7 kids under one roof

Three friends plus our four kids under one roof. I wondered how it would go with that many kids, if the three different sets of kids would get along. I shouldn't have worried. They kept themselves busy enough that it just might have been easier having the three extra kids.

Henry had said that I don't do enough crafts with him, so I pulled out my reserves and let them have at it...Bendaroos, Paperoni, Suncatchers...you name it, they did it.

One more day of playdates, and then it'll be time to focus on Evan's birthday and Thanksgiving. :)

What a weekend!

We've decluttered and cleaned, grocery shopped (Thanksgiving and filling the pantry) and birthday shopped (Evan), Christmas shopped, planned, laundered, and vaccinated. We've also camped, played with friends, read, did a boy scout service project, played video games, painted nails, board games and football, created some masterpieces,

and built tall skyscrapers. (Note: Will and Seth built this one all the way up to the ceiling!)It was a weekend that was exceedingly full of both work and fun. I am feeling very tired, but also very blessed and content right now. :)

What are the chances...

that these kids get any kind of quality sleep tonight?

It seems a little "iffy" to me. We invited Henry and Seth's friends, Dylan and Will, over for a sleepover/campout tonight. They've been having a fabulous time of playing Ghost in the Graveyard and video games, as well as watching the movie UP. Right now, as I blog, they are in our backyard (with Dave), all bundled up in their tents. I can hear them through the window, laughing and telling ghost stories.

Well, at least they don't have school tomorrow! :)Huge kudos to Dave for camping out with the kids tonight. I've said it before, and I'll say it again...He's a good dad.

Pow Wow Day and H1N1 shots

The kindergarteners at our school celebrate the last day of school before Thanksgiving with a Native American Pow Wow. Caroline made her own vest, head dress, necklace and drum at school today, and happily came home to model it for me.

Seriously, it was just yesterday when Henry was in Kindergarten and did the same thing! (I couldn't find my picture of Seth.)After the kids got home from school, we celebrated the first day of Thanksgiving break with a playdate, pizza and ice cream sandwiches. We then headed over to get our H1N1 shots, because, really, what says celebration more than getting shots, huh?!

The kids were all anxious about getting them, especially Henry. It was surprising that he was the most anxious, considering the fact that he has gotten 3 allergy shots a week for the past year. You'd think that he would have been the most relaxed about it. It seems that one of his friends told him that the shots were about an inch long, and REALLY HURT. You can imagine Henry's relief when the nurse told the kids that they could get the nasal mist instead of the shot. Seth, Caroline and Evan received theirs, and then it was Henry's turn. You can imagine his renewed anxiety and anguish when the nurse told him that because he gets allergy shots, he could not get the nasal mist. It was back to the shot. Poor, poor kid.

When it was all said and done, Henry said that it wasn't that bad, except for the fact that tomorrow is Saturday. He can't tell all his friends about his HUGE shot (which really was only a measly 1/2 long). :)

Caroline's Door

Last night, when we were putting the kids to bed, I noticed a couple things on Caroline's door...
The snowflake: She had just learned how to make snowflakes all by herself, and the speed that she was making them was seriously comparable to Will Farrell snowflake-making speed in Elf. :)

The sign: (Click on the picture if you'd like to see it bigger.) It reads "DOO NOT ETR!" (I love the way she spells things!) I believe she was trying to keep her brothers out of her room. Being so outnumbered with her male siblings, I don't blame her for wanting to have her room be a private retreat.

That's it for tonight...I'm off to catch up on my sleep

An Act of War

Apparently, according to Evan, putting on oven mitts is an act of war. Dave did just that when he took our baked spaghetti out of the oven tonight.

Evan had no choice. He readied himself for battle by suiting up with a pair of oven mitts himself.

The battle began with Dave outnumbered two to one. Caroline fought alongside her brother.

Weapons raised...

Ooooohhhh...a hit and a miss...
Dave was taking a beating......held his own at times...

...but, in the end, had to raise the "white flag." The key to the kids' victory? Evan fought two oven mitts, while Dave only fought with one.

"Enjoying" a Root Beer Float

Evan really liked his root beer float, although you wouldn't know it from these pictures! They made me giggle. :)

Pull-Ups and Bendaroos

I was in the laundry room trying to keep my cool. I had just found a pull-up diaper in the washing machine. (As you might imagine, they do not wash well.) They must have been stuck in Evan's pajamas from the night before. Not, not, NOT good. As I stood there figuring out how in the world I was going to clean it up, Caroline ran up to me seriously SHAKING with excitement. I worried there was something wrong.

"MOM, YOU WON'T BELIEVE THIS...OUR BENDAROOS STICK TO THE WALLS!!! WE'RE MAKING PICTURES, AND THIS IS THE BEST TOY EVER!" (There is no doubt that this girl has enthusiasm.)

For those of you unfamiliar with the best toy ever, Bendaroos are "super strong string covered with colorful, bendable wax." And seeing that the kids all played with them for a good long time while I contended with the washing machine mess, I highly recommend them. :)