Tied

Kailyn lost her 5th tooth. Jordan and her are now tied.

Knuckle Sandwich

Ava is really into her hands right now. She loves to suck on her fingers and knuckles. She has also learned to roll to her side.



Anytime Caden sees me taking pictures of Ava he tries to get in the shot and then immediately asks to see what the picture looks like.



Rain, Rain Go Away

I loaded up the 5 kids to head home so we could be there for Megan's graduation. We were about an hour and half from home when there was a sign blocking the interstate saying the road was closed due to flooding. I took the detour and got about half way when it said that road was closed and then ended up taking another detour and another. By the time all was said and done I added almost FIVE hours to my trip. We arrived at Grandma and Grandpa's just before midnight (we left at 6am that morning). It was definitely a long trip. 
It continues to rain. The kids are making the best of it...

Playing in the rain with swimsuits and umbrellas.

Jumping on the trampoline in the rain.

 Playing in the rain with the umbrella and jumping on the trampoline.

Making it their personal mission to try to save Grandma's flowers from the massive amounts of rain. (They would take the water coming out of the rain gutter and fill up watering pots and then take it and dump it in the driveway.)

Might I add that all of these pictures were taken on different occasions. Yes, it really is raining that much here. All day, everyday!

Say Cheese...

I gave everyone, other than Ava, a haircut and thought it was a great time to take a quick picture. Let me tell you, there is nothing quick about trying to get a decent picture of 5 kids. This post really should be entitled say please. Chase please look at the camera. Chase please stand here (he is definitely two...stubborn!). Caden please stop posing and acting silly. Jordan please wake up you're staring into space. Kailyn please just look this way and not worry about what others are doing. Ava please don't slump, we want to see your face. 



By the time I got anything decent the sun was out from behind the clouds and thus everyone is squinting.
Caden, Ava, Kailyn, Jordan, Chase



Kailyn, Ava, Jordan

Chase, Caden

Field Day

Jordan had a field day that I was able to help out with. Caden came and helped. Ava and Chase stayed home and napped with Dad (he has been working the night shift). I was amazed at how authoritative Caden could be. He put those Kindergarteners in line. He would tell them to get in line in a very commanding voice. If they would say the game was too easy he quickly reponded with "Just wait it will get harder."

Caden was so excited when he was able to get his face painted like a tiger at the very end.

Jordan with her face paint

Chunky Monkey

Ava is my chunkiest baby. When I go to change her diaper, I just can't believe the rolls on her thighs. I know it doesn't even compare to some of those rolly polly babies out there, but she still has a good amount of chunk. It is hard to get a picture that does the rolls justice. The checks on her face are also very full. I just love kissing them.

More is Better

If one is good, than more has got to be better...right? Well, at least thats Chase's philosophy...

Chase took the cushion off of the rocking chair and is using it on top of his pillow.

At Halloween he decided to open all of his suckers and eat them at once.

Apparently, he couldn't decide which color of spoon to use.

He also loves to sleep with as many blankets as possible (trying to break that one before the hot summer comes). Oh, and he loves to have lots of books in bed with him too (all stacked up by his pillow).

Loved

Yes, this little girl is loved and adored.

And she sure loves and adores her siblings

C-Dude

Yes, that is Caden's nickname. I sure love this kid.
-great facial expressions
-easily frustrated
-extremely loving
-hugs and "i love you" that feel so sincere
-not a good sleeper
-has the best laugh
-so fun to tease because he just starts laughing uncontrollable
-loves to squeeze Chase's hands and arms in a loving way (don't ask me why)
-loves superheros
-seems to to be accident prone (just the other day Chase accidentally shut Caden's finger in the bedroom door and ripped the nail out of the bed)
-proud to be 4 years old

Our New Home

We bought a house!! We are less than a block from the elementary. The home is 2900 square feet, 5 bedrooms, 3 bath, ranch style. We are excited to finally get settled. We will be closing on the house on June 10.

Our house on the right...the school straight ahead.

Back yard (unfortunately the slide you see on the left is not ours).

Caden (with his orange construction goggles on) showing off the back of the house.

Front door (stairs going downstairs on left, hallway to bedrooms on the right)

Downstairs gas fireplace.

Downstairs family room.

Budding Artist

When the house we are living in first went on the market we had A LOT of showings. I would spend all of Saturday morning at the library because we had so many showings (it was too cold to go to the park). Although, not so fun it has been so much easier than our house in Toledo, OH was on the market. I think the big thing is I have a lot less going on in my life and a lot less stress overall.

That being said, things can get a little hairy in the hour leading up to the showing. The last little bit is when things always seem to go wrong, like someone dumping a box of cereal on the floor, forgetting to take shoes off and tracking mud onto my freshly mopped floor.  One day, just before a showing, Ava had been very restless and fussy, I was sitting on the couch feeding her when I hear a scratching, scribbling sound. I found this all over the walls all of the way from the front door down the hallway and into the living room.

Yikes! With only 15 minutes till we were suppose to show the house (sometimes they come early) what was I going to do? Enter one of my favorite things--the Magic Eraser. The boys and I each grabbed one and got to scrubbing. We got it off of every wall and even off of the wood built-ins.  Although easy to remove thanks to the Magic Eraser, I hope a certain 2 year old-- Chase-- has learned his lesson that paper is the only place we should color on.

5X

Yes, I am 5X a mother. Somedays I can hardly believe it. People will ask how many kids I have and it just feels so weird to say 5 (Wow! I have 5 kids). It was a good Mother's Day for me. I feel so lucky to be the mom of 5 great kids. I really do love my kids to pieces and don't even want to imagine what my life would be like without them. Though exhausting at times they can be so funny, so cute, and so sweet.

Kailyn 7 1/2

Jordan 6

Caden 4 1/2

Chase 2

Ava almost 3 months

Homemade card by Kailyn

Homemade card by Jordan (Front)

The poem Jordan wrote all by herself (back of card). It says..
My mom is special
my mom is sweet
my mom is one who earns a treat
I love her and she loves me
we're special as can be
Love Jordan

Card Jordan made at school. It says...
My mom is the most wonderful mom in the world. She is as pretty as an easteregg. She weighs 10 pounds. My mom is 30 years old, and she's coot (cute). Her hair is brown and shert (short). My mom's favorite food is tockows (tacos). When she has "free time", she loves to woch t.v. (watch tv). When she was in Kindergarten, she never ever cold pipel names (called people names). I think my mom looks funny when she makes funny fasels (makes funny faces). She makes me laugh whine she tikies me (when she tickles me).I wish mom would have a picknik with me everyday. I wouldn't trade my mom for 600 amingril dall (600 American Girl Dolls) because I love her sooo much!

At church the kids filled out the above sheets.  Here is what they said.

                                                (Kailyn   Jordan  Caden)

My mom's name is                   Shelly  Shelly  Michelle

My mom is                               30          30          29             years old     

my mom likes to   Help me read Harry Potter   watch TV and read and take care of Ava   clean the dishes

my mom has                           Blue          blue       blue        eyes

my mom weighs this much  about 139     140       75    pounds

My mom's birthday is on        8/11            August     not in October (his birthday is in October)

My mom was born in               1981             Montana       Utah 

My mom's favorite food is        sandwiches       all different foods   sandwiches

My mom likes to help me          read & sew     read chapter books     make my bed

My mom is the best at                being a mom!   writing on her e-mail    driving