What was I thinking

So we had plans to go to Living History Farms Family Halloween today. I thought, we should go to church first! Well we did, we went to All Saints because they have a 4pm mass.  I told Tracy that there is a cry room if it gets out of hand.
Well we went to church, and right before mass started the kids started to get restless, so we decided to go to the cry room. Well Duncan thought he didn't have to pay attention since we were in there. The rest of the kids were running around and beating on a stain glass window. Well we did survive mass, but decided the cry room is not a good place for our 5 kids, and we/they are not ready to go to mass with just Tracy and I!
So after church off to living history farms. Thank goodness Tracy said we should take the big stroller. We loaded everyone up and off we went. We did park the stroller by one of the little stores and let the kids walk. Then we got to the top of the hill and Tracy had to go back to get the stroller. ( I offered to go get it and he could stay with the kids, he chose the stroller!). So then we had to wait in line, what seemed like forever. The kids ate snacks they had gotten. We finally made it to the popcorn stand, decided to skip the horse drawn wagon ride, that is what I wanted to do, but the line was very long! We finished up with a marshmallow roast, no one liked them. Everyone crashed on the way home, Olivia tried her hardest to stay awake like always.
We got a cat yesterday too. Aunt and Uncle brought one home to the kids. His name was Monster Truck for the night and this morning Duncan decided Car was a better name. Who knows how many times the name will change.

 Walking with Dad

 Waiting on the stroller

 Duncan helping get Owen for Mom!

 Everyone: Ethan  and Owen in front, Olivia and Elliott in back. Duncan the bear

 Waiting in line

 Duncan and Ethan

Everyone crashed on the way home!!

Begining of Fall

It has been a busy couple of weeks!
At the end of September we had a birthday party for Mom. She turned 60 this year!! It was a good time. We collected laundry soap to take to the homeless shelter in place of gifts. We got enough soap for about 3 weeks, it feels so good to be able to help others! The party was lots of fun, lots of visiting and dancing. We had a DJ again this year. It is lots of fun to be able to dance the night away. Duncan had a blast. He danced and played with Trey and Little Kenny. The babies had a very good time too, they ran around the whole time they were there.

Duncan started going to RE at Christ the King on Wednesday nights. I thought because it is school he would be ok, but I was wrong. The first night he lasted about 1 minute and then went to his Aunt's room and was her helper! He really enjoye that. When he got home I asked how it was and he said Great! Then Abby told me to ask him how his class was, I did. He told me oh, I didn't like it so I was Aunt's helper! He called Sarah on the way home to see if she would go with him the next week, she said she would. Then he asked, you will go every week right? She does go with him. Hopefully he will get comfortable and go by himself soon, we will see!

Duncan had picture day at school, we will see how well he smiled this year!!
We went to the Apple Orchard as a family! The girls went with us also, it was lots of fun. Our friends The Etters went too, we all had a great time! It is lots of work with 9 kids 4 and under, but way worth all of the work. Really it went very well. The girls are a huge help and just knows what needs to be done. This year was way nicer than last year, it was not so windy. Until we sat down for lunch! The kids had fun on the tractors, seeing the animals, goats, pigs, chickens. They feed them too, and seemed ok with that.  There is also bouncy horses, adult size tractors, a super slide, hay maze, a huge pillow to jump on ( that was interesting with the little ones), not my most favorite thing!  There was a little playground the kids played on at lunch too. Duncan, Sarah and Hannah and Tracy loved the adult size pedal tractors. They took the little kids on rides too! I think Hannah and Duncan rode thoese things for an hour. We ended the day with a tractor ride though the apple orchard, We did not get off to see pumpkins or the corn maze, Tracy and I didn't think the babies would last through that.

Owen got his glasses today, he did well this afternoon with them, I hope that continues. He is getting more and more ornery! All of the babies are talking more and able to let us know what they want. They also are trying to not take naps this last week. Olivia can sure keep herself awake. Owen is the only one that will lay down and go to sleep.
I have been going to the gym while Duncan is at school. The babies go to the daycare there, they are getting use to that and do well. I have kid leashes that I put on there arms, and we all walk in. Most days it goes well, some days are a challenge.

