End of Year Mayhem

I think this is busier than xmas and it's finally slowing down.  Well, at least today is a slower pace.  Below we celebrated Connor's 8th birthday.

Below is my fave shot.  All the kids sitting around eating cake.  They had such a fun night playing.

The Hatchimal was a huge hit.

Mother's Day- I met up with these fine ladies for brunch.

Painted some cabinets.

Mother's Day Tea at Ben and Hilly's school

This was Jack "doing her homework," which she claims was "Watching an animal and seeing what they REALLY need."  She decided she couldn't watch Corncob without him watching her back so she gave up after like 10 seconds.  Considering I'm the only one in the house who gives him water, it's safe to say she's pretty out of touch w what he really needs.

Benny got to hang with P's dad at his shop during dance recital dress rehearsal.  He loved it.  Came home and told me he fixed cars.  Wants to return.

A next at Miss Amy's and Emily's.

Dress rehearsal.  Hectic but the peace of watching the show gets me every time.

Jim got back a lot of the kids' toys from his parents' basement from when we were staging our house. I love seeing how the toys are arranged after the kids are in bed.

The steps were the play place for a few days.

My girl.

My boy.

All gussied up in her costume.

Hannie and Ben chilling admist a freshly painted room.

Jack all dressed up for her spring concert.

So my mom and I hit up something at Hilly's school.  What was it? I can't remember. Maybe we just picked her up.  And then we dined with Jim at Charcoal Pit. Where the heck was Ben? Oh, Ben had a birthday party, which was perfect bc Jack had her spring concert.

Waiting for concert to start

Here is Jack w her class

I picked Ben up and we stopped and got everyone Rita's

He went quickly from eating his Rita's to passing out cold.

Jackie backstage during her show in between dances.

The finale

Hills

Em and my mom came to see Hill's show

I don't have pics of Jack's show because it was such a whirlwind.  The girls were awesome.  It was a hectic and insane weekend and I'm so happy its over. But it was enjoyable none the less.

So this one is Jack's finale I think.

The fairy garden.

Hilly is 3rd from right

In No Particular Order

Hilly went over to Emily's a bit ago and Betsy sent me this gem of the girls playing.  They are either playing like the bestest friends ever, or angry with each other in a very emotionally charged silent treatment. It's usually over what to play and ends as quickly as it begins.

Grandma came up on Friday and joined the Mother's Day Tea at Hilly and Ben's preschool and we made a day of it, including haircuts and ice cream and the Flower Market. I just can't get over how handsome my Ben is.  He got chocolate ice cream and Jackie was so mad he wouldn't share it with her.  He's no dummy.

Jack eating her birthday cake flavor.  She also got a hair cut and I LOVE it.

And my angel, Hilly.  Also a hair cut.  Not as short but I just couldn't.

The final pose for Dada.

Ben in the process.

Ben's final shot.

Hilly grabbed tickets and we couldn't find her.  Or Ben.  We started to panic and realized they were front and center on this Flinstone ride.  Haha

They were super into the games, which stinks because the games were super expensive.  They each played 2 games and we spent $26.  And they def didn't think the prizes were that cool- except Ben's plastic sword.

Hilly with her teacher at the tea. This woman was BORN to be a preschool teacher.  She is very methodical and slow moving at first but her patience and appreciation of kids has proven exactly what kids this age need.  She's tough, but so loving. I really love her.

Hilly and Gma.  Jack even got to join us since there was an inservice at her school on Friday.

My man, pre-haircut.

The song they sang.

It was 30 seconds long but the weeks of build up to this performance.... let me tell you.  I was actually at an appt to check up on the baby.  I peed in the cup, got weighed and blood pressure and then told them I had to go.  I waited an hour and normally have no problem with that but I knew if I missed this darn performance it would come back to bite me.  Plus, I already feel like my kids have suffered enough through this pregnancy with my moods.

The night before Jack's school had a fundraiser at Grotto pizza.  I have no pictures but just imagine us at Grotto's for over 2 hours with about 10000000 people.

This picture below was in Jack's yearbook.  Pop-pop, Pops and Grandma with Jack. I don't think any of us don't tear up when we look at it.  I still can't believe it.

Hilly and Corncob watching TV.

Benny kicking butt at his swimming lesson.

Another Corncob shot.

Hilly is my little creative genius and Lord knows what that is- I guarantee she knows- but I was cleaning her room and came across it hanging from her dresser and had to crack up.

Bath time in our beautiful brass tub.

Last weekend Jack's school had a Phillies fundraiser so we got discounted tickets to the Phillies.  It was sort of chilly and sometimes rainy but it was something different.  Below was after the kids ran around in the Kid Zone. 

We had seats next to her friend Lily.

Benny had a blast- but wanted nothing to do with the Phillie Phanatic.

We caught the jitney in the parking lot to the stadium and here is me and my girl.

Hilly reading to Jackie in the family room.  We FINALLY got their toys back this weekend and it's been a whole new world for them.  They haven't seen some of these toys since November.  These kids have had like nothing to play with and have done awesome.  I'm so proud.

I instituted mandatory reading hour before the Phillies last weekend. Hilly happily read for well over an hour.

Below is Jack PRETENDING to read.  She read maybe 3 pages.

She was much more interested in playing w Benny boo.

The day before- picture day for soccer.  My little team.

We had a small bday gathering for Tiffany's birthday last Friday.  Abby joined us too and here the kids are eating cupcakes.

My bedroom went from fluorescent yellow to gray and its WONDERFUL.

Trophy week for dance class was last week which means the recital is this week- let the insanity of dress rehearsal begin!

So proud of themselves.

Gma was up for the day and sitting just like this below, I heard Ben ask her "Grandma, do you like beer or wine?" He's trying to figure out which is the boy drink.  He told her he is not allowed to drink either.   How embarrassing.

Ben and Lou- who tries to pee all over our new house.

Jack's dance class. Trophy time.

The kids creating art underneath Hilly's new bunk beds.

Ben after swim lessons.  Happy they are over.

Ben having a major tantrum.

My girl.

The girls passed out like this.

The library which we decided to start calling family room yet everyone still calls library.

Miss Amy and Emily and Jim and I tried to teach these kids to ride.

This is serious work.

Chalk on our luxurious fenced in driveway.

Ben's completed room.  Did I already post this? Whatever.

Ev and Jack walking back from school.

Hilly took this pic of Ben at soccer practice.

Hill and Em leaving dance.

Jack in her new ukulele girl shirt.

looks like lunch.

Jack's school had a spring festival thing that I couldn't go to bc we had literally just moved, so she tagged along w her friend Sarah.  I was all worried about Jack so I asked my friend Lisa to keep a lookout.  Lisa sent me this pic.  I'm so glad Jack had fun.