Hilly's creativity

knows no bounds.  Below she created a prayer circle with a paper chain and the rainstick my cousin Jenny gave to me for xmas over 20 years ago. 

Everyone had to pray in the prayer circle.

Saturday was beautiful so we walked to the playground with our neighbor Em for a few hours.

After lunch and before mass, I took the kids out for a run before it got cold again.

We ran a few blocks to Rockford Park and then ran all the way up the huge hill.

Hilly complained a few times but kept her butt moving.  I'm proud.  They were really proud of their accomplishment and ran back down.  They slept so well that night.

On the way home they wanted to pose for pictures in front of everything.  And then they started picking flowers from people's gardens, which was really annoying.

At mass.

Kid Shelleen's after mass. There was a pretty long wait so Benny decided to hide his toy in the brick wall.

We sat outside which ended up being a bad call bc it was windy but it was an adventure.  The kids all tried calamari and loved it which is epic bc Jackie is the pickiest eater in the entire world with Ben following closely behind.

Hilly? not so much.   I wonder if Jim was posing for this picture or if I legit caught him mid bite.

They didn't even mind eating the parts that actually look like tentacles.  I never eat those. 

That night? The next AM? Shopkins time.  We only have shopkins and superheroes in the house. Can't wait to move so they have some toys back.

Hannie.

Monday I took the kids to soccer and karate and our friend Em came w us to pick up Jack and her friend Sarah from school so I could take them to gymnastics.   Doesn't the church look so beautiful in the background? 

Here is the crew, sans Ben....

Because Ben was rolling down the hill.

After gymnastics we all hit up Jack's uke lesson.

Benny said to me, "Upstairs Louie is w her mommy, downstairs Louie."  I sent this pic to Jim and he said Lou looks awful.  haha so mean!

Reading bedtime stories (old photo albums) to Corncob for bedtime.

Finishing up the week

Here is Lou.  Wanna know why that carpet is folded over? I don't want her to pee on it.  She's taken to peeing on carpets.  It really tests my patience.  At the new house, I'm not laying down any carpets until Lou kicks the bucket.  Yay for hardwoods.

Below is Benny boo after his bath.  He is so handsome I can't stand it.

After bath again. I didn't know it, but Corncob spent the entire bath time on that white chair. 

Thursday during Hilly's ballet class.  Kate and Ben played the entire time.  I love that he can play with boys and girls and with kids of all ages.  I hope that makes him less of a chauvinist and more of a nice guy.  At school, though, he has his group of guys: Ben, Vali, Drew and Sam.  He has zero interest in any of the girls, and I think it's because his home life is so estrogen-filled.  Hey, maybe we will have a 4th and it will be a boy. ;)

After ballet, the older girls emerge and gather around Kate for hugs.

Looking out upon the landscape.

Hilly, feeling pensive on the way home.  Emily gave her that stuffed animal and she takes it everywhere with her.

Hilly's serious artwook.

Friday I picked Jack up from school for her wellness visit.  Hilly was supposed to have hers at same time, but Jackie took 20 minutes to come down from her classroom.  I almost lost my mind.  She told me they were watching videos of chicks hatching from eggs and she couldn't pull herself away.  So later that day I talked to one of her teachers and told her about a program where eggs hatch in the classroom.  She said she knew of it and they've been meaning to do it but keep forgetting.  So during Hilly's swim lesson I called Univ of DE's Embryology department (who knew?) and learned that they already had a bunch of eggs coming to Jack's school and they had another incubator for Jack's class! So it looks like it's happening.  I just wish the incubator could be kept at my house!

Anyway, here is Jack at the doc.  For height, she remains between the 5-10th percentile and for weight she is the 10th percentile. Still petite!  Perfect eyesight, perfect hearing.

Lunch at Panera.

Below they are discussing the deceased hamster, Lovey, of the McConnell family.  Very intense.

