5 under 5

Birthday Celebration(s)!!!

2010-04-21T13:55:00.000-07:00

Where have we been you ask? Celebrating that's where! Carter turned 6, Cooper turned 3, and Finley got up and went (crawling and trying to walk!!!)

An awesome trip!

2010-03-26T16:26:00.000-07:00

As we are spending our last night here, I have to say, that this was a great trip! The weather totally cooperated, and we had fun doing a whole lot of nothing! The kids spent as much time as possible outside, at the park, the pool, and the beach. We didn't really go anywhere or really do anything other than hang out, and spend time together. It was perfect. Finley is now crawling, and we are enjoying her more and more. She seems to have fun just being with her siblings. All in all, a wonderful time!

The pickiest kid in America...eats broccoli!!

2010-03-23T15:25:00.000-07:00

This one is for you Mom!!! :)

Carter is a pretty healthy eater, but not very adventurous at all. So, getting him to even TRY something new is quite difficult at times. He does a lot of fruits, but his list of veggies is pretty short. So, thanks to Emme, he now likes broccoli dipped in his favorite, ranch!

Thank goodness the girls are WAY more willing to try anything and everything. Especially Cooper, who I think, would eat sushi if I gave it to her!!!

We are still having tons of fun at Fripp, and while the weather was rainy one day, it's been getting warmer and warmer each day! We are having a blast and the kids love being here, and so do we!!! :)

More Frippin'

2010-03-22T16:41:00.001-07:00

Lovin' Fripp!!!

2010-03-21T05:58:00.000-07:00

Little Finley Foo Foo

2010-03-08T08:01:00.001-08:00

We just love our Finley....so sweet!!

Grand Cayman....Oh so GRAND!!

2010-02-28T14:16:00.000-08:00

We quite possibly had the BEST vacation ever!! Jason, myself, and 3 of our friends flew down to Grand Cayman for 5 fun-filled days. The kids were WELL taken care of here at home, by our wonderful sitter. I actually got the feeling that they really didn't miss us all that much, they were having so much fun!!

It gave 2 people that rarely sit down during any given day, a chance to really relax, adult style! We literally didn't have to do anything, we read, laid on the beach, and ate our way through Grand Cayman. It was so nice to not be in charge of feeding anyone, changing anyone, or even being in charge of what we were going to do next!!! The island is so beautiful, and very safe and visitor friendly. And while it's not the cheapest place to eat and drink, at least all the food was out of this world. Jason celebrated his 40th at a fantastic restaurant called the "Lobster Pot." We had at least 6 great meals and did some snorkeling as well. The weather was 80 to 90 everyday and sunny, all in all a GREAT trip!!!

Pictures!

2010-02-12T13:01:00.000-08:00

Here are some recent pictures of the kids....some from the girls preschool Valentine's Day party, and some from playing outside! We had a little bit of snow, and finally had a "snow day!" The kids got to play in it once the winds died down and the sun came out!

I helped with the Valentine's Day party for the girls class (it was their turn, I take turns between the kids.) We had games, crafts, and a picnic snack! They LOVE when their Mom is in class!!! :)

Those Evans girls love their art!

2010-02-02T11:22:00.001-08:00

Annabelle, Olivia, and Cooper are becoming quite the artists! So much so, I had to throw away 2 giant garbage bags of their work (this was done while they were occupied in another room, if it got out that I did this, they would be DEVASTATED!) They spend hours and hours in their "office/art room" working on their master pieces. This in addition to the work they bring home is CRAZY! All the bulletin boards are full and their bin for the school year is getting full!

Carter is doing really well in school, he's reading like a champ and doing extremely well in math. He also started indoor soccer which is a fun activity for all of us on Friday nights. He has some buddies on the team (which makes it hard to concentrate on the game sometimes) and that makes it really fun for him!

Cooper, well, she's just Cooper....she's running the house the best she can from her almost 3 year old vantage point. She says things like, "Didn't you hear what I just said? I'm having a snack!" She's articulate, bossy, out-going, and mature for her very young age. She keeps us laughing, she said the other day when I was saying something about the twins, "But Mommy, I want to be a twin!" Sorry Coop, there's, nothing I can do about that!

Our sweet Finley is sitting up like a CHAMP! I think she loves her new perspective on the world. She is also making her way around the room like a wild woman, rolling, and army crawling...so fun to watch!

We are enjoying our winter, and looking forward to our upcoming trips, the Cayman Islands for Jason's 40th (NO KIDS YAHOO!!!), perhaps spring break at the beach (provided Bar Louie, Merrillville doesn't open that week!), and a fun girls' weekend that's in the works for April, in Napa! :)

Finley update!

2010-01-25T05:26:00.000-08:00

Finley is still our favorite baby around here! She is now 7 months and still growing like a weed. Remarkably, her personality is still very mellow and happy. She is the STAR around here with her brother and sisters. They are still as smitten by her as they were in the beginning. They love watching her milestones as much as the rest of us. She is getting ready to crawl, and is "revving" her engine and getting up on her knees. She does somehow manage (by rolling) to get from one end of the room to another. She and I still enjoy much of our "alone" time, but she does seem to miss the chaos while everyone is at school. :)

Disney World!!

2010-01-19T10:53:00.000-08:00

We are finally back from our FANTASTIC trip to Orlando! What a great time we had! The girls turned 5 on the 14th, and we spent the week celebrating. They had breakfast with the princesses at the castle at WDW, which was amazing. The look on their faces is something that I will not soon forget. We enjoyed a couple of character breakfasts, along with 2 days in the Magic Kingdom. Carter rode Space Mountain, twice and loved it! The girls rode Big Thunder Mountain, another roller coaster and loved it as well. Cooper rode everything that her little height would allow, and Finley won the award for the BEST baby ever! The airplane trip was also remarkably uneventful.....:)

Emme and Papa met us for the fun, and rode all the rides and helped with the managing of the little people! All in all, it was a great week!!!

We swam, we ate, we had the best time ever! I think we are already booking our trip for next year really soon!!!!

Christmas!

2009-12-27T09:22:00.000-08:00

Christmas was SOOOOO much fun this year! All 4 big kids were so excited about Santa, and the whole celebration. We did the "Elf on the Shelf" this year and a it was interesting to say the least. Annabelle was the biggest skeptic, but caught on to the whole idea as the days went by.

On Christmas Eve we had Aunt Ginger, Cara, Aaron, and "baby" Christian (who really isn't a baby, but an adorable 18 month old!) We had so much fun eating, hanging out and getting ready for Santa. It really was the MOST fun we've had in a while. Good friends, a few cocktails, and great conversation!

Santa came and the kids hit the gifts in a FURY! Jason, Ginger and I were not even fully awake by the time the unwrapping was complete. The kids got all they wished for and more, and we got one GIGANTIC mess! It was well worth it though, to see their smiling faces.

Here are a few pics, and of course, if you notice, the blurry ones are the one that came from Carter's new camera!!! :)

More Holiday Fun!

2009-12-22T14:21:00.000-08:00

The kids are still very excited about the holidays! The end of school last Friday marked the beginning of our 2 week vacation! We've been having sooooooo much fun NOT rushing out the door each morning. We've had brunch with Santa at our country club, and have had a couple of playdates with friends. Carter was able to visit is buddy yesterday, and today I took the 4 big kids to the Jump Zone (had the sitter for Finley, hummmmm, who is getting the better end of that one?) We then went out to lunch to celebrate our friend Lauren's 6th birthday! The kids were amazing, as always. In the club and the restaurant, even when I am just by myself, they are so stinking good! I swear, Finley literally did not make as much as a peep at brunch, she's such a good sport!

So, now onto the Christmas fun! We are having Aunt Ginger, and our friends Cara, Aaron and little Christian over for Christmas Eve. We are looking forward to a great dinner and fun.

We have had just enough snow to make it fun, so the kids have played outside and enjoyed a little more freedom this year in the backyard! Luckily it hasn't been too cold either, so no one is wanting to come in 10 minutes after going out. It's a lot of work with snow gear, but they love it!

Montessori Sing-a-long!

2009-12-17T09:58:00.000-08:00

Our little girl is growing up...

2009-12-09T12:00:00.000-08:00

Can I just bottle up Finley at this age??? I truly wish I could! She now officially has 2 teeth, a personality, and still the greatest disposition ever.

Cooper on the other hand....GEEZ does she have a mind of her own! She is opinionated, if that's possible for a 2 1/2 year old. Her cuteness however saves her many times. Today, she said, "Mommy remember when you hit the garage with your car? You yelled UGGGHHHHHHH!" Which, is EXACTLY what I said...glad nothing else slipped out of my mouth, or she would be repeating that too!

The girls and Carter are gearing up for their big performances, one at Barnes & Noble, and one at the high school! I am lucky enough (I think...) to be going along to the B & N field trip. I guess they figure if it's 1 adult for every 3 kids, why not have me take my own 3!

We are really looking forward to some time off from the grind though during the holidays, it's will be sooooo nice not to have to get 4 out the door at 7:30 each day!!!

Here's a picture of Finely and I working on the computer! She's my little lap buddy, well, until 2 seconds after this picture was taken and she spit up all over me...:)

Hootie sans the "Blowfish!"

2009-12-05T14:47:00.000-08:00

We went last night to the Darius Rucker show. It was an AWESOME show! We had really great seats right on the stage and the whole performance was fantastic! Afterwards, we were taken back stage by a friend and were able to have a beer and chat with Darius...he's very cool!

Finley update!

2009-12-03T11:51:00.000-08:00

Here's some recent pictures of Finley. She's growing like a weed and is becoming sweeter and sweeter each day. She is getting 2 teeth (but you wouldn't really know it) and she's charming us all with her smiles and "talk."

The big kids are still very interested in her care, and offer to do things to help all the time. In fact, Carter wanted to burp her this morning and was very impressed with himself when she let out a giant burp! She will be 6 months on the 16th and time sure is flying by. We are getting geared up for our trip to Disney next month, and are already for the big plane ride (we figure it will be the first of many, or the LAST time we fly!)

Thanksgiving 2009

2009-11-27T11:23:00.001-08:00

We had a very nice, very low-key Thanksgiving this year! We spent most of our day at home, and then had a nice dinner with friends. The plan for next year? Thanksgiving at home, we will be starting our own stay-at-home tradition, with hopefully a visit from Emme and Papa (hint, hint!)

Today while Jay was working, I took the kids for a ride (aka a nap in the car) to drop off payroll, then out for lunch at Culvers! The kid love having the days off from school! Tomorrow it's down with the fall decor and up with the tree. Carter and the girls totally "get" the whole Christmas thing now, so they are very excited to put up the tree.

I worked at the school on Tuesday with another mom to prepare the kindergarten "feast." I was able to "dine" with Carter and it was so cute. All the kids using their table manners, was adorable!

Big City Fun!

2009-11-14T14:22:00.000-08:00

Emme came to visit this week, and we've been on the move! On Friday, when Jay was working, we took the 4 big kids to the Shedd Aquarium! So much fun! We saw the "Fantasea" show, looked, touched and loved all the exhibits we could! Cooper kept up with the big kids, and we actually went sans diaper bag and stroller (who would have thought that was possible?)

Then, on Saturday, we headed back downtown to the Lincoln Park Zoo! This time with Finley and Dad with us! It was BEAUTIFUL and warm and not crowded at all! We checked out all the animals, and then headed to the Rainforest Cafe for lunch. It's a bit of a tourist destination, but the kids loved it!

Halloween Night!

2009-11-01T09:39:00.000-08:00

We had a great time on Halloween! We had some friends over, I made a nice dinner, and then off to trick or treat in the cold! The kids rode in a trailer that was all decked out with hay and blankets. The guys took the bigger kids, and the ladies stayed back with the babies (we each had one under 1, so it worked out!) Jason of course had his hands full because managing 4 kids under 5, and having to carry some was a bit nutty!

They made it to our friends the Wagner's house first, where the decor is really cool and spooky. Our kids love the giant mummy and all the spooky stuff, they aren't the scared babies that they used to be (although don't get me started on Carter and watching Marley & Me, that's the kind of stuff that's upsetting to him, poor guy!)

We capped off the evening diving into the goody bags (thankfully our friend Becky had some non-candy related items) and each had 3 pieces of candy before everyone practically put themselves to bed.

It was a long, cold, but very fun night!!! It's so nice that they really get the whole "Halloween" thing now, it's so much fun to see them having such a great time, it's almost (minus all the work and clean up) like being a kid again!!

Halloween Fun...

2009-10-28T14:30:00.000-07:00

Getting geared up for Halloween fun....the kids did the pumpkins. Great idea for little ones, foam stickers, rather than the carving. Carter and sissies will carve some on Saturday, but these were great for an after school project.

Annabelle came down with a bug today, so cross your fingers she's better by Friday for her class party. I am taking the photos for the class, and came up with 3 crafts for the party. Saturday some friends are coming by with their "Ranger" and we are doing a hayride/trick or treating thing around the neighborhood (let's hope we are all well!!!)

Sweet Finley....

2009-10-28T14:22:00.000-07:00

Such a peaceful little thing....:)

Fall!

2009-10-11T11:55:00.001-07:00

Things are really still very busy around here! Carter and I went on his first field trip of the year. We went to the Memorial Opera house and the museum here in town. The kids were so cute, asking the funniest questions and looking at all the exhibits. Carter was very excited to have me there, and wants to know when I will be back, so cute. I will be back, in fact, I'll be VERY busy volunteering at the school twice a month for each child (with the exception of Cooper, they don't do parents in toddler for obvious reasons!) I also have the pleasure of working the Halloween party for the girls and being the unofficial photographer for events at the school! So, the kids are all very excited to see me at the school, and are getting used to seeing me coming and going (which can sort of be confusing for Cooper, but the big kids seem to handle it just fine!!!)

We also made our annual trek to the pumpkin patch, which is always a treat...ya just never know with the weather around here though what you are going to get! Last year, the same weekend it was 92, yesterday it was in the 40's and muddy! The kids didn't care though and we took the hayride out to the field and came home with 6 nice pumpkins. Finley managed to stay quiet and warm with one of the grandmothers who kept and eye on her, of course she didn't make a peep! We then headed to Bar Louie, aka one of "Daddy's Restaurants" for some great food and fun with friends. The kids are so independent now, it's actually not a big deal anymore to take them out (granted we are in our own restaurant where the staff are bending over backwards for them) It's still WAY better than it used to be going just about everywhere, Finley is so good, you hardly know she's there! Cooper is completely 100% potty trained, even to the point you really don't have to ask her anymore, which is nice.

Here are some pics!!!

Potties, Popcorn Fest, Papa, and more!

2009-09-28T14:24:00.001-07:00

Well, it's been quite a bit of time since my last post! Things have been busy as always around here! School is in full swing! Kindergarten is going pretty well for Carter, things are a TON harder than last year, and he is adjusting. The twins love school as always, and are having a blast. Cooper is enjoying being one of the older kids in the toddler class, and has been learning a ton. She still is sooooo chatty and keeps us all laughing, she really is a funny little 2 year old!

Speaking of Cooper, she is POTTY TRAINED! It's been a whirlwind month, but she's managed to do it! She still has an accident on occasion, but does really well at school and hasn't worn a diaper in about 3 weeks!!!

Papa came to visit for Popcorn Fest as he does every year! We did the parade with the kids and hung out with Papa for the weekend. The kids are officially on the birthday party circuit and seem to have at least 1 every weekend!

Jason and I managed to slip away for the weekend last week, it was great spending some time alone in Chicago. We took in some great restaurants, shopped, had some spa treatments, stayed in our favorite hotel, and enjoyed some overall R & R!

Little Miss Finley is simply the SWEETEST baby on the planet! She is sleeping from 7 to 7 on most nights and rarely cries. She eats, sleeps, coos and smiles at all of us. She LOVES being entertained by the "gang" and watches their every move!

First Day of School!

2009-09-01T05:49:00.001-07:00

The 4 big kids started school yesterday! What a great moment (mostly for me, ha ha!!!)

Carter officially started kindergarten, he's attending the same school as they've all been going to, a Montessori program. He has 16 students in his class, and he loves it already.

The twins love their new "extended" class, and are had a great time being one of the "older" girls in their classes. Cooper of course came home telling me all about her day in the toddler program. When I asked her if she got to play with the toys there, her answer was, "Mommy, I don't like those toys, those are BABY toys there!" I thought oh goodness, she really does think she is 4!!!

Here are some updated pictures of Miss Finley! What a doll, she's still sleeping like a champ, she goes to bed around 8:30 or 9 and sleeps until 6:00!! Gotta love that! She's also growing like a weed, she's going to be another "rolly polly" Evans kid!!!!

Back to reality...

2009-08-26T13:07:00.000-07:00

We are back from one of our best vacations to date! We had so much fun at the beach, the weather was PERFECT and we all had a great time. The kids LOVE spending time with their Emme and Papa (that's what grandparents are for right? One would think anyway...)

