Girls with many talents....

Our girls have so many different talents. Don't make any assumptions about our personalities, because we will be sure to surprise you. Plus, our girls are talented at surprising us with glimpses into their constantly expanding personalities. Just when I think I am beginning to understand, it changes. What fun it is to watch these girls and have fun with them. Violet having fun with her daddy, getting all dirty and LOVING it. Dirt doesn't matter, it's fun! When mommy is sleeping (because she worked all night long) girls get to do extra special things, like: getting dirty, and what? hammering!? Yep, you got it. Rachel is one good worker. Her hourly rate is beyond your budget though.

And cooking......... When I am working in the kitchen, girls (and boy) come running. Some to help, some to lick, some to taste test, and others to just cling on to my legs.

There is always time to be cute. So cute and growing so fast.

Oh yes, we mustn't forget, there is always time to play in the make-up! She believes she is so beautiful (she is of course, but doesn't need make-up to be beautiful!). This is, of course, special to her and she is so proud!!!

Girls, Girls, Girls.............

Muddy Mondays

These beautiful Spring days! Words cannot begin to describe the depth of my thankfulness for sunny days and warmer weather. Watching the flowers blossom, trees blooming, grass turning green, and spending long days outside. This past weekend Ben worked the garden up for me and I was able to plant the early spring things such as: potatoes, peas, onions, radishes, lettuce, and broccoli. Monday after school, the traditional mud hole was created. I wish I had time to go back and scan a mud hole picture from every year this has happened, to the present. The kids have so much fun........

I did manage to keep Violet out of the mud. She was very attracted to it, but I just wasn't quite ready for that. This was a school night after all! (which means homework, and a bedtime.)

Violet loves the sandbox. She has managed to swallow a rather large handful of sand that we than washed down with a drink of milk. I wasn't quite sure how to get her mouth cleaned after I did a quick finger sweep to get the majority of sand out. Hopefully she will survive being the youngest, because I am often distracted by the other three kids!

Our Day.....

Some days just don't need words........................................
We had a beautiful, wonderful day outside. We put daily chores, laundry, and cleaning on hold for the day, and spent a day outdoors. (although I did manage to make a batch of bread, and now have 5 beautiful loaves of bread sitting on the counter.)

After playing outside, the girls enjoyed a lunch together as they usually do.

Funny how children love to go UP the slide. It must be instinct?

It looks as if they are conspiring a scheme. I wonder what they are planning?

After lunch, Rachel disappeared. I went looking for her and found her in bed!! She said she wanted alone time! My Rachel! She doesn't Take Naps, she is Too Big! I quick got Violet to bed, both fell asleep very fast and I had 1 1/2 hours to myself, well almost. I did feed Ben and his employee lunch and then cleaned up after them. The rest of the time, I organized my photos on the computer. I willed myself not to look away from the screen so I would not see a disorganized house, laundry piles, etc....... that I should have been doing!

After school, on such a beautiful day, I had a spontaneous thought. Lets play with soap and water. The kids really enjoyed washing windows, using the garden hose to clean screens, and washing the front porch and front door. We had discussions as we worked, everyone was so happy! And the best part, for after school snack, we ate one whole loaf of bread (with Ben's help) the kids were so impressed by this!

Pretty impressive huh? Needless to say, I am exhausted. Kneading bread and washing windows, running races outside with the kids, our after supper walk in the dusk of evening......Tomorrow holds Muffins with Mom at the school book fair, and then another beautiful day that we are going to spend outdoors. Laundry is going to have to get done "afterhours". I am loving this spring weather!

Turning Three

Unbelievable! Rachel is now 3! Time flies in the Bast household. I still have (somewhat) vivid memories of this beautiful little baby girl. This perfect little baby with a lot of black hair! A wonderful baby that just fit right in. Really no adjustments to having her at home. Such a good baby!
Now at three years old, Rachel is one busy little girl! She keeps us on our toes, she makes us laugh, she is my little mother, and full of drama. She likes to boss, likes to stay in charge, likes to take care of everyone. If someone is sick(we've had a lot of opportunity this year to observe this behavior), Rachel wants to take their temperature, give them a drink, dampen their washcloth across their forehead, hand out medicine. She carries around her baby, "nurses" her baby, burps, dresses, and baths her baby. In regards to Violet, my little Rachel has carried her around since she was a newborn. She has totally ignored my instructions to leave the baby and not to carry her around. Even as Violet has grown, she is still trying to carry her! Rachel has loved Elmo, and has been requesting an Elmo cake since our birthday season has begun. So of course, I make an Elmo cake. It is so absolutely wonderful to see her happiness when looking at her cake. March 1st is Rachel's birthday, but this year, Ben had bible study Monday night and I had to work, so we celebrated on Tues evening.

One happy princess! Evidently a little girl cannot have too many necklaces, tiaras, rings or any bling!! Ben even tried on her jewelry, however, I was instructed NOT to post these pictures on my blog! He really is a good father to our girls! (and to his son as well)

Violet turns one on the 13th, so we will have another birthday soon. We are planning on combining the girls birthdays and having our extended families over for a birthday party then.

I have been thinking of posting ideas, but my days fly by without getting the blogging done. We have dealt with a lot of sicknesses, two funerals already in 2010, so hopefully life will *settle* down. (is this possible, I doubt it-not sure I even want it too) More another time! I need to put Violet to bed, start laundry, pick up the kids from school, homework chaos, supper on the table, baths, bedtime................Time to get busy!