Easter weekend

Thursday, 3/28/13

Frankie Clare Dolan's 8th birthday! Sara & Frankie came up with this wonderful idea of having a salon/spa day at Studio 301 in Manchester. The girls got their hair, makeup and toenails done :) super fun & they had a blast. I knew we had to leave at 9:15... but I thought we were just going up the road to Frankie's HOUSE, not to Manchester... whew! Good thing Lauren pointed that out! ;) 

As we were on our way I realized... oh, is it going to be worth driving all the way home and back again? We needed to get water filters from Hausers and an estimate from J's Auto for the back bumper... probably not. So we did all of those things, plus try to go to a park (but it was still just too chilly outside) so we went to the consignment shop and scored :D (bathing suits for the girls, jeans for me and a Justice outfit for Lindsay... learned my lesson, bought the too-expensive leggings to go with the top b/c they MATCH ;) 

Also, during our errand run I also decided... I can, and will, take them out to lunch :) We never do! We ended up agreeing on Burger King (which to my knowledge I've never been with the kids) and it was perfect! Would definitely go back again.... b/c instead of that dinky toy... you can choose ice cream! $3.50 for lunch + dessert :) deemed it worth it to me (b/c I knew I'd get some of the ice cream ;)

As we were sitting in BK I realized how cute they were being and how cute they looked... and realized, "oh yes! I have a camera on. my. phone.!" What an ingenious idea ;) So I started snapping away...

I know, I know... but she looked so cute!! so big...(sigh)

And speaking of 'so big'... wow :)

the little girls busy looking at the worker cleaning up the mess Wiam made. (shocking!)

Again, necessary to have a series of pictures of LeaAnn eating a hamburger??? Probably not. But why? Because I can. :D

trying without holding...

decided to hold the cup of ketchup :)

checking it out..

going in for the bite!

It was a perfect lunch really... I even got to sit and eat :)

Friday, 3/29/13
The day started out with a 12-mile (!!!) run with Maggie & Maria. Yup. 12. I KNEW that Maria was going to say, "let's just make it 11" (we were supposed to just do 10) and I needed 12.1 to make 300-miles total for the year (end of March and I had planned to run 2.1 on Saturday morning). So... that's what we did. :D It felt great, and I'm pretty sure I could have kept going... as we were climbing the hill to the hospital at the end of our run I said, "is this what it feels like... when you are numb and you just keep running?" Sorta like Forest Gump ;) you just keep running, and running, and running... All the kids were with Becca Werner at Maggie's house, we ate lunch there, came home, showered & crashed. Woke up and the big girls had been in and out playing and decided that we should all go throw rocks in the creek :)  Here's our walk. COMPLETE Wiam face ;)

Walking down and back did my legs good... and I even managed to go to Walmart that evening after supper to eliminate that from the 'to-do' list for the weekend... woke up on Saturday feeling A-OK!

Saturday, 3/30/13
Our first experience with the Winthrop egg-hunt at the Winthrop golf-course. I thought we were going to be outside the whole time... not so much ;)  They have a ton of cool inside activities for the kids to do! Like making this color-cotton-ball craft...

decorating cupcakes :)

and guessing how many jelly-beans in a jar, coloring, more crafts... very impressed. They had several door prizes that they drew names out of a hat for too.

How cute is this!!?? Lindsay with one of her BEST buds, Will Hansen! So cute, need to print this one off...

And THEN we went outside for the egg hunt. They were allowed to gather 10 eggs and 1 of them could have a piece of paper inside. The rest had candy. The piece of paper had a prize written on it.. a kite, bubbles, chalk, etc.

Love Mr. Kael's look here :)

Maggie said, "Lydia looks so different... oh! it's b/c she's wearing jeans!" King-dad was over-the-top happy that all his girls had pants on for the day ;)

Poor Easter Bunny... all the little people were scared of him :) must have been his eyelashes... they were a tad creepy looking!!

Great time overall... will definitely go back again next year!

our week with Mimi (forgot one ;)

Monday, 3/18/13

I forgot that I had grabbed my big camera at the beginning of the week! I tried to delete a picture, but I could not! All the pictures were too cute. Love Lydia giving it 'her all' ;)

sssttreeetttchh!

Like Wiam's hair-do? ;)

They laughed ...

and giggled...

the whole time. :D

an above view...

Lydia deciding to 'help' Mimi

Just one more addition to our wonderful week with Mimi!! :D

our week with Mimi

Sunday, 3/17 through Saturday, 3/23/2013

All pictures compliments of Mimi's phone :) It was such an awesome week... and I have no idea what I would have done without her help! I keep thinking, "the next week can't be any busier..." but it always is... and I'm sure it will never slow down. Though maybe it will become less labor-intensive??? ;) I can only hope.

love these smiles :) Lydia 3-4mo, Lauren 7-11mo & Lindsay 6-7mo

Lovin' on Mimi :)

Maggie said Lydia & LeaAnn looked like twins here... I have to agree :)

As good as it gets for a group shot. I had to say, "Look Wiam, Craig's here!" I snapped this shot, she hopped off Mom's lap, walked over to the window and said, "where Kaig's truck?!?"

Tuesday while I was at work, Mimi had the little girls at home... Lydia 3-4mo & LeaAnn 2. I can't get over how old LeaAnn looks!

She took them to McElroys :) when they left Lydia said, "Now let's go to Fareway!" McElroy's has the BEST little-kid carts...

Thursday, Mom kept LeaAnn while I took Lydia, Lauren & Lindsay to the dentist and then to dance. I was happy she had some 1:1 time with this little monster ;) she's pretty fun when she's all on her own... very entertaining I should say ;)

this was before the dentist appointment

mom said, "open your eyes Lydia" :)

I love this series of pictures... so sweet. Reminds me very much of 1 & 2.... a long time ago.

They shared this seat all by themselves :)

Friday we had a Mom, Mimi & Lindsay shopping day! Was super fun and we found a ton of stuff for 1 & 2 at the consignment shop in Cedar Rapids :) That night, fish & fries at our house.  Thought about going out... super glad we didn't! Much more enjoyable to sit and coral kids at home ;)

That night we went to Winthrop to watch the ISU game and the girls entertained Mimi by playing Just Dance 4 :)

Thank you so much for everything Mom! I told her that she could move in permantly :) and that someday we would have a nice guest bedroom for her to sleep and stay in. Love you!!! xoxoxoxo... thanks for making the treck to Iowa :D

Happy St Patty's Day!

Sunday, 3/17/13

The day Mimi was to arrive (!) and the girls went upstairs and picked these shirts out to wear to church (they were a gift from Mimi ;) Lauren & Lindsay were all for it, they convinced Lydia & LeaAnn to join them in 'matching' and I knew I had to try and take a group shot :) WHY, I ask myself, did I not grab my big camera... I have no idea. The phone is easier... and the pics are good - but they all smiled. ALL of them! This was a first... as in, has never happened before. Honest. Oh well, first of many times I hope ;)

 How adorable is this?!?

Lauren 7-11mo, Lydia 3-4mo, LeaAnn 2 & Lindsay 6-7mo

They did so good!!! Could not get over how well LeaAnn cooperated ;) and so I had to keep and post them  all .. of course.

And just two short years ago... here we were... Lindsay 4-4mo, LeaAnn newborn, Lauren 5-11mo & Lydia 16-months! This was a few days short of LeaAnn & I's hospital stay for her RSV... we say it like a broken-record.... but I have to say it again.... it's just amazing how fast time goes.