Reading Big Nate comics while sipping o.j. through donkey teeth.  It's good to be a nine year old boy.

Quotes...the crack the whole family up edition.

Pahk the Cah in Hahvahd Yahd.(Translation:  Park your car in the Harvard Yard.)  -Camille

*****

Me:  Camille, did you empty all of the tooth flossers out into the bathroom drawer?
Camille:  {smirk} No.
Dan: {hiding his face because he's laughing}
Me:  Camille, be honest.  Did you do that?
Camille:  Yes.
Me:  Thank you for being honest.  Now come out of bed and clean it up.
Camille:  Ok, Momma, here I come. I'm coming to fix it.

*****

Trying to beat Mom in Just Dance 2 (Wii Game) is like trying to beat Kevin Durant (in basketball) in Adidas shoes while you're barefoot.  -Graham

*****

{In his best radio announcer voice} Hello.  You're listening to Moody radio.  And I'm moody.   -Graham

*****

Moooom!  Graham said he's going to nail my boyfriend.  -Camille

*****

Ah... goo.  -Lydia

Happy and Sleepy

(3 days later) I am looking at my previous blog post (about going to the dentist) and cracking up.

I learned that I can post to the blog from my new iphone (which is ways smarter than I am-ha!)  Anyway, I posted around 11:00pm while laying in bed nursing Lydia.  I literally fell asleep in the middle of posting!  When I dozed off I opened my eyes, phone still in hand, and pressed post before I got up to put my phone away.  Today when I read it, I realize I didn't even finish writing the story of our day as I intended, and I'm not compelled to go back and do it now!  ha ha!  :) This is life right now.  I have SO many photos + words  + memories that I want to get down before I forget, but I am completely wrapped up in our days and when my head hits the pillow, I'm out like a light!  It's good.  Having these four little miracles to focus my energies on is so good.  The best thing that's ever happened to me, actually!  :)  Thank you, Lord!

Victory!

The inevitable was a reality today.  A full morning of activities... Just me and our four children. And we did great!! :)  here's the crew, keeping the dentist in business today.  No cavities!  

So brave!  Milie sat patiently.   

Easter Celebrations

On the Saturday before Easter, the girls got their baths and hair blow dried topped off by manicures and pedicures.  Here they are selecting their favorite colors.  :)

Momma's salon is open!  :)  Hannah Reece is so independent with her self-care and I am grateful for that!  However, today I told her that I wanted to "serve" her by doing her nails and toenails and blow drying her hair.  After me begging and pleading, she relented.  ;)  Some days I still can't believe that the Lord entrusted me with daughters.  They are wonderfully made!  (Side note:  Hannah Reece picked out her first pair of "heels" for her Easter sandals this year.  Clickety-clack!)

In the kids' baskets:
-Girls: their favorite stuffed animals with the giant eyes, sticker/activity books, kit kat candy bar
-Graham:  A digging for gold set, 1st Mad Libs Activity book, kit kat candy bar
This year, we put one egg in each child's basket with a Bible verse inside, specially selected to pray for them over the course of the next year. Top:  Hannah Reece, Middle:  Graham, Bottom: Millie

On the evening of Easter Sunday (after the sacred napping hours :)  we headed over to Nana and Papa's for some fun and dinner. Millie got a little "head start" on the hunting this year.

Nana filled the eggs with puzzle pieces and the kids went to town putting the puzzle together when we came back inside.  I think it was a picture of Jesus calming the sea.

 Big momma and skinny minnie daddy!  Dan has lost over 50 pounds since last August.  I am so proud of him!  He is shrinking and I am growing.  :)

Grandma and Grandpa decided to have an Easter celebration the following weekend (and I forgot to pack my camera).  They asked us all to put on our Easter Sunday best and played the video from their Holy Land trip from two years ago.  The kids had a mini-egg hunt inside since it was nighttime and we had snacks together.

Easter Sunday 2013

Whatcha been up to?

I often ask other folks that question!  Here's a little of what we've been up to this week.

When a song comes on that Camille is rocking out to, she makes faces (similar to this one) and lip-syncs the words, it is the funniest thing!

Graham and Hannah Reece are my official dish unloaders, and they do an AWESOME job.  I am so grateful for their help!

I have been working on storing up some freezer meals this week, doubling and tripling some simple favorites. I know things will be a little hectic when I first come home with Lydia, so having some meals "ready to go" should help lighten the load a bit at dinner time, and maybe it'll keep us from eating take-out so much. So far I've made Sweet 'n Sour Chicken, bean, meat and cheese burritos, and later today I'm making Spaghetti Casserole and Chicken Curry.

Speaking of meals, this is Millie's favorite, basic black beans and rice with shredded cheese and a dollup of sour cream on top.  She'll even ask for it at breakfast some days.  Dinner is such a proper occassion around here.  ;)