The annual cousins' reunion

2 weeks ago, we ventured back into Illinois.  This time we drove north, almost to Wisconsin, to go to a reunion on my side of the family.  We try to go every year.  It's the one time I get to see my aunts, uncles and cousins with their kids.  The cousins that host it have a nice, shady yard to hang out in and a pool to play in. It always makes for a relaxing afternoon of catching up with family.


The annual balloon toss.

Kinley, snoozing outside

The annual kids balloon toss

Kella and Aunt Sue.  Kella followed her all over and tried to go home with her.  We think it's because Aunt Sue has short hair and glasses like Grammy Pammy.  Kella was devastated when she got handed back to her actual family.

The annual piñata filled with Tootsie Roll candies

The kid cousins play so well together.  It's fun to see that they remember each other from year to year.  It's nice that they have cousins their age to play with when we come.  This year Joe taught our kids how to play bean bags (or cornhole as it is known here).  Marcus and Joey were on a team.

playing against Cale and Catherine

Another nice thing this year, was that our hotel was not that far away.  We did have to stop to get some sandals for Liam since he left his shoes at home (and his parents didn't check to see if he was wearing any before he got in the car).  We got two rooms again and everyone went to sleep earlier than the last time we were in a hotel.  Even Kella had a better night.

Kella and Liam chilling in bed, watching a video on the computer.  So glad we brought the computer to use in the hotel room.  Slowly, the kids are getting better and better to travel with.  I'm looking forward to many more trips in our future.

 

More of Marcus's 10th birthday

Here are some more pictures from celebrating Marcus's 10th birthday.  Double digits. 


We went out to eat as a family.  I bet we look pretty intimidating when we roll in with 6 kids.  We went to Applebees (we had coupons from the library reading program for free kids meals).  The kids did great and Marcus got some grilled cheese. (according to him, his favorite food)

Marcus wanted to hide under the blanket and try to guess what his presents were.

We convinced him to just close his eyes.  Better for picture taking.

 

 

The Harry Potter cake.  The original plan was to use H.P. lego people that we had.  Unfortunately, various body parts were MIA and we printed folks off the computer instead.  I think it turned out pretty cool.  Marcus liked it and that's what counts most.

 

The annual "holding Marcus like a baby" picture.

Marcus and mom (and Kinley-2 years ago it was Kella that was the baby in the picture with us)

a fine close-up

Look out! Lots of pictures from around the 4th of July!

Here we go.  The first of several "catch-up" posts.  I'd do it all in one, but there would be toooooo many photos.  One day I'll be more prompt in blogging, but for now, I'm enjoying holding my little baby.

Andy was away at the end of June/beginning of July.  I still managed to take the kids to the festival that happens every year at the park that is near us.  I think they enjoyed getting out of the house.  And, this years temps were so much better than last year.


First, here is a 1 month photo of Kinley doing what she likes best-being held and sleeping on my chest.

I had to get one with her quilt that Aunt Sharlyn made.  Kinley is also wearing the outfit she came home from the hospital in.  Filling it out a little more in this picture.

Kella wanted her picture taken with her quilt.

4th of July parade time!  Kinley is sporting an outfit from our neighbor, who loves to buy clothes for my girls-especially matching outfits.

We got our awesome seats for the parade.  Seriously, it took us less than 10 minutes to walk there since the parade started at the library.  We always sits at the beginning of the route-its closer to home.  And, the parade folk throw lots of candy to the crowd and seem to throw more at the beginning of the parade than at the end.  I won't lie when I say that my kids first course at lunch was candy/sugar at the parade.

Someone passed out flags to wave.

Our 4th of July décor.  The kids made these windsockets at church.  I'm glad I got a picture, because that afternoon, a 20 minute downpour occurred and destroyed them.  They were pretty while they lasted....

Banana splits for the 4th!  We did it last year, we'll do it every year!

 

 

Kella (in orange) with some neighbor girls

Did I want to keep the kids up for the fireworks.  No.  But, when you live on the corner where you can see the fireworks, and the other kids around you are still awake, and all the kids are playing together....Did they even really watch the fireworks-no.  They pretty much just ran around, playing in the dark.

Marcus, Cale, Ewan and neighbor Nate

The next day, we went to the festival twice.  Once, so the boys could spend their money at the pioneer village on kiddie bows and arrows (not real ones), and then in the evening to the kids carnival and a concert.  They loved the games.  They tolerated the concert.  I didn't care.  It got them out of the house for another experience.  And, it occupied them until Andy got home that evening from his trip.

Kinley slept through everything.  When she woke up, it was time to go home.
 

Brought some popcorn with us so I wouldn't have to listen to the kids complain that they were hungry. (even though we had just had dinner)

Sporting some funny glasses won at one of the games.

 

 

Liam got a yo-yo.  And that was all he talked about for the rest of the night.  He loved that thing for about 24 hours before moving onto the next object of his affection.

The next night was the balloon glow.  I stayed home with whoever and Andy went over. Cale and Ewan went with him.  I love the balloons, but Kinley needed me to stay home. So....

I think they had fun.  There is always so much to do around here for the 4th.  It's one of the reasons I love living here! 