We've spent this week preparing for our much anticipated return to school. Carter is completely thrilled to be starting kindergarten, and the girls are excited for their "extended" preschool. The 3 big kids go from 8 - 1:30 5 days a week, can I get a WOO HOO???? Seriously, they do love their school, and we do too. Carter is proof that they develop maturity, confidence, in addition to all the skills that they are taught there. Carter is a reader, and I can't wait for the girls to join the club this year! Cooper is ready to attack the "toddler" program with a vengeance! She has become such a little trouble maker. Left to her own devices, Cooper can certainly stir up some trouble (think flour on the floor, marker on the shelf, a bath in the sink with her clothes on...you follow me right?) So, in addition to her very extensive vocabulary, she has a curiosity that gets her cute little self in trouble, A LOT! So, the couple of hours she's gone, will be a nice break for me!!!

Finley is FANTASTIC!!! She started sleeping through the night regularly about a week ago. She really is still a very patient baby that loves all the chaos around her. The kids still think she is the best, and all fight over who can push her in the stroller, kiss her, and hold her. It's quite nice. It must be a girl thing, because all 4 of our girls were pretty great babies, and Carter was a NIGHTMARE!!! So, after 5 kids I can honestly say that girl infants are easier than boys. Talk to me when they are all teenagers, surely it will a far different story, oh well, one day at a time.

All 4 of the big kids went to the dentist today for their 6 month check-up. It was Cooper's first time and she was SOOOOO excited. Who would have thought taking 4 kids (I actually had 5 with me) to the dentist would be easier than taking just 1? I think with kids, they truly believe that there's safety in numbers (one of the unique benefits to have 5 kids pretty close in age!)

All in all, it's been a great summer!!! When I asked Carter what he was going to tell his teacher that he did over the summer he said, "Had a baby, went to Emme's beach, played outside..." just as if it was all equally important and equally exciting. Oh well, at least he's happy about all of it!!!

More Fun!!!

2009-08-22T08:00:00.001-07:00

Fripp Island Fun!! :)

2009-08-19T06:23:00.000-07:00

Fun at Emme & Papa's house!

2009-08-16T16:31:00.000-07:00

We got to Spartanburg on Friday and kicked off our vacation!!! We got to see Emme and Papa's new "city" condo, and took in tons of the sights in downtown Spartanburg. We went out to eat, saw some fountains and parks in town, and got a personal tour of the medical helicopter at the hospital where Emme works.

Saturday, Emme and Papa took the big kids for some more fun too, the train park and another park with fountains for them to play in. Then, in the evening we went to dinner with some family, Tee, Joe, Wayne, Bonnie, and of course, Cooke, the kids Great-Grandmother!!! It was a great dinner, and the kids used their manners and were VERY good, even putting their napkins in their laps without being asked (except for Coopy, who put it in the neck of her dress like Shaggy does from Scooby Doo!)

We are spending the next week on Fripp Island, and can't WAIT for some fun in the sun!!! More pictures soon!!

An interview with Cooper (aka Scooby!)

2009-08-09T06:44:00.001-07:00

Family Fun!!!

2009-08-08T14:27:00.001-07:00

Summer Evening Fun!

2009-07-30T07:06:00.000-07:00

We headed up to New Buffalo for a little dinner and some ice cream. The kids are so funny, since they've basically been traveling 16 hours in the car to Emme and Papa's since birth, and hour to go to dinner is no big deal. Carter even wanted to know if we could stay in the car longer, and go on another adventure! Hope they feel the same way when we leave in 2 weeks for that 16 hour drive again!

Anyway, we had a nice dinner, and some very rapidly melting ice cream. Everyone was good, and enjoyed their meal (well, who wouldn't be when you dangle the ice cream AFTER dinner!)

It was tons of fun, and we are planning another adventure for next week!!! Can't wait to see what we do!!!

Random Pictures...

2009-07-26T09:09:00.001-07:00

Guess where we are going???

2009-07-18T12:36:00.000-07:00

It's a little early to get too excited, but since we told the twins, it's been discussed almost everyday! We told the twins that we will be spending their 5th birthday at DISNEY WORLD!!! :)

Someone was asking me how exactly you "get over" all that the twins had been through when they arrived 13 weeks early. My answer? Well, you celebrate by taking them to DISNEY for their 5th birthday!!! I can remember when I was pregnant with them and lying there in the hospital for 7 weeks on bedrest, saying to Jason. "If these little girls come out of this o.k. they are SO getting a trip to Disney World when they turn 5!" I think at that point, and for many days after that, I had promised those 2 everything you can possibly think of just to get them to breathe on their own, or take a bottle, or make it through surgery o.k. Thank GOODNESS they can't remember that I promised them a pony if they could just make it through their NICU stay, ha ha!!

So, off to Disney we will go in January, to spend their actual birthday in the Magic Kingdom! We have persuaded Emme and Papa to drive down and meet us (can you imagine taking 5 kids under 5 without help?) The kids are all very excited, as are the adults. While we have been on plenty of trips to South Carolina to the beach, this is our first family trip, on a plane, and staying in a hotel (or a 3 bedroom villa as the case may be, hard to find a standard hotel room to fit 7 people!!!)

We just couldn't pass up the opportunity to see the faces of the kids at this age, when they still think the princesses are real, and it really is "Mickey Mouse's house!" It's just an age that we will never get back again, so matter how much trouble it may be for us, they all really deserve it!!! We can't wait!!!

New Bikes!!!!

2009-07-16T14:12:00.001-07:00

The kids FINALLY got their real, big-kid bikes! They have all been riding big wheels since the beginning of time, so we thought we'd save up and buy them each a new bike! Cooper even got one (wasn't new, but thanks to our good friends, Cooper was none the wiser!) She even helped her Dad wash the bike up, and after a new basket (which she oddly called a purse) was put on and a new helmet, she was off! Carter took to his immediately, and the girls loved their colorful, very girls, unicorn bikes (not our first choice, but about all they had at the bike shop for girls!)

The funniest part was watching them get used to riding them, kids of that age are so easily distracted, they were running into things, and people and the house...too funny! I am glad that they are all wearing their helmets, which is MANDATORY, and are all riding with their training wheels. I get a bit nervous with them zipping around, and not really watching where they are going or who they are running into!!!

Here is Cooper getting her bike after is was cleaned!!!

Here are the kids on their bikes!!1

Just because...

2009-07-12T16:43:00.000-07:00

Here are some pics of Finley, and of Carter, well, just because I had the camera, and they were being cute! Carter LOVES his baby sister...it's so fun to watch.

Summer Fun!

2009-07-11T08:47:00.000-07:00

Here are some recent pics of the kids having fun outside, WE LOVE SUMMER!! :) Also, had to put up some pictures of the hydrangeas that we have growing, so colorful!!!

We are still having an awesome summer, lots of pool time, outside time, and fun. We are looking forward to our trip down to visit Papa and Emme in about a month, we are all looking forward to our beach vacation, with a weekend stop to visit Emme & Papa's new "city" house! We are also looking forward to visiting with some family there too, including "Cooke" the kids Great Grandmother. All of this before school starts! I can't believe how the summer is flying by!!!

More Finley!!

2009-07-08T13:16:00.001-07:00

I still can't believe she is 3 weeks old! Here are some more pictures from this week! I LOVE the newborn stage, it's so fun to watch them change and grow right before your eyes! What a sweetie!!!

Holiday Fun!!!

2009-07-07T17:03:00.000-07:00

Here are some pictures from our fun-filled 4th weekend! It was a blast, we had fun swimming on Friday at the club, and having lunch! On Saturday, despite the rain, we had fun with Aunt Ginger eating, hanging out and watching the fireworks from our own backyard! We had a perfect spot on the back deck and patio to see TONS of fireworks displays that were going on around town. Then on Sunday, the Kutckas and Cermaks came over to meet Finley!!

Finley is 3 weeks today! We celebrated by making a trip to the pool, just myself and the 5 kids! We had a great time swimming and had lunch (even Finley had her "lunch" at the pool!!") Finley is still such a great girl, she's sleeping well, and growing by the day!!! :)

Emme is here!

2009-06-28T12:42:00.001-07:00

The kids are having a great time with their "Emme" who arrived on Wednesday. We were all so glad to see her, and for her to meet our newest "Sissy." We've had a great time, playing outside, hanging out, going to the park, and visiting with friends. Our friends Tish and Becky came by to meet Finley and visit with the kids, we ALWAYS love having "fresh" visitors over here, it's so exciting for the kids (and for us!!!) Then on Saturday, Emme and Becky took the kids to the park, dinner, and for some dancing downtown Valpo. There was live music and the kids loved dancing and working on their "moves." It was so nice for Jason and I to have some peace and quiet (Finley doesn't make a peep) in our own house. There's really never been a time when someone has taken all 4 of the kids anywhere, so we were so grateful for Emme and Becky's "field trip." :)

Here are some photos of the gang with Emme, and some new pictures of Finley!!!

