An Evening Outside.

INK.

We wrapped up Spring Break by heading to INK with the Lockhart girls.  We couldn't have picked a better ending. :)

It's a bit challenging to create outings that are relevant and fun for all the kiddos (and relatively easy for me to navigate as a solo adult and nursing mom!).  INK was perfect.

Emmy had an absolute BLAST.

And so did Harris. :)

Babe found her niche in the television studio.  The girl was born to be in front of a camera.

Harry's favorite part-BY FAR-was the ATM.  Homeboy is all about "cards" and cash.

Hadley and Payton rounded out the day with a dance show.  Actually, Emmy rounded out the day by falling off the "dance show" stage, but I didn't get any pictures of her injuries this time around.

Thatcher's favorite part, hands down, was getting some lovin' from Miss Casey!  It was such a special treat to have her stop by and say hello!

And just like that, Spring Break was over.  Let the countdown to summer begin!!

Spring Break Fun: Game Ranch.

Wow.  Long time, no blog.  Our incredibly fun Spring Break week was immediately followed by a school week for Ben, so all my time, energy, and sanity went into single parenting four kiddos, working, and sleeping, leaving no time for blogging!  We're beyond thankful to have Ben back home and I'm ready to get back into the swing of things...I've got a lot to catch up on!

While I didn't get any pictures (sad!), the kids and I had a great (and chaotic) time enjoying a picnic lunch at Playtown Suwanee with Kristin, Katie, and Leigh Ann on Wednesday.  In case you weren't aware, I LOVED high school.  And I still love my high school friends.  Spice Girls forever!!

On Thursday, I braved the Game Ranch.  With all four kids.  On my own.

And it was awesome.

Seriously.  We loaded up the stroller with crackers, peanuts, apples, and carrots and showed up right as the Game Ranch opened (the animals are most hungry first thing in the morning).

For the first time in twenty years, I actually noticed a few changes at the ol' Ranch.  The most obvious was that the deer are now enclosed in a fence. :(  It didn't phase Babe and Harry, but I sure did miss sharing the trail with the deer.

The park wasn't crowded at all, so Emmy was able to walk through over half of the ranch.  She LOVED feeding the animals (and herself) and barked at absolutely everything.  The big kids got such a kick out of the fact that "Emmy thinks everything is a dog!"

This guy just chilled in the back of the stroller.  Have I mentioned how great of a baby he is?!?!?!?!

My sweet Harris made sure I got a picture of him in front of General Lee's house to send to Daddy (it's Ben's favorite part!) as we headed out.

We rounded out the morning with lunch at Johnny's before heading home for naps and room time.

Spring Break was such a great time for me to start preparing for a Summer of Fun with four kids!!!!!!  I seriously can't wait! :)

G-Day 2013.

To say I was stressed about G-Day would be a bit of an understatement.

Don't get me wrong:  I'm a get-up-and-go kind of girl.  I don't like sitting at home.  And I love Athens.  But the thought of carting four kids (two babies!) around Sanford Stadium by myself (Ben was coaching in the Letterman's Flag Football Game) just didn't sound like fun to me.

I'm glad Ben talked me into going.  We ended up having so much fun.

We got to the stadium a little bit early and were able to goof off on the field before the flag football game (which was played right before the actual G-Day game) started.

I even nursed Thatcher "between the hedges."  I can't imagine many babies have nursed on the field before.  Ben took a picture so that one day our youngest will have his very own claim to fame. :)

When it was time for the flag football game to start, the kids and I joined my friend Emily and her four boys in the stands.  And yes, your math is right:  two adults, eight kids.  I didn't get to watch much football, but the kids had a great time playing cars, eating snacks, running up and down the track before they opened the gates to the public and things started to get crowded.

By the time the flag football game was over, the kids had been contained long enough.  Ben joined us in the stands for a little lunch from the concession stand and the first quarter of the actual game.  We then loaded up and headed over to the UGA Bookstore, where the kids found a nice, quiet place to "relax."  I nursed Thatcher, we changed diapers, and everyone chilled for a little bit before we headed back to the van and drove to Stegeman Coliseum for the the Letterman's BBQ.

I wish I'd taken pictures.  Our kids have absolutely no idea how lucky they are:  they spent the morning on the football field and the afternoon running around a practically empty coliseum (the BBQ was set up down on the floor) like they owned the place:  up and down stairs, in and out of different sections, through numerous rows.  It was so much fun to watch their imaginations take off and see them so thoroughly enjoying themselves.  I just have to laugh at their idea of a "normal" trip to a Georgia game, though.  I'm not sure spoiled begins to cover it.

Anyway, we ended the day excited to go back next Spring.  Hadley missed "playing at the tailgate," but we explained to her that tailgating starts back up when the season begins and she seemed pretty satisfied with that answer.

Can't wait for fall.

Easter at The Way.

We celebrated Easter Sunday with our friends and family at Church of The Way.  After the morning worship experience, the kids participated in an "Easter X Hunt," complete with eggs, candy, balloons, bouncy balls, and other kinds of craziness.

A good time was had by all.

We also collected items for the "Saving our Seniors" program in our community.  I didn't get any pictures, but the people of The Way brought in TONS of toilet paper, laundry detergent, cleaning supplies, and other personal toiletry items for low-income seniors in the surrounding neighborhood.  It was an awesome way to celebrate the love and power of Jesus!

I must have forgotten about my camera after the egg hunt, because I also didn't get any pictures of our Easter  celebration with Ben's family at Aunt Sally's house...

Ugh.

By the end of the evening, we were wiped out.

Can't wait to do it all again next year!