The Youngest's Joys

So, playdates happen A LOT LESS FREQUENTLY than they did for the first two kids!  I finally invited a few neighbor BOYS over to play...you can see why I waited for the spring sunshine to have them over!  :)

 Five boys, four mamas.  

 And then we had the first lawn mow of the season.  We figured this is a six-month chore...May-Oct?

 And Micah still loves to help Dad.

His Park Shadow

It's finally nice enough to be outside!  Heidi and I took the boys to the park on 5 Mile one blistery Monday, and I realized that my job this spring and summer would be to shadow this very active 1 1/2 year old.  We love the outdoors!  How we've missed outside play...

Do You Want to Build a Snowman?

Music listened to the most in January:  the Frozen Soundtrack!  We found this on Spotify and the kids have been HOOKED!  Grace's favorite song is Let It Go; Josh's favorite song is Summer; my favorite song is Love Is an Open Door.  I'll include a video just to show off some of their dance moves.  (And by the way, the living room seen above is what it normally looks like these days--the kids are into making special areas or "Super Fab Labs" around the house.  I prefer to call them rats' nests…and I try to love the chaos!)

Always more fun with TWO...

These two are having so much fun playing together these days.  (They also fight well together, but we don't take pictures of those times...)  Umbrellas and Santa hats in August...

...and having "Show and Tell" under the table in the kitchen.  They are becoming quite the budding artists!  Fitting that Leonardo, Michelangelo, Raphael, and Donatello are nearby.

Our Incredible Kids

Goofballs

Silly.  Creative.  Giggling.  Upstairs.  Downstairs.  Lots of clothes.  On the floor.  Silly faces.  Hey Mom.  Hey Dad.  Look at me.

Waiting for a Tuxedo...

Daddy got to be in Brock's wedding last weekend, so one day we went with him to pick up his tux.  They got the sleeves confused with a small man's, so while we were waiting for the tailor to fix him up, we walked to the park.

"Don't get wet," I warned as they got nearer and nearer to the splash pad...

...they couldn't resist.  :)  Can you tell just how sopping they are?  We had nakey kids in carseats on the way home!

For Times When I Think My Kids are Normal...

For a week or two, the kids were obsessed with taping their toys to paper.  One night after they were asleep I found several innocent toys strapped to notebook paper.  I love their little creative minds...

June Mornings

Our last few June mornings with Oden were so nice--we didn't have preschool to escort Gracie to, so we just got to laze around.  Oden loves any kitchen utensil or yard tool--if it has a handle and looks like it has a purpose, he wants it!  Most days Annie would bring him into the house with a wooden spoon in his hand.  Here, he's stirring a bowl full of cheerios.

The big cousins snuck a few...and Chef Oden patted Joshy on the head, "Good job, Joshy."

 And one day we were having water play by 9:30 in the morning!  :)

 Look at this amazing bed-head!  :)

...and our girl has learned how to pump herself higher and higher on the swing!  She must be five!  :)

When Farmers Sleep...

Is this the Wheat Fairy?

At least she's wearing her John Deere uniform!

Lochhead-ville

With the help of a little bit of blue painter's tape, a city was created in our kitchen this week.

This mommy will do anything for an hour of contented playing!  :)

Love these play-days at home...

"Mommmm..."

"...we're busy playing, here.  No time for pictures."

These two have been cracking me up lately with their pretend play.  All of a sudden they're enjoying each other while playing College or House or Yard Sale.  This picture really makes me laugh.

Where's Waldo?

We had a hard time finding our children on the night they decided to fairly evenly distribute their blocks around the ENTIRE living room.  Thanks for the blocks, Daniel!  :)

Playdate with the Hastings

Jocie and Baby Ellie came over to play last Friday!

Jocie just turned 4 and Gracie is 3 1/2 on Thanksgiving, 

so they got along so well being so close in age!  :)

 And Baby Ellie is one month younger than Josh,

so they also had a lot of fun together!

Plus, similar hairlines.  :)

 Picnics and playing preschool and then going outside...

 ...finally Mom caved and let them watch a 1/2 hour show...

It was such a fun morning!  Hopefully it happens again soon!

Your Grace is Sufficient

We had a pretty silly play-moment last week. Grace was in her dress-up clothes and wanted to dance, so I pushed play on the CD player in Josh's room and Shane & Shane provided jumping and leaping worship tunes.

Then we got to "Your Grace is Sufficient" and every time Grace heard her name her eyes got wide and she wanted them to sing it again. Luckily, this word is repeated several times...

Then she decided to run down the hall and run back and "tackle" Joshy...again and again. Many giggles. Later she asked, "Mommy, can we listen to that 'Grace is So Special' song again?" Yes.