March 2011 Memories

Life has been so hectic lately! We're in our last month of rehearsals, costume-making, finding a location and general STRESS of putting on a Shakespeare play. (We'll be performing "A Comedy of Errors" on May 6th and 7th, location TBA. Anyone got a great location suggestion???)

Anyway, I realize it's been forever since I posted last, so I just thought I'd share some pictures of all the recent goings-on in our family. We love and miss all our friends and family-- I promise we'll be back in touch AFTER May 7th.

*grin*

Avalon "driving" her big brother, Lliam

March has been filled with family fun! We had fun places to go, and wonderful people to see.

Dad Russell and Cub Scout Gavin

One of the first events of the month was Gavin's final Pine Wood Derby of his Cub Scouting career.

 

We took the whole gang, and everybody had a fun time...

... EXCEPT Gavin, poor guy. He was really sad that his car didn't do better. But his car was probably the coolest-looking one there! It was silver with gold trim, and it had its name "The Ride of Sauron" painted down the sides. Lliam helped him paint the eye of Sauron on the top, and we decorated the rest of it with elvish and dwarvish runes. :-D

Yes, we are one of "those" families!

 

Brennan keeps practicing his music like crazy, and composes new pieces all the time. I've decided it's about time he has a different piano mentor other than me, so I'm on the hunt for a good one that doesn't charge too much. (Is there such a thing?) If you know of any in my area, please let me know.

Bonny and Morganne showing off their new creations: chocolate cookies with green mint icing.

We had a fun St. Paddy's Day at our house-- for some reason, we just love to do that holiday up big. We watched "Darby O'Gill and the Little People", and during that week also managed to watch "The Quiet Man" and "The Secret of Roan Inish". We also had our traditional (though not really Irish) feast of corned beef with cabbage, red potatoes, and green beans. I didn't cook the corned beef long enough, so it was not very good.

Russell attended "Drupal Con" in Chicago this year, and had a great time in the windy city. (I, however, did not envy him ONE bit! I was happy to stay here in my lovely Arizona!) For pictures of his trip, check out his Facebook picture album.

And THEN...

Aunt Abby knows how to have fun at our house!

AUNT ABBY CAME!!!!!!

Every March, Russell and I, and sometimes the big kids, travel up to Salt Lake City for the biggest TJEd (Thomas Jefferson Education) event in all the world! I've been blessed to teach a class at the TJEd Forum for a few years now, so we get to go to classes, drool over books to buy, and socialize with all our TJEd friends from all over the US and Canada. It's so wonderful!!!

And each year, our sweet Abby has come to babysit the younger kids. They ALL look forward to it!

Three Adorable Girls!

Abby is the funnest aunt! She brings them fun things to do, and plays with them all day. She is so amazing to be willing to spend her Spring Break with eleven kids, but they all love her. She's a rock star at our house!

Happy Birthday, Gavin!

This year and last, the TJEd Forum fell on the same weekend as Gavin's birthday. I worried about it until he informed me that having Aunt Abby here is the best present he can have! This year, Abby brought him a bunch of squirt guns and they had a full day of playing outside in the water. Abby also gave Gavin a supply of chocolate for a present. As you can see, he LOVED it!

Always busy Dierdre and Ronan

For most of the month, life was pretty slow-paced. The weather has been gorgeous, so I've been encouraging the kids to be outside as much as possible before the heat sets in. We do most of our heavy studying in the summer here, because the kids can't be outside much by the time May rolls around, and then things don't cool off again until Halloween. (I feel sorry for the kids in public school classes who have to be sitting inside during all the gorgeous winter and spring days. They really should fix that down here!)

Is this a cute face, or what?!

Eryn is growing all too fast for me. In fact, she finally, after a month of pure crankiness, sprouted her fourth tooth; now she's got two on top, and two on bottom! She has finally earned the official title of "Snaggletooth."

Our  Miss Millie (as I often call her) is standing up to things, crawling like a pro, and the kids take her by the hands to walk her all over the house. She's even starting to get into really fun things like the toilet water and the garbage can. *sigh*

Cruel and unusual punishment

Recently, I've been trying much harder to get more vegetables in our family's diet. I've been reading the book "The Green Smoothie Diet", and it has given me some great ideas about getting my kids to eat greens. I or Russell make a green smoothie each morning, and the kids all beg me for what's left. (Begging for spinach?! Yes! It works!!!) I also instituted a green salad requirement each night for dinner. Most of the kids are fine with it, even Brennan-the-picky-eater. But as you can see in the picture above, Grayse is not yet a fan. We'll get her there!

Caught in the act!

Ronan has been mastering the art of teasing his sisters, and I must say, he is really excelling in that area. In the picture above, he is showing off his skill at dropping ice down his sister's shirt. (Access to evidence is the real reason I let the kids use the digital camera!)

Baby!

Eryn, on the other hand, is a champion at finger-sucking. She really practiced a lot while she was teething.

Sleeping Beauties

While Russell was away in Chicago, I was busy for a while, sitting at his laptop, and found three little girls zonked out on my bed. Aren't they so cute?

I hope this post finds you all well and happy, and on the right path. Best wishes for a Happy April!!!

Love,
Rachel