It's over

     As sad as it is to say, it is nonetheless true, I am grateful that Christmas week is almost over. I realized this year just how crazy busy things are in December and I am not quite a fan. I haven't figured out how to ration out my energy and effort for all the myriad of activities we have.
   We hosted our family Christmas dinner. Thirty-five people, half of which were children under 11. A neighbor correctly commented on how one spends so long cleaning up before the party just to have everything in chaos just minutes later. Why??? It was fun though. My aunt "ordered" a pony for rides and picture taking. It ended up being two ponies and a goat and some other animals. The kids loved it for the short while they were here. I was inside getting things ready so I missed much of it, but the photos were cute. It was kind of nice that everyone left much earlier than expected. In a span of about 20 minutes, everyone was gone, and we could get the kids down not super long after their bedtime. And there wasn't that much of a mess.
   We had my birthday the next day. I had thought it would be nice to go to the temple to see the lights but with the late night, early morning and church, it didn't happen. Maybe it still will, maybe not.
   Then the following weekend family came out, so we went to dinner. The next night was Grandpa's birthday, more family woohoo. More excitement.
   Two days later was Molly's birthday, which I think got the "it's going to be a real informal day" treatment. She was fine and didn't think anything of it. And with almost 70 degree weather we got out to play with friends and Grandpa D. Who stayed the night and was here to experience the joy of 5:40 am wake up call. More family on Christmas day and lots of toys. Lots of  fighting over toys. Did you ever notice the sign of a great gift (with multiple similar aged kids) is fighting over said gift?? No matter what, there is always fighting.
  I love Christmas and this year I really felt the Spirit as I listened to the sacred music of the season. I love that feeling. Next year I will strive to make it more prominent in our home, and not just during Christmas. I also realized that it doesn't need to be Christmas day to celebrate His birth and life and so it's okay to be glad that all the craziness is over. Because it's not the spiritual part I am glad is over, just the chaos.

Again, sleep walking, at least this time Julia stopped at the back door and didn't go out.

So grateful for double locks

Here's a little story for all you moms out there.

       I woke up Thanksgiving morning, about 2:45 in the morning, to the sound of a child screaming. I get out of bed and because it had sounded distant started to go upstairs to check on the girls upstairs. The screaming had stopped at this point so I get to the top of the stairs and then hear it again, not upstairs, not quite sure where it came from, so I go downstairs. The screaming had stopped again and i was so confused. When it started again it was clearly from outside the house. The first thought that came to mind was why is there a child outside screaming. I was a little nervous because of stories I have heard of babies being used to lure people into opening their doors. I was definetely second guessing opening the door until I heard the screaming again and realized it was Julia. I went in the backyard and found her around the side of our garage screaming her lungs out. I ran to her and picked her up. My second thought was about neighbors calling the cops about a child outside screaming, so I try to quiet her down as quickly as I can. I hold her super close and ask her what she is doing outside; she said, a couple of times, she was looking for me.  I took her inside and rocked with her in the recliner for a few minutes to soothe her before putting her back to bed.
       Crazy little girl. She even remembered to put on her jacket before going on. How she got past our open bedroom door without waking us I don't know. She never turned on a light, or if she did she turned it off before going outside. I wonder it she tried the front door before going out the back door. I am so glad we had that high hotel-style door lock on the front door, it has saved us a number of times.
       I wonder if she was sleep walking or if she really was awake. My mom told me off a time that I walked to the front door, opened it, and yelled for my sister to come in the house because it was cold, all while sleeping. So Julia wouldn't be the first to get through a door.

December 2007

So I just realized something this last week. This is the first time since December of 2007 that I haven't been pregnant, nursing, or pregnant and nursing. Crazy. I just finished nursing Sean this last week and it was an easy transition for both of us. I still have to remember to "feed" him and he's not too keen on drinking quite as much but we are working on it. I look forward to fasting, kind of. It'll take some time I am sure to get back into it. I did really enjoy being able to eat more everyday, oh well.

