April Phone Favorites

April was a fun month that went by all too quickly. Here are some of our phone favorites!

Posing with her adorable hair and the beautiful tulips!

Putting Miss E to work sweeping the walk way, but we have to take time to smell the flowers. 

 What do you do when your shake it too chilly to hold? Why, put on gloves of course!! 

E scraped her face really well this month. She had a stick and went down the slide... the stick stopped and she didn't. The stick totally won. It bled a bit but i was surprised how big her scratch was the next day. 

Gong to the Dr.'s for her check up with Baby pig. She was so brave and did a great job.

I just love it when this little nugget is full of smiles. 

Wait for it.... can you see it? I'll tell you what you should see at the end of this post. 

 Story time with Daddy. 

Our pew has become a bit of a crazy nursery bench. If it wasn't so taboo I would have gotten a better picture. Most weeks we sit next to Gretchen to help with  her three kiddos when Whitney (her hubby) isn't there. Then we have Eve and Griffin come play and this week we had Ivy as well. That is 8 children 5 and under in our pew. Needless to say we aren't exactly the quietest bunch and I don't tend to hear most of the talks.

 Some times we go to the gym and let the tiny humans run, jump and climb. The kids love it! the last 15 minutes they bring down a swing and it goes up pretty high. there is a guy who works there that pushes them and he jumps, and does flips while the kids swing. duke just loves to watch him perform. He won't swing but he will sit there laying on his tummy and watch and laugh. It is so cute! 

This is a usual occurrence, Manny just sitting in a box playing away. 

I just love when this little guy comes running up and gives me a hug. 

The first pool day of the season. E insisted that it was too hot outside (72F) and that she wanted to swim. Well after warming up the water and getting her all changed, she jumped in and decided that maybe it was a bit chilly after all. Such a goose! 

Getting ready for nap time. 

 

A usual afternoon lunch at our house. 5 babies and two Mama's just hanging out having fun!! 

As for the picture up above...there was a crane in the tree. Yup it was random and right by our house. 

It was a fun April and we are looking forward to May  with yard sales, constructing treasures and heading out to Vegas! It's sure to be fun!

Cammie's First Birthday Shoot

It has been a long time since I have used my camera. I usually just take pictures on my phone. But it felt nice to dust off my camera and play a bit and who better to shoot then Miss Cammie? 

This little nugget was turning one and she was so stinking cute! 

My personal Favorite!!! 

Thunder thighs and rolls! Mmmmm sooo cute! 

The girls enjoyed eating the rest of the cake after we were all done! it was a fun little shoot. I seriously need to take classes and get off of shooting in Auto. I know it's truly sinful! Happy Birthday sweet Camryn. Aunt Steph loves you!!!

Best Day Ever

 I'll admit it, I don't like the dentist. (And yes I say this knowing I have a BIL who is a dentist.) It all stems back to when I was 7(ish) and went in to get a filling done. I got all numbed up and the dentist started drilling but I could feel it. He insisted I couldn't but I could and told me to stay still. I complained again and he one again assured me I couldn't feel it. He wasn't exactly getting the message to I punched him in the face giving him a bloody nose. Not my proudest moment, and as an adult, I can totally see where he was coming from, since I would say the same thing to a child. From then on trust and dentist don't go very hand in hand for me. I have had several oral surgeries which I was awake for all of them. And as an adult I still am not a fan but I tend not to punch people any more. But this about the kids, not me. 

I took the kids in for their first appointment. We went to a pediatric dentist who came very highly reccommended and I can see why. There were video games and movies in the lobby. The staff was amazing and on time. We went back and they worked their magic and E got all of her x-rays taken without shedding a tear.

 Once we were in our room Ashley was a peach, showing them all of the instruments and letting them use them first. They had a movie playing and the kids just laid back and watched a show. 

 Duke was a champ and once they were done they got a balloon, a toothbrush kit, a toy AND soft serve ice cream!

 Sign me up!!! E was so excited afterwards that she wouldn't stop asking when we got to go back and every time we drive by the office E always points and says "Mommy!! That's the dentist!!! Can we go?!?!?" Every. Time! Seriously couldn't have been happier! 

 After we went to Aunt Gretchen's. Gretch and I spend at least 3 days a week together. It was a bit rainy in the morning so we made a fort with a show. 

 Then we went to IKEA for lunch and went to the park while it was sunny. Then we just HAD to jump in some puddles!!! 

 SOOO much FUN!!

 Then we striped down to our bare booties and headed home!

 As E would say: It was the best day ever!

Duke Speech Therapy - Week 6

This week we met with a PT consultant to look at Duke's feet for inserts. We weren't able to work on words because he was so distracted. During the week we tried to do words and he was able to the first consonant and the vowel but no final consonant (ie. /b/o/ for book) We are to continue to work on his sounds and words. 

Dodge Ball

Jakob signed up to be a part of Tortoises corporate challenge this year. He was one of the shooters (he came in smack dab in the middle of the pack which was pretty good considering he hadn't gone shooting in almost two years and they didn't even let you have a practice shot.) He was also a part of the dodge ball team. I didn't even know they did these sorts of games for C.C.

It was a lot of fun watching them and they were pretty good!

Hands down they had the nicest shirts too!! Shell YEAH! 

Uncle Duke Comes to Visit

Life has been hard for Jakob lately. He has a big test coming up and he is stressed. Since work is so busy and when he's not at work or studying he is at home with his little people it leaves very little time for friends, or alone time, so I decided to surprise him and fly out his bestie Uncle Duke for a weekend. Everything was very hush hush and he had no idea. Duke was flying in on a Friday so I told Jakob that we had dentist appointments and to take the day off. We cancelled our plans to attend a gala and I told Jakob that I had already planned a surprise date night for him. Everything was working out according to plan and then Jakob asked me what time we would be done our dentist appointments. Apparently he had to go back into work in the evening for a team meeting and they had already purchased his ticket to the Royals game. Well that just wasn't going to work. So I had to tell him my plan... two days before Duke got there. He was still super excited but I was so sad that I wasn't able to surprise him.

The kids were SOOO excited to see Uncle Duke!!!! They chased....

... and played Go Fish (several times)...

... and had tea parties...

... and juggled...

.. and wrestled! Duke is great with the kids. 

E has a total crush on Uncle Duke and wanted him to hold his hand wherever they went.

They Duke and I went on our very first hot date... to the same Royals game that Jakob was in a box at... only we sat up in the nose bleeds. Our section was a ton of fun! 

Then Jakob came and got us and we went into the box. Heaven forbid he let us commoners in with them ;). I wasn't a fan of the box. The seats were so, so and when you were inside you couldn't see the field. The diamond club was the best in my opinion. 

The boys came home and got their old school Nintendo on.

The boys went nerding and then we had some BBQ. It was such a fun weekend and we were SO glad that Duke came to visit! We have missed you friend. I'm pretty much the greatest wifey ever! ;)

Dance Practice

E has been taking a ballet/tap/tumble combo class since January and she just loves it!! This last week her recital dress came in and I just can't get enough of her! What a sweetie!!

She has been practicing so hard for her recital (I am totally sick of the Song L-O-V-E by Nat King Cole) they did a tap routine and they all look so darling!

 It was picture week and I just had to snap a picture of Em and E together. Friends that dance together stay together! I think I'll have to frame this little gem. I can't wait to see how her pictures turn out! 

 

I'm really proud of out little Sweet E! I can hardly wait for their recital!!!