Krazy Keira

I didn't know we had a garden gnome

living in my house!

Keira pulled on her sisters boots

and winter hat to complete her outfit!

She's the cutest gnome I ever saw!

P.J. Time

One evening after dinner was eaten,

dishes washed,

and baths were done...

We gathered around the toy room upstairs

and goofed off.

These are the photos to prove

that we really are a funny family.

Dan likes to wiggle and shake!

Benjamin 5, Dan 1.5, Sydney 9, Keira 3.5, Emma 7

Best Friends

The Boys

Gal Pals

The Girls

X O X O

Prep for Valentine's Day includes

lots and lots cards for

friends and classmates.

Goofy kids are making hearts

out of the arms!

Concentrating very hard!

Using their best hand writing.

Holding their pens in

the correct hand position.

On the morning of the 14th

Mom made pink heart shaped pancakes

with pink sprinkles on top.

With a little present too.

Keira got a fairy girl and her sea horse.

With new plates to eat off of

the pancakes were delicious.

Ben got Obi 1 Kanobi.

(yeah, I can't spell it)

Dan finally got his very own

Zhu Zhu pet.

He hasn't let go of it all day.

Poor kid is fighting off double ear

infections and a very snotty nose.

Daddy got a ton of new clothes

(steeply discounted), 2 bags of chocolates

and sunglasses.

Sydney and Emma got a The Weasley's house

to go with their Hogworts Castle

they bought with their soccer money.

Mommy was spoiled by Daddy

with chocolates, roses, makeup

and expensive facial stuff!

Love him!!

Larry and I were also very lucky to have

awesome friends that watch the 3 youngest

so we could go to lunch and

spend some quality time together.

We ended the day with a delicious

steak dinner with ALL the trimmings.

And then we treated the kids to

their very first experience with fondue!

We dipped graham crackers, marshmallows,

rice krispy treats, apples, frozen bananas,

strawberries and cake.

They love it!!

YUM!!

SO SWEET!!

They were extatic to have no

limits on how much they could eat!

They each had to try the S'more

combination that Dad thought of.

Sydney was in chocolate HEAVEN.

Maybe this will be our new

Valentine's Day tradition!!

What Do We Do All Day?

Survive.

That's all we are trying to do

at home.

With 3 young kids at home still, 

we take each day at a time

and try to make it until 3:15

when Sydney and Emma

come home.

I rely a lot on those older sisters

to keep an eye out for their

young siblings.

Like Dan,

who enjoys climbing up to anything

so he can get to what he wants.

I often find him sitting at

the piano going through my

stuff for lessons,

or on top of the computer drawing

on the screen with a pen,

or like this... on top of the table

eating or drinking anything leftover.

Although this time Dan is eating

the crayons and drawing on the

table top.

And heaven forbid we leave a door

open in this house.

If you do, it will be torn apart in seconds.

Unless it's the kids bathroom,

Dan uses the stool in there to climb up

and open the drawer to find the toothpaste.

He really really likes sucking on it.

Ben plays with toys and cars and guys.

But usually he dominates the Wii.

His skills have really picked up lately.

Here he is showing his multi-tasking skills.

He can play the Wii from the kitchen table.

And eat a snack at the same time!

It must be wonderful to be able to sit

in his pj's all day and lounge around.

Keira is obsessed with puzzles.

She is addicted it to them.

But puzzles are not really conducive

to a little brother who likes

to climb and chew on everything.

So she likes to hide in her room,

up on top of her bed.

My favorite thing about this girl

is that she says APPLE...

like "BAPPLE".

I make her saying constantly.

It's so sweet.

Dan's second favorite pass time?

Inspecting the DVD's.

I have tried every kind of lock.

And every kind of punishment.

But he doesn't care.

He still cracks open the very top

of the cupboard and slides his

arm down inside.

He likes to do it while

watching something on TV.

There he goes.

Over and over again.

And if you don't catch him in the first minute

he'll have the cupboard empty

before you blink your eye.

Then when I call his name

and remind him to STOP.

Dan instantly puts the DVD's over his

face and tries to hide.

The interesting fact?

He always pulls out his favorite 

Baby Einstein DVD's first.

But I can't seem to get him to stop.

I love 20 month olds!

Guess Who Is 5?

Ben asked and asked

when it would be his birthday.

Waiting as patient as a 4 yr old can,

through all our birthdays that come

at the end of the year.

FINALLY, 

the day came.

I think we were just as excited

because we couldn't handle any

more questions!!

The big 5 years old!!

We got the traditional birthday sign up,

decorated his chair at the dinner table

and relieved him of all his chores for the day.

Which is music to our kids ears.

He is one special and happy kid!!

Sometimes.

It's hard being the oldest boy in the house

squished between 3 sisters.

But he does ok,

especially with Dad helping him.

Mom's skills with icing.

I think 1/2 the chocolate icing went into little

fingers that kept sneaking by and swiping the sides.

But eventually it all turned out!

Focused on the five candles.

One last smile for the camera!!

Waiting to remember what he wants to

"wish for"!

He got a dino pillow pet from the grandparents,

a puzzle, a car for his "guys" and

more imaginex guys.

Plus a new backpack for kindergarten

(coming soon)!!

The next day we went to Chuck E. Cheese

as a family to celebrate.