They Passed!!

Chelo is moving on to Level 5 next week and Crosby goes to Level 4!! We found out yesterday that Crosby would be moving to the next level. Since she is so small and Level 4 is in the deep water the instructor wanted to make sure she and I were both okay with it! She also thought that Crosby should be in Swim Club next year!! We'll see! They are having a great time with their summer activities and staying REALLY busy! Adler just finished up tennis and disc golf this week and will be doing volleyball camp in a few weeks while Chel goes to basketball camp!!
We are staying SUPER busy doing exactly what we love this summer!! Our girls like to stay busy---I wonder where they get that?!?!?!

The City Spelling Bee

I am learning to digitally edit pictures for a online blog workshop I am taking.  So I decided to play with this picture of Chelo.  It is pretty basic but fun.  What do you think???  Check out the "Before" picture below:

BTW... did you notice her teeth???  After MUCH drama (that I won't tarnish my blog with) she got them put on yesterday.  What a big week she is having!!!

She Shoots She Scores!!

Chelo has had a great basketball season this year!! She is so super tall that is is able to shoot, block, and rebound fairly easily. She is by far one of the TALLEST players in the league so it has been fun watching her develop her skills this year. She has had a lot of fun with it and really likes to play! This is a little video clip of one of her many buckets on the season...

More "As Seen on TV" Treasure!!

They're making a KILLING...I'm telling you... A KILLING selling absolute junk-o-la to people like us! We couldn't seem to get enough of the commercialized-gimmicky stuff this Christmas!!! When I saw this one at Walgreen's I just couldn't pass it up!! A Dog Snuggie!!! NO STINKIN WAY!! I was soooo pumped and immediately snagged it-originally for Bruiser, but "DUH, dc!" Doggie Snuggies come in different sizes (unlike the human one-size-fits only a giant version... contemplate that one!!). So it became Mosely's and it fits her like a fleece glove!!
And then there was Miss Chelo, who didn't give me ANY sort of a Christmas list til about a week before the big day when I was already finished shopping!!! So, with little to go on from her I had to get creative!! Every time she saw the commercial for Big Top Cupcake she would say "Mom, I want that!" So it was at Walgreen's in their As Seen on TV section where I found myself again!! (Also snagging 3 pink Kids Snuggies that my mom wanted to give to the girls!). Chel was so pumped when she opened it Christmas morning...YES!!! It is coming up with those gifts, especially the smaller ones, that make the recipient really happy that make gift-giving fun for me!!! So today we tackled the "Tie Dye" cupcake from the recipe book that was included. Who knew there were soo many ways to make GIANT cupcakes??? We divided white batter and mixed in some bright colors! It turned out to be really pretty and colorful!! I think the girls had the best time sitting and eating the leftover batter than anything!!! (which their Dad doesn't think is a good idea because of the raw egg, but I let them do it cause HEY, i'm still here after many years of batter eating!! In middle school Teresa's mom would always have cake mix so we would make one for a snack and eat it raw!! Gross or Good??? HMMM??? IDK! Both!)

Chelo pretending to take a bite of our Masterpiece!!

Crosby getting dangerously close to LICKING our cupcake!!

I think the week after Christmas is the best. No school, too cold to go outside, but TONS of fun new toys, games, and crafts to keep everyone having fun all week!! A mother's dream!! Bring on the snow cause we're not going ANYWHERE!!!!

Paisley's First Sunday

When i woke up this morning and looked at my sweet new baby girl i smiled because i am so lucky to have her--here, healthy, and wonderful. After talking to her for a minute we realized that today is soo special b/c it is the first Sunday of her whole life! :)

She has slept most of the day today so mommy, daddy, karagirl, and her sissies haven gotten lots of cuddle time in with her. I KNOW how fast this time goes when they are tiny babies so i am really trying to take in every minute!

Big Girl's Last Soccer Game

These picks came out a little dark (something my sweet camera does at dusk). Monday night was the girls last soccer game of the season. They won 1-0 and both of our girls played hard as usual. It is so cool to watch them play. The field is HUGE and they really have to work hard out there to make things happen. I think Adler and Chelo each had 3 goals for the season which is FABULOUS especially since most games only have 2 or 3 goals scored total! I also think it is so good for them exercise wise because they do so much running...this sport is definitely not for every girl...only the toughies!!

Happy 10th Birthday Chelo!!!!

Today is our sweet girl's 10th birthday!!! She has grown so much in the past year!! Really! She is sooo tall and she is wearing a 7-7 1/2 size shoes! In the 4th grade and she is a Curtis!

Adler had gone shopping a couple of weeks ago for Chelo's birthday and she was so excited to give her the presents she had picked out! The girls jumped out of bed to watch her open her presents. Adler got her some funny stretchy body parts and a Planet Earth Elephant and DVD.

She loved her gifts and was ready to have a great day as a 10-year-old!!!

Sisters AND Best Friends!!

We found these shirts in Kansas City. The pink part is all sparkly and just so darn cute. They didn't even have to talk dad into getting them. They just showed the shirts to him and he was immediately putting them into the cart--right sizes and all!! I love these two little girls together. They get along so well and just do everything together--they even decided to share a room a few months ago!! Chelo shows so much patience with her little sister and Crosby is her happiest when they are together. They play outside together for hours on end and then when it gets dark they move their games inside. Right now their fave outside activity is kickball and inside they play school. Crosby is always the student and Chelo is the teacher. Chel makes worksheets for Crosby and then grades them---FOR HOURS!!! They also do reading time, recess, field trips, and snacks. I can get a lot done during these times without having to worry about breaking up fights!!! It is soo nice!! I often wonder if baby girl will take after them so much too... they look so much alike and are just all around great kids. I can only be sooo lucky!!!

