We're Still Here!

Yes, our camera is still lost. No, we haven't disappeared (like thereadersmedianotes.blogspot.com).

But we will be posting all kinds of end-of-school pictures and shots of the opening of the swimming pool very soon.

Thanks for visiting!

Playing 'Chicken'

This is what happens when you let a co-worker watch your children...

You might have to look carefully at the photo above. At some point (and I'm not exactly sure when or where), someone taught (from left) Olivia, Julia, Emily and Lauren how to wear sweatshirts so they resemble chickens. So that's what you see here.

The photo comes courtesy of Dad's camera-toting co-worker, Julia. She had been planting the seed for some time that she wouldn't mind watching the girls. So a week ago Sunday, we initiated her into the "Wonderful World of YD" and had her supervise them while Dad and Mom went out to dinner.

The great thing is, we came home and the house was still there. The girls were still there - there had been no rushing off to the emergency room while we were gone. All the food was still in the refrigerator and freezer, just as we had left it. Amazing! So Julia is now a full-certified, nationally-accredited babysitter. We welcome her to return anytime.

Look What We Didn't Find

It was definitely "Bath Night" after this outing Sunday night.

No, we haven't found our camera yet. But thanks to Aunt Dee-Dee, we are at least back in the blog business with fresh photos.

So grab a cup of coffee or kick back in a comfortable chair and enjoy a little slice of the life from the YD girls.

A Sunday Bike Ride

Dad decided Sunday would be a great time for a bike ride. Nevermind the cool weather, skies threatening rain or the fact that we had just eaten a big meal at "Cheeseburger in Paradise."

So we packed up the van (pictured above) and headed down to the Keystone Trail. Built in 1991, the trail now spans several dozen miles. Our journey would only be about three-quarters of a mile (one way).

Emily felt the need... the need for speed.

Olivia rode her tricycle while the other girls were on their two-wheeled machines (along with Dad). Mom took stroller duty, pushing Veronica.

We set off from our parking spot near Grover south toward Karen Elementary. For some reason, Julia decided that she would rather run with her bike than ride it. So for nearly the entire ride, Julia was pushing and running. If there is ever a category in the Olympics for bike pushing, my money is on Julia to take the gold.

Toward the end of our journey, we had to cross a bridge over the Papio creek. Last year, this was a big hurdle for some of the little ones. But this year, several of the girls (Julia, Lauren and Olivia) said they were "brave" and didn't cry or beg to be held on the way across.

When we finally reached Karen Elementary, the girls opted to spend the rest of their time playing on the swingset and in the sand. So dad offered to ride back and retrieve the van.

Veronica: A Status Update

Since we haven't had our camera, it's been some time since we checked in on Veronica. She's certainly growing. Here are a few tidbits about our now seven-and-a-half month old:

Though she didn't like cereal at first, Veronica has taken to eating Gerber fruits and vegetables. Much of her diet still consists of breast milk, though, and Mom said she tends to eat better in the morning and at night when the other girls aren't around to distract her. As for eating in the high chair, Veronica can eat her weight in Cheerios.

Once able to only sit up on her own, Veronica can now pull herself up. She likes to stand in her pack-and-play (another Emily favorite) but doesn't like it when she gets on her tummy and can't roll over.

It's been a while since we've heard her say "bung bung" (her first words), but she is "cooing" and sometimes giggles. Dad is trying to teach her short phrases like, "Sure I can get that Dad" and "What can I do for you today, Dad?"

Mom is trying to teach her phrases like, "Dad, why don't you pick up after yourself?" and "Get it yourself, Dad."

Miss Hollywood

Can you guess which YD girl is blowing the bubble?

The sunglasses might give it away. And if you could see the rest of her, she'd probably be holding one of her purses - and wearing dress shoes. She even wore a pair of dress shoes when we went bike riding.

All of the girls have become quite the bubble gum blowers since Emily's "Bubble Gum Birthday" in March. They practice frequently - and sometimes leave evidence of that around. (Julia: Can you please refrain from wrapping pieces of already-been-chewed gum around pens?)

Our New Swing Set

Is swing set one word or two? I'm sure some of the grammar specialists who frequent this site can weigh in on that one.

Anyway, we have a new swingset. And yes, we did have one in our yard already. But that one is wooden (read: "old") and was here when we moved in. This one is a lot like the one we left behind in Aunt Bridget and Uncle Jon's yard.

The girls love the teeter-totter aspect (something our other one did not have) and the slide is also very popular. Some of the older girls have discovered the nasty trick one can play with the teeter-totter. Tears have been shed when one of them decides to jump off before letting the other sister know she's getting off.

Dad likes the look of it. But mowing around it (and having to weed eat around it) can be a bit of a pain.

The girls now know about the "teeter-totter notification rule."

Julia shows off on the slide.

Veronica, like Emily when she was younger, loves to swing.

Lauren Scores Two Goals

Yes, the headline is correct. Our "Little Lo Lo" scored a pair of goals. That's the good news. On the flip side, her team (coached by Dad) lost, 17-4. Yikes!

Before the game, Lauren told us, "I really want to win this game." She and her teammates played their little hearts out. The other team had three substitutes. We had none. So by the end of the game, some of the girls were exhausted.

Lauren and Dad's team has yet to win a game. Emily's team is undefeated. And, as you might recall, Julia is "redshirting" this season after playing briefly (two games) last fall.

The postgame handshake is kind of a downer when you lose.

More May Crowning Pictures

For those of you who couldn't get enough of the Mercy High School May Crowning pictures, here's a few more.
Cousin Sarah clowns with cousins Lauren (left) and Maya.

The cousins (at least the girls who were on hand) pose for a picture.

May Crowning At Mercy High

If you look closely at the photos dissolving above, you'll see a familiar little girl dressed in white. (Sorry the photos are so small - these aren't from our camera. It's still lost.)

Lauren was chosen by her cousin, Sarah, to assist in Mercy High School's May crowning. Another cousin of hers, Maya, was the other assistant. The two even got out of school in the middle of the day to practice for that night's event.

In other news at the YD household, Olivia was sick overnight and will not be going to school today. Julia also wasn't feeling well yesterday and ended up sleeping from about 5 p.m. all the way through to this morning. She got a big surprise overnight, though, when she woke up on the couch downstairs all alone (gasp!). She quickly made her way to the foot of mom and dad's bed, where she bothered them all night and kept them from getting a good night's sleep.