We dropped Jack off, I babysat P and Hannah for the afternoon since their nanny had an emergency w her daughter, put everyone in childcare and watched Hilly learn to swim.  This is a little friend she met in swim lessons.

After swim lessons- Hilly is making a terrible face.  Can't handle it.  Everyone wanted cereal and pizza.  Fine then.

Meanwhile, Jack had a playdate with her friends Sarah and Evelyn.  The little guy on the right is Sarah's little brother Billy.  I LOVE HIM.  He's sooooooo cute and he will be in Hilly's kindergarten class next year.  Sarah's mom took them out for ice cream.

Betsy bought Hilly a stapler when she learned that's all Hilly wanted for her birthday.  Here she is posing with her paper chain (she made for the xmas tree) and her new stapler.  She used up like all the staples in one evening.

Back to the Grind

I never realized how happy my day to day life is until something really awful happens.  Although I have to say, I loved spending time with all the fam and friends.  And I miss them already.

This was Hilly looking at Ben as he sat in his carseat.  We were picking Jackie up from school and she kept saying 'I see that smile!' Ben was eating it up.  I say that to Ben or whoever I'm looking at all the time in the rearview mirror.  I didn't realize how ridiculous I sound!

Jackie and P started yoga again.  Hill asked me to sign her up.  I will next year.  Or next session. Or something.  Payton told me that yoga calms her down.  Jack finds it a little boring but when I hear her referencing yoga poses (or whatever they are called) and talking about Namaste, it feels worth every *free* dollar.  Did I mention that their dance, karate, yoga and soccer are FREE through our gym? And the gym isn't even that expensive!?

Benny set up his superheroes below in the hallway.  With his rocket alarm clock. 

Saturday we were invited to our neighbor Emily's confirmation party.  The kids had just had a bath and Hilly put on a Little Mermaid nightgown that used to be Emily's and some Batman boots.  It was such a good time.  Emily taught Jackie how to play a few songs on the piano.  Mom, I think I will take that piano if or when you want to get rid of it, although I hear piano transfer is actually expensive and not easy.  So I guess I will have to research it.

Here she is....

Jack, looking so old.  I have no clue why I took this pic.

Below is a picture Jim took of the kids and Parker at the end of the funeral.  How I love this crew!  Only thing missing were a few nephews and Blake and baby Peyton.  I love this crew.

On Tuesday, my friend Kelly took Ben and her son Sam to Oasis- an indoor playground/arcade thing.  There was no money in this machine and they sat there for like 15 minutes thinking they were playing.  Ben calls him Sammy.  Ben is pretty outgoing and Sam is a complete introvert and doesn't usually play w kids his own age.  For awhile I thought Ben was just cramping Sam's style, but it turns out they have a true friendship.  Who knew?

Dentist office waiting room.  Hilly was playing princesses at her friend Emily's house.  I picked her up right after- for Tuesday is Dance and Tumbling night.

Waiting to grab Jack from dance, eyeing up the in-line skate crew.

This girl.

These 2.  How enormous is Corncob getting?

I love these 2.  Before we picked up Emily and her friend from play practice (we get to go see her school's performance of Beauty and the Beast.  She is student director), they watched an episode of Magic School Bus.

The week before at Hannah's house, while I took the big girls to tumbling.

Miss Anne was hanging w the littles.

And that's it.  Tonight is yoga night again.  I don't think I mentioned that I will be coaching Jackie's soccer team this season.  Emily and Betsy said they would help and if the soccer association doesn't mess up my player requests, I plan on forcing many other mothers to help too.  This is funny because not only did I hate soccer (I played one year on an a team with all boy and me and 2 other girls), but I know literally nothing about it.  But I read a few good articles on coaching girls and hopefully at age 7 expectations are nice and low, right? Haha.  Anyway, I watched Jack's field hockey practice and plenty of soccer practices and tennis lessons now and I definitely know what NOT to do.