Mother's Day 2010

Well, we had a fun Mother's Day spent all together.

Ever since Staci and Don built their new house, no one ever wants to come hang out with us anymore. They must think they are "slumming"!

I guess when Todd is the cook, all the people change their minds and go where the food is!

Well, this is how we started our day. I talked Ellie into putting on this cute new dress (Target!! Can you believe it?!). This is a task! She does not like wearing dresses lately. She will only put them on if I let her put pants on under the dress.

She even let me slap a big, fat bow in her hair. That lasted all of, ummmm, maybe 5 minutes!

Gabbi Girl is not as discriminating. She will wear about anything I lay out for her.

I don't think I have mentioned it, but Todd the Bod is having some very severe low back pain. That has been the case for about three weeks now. He stands up to get something or another accomplished, but has to go lie back down as the pain is travelling down his leg and making his toes numb. Todd is doing therapy a little, but so far, nothing is really giving him much relief. That is why you will see him on the couch in lots of pics today and likely in the near future.

ANyway, as you can see, bow is now gone! But BERET?

Who saw that one coming?

This kid of mine is so strange!

There you are, you little worm. Now get that bow back in your hair!

Gabbi looks like she is thinking, "Hmmm.... wonder if I should tell mom what Ellie is doing?"

"Ellie, go away."

"and please be normal!"

And if terrorizing Gabbi Girl wasn't enough, she took her turn totally aggravating Earl!

I think this face Earl is making is absolutely hysterical. He is like, "OH LORD. Please tell me this isn't my life!"

"Why couldn't they have brought home a boy? Boys don't wear bows!"

Ellie was determined that she get that bow in there jusssst right!

And then, Earl sat there and posed for me. Ellie was on over to her daddy to jump all over him and watch him squirm and say, "oooooh, ow. Oh. ugh. OW!"

Actually, I was reaching out and scratching Earl's chest right here, and he would've worn a tutu if it meant he got his chest scratched.

Now, here is where it gets good.....

I had threatened that child if she changed clothes one more time. You cannot even begin to understand the gravity of the changing the clothes situation.

Anyway, when I walked in on her putting on JEANS and a TANK, (her chosen outfit right now), I convinced her to let me put another dress on her, and negotiated that it be one we could put pants under.

Now get this.... she needed pants because "my legs will be cold." Uh huh! Not that those spaghetti straps and flipflops will be real warm.

Ellie has a new pose. She says this is Maddi's pose. I don't know why she calls it that, but she insists on flipping up her bent leg foot a little higher then usual.

And then we needed to start lunch.

Dad got it started but couldn't continue due to his back. So, Ellie and I stepped in as relief.

Ellie thought loading up the shish ka bobs was gret fun.

Hers were "unique", like the all sausage one shown above.

If she is going to learn to cook, she is going to have to hang out with her daddy! Mom is clueless. And not even interested in learning! Sorry. Just sayin'! Ellie loves to help! She was so proud of herself.

And then Jin showed up. Ellie could hardly wait to give her her present.

We bought her present at Chico's. Jin has lost about 50 pounds since January, so she has been stylin' and profilin'! She has become quite the clothes ho. Again. Just sayin'!

Is this a cute picture or what?

Actually, this was a good picture day altogether. We got lots of cuties.

And then, little precious woke up from her nap.

JInJIn and her little girlies. This is one of those pictures you never in a million years expect to get. All three looking at the camera and grinning. And nobody has their eyes closed either!

So Jin spent a little bonding time now with GG.

Gabbi was all about the new cuff we got for Jin.

I'm telling you... Jin has done gone and gotten HIP! She is dressing young and accessorizing even younger.

And yet again, Ellie has found more headgear.

Got any Wisconsin folks out there? One of Todd's relatives bought this for her when she was a tiny baby. I have been packing up all of their sweet things that I jsut can't part with and labeling it "hope chest". Actually, it will be more like "hope diesel truck" when I get through keeping all the things I deem "special"!

Really, be watching for me on TLC.

Hoarders!And all Jin asked for for Mother's Day was a picture of her with all of her grandchildren.

You know, I actually think this is a first. It is a little bit weird to me because I know there is one missing. But, not in a sad way... just a matter of fact.... he should be there!

So let's pretend he is. And then... can you believe that between staci and me, just the two of us... there are this many grandbabies?

Well, you know. Staci actually bore "four" of them!

And I, well... I ....

I contributed to the meal.

and that was our Mother's Day miracle!!

Ha

Mo