Wednesday, March 30, 2016

One year anniversary of Jacob's adoption!

Earlier this month we celebrated one year of adoption for Jacob! Daddy made banana pancakes for our family breakfast celebration, and Jacob got to eat off the "you are special today" plate. So thankful we get to celebrate this day with our precious boy!!

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Monday, March 28, 2016

Go Outside

This week--keep up the outside play! We have been playing outside almost every day for the past two weeks. Yay for cooperative weather. My kiddos are so much better behaved when they have had time to run off energy in the sunshine!

Friday, March 25, 2016

Happy Birthday to Me

We celebrated my birthday last weekend.

Stack of cards waiting for me, Annie's handwriting on top is my favorite
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the munchkins helped me open my presents from Honey and Poppa (who babysat Saturday afternoon and then took us all out for dinner--yum!)
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present from the Gent that we shopped for on Saturday :) a real, leather grown-up purse!
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breakfast pancakes
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flowers from the Gent
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birthday cake
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Sunday night date
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Wednesday, March 23, 2016

Annie's five year old check-up stats

Age 5:
Height: 3 ft 4 1/4 inches.
Weight: 36 pounds.

For reference, at age 4 Annie was 34 lbs and 3 ft, 1 3/4 inches tall.

Looks like L'il Bit will continue hanging out in the 10th percentile. Thankful for my happy, healthy five year old girl!

Monday, March 21, 2016

Get Back on Track

This week's goal is a personal one for me: get eating and exercise back on track. We have all been sick off and on for the past week, and eating well and exercising have fallen by the wayside. Weight is holding steady since I finished Body for Life nine months ago (!!!) but I need to tone up. Today is off to a good start: I ran hard at the gym, drank a bottle of water, and now I'm enjoying a cup of decaf. Smoothie and Greek yogurt for breakfast coming soon. Now to keep it up through Friday. ;)

Friday, March 18, 2016

Long Weekend with Friends

A dear friend of mine moved last summer, and we got a chance to go visit a couple of weeks ago. Our kids had so much fun being together again, and the mamas did, too! When we met she had two kids and I had one. Now we have eight between us, ages 6, 5, 4, 4, 3, 2, 1, and 8 months. We had a blast checking out their new city together!

fun at the park
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cruising in the jeep
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playing at the art museum
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ice cream!
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checking out his reflection in his sunglasses
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she's serious about it
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two mamas and our eight(!!!!!!!!) munchkins
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worn out from the weekend
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Wednesday, March 16, 2016

Photos from Annie's Actual Birthday

I think I'm through with her birthday posts now. Her doll house was in the living room when she woke up and came downstairs. This dollhouse was mine many years ago. The Gent did a little repair work, and then I sanded and painted every nap time for 8 days. It turned out really cute, though, and she loves it and plays with it for at least an hour every day.

before
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after
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Can't find a picture of the inside but it is adorable.

Is it for me?!
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admiring
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investigating
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Daddy made a special pancake breakfast and she opened her cards.
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five!
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then we went to the children's museum with her best friend
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followed by a picnic lunch in Daddy's office
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Finished up with a quiet afternoon at home playing with her new dollhouse, Nana coming for a visit, and Olive Garden for dinner. Her choice. Annie had a pretty awesome birthday!

Monday, March 14, 2016

Drink More Water

I drink water all day long, but my kids hardly drink anything at all these days. Going to try to get them to drink a Camelbak of water each day.

Friday, March 11, 2016

Nora: 13 Months

Thirteen months! We took these pictures almost two weeks ago and I am finally posting them. Nora does not like wearing shoes. She refused to stand with them on.
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Sock feet is so much better!
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At 13 months, Nora is continuing to babble and talk to us. She has a word for Jacob but I'm not sure what it is, exactly. She continues to say her favorites Mama, Dada, bye-bye, uh-oh, and dog-gie (emphasis on the "gie"). She can walk holding my hands or pushing her doll stroller. She can stand by herself for a long minute, but hasn't tried any independent steps yet. She loves to swing and giggle and read Wild Animals over and over again. Her big sisters are now including her when they play dollies. She is prone to dramatics--throwing herself on the floor whenever I set her down, sweeping the green beans off her tray with a flourish, outbursts of tears when she gets buckled into her car seat or high chair. Poor fourth baby--she gets no reaction from her parents when these things occur. :) Happy 13 months, Nora! Watching you grow is so much fun!

Wednesday, March 9, 2016

Tea with the Queen: Annie turns 5!

Annie requested a queen party for her fifth birthday. I had fun figuring that one out. :) We settled on "Tea with the Queen." Family and a few of her friends gathered at our house to celebrate. The kids decorated crowns and made fruit loop necklaces. We dined on madeleines, bacon cheese tarts, carrot sticks and hummus, grapes, goldfish, deli pinwheels, and peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, with pink lemonade and sweet tea served in teapots. I let the little girls use real teacups and no one broke any. I made a crown shaped cake and served it with vanilla ice cream. Yum yum yum!

invitation
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dining room table
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madeleines
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birthday cake for the queen
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Honey-made banner
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necklace making
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and fruit loop eating
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tea party
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Sophie loved drinking from a real tea cup
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love all these sweet little girls
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blow out those candles!
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she loved her cake
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and presents, of course
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special card from Mama Rita and Papa Gene
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Nora hamming it up with Mama Rita
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Jacob and Aunt Anna
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Nana made this doll for me when I was a little girl. Passing it on to the next generation!
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family photo
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Nora Mae and Mama
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birthday girl
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Nana and the great-grands!
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Aunt Anna and Uncle Andrew
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Mama Rita and Papa Gene
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Honey, Poppa, Bebe, and Papa Rick
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