Pajama Day

 Mark and I were both home sick with the stomach flu last Sunday.  NOT FUN!!!

 After a day of sitting in front of the tv, watching way too many movies, and WAY TOO MUCH basketball, we headed outside to get some fresh air.

 It was so nice to sit outside in great cool evening and let the kids get some energy out.

 I get a lot of looks when I am out in public...5 kids, ages from 1-7.  "Are those all yours?"  "You don't look old enough to have 5 kids."  "How old are they?"  "How old are you?"

 Having them this close was not necessarily planned, but on nights like tonight, I see how great it can be.

 They like to do the same things.  They really enjoy each other.  Poor Parker is very outnumbered.  But he does pretty good being surrounded by girls.  And I don't think he is going to complain much when they are older, and his sisters are bringing tons of girls to our house.

 Plus, he gets lots of one on one with his favorite person in the whole world.

Playing catch with dad, it doesn't get much better!

We are the Champions

 Parker's basketball team took first in his division.  Go Bobcats!!!

 They had such a fun season.  The coaches were amazing, the boys all got along great, everyone had a great time.

 The girls didn't do a whole lot of "watching" the games, but they had fun cheering on their brother...most of the time.

 I remember when I played basketball, when I was in 5th grade, I was pretty timid.  (I know, hard to believe.)  I remember my dad telling me, "don't worry about getting a basket, just get a foul this game." (Trying to encourage a little more aggressiveness.  We never had to coax Parker at all. 

 He was pretty much a ball hog.

 Ssswwwwwwwwiiiiiiisssssshhhhhhhhhhhhhh!

 Good game, good game, good game, good game....

 WE WON!!!

When we got home, Parker put his trophy on his desk in his room, which happens to be right by the window.  He raised the blinds and told Mark it was so everyone could see his trophy.  He also had to take it to school to show his class.  Pretty funny kid!

How long have we lived in Texas?

The other day, this is what I heard come out of this little girlie's mouth:

"Mom, can I sing a song for y'all?"

Y'all?!?!?

Has my little girl turned into a full on Texan?!?!?  It is one thing to type it, write it, text it...but a completely different thing to say it in your everyday speech.  It was pretty funny.  Mark and I looked at each other and tried not to laugh. 

It is crazy to think that we have been here almost 5 years.  In the 10 years that we have been married, we moved 10 times in the first 5 years, and have stayed here for 5 years.  This has really become home, and I'm so glad that my kids are Texans, "y'all" and all.

40 HOURS of DRIVING with 5 KIDS

Why do you ask, would anyone in their right mind subject themselves to such a thing?  Well I'll tell you...

 Markley's sweet grandmother turned 90 and every cousin, aunt, uncle and Costco cake were going to be their to help her celebrate.  So we took off Thursday to join in the festivities.

(No judging!  You weren't there!  We were in survival mode!) 

We are so glad that we went.  We are so glad that we took our kids with us.  It cost about the same for just Mark and I to fly, or drive and bring everyone....so we loaded up everyone and took a road trip.

 (If you couldn't tell, that is Kas' head and part of Parker's face.  I pointed the camera over my shoulder and snapped a shot.  Not the best, but it had to be documented that they were there with us.)

 The kids did really good.  Mark drove the whole way (he says it is easier than fighting with the kids and climbing back and forth over the seats).  And we consumed more Diet Coke and fast food than should be legal.

 If I have to smell another cheeseburger, or even see another golden arch, I am going to start dry heaving!

Hence, this was lunch today.  I went to the grocery store and bought every vegetable and fruit they had. Just a heads up... Don't go to the HEB near me...they are all out. 

All the party pictures are coming...I still have to collect some from sisters-in-law.

Karate Kids

 Ever since Parker took karate, my kids think it is really funny to pretend fight with me or Mark. 

 Bailey really gets into it...

 Usually we have the radio blaring in the kitchen (Thanks Grant and Judy...I continue to love that present!), right now Third Eye Blind is the favorite, and the karate matches turn into dancing in the living room.  For all the crazy, they really are at fun ages right now.

Parker didn't want to be left out.

Lazy

NO, not me!!! (Although, that could probably be argued.  Exibit A: the disarray in the background.)

This little one...

 She has too many big sisters who carry her around everywhere, or get her anything she grunts for.

 She refuses to walk, she shimmies on her knees.

Effective, yes.  But she is putting holes in all the knees of her pants.  She is 14 months tomorrow...she should be walking!!!

The NO SNOW "snow" day

The stinkin' weather men predicted snow last Friday.

 And because we live in South Texas, and they don't know what to do when there is ice or snow, they cancelled school....just in case.

 But when we woke up Friday morning...NO SNOW!  Are you kidding me?!?!?

 I have 5 (ok, only 4 kids who know any different, but add one husband who sprayed water on the hill behind our house for some fun ice sledding, that makes 5) kids at home who really wanted to play in the snow.

 So we luckily had this mattress that we were getting rid of,

 we invited some friends over,

 and had a really good time.

 Somehow I managed to not catch Parker and Kasidee jumping,

 but it goes without saying, that they had a blast too.

 Good thing for old mattresses that save us from ourselves...

...on a NO SNOW "snow" day!

Crafting Buddies

 There are too many people that I leave out whenever I do a craft day.  So I have started doing crafts on my own with Bailey and Reilynn, who love helping out.

 I am creating a monster...

 I love how she crouches over the wood.  Sometimes she will get on her tummy to get even closer...cute!

 Bailey actually did a really good job covering the backs of all my wood.  I only did the sides so she wouldn't paint my kitchen table brown too.

Not the greatest picture, but here is the final product.  Something easy, fast, and festive...right down my alley!

Our New Favorite Treat

Actually, it is an old favorite treat.  My mom used to make these for my brothers and me when we were kids.

 Homemade doughnuts...YUM!!!  And they are so easy when you have Pillsbury to help.

 Just take the biscuits, cut out the center with a cookie cutter (I only have hearts that are that small).  Fry them up, using only the good oil of course, so they are good for you!

 Throw the "good-for-you" treats in a bowl of powdered sugar (which has 6 calories less than granulated sugar, so it is also good for you) and Shake Shake Shake Senora.

 YUM!

 My kids love this new/old treat!  It is great for FHE.  Easy, quick, and filling.  The little carton comes with 8 biscuits...one doughnut and heart doughnut hole per person, and 2 for dad, because he needs 2. :)

Thanks mom, you are the best.  By the way, my mom used to bring these camping too.  Throw some oil in the dutch oven and you have a yummy camping treat.  A lot easier than peach cobbler.  Ooh, now I need some peach cobbler.  I have a problem.