We took dinner to a family this week and Alexia adored their baby girl, their 5th born!

We're having our bedroom painted and the kids love watching!

Brothers!

Another gift!

Her sweet class 

Siblings are not usually allowed to come to these things (totally understandable), but when I asked Mrs McCarthy if Marco could come along, her response was "of course!  He is so good.". He has joined me to every meeting I've had with her so she has seen how well he does.  
He was even able to enjoy a donut with alexia.

I think I skipped these set of pictures.  On the Friday before Mother's day, Alexia's class had a special celebration for the mommies.  It was so very precious.  They served us juice and banana bread, recited memory verses and a poem and presented us with amazing gifts, the painting pictured above and bath salts that they made in class.  My heart was bursting the whole time I was there!

Alexia specifically asked me not to put the picture of her on the blog since she didn't have a shirt on. She was much less muddy than the boys, but a whole lot muddier than any other girl I've ever seen!  She such a trooper with those boys!

The kids have started  a game called "mud club.". This involves sliding down the slide into a mud pile, rolling around in mud and literally covering their bodies in mud.  Here is the winning mud champ.  Alexia rubbed the mud on him and made sure he was completely covered.
Some may ask why would we let them do this????  But really, why not?!?!

Chasing daddy

Photograph courtesy alexia

Cuddles for daddy.  There was a lovely tea party after the recital so we hung out on the grass for an hour or so...it was a lot of fun!

I am crazy in love with my girl!

With her buddy, Hannah

A proud daddy with his ballerina!

Yesterday was Alexia's very first ballet recital. She danced beautifully and was a doll on that stage.  She had been so very excited for it, as were we!

Photo courtesy Alexia

Alexia's ballet recital is today!  So exciting!

Celebratory ice cream with Oliver and Keaton!

Diego had his last soccer game today.  It was a fantastic season with an awesome coach and awesome team!  His games were a real joy to watch!

Thursday morning was a waffle making morning!

Diego had a class pool party this afternoon.  He had an absolute blast!!!  

While we worked on the flower bed, Ricardo cleaned out all the gutters around the house. What a man!

Digging the hole for the bulbs

I had a wonderful Mother's day yesterday.  We went to church, had salad at home for lunch, I went to a local art festival (alone!), we all gardened together, we had pupusas for dinner and then the big kids and I went back for the 7pm service at church.  A day full of family, fellowship and fun!
The above pic is my darling children planting a flower garden for me.  They really worked hard together and had a blast!

In action!

With Hannah in the pool of bubbles

On Saturday I took alexia to Meira's bday party.  Here she is thoroughly enjoying the slip n slide.  She couldn't get enough of it and all the parents were impressed with how brave she was!

Anjuli was coaching Diego on how to get down

Sweet Callen and Marco.  These two are such good buds.  The kids and I went over to their house this afternoon to watch Anjuli and Callen while Ruth had an apt and all the kids had a blast!

This is my kitchen windowsill right now and it makes me so happy!  From L to R: orange rose brought to me from Ruth, purple flowers lovingly cut by alexia, "grass face" alexia made at school and red rose brought to me from Kathryn, on my birthday.  

Taco night is a favorite around here, except when it's clean up time...then it's my least favorite meal...but still worth the mess!

I love so many things about this picture.  Marco cutting avocado for dinner, Diego reading out loud, Alexia captivated by the story...so many things to fill a mama's heart!

On Saturday we went to an art gallery and they had this cute table in the back where the kids enjoyed looking at biokd

R's bday weekend celebration actually started on Friday night with date night in.  This is carnivore vs. vegetarian!  I had fried Halloumi cheese and he had a big ol steak, both accompanied by shiitake mushrooms, potatoes and broccoli.

Today is Ricardo's birthday!!!!!!  We started the celebration last night with a wonderful date night out.  Here's the birthday boy with his platter of raw oysters.
We had a very romantic evening in Historic Roswell, restaurant hopping and walking in the rain, sharing an umbrella.

More birthday pictites

Sporty boy enjoying a yogurt at the park

Taylor and Rebecca, dear sisters!