Errors

  So I don't know why I let it ruin my day but I did. Last night I went to print some fun things off the printer and all that came up was a blink light and E, for error. I tried unsuccessfully for an hour last night to diagnose and fix the issue and at least another 90 minutes today. So frustrating because it worked just fine three days ago and nothing changed since then. But last night, and today, the printer has decided it doesn't like our cartridges, so now I have three brand new cartridges and the printer doesn't want to work.
  I tried everything the website said to do and nothing. So I thought well maybe a neighbor might have a printer that uses the same cartridges, nope. But I did come home with a new printer that my neighbor had, but alas it is out of cyan ink and won't print at all. AGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHH!! I am so tired of this. But like I said in the beginning, why did I let this get to me and why did I focus on it so much instead of the girls this afternoon. Why?? Why?? Why is it so important to get somethings done when there are more important things to do?? Like...
  Cassidy is riding her bike without training wheels!! Joe decided Saturday to fix her bike seat and tire and take off the training wheels. He had her practice coasting Saturday and  a few minutes on Sunday.  Monday I went out with her and she pretty much did it all by herself after just a few trips down the street with me holding on to her seat and handlebars. She is still working on the finesse part but she is riding solo now. So she was rewarded with a bike bell. I got it clearance at Target a long while back and said she could have it when she was riding without training wheels. We have yet to get photos but that's okay, better to be out there with her than not.
   
 

In case you have a few dollars to spare

I love that we have the ability to choose where to spend the money we earn. What a privilege and blessing to see someone in need and use our resources to help. So in case you have a few dollars to share and are just looking for a good cause, here is an option. Though Janelle is not in my ward, her sister is; that's enough for me. Read a little more and if you can help, please do. All our one dollar bills add up to a lot.
So I can't make the widget work but here is the link to her site.
https://www.giveforward.com/fundraiser/9983/janellescancerfund

Just pictures

 I love the overalls sans shirt look. Ball will be his first word I am sure of it.

 I found Julia asleep like this last week. I was able to lie her down without waking her.

 So cute!!

 Doesn't she have a beautiful smile??

Joe and Sean Joesph

 Ricksha Cassidy with our fun bike trailer.

 A messy birthday boy, those were good beans. That is another nickname, bean boy; he loves beans.

 Caught this just in time.

Loving Autumn

I love autumn, I love almost everything about it. It just is different from summer and even though we still have hot weather during autumn, September is the second hottest month here, it feels different. It smells different even though I can't explain quite why. It looks different, the sunlight is different, the trees are changing a little, and the shadow angles are different. I love it. I love the burnt oranges and crimsons and all those autumny colors. I love adding pumpkin spice to our pancake and waffle mixes. They just taste so much warmer, know what I mean?? I love that the sun goes to bed earlier, it really helps us get our kids into bed more on time when the neighbor kids aren't out until 9 pm. I love autumn.

What's new?? Our baby boy is now one. He even took his first real steps on his first birthday and is now, a month later, walking more and more, but still crawls a lot. That is okay with me. The less falling down the better. He has mastered the stairs and is a whiz at sliding right down, so much so that he comes down STANDING UP on the top half!! Heart attack for sure and he won't go on his stomach until the third step on the bottom section when he can no longer reach the bars from the top section. That little boy is a climber and knows what a bike is for. He loves to climb on the smaller bikes and wait for us to push him. He is still a momma's boy, but I think it's fine, for now. Except for our neighbor, who has three boys, he let her hold him today for 20 minutes and wasn't super eager to leave her when I went to take him in the house. He likes her. At church it is a no-go for the young women who want to hold him, sorry girls. Oh, I've had to have a few hold him at times so that I could do something, I think he traumatized the girls, sorry. He is a beautiful boy, oh my. Just wait. He looks a lot like Cassidy and yet is looking more and more like Joe, but Cassidy doesn't look anything like Joe. Today he was wearing overalls and no shirt, can you say hillbilly?? But the cutest hillbilly ever!! His nickname is, my nickname for him anyway is, Stonewall Sean. He gets this determined look on his face with no emotion and just goes about his business. So fun.

Julia is such a cutie. Oh I love picking her up and receiving her awesome hugs. She still loves to walk around on her toes around the house, she is going to have some strong calf muscles. She loves to repeat whatever her sisters say and do whatever they do. Yet she is very much her own person. When she is by herself she is content to play quietly and when the girls are around she is such the adoring little sister. Oh and she loves Seany. It is fun to see them interact with each other. He loves her. Julia will even talk to him in that high pitched voice that we so often use with babies. Her nickname is jelly bean, and boo.

We started Joy School again three weeks ago. It is just Cassidy and Molly and another little boy who lives around the corner from us. Hoping for more kids next January. Julia joins us when we do it at our house. She surely doesn't understand a lot of the concepts but she is learning a lot of other things, and she loves doing it. I love how she talks about "Joy School".

Molly surprised us the other day by counting all the way to 14(or was is 17??). We haven't actively been working on it but we do a lot of counting when it fits with whatever we are doing and she obviously picked up on it. Julia did that too now that I think of it. Cassidy is figuring out the groups of tens. We just have to supply the next tens, ie thirty, forty... It is so fun to watch as they catch on to those kinds of things. We have been doing more "home economics" lately and the girls are slowly learning different skills and its great, so helpful. At times I feel like I am in a losing battle, it is me against four kids plus my own messed. Being so young I can't expect as much help from them as they are able to 'destroy' things. But we are working on it. I am working on making them responsible and making myself maintain my cool. I think I did well today, other days, not so well.

Joe had knee surgery last week and it's been a long 10 days, for everyone. He wishes that it would be healed already, sorry honey. He fractured his kneecap a few years ago and finally it interrupted his fun enough to do something about it. The surgery went well but there is only so much that the doctor can do for a fractured patella.  We are hoping for getting him back to 95% normalcy.

What have I done in five years??

I can't believe that Cassidy is now five years old. Five years can not have gone by already. And yet there are three more kids after her so of course it has been five, only five in fact. Part of me wonders what have I done in those five years. Then the other part of my brain shouts "Hello!! you have FOUR kids, that's what. Four pregnancies, four bouts of nursing, four happy children who love each other, me, their dad, and everything else. I think you have been busy." I love that we have decided not to send her off to kindergarten yet. I love having her here and I love getting more time with her. Once she's gone she will only be gone for more and more hours of the day. She's too great to let go yet. We are doing December's version of  homeschooling thing. She doesn't have to be in school till 6 years old per our state, so there is no requirement for her yet. We are focusing on being a productive family member through home economics courses, reading, and religious studies (i.e. scripture reading and discussions). Plus whatever comes up in our daily lives. Not too formal but definitely what feels like the best thing for us right now. We are also continuing with Joy School with Cassidy and Molly so there is even more stuff. Isn't there always so much to do?? Way more than there is time to do it in. So big lesson for me right now is how to prioritize my daily to do list with musts- shoulds- would be nices- and if onlys. Thank you handy white board for making that so much easier.

Our first trip to the beach with kids since Cassidy was 2months old. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tomorrow Sean will be ONE!! Oh my where did the time go?? He is into everything and even though he isn't walking (oh, darn) he is quite the climber. We have a little wooden slide in our family room. It's about two feet high to the platform. Sean has mastered climbing up the slide as well as the two steps. It's quite a kick to watch him go up the slide. He just learned how to slide down on his belly so now there isn't as much of him fussing on the platform once he's up there. He is super quick crawling and loves his momma. Such a momma's boy. Especially at church it seems. At home there are plenty of toys to play with and sisters to evade but I always manage to get to church without a toy for him. I need to get some in our bag. This boy will be a talker like Cassidy and Julia I think. He loves to jabber and really acts as if he is holding a conversation with you. He turns and makes faces and really is intent. I would love to know what it is he is trying to communicate. He can put up a fight to knock your socks off, and does, often, especially with his sisters. Oh and do not take his cup from him, even if it is just to turn it the right way, he will flip out. I always said "At one year then I am done nursing." But seeing as how I never made it to one year (always pregnant long before then) I never had to implement that thought. Well I don't think that I am ready to stop, nor do I think he is quite done. Oh darn. I think we will keep going for a while and see how long it lasts. I love that time with him and it's only a few times a day and it is our time. Plus I don't have to buy whole milk quite yet. Extra antibodies, more mommy time, it's all good.