Daddy's Girl

One thing I have learned about having daughters is that they SURE do love their Daddy!!! I FINALLY went grocery shopping today (the family was starting to wonder if I would ever do that again!!!) so we had a ton of choices. We decided to have french toast and bacon or "night breakfast" as Crosby calls it!!! Heath decided to "man" the french toast making. Which turned out to be a great idea cause when he came in and asked me if we have any vanilla and nutmeg I literally fell onto the floor laughing!!! If you know me you KNOW why this is soooo funny!!! We did have some vanilla but NUTMEG!?!?!? What in the world do you use nutmeg for???? besides apparently french toast!! I couldn't stop laughing...do we have any nutmeg??? So after walking away from my hysterics he decided to handle it himself and when I came in to check progress... okay to sneak some bacon!!!... this is what I saw. This is not posed for the camera, they really are this cute together!!!

Heath and his mini me #1 did a great job... the french toast was EXCELLENT even if it was lacking nutmeg!!!

Chelo and Crosby were eating lunch outside today and I went out to check on them. When I did it looked like Crosby hadn't even touched her food and when I asked her if she'd even taken a single bite yet she said, "No, I was just enjoying the relaxing breeze!" How can I do anything but smile at that?!?!? I have always heard that your little one is the comedian and that is the truth! All three of the girls are really funny but Crosby definitely has that quick wit! I can't wait to see how funny new baby girl is going to be!

Another Wonderfully Busy Weekend Wrap UP!!

We started out the weekend with a family cookout and birthday party for Miss Adler. It stormed some but we stayed nice and dry---adults on the screen porch and kiddos inside!!! She also had Bri, Taylor, and Natalie spend the night so that was fun for her. After the cookout she opened her presents and the girls did make overs before going to bed. Saturday morning the girls got up bright and early (about 7:30am). I am going to have to start wearing ear plugs! I never really get to sleep-in anymore. Since the big girls can help Crosby get breakfast I don't have to get up so early with them but it isn't that nice late sleep I would like. Crosby had her last soccer game at 9am so we loaded up and went to that.

GO GOALIE!!

She works so hard out there--it is so fun to watch her!

The big girls had their last game at 10:30am. Adler scored her first goal on the GIGANTIC outdoor field. She is having a great year athletically. Her hard work is paying off!! Our girl Chelo has had several goals on the season--she is a fantastic forward. I love watching the two of them working so hard together out on the field! After the games I ran to the Rec Center for Summer activity sign ups. I put the girls in swimming lessons only this summer. Since the big girls are so busy with softball I figured that would be plenty. Crosby is VERY excited about swimming lessons!! I actually like them too, I either go for a run around island park or relax and read a magazine during that 30 minutes, so it works out perfectly! After lunch I got dressed and traveled to Belle Plaine for our high school graduation. This time of year is always surreal for me. It hasn't really sank in that school is almost out for the summer!!! This time next week I will be at home with my girlies for 3 months!! YEA!

After the ceremony I went to Georgia's graduation party. They had BBQ catered and cake! A pregnant ladies heaven!! After that I headed home exhausted!!

When I got home Hubby was planting vegetables (tomatoes, onions, cilantro, squash, bell peppers, and watermelon) in our garden. He has done all of the planting this year. Even though I LOVE planting flowers in the Spring I just haven't had the energy. That is a Supa-bummer about being pregnant.... for me even the things I normally enjoy/look forward to just seem like a lot of work!! When I got home and saw him working away I got in the mood too and starting cleaning and doing some things on the porches.

Sunday the girls got up early again, of course, but I managed to stay in bed til 9:00! SWEET! I think I finally got up because Adler and Crosby were YELLING at each other. I think Crosby's leg was touching Adler.... remember those days Brother??? :) Our poor mother!! Those two drive me crazy with their constant bickering- this summer I am going to get them straightened out!! :)) Super Nanny to the rescue! As soon as Heath got home from work we headed to AC. My mom had some plants for us so we went out to see her for a little bit then it was off to the park for our niece Katie's 2nd Birthday party! The weather was beautiful and Crosby had a great time playing in the park with her cousins...

Happy 2nd Birthday Kaitlinn!!!!!

After the party we went home (with a quick pit stop at Taco Tico in Ark City!!) and Heath set up the pool. The girls got in and slid around for a little while. It didn't take Crosby long before she was FREEZING though!

It will take a couple of days to fill it (it is 4,500 gallons), but I am sure that it won't take long for the girls to be braving the cold and diving right in!!!

Chelo's School Open House

Our girl Chel had an Open House at her school last night so Adler, Chelo, and I went to that (Daddy and Crosby were at her soccer practice). It was fun to see her classrooms and talk to her teacher (they also had pizza and cookies so the girls were STOKED about that!) Chelo goes to Trinity Luthren School here in Winfield (yes I have 4 daughters at 4 different schools!!! good times for their dad who has to get them all around in the mornings!!) RM and I think that you should get a certain number of excused tardies each semester based on the number of kids you have!! Wouldn't that be SWEETNESS?!?!

Here is Cho Rose at her desk on the Front Row!! Way to make a teacher mommy proud!!! ;)

This is Chel with her SUPER sweet teacher Cami Moore. There are over 20 first, second and third graders in Chelo's class.