Warillever Madness

1. I have been finding it a whole lot easier to stay off of the computer since we had three foster children move in with us a couple of weeks ago. Three children three and under -- a baby, a toddler, and a preschooler.
   
2. Yes, that means that we have five small children in the house. Wanna do the math on what it's like when the Cousins are here? I'll give you a hint -- when Agent 002 is at school, there are six children four and under in the house...
   
3. We went to a birthday party today, and I didn't realize until the host was counting out goody bags that exactly half of the children in attendance had arrived at the party in my van. Heh. My husband and I always dreamed of having a family large enough that we culd have multiple boxes of cereal open without worrying that one would go stale before we could finish eating it.
4. Despite the cacophony, this has been a lot of fun. The kids are getting along famously, and it has been a tremendous period of maturation for the Agents. Agent 004 has been doting on the baby, and Agent 002 finally has a gearhead to pal aroundwith in the preschool boy.
   
5. As much as part of me wishes that the kids could stay forever, I am pleased that the situation should be temporary. They have started visiting their home several times per week, and it appears that they will be able to return for good soon.
6. Mr warillever has continued to read the Chronicles of Narnia to the children at bedtime. They are currently reading The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, but The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe is still their favorite.
   
   Me? I have been reading all of our favorite board books.
   
7. Life is good, but I need some sleep. So I am going to slack on my 7th "Quick Take."
   

7 Quick Takes

1. Last Thursday we still had a small snowbank in the shady part of the yard; as of today all of the fruit trees are in bloom! It hit 90 degrees on Tuesday, but the past three days in the high 60s have been WONDERFUL.
   
   
2. With all of this good weather the garden has been taking off. I planted lettuce, spinach, beets, chard, turnips outdoors, and started tomato, eggplant, melon, summer squash and herbs indoors. I also transplanted a few blackberry cuttings and bought four blueberry bushes. Once I pick up my apple trees, we will have a true backyard farm.
   
   I'd show you a picture, but my camera is broken.
   
   
3. No camera means no pictures of the girls' first swim lesson. It is Agent 004's first group activity ever, and she did wonderfully.
   
   
4. So my worries that she would not be ready for kindy in the fall? Groundless. She is very excited about school
   
   
5. ...but she is even more excited about her new glasses. We found out at her regular checkup that our baby is near-sighted. That explains why she always grabs the book from me to study the picture! Maybe I'll post a picture (if I ever get the camera working).
   
   
6. I have been keeping myself busy with my book club (with whom I am plodding through Theology of the Body) and a slow-pitch softball team. I don't like being out of the house so often, but once games start, I'll bring the kids along to softball. Would y'all think less of me if I admitted that my body aches from a few practices?
   
   
7. No art gallery photo today :(
   
   I will, however, leave you with some snapshots from a birthday party.
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   A truck and princess party for the birthday buddies F and 002.