July fun

We have a mobile baby. I don't think I was ever overly anxious that any of the children walked or crawled super early. It's kind of nice when they stay where you put them, especially when there are other children to run after. Sean entered the land of the mobile last week, yeah a week ago today and man he is getting around quick. He's still a little tipsy while crawling so every so often he eats it and crashes on his face. That's the other reason I somewhat dread the mobility. They fall and get hurt. He currently has a bruise on his check, not quite sure where that came from, but probably from crashing to the floor. He also now is cruising around along the furniture. Cooking is going to be fun with him going along the cabinets, grabbing me, then moving back to the cabinets.
He has always been a momma's boy and is even more so now. Last week we went on vacation (so nice) and the in-laws came too. Good thing. Sean woke on Friday(?) with a 103 temp. and all he wanted to do was have me hold him. All. Day. Long. He would take naps constantly and whimper. It was really sad and pathetic. I secretly loved it though. Who doesn't like to snuggle with a cute baby? When there are three other adults to take the other three kids that is. Saturday the temp was 102 and Sunday about 101. And the Monday he got a rash. Any guesses?? Roseola. It took until Tuesday for me to figure it out, I was never freaked but it's always nice to know why your baby is burning up. So no biggee. Neither Cassidy nor Molly got such high temps and I don't recall Julia ever even having Roseola so I am not surprised I didn't recognize it right away. The funny thing is that Sean was born about 2 weeks after Cassidy (calendar wise) and they both had Roseola over July 4th. When Cass had it we stayed home instead of going on vacation with the in-laws and other family.
I don't know if it was because of not feeling well or it's just him, but Sean can SCREAM. Oh and it's bad. It's the drive-you-up-the-wall ear peircing, nerve rattling, brain throbbing, glass shattering kind. Can you get the picture? I got it on video today just to record it. He did it All. Day. Yesterday. I finally had to step away from the baby. But he's such a cutie and is so adorable. As I was nursing him this afternoon I had a primary song on and just had one of those moments that a mother lives for. You look into their eyes and just feel the love. Loved it.
Joe and I got to catch the fireworks show while we were gone. It was awesome, one of the best I've seen. We were away from the crowds and it was just us two, and we were got to ride the bikes home holding hands. So nice. Date night with fireworks. It will be awhile before the girls go with us. So Loud. I had to cover my ears for the last 15 minutes of it. It would freak them out, plus it's 3 hours after their bedtime. They can watch it on TV.
I threw a photo in of Molly asleep on the bathroom floor. That is the litmus test for a truly sick kid. This is the second or third time that she has woken up and had a stomach issue and vomited for no apparent reason. I think the reason is not eating dinner the night before. Sounds weird but that was the case the last time too. I dunno, but she's good by noon, thankfully. It is so sweet in a  sad way.
The other pictures are from the vacation and the county fair. The girls look too cute to be driving. We have 12 years to go.

