April - one big post

Fire pit family night

Ruth was the Little Red Hen in her preschool performance.  

Paul is coaching Ruth's soccer team.  Ruth is so happy to finally be the one playing a sport!

Sam is potty trained and Ben is not.  They are totally fine with this arrangement.  It's been funny to observe this duo.  Ruth potty trained Sam in a few days, he never has accidents and is self sufficient.  Ben has no interest and it perfectly fine in diapers.  He goes in the bathroom with Sam and flushes the toilet.

Ruth lost her two bottom teeth.  She has the smallest teeth, she lost them and had to leave a note for the tooth fairy.  

Eden was super scarf lady at school one day.  

This was one day when I tried to potty train Ben.  The novelty of olaf underwear only lasted one day.

All these kids fight like crazy!  It is crazy!!!  However, when they get along it fills my heart with much joy.

5 little monkeys

"Mom, Sammy flooded the bathroom with poopy toilet water"  

This is not the way you want to wake up on a Sunday morning.  Especially when this strong guy is out of town.

Dance with Dads

Annual Dance with Dad's in February at Amelia Earhart Elementary.  This is Eden's FAVORITE event.  She really wanted to be fancy this year.  I told her she had $20.  She found this dress on Amazon for $9.99 and we got the shrug for $6 at the mall.  She wanted to get new shoes but after looking she realized that $4 wasn't going to cut it and she wore some she had.  Paul got her a corsage, which made the evening magical!  If you know Eden, you know she had her hair style picked out for weeks.  Since I was in charge of curling her hair...yeah, that didn't turn out the way she wanted but she was gracious and didn't complain.

 Eden and Paul enter the dance contest every year.  This year Eden was determined to make it to the finals (Paul just goes along) but it wasn't meant to be.  Apparently, they were tapped out at the first round.  I think it was a mistake!  I know my children are regular/normal children but Eden shines on a dance floor.  She said she tried not to cry but she did shed a few tears.

 These two can't stay down for long.  They had a grand time.    

9 years old

1st place

Gold car wins

David is baptized

January 24, 12015

David was baptized a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.  We have never had so much family in town!  Grandma & Grandpa Ordyna, Bob & Julie Tomlinson and Gigi & Papa came into town.  It was a great weekend, the highlight was the baptism. 

 David was excited and so darn cute.   

During the program the twins weren't cooperating.  Sam ripped off his tie and Ben started running up and down the isle.  I took the twins in the back and sat on the floor with them.  After a few minutes of trying to get them to sit still and listen, I resorted to opening a few of the donut packages that were treat bags for people to take home.  I was sitting on the floor with powder donut crumbs all over my skirt. I had a small pity party for myself for a minute.  I thought, "why did you not ask someone to watch the twins?  you should be up there sitting by your son?  Great...now my legs are asleep.      

 Here's the amazing thing.  I know Heavenly Father loves mothers. The twins actually sat and I was able to hear the speakers and the lovely musical number.  A friend came to the rescue and distracted the twins with her amazing ipad and phone.  I think I got more out of that program sitting on the floor in the back corner than I would have in the front row.  The spirit washed over me and touched my heart.  I will always remember that baptism.  Both grandpa's gave wonderful talks.  I appreciate Grandpa Ordyna's testimony on baptism.  He is a wonderful teacher.  I loved my dad's testimony of the Holy Ghost.  He spoke of 4 ways the Holy Ghost speaks to him: 1. still small voice 2. calm feeling 3. 'just feel so darn good' 4. Warmth (I loved his agonly about having a warm bath in your heart).  That is appilcale to David who loves baths.  We are so blessed and honor to have such wondeful family and friends who support us.  

 Grandpa Ordyna came equip and earge to help David with his first pinewood derby as a cub scout.

 Grandpa Ordyna really knows what he's doing.  David took 1st place!  Wow!

Snow day

This winter we have had several snow days and school delays.  Even when it's 9 degrees outside the kids went out in the snow.  David was outside the most.  He would make snowmen by himself and then crash into them with his sled.

Conversation with Ruthie

Listening to Ruth is fun.  She has so much personality.  I don't really know what she is talking about. Another Eden she met at Purdue who is sassy?

Here's a conversation I had with Ruth the other day:

Me:  Ruth, please stop talking sassy.

Ruth: I'm not talking sassy, I'm just talking rude.

Christmas in Africa

Eden performed in a school corporation children's choir this weekend.  She loved it!

