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.

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!

Christ is Risen, He is Risen Indeed!

Happy Easter Sunday to our family and friends!

Sometimes you can only do so much when trying to get a photo of four little kids:

Easter baskets:

Poor Grace couldn't find her basket.  If the playroom wasn't so messy it might have been easier!  

The Children are Nestled all Snug in their Beds...

… wearing their matching Christmas pajamas, of course!

Happy Resurrection Day!

Independence Day '12

We decided to go to the morning parade in Towson this year.  It turned out better than we had hoped-- a shady, grassy place to watch the parade...

...time before the parade began to ride scooters in the street...

...news that a man was trying to set a new Guiness World Record for the most people blowing bubbles at one time, and all parade-goers got to participate in the attempt (no word yet if we were successful)...

... and a whole bunch of marching dogs!  Avery LOVES dogs, can you see her little lips making a doggie sound in this picture?

Steve had to hold her back; she was ready to join the pooches...

We made sure to wave our flags when the Fire Department began to march by...

Then we stopped by Station 8 to visit Lieutenant Poppy with our lunch...

Our visit was cut short, though.  Duty called...

We finished up the day with a nap and a swim in our new big swimming pool with cousins!  Then Grace and Leah and Steve went to see the Annapolis fireworks.

4 Months

It's time to start the belly shots again!  Month three is when we usually begin documenting the expansion of my midsection, but somehow April got away from us and before I knew it I was quickly approaching Week 18 with baby four.

Steve took the photo at our Mothers Day picnic tonight. He tells me that this is how the picnic at the park came to be:

Steve:  What should we do with Mom for Mother's Day?
Grace:  I know!  We should go to the park!
Steve:  Is that something YOU want to do, or do you think MOMMY would like to do that?
Grace:  Mommy.
Steve:  What do you think Mommy would want to do there?
Grace:  Sit on a bench.
Steve: And do what?
Grace: KISS YOU!

Well, not being fans of too much PDA and having lots of little people to chase after, Steve and I didn't have the chance to get cosy on a park bench. But it was a fun way to spend the end of the day with all the girls!  Thanks for the suggestion, Grace~

p.s. 4-month bellies of the past to be compared here, here, and here.