Swimming

We have been having fun in the last two months. We finally went on vacation, the first time since last July. It was much needed and as usual, over too soon. As usual we went up to the cabin and enjoyed being away from the city and people and really had some fun times. At the mill pond there was a junior fishing day held the Saturday we were there (what great luck!!). Joe took Cassidy down for it and she received a pole and bait and tackle. She even caught three keepers that we ate. They were yummy. Monday I think it was, Joe took the three girls down to the mill pond again and helped them all fish. Each had her own way, Molly liked to play with the fish once she reeled them in. Cassidy would yank them out of the water (which meant that some had to become dinner). Julia would freak out once she reeled the fish in close to the water line. I had to give major props to Joe for taking them all out at once. We enjoyed playing whiffle ball and were surprised at Cassidy's hand-eye-bat coordination. After we came home we pulled the t-ball stand out of storage and just need to get some balls and a bat and let her go for it. She was pretty good.
   With the hot weather we have gotten some time in the pool and after two months of lessons (probably 12 in total) Cassidy is doing better with swimming. We "Make", well encourage her to take her vest off for part of her time in the pool and she does pretty well. We need to increase the non-vest time to strengthen her. Julia now has her own little tube that goes around her waist. She LOVES it and the freedom. Today she was even putting her face in the water on her own initiative. When she would do it, she looked like she was dead in the water, just floating. Oh man, it was hilarious. She would then pop up and laugh and then do it again. As much as I hate having the girls reliant on the vests, it really is the only way to let them all get in the pool at the same time. There is no way I could have them all in at the same time. They have such a blast and it is worth the effort to wean them from them.
    I find it interesting that I go in streaks where I get a lot done of certain things. Right now it's going to the temple and reading. When I feed Sean I read (that means 2-3 hours a day) and I have read some really awesome and some really fascinating books in the last 6 weeks. The trade off is that some of the house work isn't getting done, but oh well. I can live with it. I feel more satisfies as a person and that is more important right now. I've read about a young girl from China, the Comanches, the love languages, after death experiences, Jesus, etc. I had been reading Les Mis and then had to take it back to the library before I was done. When I am done with my current book I will get it again. It was amazing, just really really long (and too many words about convents, that really slowed me down). I wasn't going to watch the recent movie but I broke down and started it. I turned it off after and 15 minutes. In comparison to the details and the story of the book it stuck and it was getting more adult than I wanted. Should have listened to myself in the first place. Awesome book. Highly recommend it.
   Today in church the primary got up to sing to the dads. Both Cassidy and Molly were supposed to go up and they did. But it was so cute when Cassidy came back and got Julia to go up there too. She just stood in the nook of the front and looked cute. Cassidy got Molly to go up last year at one of the programs, but at that time Molly came back midway and sat back with us. Oh the adventures of primary singing in sacrament meetings.

Fun stuff

We have been having a little fun around here.
  Cassidy started swim lessons last week. It was such an impromptu thing. We got signed up the week before and got the last spot for April lessons. She is in a class of five, though only four get in the pool without screaming. She loves it and has to be reminded not to let go of the wall and touch the bottom of the pool (4 ft deep) all by herself. She doesn't mind going under water but she is no where near swimming on her own. No biggee. I just wanted her to get away from using the swim vest. She loves it.
  A tender mercy for sure. I was inspired to start potty training Julia 12 days ago. She is now telling us when she needs to go and using the Dora seat on the big toilet and refuses to go on the potty seat. She was dry throughout church on Sunday even though I took her the the bathroom three or four times. She's 50/50 on being dry during naps and about 40% with pooping on the toilet. It has been a HUGE blessing that I needed. It's been her, all the way. I am so thankful for that thought (I was in the temple when it came) that said "You should potty train Julia". I think we only had to get out the green machine out two maybe three times. Amazing. Thank you thank you thank you. I didn't have it in me for a fight.
  Sean has two teeth and is now sitting fairly well. This has all happened in the last week and a half. He and Molly also have a cold. Poor little guy. I weighed him at seven months and he was about 17 pounds, YEAH!!!! So again impromptu- no more night feedings. That has been rough. He's about 50% sleeping through the night. That boy can SCREAM!!!! Oh can he scream and he does, day or night and at night its really bad.
  I think I had mentioned Cassidy sleep walking? Well Joe found her a few weeks ago in her open doorway asleep on the floor. Hilarious. No more incidents since then.
  Molly is so observant. She told my mother-in-law that Elder Packard (our area authority, not President Boyd K Packard) looks like her brother. He really did too. He was here a few weeks ago with Elder Jeffery R Holland. She picks on things. Oh funny thing, she took a nap yesterday (was it yesterday or maybe a few days ago). Well I went in to get her and she was asleep in the little brown leather chair in Cassidy's room. It was so cute to see her getting up from it.

Here they are, those little cute kid. 

Quick run down

Here are the quick run downs of our news.

Cassidy- can tie her shoe. I had the thought a few weeks ago to show her how to tie her shoe. We tried a few times with Joe's shoe because they are heaving and I thought it would be easier to try to show her if the shoe wasn't flopping around. We went over the procedure a few times that day and I think another day. Then I forgot about it all until a few days later and lo and behold, she tied her shoe all by herself, perfectly!! What a champ. It was the same with learning how to write her name. We had showed it to her and then on her own she did it. No pushing, no battles, just show and let be. We are moving along in her reading lessons and she's doing great and is starting to read real sentences, like today's "a man is near a sock. a cat is in that sock."