Halloween 2014

Actual Halloween night was super cold and windy. It was the first snow flurries this fall season. The kids didn't really dress up because Paul had put trash bags under their clothes and two layers on. Paul does not mess around when it comes to being dry and warm.

The younger kids went around the block once and stayed home to pass out candy.  The twins and Ruth LOVED answering the door. I didn't buy candy this year, the big bowl of candy for the 'trick-or-treaters' was actually all the kids candy from the ward trunk or treat 2 nights previous (shh...they didn't know). 

Paul took Eden and David in the car (we were one of those people!) and they hit 2 neighborhoods. Eden and Paul are intense, they are serious about getting candy.  David was dragged along and kept up.  The kids had so much candy. Towards the end people were just dumping their bowls in their pillowcases, it really was cold.

David decided to leave most of his candy for the 'candy fairy',who left him a bag of army men in the morning.  I divided up the candy in bags for gingerbread houses, 72 hour kits and Christmas treat bags. Whew.

Happy Halloween

P.S.  I did take a cute picture of them in their costumes but it's on my phone.  Eden was a bat, David was a ninja, Ruth was a witch and Sam/Ben were a dog and Elmo (I can't remember which was which).

Fall at Columbian park

 Colombian Park has a special place in our hearts.  We used to live across the street from this awesome park when we first moved to Lafayette. We just love it.  Our kids are at such fun 'park' ages. Eden loves to help the twins explore and enjoy it.  David is still a young kid at heart and loves to make friends, spin fast and run around. Ruth likes to climb and go down slides.  Ben is adventurist.  He goes on all the big slides, climbs up ropes and twisty rods (heaven forbid he just takes the steps).  He always makes other parents nervous. Sam goes on the big slides backwards and will try most things if someone is with him.  

 These days Paul is super busy, it was a TREAT to have him hang out with us.  Best day.  We really miss him but understand this is temporary and will support him as he is finishing his LAST year of school!!!!!

Ben

Sammy, E E, Day Day

Sam

Ben

 I feel like my days are so busy but I don't accomplish anything.  I did not expect having children close in age would be so darn hard.  It is a different hard. I expected the physical aspect (messes, diapers, grocery shopping, dirty toilets, trantrums, etc). I didn't expect the emotional. Trying to give all 5 the mental space they need.  They all want to talk at the same time!  They all want something different at the same time! They all want me to 'watch' or 'look' or 'read' to them individually usually at the same time!  You can't schedule them like a business meeting.  I've tried. I've tried to schedule times in the day when it's "david's" but someone cuts their finger, spills a gallon of milk, has a fever, starts fighting, needs scissors or can't find their dance shoes.  They are all still young.         

I know I won't remember these days.  It's so nice to have a camera. These pictures capture the moments. Then when I'm a grandma, I will add my own make believe memories laced with beauty and love!

Ruth is 5

 Ruth had her first friend birthday party.  It was a lot of fun.  I only took two pictures because it was a little crazy keeping track of all the kids (plus the twins).  How do people take pictures at parties?  I guess they really aren't at the party.  We broke a pinata, ate pizza and cake,  made play dough, pin the tail on the donkey, face painted (with markers) and jumped on the trampoline.   

 On her actual birthday we celebrated in the morning with Dad, breakfast in bed (although Ruth doesn't like to eat right when she gets up) and presents.  Yes, the twins still drink from a bottle.  After spending a fortune on sippy cups that leak, get lost, throw at heads and left in the car...I have gone back to sometimes using $1 bottles.

 Ruth is growing out her bangs.  She recently cut a chunk of hair off on the top.  This was the main reason I had her hair cut shorter again.  Hopefully next year she can have a longer bob all one length.

 Paul took Ruth to lunch on her birthday.  She loves spending time with her dad.  She loves any one-on-one time.   

Ruth is in preschool at the YMCA.  She has many friends.  She likes to go on dates with her parents.  She is in dance.  She likes to write her name.  She loves to play with the twins and Eden.  Eden is her second mother/best friend.  David constantly reminds her to put on her seat belt.  She loves shrimp.  She sleeps with her pink blanket every night.  She has little teeth.  She likes to laugh.  She loves to play with babies and wear princess heels.  Happy 5th birthday Ruthie Toothy Snugly Bear.      

Bobbing for apples

This was David's idea.  He loves apples and eats about three a day. Yes, Ben is in Ruth's underwear and Sam is in a swim skirt.