I have become the momma duck

I remember a family at our old church, that whenever the mom took out one of her children, the others would want to go too. She called herself the momma duck. Now, that doesn't necessarily happen to me in church, but at home I find myself being followed by at least one child. And, if I stay in one place long enough, more of the children will come and join the crowd. 

This picture is proof. I went into the bathroom to shower, the room was empty. When I came out, the five mobile kids were camped out in my room, watching tv.

My ducklings. Good thing momma duck's nest is king sized.

Kinley, 1 month visit

Kinley had her 1 month doctor visit last week.  She got a clean bill of health.  We talked about the newborn rash Kinley is sporting and about her reflux that is annoying her.  Her weight gain was great, weighing in at 11 pound 15.5 ounces=97th percentile (and only ounces more than what Kella weighed at that age). 

At one month old, Kinley is doing great.  She loves to be held and if she is awake, that is what she wants:  to be held, and also to eat, which probably helps explain her great weight gain.  She sometimes gets a bottle in the evening, just to top her off.  When Kinley does decide to sleep, Kinley sleeps in her bouncy seat.  I still haven't put her in her little crib.  I think she likes how the seat cradles her and I like to have her sleeping at an incline since she is a little reflux-y.  If Kinley is not sleeping in her seat, she is sleeping in our arms-spoiled baby :-).  Her hair has turned to a nice shade of red and is starting to do the crazy stick up thing that makes her a Shaffer baby.  It's a little too fine for bows yet, but, trust me, I have tried.  Kinley has also been quite the traveler.  She has already been to Illinois and Missouri in her young life.  (At the time of this post, she has also been to Michigan, but that is for another catch-up post.)  She travels pretty well in her car seat, especially if we can get most of the traveling done in the morning when she takes the best naps.  The afternoons and evening are not as fun traveling time, that's when Kinley is more awake and wants to be held.  Our nicknames for her right now are Baby K, Keen-wa, crankypants and the angry baby.  So, maybe some of those names aren't that flattering, but they definitely reflect Kinley's personality at times.  I look forward to coming days when Kinley learns to be content and can self-soothe herself.   But, I also cherish these times with my littlest girl.

Happy birthday Marcus!

Marcus turned 10 years old on July 7th! Can't believe time has gone by this quickly and my little bug is in the double digits.  I would say, and Marcus would agree that he had a very good birthday.  We made him a Harry Potter cake with paper cut-out figures in a homage to Marcus's shadow box he did for a book in his reading class this year.  He also got some gifts he was excited about:  a Harry Potter lego DS game (which worked, but we had to return because of some digitalizing issues-bummer-that's okay, Marcus chose some games to replace that one), a Bey Blade that he really wanted (according to Cale, who was right), some lego-like people and his very own Wii controller and nunchuck (mostly so I wouldn't have to listen to him complain about how most of the other ones don't work very well.).  My silly boy played the same game as last year when he tried to guess what each of the presents were before he opened them.  He is so sweet.  This summer, Marcus has become a big help with his younger siblings.  I can see some leadership qualities in him.  He has been reading up a storm with the Harry Potter books and is excited that the next Percy Jackson book will be a movie soon.  At his doctor check-up, Marcus was 4 feet 10 inches tall and weighed 93 pounds.  He is as big, or bigger than some of his classmates that are almost a year older than he is.  I printed off a questionnaire from Pinterest for him to answer so we can know more about Marcus at his 10th birthday:

favorite color: purple

favorite toy: army guy (he likes to manipulate the joints on the person)

favorite stuffed animal: ted the fish

favorite thing to sleep with: nothing (although I'm fairly certain there is a swatch of his blankie still underneath his pillow

favorite fruit:  apple

favorite cereal:  fit active with strawberries

fav thing to eat for breakfast: eggs and bacon

fav lunch: grilled cheese

fav dessert: lemon cookies (what was currently in the cookie jar)

fav drink: water

what do you want to eat for your birthday: something at Applebees (that's where we went)

fav animal: thorny devil

fav book:  Harry Potter #5

fav game: sonic and sega all stars

fav thing to do outside: swing

best friend: Caden

 

We love him so much and are so thankful for our Marcus!

back at home

We finally went to the water park for the first time this summer about a week and a half ago.  I swear, sometimes I feel like we should be able to deduct our Y membership on our tax return since we donate money every month and never go.  This summer, also, the boys have swim lessons for 3 weeks there.  At least we will get some use out of our membership.  We like going, its just a time issue, like lots of other things.  Anyway, it was Kinley's first time, so, of course I took a picture.


little girl slept most of time, woke up to eat and fell back asleep

Kella had fun wandering around.  The boys had a blast running in and out of the water.

We even thought ahead and brought our lunch.

This last picture is just cute, so I am posting it.  But it also tells the story of how we just want Kinley to sleep.  Some days it's pretty tough to get her to take a nap. and we will take sleep anywhere/anytime from her, even partially on a blanket on the floor.  Hey, you gotta do what you gotta do.  Pretty sure this "nap" lasted all of 10 minutes.  Just enough to let my guard down and think she was going to sleep for a while.