Owen and the Pups

I thought these were too cute not to share. Owen loves cuddling with the pups. If he's watching a movie or tv show his favorite place to sit is on the dog bed with whichever dog is laying on it at the time. The dogs don't mind at all.

He started out sitting up...

 then laid down.

Different day, different dog :0)

Alexa is 10 Months!

This will be the last post about Alexa's age because I refuse to admit that she's getting way too close to her first birthday! :0) She is changing so much everyday. It's hard to keep up. She has 3 and a half teeth. She's cruising. And she is starting to make a ton of sounds and copying movements. She started waving bye bye, gives very wet and slobbery kisses and loves following her big sisters and brother. She's completely done with baby food and loves to eat anything I'm eating. She loves crackers and cheese. We are still working on naps, which is making me crazy, but she's starting to get the hang of putting her self to sleep at night. She is the happiest baby! Happy 10 months!

 Always smiling!

 Cruising around the ottoman

 Looking outside

 Trying to climb the steps. (yep, she can!)

 Checking what's going on out front.

My sweet girl!

Winter Vacation

The girls had winter vacation in February, which I still don't quite get, but they have a week off. I didn't want it to be a week of nothing to do because that's not good for anyone, so I came up with a theme for each day of the week. It worked out really well. It kept the kids entertained and excited about the next day's theme. It was actually really fun and the kids really enjoyed it.

Make It Monday!

Monday was Make It Monday. We got out the easy bake oven and went crazy! We made cookies, cupcakes, icing, sprinkles and fondant. It was quite the production, but the kids loved it. And then they were on a sugar high for the rest of the day.

Getting all the supplies ready.

 Alexa had a snack and watched.

Arilyn making her cookies.

Addison making her cookies

 Owen double decorating his chocolate cakes.

 Arilyn and her finished products.

 Addison (with the crazy eyes) with her finished products.

 Owen...still decorating!

 Enjoying all their hard work.

 Chocolate cake face

 Sugar high face!

We saved these cookies for Daddy when he got home from work. 

Take a Trip Tuesday!

Tuesday we decided to go to the Children's Museum. This was quite the undertaking! I had Alexa in the baby carrier and tried to keep up with the other three. I had quite the headache by the time we left, but it was fun!

 This was the first exhibit we went to and already the ears were covered! I think he does this when he doesn't know what's going to happen because it wasn't loud at all. Thankfully they didn't stay covered for very long :0)

 Alexa checking everything out.

 Only my child would be in the middle of a children's museum, where you're encouraged to touch everything, and sit down to look at books! Crazy girl!

 Arilyn and Owen cranking the wheel to drop their foam airplane in the air.

 They have a really cool submarine. This was Owen checking out the periscope.

 Arilyn and Addison listening to underwater sounds.

 Owen and the dinosaur bones.

 Digging for dinosaur bones! We stayed here for quite some time.

 This room was really funny. In the tube in the middle of the table is a ball that you supposedly control with just your brain waves through the headbands. The ball goes away from the person who is more relaxed and they win if it hits the other side.

 Addison won every time!

 Owen almost won.

 Apparently Addison is the most relaxed kid...I would agree to a point! She's pretty laid back :0)

 Arilyn building a ball track.

 This was the musical instrument section. Unfortunately the kids loved this area and wanted to stay for awhile. This might have contributed to my headache!

 Owen jamming on the bongos.

 Addison with the tambourine.

 Arilyn and the wooden xylophone

 Trying to get at least one good picture of all three.

 Owen checking out the hole in the tree.

 Arilyn playing with a salmon thing.

 More fish. You're supposed to help the salmon get upstream.

 Owen helping, too.

 Addison being a fish.

 Alexa got to touch a few things, too.

 Dress up time.

 Addison and the silly mask

 And Owen

 Owen sat down on this trunk and posed like this. It was so cute!

 The kids liked this, too. A big green screen, so on the tv screen it looked like you were scuba diving or in the rain forrest.

 Working at the play restaurant.

 Sitting in the queen's throne.

 Queen Addison

 Too much fun for Alexa!

 Arilyn decorating the stained glass window.

This was funny and a little creepy looking all at the same time. This is Arilyn's face and body. 

Wacky Wednesday!

I had a hard time with Wednesday. I originally thought of wet and wild wednesday and doing something with water, but the middle of February is a little chilly for that, so we decided on Wacky Wednesday. The kids got in their swimming suits, we laid out beach towels and had a lunch picnic while we watched The Little Mermaid. 

 Ready for the movie!

 Owen enjoying his lunch...with two dogs ready to pounce on any unattended food!

 Addison enjoying her lunch.

 And Arilyn

Watching The Little Mermaid

Get Your Tooth Fixed Thursday!

Arilyn had her dentist appointment on Thursday to get her tooth fixed. Wednesday night the kids were asking what tomorrow's theme was so I jokingly said "get your tooth fixed Thursday" They thought it was hilarious, so that's what they kept calling it. Addison and Owen got to have a play date with some friends while I took Arilyn (and Alexa) to the dentist. She did so good! It took almost and hour, she had some laughing gas, and it looks awesome. You can't tell at all.

 Being silly in the car before we went in...I think she was a little nervous!

 In the waiting room...

The new tooth!

Fantastic Fill In the Blank Friday!

Ok- I admit it...by Friday I was really out of ideas. So I came up with Fill In the Blank Friday. I gave the kids this sentence "Today I want to..." and they got to fill in the blank with something (within reason) that they wanted to do that day. Arilyn picked taking a play bath in their swimming suits, Addison wanted to take a walk, and Owen wanted to roast marshmallows.

 So we went to Target and bought this Silly Baff stuff. It turns your bath water into this slimy gel stuff. It was so gross and I will never buy it again because it made a mess and just felt really gross. All the kids were so excited. Could hardly wait the 10 minutes for the stuff to turn to gel goop. Then they got in. This was Owen the second he touched the water. He HATED it! He's got feet issues. His socks have to be just right, he hates sandals in the summer because dirt gets in them and he hates walking in soft sand at the beach. Yeah...weird. Kinda reminds me of his Uncle Mike :0) Of course I had to take a picture before I helped him out!

 He was not too happy about that!

 The crew playing. The girls absolutely loved it. It felt so gross. I'd probably choose to stay out like Owen, too.

 He didn't mind being on the outside and was much happier!

 The girls stayed in it forever.

 Alexa tried to get to it.

 Owen happily playing from the outside.

 Loving it.

 Having a great time.

 Eww.

 They didn't mind though.

Owen thought he wanted to get back in, but this was as far as he got. As soon as the bottom of his foot touched it he pulled it back and said- I don't want to get in!

This was an easy one and I really liked it. Taking a walk! It's so nice to get outside and get some fresh air. 

 This one was pretty easy, too because I didn't have to do much. Shawn got the fire going and got the kids set up while I put Alexa to bed. I love having a real fire place!

 The kiddos roasting mallows.

 More roasting. Owen kept trying to put his right into the coals.

 Red cheeks from the fire :0)

 Addison kept catching hers on fire on purpose

 I thought this was a funny angle.

Enjoying his choice! It was a busy week, but it was a lot of fun! There wasn't too much arguing, the kids had a blast and it was the first vacation where I wasn't ready to pull my hair out by Tuesday! Definitely going to do this again!