Full

We had a full Saturday

  1st:  Greg's big race... the half marathon on TRAILS!  He ran a 9:45 minute mile... an amazing feat for those steep trails and that distance.  Also, he improved his time significantly over the last 2 years he ran this.  Amazing what being finished with his MBA does for allowing him to actually train!  The girls were great cheerleaders.

Next:  C's final soccer game of the season and pizza party.  Clara got the award for the "most times a soccer ball got kicked into her belly."  She is super proud of her trophy.

The rest of the team fought over who got to give coach Greg his plaque.

And last:  a choir concert

We sang this song, which is ridiculous because we are all classical singers and really can't pull this stuff off.  Not to mention that this is a scene from Sister Act and is a favorite with high school choirs.  I have to say, I do love the song, though.  Especially when Lauren Hill sings it.  I love the lyrics... they describe my testimony and why I live my life the way I do...

Joyful, joyful, Lord we adore thee

God of Glory, Lord of Love

Melt the clouds of sin, sin and sadness
Drive the dark of doubt away
Drive it away
Giver of immortal gladness
Fill us
Fill us with the light of day
Light of day!

Phew... I am exhausted, but grateful. 

For a full life and a full heart.

making lasagna

I'm not always the best at letting my kids (or my husband, for that matter) "help" in the kitchen. I like things done efficiently and my way! Today we had a great time in the kitchen together, so I wanted to record it. The girls helped me make lasagna and did a great job. They loved all of the different steps and layering and spreading things in the pan, and were so proud of the results.

C chopping mushrooms (with a butter knife)

SJ spreading the sauce

Camping with friends at Morrow Mountain

Easter Fun

SJ was so proud of herself for setting the table with these bunny plates.  For the four of us, she set out about 10 plates, each with one quinoa croquette. 

Here are some photos from our 3rd annual Easter Egg Hunt/Brunch.  The number of children has grown, significantly.  The adults are now outnumbered by kids... yikes!

'

Enjoying the spoils

Happy Easter!

I Corinthians 15:22 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.

(dresses from our trip to Mexico)

C's first soccer game

A big high five for coach Daddy

 (C is next to the girl with the ball)

C's biggest fan

C did great!  She was right in there with all of the action (with a huge smile on her face) even though she is a year + younger than most of the kids on her team.  We were so proud.

Signs of Life

It has been a rough 3 months.  I am at week 19 1/2 and am starting to have moments where I feel like myself. 

1st:  Came out of the constant fog of naseau long enough to notice the dirty/disorganized state of my house.

2nd:  Walked past the cheetos at the grocery store and thought "Eww"- even though there have been several days in the past 3 months that snack foods like those were all I could force myself to eat.

3rd:  Made dinner for my family AND ate an adult size portion.

Thanks to everyone who has offered help and support.  We feel so blessed to be able to have baby #3 on the way!  C is building beds in her room so "the newborn baby can sleep with me".  "Mom, you can't take care of two babies, so you just take care of SJ and I'll take care of the newborn baby."  Its really fun to have a child old enough to understand what is coming and get so excited!

P.S.  Drumroll, please: it is a...               

GIRL! 

We celebrated with pink lemondade. 

Palmyra, NY

Greg had a business trip up to Toronto. It's only a couple of hours away from his parents, so we all tagged along to visit the Grandparents.

10 hour car ride

 The gorgeous snowfall made it worth it

 C's first time on skis... with a little help from Daddy and SJ

 Sacred Grove

 And... the reason for the trip.  These girls love their Grandma and Grandpa.

SJ-isms

SJ is so cute, these days.  I'm not sure what it is... maybe that her chubby baby face is giving way to a face with little feminine features.  Maybe that she is talking non-stop and is SO excited about everything she encounters in this world.  I can't get enough of her, lately.  Here are some of my favorite things that she says...

When she hears a loud noise: "That scaows mah eaows" (that scares my ears)
"I want anoder one banket" or "anoder one baby" or "anoder one one"

She loves carrying my old cabbage patch around and taking care of her. 
"Shhhh... mom, my baby's sweeping"
"Baby's wake now!"
(with a very convincing sympathetic face) "Ohhhh, baby sad." 
(holding baby on her lap) "Caywa (how she says her sister's name), wave hi to baby!"

Overheard

Overheard, this morning:
C:  "My tummy hurts because Mommy made me eat 3 cookies and 2 lollipops last night."
Greg:  HAhahahha!  That can't be true!
C:  I tried to tell the truth but it wouldn't come out

(shouted from the other room)
SJ:  "C!  Stop whining!  It hurts my ears!"

Also keeping us busy, today:  Playing dress-up and making Valentines.  SJ has 12 classmates and C 18... this makes for a lot of work!

Haircuts

Our cute girls' new haircuts.

Plus... a funny story about our strong-willed SJ:

The other day we had peanut butter toast for breakfast. SJ usually likes to wash her own hands and face after a meal, but she was super sticky so I grabbed a paper towel and gave her a good wipe down before she spread it around the house. That made her spitting mad. She ran back to the table, took another bite of toast and wiped it all over her face, again, so that SHE could be the one to clean it off.

Nutcracker Fever

The little girls in this house are obsessed with the Nutcracker.  It is now January 27^th… well after Christmas, and they are still asking to watch it every day.   I overhear C in her in her pretend play saying things like “LIVE FROM LINCOLN CENTER.”  When we play “Nutcracker” at home, everyone picks a character and dresses up… then you copy the dance that character does.  I always choose the Dew Drop Fairy- feminine enough for C to approve, but on stage for a very short time.  C encourages me when it is my turn by saying things like “No, Mom, you are supposed to dance good, like her!”  Not in this life C, not a chance. 

C's 5th Birthday

C wanted a "Tangled" theme for her party.  Tangled is the Disney movie about Rapunzel that came out last year.

Activities:  painting on the walls

beanbag toss to the tower,

 braid pictionary

Food:  the guests built towers of fruit and cheese.  We also had braided challa bread with cream cheese, and -of course- cake and ice cream.

At the end of the party we released balloons to mimic the lanterns that were launched in the movie.  The children each tagged their balloon with their name and an email address to respond to when their balloon was found.  Then they labled a map where they thought their balloon would land.  (having touble posting this video, but it is super cute to watch their countdown.  check back soon, and hopefully i'll have it up)

Christmas 2011

Some photos from our Christmas season:

Christmas Parade:  Clara was a competative candy snatcher

Preschool Christmas Concert:

SJ as the angel:

Our little nativity:

Christmas Eve:  leaving cookies and checking out the chimney to see how Santa will get down