Fondly......

We headed into WV this weekend for a few days to visit and let the kids "star" in Amanda's video for her song, "Fondly". Joe got home from Brazil around 3 and we left soon after....he was quite the trooper after being in a plane for about 18 hours!
The kids were so excited about being "movie stars" and I was excited to spend time with my family, as well as see my college roomate Val and her family!! Val came in so that her little boy, Lucas, could also star in the video. I hadn't seen her in several years so that was the highlight of my trip.....she is one of my very best friends and I love that we can pick right up like we see each other every day. She is by far the funniest person I know and I always laugh when I am with her!

The kids got all fixed up for their shoots and then it was a game of wait wait wait. I had forgotten all of Owen and Emmie's clothes that I packed in our hurry to get out the door so I had to make a quick trip to Walmart and Kohls the night before to get him camera ready.....otherwise he'd of worn his PJ's.











They all looked adorable and were excellent all day, as I really mean it when I say they waited all day. We were there from 9 - 6, Mom and I with the kids. Joe and
Dad were there too most of the day but headed off to golf in the afternoon.









Maggie was in lots of the beginning shoots and at that time I couldn't get in to get any shots of her as they made us all go away from where they were taping. This is the best I could get at one point.















As the day went on they got more relaxed with us watching...or maybe they just got tired of telling us to get away from the set!

Anyhow, throughout the day we played outside on the capitol steps...Josie loved running up and down them....

















and Emmie Jayne loved Daddy running her down them!































Emmie Jayne was her typical happy self all day and laughed and smiled the whole day.
























And when it was naptime off she went to sleep in her stroller.






















Maggie was the perfect little star they said, doing just what they asked her to the whole day. She loved it and was so excited to be starring next to one of her favorite people....Aunt Amanda.



































Here they both are all pretty in pink.










Owen had 2 major scenes...one where he was break dancing, which he totally surprised us by doing. I wasn't aware he had it in him. And the second, which was his favorite where he got to play the drums along side a real drummer.






























He was so cute doing this and when it was over he said, "mommy, I want to do that again!" A drum set may be in his future.


















He was quite full of himself all day long, I think he knew he looked adorable!































































And since the whole day wasn't about my kids... haha .....my sis did awesome and looked so pretty and natural up there singing in front of the camera.














I was glad she let my kids be a part of this fun and exciting day.





























The last scene was of the kids dancing, they were pretty exhausted by this scene and it had to be shot over and over again so by the last take they were ready to be done.






































I can't wait to see the finsihed project and how it comes together. After a full day of this though I told my sis I would never let my kids do a movie!
But it was a very fun experience for them and they loved being with Aunt Amanda!








































On Monday, we had a cookout at Mom adn Dad's so we could see everyone. Liv and Durell were in town too so they came out. It was Mama Sue's birthday so we celebrated with a cake for her, which the kids loved singing happy birthday!






It was so fun to get to see my family and hang out. We missed JR, Lori, adn TJ, Jay and Gwen and Gracie though. Hopefully we will get to see them this summer since Liv and Durell are planning another slip and slide party for all the kids!






Mom has a special touch with Emmie Jayne and was able to get her to sleep all weekend long.
















Typically Emmie likes to just be put in her bed and goes to sleep, but everytime Mom had her and she was tierd mom got her right to sleep........so glad she's coming to Disney with us!!

Summer is officially here now so this coming week will be full of long pool days!! We are so excited.

11 months old!

Emmie Jayne is a month away from being 1. I am getting nervous as I have done nothing towards her party or invites yet and I have Owen's birthday a few weeks after hers! I feel like this past year has been a whirlwind and flown by way too fast. She is standing up all the time on her own. She can bend down and pick something up and stand back up....but I cannot get a picture of it!!! I am thinking she'll have taken some steps before her birthday, which will be a first for my kids!



She is a beautiful blue eyed baby....which I had pretty much given up the idea that I would ever have one of those.



































And she is the happiest baby. She smiles and laughs all the time.


























She is starting to eat alot of finger foods and loves cheese, along with crackers.

She is a hard baby to get a picture of though, she is always on the move. Her favorite place to go is to our stairs, which she can successfully climb in a matter of seconds. She only stops to pick up ANYTHING small she finds on the ground so that she can shove it in her mouth. :) She also loves pat a cake and dancing....the kids and I sing a song....."Emmie Jayne Burke, Mrs. America, Emmie Jayne Burke, WOOHOO" ...... which she loves and always bounces along to when we sing it.

Happy 11 months to my baby girl......

Schools Out!!!

Today was Maggie's last day of the first grade. She has loved this year and done wonderfully. Her pennmenship is better than me and joes' by far! Her teacher is a stickler for that which has made Maggie always do her very best...I am hoping she keeps that up in future years. Today was their field day, I packed up my 3 litle ones and headed up to the school around 9:30 or so.




















They had lots of different games the kids played, and Owen joined in with Maggie's class and played. Maggie took him under her wing and made sure he was included in all the fun.













She is such a great big sis to all her siblings, she and Owen have their moments for sure....but at the end of the day they love each other so much.










A kid in Maggie's class has horses and always brings them for the kids to ride at school functions.


















Owen never wants to ride but today he was all for it. Josie also wanted to ride and at first I wasn't sure if she was gonna follow through, as the horse began walking she was sayig, "WOOOOAAAHHHHH". I thought she was afraid but I think she was just acting out how she has seen people talk on a horse. hahaha



























Here is Maggie with the girls in her class.





























being silly....






























with her best buddy Zoe...






























After games lunch is provided....here is Josie enjoying a snack of chips after her "injury."
A boy in Maggie's class ran into her and knocked her down....you would have thought he cut her leg off! She sobbed and sobbed for nearly a half an hour until someone finally got her a bandaid. Yes, she definetly has a bit of the dramatic flair.

