More Finley!!

2009-06-19T13:30:00.000-07:00

Finley and I are on the mend! She's doing so much better and is taking a bottle now!!! Here are some pictures of her with her first bottle!!! :)

Welcome Finley Cooke Evans!!

2009-06-18T12:56:00.000-07:00

Finley Cooke Evans

Born 6-16-09 at 6:51 am, 7 pounds 8 ounces, 19 1/2 inches long. She has had a few little issues with breathing, but seems to be moving in the right direction. She is now off any oxygen, keeping our fingers crossed that she stays that way! She just started her feedings, and hopefully she and I both will be home in the next couple of days!

Summer Fun!!!

2009-06-08T08:27:00.001-07:00

We are having so much fun now that the kids are out of school! We've been to the park, the movie store (they LOVE picking out a movie, and for 99 cents, who can beat it) the pool, and HOURS outside in the yard. It is so nice to have so much space for them to play and ride bikes now, without so much worry about cars, them being close to the street, and the dreaded lake in backyard that we used to have to contend with! They still love their swing set, and Cooper is a big fan of the sandbox and loves to dig and play with her shovel and bucket!

We also have done tons of organizing of the playroom, kids rooms, and basement. They love to help organize their toys, and have such a sense of accomplishment when they have participated. I just have to make sure that they aren't too aware of some of the "stuff" that makes it's way to the garbage. I swear, if they had their way, we would have to keep every single drawing, art project, McDonald's toy, and broken toy in this house! The kids office, and playroom both got 2 new pieces of "furniture" (it came from IKEA, so I use this term loosely, more like "organizational pieces.") So, we spent Sunday morning getting it all put together and organized. They were so proud to show Betsy today when she got here all the work they had done, it was cute. Then yesterday afternoon, we visited with Jason's parents. The kids of course had a great time playing outside, taking a tractor ride to the park, and eating ice cream and treats.

We are just really enjoying our leisurely summer schedule, tons of fun outside, and nowhere to be at any certain time! Gotta love summer!!! We hope the weather improves just a little bit, it hasn't been all that warm (the pool days aren't with any regularity) but heck, you won't find a woman who is 9 months pregnant complaining about that!!!!

Here are some recent pics of the big kids "clowning around!"

Last Day of School!!

2009-05-30T07:11:00.000-07:00

Summer is here! We are SO excited! I am thrilled to have the kids home for the next couple of months. They all work so hard and it's so much for them to be in school, it's nice for them to have a well-deserved break. We had a busy Friday, I took all the girls with me to the doctor (which of course was HILARIOUS, with all the questions for the OB.) And then we had a "girls" lunch at McDonalds (they were so good, it was literally shocking.) We then scooped up Carter and headed to the pool for a dip and some ice cream. Jason met us there after work, which was nice!

This weekend we hope to return for some more swimming, and just the usual "chores" around the house!

Welcome Summer!!! :)

Last week of school!

2009-05-27T16:43:00.000-07:00

Summer is almost officially here! The kids have had a fun week at school, with a Fun Fair, pizza party, pajama party, and tons of other exciting stuff! We've been heading over to the club every chance we get for a swim, the new pool they have is AWESOME! We've also been dining out poolside as well, which is so much fun!

Here are some pictures of the girls with their "crazy" hats and shades from the Fun Fair today!!!

Outside on the porch!!

2009-05-24T07:23:00.000-07:00

An Interview with Carter

2009-05-16T09:44:00.000-07:00

This is Carter answering some questions on Mother's Day, jeez he LOVES the camera! I also LOVE my Flip, what a great and easy way to get video! I highly recommend purchasing one, especially if you have kids!!!

Mother's Day!

2009-05-10T15:48:00.000-07:00

Happy Mother's Day to all! We had a great day! We started off with gifts, cards, and pancakes! The girls gave me fantastic photo albums (thanks to their awesome teachers) that had tons of photos from school. Carter gave me a plant, with a decorated pot, it was so cute. Cooper was SO excited to give me the Elmo Mother's Day card that she bought with her Daddy. The other kids each gave me a card too, granted they picked them out themselves, and they were ALL birthday cards (SO funny) but I loved each one!

We then went out to lunch, ran to look at flowers, and did some shopping at Costco (had to take advantage that I had big Daddy there to do the heavy lifting, needless to say we loaded up on all the heavy items!)

Jason spent much of the day catering to all the kids needs, which is such a nice break for me, there's so much to do around here, pregnant or not, I rarely get downtime (unless I am asleep!) I can easily say it was the best Mother's Day to date, they just seem to get better and better!!! It truly was a break from the norm for me, which is truly what I appreciated the most!!!

Cooper loves her thumb!!!

2009-05-10T14:34:00.000-07:00

Cooper is a thumb-sucker, that is FOR SURE!!! It's not my favorite thing, but she does look so cute and sweet when she does it. She had just woken up from a nap in this video, so she was still a little sleepy. She typically does it during naps and at bedtime, but if that's the worse thing she does, she's doing just fine in my book!!! Gotta love our sweet Cooper!!!

Just a thought of the day!

2009-04-30T14:26:00.000-07:00

WOW kids grow up so fast! It's funny just how quickly time flies, and how these little ones are growing and changing each day. It's a priviledge to watch them grow up, one that MOST people in their lives don't take for granted. We are trying to enjoy every moment, because they will never be this age again, even despite how busy we are. I guess I don't understand why everyone doesn't feel this way!

Carter can READ, and other stuff...

2009-04-26T10:05:00.000-07:00

Carter can READ!!! It's such an exciting time around here, Carter is about to finish up his school year, and he is doing so well. I had a conference with his 2 teachers on Friday and it looks like Carter is kindergarten bound! They both gushed about how much Carter has matured in the last 3-4 months, and how he is really ready to move on to kindergarten. I have to say, I was a little worried, but around the first of the year, things really starting clicking for him. He's reading short, beginner books, and even this morning, he looked at the TV and said, "Hey, that says FOX!!" We are really excited for him, and looking forward to working with him over the summer to keep up the momentum, so that in August, he's still SO excited about school.

He's going to be attending the kindergarten program at his current school (it only goes to kindergarten) so there's really not a whole lot of transition that will happen, which is great. We LOVE the Montessori program, and while we know there are a ton of people out there who don't quite get it (they perhaps think that the program is too unstructured among other things) we feel it's SO beneficial, and our kids have truly benefited from it. They will all go to "traditional" schools after they leave the Montessori, so we are just trying to give them the best "base" to start. We aren't even, in fact, sure where the twins will go the following year, they may not stay at the Montessori, but move to elementary when Carter goes to first grade (it's really great, but REALLY expensive!!!) I guess we have a whole year to think about it, and weigh our options. But for now, we are so excited to have all 4 again going to the same school. Cooper will be in the toddler program, the girls in extended preschool, and Carter in kindergarten!! They are all doing really well, and LOVE school, which is all we can ask at this point!!!

Soccer and a New Swing Set!!!!

2009-04-19T09:13:00.000-07:00

We kicked off our soccer season this week, I use this term VERY loosely, remember they are 4 and 5. It's actually quite comical to watch. Carter is CLEARLY the largest member of the team, and I think that his size is a bit of a problem for his competitors. It's mostly unintentional, but he has a tendancy to knock himself and the other kids down. The girls, are about 50% interested, and are done about half-way through. Cooper just wants a shirt like everyone else and I think she would run onto the field if we let her.

Carter did score his first goal, it was AWESOME!!! Then, he scored another goal, but this time for the OTHER team, but it's all good, because keeping score doesn't really happen in Pee Wee.

When we got home, the kids were thrilled that their new play set was done. They call it their "Park" and they were so cute about the whole thing. Annabelle kept saying, "I can't believe we have a park, I can't believe we have a park." They deserve it too, we have been talking about it for a whole year, and we made them "save" their money for it too. Needless to say, I think we will have a nice summer with the new play set, and tons of outdoor play!!! :)

WOO HOO Cooper is 2!!!

2009-04-17T16:54:00.000-07:00

Today was little Cooper's 2nd birthday! We had a family celebration with pizza, party hats, and cake! Cooper loved every minute of it!!! She got some presents, she loved her Elmo & Zoe cake and was beaming when we all sang "Happy Birthday!"

