How do we feel when Grandma's & Grandpa's come to visit?

this picture says it all.

This is the first day of our visitors. We were all so excited to have them come stay with us. The weather warmed up just in time too. We were already a week or so into 80-90 degree weather. Nothing like Summer in April!

Once upon a time...

there was a little girl who had blue, blue eyes, pretty blonde hair, who was really smart and very strong.

This is often how stories that I tell Ella start. I make them up as I go, and they are her absolute FAVORITE stories... probably because they are about her. All of these stories have a happy ending, or they end in the little girl getting really tired and going home from her adventure, crawling in bed after giving her mommy big hugs & kisses and going to sleep. Wouldn't it be nice if putting your kids to bed at night was always so charming, sweet and EASY!


About a month ago (the night we were picking Devin's parents up from the airport) I had a church meeting. While I was at this meeting, Devin was taking care of the kids. Ella was being particularly difficult, acquiring a fear of the dark, scared of gators under her bed... who knows what, but definitely wheeling and dealing her father into letting her sleep in our bed. He finally felt he had been successful at getting her to calm down and sleep.

I come home from my meeting and as I walk in the door, Ella runs out of our bedroom and is talking to her dad at the end of the hallway from me. I see her and instantly, I know something is wrong. Ella has given herself a haircut. That beautiful blonde hair. The bangs that we have been painstakingly growing out... my daughter had now initiated her self into the south with a mullet. This was not just a clip of the bangs, it was a major haircut off the top of her head, from bangs to crown. I cried.

I would like to say this was an April fools joke. It was after all on April 1st... but alas, it was no joke. She is just very lucky that she has very blonde hair, because most of the time it's not as noticeable. So, the rest of the story is that I got her in bed, and it was understood that she better not get out of her bed again that night. We found where she had her creative inspiration... when Devin thought she was sleeping, she had gone into our bathroom and pulled out the hair cutting kit. She then went into our closet and cut her hair. She must be an aspiring stylist. I mean, it is in her blood. When I asked her why, "cause my bangs were in my eyes, mom." She knows now that if she wants a haircut, it has to be approved by mom first. (hopefully she'll remember that next time she's inspired!)

So, we start the grow out process. It was too short and butchered on top to do any repair, plus, I would rather it look like she cut her own hair, than people think I gave my daughter a mullet. In the meantime, we have been doing a lot of this:

headbands, cute hats... really high ponytails/pigtails, hopefully with bows (intended to distract from the cut) And, she's still a cutie. Gotta love that girl!

Riding bikes...

The boys love to ride their bikes around the neighborhood. In fact Ella loves to as well. Most of the time Ella & Joseph are in the bike trailer tagging behind me while I try to keep up with the boys (or sometimes they are trying to keep up with me)

and although I probably shouldn't think this video is funny, I just can't help but chuckle every time I watch it (I've watched it a lot) It's one of the many reasons that, even though there isn't a helmet law in SC, it's ALWAYS my law.

It's so much fun to ride bikes as a family.

The Birthday Boys!

We started the month off with Anson's birthday. I made yummy cupcakes for his class and had lunch with him at the school. We celebrated with the family with his choice dinner (chicken soup) and of course, more cupcakes.  

Then we had a birthday party. On Devin's first day off since landing in South Carolina, we invited a BUNCH of boys over for a combined birthday party for the boys. Pizza, games, cake and a pinata, of course! We had a lot of fun.

Next, on Tanner's real birthday, I again made cupcakes for his class and We had lunch with him at school. That night he chose taco night for his meal of choice and instead of more cake or cupcakes, he just wanted ice cream. 

Then to finish off the March birthday's we celebrated Devin's birthday. Before heading to work, we spent the morning shopping. He was happy to buy some new dress shoes with his birthday money, especially since he spends the majority of his day standing. I am sure his knees are thanking him. Since he had to work the evening of his birthday I made pizza for dinner, took it to him at work and surprised him with some delicious cupcakes topped with nutella and fresh buttercream frosting. They were DELICIOUS!

I'm back?

Most of you know that March/April is birthday time at this household. I am the only one without a spring birthday. So life tends to get even busier for these months. (and that's not even mentioning the aunts, uncles, friends that have birthdays during these time... I mean we have several birthdays EACH WEEK!) This isn't a good excuse to be slack on blogging. Or the fact that I am now busy with primary, Devin's work schedule is still crazy, and it's getting hot here (makes it harder to stay inside and blog when you can go outside and PLAY!)

Well, here are some of the things we've been busy with...

what a week...

I am sure everyone has weeks that you have TONS of things planned that need to get done, things that people need you to do, and things that you want to do... the week flies by, and at the end of it all you look back and wonder what on that monstrous list actually got done?! Well, last week was one of those weeks. We:

• celebrated a happy birthday for my now 6 year old!!!
• began installing curtains on some windows (thanks to the construction zone that popped up next door... nothing like waking up to 15 construction workers right out your huge kitchen windows. It screams "I need curtains!") I can thankfully say that job was completed this morning! yay!
• I battled the stomach flu (can't mom's get paid sick days?!) 
• and got a new calling (Primary President)

Most of the things that I wanted to get done, didn't... but luckily there is always another week, right? Hopefully this next week will go much smoother. (or at least avoid the sickies!)

To give you an idea...

of just how many kids live in the neighborhood...
{and this is only SOME of them!}

The Monday following Valentine's Day was a day off from school, [Presidents Day!]and so the neighborhood had a Valentine's party for the kids. They played games, decorated bags for their valentines, ate pizza and lots of candy/cookies/soda and ran around like crazy. Just what the kids needed!