Family Picnic at school!!

Year 1. April 21, 2011

Finally found Marissa in the group, then Andrew. Got in line with the 4 kids, Luke in a stroller. Gathered our food, balanced it all the way outside to a table. Got everyone settled and they announced for the kindergarteners to go dance.

Left Andrew with Luke at the table and quickly took some shots of Marissa dancing.

She did awesome. She remembered all the dance moves,

all the hand movements,

and we even got some great action shots. Then rushed back to the table to eat. Apparently, after the dance, Marissa was supposed to go back to class. I was trying to get her to eat in a hurry and then they were calling for her over the microphone. Ugh!! This was awful. In this time the 1st graders did their dance and the 2nd graders were up.

So, rushed a barely fed Marissa to class, and went to try to find Andrew in the sea of 2nd graders, pushing Luke in the stroller, and nagging Oliver to stay with me. This is wheres waldo in real time. So you know, Andrew IS in this photo.

After locating him I had to weave around the the parents to try to get a decent picture to document this moment. He was in the middle of a bunch of people so I didn't get very many pictures.

Wow, this is absolutely a Mom credit day. This was exhausting and no fun for me or the little boys. It was hotter then expected and an insane schedule to stay on with the group that was with me.

I thought for a second that this activity will be easier when Oliver and Luke are older. Then realized that at some point I am going to be attending all 4 of my kids little dance routines at this school while trying to feed them at the same time.

Well I have the pictures to prove that I was there. Andrew and Marissa can't say I never did anything for them.

WE SURVIVED THE SCHOOL PICNIC 2011 WOOT! WOOT!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOM!!

I am not a big fan of cake so we had Krispie Kreme donuts and ice cream.

I must have taken a break from the camera because I am missing pictures.

All of my kids love donuts so there was no tears lost over the missing cake.

Andrew is so handsome. He is such a great kid.

Luke is now officially riding a sugar high. He is getting really goofy.

Oliver is having a great time to, not that you can tell.

Group shot down the line. I love spending time with the kids. They are so sweet and thoughtful. I had a great birthday.

April 14, 2011

HAPPY BIRTHDAY DAD!!

There is nothing like celebrating with the kids. They make

everything extra fun. Their excitement is contagious.

Look at Oliver's face in this photo. Kid loves cake, he has no idea if he likes pie but the excitement is the same. I have no idea why there is a bottle of fabuloso on the counter. Apparently we did some cleaning before having dessert.

I don't know how many pictures this year I have claimed is my favorite. But this one is in the running. What a great photo. Look at all those adorable kids celebrating with their Dad.

Makes you want to scoop him up and kiss and hug him. He is a doll.

I am never in photos. Thankfully Andrew is old enough to take this picture for us.

Nothing like a little birthday party to put everyone in a cheery mood.

Luke is just a happy boy in general.

I love that we left Luke in his high chair and just scooted him over to the group. He gets into everything.

Oliver helped open the present and is wondering what is so exciting about this.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY PAUL!! We love you!

April 12, 2011: Andrew gets invited to go to a movie with a friend. He is so excited that he gets ready early and is watching out the front window for them. Our movie theaters here have refill cups that you can buy and if you bring them back it's only $1 for refills on your next visit. I LOVE this promotion. So I gave Andrew some money and his movie cup and let him hangout in the front room and wait. After a while he comes to me.......

Like this and tells me the cup is stuck on his arm. At first I thought he was teasing and told him to take it off. Watching him try was hilarious. It made his arm look so funny when he was moving it around.

He's such a trooper. Mom gets out her camera for everything. So before I would help him take it off I had to snap a few angles.

Getting it off was trickier then expected and finally was only achieved after dumping oil into the cup and moving it around. He was stuck with a red mark on his arm for awhile and I had to give him a clean cup. We were laughing hysterically when we were trying to get it off. Okay, I was laughing hysterically and Andrew had more of a nervous laugh. Think he didn't trust that I could get it off. He was fearing it would be a more permanent situation. He looks really relieved in this photo.

April 13, 2011: If your going to lose a tooth you want to lose it at school. Marissa has lost a couple of teeth this year but she has been waiting for this one. She actually has tried to prevent losing it at home so she can get rewarded for losing it at school.

Lose a tooth at school and they give you a certificate, a treat, and a little tooth necklace that holds your tooth until you get home. Now if I hadn't told you that it would seem she is holding up her lost tooth that appears to be the size of a small dinosaurs tooth.

When I picked her up from the bus she said "it finally happened".

April 1-9, 2011

Oliver came in with this helmet on backwards. He said he was a super hero. He thought this little flap was supposed to hang down over his eyes. I didn't correct him. Watching him try to wear it this way was adorable. I couldn't stop laughing.

Luke, climbing, just being himself.

Oliver has to try everything on. So it would only seem right to take the t-shirt off the teddy bear and slip it on. Looked great on the bear, looks terrific on Oliver. He has not yet been "Stuffed in San Francisco" but when he is someday, he can say he already had the t-shirt and have the picture to prove it.

The kids were being cute today and I wanted to get a group shot. There is nothing like a group photo that really shows how a family works. Here, for example, there is always someone missing.

Or someone who doesn't want to be there in the first place.

There is that raging vengeance you feel for the other.

(I love how Andrew is staying cool but prepared to defend himself if necessary.)

Oliver is Captain Oblivious, as usual.

This picture is taken in the same minute as the last. Says just smile and

get it over with so Mom will let us get back to our lives.

Still missing one.

A mothers dream. Get a great group shot with everyone present and

manage it in the first 10 photos.

A lofty goal set for next attempt.

March 28, 2011

Pool Party at the Ibas

This activity was a huge hit with the kids. They played themselves into a sleep coma. I can only imagine what my neighbors thought of our wee little pool. If pools could talk my neighbors fancy pools would be bullying our little blow-up pool. I'd take a picture of my neighbors dreamy oasis if it wouldn't seem to psycho stalker. I guess you'll have to come visit us to see it.

On the upside, the smaller the pool the smaller the risk of drowning and that is a + for me. We taught Oliver to use these water guns. He thought this was really cool.

Being March after playing in the water it feels a little chilly. So they laid out in the sun with their blankets to get warm.

Look at how big our little Luke is. He thought taking baths outside was a great idea.

I can tell this pool is going to be very popular this year. Especially when it starts to really heat up.

MARCH 27, 2011

Oliver, Why we love you.

Let us demonstrate the ways.

#1: Charming!!

#2: Creative. Long sleave striped shirt with vest. Add your sisters white church shoes and you have an outfit.

#3: Humble. Doesn't take himself to seriously.

#4: Shows appreciation for the little things. (I'm sure that is what he is miming in this photo).

#5: Deceptively Sweet. Seems all wild and crazy on the outside but on the inside he's all mush.

There is never a dull moment with Oliver around. I just couldn't stop laughing at all the poses he was doing. I was trying to get a cute picture of him in this outfit and he gave me 3 extra ones. What a cute kid.