Cooper is such a sweet girl, and it wouldn't be right not to brag about her on her day! She came into this world, so calm, sweet, and serene. I am not sure we really heard her cry very much at all for the first year or so. The best thing about Cooper is she is HAPPY, almost all of the time. She's now starting to have opinions on things, and sometimes thinks she's 4, but for the most time she is just a happy-go-lucky munchkin!!! She loves school, loves her sister, and ADORES her big brother, saying his name over and over again. We love her, and we think she is going to be a GREAT big sister, she doesn't want to be the baby, so baby #5 will certainly be nothing but a positive for Coopy!

The day was a fun success, and the best part? It was all cleaned up and 4 kids were showered and ready for bed by 6:00! This draws the end of the "birthday season" which is from January to April! We are now just awaiting the actual "birth day" of baby #5 in June!!!

Easter...with a cold!

2009-04-12T16:04:00.000-07:00

The kids enjoyed their Easter Sunday, but a few were still a bit under the weather. Although, you might not know, Cooper was fighting a terrible cold that has bothered all of us over the last week or so. Everyone at some point missed a day or two of school this week. Quite frankly, it wasn't a big deal, I just feel for them, coughing, sneezing, and feverish.

So today, we started off with Easter baskets, which they all loved. Filled to the brim with a few toys, some chocolates, and such. Then, we headed off to brunch at the country club, were they dined on "awfuls" (aka waffles) and eggs, chicken and of course a donut (how could you pass up a table filled with colorful donuts?)

We came back to the house and did our first egg hunt, which everyone LOVED! They each got a couple of eggs filled with a Reese's or Hershey chocolate. We also stopped by to say hello Jason's parents, and then headed home to do some spring yard work, and cleaning and organizing inside. Everyone was pretty pooped, and we are hoping EVERYONE will be 100% tomorrow, so off to school they can go!!

Happy Easter to all!!! :)

Carter's FINAL birthday party...

2009-04-05T05:34:00.000-07:00

The final chapter of Carter's birthday party took place yesterday at the Jump Zone! What a great time we had! Carter invited some of his friends from school, and then we had our close family friends join in the fun. The kids jumped until they couldn't jump anymore! Needless to say, the kids were all beat by the time the cake was served, which was perfect!

Carter had an AWESOME time, and so did the girls, including Cooper, who is a HUGE daredevil! She was sliding on all the slides the big kids were doing, with absolutely no fear! Jason spent much of the party chasing her around, she was NUTS!!! We all had some cake, opened some presents, and then happily closed the book, on the last chapter of Carter's birthday, WHEW!!!

Now on to Cooper's birthday! The first quarter is jam packed with birthdays for the Evans! Thankfully this last one will be born in June, at least we will have a 2 month break from all the birthday craziness!

More pictures....

2009-03-30T13:41:00.000-07:00

Here are some of the last of the vacation/birthday pictures! Carter is looking forward to his "Jump Zone" party on Saturday with his friends from school, and our close friends. We are having about 24 kids, so it should be fun!!! The girls are looking forward to it as well!

Cooper's birthday is now the next one on the calendar, she will be 2 on April 17th! Not too much planned for her, we don't really do much when they are little, just a family party...besides, I am not sure how much more I can take of the "birthday" tour we have every month starting in January with the twins! For sure though, Cooper will have her Elmo cake, and her siblings really are enough kids to constitute a "party!"

Happy Birthday Carter!!!

2009-03-27T10:48:00.000-07:00

I just wanted to wish our first born, little "baby" a very Happy 5th Birthday!!!!!!

Boy, time sure does fly, between the time we brought that little (hardly tiny at 8 pounds 4 ounces) bundle of joy home. I'd like to say he was a great baby, but, he wasn't, but it didn't matter. He was FAR cuter than I ever imagined. And now, I am the proud mother of a very BIG, blonde, well-mannered, boy. He loves life, his sisters, and is very sweet. Of course, not perfect, but if his biggest flaw is that he's TOO emotional, I'll take that all day long!!

Happy Birthday Carter!! :)

More Fun!!!

2009-03-25T10:24:00.001-07:00

Fripp Island!

2009-03-23T13:55:00.000-07:00

2009-03-23T13:27:00.000-07:00

The stomach flu, UGH!

2009-03-17T04:10:00.000-07:00

Yes, for the THIRD year in a row, we fell victim to a nasty stomach bug. It started with Annabelle feeling slightly under the weather, and vomiting once. It didn't seem like that big of a deal, and she missed a day at school. Well, that afternoon when Carter and Olivia were home, chaos ensued! It started with Carter, and by the evening and into the wee hours of the morning, Cooper and Olivia had it!! Needless to say, we were up ALL night, and there was laundry, carpeting cleaning, and vomit "bowls" involved, not pretty.

They all rebounded quickly, and were fine by late Friday. So, we thought we had endure the worst, until Saturday night, when I got it!!! No wonder they were so crabby!!! It was horrible, especially, while pregnant! I have successfully gotten it every year that the kids have gotten it. But, I was fine by Monday, and very relieved that this all took place before our trip to South Carolina!!! :)

2 Kids at Play!

2009-03-12T14:27:00.000-07:00

Annabelle stayed home from school today, with some sort of funk. She was vomiting, lethargic, and very tired. Of course, when you have a child with a shunt in her head, you realize very quickly that many illnesses, have the same symptoms as a shunt malfunction. Anyhow, she rested most of the morning, and when Cooper woke up from her nap, she was feeling much better. So, Cooper, Annabelle and myself played in the twins room. And, of course, the Disney castle is the favorite. We also had a tea party, and played restaurant (Cooper was deemed an unsuitable server by Annabelle, she said she got her order wrong!)

I started to think about what it would be like to only have 2 kids. And of course, it's easier in some respects, but in others, I realized that the older child gets really bored, really fast, if they only have a toddler to play with. I guess you don't have that "same age" play group that I have, if you only have 2, and when all 4 play together, there are all sorts of different dynamics. Annabelle is great with Cooper, but she truly has more fun with Olivia and Carter (because they are the same age.) Cooper's crazy antics are funny when there's the "out" of playing with your twin or your brother who's only 9 months older.

So, the conclusion? I'll keep them just the way they are! They might be many in number, and close in age, but we've already weathered the hardest part, this part (the one where they all can play together) is the one we've been waiting for!!! :)

School!

2009-03-09T15:27:00.001-07:00

Last week, each of the kids had an open house for their classroom. This allows the kids to take the parents into the classroom, and show them their routine, what they have been working on, and their favorite "works." Jason was out of town on Tuesday, so Cooper was unable to attend hers, but luckily her teachers wanted to do a "private" open house (which is SO nice of them) this Wednesday.

Annabelle and Olivia had theirs on Wednesday night, and it was GREAT!!! I took them and the were so proud to show me all the things in the classroom, all their favorites, and their daily routine. The girls both love the art area, but also showed tons of interest in counting works, and others. They really have a great attention spans, and are so well-behaved. You can really tell that they are well-like by their teachers, and that is not a surprise. Annabelle even made sure that I knew the difference between and ellipse, and an oval (seriously, she's 4!) It was really great to see them in action!

Carter had his "night" on Thursday, and he had 2 classes to attend. Carter goes to a regular preschool class, and then attends what's called "extended preschool." This is more kindergarten readiness, and focuses more heavily on reading, math, and all the building blocks of what's to come in kindergarten. As it turns out, Carter isn't the whining, crying, under achiever we thought he was!!! I was truly impressed with his teachers comments on how he is working on challenging topics, he is learning to read, he is doing addition, and knows all the continents! It's really a far cry from where he was at the beginning of the year! I guess I had my expectations set pretty low, but it was a pleasant surprise none the less. He too seems well-liked, and very happy at school!!

I'd be lying if I said I wasn't completely thrilled! It's nice to know that your kids are well-behaved, and happy when they are at school!!!

Random Pictures...

2009-03-03T12:19:00.000-08:00

Here are some random pictures that were taken recently!

Not exactly sure what Annabelle is doing here, in this picture, just goofing around!!!! :)

Big Daddy's Birthday!

2009-02-20T05:47:00.000-08:00

Yesterday was Jason's birthday!!! The kids WERE extremely excited, and much to Jason's dismay, they kept asking how old he was, and he repeated "39" at least 25 times (nice reminder!) They of course kept asking me, and I gleefully said "37" because no matter how old Jason is, I am still close to 2 years younger!
Anyhow, Cooper and I met Jason at Panera for a nice lunch, what a delight she is to take places! We laughed, because taking 1 child out is such a non-event to us. I mean, we are SO used to having 4 with us, 1 is really quiet, peaceful, and requires very little effort. She enjoyed a grilled cheese, and loved every moment with her favorite guy, Dad!

