Yes, I meant to have four of them.

When people find out I have four children under 7, they are usually incredulous.  But one of the reasons I like having so many kids is because I was a loner at home.  My closest sibling is 10 years older than me, and all of my siblings grew up much more with each other than they did with me.  So, I love to see my own kids enjoying each other and loving each other and - of course - driving each other batty.

In the bathtub:

(In this picture, Baby S looks so much like E as baby that I hardly "see" it as him anyway.)

And loving on their brother:

He does look a little concerned in the midst of that squishy love-fest.

"Summer lovin' had me a bla-ast, summer lovin' happened so fa-ast....

met a girl "climbing a tree", met a boy cute as can be...."

We had one last lovely day before summer started and we had to get to bed at a reasonable time.  (Although why we try with M and GQ I am not exactly sure.  They prefer to throw blankets/books/dolls/ at each other until 9:30 anyway.)

This is E climbing the tree out front.  It hasn't occurred to her to go up higher than that yet.

New school/birthday outfit from Grandma:

Don't I look angelic?

Don't be fooled!!!!

All because JCPenney did not send me a text...

Two years ago we moved to Iowa, and after getting everyone settled, I did this:

That is, I cut E and M's hair.  Let's just say that no one was very pleased with me.  E actually cried when I was finished.  Justin was horrified I'd cut off M's curls.  I was told to give back the scissors and contain myself from there on out.

Then, showing lots of self-control, I did this the following year:

Not so very terrible.  And E did request it this time.  I stayed away from M's hair, and did not get in trouble.

This year I never intended to cut the girl's hair.  But E kept bringing up that she might like layers or bangs.  And M kept insisting she wanted her hair cut to her chin.  Justin even agreed that M's hair was getting a little out of hand.  So, being reasonable, I decided to make hair appointments.  A friend here let us know that JCPenney would be offering free haircuts to school-aged children through-out August.  I decided to take E and M, and pay half for each cut.

I made Justin call and make the appointment.  (Because the phone is an evil device that I don't enjoy very much.  Those of you who have tried to call me know my feelings on the matter.)

JCPenney informed me they would text me with the time for the hair appointment.  But - insert sinister music - they never did.

Which is how this:

and this:

resulted in this:

Again. 

Please, someone take my scissors away!!!  This time around, E cried once more.  I had cut it much shorter than she had wanted.  M was overjoyed, but hinted she might like it shorter.  And Justin tried not to say anything, but was more than ready to take the girls to Great Clips to get it all sorted out.  He also told some story about how his mother had nicely told his father that maybe when the car was broken he should just take it to a mechanic, implying - I suppose - that I should never, ever, ever, ever cut the girls' hair again.

The girls are happy now, but I am hoping, hoping, hoping that I will manage to never do this again.

Swim Lessons

This summer my goal was to swim, swim, swim - and get my kids more comfortable in the water.  I think we have succeeded now that August has arrived, but M started out swim lessons in the same place I always hung out.... on the wall:

GQ jumped right in and often had to be pulled back to the shallow end because he was apparently not much concerned about drowning.

Testing out the waters.

GQ would often join M on the wall:

E is officially a better swimmer than me.  Maybe I can go across the pool, but she knows way more swim strokes than I do.  She also has "invented" a mermaid stroke.

Dress-up

The girls enjoyed playing dress-up at Young Women's:

GQ found a cowboy hat he was pretty sure made him Woody, but I missed getting a picture of that.

M's Fashion Statement

Justin took this picture of M.  He really enjoyed her outfit.  Although this clothing is rare enough.  Usually M wears leotards and tights at our house.  I always think we're running out, but when I tell her the current set is dirty she quickly finds another dance outfit to wear.

Of course, once she was in a picture the other kiddoes had to be in some pictures too.

Lately...

... Justin and I had our 8th Wedding Anniversary.  I took advantage of this moment to buy a cake that my friend Donna forced me to become addicted to.  It is all her fault.

We had the kids blow out candles, which they definitely enjoyed.  (This, however, is when I told them to pretend to blow the candles out so that I could take a picture.  Only M really looks like she's taking it seriously.)

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This morning we walked to school despite threats of rain.  I hate putting Baby S in in his carseat, and avoid it if at all possible.  GQ steals Baby S's bear if at all possible.

And just look at those humidity curls...  I love the humidity, which most people find insane.  But I just feel so warm and wrapped up.  It's nice.  Plus, M's hair gets curly.

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Yesterday, E decided that she and M were running for President.  When I told her that I would not be voting (I can already hear the wails, regardless of who I voted for) she told me I was being mean to both of them.  Then she made M the President.  I assure you, it was in name only.  There was a real boss running things behind the scenes.

(This is the wall under the counter where E is allowed to tape things up.  She also has two drawers upstairs for projects, and two bins downstairs.  Two nights ago when I informed her that the bins were getting full and she might need to go through them and throw things away she became traumatized.)

I particularly like the oath of office pictured below.  If only. 

"I will be a good President my whole President days.  I will not give up.  I will be very honest."

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E's teacher Mrs. S. saved this for us:

True that, my friend, true that.

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And below, an illustration of the many pirate swords being drawn around our house lately.  If you look closely you'll notice they come complete with blood on the ends.

These pirate swords are displayed on what GQ refers to as the "table mable." 

As in "Get off the table, Mable, the dollar's for the beer."  This is because in true Andersen fashion I always say: "Get off the table, Mable" when the kids are on it.  Justin has picked up this habit despite himself.  GQ obviously thinks tables are called "table mables"

He He.

Things I do to my kids.

Four Items of Business

E loves detective stories.  Nate the Great.  Encyclopedia Brown.  Things like that.  Recently she heard about a crime in the neighborhood from some school friends (I admit I am a little suspicious as to whether it actually happened).  She drew up a "Wanted" poster that night.  It said:

"Wanted: Thief.  Unknown Name. Unknown Looks."

She drew a picture of a bandit below.

She also recently found a small plastic fork.  She attached it to a drawing of a road and labeled it:

"A fork in the road."

That girl definitely takes after her father when it comes to humor.

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M has begun drawing presents for everyone.  After craft time I always find scraps of paper left on my pillow, hung to the door, or waiting on my desk.  With both her and E in the craft production phase I am going to need a warehouse for all of their treasures.  I have taken to hiding some of them in the bottom of the trash can.  It is sad when it happens, but I don't know what else to do????  M signs all her pictures (even the ones drawn directly onto the walls).  She used to sign them Mee.  Then I taught her how to draw a "g".  Now she signs them Mgg.  I don't know if I'm up to correcting her.  She's so proud.

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Lately, GQ likes to say the following:

"Mom, I love you."  Pause.  "I love both of you."

Does this mean he considers me a split personality?  That he loves both the cranky me and the nice me?

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Every night S gets a bottle.  Usually I nurse him before I give him the bottle.  Still, when it is 7:00 he somehow knows that the bottle is coming and he will barely put up with nursing.  He keeps looking around for that contraption that just flows with seemingly neverending milk.

He is also taking to sucking on his fist.  As a thumb-sucker myself, I hope it doesn't stick... but it is really cute.

Visiting the Nauvoo Temple

Beautiful bright flowers.  A break in the rain.  A nice visit to the Temple grounds.

E found several treasures.  Later I found them pressed in a book, waiting for some art project.

M squinting because the sun was too bright.  Did I mention it was cloudy and rainy?

An attempt at a group photo: