ok, so we just went to IKEA's play area yesturday, but I still think it is a good idea.)

It's not very often...

when all 4 monsters are playing together,

no one is fighting, screaming, or crying,
and I just had to document it.

A family of 9

Dad, Mom, Parker, Kasidee, Addison, Bailey, Reilynn, Zoe, and baby doll!

Bailey loves her baby doll. She has dressed her in Reilynn's onsie, and she feeds her bottles, and buckles her in seat belts in the car. She is a member of our family! She is singing her a song here:

CPS

This was the first time that we have been out in the sun this year (in swimsuits). I was a neglectful mother and forgot to lather up my kids with sunscreen. They were lobsters!!! Poor Kasidee's back...she couldn't sleep that night because she was hurting so bad! Lesson learned!!!!!!! Sunscreen is now in my car, diaper bag, and cupboard, ready and waiting to be used!
We had a fun day at the beach though!!! I love that you can have a bonfire right on the beach.

WHY!?!?!??

We had quite a day...poor Bailey got the brunt of it too. I was watching a little girl at my house, and she had a bit of a biting problem. Every time I turned around she was biting Bailey. Bailey has 3 marks on her like this one.

Then she found her way into an ant hill. I counted 14 bites on her hands and arms, then I found another on her lip. Who gets an ant bite on their lip?!?!? Poor little girl!!!

Then my neighbor came over in the middle of the chaos. She only has 2 QUIET children, a perfectly clean house, and a beautiful weedless yard.

I looked like a wreck (I had worked out, and hadn't had a chance to shower yet.), my house was a wreck (I had started sweeping my kitchen, and their was a pile of grass, dirt, and dog food in the middle of the floor.), and there were kids running everywhere.

The last time she came over, we had just gotten home from a morning of stake basketball. My house was a wreck then too. Including the stereotypical McDonalds wrappers all over the kitchen table....They had just taken their kids to The Rainforest Cafe for lunch. That was the first time she had ever been inside my house.

WHY!!!!!???!!!!! Why can't she come over on a NORMAL day when we are in a state of reasonable and non humiliating chaos????!!!!!???

Oh well, it is what it is. I will be surprised if she lets her son come over and play again.

UP DOG

No, not this kind of dog...but my very smart dog is playing with a Texas sized red bee...aren't poodles known for their smarts?!?!?!

And don't look at the weeds or the dead grass in our backyard or the large cement block that keeps our swing set from tipping when my monster children get going on it. I've come to terms with the fact that we are a little W. T. (I don't know if my neighbors have yet though.)


Here is the "up dog" I was referring to . Bailey has been watching me do yoga lately. I didn't think she was paying that much attention. I guess she was. She pulled our door mat away from the door and started doing yoga moves.

I thought it was very funny! It also reminded me of how attentive our children are!

Home Sick and Egg Shells

I have been really missing home the last couple weeks. I have been missing the simplicity of a farm town, open spaces, fresh air, and yes cows...
As I was driving home from Target, there is a field I get to drive by. There were some cows grazing, and I had to stop and enjoy the quiet for exactly 10 seconds, until 5 cars drove by.
I know I am a little crazy, but I loved every second of the 10!!!!

The John Deere Tractor calendar on my fridge (which Mark likes to make fun of) made these two topics related...(:

Kasidee and I made banana bread the other day. She has a hard time with some of her fine motor skills still...writing, cutting with scissors, playing the piano... but her little skinny fingers were perfect for cracking eggs. She did so good, not one shell!!!

Beach Day

It's spring break. We haven't done much with our kids, but we did plan a trip to the beach with some friends. We brought firewood, hot dogs, smores, a change of clothes and headed off. I should have brought swimsuits for my kids, they jumped right into the freezing cold water, clothes and all. I was not so brave! We had a good time. I am already planning another trip!

3 1/2 months already

I can't believe that she is 3 1/2 months old!!! Time has flown by!

Reilynn has been such a joy in our family. She is quick to smile and coo at anyone who talks to her. She lets Addison, Bailey, Parker, and Kasidee hold her without too much of a fuss. And she is sleeping and getting on a pretty good schedule, which is so nice for me!

Heavenly Father has blessed us with such a sweet little girl, we love you Reilynn!!!

(Thanks Elise for the cute headband, I love it!!! You are so creative!)

Friday off and no babysitter...

...turned out to be a fun night. The kids earned a "slumber party" with each other on Friday night. It took them 2 weeks to earn, so they were pretty excited about it.
We pulled out sleeping bags, pillows, blankets, and treats to watch a fun movie.

Even Zoe enjoyed the comfy party.
Then they all got to sleep in the same room on the floor together. (My flash is apparently really bright, these pics look like they are taken in the middle of the day...nope, it is pitch-black in their room.)

You know you live in Texas when...

...one of your preschool kids is trying to convince everyone that the American flag is the Texas flag.

I know this is a little late, but we had an Olympic preschool lesson at our house. The athletes paper-plate-skated from letter to letter, had balloon races, and painted American flags. Each child earned their gold metal. It was lots of fun!!!

rodeo time

You can't live in Texas and not go to the annual rodeo!!! My goal is to have a cute hat, boots, and belt buckle by next years rodeo!
I went with some friends this year. The kids had a good time seeing all of the animals, eating the yummy food (we even tried a fried twinkie), and riding a ride. (I was a mean mom and made them only choose ONE to ride.)
We had a good time. Did you notice the Texas longhorned cows? They are HUGE!!!

story time

I caught Addison "reading" a book to all her friends in Reilynn's carseat. She has been a lot of fun to have at home still. Her and Bailey have become good friends, and it is so fun to watch!
She saw me taking pictures...

Parker lost his first tooth. He was very excited to have the tooth fairy come and visit.
A friend gave me a gift certificate that she wouldn't use, so I took full advantage! Kasidee, Addison, and I went to get pedicures. Addison wasn't so sure about having someone rub her feet (she isn't related to me!), but she liked having them painted.
Thanks "friend", we had a really good time.

it takes a lot to scare me...

...medically, I mean. Between having a nurse for a mom, growing up with 3 brothers, and then everything with Parker and Kasidee, I feel like I have been exposed to quite a bit.
Well, yesterday we went to the doctor because Kas had a sinus infection. We got the Rx we needed and then headed home. As soon as we got home Addison's eyes started getting all "goopy" too. So I put Kas' eye drops in Addison's eyes. HER EYE STARTED TO BLEED!!!
I ran and flushed it out with water and called the doctor right away. We took her in and she has an infection too. The doctor was nice enough to check Bailey and Parker while we were there...and sure enough, Bailey has an ear infection too.
So $50 for Rx and $20 for dinner later, we made it home. I'd have to say, bleeding eyes are a little scary!!!

time flies

I can't believe Reilynn is almost 3 months old. She is so much fun. She is very patient with the crazy at our house, and she is tough enough to handle 6, 3, and 1 1/2 year olds loving her. I am trying to remember to take pictures of her, it is hard! But thanks to blogs and grandmas, I am getting some taken.

so sad

My friend/adopted mom moved away on Monday. She moved to Virginia to be close to her very selfish children, who couldn't live without her...which is understandable. (:
Thank you Joyce for saving me when my life has been crazier than ever before. I have learned so much from you and I hope you come back and visit as often as you can! We miss you already.

Jennifer Lopez sewed on my button...

So we went to Mark's cousin's wedding in Dallas. It was beautiful!!..Right out of a movie. And I couldn't just let it be a cute little romantic movie, I had to add my own little comedy.
We got to the Catholic chapel and we were ushered to our seats. Well, Reilynn was poopy and needed to be fed. So I snuck out before the wedding started to take care of business. The bathroom was tiny, with nowhere to sit and feed a baby. I changed her diaper and went on a search to find a place to feed her.

There weren't any other rooms besides the chapel and the bridal room that I could see. So I got ushered into the BRIDAL ROOM!!! I interrupted the brides beautifying and bridesmaid time with my screaming baby. I was trying to be a fly on the wall, or to be more exact, in the corner, as I hurried and fed my baby.

Well, I got back into the chapel just in time for the ceremony to start, and Reilynn had another poopy diaper. (She does not like to be poopy, and she is vocal about it.) So I tried to tip-toe, in my heels, out of the very QUIET/CHILDLESS chapel. I changed her diaper, again, and my button popped off the middle of my dress in the bathroom....

I snuck out of the bathroom, holding my dress, and found the wedding planners cleaning up the bride room. I asked for a safety pin and was offered an even better solution...she pulled out a sewing kit out of her magic wedding planner bag and sewed on my button.

I tip-toed back into the chapel, and I had missed the whole ceremony. It is a good thing she is so cute! WOW!!!

Mark's parents, brother and his wife flew to Texas to come to the wedding with us. It was SO FUN to visit with them! All in all, it was a great weekend!

Valentine's letter

Kasidee wrote this letter to Addison at school, and I thought it was extra cute...
"Dear Addison, Happy Valintine. I Relly Prowd of you becase you be nise to your sister and you do the dishis and you do the dishwawsher."
How cute is sisterly love!