Molly- She gets lost in the mix a lot because she's just at that age where huge things aren't happening as often, I guess. But she is such a big helper when I get involved and ask for her help. I need to go with that more.

Julia- Hit the two year mark and is such a big talker. I was amazed, I don't know why though, that she came up with a gramatically correct two part sentence. "I wanna get down and wash my hands." She loves to hold Sean and is so cute when she says "look at me seany, look at me."

Sean- He's six months now. Crazy. He picked up a few percentiles in weight, from the 2nd, to 5-10th percent. That was good, but not good enough to be told to sleep all night and stop waking up. I was aiming for 15 pounds and he was only 14 lb 11 oz., darn. He looks like he's getting so much bigger but the scale never registers it. He LOVES food. We've been feeding him since 4 months and now he's up to two or three servings, big servings a day. He can eat a whole banana in a sitting. Some day he will eat us out of house and home along with his sisters. I shouldn't be too anxious for that day to arrive. He still stays where I put him for the most part. He'll turn in a circle on his back, but he's not big into rolling over or attempting to crawl. That's okay. He can take his time.

Joe- Having fun with his bass club fishing tournaments. He always catches fish but his partners aren't so he thinks he's jinxed this year. He has a couple new homes that he is selling which is a great addition for the year. He's working hard with the Elder's Quorum. Oh and he says "he loves his wife."

December- Plugging along with Joy School. Attempting to also do a few crafty projects like a pennant banner for easter that says "He is risen", it's mostly done and super cute. I really like that fabrics I choose. Futilely trying to keep the office straightened up between then nights of crafting.And getting to the temple almost every week. Oh let me tell you. I was going to go tonight but the grandparents showed up right after dinner and so we got the kids in bed a little late and so I didn't get Sean ready for bed till about 640. I nursed him and hoped he would be out quick so I could leave by 7:10. Well at 7:10 he was still wide awake but I but him in is crib and was going to leave anyway. He starting crying and then I felt bad because I never put him down that awake and I thought it would cruel to let him cry for so long. So I didn't leave. And guess what? He was asleep in less than 20 minutes. That faker!!!!! I wish I had known and then gone, but I would have worried the whole time that he would cry forever. Oh well. It's no good going when you are so worried or stressed about that. I will try again tomorrow.

Can I say how crazy the tax law is??? I am working on our taxes and helping my dad and I learned AGAIN how complicated the IRS has made it. Can't it just be simple like tithing? It can't but man, it is way too complicated. Get the figure from line w from 2011 return, then add x, is that greater to line y, then write z, is z less then a, then multiply by b. etc.... 19 lines of arithmetic just to calculate how much of the social security payments are taxable.  16 lines to find our how much of the state refund from last year is taxable. CRAZY!!! What a waste of time. 

Oh, and I just read two books that I'd so recommend. "The Great Prologue" by Mark E Peterson, it's about the great history and destiny of the US as the means of allowing the Gospel to be restored and taken to the nations of the world. Awesome book. Compares the prophecies in scripture, like Nephi's to the events in history. I hadn't made many of the comparisons before, it is amazing how detailed those prophecies are. And "Rudy" by Daniel "Rudy" Reuttiger, of the movie "Rudy" fame. It's his biography. I loved the movie and the book (well his actual story) is way more inspiring and awesome than the movie. Who knew he was the third child of 14?!?!?! If you have a friend/family member who likes the movie, tell them to read the book. He's amazing and credits so much to God in such a way that is inspiring and refreshing. It really shows that God does care about our dreams and can use our accomplishments to help inspire and uplift others. Awesome. I have always been a Notre Dame fan, and always will. But I am a huge Rudy fan too.

Sean show and tell, well, just show

Channeling Elvis.

Hanging out with Mom and the neighbors. Photo taken by Molly.

Only grandpa puts a 3 month old on a bike, albeit a tiny one.

I love this little boy.

