Memorial Day Weekend

We spent 6 hours in AF canyon on Monday.  Tin-foil vegetables over the fire and popcorn were the perfect lunch.  Then the kids waded in freezing glacial water, but I sat and cuddled the baby, we two were so cozy.  Funny thing, the kids didn't complain one bit about the bitter temperature.

 Bird-legs.

 Picnic time.

 Making big splashes.

Dinner Games

We take time for family fun during dinner when we play "Dinner Games" -- a blue and yellow tin filled with 3x5 cards on which instructions are written.  Last night we found a real winner.  Here are the instructions:

"Fireman Fran"

• One person starts by describing characteristics of someone's job or occupation.
• For example: "He wears boots, a thick coat and rides on a truck.  Who is he?"
• The first person to guess that he is a fireman wins!
• The winner continues the game with a different job, such as a schoolteacher or pilot

These were Andy's clues:

• She stays at home all day.
• She wears raggy clothes.
• She always has a bun on her head.

Don't worry.  It only took until half-way through the first clue for the entire table to scream my name.  I had Andy finish his clues so that I knew exactly what I my description was.  (I wouldn't know because I on purpose walk right on by the mirror.....)  Little did he know that I was wearing my most crisp t-shirt.  

Yesterday I washed 8 loads of laundry, baked three loaves of bread, worked in the elementary school, attended a concert at the high school, watched 2 extra kids for only an hour, plus the meals and miscellaneous chores.  What do they expect me to wear, heels?  

Meg's #11

Yup.  Meg is 11 -- I can hardly believe it.  Today we celebrated her by eating all her favorite foods and going to the theater.  What a thoughtful and loving girl she is.
Morning presents.

 Ice cream roll birthday cake.

Assembled Avengers (L-R: Hulk, Thor, Nick Fury, Ironman, and Captain America)  We had so much fun as adults dressing up for the film that we had to do it again.  Oh, I'm sure these same characters will show up at Halloween.

Maisie's Loss

Maisie lost her first tooth!  Austin extracted with his hemostat --  she cried and Nick cheered.  Mostly she was excited because she gets to be apart of the "Missing Mooth" club at school.  She is a big girl.

(Earlier that day, she read to the kids at nap time.)

Hooray!

Mother's Day

Although today began at 4:30 am, I know God loves me, because he gave me six children to love.  Today was sweet, the kids and Austin showered me with cards, meals, treats and love.  We spent the afternoon outside playing and the evening inside reading.

Avengers

Yep. We saw it! We loved it! L-R: The Hulk, An Incredible, Ironman, Black Widow, Thor-ita

A Bundt

There aren't too many first anymore, now that I am in the thick of raising six children. However, today I baked a bundt. And that is a first. I cut into it immediately, and it is so good. Come over and have a piece, it'll make you so happy.

Proof of the happiness bundts bring.

Do Your Ears Hang Low?

(That's the only title I can think of right now about ears.) Since the age of 3, Maisie has been a nail-biter. She's broken the habit time and time again, but couldn't leave it once and for all. This month we made and chart and I inspected her nails every night. After 30 consecutive days of no nail-biting, we went and got her ears pierced today with her BFF. Maisie's chart

Before

After

Spectators