March 25, 2018

Ry-Guy's 10th birthday

Because we think we're funny, we gave him a Barbie








  I feel like I've been thinking of nothing else but balloons for the last week.  But I think these decorations for the Relief Society dinner turned out pretty cute, if I do say so myself.


 Jeff and I go out to lunch often.  Sometimes I taunt my girls by texting them pictures of what we're having for lunch.  These are the best breadsticks in the world.  Sydney was the recipient of this picture.

She's off to the church formal dance.  Gorgeous!



March 18, 2018

   About two months ago we started planning a Spring Break trip to Scottsdale, Arizona, our favorite hot spot.  We poured over listings for house rentals, looking for the coolest pool, knowing that our kids would only want to swim all week.  We looked forward to shopping and eating at different places than our boring Amarillo usuals.  Many times leading up to the trip we'd ask each other, "Is it Spring Break yet??"  Last year we stayed home because of Brynn, which made us anticipate this trip even more.  Finally it was time. 

Our first night, waiting for our table at a most delicious pizza restaurant we discovered a couple of years ago.


  Our second day there we celebrated Brynn's 1st Birthday.  She celebrated by throwing up at 5:00 A.M., but was actually fine the rest of the day.

Enjoying her birthday dinner at Cheesecake Factory


   Although Brynn wasn't able to enjoy the pool on her birthday, the rest of us sure did.  Prepare yourself.  I took a lot of pictures that day.
 Fighting over Cheryl, the unicorn.  Sydney named her.





 Sadly, the only picture I got of Jeff.  Look how good his leg and arms look!  Shelbi's not hiding from the camera.  She had chlorine in her eyes.

Erik loves a good trick-shot








Walking on water

The putting green behind the pool

  I know that's a lot of pictures to post for one day.  Remember when I said that Brynn woke up vomitting on her birthday?  That was just the beginning.  We dropped like flies after that, the boys being the only ones who were spared.  I needed to see all those pictures to try to fool myself into remembering it as the awesome vacation we were hoping for.  Truthfully, I don't remember ever being sicker. 

We had another half day of pool fun before the storm hit.



  See that sunken kitchen at the end of the pool?  I was going to grill hamburgers in there one day for lunch so the kids could swim up to the bar and eat. The bridge is where we planned to pose as a family for a great picture commemorating our trip.  It would have been like "Weekend at Bernie's" trying to pose Bailey for a picture.


 Our view of poor Bailey for the last three days of the trip.  She was pretty much unconscious, except when we'd force sips of water into her.
Brynn made herself right at home.

  I feel the worst for Shelbi.  She didn't get sick until the ride home. So she had to hang out with all of us sick-o's, missing out on the hoped for shopping trips and eating out.

  Saturday evening, it was just nice to be home.  We were mostly better by then and happy to have our own space back.  We're already thinking we need a make-up vacation.

  Sunday was part two of Brynn's birthday celebration.  We didn't take any of her gifts with us to Arizona because that would be ridiculous.   Also ridiculous: trying to wrap awkwardly shaped gifts for a one year old.  We covered them with blankets and let her pull them off.

Happy Birthday, sweet baby girl!



March 11, 2018

  She's seen the other kids get cups out of this cupboard to get a drink from the fridge dozens of times a day, it seems.  She just...can't...reach.

  I don't remember who to thank for this baby food grinder.  I got it when Shelbi was a baby. But it has been a great thing through six babies.  Today Brynn enjoyed ground Southern Beef Roll for lunch.

Bonnie and Clyde at the 4th grade Texas wax museum.

  And we're off to sunny Arizona!  I found it ironic that the first snow we saw this year was on our way to our Spring Break trip.  This was halfway through New Mexico.

March 4, 2018

Here's what's been going on the past few weeks...

Where's Waldo? 

  Our very romantic Chick-Fil-A Valentine's dinner.  Ryan is obviously a nine year old boy.


More waiting for kids to get out of piano lessons.  I'll do anything to keep this girl happy while we wait.

  Because of piano lessons we had to miss the S'more Reading night at the elementary school.  To make it up to Bailey, we made our own s'mores bites at home.  Yum, and I didn't have to leave my house.

  Ryan's Battle of the Books team took second in the city, out of 73 teams.  Look at him pose.  Everytime.

Yep, she's still doing this.

  For years Sydney has been planning to try out for ninth grade cheerleading.  Tryouts are coming up.  This was a Saturday cheer clinic to help her get ready.

  Shelbi's other love besides math and science is art.  She takes a different medium of art each year.  This year is painting.  She entered an art contest and both her pieces were in contention for being sent to the state competition.

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All of those little dots in the white space are circles of hot glue.  It's very cool.



                                  
She'll be walking all over the house in no time.

  When we arrived for Ryan's orthodontist's appointment, one of the dental assistants immediately whisked Brynn away.  She came back a few minutes later wearing this tiara, holding this lollipop.  A few minutes later she was given a blowup Spiderman.  She came away from this appointment with more swag than Ryan.

  Jeff and I figure we're half done going to the elementary school P.E. programs.  Eight down, eight to go.  Bailey had the very important job this year of helping put away the parachute.  She was thrilled and only got stuck and lost her shoe once during practice.  



Ryan thrilled us with his basketball skills.


  Jeff and the kids are in the process of cutting down a weed tree that's been growing along (and breaking) our back fence.   Look how cool it is inside!


  When it's 80 degrees in March, you don't make your daughter come inside just because dinner is ready.


   She really applied herself tonight.  I've been meaning to reorganize this cupboard anyway.


  Making empanadas for her Spanish class.  I even had an empanada tool, by chance.