Clean Up Time

For any parents out there, you know the "Clean Up Time" song, or at least some version of something that you kids were thought during pre-k. For me this means cleaning up my cell phone and getting all the pictures and videos off of it about every 6 months. Usually this is initiated by me having the perfect photo op of the kids and I can't take it because I don't have space on my phone. This happened at the kids dentist appointment this past week.

But with the phone clean up, I found a bunch of videos that I thought I would share. Most of which are all singing videos because the girls LOVE to sing! I see a karaoke machine in our future :-)

Bria singing "Happy Birthday"

The girls singing "Jingle Bells"

Even singing (and dancing...)

Stevie (and Bria in the background) singing "Let it Go" - Stevie plays with her Frozen dolls all the time singing this at the top of her lungs - Elsa and Anna usually end up making out at the end :)

And here's the picture from the dentist - I had a much better one, but my phone camera was full! The girls did AWESOME at their first dentist appointment - way easier than I was expecting...  (L to R: Aven, Bria and Stevie)

The girls on their bikes on the first nice day in weeks! (L to R: Aven, Bria & Stevie)

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If you aren't following me on Instagram (@klawry) you should, because I'm afraid that these blog posts are going to get less and less... It's just been busy and when there is any free time the kids are sucking it up or I'm working. And not to mention that I am starting back on the workout train to shed these 10 lbs I've gained since I started this new job and the 5 am's are coming EARLY! So unfortunately, there are a lot more priorities - but I think the right ones! So Instagram is the place to be for me, post a lot of pictures :-)

The kids have been doing great and back in school mode. Declan has been falling asleep really early and struggling to wake up (per usual :-)) and has been doing great in school. Learning to read more and more, learning to spell and finding out numbers come much easier than words (just like his momma - thank goodness for spellcheck!) The girls LOVE school still and it's so nice to actually have 3 kids that like going to school. If we would have had 3 Declan's at their age, it would have been a challenge (and we would have had to buy bacon by the truck load since that's what we used to give him to bribe him out of the house to go to preschool :-)) They are thriving with their development - their speech has really taken off. And for Stevie especially. There are still times that you don't understand them, but Stevie and Bria are talking in sentences (i.e. "I want apple juice") and Aven is saying more and more words. Aven I think just doesn't want us to know all the things she can say :-) Playing it to her advantage. They love to sing as well - and even sang Daddy "Happy Birthday" today (note the title of the post).

Here are a few pictures from the last few weeks... The girls post bath and ready for bed! (L to R: Aven, Stevie & Bria)

Last weekend we had friends from California and their 7 month old (Morrison) visit. It was so much fun and the kids actually all posed for a picture :-)

Stevie & Declan posing :-)

Aven and Declan... Aven is the most interested in learning (which is interesting since she's the least verbal) - she has the longest attention span and will listen to instructions. Declan is very patient with her and likes to teach her. There are times like these when I see these 2 completely occupied for (could be an hour) that I think about how boring it would be with just 2 kids...

Declan during a breakdancing session :-) I'm in desperate pursue of finding him a class but so far we've only found a few in the city and it's just too far on most night to drive...

The girls before school this past Wednesday... L to R: Stevie, Bria & Aven - this is their version of putting their arms around each other loving each other - I'll take it!

VACATION!

After Christmas, we headed down to Florida to spend a week with my dad, stepmom, sister Amy (and her family) and brought our other sister Emily with us. It was AWESOME!!! 1) the weather was amazing, warm and so nice every single day 2) my folks rented an awesome house, so we didn't need to stay in a hotel and the kids LOVED it. It was on the water, had it's own pool and had some great couches for the kids to jump on, around and off :-) and 3) I actually took some time off work (we were closed for the holiday) and spent time with the kids. It feels like its been so long since I just focused on them and I loved it. The drive to and from, wasn't spectacular and I think I have Andy convinced that the next time we go somewhere for long distance that we fly (fingers crossed that he remembers).

The kids loved the ocean and the beach, loved being around so many people, loved seeing the wildlife and just plain loved the new adventure. Here are some pictures from the trip.


L to R: Stevie, Aven, Declan, Bria

Stevie so excited about the sand!

Grandparents, Andy and the kiddos!

Stevie still excited :-)

Aven

The boys... Yes, my dad is that tan... (he just got back from Mexico for 3 weeks) and compared to Andy, it's even more evident ;)

Declan LOVED the ocean...

Sisters and sisters!

Me and Dec...

Aven standing in the rain for the first time (ever). They really got to "live" on this trip :-)

Aven again - ready for the pool!

Cool Stevie...

Slisters!

The kids ready for the ocean again! (L to R: Aven, Declan, Bria & Stevie)

Aven :-)

L to R: Bria, Aven, Stevie & Declan