Family Day!

Wow - This week flew by. The kids are winding down at school with lots of end of the year testing and activities, dance is coming to an end with the big recital coming up next weekend and the Harding - Wheelers are getting ready for summer. We haven't been to the beachouse yet this year but we are hoping to spend lots of time there this summer. Molly has a few weeks of private Irish dance classes followed by a week long "Girls Who Love to Dance" camp in July at Griffith. She could not be happier - every year for five years they post this camp at the end of the dance and every year Molly has been too young - until this year! Peter is hoping to do a camp with his BFF, Lucas, this year and we also have a few other tricks up our sleeve - they may involve a math tutor but we aren't letting on just yet!
The littles will spend the summer in the backyard under the sprinkler, in the little inflatible pool and hanging out with Mom and Dad! We have a few day trips and maybe a surprise Washington trip if I can work it out with work but otherwise we will be pretty low key for the summer because in September all 5 Harding - Wheeler's are headed for Noah Webster! It's official that we will have two girls in Pre-K 4, one in Kindergarten, 1 in 5th grade and Peter in 6th grade next year - NW watch out!

My wonderfrul husband had the opportunity to go away for the weekend with the poker guys for a few days of partying and cards but he decided to hang out with the kids and I instead! We love Bob for making that decision - we would have missed him if he was gone! Molly had lots of dance classes today so we had to squeeze a family outing in this morning. Annie has been so excited to take the other kids back to Westmoore Park - we went there with her class a few weeks agao and she loved it. Today happened to be family day there so we headed over for some awesome music, crafts, animals, planting, hula hooping and anything else you can think of. The kids loved it!

The girls ran out of ahead of us and I found them in this little train - so I sent Bob in for the camera and took a few pictures! My girls are gorgeous!

My five beautiful babies - and i almost got them all smiling!

Ellie was done but I love her little hand up by her face!

The first place Annie took us was to the horses - she loves horses and Sassafrass is very friendly. She comes to the fence so you can pet her and the kids loved her.......from a distance!

My beauties watching the horses! They put on quite a show running through the pastures and then coming to the fence to snort all over us!

Annie looked adorable and could not be happier - if we end up with a farmer amonst our brood one day - it will be Annie!

Ellie Bean loves the animals, loves the farm but hates the noises the animals make!

Molly was trying hard to get Ellie to not be afraid of the animal sounds. We find it kind of funny that the little baby sheep mewing bothers Ellie so much considering that she can bring down the entire minivan with her whining!

Annie and Daddy checking ou the baby sheep!

Once Ellie found the cows that was it! She just wanted to stay by the fence and talk and sing to the cows! It was kind of cute!

My sweet baby girl loving the cows in the pasture!

Lizzie is very much like her Mama - she enjoys animals when they bring joy to her siblings but can really do without that up close and personal smell and feel of them. She and I headed for the music ahead of everyone else - the manure smell was overpowering for us!

Molly petting Gilbert the goat!

We took a raffle chance to feed a baby goat because Annie was so excited but Lizzie was okay with checking things out from afar!

And then there's Annie - stickin her little hands in every animal stall, feeding animals and loving the smell of the farm!

Trying to get the attention of some cows!

My Ladybug - love this kid!

Ellie Bean - yes, she is back with the cows again!

Annie Bananie!

Molly is a good sport about this stuff but she is getting a little bit old for baby animals. She much preferred making butter and looking through the old books!

The geese!

Mama and her ducklings listening to some music! This was before the Harding - Wheeler's started dancing! We sure do make a scene when we dance! Especially Ellie!

My flash would not turn off but I still love the pictures - Annie was planting some Watermelon seeds that she got to take home!

Lizzie and Ellie planted big sunflower seeds!

Hula Hooping! Kids are naturals at it - not so much moms!

Molly can hula hoop like nobody's business - even with her knees!

Molly making butter - it was so cool to see and it tasted yummy on crackers after!

ONce we left the farm we headed home so MOlly could get ready for her ballet dress rehearsal - she was ecstatic! Then we headed over for a voluntary extra Irish practice - which Molly would do every day for six hours if she could! Tonight Auntie Kake was wonderful enough to watch all five kids so that Bob and I could run to dinner for a few hours! We had a great time and Auntie Kake, KK and Uncle Colin spoiled our munchkins like crazy! They came home bathed, fed and loved - what more can you ask for! Next weekend is going to be busy but fun as we finally get to see the final product of all of Annie and Molly's hard work at their recital. Then a few of the kids are marching in the Memorial Day parade before we head down to Westbrook for the picnic that we are hoping Grammy and Papa are having! To top off everyting Auntie Beth will be home for the weekend! GNM - ILY!