When the big kids got home, we went to work! We made cards, a sign, and decorated the table. Carter had made Jason a card at school where he printed "Happy Birthday Daddy! Love, Carter." I was so proud, he's really able to identify all the letters now and is starting to really sound out words. The funny thing about the card was, he made a picture on the front, and I asked what he and Daddy were doing, and he said, "Showering together!" I just wonder what his teacher thinks!!!

I made homemade chocolate cake, and a big pan of lasagna! The kids all had spaghetti, followed by the cake. Jason then opened his presents, and we had gotten him a digital picture frame full of family photos for his office, he loved it!

The Nanny Myth...

2009-02-19T14:11:00.000-08:00

So, I need to vent for just a second. Recently, someone told Jason that it's really "no big deal" that we are having baby number 5, because we have a nanny. Now, for anyone who knows us personally, and actually is aware of the goings on of our lives, they know that our "nanny" (she's more like a regular sitter, or mother's helper) works actually very few hours a week. In fact, she doesn't usually work on the weekends, or past 5 in the afternoon, and usually works 2-3 afternoons a week. Sure, I know, that people hear the word "nanny" and immediately think it's some woman that lives with us, that takes care of the kids 24/7. But, that's simply not the case here. She is a great sitter for the kids, and 9 times out of 10, I am here too, trying to get my chores around the house done, or if I do leave it's to pick up someone (I do have 3 pick up times at the preschool!) or do the grocery shopping. I am not sure why I feel the need to explain all of this, but I do. Jason and I work VERY hard and I wouldn't want anyone to get the idea that we are sitting back eating bon bons! This position was created out of sheer necessity, remember, at one point, we had a 12 month old, and 2 preemie newborns. Now, it's MUCH easier with an almost 5 year old, 2 4 year olds, and an almost 2 year old (ok, not really) but the position sort of stuck. We've been extremely lucky to find people that care about our kids, and that are happy to do it on a regular basis!

I guess it's just a little irritating when I hear that people have this perception of what's going here. Especially since most nights I fall into bed from exhaustion, and that's certainly not from sitting at the nail salon all day or sitting around eating bon bons!

Thanks for listening...I just HAD to get this off my chest!!! :)

Chatty Cathy...I mean Cooper!

2009-02-18T14:45:00.000-08:00

So Cooper is single handedly the CHATTIEST baby we have had thus far. Don't get me wrong, we have some very chatty preschoolers, but Cooper takes the cake for the earliest talker. She is now 22 months, and makes full, sometimes complex sentences. When you ask her things like, "Guess what?" she says things like, "What Mommy?" Yesterday, when she was caught NOT napping, when I asked her why, she said, "Cause Mommy, I so cold Mommy!" It's really quite comical. She walked into the kitchen tonight and said, "Dinner ready Mommy?" When she is in the back seat of the car she will say, "Can't hear it, turn it up!"

All of our kids are really chatty, and they didn't start out this way, so I can only imagine, what is in store for us when Cooper gets to be 3 or 4, YIKES!!!!

Winter break weekend!!!

2009-02-15T10:11:00.000-08:00

This weekend, we took a trip to an indoor water park for a little break! The kids had a BLAST!!! It was actually the perfect water park for our family, not too big, and plenty of stuff for little kids. There was a pool with a slide that only had about 8 inches of water in it. Cooper really got a hang of going up and then down, she could do it all by herself. Olivia loved hanging in that pool as well, it was by far the warmest pool, and Olivia is not much of a "thrill seeker!" Annabelle and Carter on the other hand, loved EVERYTHING, the lazy river, the giant bucket that dumps water on the whole park, the bigger slides, and the tube slide that they went down with Jason. It was one of the dark, enclosed twisty slides, and they both loved it!!!!

Also, they had a special area, that had a cardboard box "fort." What a great idea, what more do kids need then a fort/maze made out of giant boxes. They played in this room, for hours!!! And, it was age appropriate for all of them, and enclosed, so we didn't have to worry about any escapes. They loved going out for breakfast in the morning, and eating dinner from a buffet at dinner. They had never had soft serve ice cream out of a machine and thought that was awesome. It's amazing what little it really takes to impress them! They slept REALLY well, even Cooper who had to sleep in a pack-n-play did really well. Carter got to sleep on the top bunk and didn't even fall off!!!

All in all, it was a great weekend!!! There really wasn't one bad thing about it, not one meltdown, not even from Cooper who managed to do it all without a nap each day, what a trooper (she did manage to take a power nap at the park on my lap!) We all had a wonderful time!

What a great day!

2009-02-10T16:27:00.000-08:00

Today it was 62 degrees here! I packed up all the kids, and we headed to our favorite park! They were so excited, that you would have thought that they had never been to a park before. It had been a while, and Cooper really has the hang of things now that she is older, she was climbing, sliding, and running around like a big kid. And I have to commend all of the big kids, they really listen and get it, that if they aren't good, and cooperate, we are outta there! But, none of that was necessary, they just played and had a great time, as did I!!! And, of course, they all were excited that it was "Spring" so I broke it to them gently on the way home that it isn't going to stay this warm, and spring is still down the road a bit. At least we were able to enjoy today, it was really great!!!

Times, they are a changing!!!!

2009-02-09T05:42:00.000-08:00

I have to make mention of the HUGE developmental strides the older kids have made lately. The twins who are now 4, and Carter who will be 5 next month (I can't believe Carter will be in kindergarten) have changed so much!!! Our lives have suddenly become SO much easier in many ways. We now have 75% of the kids dressing themselves, we no longer have to worry about "potty" emergencies, and our "internal" play group is now thriving!

They play incredibly well together, and fighting is very rare (I attribute this to the fact that in their minds, they are all on an even playing field, with of course the exception of Cooper.) We've been taking all 4 out to dinner, and everyone is pretty well-behaved and uses their manners. We aren't of course, taking them to any 5 star restaurants, but they do very well in a sit-down place. There was a time, where none of this was possible, with the older 3 being so close in age, and a baby in tow, it wasn't even something we attempted (we try not to set ourselves up for failure.) But now, our freedom allows us to do more with the entire family. And to be honest, even with the addition of baby number 5, I don't ever see us back in the position we were in when the 3 big kids were younger. They listen now, they help with Cooper, and they are all pretty mild mannered (no more worries about tantrums and such!)

It really has opened up a whole new world for us! We are enjoying our weekend outings, and we look forward to the weather warming up so we can do even more things!!! This weekend is our water park adventure, next month our beach trip, and then on to summer fun, we can't wait!!!!

Carter and his little sis

2009-02-04T16:29:00.000-08:00

Carter and Cooper have a bit of a "special" relationship. Maybe it's because of the age difference, or maybe it's because the twins are so close, but Carter has ALWAYS loved his baby sister. In her lifetime, I can count on one hand the times he's been mean or short with her. In fact, he tolerates most everything she does, as if he truly understands that she is 3 years younger. He's been quoted as saying (when he's mad), "Cooper, you are going to make me count to 10!" Carter really doesn't have much of a temper at all, so he doesn't get mad very easily (emotional, yes, angry, no.)

Here are some pics of them having some fun, and of Coopy in the bath!

Happy Groundhog's Day!

2009-02-02T15:33:00.001-08:00

Here is our little groundhog Cooper!

Lunch, birthday parties, and other "stuff!"

2009-02-01T13:20:00.002-08:00

We have finally figured it out! To avoid the horrid winter, we must PLAN things! Last week it was Disney on Ice, and then a birthday party, this weekend it was lunch with friends at Bar Louie, yet another birthday party, and a Super Bowl party with more friends. Now, I am a FIRM believer in not "over scheduling," but there is a fine line between that, and being so bored we are all ready to cry. So, since no one has really been sick this winter (knock on wood PLEASE) we've been able to do some little things to keep ourselves busy. The "over scheduling" just leads to tired, very cranky, kids who just want to "chill" in their own house. Especially since they go to school 5 days a week. They just need down time in their own house. But alas, that also leads to "cabin fever" especially since we can't go outside!

So, we are trying to do our best to avoid the pitfalls of doing too much and the boredom of doing too little! Fine line.

We will see! We have a weekend trip to an indoor water park in 2 weeks, so that should really be fun, and of course a much needed trip to South Carolina in March, we are doing are best to find at least SOMETHING to do one day during the weekends until it warms up (which you know doesn't happen until April!!!!) Wish us luck!!! :)

"Miracle on the Hudson"

2009-01-30T15:06:00.001-08:00

So, last Saturday when we were out near O'Hare, walking into the Allstate Arena, Jason pointed out some planes overhead. This is what followed (keep in mind, this is pretty much exactly what Carter said, he's not even 5 yet.)

