Fireside with my Family

In between the chaos, there is beauty.  This was one of those nights.  Summer was showing her face for the first time this year and the kids didn't have school in the morning.  Evelyn was willing to hang with the big kids and not fuss.  Something, that she struggled doing during her first couple months. 

I sat by the fire and breathed it all in.  My four girls!  I really have four, absolutely, amazing, girls.  Sometimes I still feel like I am playing house but on this night, I felt all the beauty that motherhood has to offer.  Life is good. 

Savannah's Learning Fair

In the middle of adjusting to a newborn, Savannah had a learning fair project due.  It is much like a science fair project but the topic can be almost anything.  Savannah chose the Titanic.  She did the research, created her topics and wrote down what she wanted to include.  We typed it up for her and she assembled her board.  There was a little help with the title. 

Parents are able to go into school and watch the presentation.  Evelyn was a real stinker so Alex had to step out with her.  And just in case you were wondering how thick the walls are in Savannah's school. . . well, not so thick.  Savannah had to talk over the crying baby in the hallway.  Oh well, that's the way it goes sometimes.  Luckily, my big girl gets it!  She did great and I am really proud of her for stepping it up when things at home were pretty hectic. 

African Market

It's hard to believe but the school year has drawn to a close.  The twins loved Kindergarten this year.  T. Michelle was kind, loving and so supportive of my girls and our family.  The twins made good friends, solid academic progress and grew emotionally as well.  They are such big girls.  Their days were LONG!  Out the door by 7:45 a.m. and not home before 3:30 p.m.  Each day included an almost an hour of drive time and sometimes more.  There was OT, PT, and Speech to squeeze in before school, during school and after their long day.  It just depended where we could fit it in that week.  For the most part, the twins grabbed their backpacks and hopped in the car happily
.  What a blessing.  This year certainly wasn't the year we had planned for and I am happy to say the twins rose to the occasion.

One of the most exciting events in Kindergarten is the African Market.  This falls at the end of the year.  The kids work all spring to put the Market together.  There is an incredible amount of knowledge gained and crafts made.  The students sing many songs, put on an African dance and pair up to teach the parents and other students about their learning.  Lila was in charge of African games and Adeline, round houses.  I was very pleased how Lila stood strong and worked to converse the adults.  Speaking isn't easy for her.  The words aren't always available and her articulations makes her hard to understand.  She knows this.  Adeline, on the other hand, loves to talk.  She went on and on about round houses.  Miss Belle is quite a character.

Here they are performing and in the dances and their stations. 

Crafts. . .

 

 At home with their robes, beaded necklaces and woven goods. I didn't get pictures of all their pottery.

The Big E really enjoyed herself that morning.  

Mother's Day 2013

I am working hard to back track over the past two months.

Mother's Day is a day worth mentioning.  It was an amazing day for our family.  Everyone in our family ran a race with the exception of the Big E.  The day started with the Mother's Day 5k that I had worked hard to train for.  I started running four weeks after I had Evelyn which was very hard but quickly got easier.  Savannah and I had planned to run this race together but plans changed when she had her own race to run that night.  She wanted to save her legs.  Instead, my family lined the streets and watched me and some other mommy friends run.  My girls hopped out and ran with me as I crossed the finish line which was very sweet.  I really couldn't have been a happier mommy.  Surrounded by these four beautiful girls and back on my running game!

I was pleased to run 9:20 mile pace six weeks after giving birth.  Unfortunately, I later paid the price when a pain in my heal wouldn't go away.  I have been in a boot for a stress fracture ever since.  That's a different story though.

Soon after my race, we were on our way to the last run of the girls' running series.  I know I mentioned that Savannah won the trophy and that Lila showed much promise this season.  I will also re-post some pics from before so when I look back, I remember everything we did this day.  Alex ran to the girls' delight.  He did quite well and came in third overall. Savannah decided to run it too since it will be the course she runs next year.  She did great, especially after just running her half mile. Check out the picture below where she is leaving some of the adults behind. 

