Jump rope camp!

We spent every morning last week going to jump rope camp.  The kids had done a jump rope camp last year and really enjoyed it.  Our piano teacher planed this camp for during her spring break.

It was great to see how much they had improved since last year.

I loved getting to see them play with friends that they had not seen in a while.

We even got to spend some time with some friends that were visiting from CA!

*A special thank you to Babysitter J who took 7 kids to jump rope camp one day while I took Rob to get his knee scoped (scar tissue needed to be cleaned out).  What a blessing to have such a wonderful friend/babysitter!

He pulled her tooth!

Miss J has been working on loosing her first tooth for a while.  She was having us check it regularly to see if it was ready.  One evening it felt like it was ready, but after both mom and dad gave it a try we figured it needed another day.  Big brother Mr. M checked it out though, and managed to pull it for her!

Talking to himself

Mr. K has taken up talking to himself in the cutest way, or he's found himself a new friend...

Yep, he's talking to himself in the mirror.  You know, because there's no one else around here to talk to....

This new friend is just his age, looks like him and even likes all the same things he does. ;)

I just love watching him have these little conversations.  He is such a cute little guy!

Never buy an ugly Umbrella

"Mom, you should never buy an ugly umbrella.  Only pretty ones for pretty girls."  Wise advice from Miss C.

Check out my Virtual Thirty-One Gifts party on my other blog.  Starting Sunday the 16th they are having a flash 50% off sale.  Lots of great deals, but they end the 23rd (so last order for my party needs to be in by the 22nd).  Check it out!

fun with origami

Don't forget to check out my virtual Thirty-one Gifts Party on my other blog.  Lots of great goodies for getting things organized in your home and on the go!

Today Mr. R asked me if he could look up origami on the computer.  A little while later he brought this to me....

It turns into this....

Once he knew he could do it he pulled out some construction paper and did it again...

 I may need to get this boy some origami paper.

Thirty-one gifts virtual party

I'm in an organizing mood as we prepare for our move in June.  I need good tools for my home, van and for when we out and about.  I'm finding some of those tools at Thirty-one Gifts; while I'm shopping I thought I'd host a virtual party on my other blog.  Go take a look at the goodies I've found, and do some shopping of your own!  Let me know what you find, I'd love to hear what others find useful for their families.  Make sure you get your orders in by March 24th, and that you have your goodies shipped to your address not mine.

*I love this Large Utility Tote.  In this bag it is all packed up for Jump Rope camp.  It's got to be a great bag if it can hold everything I need for 8 kids!

A visit from Nana

My mom came to visit this past week-end.  Our plans for the week-end changed when Rob's knee scope (that mom had been coming to watch the kids for) got rescheduled.  We had a quiet Friday at home with the little kids while the three oldest were at a Kids Seminar about careers and such.  We picked them up a bit early so that we could all go and see the Lego Movie together (Daddy was able to meet us there after work!).  They loved the movie (and want to see it again).  Until the last 15 minutes or so it was just a big long Lego commercial and I was not impressed, but they got me in that last bit.  I liked it too.

Rob and I enjoyed having a free babysitter in house and enjoyed two date nights out with just Miss A along with us (who cooperated fully giving us two GREAT evenings).  The kids enjoyed having two junk food movie nights at home with Nana.

Nana likes playing games (and so do we), so games were played all week-end.  One evening after our date we even joined them in a game of Carcassonne.

Most of the kids are sick with colds/coughs again :/  This week-end gave me some much needed rest and time out with my hubby before going back into sick mode around here AGAIN.

Don't touch the baby's hands!

See these sweet little hands?  I know you just want to touch them and let them get a strong hold on your finger.  Please resist the urge.  

Please know that I love to share my babies.  They bring me such joy, and I love to be able to share that joy.  Often it is a sweet grandma touching my baby's fingers, and I try to think of them as my baby's grandmothers and great-grandmothers.  I imagine that these ladies have a sweet little one that they would love to touch and kiss, but their sweet babies are far away just as mine are from their grandmothers.  Or maybe this person just loves babies like I do.

What you/they may not realize (or remember) is....

-It’s cold and flu season (or not).  You have not washed your hands (and we're all out in a public place touching all sorts of things). Though they may look clean, they carry many germs.  My baby sticks her fingers in her mouth all the time; all of those germs just entered her system through your touch.

-I'm trying so hard to keep my family healthy, though the inevitable happens often enough.   My other (young) children are at home with the sitter so they don't pick up germs at the store and share with the baby.  The baby must come with me though; she needs to nurse too often to stay behind.

-The last cold that came through the house resulted in an ear infection for this sweet baby (requiring a trip to urgent care), a ruptured ear drum for an older brother, and pneumonia for an older sister.  Colds are hard on a young family (though that last one was exceptionally bad).

*The antibiotics, pain relievers, essential oils and nebulizer required to heal and comfort her during this last cold.  The nebulizer was needed for breathing treatments.

-New mamas are usually short on sleep; add in a sick baby, and we're running on fumes.  We cringe when a stranger touches our baby's fingers, no matter how sweet you are.

-Mamas, please teach your children not to touch a baby's hands.  This is just a good standard, and maybe they will remember this courtesy as adults.  If they have a runny nose or are sick remind them to stay away from baby.

Please consider the health and well being of the next baby you see before reaching out to grab that finger.

DO take a moment to comment on how sweet etc the baby is.  You might ask to softly pat baby's head or squeeze their toes (if easily accessible).  It is a bright spot in my day when I can share the joy of my baby.  BUT DON'T TOUCH THE FINGERS!!!!