 Duncan jumping in the corn pit, Hannah beside him

 Elliott

 Elliott and Mommy, he didn't like the corn

 Everyone, well almost looks like a few kids missing!

 Duncan

 Sarah

 Duncan

Sarah and Owen

Taylor, Elliott, Olivia, Sarah, Owen, Ethan, Hannah, and Duncan

Hannah and Duncan

 

 Haus, Hawkins, and Etter's that's aloit of kids!

Olivia, Hannah, Owen, Taylor, Ethan, Sarah and Elliott. Duncan is hiding behind Owen, you can see his hat!

Summer Part 2

The boys! Owen, Duncan, Ethan and Elliott.  July 2012

Duncan at VBS program, SS John and Paul. July 2012

Duncan and Olivia. Adventureland July 2012

Olivia, Abby and Ada at Reimen Gardens. Girls Day August 2012

Duncan Reimen's Gardens Ames. August 2012

Cake Taylor made Uncle for his birthday. Tracy, Elliott and Taylor July 2012

Duncan helping wash a hog at the Polk County Fair, July 12

Olivia ISF, 2012

Twins, Triplets and more ISF 12. Duncan and Elliott, Amy and Owen, Hannah and Oliva, Sarah and Ethan

Duncan and Taylor helping at project aware booth ISF 2012

 Ethan and Duncan, this is what they all like to do

 Ethan and Hannah, Owen on outside, Kids day at ISF, 2012

 Mom and MaryLouise, Reimens Gardens, girls day

 Favorite snack at ISF,egg on a stick and it was FREE!! Ethan in back, Owen (L), Elliott (R)

 Duncan 1st day of 2nd year of preschool. September 2012

Hannah Elliott,Ethan, Taylor and Owen at Adventureland September 2012

Little Bit of Summer 2012 Part 1

Uncle Wayne feeding the kids cereal  L to R Olivia, Elliott, Owen and Ethan

The van is full!! One of many trips while in Texas

Duncan at NASA

Olivia at NASA

Everyone loved the beach, much to my suprise

Elliott at NASA

Family picture, NASA Duncan, Ethan, Owen, Olivia, Elliott

Dallas Zoo, Ethan, Olivia, Duncan, Elliott, and Owen

Duncan feeding the giraffe at the Dallas zoo

Elliott on chair, Ethan laughing, and Owen making his way up

Mother's Day, Daddy and Olivia

Taylor and Olivia

Daddy and Owen

Mommy and Elliott

Duncan graduation 1st year of preschool. May 2012 church of the cross preschool, altoona, iowa

End of Summer

We kept busy the whole summer!! We had lots of fun. I am so grateful that I can stay home with the kids. I love watching them grow, play, and love each other. It is the most amazing thing to me to watch all of them grow up. They are into hugging now! We get lots of kisses too.

We ventured to the Iowa State Fair a few times this year. Lots of fun was had. The kids and I went on the first day of the fair. The Hawkins went with us to help out! The twins, triplets and more contest is the first day of the fair. The Quads got 5th place in least look alike again this year. We also went to little hands on the farm. That is Duncan's favorite thing at the fair. We were not able to do the whole thing, it was just to much for Sarah, Hannah and myself. We also went on parks and rec day, that is always a good day. The kids were in the big wheel race. The babies had to be pushed! Next year they will have long enough legs to pedal the big wheel.

We went to Adventureland a couple of times with the whole family. It was fun. Duncan loves to ride rides! He loves the big boat. The galleon!! He would get on almost anything except roller coasters. The babies also like rides. They had a blast riding the little kid rides, most of them Duncan went with them and we didn't have too! Hannah likes some of the rides and if she could get on with them, she did! Thank goodness for Hannah to help out in this department! Sometimes Elliott and Owen won't ride, but they got better towards the end of the summer.
Ethan is on his 4th pair of glasses! He went through 3 pairs in 3 weeks and then we bought an unbreakable pair! He does well with them. They really help his eye to come out and be where it is suppose to be.

Owen has an eye doctor apt. this week, his right eye is lazy.

Olivia finally hit 20 pounds! She went for her last physical therapy. The therapist was amazed how far along she has came in 2 months. She out does the boys on almost everything. She loves to climb! Speaking of climbing she climbed out of her bed today and went to visit Owen at his bed. He just pulled her hair! I sent Duncan to check on her after about 10 minutes of crying.

