Weekend Fun

We had a great weekend with the Harding kids this weekend! Pat and Karla got a much needed vacation away and we got to enjoy our nieces and nephews all weekend. It was kind of low key - not a whole lot going on and not enough room in the mini-van to go anywere so we walked to the park, had lots of baking sessions and watched the UCONN games. The Harding kids were incredibly good for us - they knew we were seriously outnumbered and Grammy and Papa took turns having kids over at their house. It was a great weekend!

This is our two boys getting ready to head out to Grammy and Papa's for a sleepover!

These boys could not have been happier to get out of the house and away from all of their sisters! Grammy and Papa said they were perfect and I would have to believe it because they were angels when they were here!

Molly and Abby had dance from 6-7:30 so we dropped them off and then stopped for ice cream on the way home. These girls are best friends and don't need anything but their voices to entertain them - they literally sing ALL the time!

Annie and Katie are adorable together. It gets a little hard when Ellie and Lizzie want to join in the fun but these two girls took care of their babies like perfect little Mamas all weekend.

Lizzie and Bob made cupcakes and the girls loved decorating them with frosting and shots!

My sweet Katie loving her Valentine's Day cupcakes.

Lizzie is trying out MOlly's hat while eating her "pupcake"! I make her say that word 20 times because I think it is so cute!

Annie Bananie - she started feeling a bit under the weather on Saturday but she was a trooper!

We ended up taking her into the doctor today and she has pnemonia and two ear infections. You would never know it because she never complains but the doctor said she is a pretty sick little munchkin! We have 24 hours to see some change in her fever and symptoms and then we need to head in to the hospital because she is not filling up her little lungs with air. The doctor said she would have sent anyone else to the hospital today but since we are so experienced and such good parents we could wait and see if there is a change - I should feel good about that but I don't - my baby is just laying on the couch - too weak to move or eat! We did a family prayer circle around her tonight so here's hoping that she starts healing very soon!

My Ellie Bean - she is such a happy girl - especially when she is included in all of the fun stuff that the big kids are doing!

Silly girls ready for bed! Katie was so great - we thought she might be nervous or miss her parents but she didn't want to leave when the weekend was over.

Annie adores Katie - I hope they stay as close as they are!

So we have a full size bed, a twin bed on top and a trundle underneath for guests but guess where everyone ended up sleeping - in the trundle twin bed that we set up for Katie! It was actually really cute - everyone brushed their teeth and then ran into the bed so we couldn't say no!

Katie was so happy to be sleeping over in the bed that was designated for her from the moment we got our new bunk beds!

I'm not sure but I think Annie was having fun at her sleepover! Bob was in the room with them for an hour telling stories - I thought it was really sweet until Katie informed me that most of them had to do with poop and gas! Typical man getting laughs any way he can!

Ellie Bean - we made room for her on the trundle but she wanted no part of it - she loves her bunk bed and being right where she is every single night.

My beautiful baby girl - I could eat her up with that sly little smile!

Annie had a birthday party on Saturday for her friend Helena. It was a princess party so she dressed up in her Belle costume. She was very quiet at the party and it turns out that she was not feeling well at all! Poor baby did her best but she really struggled!

Annie and her princess friends!

Annie after her princess makeover - this girl melts my heart!

Helena's mom is Kara Sundlin from Channel 3 - Better Connecticut. For the weeks leading up to Helena's party she had all sorts of people on her show that could teach her cool things to do for the princess party! This was the chocolate make-up snacks - the girls thought they were great!

Hopefully Annie is on the mend because this weekend is Bob and my turn to go away for the weekend. Pat and Karla came back feeling refreshed because there is very little to do where they stayed - we are staying in the same place so hopefully Bob and I will get some reading done and come back equally as relaxed!

GNM - ILY!

KK stopped over for some family fun the night before Valentine's Day - once the kids were in bed we got to gab all night and catch up! It was perfect!

The table was all set for the kids when they woke up on Valentine's Day morning. Daddy bought the three little girls a rose for the first time and Molly got a whole bouquet since she is the oldest! Molly immediately put hers in a vase and put them in her room so she can enjoy them all the time!

I couldn't resist taking a picture of the notes that Bob wrote for the girls! To some they might seem trivial or dumb but I love that Bob took the time to write out a note for each girl and they all loved them!

Annie loved her giant Hershey's Kiss! Who wouldn't love a giant Hershey's Kiss for breakfast! 

Molly girl enjoying her goodies!

I look for things for Valentine's throughout the year to save money so the little boxes of candy are from last March! Sounds awful but not one kid complained when they ate them!

Lizzie loved her new Dora book!

Peter Westley - he will always be my Valentine!

Lizzie immediately did her puzzle and her sisters!

Annie Bananie was seeing what she might look like with long red hair!

My little angel - those blue eyes do me in every single time!

Meghan surprised us by stopping over early on Valentine's Day morning with treats for her goddaughter and a special treat for me! Okay - Brendan and Lila were the BEST treat but they even brought more!

My favorite Brendan look !

Lila is less than cooperative these days but Auntie keeps trying to get a picture!

My Amazing Valentine's breakfast! I am SO spoiled!

Lila giving Auntie kisses! Love that girl!

Only Brendan could get me to share my chocolate covered strawberries! 

Chocolate face - I want to eat her up!

Lila loves this ride on toy - I love Lady Li and her big blue eyes!

Brendan is a prodigy with the piano - seriously, a genius!

Sweet Brendan smiles!

Big smiles for Auntie - he made my day!

Auntie Eileen and her goddaughter sharing some snuggles on Valentine's Day!

We had a perfect Valentine's Day with visits from some of our favorite people and a dinner date for Bob and I! Auntie Kate watched the kids for us so Bob and I could go out alone!

Annie had a dentist appointment this week and we got some bad news - nothing we can't handle but a little stressful right now as we try to work out the details. Annie has 8 cavities and five of them need root canals - in order to do the work they need to do without putting Annie through 11 visits to the dentist and sedating her they are going to do the work at CCMC. She will be sedated with general anesthesia for a few hours and they will do all of the dental work at the same time. We were originally skeptical about doing it since they are baby teeth but Annie is only four and that means her baby teeth could potentially hang around for another 6-8 years! April 11th is the big day and Annie is excited to go to the hospital where she got her broken arm fixed! The other news we were given is that Annie's cavities are abnormal and not from food or not brushing - unforuntaley there is a chance that the dental issues are a result of a medication I took during pregnancy! Obviously, Lizzie is getting checked out as soon as possible but in the mean time we are using special toothpaste and taking good care of Annie until everything gets fixed! A few prayers on April 11th would be very welcome for our little munchkin - she is so sweet and positive about everything!

GNM - ILY!

What is LOVE?

For Peter love is a game of "31" with his Dad! These two could play all day and they get very competetive. I love to be just out of the room so Bob and Peter think they are alone - that way I hear the "guy" talk and silliness but don't cramp their style.

Peter also thinks that love is having all seven of us home and watching TV( his true first love!) in the living room and knowing that no one has anywhere to be. That's our little homebody!

For Molly love is a day alone at Grammy and Papa's. She spends Mondays with Grammy doing her homework after school and has learned to appreciate the quiet and attention. She also loves how Grammy smells - "even her breath is sweet!" Wait till Grammy hears that one!

Molly also loves craft days when it snows - that's when she feels like a good big sister who can show off how old she is and how much she loves her sisters! This picture is a typical Saturday morning in our house - Molly has her easel out, Annie is coloring or drawing and the boys are playing cards.

Annie feels the most love when she gets her Mommy-Daddy group hug in the morning. She feels loved when Grammy counts her freckles, when Molly puts her make-up on and when Uncle Pat calls her cutie - pie! Annie was surprisingly in tune to what I was asking her  - she feels loved when she sleeps at her BFF's (no name needed anymore - it's KK!) and our house would be perfect if Lila and Brendan  could live here!

Lizzie and Ellie did not participate in our little project about love but, as you can clearly see, they LOVE being on Daddy's lap! They also love each other and any game that involves building forts or getting dirty! Lizzie and Ellie love their older siblings - especially when they are getting extra attention from one of them. It doesn't take much!

Daddy's girls!

For me - love is these bright, beautiful faces posing for a picture before we all head off to church together. Love is looking over at the kids during mass and finding Ellie and Annie holding hands and Molly sitting with Lizzie on her lap. Love is Bob looking over at me and laughing during mass when the priest asks what we are going to do with that free fifteen minutes at the end of the day today! He wants us to pray for peace - we're pretty sure we'd fall asleep. Love is knowing that at the end of each day I fall into bed, exhausted and spent with a man who thinks that I am more beautiful each day and more worth the trouble I can cause each minute we spend together!

Love is Annie's tiny hand holding mine while we read a story. Love is Molly wondering if I ever feel bad for people who don't have a house as beautiful as ours as we trudge through dirty clothes and toys to get to the kitchen. Love is listening to all five kids squeal with joy when we announce donuts for breakfast on a Sunday morning. Love is Peter running back into the house when he forgets to kiss me goodbye, Lizzie begging for just one more hug before bed, Ellie yelling "I dove you" ten times to us before she goes to bed. Love is Molly and Annie making cards before bed and placing them gently on our pillows so we will find them when we go to bed at night!

Love is never having a sister but getting to watch my four girls form the lasting bonds that only sisters can possess. Love is hearing Molly tell people that the best thing about being a big sister is that her little sisters want to do everything she does all the time.

Love is dance costumes, frilly skirts, hair bows, dresses, ribbons, tights, party shoes, Someone Special dances, butterflies, flowers, hearts and peace signs. Love is being a mom to four amazing daughters!

Love is the friendship between Peter and Molly that is finally developing after 9 years. Love is the secrets they share and the laughter we hear filter down the stairs late into the night.

Love is when the big kids plot against us to get something! Love is knowing that Peter will protect Molly from anything and that that they will always have each other - no matter what!

Love is the smiles! Knowing that no matter how hard things get or how much we struggle - at the end of the day we can laugh, smile and know that we all belong right here in this home with each other.

Love is 7 people knowing they are cared for, cherished and adored by each other!

This post is a little hokey but it's true! We are so lucky - so blessed to be together and what better day to celebrate that than Valentine's Day! There will be flowers and candy and even a special breakfast of heart shaped pancakes but in the end it's just another reason to say I love you!

GNM - ILY!