Sister Act

This crew can come up with the wildest ideas sometimes with matching wild outfits, faces and behavior!  With four girls in only a 4.5 year spread you do get a LOT of whining, frustrations and crying.  But, we get more laughs, hugs and helping each other....  I think (at least I like to think so).  The point is that these four are destined for a life touched by each other and that is a great dream of mine.  There will be hard and stubborn times I am sure, but I am anxious to see how they all grow into one another through experiencing life together.

When we have taken them out individually they have all said, at least once, "I miss my sisters!"  After my ego quickly heals I think to myself how blessed we all are to have each other.  

Just for the Fun of Sick

It isn't often that the Harden House goes on Code Red Sickness Alert mode, but it does happen.  These girls hadn't gotten sick in maybe about two years, but this crazy Indiana nasty was everywhere!  Hospitalized neighbors, other neighbors that were the first documented Influenza A in the state, kids at school dropping like flies and at the stores and church and everywhere in between.

Skyla was the first to be hit and she had to miss two days of school!  That is more than she has missed in a couple of years!  The first day there was a lot of down time, movies and cuddles on the couch and the second day she was fine after 8:15am (yes, about ten minutes after the bus comes) and was bounding about and playing massive scale games of hide n seek, watching movies from the bath tub ( I might have created a monster with that one) and eating LOTS of plain Cheerios!  She is back to school and all is well.  I was hoping and praying that we were in the clear, but, alas, 3am rolls around and Journey comes in saying her belly hurts.  20 minutes later we have a mess.

Can someone tell me why the first time they never get in the trash can?

Ten minutes pass and Lana comes in saying her belly hurts.  Us seasoned parents that we are get into action with unspoken understanding.  Beds are stripped, trash cans in place, towels covering pillows, tissues accessible and laundry started.

We were good to go and we had another few hours of rest, or at least Brian did.  I was up and so I went to the gym and arrived at 5:05am.  It is unbelievable how many people are there then!

The girls are doing fine and eating up the "Sick SOP".  Blankets, couch and movies all day with food and drink when needed.

This one, Journey, is hilarious because she LOVES being sick!  I know.  Weird.  But, it happens so infrequently that she goes around professing over and over to everyone that she is sick and needs to sit on the couch and can NOT to anything else.  But, she will get up many times to tell people this.  

"Are you feeling any better Journey?" I ask

"Yes... NO!  I am NOT any better!  I am sick Mommy.  I am Sick!"  She said with a finger pointed and with the eye contact I could only hope for when I am trying to talk to her.

She is her own comedy show.

Yes, Lana still smiles when she is sick.  Not all the time, just when you look at her.  

Trinity, who has taken a pass on the "flu card" a few times now since she was an infant is just happy and taking in another movie day.  

I have heard some gnarly stories from people about what they are going through right now, so I feel blessed to just have a couple of days grounded and a little extra laundry with still smiling, eating and drinking kiddos.

Stay Well out there my friends!!! 

Back in the Dating Game!

I have to say that I thought it would be a long while until I was back in the dating game, but the time has come!  

Having four little princesses means a whole lot of together time.  Family time is great!  Sister time is great too, especially when mommy and daddy need to get things done!  But, the time is long overdue for us to spend more one on one time with our little ladies and so we have started weekly dates.  Brian and I alternate every week as to who goes and the girls randomly chose out of a hat their order.  God must have known we couldn't keep track of anything less orderly than birth order because that is what came out of the hat.  Thank you Lord!

Skyla and I started things off with a morning date to get a small snack, get bejeweled at Charming Charlies and then nails done.  We talked about boys, fashion, new school drama and missing old school friends.  It was fun to hear just her voice and just her ideas.

Daddy and Trinity were next with a pizza dinner at Monicals, a long visit to the pet store and then a much anticipated Orange Leaf visit!

Lana Banana and I went to a cute little store called "Tangerine" out here in Noblesville that we had wanted to stop by, but never had the time.  Very unique store filled with some great things and what does Lana get?  A back scratcher.  Yup.  A back scratcher.  The girl had gone through a couple days of random hive outbreaks the week before and it was exactly what she wanted I guess.  It IS Purple!  We drove around trying to find a fun new restaurant where we could get a good salad (Lana  loves her salads) and then had a personal Trader Joes trip where she found the monkey and ate her monkey treat right there in the store!  Not something I usually allow (eight sticky hands or suckers in sisters hair etc.- better to be in a much more controlled place for those), so she was all excited.

Journey and Daddy are next!  Journey was very clear that she wants Hot Box and the "kitty store" for her daddy date.  I am sure they will have a great time and it has become tradition now that a "date picture" be taken before we all leave so stay tuned.  So funny and so fun!

Brian will be next with Skyla so we can switch children and we hope to keep this up for years and years.  Thank you to friends to have suggested it and I am just excited to be at a point in our family that we can "date!"