Night Away!!!!

Last night Brian and I had a little get-a-way! Our good friend Fronica offered to bring her two kids and come stay with our 5 for the night so we could have some time away! What a saint she is! We we definitely be returning the favor!
At first I was a bit uneasy about going, leaving my baby and all (the older 4 I had no problems leaving :)), but Brian convinced me, and all went well (at least that's the report I got from Fronica)! :)
So, we left right after I picked the kids up from school yesterday, and headed to Baltimore. Brian reserved us a night at the Henderson's Wharf Hotel-very nice. I forgot my camera (something I was moaning about quite often) but here's some photos from a brochure we found:
It was right on the water, and we had a room on the first floor looking directly out at the water-beautiful view!
We first went to dinner at the Cheesecake factory, and ironically sat next to a family with 5 kids! So, of course it made me think of our kids! But I was able to relax and enjoy time alone with Brian. Halfway through dinner he tells me he wants to talk about something serious, that would require a big commitment. I wasn't sure what he was talking about, then as I turned my head he got down on his knee next to me and pulled out a ring box and asked me to marry him!
I was turning bright red (which is exactly what he wanted). I am not one that likes to have attention drawn to me, and now everyone in the restaurant was looking right at me. He whispered "Say yes". So, I quickly said "Yes", then gave he a 'get up off the floor' look. I was laughing and embarrassed, but also thought it was very cute and sweet. Several of the wait staff came over to 'Congratulate' us on our new engagement! I laughed and told one lady "We've been married for 13 years, and have 5 children!" I think she thought I was joking at first, and gave me a weird look. It was fun, and I love him all over again!
After dinner we went on a paddle boat in the Inner Harbor. It was dark, and we were the only boat out there. We paddled out a bit and turned around to see the city all light up and reflecting off the water, it was a beautiful sight. Then, since I WAS with Brian Mahaffey, we paddled over to the Submarine in the harbor, and bumped it (Brian wanted to tell the kids that we rammed the submarine). It started raining a bit, so we paddled back to the dock and started back to our hotel. We walked around the pier for a while which was great-a perfect night. We stayed out until the rain really started coming down, then ran back in the pouring rain which was fun.
This morning we got up, had breakfast and then went to an Art Museum in the city. We didn't stay long, as I was now needing to get back to my baby! Brian was very understanding, and happy that I was able to of gone this long without longing for her for the first night away. It was a great time, and I am so thankful to Fronica for her wonderful offer!

Mathematician

So, I'm going to have a small 'proud mom' moment. Today after school Ronan's math teacher came up to me to let me know what an awesome job he's doing in math, and how proud she is of him. He is one that really LOVES math and numbers, and has always been really good with them. Well, she told me how this morning was a 'first' for her in all her years of teaching 2nd grade math.
Just as the kids were coming in for math group she told them to write a number sentence that would equal 10 as their warm up. They were given just a minute to complete it. She said every paper had an answer looking something like this: 8+2=10; 5+5=10; 7+3=10, etc. Well, this is what Ronan wrote:
5+5-8+7+1+3-2+3-4+6-5-1=10
She said in all her years as a 2nd grade teacher, this was a first. Good Job Ronan, you little mathematician!

Apple picking

This past Saturday we met Fronica and her boys at Larriland Farms (our favorite place) to do some apple picking! I LOVE this time of year, and am so excited to start making pies, wearing sweaters, walking through leaves, and picking pumpkins!
Here is Ronan (flat Bergen), Morgan, Duncan, Kyle, Ashlyn, LJ, & Hayden.
In case you were wondering, Flat Bergen is a life size of his cousin Bergen that Ronan is to take on adventures this coming week.

Hayden won the prize for the biggest apple picked! He was so proud of his 'hand sized' apple. I will be making a pie out of it tonight!
I think for Ronan, getting up the ladder is the best part of picking apples!
Morgan's turn to be up the ladder.
Duncan goes for the apples at the top of the tree.
This here is Flat Bergen picking some apples of his own:

Morgan in the apple orchard.

Ashlyn didn't do much picking of the apples, but she sure did enjoy tasting them!

Look at that mouth! She wants to fit the whole thing in there!

My little cutie, loving her apple!

After we picked the apples and bought 2 gallons of cider, we went to a nearby park and played and ate apples. It was perfect weather, and a perfect day out! Can I just say again that I am SOOO excited for fall!!!!!!

Medieval Times night

On Friday night our ward had such a fun activity! It was a Medieval Times Night, and we had so much fun. They separated everyone into 4 different kingdoms, assigned a King and Queen to each kingdom, and we competed against each other in various games.
Here Ronan was a 'Knight' competing in the jousting contest. The broom between their legs was the 'horse', and the foam pool float was their 'sword'. The person to knock off their opponents balloon first was the winner.
Ronan LOVED this! The crowd was cheering, and it was great fun!
Hayden was also a 'Knight' from our kingdom, and competed in the jousting as well.
The balloons ended up being on pretty good, that they just had them stay in the middle and 'battle' it out to get the balloon off! Hayden won-good job!
They also had a competition for making your banner, juggling, a tricycle race for the kids, and lots of other fun stuff. It was a great activity!