Don't be deceived, he HATES tummy time.

But he loves to smile...at mommy.

Busy and loving it

We have had quite the last few days: a trip to the zoo, a trip to the dentist (make that two trips), a trip to the Adobe, friends, chocolate, balloons, school...
Yesterday we went to the zoo in the morning. It was a perfect day, kind of cool, the animals were out and being hilarious. Oh man you should have seen the little squirrel monkey- hilarious- it would stand on its two legs and walk, well more like stalk, whatever it was he was stalking with his arms held in like T Rex and then ponce. I tried to tape him but as soon as I got my camera out he stopped. Who knew that squirrel monkeys stalked invisible prey? Even the condors were out and walking around. They usually just sit in the sun, motionless. Oh and the crocodiles, they were swimming so I ran over with Sean and Molly and as we got to the glass the croc stopped, right in front of us. We were inches from him, just the glass and metal grate separated us from him. Scarey, crocs are scary. The thought of meeting one of those in the wild, oh man. And he was just staring at us. I think he looked at Julia and thought "I want one of those." And the sag... apes were out and they never are when we go to the zoo. It was a great day to be with the kids and Grandpa at the zoo. Sean slept most of the time and so we were able to stay longer than normal.
Cassidy went to the dentist yesterday and had her first cleaning. She did AWESOME!! Clean bill of health and even let the dental hygienist do two x-rays. At first I was afraid, really afraid that it would be a bust, but she did great. Molly was bummed that she wasn't able to go. But I accidently dropped my camera in the waiting room (but didn't realize until I got home) so we got to make the trip again this morning. Cassidy led the way like the big sister she is.
Today for Joy School we visited a local site that has a fake cow (it's an old dairy) for the kids to milk. Molly hated it but Cassidy and Julia had fun. All six kids (ages almost 2-5) had fun going through all the little exhibits. The two babies did pretty good. But man, we were 2 moms and 8 kids and that was a feat unto itself. It was successful though and I am proud that we can do things like that without the sky falling on top of us. The only bummer was that I had to wake Sean from his nap to go.
With the gorgeous (almost 70 degrees) weather we were able to get out a bunch and play with friends. A bittersweet story. Our neighbors also have three girls, well they all had mylar balloons today for V-day. They were out playing when we got home and we arrived just in time to see the youngest girl somehow release the oldest girl's balloon. The oldest girl just broke down and bawled, she asked why it happened and even said that she had only had her balloon for an hour. Well a few minutes later the middle sister went in the house and came back out and promptly released her own balloon. In her own words because it wasn't fair that the oldest had lost her balloon. Isn't that the sweetest thing?? Funniest part was the reaction of the oldest upon seeing her younger sister's expression of love was to burst out crying all over again as if it was her own balloon. Not two minutes later did my VTer stop by with... a mylar balloon for V-day.
Grandma and Grandpa stopped by with new v-day shirts and chocolates from Ghiradelli, our hometown chocolate makers. I love the orange filled squares, they are awesome. Try them if you get the chance. Speaking of which, I think I am going to go get one or two. :) Oh yummy. Makes my tummy smile.
Over the last month or so we have been actively getting all our ducks in a line for kindergarten in the fall. I can't believe that Cassidy will be five in August and will be starting kindergarten. I have learned so much in the process of preparing for this, our next BIG adventure and I am excited. Even in the process of making my own decisions I have been able to help others get the information they need for their own educational decisions and that feels good. It is amazing how much you learn the first time through and how much easier it will be with the other children.
I love friendship and family and how much we can help each other. Tonight our neighbors brought us dinner, tomorrow we are bringing dinner to our friends, and grandma and grandpa are watching the kids to let joe and me go out for V-day.

I heard a quote yesterday that is so true, it is to the affect of "He does not love who does not show it."
What a blessing it is to love and be loved.

Cassidy took this photo yesterday morning.

Gotta love pig tails!!

He wasn't even the biggest croc in the exhibit.

Milk it baby!!

Molly took this photo today.

At the Adobe with Joy School.

Her first dental exam, love the glasses.

Don't forget the barbies that the girls got yesterday. Their first day with barbie dolls.