Tuesday, August 31, 2010

Books! Books! Everywhere Books!


Okay when I saw this post (and I promise she's not paying me to continually reference her blog:)!) I thought, now there's something I know a lot about.  Children's books.  They are everywhere in this house.  I decided to pick up my camera and snap a few shots of where they are.  


(on parker's desk)


(on bookshelves)


(under HE's bedside table)


(on Kate's bookshelf)


(on HE's desk.  you know you love the little lego man laying there on top of the book.  yes, it is a lego man.  a star wars lego man.  and yes, we are a family of all girls.)


(frilly phone, pink chair, fancy nancy books ... yes, this is my Patterson's corner)


(on our old console)


(this is in Hanson Ellis' closet.  if you are ever looking for her, chances are she's hiding out in here buried in a book ... seeing the chinese/english dictionary brings a smile to my face:)!)


(on Kate's table in her room)


(there were even books in bed .. poor Kate .. I promise we are on the hunt for the perfect big girl bed for her!)


(had to throw in there a few shots of my sweet girl waking up!)



(and in Olivia's room ... my Grandma's cookbook rack .. the first thing in which we ever had to "gather" books.) 

I'm putting together a post for you of some of our favorites.  I am ready to move on from having little people (oh to have a quiet car ride!), but I will miss the stories that have been read and reread in our family over the years.  There is nothing I treasure more than a little one curled up in my lap or a bigger one snuggled close beside me ... just listening and dreaming. 

Goodnight!

Saturday, August 28, 2010

Sisters


I ran with Richard again this afternoon.  It's been so long since we've run together I can't even remember exactly ...  Of course we didn't go this morning as planned, but decided to wait until it was nice and sunny and hot.  I felt like someone was blowing a hairdryer on me the entire time!!  Yes, even the "breeze" was hot.  No fun!! But we ran and were together and it that was nice. 

We came home and had dinner and then I was given a rare treat of a shower while everyone else cleaned up.  When I finished and made my way upstairs, this is what I saw.  The older four in Hanson Ellis' room reading together.  
What a sweet, sweet sight.  

Sisters.

I love these girls!

Thursday, August 26, 2010

Little Joys ...

Today was Thursday.  Just Thursday.  Kate went to Preschool.  Olivia went to MMO.  Hanson Ellis, Parker and Patterson and I had school here.  Parker and Patterson had tap then Hanson Ellis had tap.  We are home now.  It's been a long, busy day, but a good one.  Dinner is in the oven.  Richard is on his way home from D.C. (and I'm looking forward to having a beer with him on the front porch after the girls are in bed).  The girls are bustling around the house right now ... I'm trying to just let them play and not let the "noise" get to me.  I admit, on longs day like today, it does.  But I love them anyway:).

My morning started around 4 as I couldn't sleep. When I walked into the keeping room to turn on the lights I saw this drawing by Kate from last night.


She later told me that the red girl was her and the blue girl "is my best friend."  Don't you just love how girls always have a "best friend?"  I don't have a son, but I don't think they would ever mention a best friend.  At least not as frequently as a girl would/does.  All the same, Kate has really started drawing lately.  It is so sweet to see her little people here and there.  All of my girls have distinct details in their drawings.  Kate is no different.  He people always have two circles for their eyes.  She gives them "accessories" with little stickers she finds in the school drawer.  She likes to draw red crayon over the lips for "lipstick."  AND they all just seem to look like little Charlie Brown characters.  Which is all too fitting for her.  You should see her dance.  I'm sure Charles Shultz derived his dancing little children from watching a child dance like Kate!  Anyway, seeing this drawing was the first of many of my little joys today.

Olivia had her little birthday celebration at MMO today.  I think she is still trying to figure out all of the hoopla.  I pick her up a little early since I have to then load her up and go through the car line for Kate.  When I got there all of the class was huddled around one of the teachers while she was reading a book.  All except for Olivia who was just standing twirling her birthday crown around.  I wish I knew what her sweet little mind was thinking.  I love little glimpses into their world like that moment brought.










Even after I cut her hair almost an inch she still has those little curls:).  Love it.  Love it.



Another little joy was from today in school.  We had almost finished up for the morning and I got up to finish some dishes.  Hanson Ellis was reading an article on the Monroe Doctrine online, but Parker and Patterson were still with me in the kitchen.  Here was the conversation.
Me  "Girls, hurry and finish up.  We're going to do some Botany in a few minutes."
Parker  "Oh!  I know what that is.  He made some music, I think."
Me (trying not to laugh) "I think you are thinking of either Vivaldi or Bach, Parker.  This is BOTANY.  It is science."  
Parker  "OOOOOH."  
then Patterson chimes in, without missing a beat on the work she's finishing  ...
"Well, Parker, you were close!"  

Needless to say, I.ALMOST.DIED!  It was so funny to me:).  In fact I kept thinking about it over and over and would start chuckling from time to time for several minutes after.  (And yes, they asked what I was laughing about.  Oh, nothing, I would reply.")


After we picked up the two little ones, read to them and put them to nap, I went to take these two to their tap class.  They are a hoot in these outfits!!  My girls.  My crazy girls who wear me out, but I love them anyway.





And finally, if you are not familiar with this blog, you should be.  Sweet blog!  The author just posted this about her new venture.  Check it out!  They are super cute!!

Tuesday, August 24, 2010

Who'd Have Thought

Olivia would be horrified of the candles on her cake?  She had to have Parker blow them out.  She didn't like them at all.  I wish my camera would have been ready for her response after they went out.  I never would have expected so much expression from her:)!


It was a sweet, sweet day for Olivia.  She loved her cake, received homemade cards from her sisters and got books, a tutu, one toy and a new high chair for her baby she got last year.  
She had a blast being the Birthday Girl.  












































a preview of her new room:)










Daddy time with the big girls:).