Duh, mom...

I feel like such a bad mom! The past few days Ashlyn has be VERY cranky and whiny, and getting up in the night. I figured she's teething (as she only has two teeth to date), and gave her teething tablet, Tylenol, baby Origel, teething ring, etc. (not all at once of course), but nothing was helping! I was starting to go crazy with this cranky child who I just couldn't console! Then I woke up this morning at 7:30am, having NOT been woken up in the night by Ashlyn! I thought, 'Wow, that's weird, if she's teething, she should still be miserable, because no teeth have come in yet." Then all of a sudden the nurses words pop into my head from two weeks ago when she got her 12 month shots: "Two of the shots usually have about a 2 week delayed reaction, so if she's miserable in about 2 weeks, that's why." AHH, I can't believe I didn't remember that 3 days ago! The poor child has had her gums numbed for the past three days and she wasn't even teething! I'd get mad and cry harder at that too! She woke up this morning her normal happy self, and has had a wonderful day! I think the reaction to the shot is over.....again, I feel like such a dits!

Less is more

I have really been feeling like we just have TOO much of everything lately. Too many toys (I'm always picking them up, too many clothes (always washing them), too many movies (never seem to have the time to watch what we have), too much 'stuff' I've just held on to, etc.! So, I have been on a major thinning out spree!
This past spring when I turned our 'playroom' in the basement into our 'rec room' I got rid of SO many toys, and it felt good, but here we are just four months later, and I still feel like we have too much! We have really tried the past few years to scale down Christmas and birthday's, but the mountain of toys still creeps into the house! I used to think that it was a problem mainly created by the children (always wanting toys), but I have found that I am the culprit! When I asked the kids to go through and let me know what they didn't want, or didn't play with much, I found that I was the one who had a hard time getting rid of things! I'm my own worst enemy!
I am happy to say that I have improved, and that my children really don't NEED to have a room full of toys to be entertained!
I have carried this 'thinning out' idea throughout the house, and have been shocked at just how much 'stuff' we had! I found that I had 8 Rubbermaid containers of girls clothes, for the only 6 years that I have had a girl!

In some of these tubs, I found clothes that Morgan wore only once, or even things with the tags still on! AAH! This just felt so wasteful! I went through the clothes, and only saved those things I really loved (which again was hard to do) for Ashlyn.

I then thought I should go through the boy's things. This wasn't as bad, as I only had clothes up to 3T stored (Duncan is just growing out of 4T now, and besides, after going through 3 boys there wasn't much left that I wanted to save)! I whittled it down to one tub-yay!

I think that I'm feeling so overwhelmed with all the stuff because we haven't moved lately (which makes me go through stuff). We have been in this house now for almost 5 years, the LONGEST we've ever lived anywhere! Before this house the longest we had stayed in one place was 3 years 4 months. So for me we have been here forever!

I feel so liberated as I have gotten rid of things and organized things lately! I love it! And guess what? No one has even noticed that any toys are missing (of course except that there's less to clean up!)! I whole heartily agree that 'less is more'!

Private

Ok, so this week I will be making our blog private. If you would like to recieve an invite to view our blog, please send me an email, or post a comment with your email address in there so I can do so. Happy blogging!

Labor Day and Pre-K

Labor Day was the first day in a week that NO ONE was sick at our house, so we snatched the opportunity to get out and do something together. Hayden has been very interested in the Revolutionary War recently, and we thought it would be a great time to go visit the American History Smithsonian in D.C., and ride the paddle boats on the tidal basin.
Here is the gang with the Jefferson Memorial in the background.
A nice lady saw me taking the photo, and offered to get us all in it. Unfortunately she got my head right in front of the Memorial-oh well!

Mental note here: Labor Day is a GREAT day to go to D.C.-NO ONE there! I have never seen so little tourists there! Anyway, we planned to go ride the boats first (before it got to hot), then head over the the museum. Well, while in line for the boats Duncan tells us he has to go to the bathroom. "Can you hold it?" we ask. "NO!" So, we went off in search of a bathroom. Another mental note: With the tourist season slowed down, no port-a-potties around. The nearest bathroom we were told was at the Holocaust Museum. So, we all quickly go over there and use the bathroom in their cafe. Now since we are standing in a cafe full of food, everyone is hungry! It was 11:30am, and we figured 'we're here' we might as well eat now, then go do our activities. While we were eating, Brian and I start thinking how we are now a few blocks from the American History museum, it seemed silly to walk all the way back to the boats, then back to the museum, and back to the parking lot near the boats again. We decided to divide and conquer: Hayden didn't really want to ride the boats, and the younger kids weren't that interested in the museum. So, Brian took Ronan, Morgan, & Duncan to the boats and Hayden, Ashlyn and I set off for the museum!

