Over ______ (fill in the blank)

Over-served ....

Over-tired ....

Over-due for a nap ....

It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like EASTER!

God Our Father

For the last two years, Kara has attended a preschool program at a local church. The program itself is "non-denominational", and doesn't necessarily teach religion. They simply focus on the Golden Rule of treating others the way you want to be treated, and saying a blessing before they eat snack.

Each time I've been at the school and watched the blessing, I've found it to be adorable. At the most recent gathering, I finally managed to record a video of it and, even more amazingly, figured out how to upload it to my blog!

Not only is the little song darling, but my little singer is pretty cute too! Notice how you can actually see her lisping as she sings the words to the song : )

Have it Your Way ....

Before becoming a mom, I had often heard other moms complain that sometimes they feel like a short-order cook, making several different meals for their family on any given night.  I always scoffed at those people, and wondered why in the world they didn't just make one meal and tell the WHOLE family that was what they were eating for dinner?

Tonight, I realized that I had become one of those moms. 

Plate #1, for mommy & daddy...

Plate #2, for Jenna ...

Plate #3, for Kara ....

Plate #4, for Jack ....

Sometimes I sit back, take a look around, and wonder how I got here???

American Girl, part 2

Back in November the girls and I took our first trip to the American Girl Store in Chicago.  On that day, Jenna chose Julie, and the two have been inseperable ever since!  Back then, Kara wasn't quite ready to make a decision on a doll, and went with a doggie instead.  But today, she was ready!

On our second trip to American Girl, Kara chose Kit Kittredge.

In a time-honored tradition, Grandma M bought the doll for Kara's birthday, just as she had bought each of her older 4 granddaughter's their first dolls.

Jenna & Julie and Kara & Kit were fast friends.

The fabulous foursome headed over to the American Girl Cafe to have a birthday lunch with their grandmas, Aunt Ann, Aunt Beth, Aunt Mary Karen, and cousins Johanna and Lily (and Lily's baby doll too).

The food was pretty good, and the restaurant was just darling.  Everything was black, white and pink, including the bright pink hairbows that served as napkin rings on each place setting.

I think that Julie and Kit enjoyed themselves too!

All in all, it was a really fun day spent with my two four favorite girls...

...and a much better, much less stressful experience than our first trip!

Look out, Kindergarten! Here we come!

Today was the big day ... kindergarten registration!  Kara delivered her paperwork to her new school, and is officially registered to begin in about 5 months.  Let the countdown begin!

(Notice the Mimi doll tucked under her arm?  I have 5 months to convince her to STOP carrying it with her EVERYWHERE she goes!)

Happy Golden Birthday, Jenna!

When you woke up, daddy was ready to greet you with 7 birthday spankings (and a pinch to grown an inch too) ...

and mommy surprised you with the golden cupcakes that I had made in honor of your big day ...

We also had the house decorated with golden tablecloths, balloons, stars and streamers in preparation for your birthday party with all of your friends from school.

Later that day, some of the family came down to help celebrate with you. 

Grandma and Buck,

Grandma and Pa,

and Uncle Danny and Aunt Ann all came to celebrate your special day.

There were lots of presents, but the biggest surprise didn't come wrapped in a box ... it came floating in water!  Meet "Goldie", Jenna's new goldfish ...

All in all, it was a really special day.

Jenna, I hope that all of your wishes came true!