"Well, Dad, I hope that he doesn't have a GOOSE in his engine!" Jason asked him what he knew about that and then he said, "Well, this pilot was taking off, and he ran into a bunch of gooses, and they got into his engine. So then, the pilot had to make an emergency landing, IN A RIVER! Then, all the people inside the plane, had to go out the emergency exit and stand out on the wings of the plane. They waited, and then a rescue boat came and took them to safety!"

Well, Jason looked at me like I had told him that. And of course I hadn't, so we asked. He said he had heard it at school. So, it's been established that Carter can recall very specific details of things, so next time his sister is crying and says he doesn't know what happened, we will know he is full of it!!!!

Below is some artwork that the kids did recently in school, the big one on the Carter did, it's of our family at the beach at Emme & Papa's, and the smaller two are the twins version of The Little Mermaid!

Disney on Ice

2009-01-24T19:00:00.001-08:00

Saturday, we had our BIG adventure to Disney on Ice! The kids have been really looking forward to this for weeks. So, we made the trek to the Allstate Arena with Carter, Annabelle, and Olivia. Poor Cooper was left at home (and thankfully so, it was a long walk to and from the car and it was 5 degrees) with Betsy.

The kids LOVED it! They were mesmerized by the lights, the characters, everything. We of course had our 10 dollar popcorn, and 5 dollar lemonade, but thankfully managed to make it out of there with only a program. Jeez, I have never seen so many people pushing SO much over-priced merchandise!

The kids sat pretty still for the whole thing, it was so fun to see their reaction. 4 is such a great age, they are so impressed by things. We ended the night with a stop at Steak and Shake for burgers and shakes. Again, they were really good. Maybe it's because we never go anywhere, but they are truly impressed by the little things!!!! Such a fun day!!!!

2009-01-22T13:54:00.000-08:00

Here is Olivia singing her version of a song from High School Musical. She now thinks she wants to be "Gabriella" when she grows up! She loves to sing and dance, and perform. Emme really knew what she was doing when she brought the girls the HSM video, I didn't think they would get it yet, but they sure do! Carter even loves the movie. He said when he gets older he wants to sing AND play basketball!! Jason and I both LOVE to hear that! We want some well-rounded kids, that's for sure!!!

2009-01-18T05:28:00.000-08:00

Saturday was the BIG birthday party for the twins at Bar Louie. The girls were SO excited to have their "Princess" party.

The girls were so happy to see their friends, Brooke, Avery, and Lauren. Carter of course was happy to see his buddies Jack and Carlo, which kept him occupied most of the party. Cooper had a great time drinking cup, after cup of lemonade, and eating at least 2 pieces of cake!!!!

The kids dined on pizza, chicken, and hot dogs, and were thrilled to see their Ariel and Cinderella, cake and decorations. I love the innocence of 4 year olds, they are SO easy to please, and were thrilled with the few decorations we had. In fact, when opening their presents, Annabelle reached into a gift bag and pulled out just a hanger (obviously the clothing had fallen off), and squealed with delight, "Look, I got a new HANGER!!!" It was so cute!!!!

Everyone we invited came to the party, which was great, with the exception of Grandma & Grandpa Evans who apparently had something more important to do. This wasn't easy to explain to 2 four year olds, but luckily we have the support of good friends who are like family to us. A special thank you to Martina, Phil, Kamie, Kathy and of course Aunt Ginger for all their help at the party. It's a little chaotic at times with 4 kids and a pregnant Mom, but these guys really helped make it manageable, thanks again!!!

All in all, it was a fantastic day, that we managed to survive, and the twins had a BLAST. And that is all that we wanted!!!!

Birthday Celebration!!!

2009-01-15T10:57:00.000-08:00

So we had a fantastic birthday celebration for the girls!!! They were SO excited all day! They came home with "bucket birthday" hats from school, and gave out goody bags to all their friends.

Then, when their Dad came home, the party really started! They had gifts, from Mom & Dad, and Papa & Emme (dresses that they LOVED!) And even Carter and I stopped on the way home from school and got them each a princess balloon (from Carter of course!) They were THRILLED!!!!

Then, we had the spaghetti dinner that they requested, and polished that off with a piece of cake!!!

All in all the 6 of us had a great time!! The girls were so happy and even when it was bedtime,

Annabelle said, "I really loved my birthday today!!!" So mission accomplished!!!

Saturday we have invited our friends to lunch at Bar Louie to celebrate, the girls are VERY excited about their "friend" party, so the celebration will continue!!!

Happy Birthday Annabelle & Olivia!

2009-01-14T06:19:00.000-08:00

I have to brag a bit about the twins today! Today is their 4th birthday, and quite honestly, I am in shock that they are 4 already!!! When I look back at how the entered this world, I can't help but be SO proud of them. From the moment they were born, it was obvious, that they wanted to be here. Now, 4 years later, it's hard to imagine them as those sick little babies that spent 10 weeks in the NICU.

They are both, the smartest, most caring little girls. They shock and amaze each day with their maturity, and their capacity to understand things. They are both great big sisters, and are both keep us laughing, A LOT!!!! The get along so well with Carter, and Cooper, and each other. The rarely cry, they express themselves wonderfully, and they have imaginations that you wouldn't believe. Jason and I both feel privileged to be their parents, and we can't wait to see what the future has in store for them!

Happy Birthday girls!!!!!!

Olivia, 2 pounds, 7 ounces

Annabelle 2 pounds 11 ounces

Well, it has happened...

2009-01-12T16:53:00.000-08:00

It was bound to happen eventually, the big kids are officially signed up for their first "sport." I use the term loosely, it's only soccer for 4 & 5 year olds. But, yes, they are officially on their first "team!"

They were very excited when I told them that they are all going to play soccer in April. Annabelle immediately headed for the basement to find her soccer ball to practice. Olivia seemed excited, and Carter seemed, well, marginally excited.

They were all a little more excited though to find out we are all (minus the baby) going to see "Disney on Ice" on the 24th of this month!

Cooper starts school!!!

2009-01-08T06:43:00.000-08:00

Cooper began her first week at Montessori on Monday, she is in the 8 a.m. "baby" class as the big kids call it! She loves getting ready each morning and cries just a bit when having to leave her Daddy when getting out of the car. All reports from her teachers are that she is doing extremely well, doesn't really cry once she gets there, and is full of energy. One teacher even mentioned that she is talking in class, which is surprising, because while she is a chatter box here, she's usually pretty quiet around others! She particularly loves the Elmo "house" that they have there, and was very excited to play!!!

More Christmas Eve & Christmas Day!!!

2008-12-31T06:30:00.000-08:00

Here are some more pictures from our Christmas festivities. The kids loved all their gifts from "Santa" and really enjoyed their annual bowl of Fruity Pebbles with their Dad!!! Carter claimed he didn't like them, but in true Carter fashion, once convinced, he tried them, and of course loved them! Who wouldn't want a bowl of that sugary treat???

Christmas Eve

2008-12-28T08:43:00.000-08:00

Here are a few photos from Christmas Eve, Aunt Ginger came over, as she does each year to spend the night and participate in the "chaos."

Upon entering the house, she was hit with, "Where are the presents???" They were able to wait a few minutes (at least until she was able to take off her coat.) The kids LOVE Ginger, and she is not short of attention from them. Even little Cooper was heard saying, "Ginger, Ginger, GINGER!!!"

Brunch with Santa!

2008-12-21T10:31:00.000-08:00

We had a very chilly (well not inside) brunch with Santa this morning! It was -6 degrees on the way over, YIKES!!! But, once inside, the kids had a blast! Carter and Olivia chatted with the big guy, Cooper said "Hi Santa!" And Annabelle hid.

It was a great morning for the family despite the frigid temps!!!!

Holiday Sing Along!!!

2008-12-18T08:12:00.000-08:00

The kids participated in their annual Holiday Sing Along! It was the twins first time up on stage, and needless to say, they weren't stellar performers! I think it's the fact that they are up on a giant stage with lights, and about 250 people staring at them. Their highlight was the fact that when they stood up, their dresses wouldn't fall down on their own, so it was up around their waists!!! They didn't notice though, and the teacher helped them with their "wardrobe malfunctions!!!"

Carter, was typical, looked around, stared off, played with his antlers, and barely sang. I am not sure if there are any actors or actresses in this bunch! Oh well, at least no one cried or had to have a potty break mid-song! I call that a success!!!

