I Always Knew Having 5 Kids Would Come In Handy!

So yesterday I came home to this in my driveway...

This morning, my kids woke up to the fun job of stacking the wood.

No one fought. ( a miracle)

They used their creative thinking skills to figure out how to move the wood from the driveway to the back of the house. (by the way, trash cans work really well...much better than my Pottery Barn basket that one of the kids grabbed from the house!)

The work ethic was amazing...no one was slacking.

Tyler was the stacker.

Isn't this a beautiful sight?



The best part of all, I didn't have to lift a finger!

One of THOSE days

I'm having one of those days...actually weeks!

How I Spend My Saturdays

And Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays.

Ammy plays for Team USA...

Tyler coaches Team USA with two other guys.

Kellen plays on Lutherville Grey...

This was an awesome goal--his second goal of the game and his third in 2 games!

And Tristan plays for the McDonogh Varsity Team.

Now you know why my e-mail is sportzmom!

Sunflower Fields Forever

Flowers... are a proud assertion that a ray of beauty outvalues
all the utilities of the world. ~Ralph Waldo Emerson

I have lived in Maryland for 21 years and until last weekend, I never knew that this sunflower field existed. Yellow as far as the eye can see.

Yesterday, the kids had off school so we drove up to the corner of Jarrettsville Pike and Hess Rd, parked the car and got out and walked around.

Kellen and his friend, Tucker.

Tyler and his girlfriend, Payton.

Allie--her friend had to go home early so she missed out on our sunflower adventure.

Me and my girl, Ammy.

If you have the chance to go see these flowers, I promise you that you won't be disappointed.

Can You Ever Have Too Many?

Ammy's collection of Silly Bandz.

Do you think she needs more?

French Braids

Many years ago, my friend, Andie, taught me how to french braid hair. I have been waiting for 14 plus years to have a child of mine allow me to french braid her hair. It has finally happened!

Ammy asked me to french braid her hair today!

So cute! That is until the posing started!

This one is going to be the death of me!

2 Down, 3 to Go!

It's the most wonderful time of the year!

Nine

This was a picture of me on August 23rd, 2001. This picture always makes me laugh because I was so huge and my friends were/are so tiny.

Five days later, I went into labor (on my own for once--it had absolutely nothing to do with the fact that I was seen kicking a soccer ball before Tyler's soccer tournament). The twins were born 3 1/2 weeks early weighing in at 6 lbs, 15 oz. and 7 lbs, 3 oz.

They learned the "Who Me? I didn't do it." very early on.

The babies, as everyone called them for the first 6 years of their lives, spent many hours sitting together like this on the sidelines of all the older kids' games.

During Hurricane Isabel we lost power for several days...Tony was in a trial so he moved downtown to a hotel. We spent time at Alden's house and wore her kids' clothes.

Ammy's hair finally started to grow! We spent a lot of time with our twin friends, Cameron and Connor who are two weeks younger. (Funny story, but their mom, Sharon was in my wedding. We lost touch for a few years and we ran into each other at our OB on the day that we both found out that we were having twins!)

Ravens fans from an early age!

The first day of preschool.

We spent a lot of time playing dress-up when the babies were 4! Let's just say that I have many pictures that will come back to haunt Kellen in his later years!

The first day of Kindergarten, back when it was only half-day.

1st grade was the first time the twins were separated in school...it was also the beginning of calling them the twins instead of the babies!

Second grade...a lot of time spent riding scooters and bikes outside on the driveway!

The first day of third grade...moving up at school and into the portable classrooms...a BIG deal at school.

This morning...the day of their ninth birthday!

Happy Birthday Kellen and Ammy! I love you!

Please stop growing up so quickly!

Peace Out

I have always loved kids' artwork and my office is covered in masterpieces that my kids have created over the years. Ammy, my 8 year old, is always creating, cutting, drawing, painting, gluing, etc.

Recently I came across a photo project on someone's blog. I can't find the link right now, but the person took old black and white photos and used a circle punch to cut the photos. She then made a collage out of them in a shadow box. I decided I wanted to do that with old family photos and pulled my circle punch out. It's been sitting on my desk for several weeks.

The other day, Ammy got my circle punch and started creating. She, along with every 8 year old girl, is totally into peace signs. She made an entire pile of peace signs and then I had an aha moment.

I gave her the shadow box and here is the end result: I love the colors!

It will be hanging in her bathroom...she just informed me that I have to paint the bathroom before she hangs it up in there!

We are linking to: The DIY Project Parade, Making the World Cuter, Between Naps on the Porch , Made by You Mondays, Keeping it Simple, Today's Creative Blog

American Idol

I have been going to the American Idol concert every summer since Season Five (Taylor Hicks, Katherine McPhee, Elliot Yamin, Chris Daughtry, Kellie Pickler, etc.) Three years ago when we went, we stayed after the show and got autographs. We have stayed every year since then.

This year we decided to make shirts that the girls could get signed. We used the freezer paper stencil method along with fabric paint and glitter.

We went to Sabatino's in Little Italy for dinner before the show.

Everyone was very excited to see the show.

After the show we waited outside for autographs. Here are the girls with Tim Urban.

The winner, Lee DeWyze, signing Allie's shirt.

Crystal Bowersox signing Gabby's shirt.

The gang with Casey James.

Ammy's favorite, Big Mike, signing her shirt. He also gave her a huge hug! (Her life is now complete!)

Everyone with Big Mike.

We had a great night!