These beautiful people.

Because I have a nifty camera (a very basic one, but nifty non-the-less) that I am fully capable of pointing it at people and pressing a button, and also because I have a super-fun editing program that I can kinda sorta use... (that's officially a very, very confusing sentence) I get to snap pictures of my sister and her lovely little family.

Look at these ladies!

It's so fun watching these two take care of twins!

I've seen just how much work two four-month-old bambinos can be.  Seriously, when they both work themselves up into a screaming tizzy... holy hannah!  Cover your ears!  Run for the hills!

But these two?  They handle the stress of it all so stinking well.  Whit has the particular skill that I am jealous of: she just does this grimace-smile thingy and starts humming and just plain manages.  I have always been the start-sweating-and-begin-taking-shallow-breaths kind of mom.

Love this Lish family!

Christmas Pics

So I gave up on blogging.

My days have become so busy lately (yes, yes, I know: everyone's busy).  Nights used to be "Courtney's playing on the computer" time, when I would set myself up with a tall glass of water, a bowl of popcorn, and iTunes playing in the background.  The children were all safely tucked in upstairs and I was free to edit pictures, write wonderfully-well-worded mini essays on our wonderfully ordinary lives.

But, pure exhaustion has demanded that I begin going to bed at more reasonable hours (read: 10 o'clock), and seventeen wakeful hours just don't cut it.  As, I'm sure, you well know.

Surprisingly, it was the Hubby that called me back to my picture editing ways.  "You haven't been using the computer at all lately."

I shrugged.  "No time."

"You really need to make time."

Now, if you know Orrin, you know that he isn't exactly in love with anything in the realm of social media.  He doesn't  love the idea of me putting our family out here in this little blogging world for anyone to stumble on.  So, as you can imagine, I was taken aback when he said this.

"Every time I sit down on the dang computer, at least ten things go undone.  It's just not worth it."  Typical Mom excuse, yes?

This time Orrin shrugged.  "You really enjoy doing it, right?  Then it's worth a hundred things being left undone."

And that, people, is why I officially declare the ever-amazing Orrin Merrill to be the best mate ever.  In his casual, non-pressuring way, he reminds me that I am important too.  That even if he has to go "laundry basket diving" for his chonies, even if our kids ate dry cereal straight from the box for breakfast this morning, and even when I ignore every single text I get this morning...

It's ok.  The world will keep turning, the laundry will eventually be folded, and I can serve the kids a decent dinner to make up for this morning (let's be honest: they love when Mom goes into "casual" mode and they get to run around like rugrats).

You didn't get all that from his statement?  Weird...

Since Porter's soccer ended last week and Adi's gymnastics was moved from Saturdays to Tuesdays, I declared (silently in my head) that today is pajama day while I try to edit a few of the 956 photos that I just uploaded from my camera.  Awesomeness, yes?

It's been so long since I have truly tried to actually keep this page updated with life's boring details, that I can visually see the change in my kiddos.  It reminds me of this quote:

 

Man, oh man, time is marching steadily onward, isn't it?  I'm not one to wish for time to stand still.  Watching these four kids grow and evolve is by far the best entertainment out there.   But occasionally, my breath is taken away by just how quickly things change.

So what have the Merrill's been up to lately?  What a timely question.  I was just about to tell you.

Adi has started gymnastics. Which she seems to have a talent for.  They have bumped this little lady up three classes since she began (it usually takes twenty-four weeks of lessons to get her to her current level).  Most impressive? She's learning to climb up a rope with only her arms.  It's so very Tarzan-like.

Piper is still dancing away and perfecting her leaps.  She is also learning to play a violin and has now mastered Ode to Joy.  Kind of.  She just had her first concert this week and she was so stinking adorable!

Porter-Pot just finished the soccer season.  He played on a league where they don't keep score, but if happen to be a rebel that quietly kept track of your son's goals: he did pretty darn well.  He's a bit of a ball hog, but I hear that it's good for him to be aggressive. I hope my sources are right! 

And this little mister is loving his bike, Dad's truck, Dad's motorcycle, helping Dad in the yard, Dad's work car... did I mention Dad?
 

 That's about it.  Activities, sports, friends, doctors, family.... that's what we've been up to around here!

And yes, Wyatt is wearing flip flops in the pictures. It just wasn't worth the fight, allright?

Also:  I fully realize that his shirt doesn't match everyone else.  He's here, stain-free, and looking at the general direction of the camera.  I'm calling it a success.

Some more pictures for your viewing pleasure.

Thanks goes to my sister for the awesome shots: you rock Whit! 

And yes:  please don't die of shock.  Orrin and I actually got in the pictures this year.

Oh, and:  all these pictures took us less than 15 minutes to take. We're efficient like that.

Back to school...

All good things must come to an end, and so must all drive-your-mom-insane-day-in-and-day-out-with-your-neverending-fighting things. 

