Nacho Cheese

What do you say to someone who tries to steal your cheese?

Hey dude, that's "not-cho cheese"!!!

Jack shared that clever little ditty with us several nights ago at dinner & we all thought it was pretty darn funny. Probably plays out a bit better spoken than in print, but you know we haven't had much going on lately & I'm pressed for quality blog content. Life around here is so dull & boring. That's really why I haven't updated the ol' blog in over 2 weeks. Sorry folks, nothing to see here, keep on moving...I mean it's not like we have a newborn who is growing & changing every day...or a newly turned 4 year old...or flag football games & father-daughter date nights...or fun school activities like Easter parades, egg hunts & Kite Days...oh wait, we have had all that and more going on over the last couple of weeks, so sit back & relax as we review some recent history. 

The sweet sister bonding continues...

...and the big sisters are remain thrilled to help with baby Lucy!

Jack is enjoying the flag football season and we are proud of his hard work & hustle on the field.

Lucy loves attending the Jack's football games...

 & is his biggest cheerleader!

It has been rather chilly some Saturday mornings, so Darcy is always quick to snuggle in Pop's lap!

Sophie enjoys playing on the sidelines with her friends.

They are always making up silly little games to stay entertained!

Drew is happy as long as he has a tape measure, screwdriver or hammer...

Or sometimes he just finds some dirt...but notice he is still holding his circular saw!

Cuteness!

A few weeks ago after football, we joined some friends at a park for a picnic lunch & play time. In between eating, keeping up with the kids, nursing & trying to actually talk to the grown-ups...this is the only picture I took...of the fort Jack spend the last half hour working on, so he made sure I took a photo!

It was a really windy day, so we came home & Sophie begged to get a kite out...

She did a really great job...

...and had lots of fun until Daddy got the kite caught in a tree!

 The kite flying continued that week with Jack's Kite Day at school.

 As the culmination of their study of the Wright Brothers (First in Flight!), his class enjoyed a picnic lunch & then spent an hour flying kites & having fun!

 It was a perfect day for the kites, clear & windy!

 The week started with kites & ended with parties! We celebrated Darcy's 4th birthday in her preschool class the Friday before her birthday.

 She shares a birthday with her sweet classmate, Katherine, so we got together & brought in lunch & treats for the class!

 Singing the blessing for the food!

 Our sweet Birthday Darcy!

 Drew & Lucy got to enjoy celebrating with sweet Darcy

 You can tell that Lucy was very excited about the special treat...

 Darcy requested doughnuts with pink icing & sprinkles!

 Yum-yum!!

 Lucy was exactly 4 weeks old the day of Darcy's class party

 Still pure sweetness!

After a long day of parties & fun, mama & Lucy enjoy a little rest to gear up for an even busier Saturday...

(Breaking from my normal trend toward epic posts, I'm going to try grouping events into several smaller posts to give you a chance to take a potty break, get a snack, or perhaps tend to a crying baby...I know this is riveting stuff & otherwise you may feel compelled to sit here at your computer forsaking your own needs just to read my blog!)

Potpourri

Well the days & nights are ticking by all too quickly...Lucy turned 3 weeks old today & I'm a bad mom because I don't think I've taken a picture of her in several days! Seriously, I know it isn't a huge deal, but she is already changing so quickly & I love to look back at pictures and "remember when." My days lately have been a series of baby feedings (& diaper changes, I forgot how many diapers a newborn goes through each day...even with the tiny diapers, our diaper pail is filling up much faster than before!), and school pick-ups. Thankfully, Jeff is still taking the kids to school in the mornings, so I have been able to sleep in a little bit & enjoy snuggling Lucy. And we are receiving wonderful meals from friends several days a week, so that remains a tremendous blessing! As happy as I am in the afternoons to have everyone home from school & all be together (I really do smile inside after the last pick-up when I glance in the rear-view mirror to see all 5 in the back, even if they are bickering), the last few weeks the afternoons have been crazy time with homework & snacks & temper tantrums (Drew did just turn 2) & feedings & laundry & dishes & on & on, so not having to cook dinner...scratch that, not having to even think of what to fix for dinner several days a week is HUGE!

While my iPhone is generally not far from reach (so handy to email or Facebook while nursing!), I'm finding that there have been days this week when I have not even sat down at the computer. If you know me well, you know how crazy that is! And like I mentioned earlier, I don't think I have taken a photo in nearly a week! 

But I did sit down a couple of days ago & upload the photos from last week...so here is what we have been up to...a lot of random silliness, sweetness, a lost tooth, and more...

 Nothing sweeter than freshly bathed kids in matching PJs!

 Drew having fun cheezin' for the camera

 Drew perfecting his politician hair

 Now you see it...

Now you don't! 

 "Where'd it go?" (He really said that!)

 "Ere it is!"

 Mommy's Little Girl...sweetness!

 Lucy's cord fell off last week & she got her first real bath!

 She actually loved the bath & didn't cry a bit...but after she didn't want pictures, she wanted clothes & dinner!

 Darcy is quite the little mommy! She is a natural at comforting Lucy, who won't take a pacifier.

 This week was cold & rainy, but last week was sunny & beautiful. The girls enjoyed coloring & doing homework outside.

 Darcy is also becoming a great helper in the kitchen...here she is cutting strawberries for supper. 

(Sophie had cut the berries the previous night, so Darcy really wanted her turn to help like a big girl!)

 Darcy singing a song to Lucy

 Oh my, I love this little munchkin!

 Last Saturday we were able to celebrate our niece Emily's 15th birthday!

The kids each worked on making a special card for Emily

  And Darcy brought her these special birthday glasses! 

 Drew, of course, found a baseball & carried it around all night!

 Lucy getting some Nana-love!

 First picture of all 8 cousins!!

 Well, that actually wasn't the first, but it was the first shot out of about 20 where everyone was looking and/or smiling!

 Sophie counting the candles

 I just like this picture because it is like a little slice of real life.

 Happy Birthday Emily!

 On Sunday evening, the choir that Jack sings in performed in our evening church service. They did a great job singing one of the songs from their upcoming mini-musical. I'm so excited to see the whole thing in a month or so!

 Then on Sunday evening, Sophie let Jeff pull her tooth! It had been very loose for over a week & Jeff just popped it right out! What a cute new grin, but it is bittersweet for me because I think their looks change so much when the top permanent teeth come in. Our little girl is growing up!

 Sophie wanted to have her picture taken in front of a tower she built. 

 Then Darcy wanted to join her!

And that's all folks!

On the agenda for this weekend...flag football & a family picnic lunch at the park with our Sunday School class...and hopefully time to update my blog header...and more feedings & changes...speaking of which, I think I'm being called to duty right now...

Blessings for your weekend!