We ended the day with a dinner out with good friends.  It was just the perfect day.  Good exercise,  good time with my family, and a dinner with friends. 

I feel very lucky to be a mommy to these four amazing girls. 

Two Months (really almost three!)

I am sure you all have detected that I am running a month or so behind.  I had hope of catching up over the last two weeks but having the kiddos home from school quickly squelched it. 

So. . . before she turns three months next week! I thought I would post month two. 

My sweet baby girl.  I love her more each day. 

What Saves Me and What Sinks Me.

These two girls can either save me or sink me.  For the most part, they save me.  They are still best of friends and partake in the most imaginative play I have seen.  They know each other better than I know each of them.  It's strange to say that but it is true.  I am so thankful that they love each other deeply, have each others back, and crave time together.  Summer will serve them well.  The school year was crazy which took away a lot of their free play.  Now, they have days and days of free play ahead. I LOVE watching them together.  It warms my heart and makes all the hard work of twins in the early years worth it. 

Let's just pray my tolerance for mess is strengthened.  They are a tornado that flies through my house each and every day!  Sometimes, the tornado sinks me.  Yesterday, I locked them OUT of their room.  I just needed it to stay clean for one day.  Doesn't that seem backwards?  Don't most parents want to secretly lock their children IN their rooms.  I am a neat freak.  Blame it on my mother.  May my children not inherit this gene. 

Dance and T-Ball

Goodness Gracious!!  It's June already.  Things just keep getting busier and busier which means I am more tired by the minute.  Sitting down and catching up with this blog doesn't seem to happen.  Some days, I think I have mastered how to sleep while sitting up with EYES OPEN.  Beat that people!  Who said I don't have a hidden talent?!

On to more mainstream talents. . . T-ball.  I guess I use the word talent loooooosely.  There are days where both girls hit the ball and then there are times when they are identifying cloud formations as rockets and ducks when out of the field.  T-ball wasn't all that it was last year.  The coach, although an admirable volunteer, wasn't super organized and relied heavily on parents running the games and practices.  It felt far from official to the girls.  I really wanted Lila to like it but with the less than structured/official setting, t-ball was kind of a joke.  And yes, I recognize that t-ball is inherently fluff baseball to begin with.  But there is the structured fluff that makes your kid feel like a heavy hitter and then there is the t-ball that makes your kid gaze at clouds and ask, "Where is first base?"  Sad but true.

Here are my little Cubbies.  They powered through all sorts of weather this spring.  I couldn't seem to get the camera going during an actual game.  Nor did I ever get a picture BEFORE a game.  Their appearance seems to change over the course of an hour.  Oh well, the bar is slowly lowering in many areas for this family.  Don't feel bad for us.  We are perfectly happy to lower it so that we have more time to squeeze the baby!


Wait, I have an picture from a game!!!  Look at that determination.  Did I mention that Lila played t-ball just so she could have the snack after the game.  I guess watching Adeline get a snack last season was enough to propel her into the sport.  I'll take what I can get. 

 And here is the proof.  She is pretty happy about that ring pop!

Savannah got to run some bases after a game. 

 Look at that fierce swing!

The last game.  It was blazing hot!!  Lila had already played in a piano recital.  This is the picture we got.  Don't trip over the bar.  It's fallen to ankle height.  Next year. . . there is always next year and the hope of better pictures.  The hope keeps me going. 

Possibly Lila needing to leave games early or arrive late, contributed to her lack of enthusiasm.  She was juggling dance and t-ball each Saturday for the months of April, May and June.  She loves dance!  It's her calling.  While she isn't headed to the stage later in life, for now she shines bright.  Lila takes dance seriously and works very hard.  This year, the recital costume was Popcorn Princess for the carnival themed show.  She was delighted when it arrived.  All yellow.  One of her favorite colors.

This girl loves to be fancy.  I am very proud of her focus and hard work. 

She looks way too old.  I still feel like she should look like this. . .