and now it's april

April has already been a busy month, but it is so lovely and sunny, windy as usual, but all the better to dry all of my clothes -- yesterday I was able to dry three different loads they were being whipped into submission so quickly!  


On Friday my big girl turned 18!  I know!  It is truly unbelievable.  She is such a good girl.  Especially after the birth of my third daughter, people started coming out of the woodwork to oh, so kindly warn me what a horrible experience it is to raise girls!  With ulcers forming I've been waiting and waiting for the horrific nightmare to begin, but there has been no such misfortune around here.  She is funny and smart and pretty to boot.

She has, in fact, been so delightful that I joke about how she didn't prepare me very well for raising the other children... (hmm, what do I mean by that?)  The kids didn't have school on Friday so I whisked them all up to Chicago for some free food at Ikea -- and yes, they did foot our $60 lunch.  Charles tried to stump them by getting three meals, two sides, and a dessert, but they went ahead with their promise.  We really wished that we had bitten the bullet and put some swedish fish and candy bars on our trays -- missed opportunities!!!  And then shopping at a few of her favorite stores (what?  Ikea's not her favorite store, oh, that would be me).  Charles regretted his decision to join us after her second hour in Forever 21 -- live and learn, son.  We spent too much money which made for a grumpy daddy, so I am going to be really good and not buy anything ever again!  I even didn't press "buy" on the amazing water bottle that was on babyhalfoff.com this morning.  I am strong.  I can do this.

Sunday was Easter and my girls finally got to wear their beautiful dresses, from (wait for it, Jen)... FRANCE.  They looked so pretty!

::sisters

::Phin was watching me take pics of the girls

 ::the whole gang

 ::LOVE this one of Ibby

 ::Ella just pins, tucks, and voila!

 ::thanks for trying, buddy

 ::aaaah, big tears