A week

A whole week went by since my last post. Wow! It was quite a week of nursing sick people back to health and then jumping back into activities that had been rescheduled from sick days. We did take it easy and skip a few things that we had scheduled because we all needed to recoup, even myself who never actually caught the illness, thankfully!

I took the well ones for a much needed outing to the park even though it was super cold. They were just tired of being cooped up, and I really needed some fresh air too!

Then some warmer weather came, and we discovered that the cats had started using our sandbox as a litter box. EEEWWWW. I knew that was coming because the cover has been broken. But I had to empty it and clean it out on my own since Daddy was sick in bed! Good thing I have been strength training with weights...that thing is heavy!

 Speaking of weights, I found this shirt on clearance and couldn't resist. He looooves watching Daddy work out and pretending to join in.

 What a guy with so many sisters has to put up with...actually he kind of likes all the extra attention!

 Little bath buddies

Petting Zoo

We went to a petting zoo held by FFA. The kids had a great time! And it was nice to have something to get us out of the house because Daddy came down sick yesterday morning! :/
Holding chicks is always a favorite....

This guy looooved the rabbits. He just kept petting them and really didn't want to leave.

 Pretending to drive the big tractor

 And they really got a kick out of this thing and had me take waaay too many pictures. I just included a few here.

Outdoor fun

I really enjoyed relaxing on the back porch after lunch and watching all the children (minus Allia) having fun outside together. It was great timing, too because we got a really strong cold front not too long after this photo!

Happy Baptism Day, Gloria!

Tuesdays are busy, but we squeezed in the vigil mass the night before (since Daddy was off work!), a breakfast date with Daddy, dessert after dinner and a family rosary.

That ice cream cone she is holding is from a Christmas gift from Lito and Lita. We have been making our own ice cream, and that vanilla is fabulous. It tasted like DQ soft serve, which I grew up on and really enjoy, except creamier. Yum! It was almost hard for me to share. ;)
I pray that this year will be one in which our Gloria furthers the call of her Baptism. She will be receiving the Sacrament of Reconciliation in about a month and First Holy Communion in April. Exciting!

Gloria's birthday party

We had Gloria's party yesterday. She chose an Aggie theme and just had a few friends. So it was refreshingly low key! I think I am just about partied out for a while!

We played musical chairs and hot potato with Stephen's Aggie football, then they were begging for more games...

 So we did the all-favorite freeze dance

 "Happy Birthday"

 

 The kids were all so sweet, and Gloria had a great time. She was so sweet and thankful for everything I did to make the party a fun one. That's my affirming girl!

And so our 2nd big birthday season comes to a close, and Mommy is off the hook for a while! Whew! ;)

Cute Guy

Sebastian sure gets a lot of blog space lately. Toddlers are just. so. cute.
We were playing MultiPonk on the IPad, and he starting saying, "Gravity, boom" when the gravity got us. I just had to get it on video.

He loves saying anything that involves "boom" lately. Thunder boom, helicopter boom.

He was cold the other night, so the girls had him lay down and covered him with blankets. It was so sweet the way he just laid there!

Pizza boy

Pizza is definitely one of his favorite foods, but he has never done this before. Today he licked his plate clean...after 2 pieces!

"I think I got it all, Momma. Here ya go!" ;)

Anastasia's Birthday Party

We had Anastasia's birthday party last night. She wanted a princess/Rapunzel party but had a few boys (one friend, a couple of siblings of guests and her brothers) attending. So we made it princesses and knights!

The tower was a little unstable so I took a picture of her with the cake beforehand just in case!

 It was a good thing I did because after the guests arrived and we all started visiting, this little guy snuck over to the table and helped himself! He only got the cupcakes, not the cake, luckily. But he took 3 of them!!!

We played hot potato

"Happy Birthday"

 Then a game of Freeze Dance and some dancing just for fun afterward. I kept trying to snap a picture of our Goddaughter, Monica. She looked so lovely in her Snow White dress with her crown and was dancing so sweetly. It made me smile! She, Gloria and Anastasia wore the 3 Snow White dresses that we have so they could all match. So cute!

 And gifts

We always feel so blessed to have sweet friends to celebrate with us!

Happy 8th Birthday, Gloria!

Then

Now
 She received an early morning phone call from Lita

 After waiting for almost everyone to wake up (Allia was recovering from illness so we let her sleep in), she finally opened family gifts

She was really excited about the guitar from Lito and Lita

And a cool watch from Pawpaw and Manah

We made a yummy birthday cake and were even able to make it to daily mass, minus Allia, where she received a birthday blessing. What a great way to celebrate our Gloria! 

You are such a sweet, sensitive girl with lots of ambition and a great student. I love how you are always eager to pray and lead family prayers. I am happy to see what God has in store for you this next year.

Happy 4th Birthday, Anastasia!

She enjoyed her day despite running fever! :/ She has been waiting for this day for so many months, and she was so thankful for each gift. It was really sweet!

Then (You were such a serious baby...smiles were not easy to come by. Who would have thought? Now you have such a big bright smile that you show so often!)

Now

 My Anastasia, you are such a treasure. Nobody would call you an easy child, but you are definitely a joy. You add pizzazz and energy to any situation. You are always eager to join in games and fun and of course to keep up with your older siblings, which you are very good at....quite a capable young lady. You have grown so affectionate this year, especially to Mommy and Sebastian. You have such a heart for Jesus and love being old enough for CGS atrium this year. You are and always have been my little "Montessori" child! I can't wait to see what the next year has in store for you, Anastasia!

Happy Baptism Day, Stephen!

We started the day out at Shipley's, a favorite of Stephen's, for a little celebration breakfast.

 

He got to choose dessert after dinner, and of course we lit his baptism candle and looked at his photos in his baby album. We are so thankful for this gift of Faith to celebrate with our Stephen!