Hayden was devastated when we got to the American History museum only to see a sign stating that it was closed for renovations! AHHH! So, we pick another Smithsonian to visit and waited for Brian to pick us up. Back at the boats Brian was wearing himself out in the heat. Morgan started out helping to paddle the boat, but quickly became tired and gave up, and Brian said that between the three kids steering all his paddling energy just got them in a circle (I think the lesson here is to NOT let the 4, 6, & 7 year old steer the boat)! Good times! It was a fun day, even though it didn't go as planned!

The Tuesday after Labor Day was Duncan's first day of Pre-K! He was so excited to go! I drove him up to the school with the other kids and then he took the bus home! He had a great time, and loves riding the bus! I love it, because it drops him off right in front of our house, and it's during Ashlyn's nap time, so she doesn't have to be woken up to get him!
On the first day, Brian came from work to be there when Duncan got off the bus. We then all hoped into the van and went to lunch at 'The gross-yummy place' (Indian Buffet), which is Duncan's favorite restaurant in celebration of his first day of Pre-K!
I do have to say that I have been sad not having Duncan home in the mornings! The pre-K program is only half day, but every day. I miss having my little Dunkie with me! And to think that he will be in all day Kindergarten next year, ahhhh! Time is going by too fast! Why can't my babies stop growing?! Duncan goes to school, Ashlyn is walking! It's enough to make a mother cry!

Birthdays!

So, last Saturday Ashlyn and I each turned a year older! Due to me being sick we had cake & ice cream Sunday night after dinner, and opened gifts then. I still wasn't feeling great, so there were no balloons, streamers, or even 'wrapped' presents-just in bags! But, you do what you can, right?
So I wanted to post about all the things I love about Ashlyn (well...not ALL of them, or we'd be her all day)! :)
*She is my cuddle bug, and loves to snuggle.
*She is the happiest baby I've ever met, always smiling!
*She twirls her pig-tail while she sucks her thumb-so cute!
*She is very easy going, and puts up with everything her 4 older siblings do with or to her!
*She loves to cuddle her babies and give them loves.
*She brings out the sweetness in my other children.
*She loves dogs already (visions of Morgan in my head).
*She is really good about going to other people-but sometimes just needs mama-love, and I LOVE it!
*She makes her daddy melt.
*Ashlyn has brought us so much joy, we are so grateful to have her in our family!
I can't believe that a year has gone by already! It's fun to see her learn new things, but I want to keep her tiny too!

This is the cake that Brian got for me, from my favorite bakery, Cakes Plus

Ok, Bad Mom Moment here......We gave Ashlyn her little cup cake with a candle on it, and as soon as I lift the camera up to take a photo, she burns herself on the flame! I felt so horrible! None of my other 4 children ever tried to touch the flame on their candles, and I just wasn't thinking that she would do that! So, we got her some ice, and she was fine. Actually I think she got more upset when we moved the cake away to look at her finger. But still, I felt like such a bad mom!
Once we took the candle off the cupcake, she enjoyed it very much!
Happy 1st Birthday Ashlyn!!!!!

Crazy Week....

Last week ended up being a crazy one. Morgan and Duncan were both feeling better by Monday night, and Morgan got to go to school on Tuesday, she was very happy about that! Wednesday morning I woke up to find that Duncan had thrown-up sometime during the night in the hallway, took his clothes off, and went right back to bed. So it was out with the rug doctor at 6:00am, and amazingly enough Hayden and Ronan slept through all the noise! Well, Duncan was just fine the rest of the day, so I'm not sure what happened. Thursday Brian was home from work sick. I have to admit that I did run off and do some shopping that day while Ashlyn was sleeping and Brian and Duncan were watching T.V. on the couch-that was a nice break for me. :) Friday was Hayden's turn to be home sick, and Brian stayed home again. That day Brian sent me out to do something for myself (since my birthday was the next day), while he watched the sick troops! I went and had a pedicure, went shopping and had lunch again a nice treat I don't often get. I told Brian he should be home 'sick' more often!
Well, it's a good thing I did something on Friday, because Saturday morning (MY BIRTHDAY & ASHLYN'S) it was MY turn to be sick! We were supposed to have our family photos taken by Jeri that night, and I was trying to tell Brian we could still do it, I would be fine. Well, after just a few hours I realized I would NOT be fine, and we canceled. So, no cake, no pictures, no celebrations for our birthdays that day! (I will post about Ashlyn turning 1 later).
Below are some photos I took of a picnic that Duncan, Ashlyn and I had on one of the days that everyone was actually feeling good (either Tues. or Wed.)

What a silly face!!
Duncan was giving Ashlyn loves here...wish I could see more of her.
What a cute pair!