been a LONG time... (photos for 8 March - 9 April)

...and I have no real excuses as to why I haven't updated that often,  so I won't make any up. :)

We had school conferences, which went well.  Both A and J are doing great.  We heard things, like, "model student"  "behaves the best in the class" "pleasure to have" "very helpful", I could go on and ON, but I think you get the point. ;)  LOL!!  Academically they are both on track and excelling in certain areas, and then we need to work on an area or two for both of them.  But nothing to worry about at all.

J has started piano lessons, which he takes while the girls have dance.  So then he doesn't have to wait with me the ENTIRE time they have dance.  He loves piano lessons.  We don't know yet if it is because of the lessons themselves or because it gets him out of some of the dance time. :)

Baseball season has started, so Mike is coaching J's team.  dd-A opted not to play this year, and we didn't make her.  She wants to swim instead.  So it is time to get her signed up for swimming again, well, past time, but .....  um... I will do that this week.

S is doing great.  She loves to be my side kick, and I think is still hesitant about starting school next year, but is slowly warming up to the idea.  She and D are best of buds.  One morning D and I were snuggling when S woke up and walked out to where we were.  He immediately slid out of my lap and walked over to S saying "ug, ug"  and put is arms around her for a hug!  so so cute.  S helps me in any way she can when we are home during the day.  However, when NORMAL chores are being done, she all of a sudden becomes SO tired or starving that she can't function.  We have to work on that.  LOL!

D is STILL too cute for words.  He speaks more and more every day.  He will imitate anything we say, and I do mean almost anything.  He is losing more and more of his BABY look and becoming such a toddler.  He is spunky, determined and FULL of attitude.  Again, I wonder where they get their 'tude from.  Their Daddy, of course!  He is still  HUGE danger to himself.  He loves to climb and jump, and he frightens me often.  He is very tough though, he rarely cries when he gets a "conk" as he puts it, but when he does w know he is hurt.  He tries to do EVERYTHING his siblings do, and we have many tears as a result of him NOT being able to.  Sad sad days. :)  He answers NO to everything, and the only way we can figure out what he really wants is to ask him to say "please", which he now says instead of signing.  If he want it he really DOES want it he says, "pees" and if he really does not want it he still says no.  He loved Easter and his basket of candy, and we let him go crazy eating it for a bit, which he LOVED.  (pictures to come)

I have started going to the Y.  I do the spinning class 3 times a week. (which I am missing right now-long weekend and I think my littlest two, who are still sleeping at 10:15, needed a little more sleep)  I am trying to get into better shape.  I haven't really lost any weight, but I have toned up.  I guess it might be time to change some eating habits. hehe heheeee.  That might help with the weight loss.

Mike is busy with work, YM's, and coaching.  He is looking forward to some great fishing soon, and doing all sorts of things with hunting.  I am glad that he feels like he has the time to get back into a few of the things that help him relax and enjoy life.  He needs it, and he deserves it.

I still am doing my photo a day thing.  so---here is a whole months worth.  The Easter weekend pictures will come another day.  ENJOY!!

99/365 09 apr

baseball season has begun.

98/365 08 apr

Bright and early, first sippy of the morning. 

100% necessary for a happy boy.

97/365 07 apr

D--just growing up toooooooo fast. 

He, of course, wants to do everything his older siblings do, EVERYTHING. 

And it causes regular tears because he just can't. 

This day, he just bawled for a good few minutes, 

and I couldn't figure out what he wanted. 

The older kids were at the table doing their homework. 

As soon as we got him a notebook and pencil, he was happy as can be!!

96/365 06 apr

J and his black eye, received by sisters knee. 

I think I have some better pictures of it, 

when it is more purple and green. I'll have to post those too.

95/365 05 apr

A outside playing in the beautiful sunny days.

94/365 04 apr

Playing outside popping bubbles between General Conference sessions.
D actually was testing out his Daddy, 

waiting to see if he'd get caught doing something 

Daddy just told him not to do. Little Stinker!

93/365 03 apr

My nephew B. Snuggling with his bear. his MOST prized possession.

92/365 02 apr

D posing. Yes, he has totally learned to pose and do a very cute cheesy grin. :)

91/365 01 apr

I actually really did take a picture this day, 

but honestly, I can't post it. hahaha! Not obscene, just horrible.

90/365 31 mar

A and her cousin, B... walking together at the zoo! 

Good times!

89/365 30 mar

D playing basketball at his cousin's house.

88/365 29 mar

J, I rarely get a normal shot of him because 

he is always pulling some sort of silly face. 

YAY!!!

87/365 28 mar

Wishing, hoping, that he could join the other kids outside. 

Sorry little Dude, the backyard isn't quite ready for you.

86/365 27 mar

S very carefully drawing on her whiteboard.

85/365 26 mar

D crying. but he is just still so cute!

84/365 25 mar

D crying. but he is just still so cute! 

I can't remember what exactly he was crying about, 

but I am sure it had to do with trying to feed himself,

 and I wouldn't let him because he had a white shirt on.

83/365 24 mar

J and D just being DANG cute together.

82/365 23 mar

Forgot to take one earlier,
so I snapped a shot of our keyboard that I hope to be replacing with a piano soon. :)

81/365 22 mar

Daddy and A snuggling!

80/365 21 mar

J with his very cool pinewood derby car.
After weeks of preparing the boy with,
"it's just for fun"...
"it doesn't matter who wins"...
"what a great experience to build a car with Daddy"...
they took first place. :)

79/365 20 mar

S veggin' out watching TV

78/365 19 mar

J veggin' out watching TV.

77/365 18 mar

D being SO happy his Mamma hadn't done the dishes, 

so he got one of his all time favorite bottles to drink from instead of a sippy cup.

76/365 17 mar

St. Patrick's Day green hat!

75/365 16 mar

totally missed march 16th. oops!

74/365 15 mar

making sugar cookies with our buddies from church! 

YAY!!! super good times!

73/365 14 mar

J working on his pine wood derby car. 

Sanding, sanding, and more sanding.

72/365 13 mar

A self photo. On the way to the Lion King, broadway musical. 

Which was amazing.

71/365 12 mar

A and D just sitting at the table together.

70/365 11 mar

This day we wnet on a walk to the park. 

I posted a ton of these in the previous post. 

But here is one that I love, again. 

The sweet little stinker wouldn't cooperate with me and my camera. 

So I just took this one of her pouting. hahaha

69/365 10 mar

forgot this day.
SO I snapped this right before I went to bed. 

Here is the corner of my work space. LOL!

68/365 9 mar

D. hahaha!! Oh my gosh--he is so messy in this one. 

This is from his "I always have a bruise on my forehead" phase. 

So we have the two bruises, one on each side of his forehead, 

and I think it's chocolate, from a donut, all over his cheek and nose. 

This is dedicated to D's cousin, B..., because whenever he sees 

a picture of D (in which he is regularly messy) he says, "dirty".

67/365 8 mar

S reluctantly turning so I could snap a photo.