Splish Splash

Sheila, in her kindness and couponing magic, somehow was able to secure one night in a hotel during her visit.  The hotel had a pool.

So, we loaded up eight kids and the pool floaties

and spent the afternoon at the pool,

splishing and splashing

and enjoying a dip in warm water in cold February.

Isaiah spent the entire afternoon like this:

warm in his seat and dry.

Joe and I later enjoyed an evening out and a quiet night at the hotel.  Sheila not only provided the hotel room, but the overnight childcare.  She's a lot kind and also a little (or a lot) crazy!

10 by 10

The 100th day of school this year included our annual breakfast,

shared with friends.  

My friend Sheila and her two kids came for a visit for the weekend and they got to enjoy our 100th day celebration with us.

Breakfast was a hit.

No one ever complains about bagels around here.

In their happiness, they have been known to stick out their tongue,

or flash a smile.

Emily

For lunch, we enjoyed 100 bites.

10 bites of 10 kinds of food

all lined up and ready for counting out

one by one.

We also made a 100th day cupcake, out of construction paper, with 100 sprinkles, also out of construction paper, but I've  no pictoral record of our sweet sweets.

His Natural State

Joey.  In his natural state:  undies with a song on his lips.

She Rolls a Mean Die

Theia and Tikvah and Pop the Pig.

Love the dice rolling, Tikvah.

And the fact that whenever she sees a camera, she knows to yell, "Cheeeeese, cheeeese!"

Conversations

Conversations with an almost two-year old Tikvah.

"Sharing"

Eight months old.

Happy, content

and eating Cheerios

and sharing with the siblings, 

want to or not.

Watch Out

It warms my heart.

Two brothers snuggling on the floor.

Then I see the look in their eyes.

And know a plan has been hatched.

Time to put the plan in to action.

Translated:  watch out mama!

Magical

I went out for my birthday.  Mr. David came in, 

with Chinese food.

Reports are

that they loved it.

You can be sure that if I'd made it, they'd want nothing to do with it.  

Mr. David is magical like that.

If I Tried

Theia:  Reading.  

Yay, Kindergartener!

Tikvah:  Cheeeeeese!

Hilarious!

Xandra:  Tikvah.  Look at the book.

Classic eldest sister.

I couldn't have planned that awesome collection of on the camera action, if I'd tried.

Typical

Joey charming Tikvah.
She has mixed feelings.

Typical man.
Typical woman. 

Brilliant Ideas

It appears that on February 7 of 2014, I was sick,

Joey wore a dress,

and my children got a hold of the camera.

They took 21 pictures

that look like this

and this

and this 

and this

Which is understandable

because you can never be sure with a digital camera that you got just the right shot.

And mom's dead on the couch, so why not?

Three days later, on my 36th birthday, they took a mere 89 more photos.  

Here are the highlights,

or lowlights,

depending on how your perspective.

I don't see me on the couch, dying,

but how did my kids capture the camera

and take 89 pictures

without me knowing it? 

Maybe this was the day the tied me up in the basement.

Just kidding.

I think.

At least it gives a little insight into their brains and what's important,

or at least, what's fun to photograph.

Ponies are loved

and evidently very hard to photograph. 

I think it's cause they're so active.

If you get 'em by the mane, though,

you can get a good close up

or 10. 

There really were 10.  

And approximately 10 of these

but just one of these. 

Ten or so, of these were in the line up, too (I quit counting at this point).

I think she was spinning in circles, 

because she got the hallway in one.

Tongues are equal in fascination

to fingers. 

and feet. 

There were approximately 10 pictures of each of the aforementioned body parts.

Toward the end, the photographer's pants give her away.

 

I remember her older sister doing this once, too.  Records show that Xandra only took 85 pictures.  I'd better go hide the camera before Aliyah gets any brilliant ideas.