Library

I decided I needed to do a few things with Lily and so we started going to story time here and there when my work/sleep schedule and story time did not collide. She now loves it and would go every day! It also helps that there are two different sticker collection cards. One card is just for visiting the library and when it is full you get a prize out of the treasure box. The other is for attending story time and then you get a free book when it is full. 

Last week, I forgot the cards the one day so we went a few days later so we could get the sticker for visiting the library and I let the girls play. They had a great time. 

It is that time of year again when I my kids start outgrowing their winter clothes even though there are a few more weeks of winterish weather off and on.  And when they pull out their short sleeve shirts from last summer and fall they are too short or small. Well, Lily and I did some major shopping the other day to help us get ready for spring and summer at our house. These adorable shoes find their way into our cart. Lily loves them, as do I. All of my kids are getting big but Joseph is really getting tall- 5ft 1in and 98 lbs. He has pants that I bought in October that are too short now. I ordered him 3 new church shirts this week since the long sleeve one he wore this past Sunday was at least an inch to short showing way too much wrist and nearly forearm. I hope he keeps growing to his body's natural and comfortable height. It is strange to hug your child when you are practically the same height. I better bet used to it because one day they will all catch me and likely surpass me. 

Samantha 10 months

Okay so it was actually last week but oh well. 

Samantha is 10 months old and getting so big so fast. I wish she would just let me hold her and snuggle her. Well, she does like me to hold her but she does not want to snuggle. She loves to get into things and  put all sorts of things in her mouth like a chunk of raw sweet potato she bit off while playing in the pantry. 

 Good thing she has Joseph to open the rice krispie treat for her that she again pulled out of the pantry. She was not giving that up and I honestly did not care- it is a bit sticky but there are much messier treats she could have eaten. 

I should cherish this picture with the bow because she does not like to keep them on her head anymore. I was able to distract her some after putting one on and she would leave it alone- not anymore. She immediately reaches up to find it and pull it off. Her hair is kind of filling in so it won't be too much longer and hopefully we won't need headbands anymore. 

Samantha does this really funny scoot/crawl thing. I have seen a similar movement in other kids. I was telling Peter just the other day that I wondered if it had anything to do with the difficulty of getting her knees under her due to the slick hardwood and tile on our man level- probably not but oh well. She is actually quite fast when she wants to be- this was recorded with too many distractions- kids, food, and the camera. I love this little lady!

Dallas Zoo

The first Saturday in February, we headed to the Dallas Zoo with our friends the Ostermiller's. Peter and the boys stayed home to do scouting for food and shoot arrows and beebee guns. 

It was a beautiful day and the kids were all happy and cooperative.

This was a day I would repeat again gladly. The weather, the location, the kids, the company- all of it was just so great!

Family Valentine Date Night

Peter received an email from the Flower Mound Rec Center, where we have had a pass the last year, and they were going to hold the first annual Family Valentine Night. It was a good price and sounded like the perfect family fun and so we signed up and attended.

We had a great time!

 The food was catered by an local Italian restaurant and we all enjoyed it!

 The DJ was great! He kept the songs fun and family friendly with some classic slow songs. Peter did a great job of dancing with all of his girls and I danced with all of my boys.

 Group Dancing!

 The kids loved the candy bar (you know the kind where you have a bag and fill it with the candies you want) and cupcakes. 

Jon was really feeling the disco song!

What we all had a great time with was the photo booth! I have loved having these on our fridge this week. Our kids are such hams- especially Jon. I really hope they do this again- since it was a first time thing it is not guaranteed but we gave it great reviews on the survey. It made me want to do more things like this. My kids and husband are wonderful and truly the best Valentines!

February

This month is flying by; February always seems to do that.  I know it is a shorter month but still I can not believe it is half over. Time flew especially fast this past week since Peter was gone for 4 days.

Friday morning when Lily saw Peter it was so fun- "Daddy! Your home!"

These 3 girls keep us smiling (okay the boys do too)! 

Lily loves to sit and look at books. At the end of the day, it is not uncommon to find her like this or right when the others are getting home from school and the house is about to get loud. 

Arabella loves to strike a pose. She has so much to say about school and loves to share every little detail. 

Samantha is growing and changing so much. She scoots around and makes us all smile! She is starting to pull open cupboards and pull things off of shelves. I love to watch them explore. She will sometimes get her hands full of things and try to pick up something else and get so mad when she can not quite grasp one more thing. She has decided that it is much more fun to get your one year molars at 10 months. She has been pretty good through it. Friday night she had her fist stomach bug and threw up three times within a few hours. The third one was projectile onto Peter's back when he was flying off of the couch to try and get the bowl that she had thrown to the ground and had rolled away. I hate when little bitty kids are vomiting- they have this look on their face like "what is my body doing and why are you letting this happen". She recovered pretty quick and within minutes was playing again. She was better on Saturday- hopefully it is over. 

I hope we can make the most of the rest of February. Up on our calendar is: Parent night for new 6th graders at the junior high, Jon's 3rd grade music performance, the Blue and Gold banquet, Joseph's first merit badge college, Primary training meeting with Cheryl A. Esplin of the general Primary presidency, Peter has a trial in McAllen, and of course the usual work, school, dance, story time, swimming (Jon), taekwondo, piano, etc.