On a roll!

My third post in one day...courtesy of Kate and Addison being sick and home from Church........

 An old picture from when I let Bailey, Emma and Nathan ride together to Tower Market. Ben happened to take this picture when he passed them on his way home.

 Kate's wild and crazy hair got chopped.

 Emma and her Friend, Kirby. They made cupcakes and frosted them over Christmas break. They then thought it would be a good idea to post flyers all over the neighborhood with my cell phone number on it advertising cupcakes for sale. One I found out, they quickly took them down.

 Ben's handiwork. We love creating storage in our house.

 And I am the best wife ever...making a pie I will never eat. My first ever berry pie! Apparently it was AMAZING. Thank you, Sunset magazine.

 Addison needed some cuddling.

 Nathan needed to show off and be silly.

 The twins needed to tell themselves they are beautiful.

 And the three of us needed to kill time waiting for school to start.

 Every year on the hundredth day of school, I make special shirts to commemorate.

 They loved them!

 The kids learned a great lesson about fasting and prayer. Last Sunday, the members in our entire state of California were asked to have a special day of fasting and prayer for rain. It's been pouring:) Emma asked if every rain drop represented one person who prayed and fasted for rain. I told her there was probably a lot more rain than that but it was a sweet way to look at it. The twins only understand that now they get to wear their rain boots.

 In addition to being on the Principal's Honor roll, Bailey also received the Mission Award for Science. Each teacher gets to pick two students who they feel excelled in their class and Bailey was picked by his science teacher.

 I showed Nathan how to borrow library books for his kindle.  He's trying to be quite the reader, even though most of it is just being like his big brother and sister.

The Shoffice

 Last month we had a new addition put in our backyard! Quite a while ago, our friend who used to live across the street mentioned shed offices. It was a funny idea at first and she may or may not have been made fun of when I first mentioned the idea to Ben...

But we looked into it later and it was the best way to add space to our house. It will eventually have electricity and be finished on the inside, and also painted to match our house.

Emma likes to call it the Offed. I call it the Shoffice. Kate calls it the Shoffed.

We should probably just have normal words for things:)

60 and 7!

 I only took one picture of Leslie's 60th surprise birthday party at our house but it was of the trifle (which is the most important picture, right?)

We had a great time celebrating and even managed to surprise her even if she might have known something was up :) The out of state family skyped and face timed in so we pretended they were all here. It was the only way they would really all fit in my house!

 A few days later, Nathan turned 7. We had a little get together at Leatherby's and watched the most expressive kid ever open his presents.

As part of our present, he got to go to ArenaCross last night with Ben. The huge grin didn't go away the whole time. Part of the tickets was to be able to go down and walk the track and meet the riders. He went up to all of them and nicely asked if they would sign his pictures then shook their hand. Apparently they all thought he was a cute little thing (who doesn't?!)

Take that!

When Bailey was three years old, he was diagnosed with severe developmental delays. His academic stats ranked as mentally retarded. Really not the news that you really want to hear as a parent, especially with your first born. Thankfully, we found Bailey a great school at MMCA. He progressed a lot and worked really hard but I always wondered how he would do outside of his little Montessori bubble. This year, we moved him, mostly at his request to try something new to another charter school that focuses a lot on academics. First semester grades were just posted and that kid got a stinking 4.0! He works really hard and we are very proud, which of course means it must be documented:)

The End!

It's really the beginning of the year, but this post should close out all of the pictures I need to include. It's been an interesting year to say the least. Above is our girls trip out shopping to get Christmas decorations. As crazy as these girls are, it's fun having ones that love everything girly. Their enthusiasm for even the smallest things in life is quite funny and makes me enjoy even more doing things for them.

Lately, I have been able to bribe the older two to rub my back and get the knots out. They are pretty cheap labor and do a great job.

Krispy Kreme report card doughnuts for the older three! Emma was mad about something in this picture but I don't remember what:)

Thanksgiving morning we went to Nana and Grandpa Scott's house for breakfast. These are the Pinterest inspired snowmen she made for them. I think they turned out super cute and the kids loved them.

Emma and I that morning. We watched the Macy's parade on t.v which I can't remember ever doing. It actually wasn't too bad, even if we just all made fun of everything the whole time.

For actual dinner that day, Pops, Grandma Mo, and the Well family came to our house for dinner. Although, I didn't have to cook anything but the mac n'cheese! Here is the kids table (minus Bailey who I didn't make pose for the picture)

Every Monday morning, our day starts about an hour earlier than Tuesday-Friday. The twins start school early which means we have to get up to Auburn before we even normally would leave. These kids are troopers, and we have only minimal screaming and shouting (usually...)

Ben made these really cool terrariums from random supplies. They don't have to be watered and just sit and look pretty.

This was a big birthday year for Kate and Addison. In our house, you only get a big friend party at 5, 8, 12 and 16. This was their first year having one and they have been planning it since they were 4. So, off we went to Chuck E. Cheese!

Lauren, Maddie and Lily from school

Chuck E. coming over to say hi

The girls had the greatest time and got a ton of tickets.

Blowing out the candles for their fifth year of life. They kept saying over and over how this was their best birthday ever.

We are preparing to go to the snow this month, and I found a great deal on some snow clothes for Nathan. He's got some serious muscles going on.

In Pacific Grove at Ben's work Christmas party weekend.

The girl's came home from staying with Grandma and Boppa while we were away with Santa hats. I think they wore them every day to school until break started.

Nathan and Bailey came home with these hats. Nathan also wore his every day. Bailey almost did but changed his mind last minute:)

The girls were in a small Christmas show at their school.

Their teacher, Mrs. Gallo and her daughter.

Addison sang like a champ and loved every minute of it.

Kate...did not.

It's always funny for me holding babies when it has been so long since I've had one. But it kicks back in quickly and I got this little girl to sleep pretty easily.

On their actual birthday morning, ready to open up a present from Nana

Modeling the present.

Again, this year Melanie invited us up to make gingerbread houses.

Emma had a lead role in her class play about recycle and the environment and a bunch of other junk like that... :)

I think I almost cried laughing so hard as the kids sang about not driving big SUV's, while mine was waiting in the parking lot (along with about another dozen or so of the parents in the class, many of which who don't even fill it up with kids like I do)

Random picture of Nathan. Sometime he can just make you smile.

On December 21, Emma turned double digits!

We celebrated with a joint twin party at our house with family.

Christmas Eve in pajamas from Nana. They are all saying Merry Christmas!

Christmas morning. I made the kids wait in the hall while I took pictures of what Santa had done the night before.

All ready for the attack that is about to happen.

Nathan jumping up and down when he got a kindle. I video taped it just so we could watch it again, he was SO excited. Bailey and Emma didn't realize they were getting one too and it was a little funny to see their faces when they thought just Nathan got one.

Pops and Grandma Mo got Bailey his first rifle. He was really excited, as you can tell by the actual smile on his face.

Later that day we went to Grandma and Boppa's for Christmas dinner. I drew Curtis' name for a present and got him this Dr. Who hat, which to Laurie's dismay he vowed to wear all the time.

Random not from Nathan. Some serious brownie points here.

Kate and Addison in their new boots from Pops and Grandma Mo. They wore them to Church this last Sunday. 

I'm grateful to start a new year and see what it has in store for us!