One last thing on "Baby" #5....

2008-12-17T10:15:00.000-08:00

I had a doctor's visit yesterday and was happy to learn that the baby will be born the 3rd week in June!!! Since I have scheduled c-sections, it's nice to learn when this little ones birthday will be WAY in advance! So, there's no chance that this baby will have to share his or her (we won't find out) with Uncle Sam or anyone else!!!

Gotta love a scheduled c-section!!!

If you haven't heard...

2008-12-15T17:11:00.000-08:00

...Cooper is going to be a BIG SISTER!!!!

Yep, we are expecting number 5 sometime in June! All of the bigger kids are SOOOOO excited and even little Cooper points to my belly and says "Baby!" We are excited too!!!! This will be (FOR SURE) the last Evans baby from this family!

I always laugh when I think back to how we got here...I think at one point Jason and I both said we weren't sure if we even wanted children. How funny is that now? We love our big, crazy, family, we can't imagine our life any other way!!!

Montessori Sings at Barnes & Noble!

2008-12-11T09:16:00.000-08:00

Carter's extended preschool class, and the kindergarten class, sang today at the bookstore for their annual fundraiser! We've decided 2 things about our Carter, 1, he has the BIGGEST head, so much so that the antlers he had to wear kept shooting off, and 2, he has a serious case of "ants in his pants!" He loves to perform in front of people, and is quite the ham, but he can't stand still!!!! It was really cute to watch him perform all his holiday songs, he really did a bang up job!!!

Cookies and a new camera!

2008-12-10T13:50:00.000-08:00

Here are some pics of the kids making cookies with Betsy, taken, with my NEW camera! I am very excited, so these are the first pictures taken! There is SOOOO much to learn about the new camera, we will see what happens!!!

Pictues and other "stuff!"

2008-12-08T10:12:00.002-08:00

Here are some pictures that were taken recently, by the kids!!! My small digital camera is on it's last leg (mainly from being dropped a dozen or so times) and a new more "professional" one is on the way. So, I figured, let the kids take a crack at taking some photos, since it's something that they are ALWAYS begging to do!!!!

The funniest part was Carter kept saying, "Now, you two, get together, and smile!" And then would follow up with, "Oh, yes that's a good one!" I wonder where he gets that???

Cooper wanted to get in on the action, but obviously is too little, but she posed anyway! It's so funny how people oh and ah over Cooper now, she's got this cute little face, and a BIG personality to go with it!!! People are always remarking on how cute she, and I think she's beginning to understand what they are saying, and playing it up!!! It's funny, EVERYONE thinks she looks like Carter, and actually, some people (and I now know there's SOME that don't think it's a good thing) think she looks like me.

Anyway, the nurse at the pediatrician's office said it the best, "Well, you can tell you all belong together!!" And that, is the best compliment!!!

Things....

2008-11-25T08:28:00.000-08:00

Here's an update on what's been going on here!!! Well, much to Carter's dismay, the snow has melted!!!! He was so mad when the sun came out and the snow started to disappear!!! But, I think that he gets that it will eventually return, and he will again be able to go out and play!

We are getting ready for a few days off from school. Carter's class has a Thanksgiving feast today and he was excited. He said, "First the feast, and then 5 days off of school!" Not sure what he was more excited about!!!

The girls are doing CRAZY art projects, their poor teacher gets something brought to her almost everyday! And Annabelle has a new found interest in Sesame Street, only because Cooper has been watching it, and she realized that Oscar says things, like "Scram!" and "Get lost!" She LOVES that, perhaps because she has a little understanding of Oscar's personality!!!

Cooper is a full on Elmo addict!!! She says "Mo mo" at least 100 times in a day. She also loves Ernie, Big Bird, and Zoe. She is getting ready to start school too!!! She starts on January 5th, and is so excited (not quite more excited than I am though!!!)

Here are some pics of the kids putting their money that their Grandpa gave them, into the jar for their "Park" also know as a swing set. Looks like by Spring they will have enough to buy the "Park!"

Winter is here!!!

2008-11-20T10:55:00.001-08:00

Our first snow hit on Tuesday morning, and we got a whopping 10 inches!!!! I personally like to ease into winter, with a few flakes, and a nice 2 to 3 inches at Christmas. But, no, it came down fast and furiously and we got about 10 inches.

The good news? The kids LOVED it!!! They played the last 2 days, and as it turns out, they are calling for more tonight into tomorrow!!! Bring it on!!!

Dinner

2008-11-11T10:24:00.000-08:00

On Saturday, we had the Barone family over for a little dinner. The kids had a blast playing in the basement, and Carter thought it was "Awesome" when the queen size mattress that was leaning against the wall, fell to the floor and they were able to jump on it!!!

Also, I keep forgetting to post that when asked who was on the dollar bill, Annabelle said the following,

"I know, I know, Mrs. Barb told us at school, GEORGE WASHING MACHINE!!!"

That child is too much, she's ALWAYS saying the funniest things!!! She said in the car yesterday, "Mommy, it snows in the wintertime, CORRECT?" What 3 year old uses the word correct? Again, she's just too much!!!

Beautiful Day!

2008-11-02T16:12:00.000-08:00

Today was such a nice day, after going out for lunch at Red Robin, we took a "nature" walk in our yard. So, it wasn't that long of a walk, but for the little ones, it may have seemed that way! I guessed it was going to be one of the last nice days, so I took some pictures!!

2008-10-31T18:29:00.000-07:00

Here are some pictures of our Halloween fun! We started off at the Wagner's house, and had a great time!! Becky and Jake have tons of "spooky" stuff the kids love! The mummy and the Halloween village are 2 of the big hits!! Then we headed over to the Barone's house, where the trick or treating commenced, and then ended at just 6:45 (it started at 6:00.) It's safe to say that our kids are still a little on the young side, for the whole door to door thing! Carter had a BLAST trying to keep up with his older buddies Jack and Carlo. And while Daddy tried to keep up with Olivia's shoes that kept falling off, Cooper was climbing out of her stroller. Next year, 2 chaperones for 4 kiddos (I was back "helping" Martina hand out candy, it turns out Jason needed WAY more help!!!)

It was a great night, and everyone was asleep by 8!!!

Pumpkin Carving!

2008-10-30T14:44:00.000-07:00

So we did our first pumpkin carving after school today!! The kids were excited, FOR ABOUT 6 minutes. And then I was left, to finish carving 3 pumpkins without my audience! The wouldn't even touch the insides of the pumpkin, and were complaining about how the pumpkins stink, like a skunk. I am not sure they even know what a skunk smells like!

Anyhow, they had fun looking at the pumpkins when I was done, and they are excited to see them on the front porch for Halloween!!!

Here are the kids in their Halloween outfits that they wore to school today!!! Well, and the little one still in her jammies!

Tonight's movie!

2008-10-24T16:54:00.001-07:00

It's such a cute movie, all 3 of the big kids actually sat still to watch!!! I recommend it if you haven't seen it yet!!! :)

Party!!!

2008-10-20T13:23:00.000-07:00

We had a party this weekend for our good friends Cara and Aaron and their new little one, Christian! It was SO much fun hanging out with everyone, enjoying some GREAT food (that I DID NOT prepare) and catching up with people we don't get to see too often!

Baby Christian (as he is called by everyone here) is adorable and his parents are so fun! Carter corrected his sisters when they said it was a birthday party, Carter said, "No, it's not his birthday, he's only ZERO!!!" Yes, Christian is only 4 months old, and cute as a button, so a proper welcome was in order!!!!!

The value of money!

2008-10-17T15:08:00.000-07:00

So we are trying to teach the kids that you have to SAVE for things that you want, instead of merely asking us for things. We both know they are a little young for this, but it's really a concept that they need to understand. So, instead of just buying them a swing set this spring, we are making them think they are saving for one! They call it their "Park" jar. We have a spot already made in our yard and every time we talk about the "park" they talk about how they are saving all their money for it! It's pretty cute, they all wanted to dump their piggie banks into the jar, they helped Jason clean out his car, all to fill this giant jar with change!!

Pumpkin Patch 2008!

2008-10-13T11:10:00.000-07:00

We made our annual trip to the pumpkin patch for our friend Aubrey's 8th birthday! The funny thing was that is was about 85 degrees (which is oddly hot if you're not from the Midwest!) and the kids were sweltering! We saw the animals, took a hayride, had cake and ice cream and even did the corn maze! It was a blast, and Cooper even loved it! Then our friends the Kutckas came over for some pizza! The kids were in heaven!!!