Chopsticks Times 6: When Pigs Fly

Well, they say when pigs fly...they were flying at the park this day! ;) This is the year of the pig, so people have gone a little crazy with the pigs, including glue/nailing them to the tree! The kids thought it was funny and a few wanted a picture in the tree with the flying pig.

Papaw and Regan were helping Katherine into the tree.

Hudson just wanted his picture taken with the pretty flowers in the background.

I'm not quite sure what these two got tickled about, but they were laughing so hard that they both started crying while they were trying to smile for the picture :)

I think it's official that I'm going to be the short one around here. Benjamin and I got photo bombed by his big sister :)

Mamaw and Papaw with all the grandkids

This flying pig hasn't made it off the ground yet.

Mamaw and Papaw were about to head back to the States to visit with Emily for a bit. The kids each sent something back for Emily. The stress in the house was a little comical because the kids realized that time had gone by fast and they only had 2 days to get there gifts together...and no simple handwritten note would do the trick. It had to be perfect...it was for EMILY! Oh the tears and the panic that followed...they love Auntie Em! I wish I had a picture of each one, but in all the panic and drama, I forgot to get a photo, but I know what they each did. Lauren made this elephant pillow, Katherine made some flowers with quilling paper, Hudson made a card and a bead craft, Regan drew and elephant picture, and Benjamin drew Emily and her dog Linus. They all did great and each gift was full of more love than she will ever know :)

Poor Scout. The kids are always adding bows to HIS hair because they think it's cute and funny. It's a good thing he doesn't mind.

Hudson and Lauren working on some more bead crafts. This is actually the first time that he's been patient enough and had the right fine motor skills to complete one of these by himself. I hadn't pulled it out in awhile, so the kids had fun making them again.

Well, we went out to eat with Mamaw and Papaw. We were crossing the road to catch the bus back home when Regan's foot got caught between the sidewalk and the concrete pillar that is to keep cars from driving on the sidewalk (big foot problems) and she completely went flying through the air and landed on the ground. She was holding her new water bottle in one hand and her new phone in the other. She never let go of either. Her arm and elbow got really cut up on her right arm, and her phone took the brunt of the fall for her left arm. Needless to say, the phone was shattered, but she was OK. I took her phone in to see if there was any hope. They replaced everything while I waited!! Hudson came with me and was fascinated by the whole thing.I'm so glad they were able to fix it (and for cheap, too!)

So, with all the craziness that went on over the holidays, we never made our gingerbread houses! So four of the kids wanted to make them anyways...so in late February, we made the houses! :)

We had not made them here before, and the kids had a lot of fun.

Regan needed snow on the plate for hers.

And Lauren needed a sidewalk.

This is just to remind me one day when she all grown up...this is the face I see every night :) She gets her shower and then comes to our room, sits on the bed, and just talks. Sometimes it's just for a few minutes and sometimes it's for a few hours...but I enjoy these days/nights.

Shut apparently thought Katherine needed a bath. He insisted on cleaning her face, ears, whatever he could get to! Lauren was afraid that she was next and was hiding behind her shirt. :)

Shadow styling with Katherine's glasses

This girl...she's been saving for an American Girl doll, but when she saw "the most gorgeous beautiful slime" she has ever seen, she "just had to buy it" :)