Emmie Jayne was her usual happy self and loves all the attention Maggie's friends give her. They love to play her favorite game of "drop the toy and you pick it up."

































The kids had alot of fun, Maggie said she had a great last day and was so sad school was over.....I think come next week when we start heading to the pool she'll change her mind!












Next year Owen will begin Kindergarten at Cornerstone and Maggie is excited they will both be in the same school. She can't wait to "show him the ropes."









AFter lunch we came home and rested up before heading to Louisville to Chuck E Cheese with some friends to celebrate the last day of school! I got the kids 130 tokens and between the 3 of them they lasted no time at all. Josie got cut off after I realized she was just walking around putting toknes in games, even while people were playing them, and then just kept on walking.



And one last thing....Mom was telling me that the other day Owen said, "I love you MiMi" and she told him she loved him too. She asked him, "what does love mean Owen?" And he said, "that there is nothing mean." We both think he described it perfectly...just wanted to get that down so I remembered it!

Owen's preschool graduation

Let me just begin with.....I KNOW I haven't blogged since Thanksgiving.....ALOT has gone on since them, beginning with my computer got smashed by a soccer ball and would not allow me to blog any pictures thus the reason I haven't blogged in forever. I finally got my new computer yesterday so I plan to blog backwards and catch up the past 6 months...while also blogging forward and staying up with it.

So with that said, today was Owen's preschool graduation. I cannot believe he will begin Kindergarten in the Fall, but he is very ready. He had his Kindergarten screening a few weeks ago and when he came out the teacher told me he had passed with flying colors, getting everything right...even the bonus question. As we got in the car I asked him what the bonus question was and he said, "I don't know what it was....but I knew the answer!" He looked so cute today in his cap and gown and did a great job at all the songs they sang.





























Joe is in Brazil this week, which we were all sad about since he'd be missing the graduation, but we didn't know there would even be a graduation until the day after he booked his trip so I was sure to text him pictures during the ceremony. Mom and Dad have been here since Joe left last weekend to stay with me so they were able to see him graduate, and help me with my other 2 little girls....both of which do not like sitting still so much.























After the graduation we had refreshments and the kids had adorable cookies.












































Here is Owen and his best buddy Jack.
We are sad he and Jack won't be in Kindergarten together next year, but we will be sure to set up lots of playdates.




























I have had such a wonderful week with mom and dad here, they are so so wonderful and helpful and hope they know how much I appreciate them. I had so much time to get things done this week all by myself and when Dad wasn't making juice, changing a diaper, or on stair duty for Emmie Jayne he was working or helping me around the house. And Mom keeps my kitchen stocked with homemade breads, soups, and lots of yummys whenever she is here...along with keeping up with my 4 little ones while I get my hair done and run errands. I love you both so much and thank you for all you do!!!!

Proud of our Maggie!

Today was the awards ceremony for Maggie's school. It was at 8:30 in the morning, so we all got ready and went to it, knowing we'd have to leave early to get to Owen's graduation. I wasn't sure about going the night before since I didn't really know what they were going to do or if Maggie would even get anything. Boy was I in for a surprise! I would have just died if I had missed it as she swept most awards. :) She got the award for art class, spanish class, computer class, penmenship, A honorholl all year, and the biggest was she got the presidents award for academic excellence for the highest GPA in her class!!! I was so very proud of her and had no idea she would get that. She is such a wonderful little girl and we are so proud of how she always does her very best.....it paid off for her!

Tommorow is her field day and last day of school. We are all so very excited for summertime to get here....pool everyday!!

Owen's field tripe

Owen had his end of year field trip yesterday. It was at the Salato Game Farm in Frankfort, which is where all my kids have had their preschool field trips. It is alot of fun for the kids and Owen and Josie loved running around seeing all the reptiles and animals. Josie especially loved the turtles, snakes, and frogs. She was so cute running from one thing to the next. At one point she was looking in the wildcat area and pointing saying, "look mommy!" I saw nothing and finally I asked her what it was, she said, "A MUD PUDDLE!!" Ahhh the little things. :)

Owen has really enjoyed this school year for the most part and made a great friend in his buddy Jack.





They were all over the place climbing and getting dirty. :) I enjoy this place much more than the zoo though, much smaller and less stinky. haha....aside from the tons of duck poop on the way in.

Luckiest Mom in the world...

I couldn't imagine life any better. Love love love my babies!

10 monthsh old!!!!

Emmie Jayne is 10 months old!!! just 2 months from being a year, where in the world has the time gone???? I seriously remember her not fitting into 0-3 month clothes...and now she fills out 12 month! She is without a doubt the most delightful baby ever. My mom constantly says, "that is the happiest baby I have ever seen!" when she's around her. And she is, I mean she seriously never cries, aside from when she is wanting some of her milk....don't mess with Emmie Jayne and her food. :)

She is all over the house, crawling of course...and cruising behind whatver she can find to help her out.



















She loves to play pat-a-cake and claps her hands yelling, "yeahhhhhhh"."






















She is loud....can I say that again, SHE IS LOUD. She has followed her siblings in this and will not be ignored. She seriously makes the loudest, most annoying (yet cute) noise in the world. It is pretty comparable to the "most annoying noise in the world" on the movie dumb and dumber. :) She loves to make it, and the louder it is the better to her. If you look at her to quiet her she just breaks into her adorable smile.






She just got her first tooth this week, you can see it poking through.






















She is beginning to eat some table food, but still isn't a big eater, although her legs say different. :) She is loved by her siblings so much and they all are great about helpng out with her, watching her, playing with her...and even lugging her around.

And she is still my blue eyed baby!