House full of forts

Natalie's "fort"

Samantha's "fort"

Notice Nat's feet poking out as she was sleeping the other morning. 

If I had had any idea how small cage like enclosures would have cut down the fighting and chaos level in our house and make these kids so happy I would have had John out building actual kid cages long ago.  As it happened though, the kids built their own out of blankets, pillows, chairs, my folded up massage table and other nifty building material.  It really, really helped spring break seem a bit peaceful.  Can't say I was sad to see them taken down and cleaned up the last day but I was happy to have them filling the house until then because they made the kids hap hap happy!

Race time!

This is something that happened last week that was a pretty big deal!  The Annual Pine Wood Derby for the scouts.  The level of excitement in this room was crazy high! Spencer and all the other boys had a great time racing their cars and Spencer has ideas he is excited to try for his car next year.

Happy Birthday Natalie!

Happy Birthday to Natalie!  We celebrated her birthday Saturday.  She is turning 8!  We had a fun day, she got to take Makaylyn, and 2 new friends Gracie and Sophi with her to the movie then eat pizza and have a couple of hours to play before her grandparents and cousins came over to share the silly caterpillar cake that the four girls decorated with very little help.  I had to excersice such self control to not just decorate it myself but to let them do it.  It turned out oh so charming!  I'm glad I let them have free creativity over the project!
I so wish I had had better luck with my camera!  The decorating would have been a good time to get on film!
After cake we headed into town for the parade of Lights.  It wasn't snowing or raining this year so it was actually enjoyable!
It has been so fun to watch Natalie change and grow the past couple of years into this stlylin' little girl that she is now.  I asked her a few questions to 'capture' her personality now.

Here is Natalie's Birthday Interview:

1. favorite color:  Green

2. best friend: Makaylyn

3. favorite food: cheese

4. favorite thing to do with friends: put makeup on and do hair

5. favorite thing to do with family: put makeup on and do hair and watch movies and ride horses

6. favorite movie: "twy ieght" ( I know we should tell her it is pronounced Twilight but maybe we'll wait a few months, it is too cute.)

7. If you could do anything you wanted all day what would you do?  Eat candy and do hair and makeup with Mak and my other best friend cousin.  (Her other best friend cousin is Sydney, Nat is just not great with names:)  And make crafts and cut out pictures.

8. What do you want to be when you grow up?  A grown up.

9. What boy do you have a crush on?  NONE!! NOT ANY!!! I only like my dad thats a boy to hang out with.  And Spencer.  And sometimes David.

10. What music do you like best? The Angel songs.  (Angel of the Morning, we have a bunch of different versions!  She loves loves loves them!)

11.  What is your birthday wish?  um, um, um, Not the candle one because it won't come true but the other one is to have a sleepover with Mak at Christmas.  And see my dad more.  And get a Webskins.

Happy Birthday Natlaie!  We so love you!

How was your weekend?

This tiny collection of photos gives only a tiny teeny glimpse into the chaos and fun that our house held a couple of weekends ago!

The kids all had a lot of fun and at least one (the one who lives at our house) for sure was beat, and crashed as soon as there was a quiet moment. (Quiet moments were the one thing lacking during our busy weekend.)

Cute cute kids!

I just wanted to share a few of the pictures I took this weekend. We had a full full house for the 4 day weekend and it was crazy loud wild and fun, and I'm pretty proud of myself that amidst all the chaos I had 8 kids clean, hair combed, in clean clothes all at the same time for these pictures! It was too many kids to venture out anywhere to do pictures so I just moved all the furniture away from a wall in Spencer's room and took down all of his hunting posters for a day. I liked the lighting in that room and might have to do it again!

I have no clue how I got good pictures of all the kids but when I tried to add John and myself to the mix we had someone making faces in every picture (john):)

I'll post more later as the editing urge strikes me.

I love the ones of Mak and Natalie. 7 year old girls are so easy to get to look good!

Weekend long playdate for the whole family

A little redundant if you follow Emily's blog but here are some pictures of last weekend. We spent the weekend with Em, Nate and the kids. We had a good time and I've decided weekends are way too short!
I do want to point out the jammies, these are a few of my before Christmas-keep me oh so busy- sewing projects. All on the big side but thats better than small right? The fuzzy hats are homeade gifts from yours truley as well. I was so homemakerishly busy this holiday season! Then I went on strike, but this week I've become friends with my sewing machine once more. (pictures to come...)
Spencer said it was almost too sad to leave Marliegh (who he has nicknamed Charles......it went something like "Marliegh, Marles, Charles" and that is what stuck for him. For her sake I hope it passes and she is not known by many as Charles).
Spencer loves loves loves this baby! He informed me that when we have a baby at our house she has to be at least as cute as Marleigh. (this was after he suggested we just take Marliegh home instead of getting another baby).

a few photos from our Christmas break

It turns out while waiting for the video to load for the other post I have PLENTY of time to upload some Christmas photos. Here are a few of our billions of this years pictures!