A post after 3 months-not bad! :)

I know, how annoying to look at the same pictures and post for almost three months now! Well, our three oldest are back at school today, the twins are watching Tom & Jerry, and the wash is in the washer.....so hurray, for being able to blog today!
This past week or two has been busy with the endless list of things that the kids "need" for back to sxhool. The first four hours of shopping are fun and then this mama is ready to colapse on the couch! This year I just left Quinn at home with Joel, because he isn't exactly a big shopper, like his sisters and mom are. :) He told me what he likes and what he doesn't like....he's easy. I did take him to Marshalls to pick out his shoes, which he could handle!
Joel celebrated birthday # ..... this past Wednesday, (which was the last day of the summer movies that we did this summer. Actually, we prob. missed like half of them, oh well.) Anyways, back to Joel's b-day...we put a little gift basket together for him with an Ohio state shirt, sugar free candy, vitamin water, yogurt raisins, gum, and trail mix. Simple, but the kids liked being able to give him something for his special day. The kids thought the kitchen smelled like Thanksgiving that night, because we had a ham in the oven, mashed potatoes, bread, veggie, and dessert. We had all signed a poster board which said happy birthday on it and even the little guys "signed" it. I come in the kitchen and Quinn is "blowing up zip loc bags" (because we didn't have any baloons!) Uh honey.....cute idea, but no! I thought it was rather funny! :)
Lately, Joel and I have been going on walks almost nightly and usually in the morning, on weekends. It isn't always the most perfect weather, but I love the exercise and the time we get to just be with each other and talk! We have been more conscious about what we eat, and since last April I especially saw a need to be more careful with my "junk" intake.
Over the weekend miss Ashleigh got her braces off!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Do you realize how long this child has had them on?! She actually asked the orthodontist on Saturday if she was the patient who has been there the longest....most definately! So, it's different to see her without them now, but she was thrilled to have them off for her first day of highschool today. Joel just kind of made a day of it with Mikaila and Ashleigh on Saturday and took them to lunch afterwards. I think it's nice when they are able to do that from time to time. I was home with my brewd of boys and thought I would make them lunch and eat out on the trampoline. It was cloudy and then sunny, and then windy.... so needless to say some of the paper plates were blowing off the trampoline and then it was getting kind of toasty out. That lasted all of about 15 minutes and then we decided to come inside.
Well, for anyone else that has kids starting school today, I hope we all get great reports!

Have a great week!