But hey: we survived!  We made it!  No one broke a bone or had to get stitches- so I'm calling this summer a success!  Let's forget about Porter's head being super-glued back together, shall we?

Onto the main event:  the students!

Oh snap.  I have a fifth grader.  Pretty sure that I'm not old enough to have a child this age.  But, alas, here we are.  She is super excited because she is on the second floor of the brand new school (she's moving up in the world, people).  She tried to talk me into letter her play the drums in the school band, but (luckily for me) she also wants to ask for a guitar for her birthday and she really wouldn't have time to learn both.  Again: thankfully.

I asked little miss Adi-tude to tell me about herself.  She said that her best friend is Savana, her favorite color is purple, she likes Taylor Swift and doing gymnastics, and accessorizing is her passion.  No lie, people.  It's a passion.

 Next up:

This lil' cutie has now entered fourth grade.  She is completely giddy that she is now old enough to join orchestra (hello screechy violin in my very near future).  Piper is also over-the-moon that she doesn't have to wear uniforms this year.  Now she really gets to flex her clothes-designing muscles.

I tried asking her about herself, and she just said the exact same thing as her big sis (her fav color is pink, best friend is Naomi, she likes Miss Swift, Teen Beach Movie, singing, and dancing).  I must add that she is the family hide-and-seek champion.

The Porter Pot:

Oh, Porter Pot.  First grade?  A full day at school?  Wyatt and I will be lost without you! 

I asked PG to tell me about himself and he said, "You already know me, Mom."  That's true.  How about we pretend like I don't know you?  "I don't like to tell strangers about myself."  Sigh.  OK.  Then you know me, but I don't know you.  "This is weird, Mom."

I think that conversation sums him up pretty darn well.  Although, I should document that his best friend is Logan, he loves playing soccer at recess, he's a trickster on his bike, and he knows how to anger his mother in 1.2 seconds and then have her melting in less than that.

And last, but never least:

Playschool.  That's easy right?  I drop him off for an hour and fifteen minutes, which is just about the perfect amount of time to get my Fry's couponing done (did I mention that the school is conveniently located next to Frys?).  I won't even have time to miss the kid, really.

And then I dropped him off for the first time.  And I cried like a baby.

Yes I did.  Shamelessly.

This kid kept photobombing his siblings.

And then, when I wanted him in the picture...

Stinker.

Bring it on, 2013-2014 school year!

This girl.

This girl just turned nine.  Nine, I tell you!  And what an amazing, sweet, loving, caring, beautiful little angel she is.

Some things about my Practically Perfect Piper:

-She rocks pink about 90% of the time.  I am not exaggerating.  

-She can say every single line of Teen Beach movie.  And can do all of the dance moves.

-Piper really,  really loves these shoes.

-About to totally brag here: this little lady is s-m-a-r-t.  Smart!  Not only did she earn Principal's Pride every quarter last year (all A's people), but her aim's scores were out of sight.  Did you kind of throw up there from all the horn-tooting?  Good. 

-Piper is very in tune with other people's feelings.  She can sense when someone is sad, or mad, and she immediately is trying to fix the situation.  Usually this is her baby brother.  And she is usually refilling a sippy cup, getting cereal, or yelling at Porter to give Wyatt a toy.

-She saved up over $200 for very own iPod touch.  Which she has now lost.  

-She wants to be a marine biologist when she grows up.  And a dance teacher.  And a fashion designer.  And a mommy.  And a farmer in her free time.

-Pipes loves to cook.  Recently she made Kraft mac & cheese by adding the raw noodles, butter, milk, and cheese powder into the cold water and set it on the stove to boil.  It didn't really turn out.

 

-She is extremely photogenic.

-She dances her way through life.  Literally.  She dances when she wakes up, she dances down the aisles of the grocery store, she dances in the bathtub.  She's always grooving.

-I look forward to seeing her every single morning.  Mostly because of her outfits.  Piper's flair and enthusiasm always leaks into her clothing.  She never just wears a shirt and jeans, even when she is told to.  There is always a ribbon tied somewhere, a neon colored belt, a homemade bow pinned... something that just screams Piper.

-And her smile?  It's my most favorite thing about her.  She doesn't just grin with her mouth, never.  She smiles with her whole body.  It fills a room, brightens a cloudy day, makes you smile through tears... When Piper smiles, the world smiles back.  Always.

She is my saving grace, my tender mercy.  Piper is always trying to help, trying to better.  And yes, even this sweetheart has quite a temper (I'm talking red-faced screaming, stomping around, rolling eyes, and angry looks), but it is so rarely seen that when it rear's it's ugly face, it's more humorous than upsetting. 

It is a privilege to be your mom, Miss Pips.  And I cannot wait to watch you blossom into the beautiful woman that I know you will be.