I am working a little more now. I really do like going to work once in awhile, it is nice to see everyone and all of the patients. I ran my first 5K, The green run. It was a very hard course, very hilly and rough ground. I finished in 46 minutes. I will do better my next one!

Duncan is back at preschool 3 mornings a week. He loves school! He amazes me everyday what he knows and is learning! He also knows how to get to me. Yesterday I told him I was tired of him not listening. He was bouncing on a ball and just looked up at me and said, "you are" and that was that. He is a big help with all of the kids, he plays with them and helps with what ever I may need.
We have been on a few play dates with our friends the Etters. The are quadruplet boys who are 6 months older than our kiddos. Everyone always plays well together!

More Summer

Well the summer is going fast! We have been to Adventureland a few times, made it to the farmers market dentist and doctor for check ups. I also picked up a few days at work. I won't work 3 days in a row for awhile again. It was alot on for everyone!

Duncan continues to love Adventureland. He loves to ride the rides and he loved the water park when he went there with the girls. We went to the farmers market early on one Saturday morning. It was fun, the kids were all good. We had breakfast there and got a few things to bring home. We were only there a couple of hours because it got hot fast!

All the kids went to the dentist in July. It was an exciting trip. All of the girls went to help, I told them I would take them out for lunch if they went to help. We went out for Mexican before the appt. The kids all did well, they love chips and salsa! Ethan really loves the salsa, he let his cheese quesadila sit in salsa and then ate it, and I thought it was a little spicy ( i am a wimp though!). They went back a couple at a time for the dentist appt, Duncan did well like always. The babies all cried when the dentist was looking in their mouths. No one really liked it, it will get better as they get older. All the babies have 8 teeth top and 8 bottom. No cativies for anyone, thank goodness.

The babies went for there 18 month check up at the doctor also. They did well, I took Owen and Olivia together and Ethan and Elliott together. The office asked if I would bring 2 at a time because it is a lot of work! Really, I don't know that!! It worked out though because Sarah babysat and she doesn't really like to go and help at the doctor. Olivia almost weighs 20 pounds, finally. She weighs 19.8 and is 30 inches long. Owen weighs 22 pounds and 30 1/2 inches long. Elliott 25 pounds, and 33 3/4 inches long and Ethan 22 pounds and 30 1/2 inches long. I decided Ethan and Elliott are to ornery and will have to be separated, but I think putting any 2 of the boys together will be trouble! Elliott was swinging off the exam table saying wee, wee!! So of course Ethan had to try it too!

Ethan got glasses for his lazy eye. He has had them a couple of days and doing good so far, if Elliott will leave them alone we will be good! Olivia went to physical therapy for her legs. She is fine and the therapist said she is in the normal range for when she was born, just needs to get strength in her legs. To do that she needs to bend over and pick stuff up, amazing that the day after we were there, she really started doing it! We go back at the end of the month for a check up. She is much more steady on her feet now. Owen is starting to get a lazy eye also, so we will be making a trip to the eye doctor for him too. Nothing more new with Elliott!

Duncan went to VBS at the Christian Church in Runnells, he had a blast. He was nervous and was not going to stay by himself, but the first night we got there and his Sarah had decided to help, he was so happy! She helped with his group so I did not have to stay with him. Tracy and Duncan went to a car race in Newton. Duncan loved it, his favorite part was watching the race. Tracy said he sat and watched the race and played with one of the cars he got. He wore big yellow head phones the whole time!

Tracy's birthday was in July, he got a new TV for Father's Day, and his birthday. We went to the farmer's market on his birthday since that is what he wanted to do.

We went to the county fair to see the girls and all of the animals. Duncan made friends, baby goats. They talked to him! He would of stayed there all day watching them. We had a good time. All of the kids loved the animals. We watched Taylor in the queen contest, that was fun even though she didn't win.

Olivia and I had a girls day with the Weir/Kelley side. We went to Rieman gardens in Ames and to Hickory Park to eat, it was a good time. The boys had a boys day at home!

We went to the 4th of July parade in Carlisle this year, it was lots of fun and all of the kids loved watching the parade. It was very hot out, but that didn't bother the kids.