Messy (Delicious) Christmas

In case you were wondering what it looks like to make cinnamon rolls with five kids:

OCTOBER

October came and went so quickly-- it always does; I think because it's my favorite month and there's too much we try to squeeze in.  We didn't manage to visit a pumpkin patch, carve jack-o-lanterns, have a bonfire every weekend, or make caramel apples, BUT we all went trick or treating for the first time as a family (not sure how we didn't manage it before now, eight years in) which was very exciting for the Deterding girlies.

Jane Elizabeth turned three!  More on that later.  Here is our birthday morning tradition of Carlson's donuts and gifts from our family:

That night we had friends over for a bonfire:

Jane and her little twinsie-friend, Jordan:

Halloween was an exciting day!  I went apartment-shopping with Aunt April, and then Mom Mom and Poppy came down for a birthday dinner (for Mom Mom) and then trick or treating in our friends' town home neighborhood, where you get a completely full McDonald's bucket after doing only one pass of one street.  We're all about getting the most bang for our buck.

I present to you, a pumpkin, a sheriff, a colonial girl, an explorer, and a bat.  All but the bat are courtesy of the dress-up bin in Avery's closet. Awesome.

This is sweet-- Grace bought Mom Mom a box of new, sharp, glorious, Crayola crayons because Grace remembered her mentioning that it was her favorite thing to get as a girl.

Back to School

Steve's Six Ladies!

It took many tries, but we managed to get a Mother's Day picture of me with all the mint green girlies!

Avery's Play School

Avery visited AACS's preschool class last week for a "Play School" afternoon.  Needless to say, she was extremely excited to go to school and spend an afternoon with Mrs. Schmidt.  We can't wait to be in her class for the third time,

and Avery can't wait to wear a uniform, pack a snack in her new lunch box, and carry around a "pack pack" (backpack).  For the class visit, she chose her "Awesome" outfit and requested a very specific hair do.

OINK

Last week some friends stopped by with two baby guinea hogs.  They're babysitting these orphaned piglets for a local farm, and Avery, Grace, Jane and I thought the baby animals were  awfully cute (although stinky).  Leah was not impressed and stayed indoors.

The piggies will grow up to be super-ugly hogs but for now we can appreciate their adorable little snouts and tiny hooves:

Avery's School

Avery was desperate to do her own school when Grace and Leah started theirs.  Grace and Leah kept talking up homeschool/preschool (which I did with both of them and some friends when they were three) so I figured that I'd better deliver.

Well, we've done "school" one time so far.  Avery has a big preschool activity book, and every time I tried to read her the directions or tell her that "n" is the letter "n", she'd tell me I was wrong and do it her own way!

I had a crying baby attached to me so I just let it go.  "Nn" can be "A" for a while longer.

For now I'm trying to do one fun activity with Avery every morning besides the usual play time and TV time.  Yesterday we made lemonade.  Today Aunt Amy is taking her for the morning so that counts!  Yay for Aunt Amy!

It's That Time Again

Hospital Visitors

We were moved to a corner/end of the hallway recovery room that was huge-- and a good thing, too, because on the afternoon of Evie's birthday, she had four really important visitors to host:

And both sets of Grandparents!

Fluffy hair after her bath:

Posing nicely for some pictures while we waited for discharge papers the next afternoon:

Time to head home: