POSTING PICTURES OF CUTE KIDS IS WAY BETTER THAN CLEANING OUT A CLOSET...

CUTE



VERY CUTE:)



PLAYING IN THE SANDBOX

Where have we been?

I'm not really sure where we've been, but this blog is in serious need of some love. Could it be the four kids? Or the four kids home all summer? Or the four kids waking me up at night? Did I mention four kids? It doesn't seem like much until they're all in the same room yelling, "MOOOOOOOOMMMMMM!!" They are cute, and we've had some fun this summer, and I guess I should add the past 8 months(is that how long it's been?) This is what we've been up to:

**RACHEL**

She is our.....



.....SWIMMER




.....CLIMBER




....COOK




.....FASHION QUEEN




.....NEWLY BAPTIZED




.....COOL DUDETTE!!


**BROOKE**

She is our...



....PRINCESS




.....SUPER HERO




.....BEACH BUM




....FULL OF SPUNK




....DRAMA QUEEN!


**KRISTINA**

She is our....



....ONLY GIRL WHO LETS ME DO HER HAIR WITHOUT WHINING
(Who has hair like this at two?)I covet.




.....GOOFBALL




....MOMMA'S GIRL




....ONLY NAPS IN THE CAR(major bummer!!)




.....EXTREMELY LOUD




.....BEAUTY:)


**KATE**(a.k.a. "Katie-Boo")

She is our.....



....HAPPY




....FINGER-SUCKER




....CUTIE-PIE




....ALMOST WALKING




....DOESN'T LET ANYONE PUSH HER AROUND




....ONE YEAR OLD!!!


They keep us on our toes and we love them:)

Ode to 2009-may you rest in peace

I'm a little late in posting this-sorry for the delay.....

HAPPY BELATED NEW YEAR TO YOU ALL!

Nothing would sum up 2009 better than sharing with you some of life's lessons that fell upon us during the course of the year:

LESSON #1
Never underestimate the pairs of underwear a girl can change out of in the course of a day.

I think I did more laundry this year than I will ever do in my lifetime. I don't know if boys are any different but it seems that my girls change their unmentionables more times during the day than I blink. There are a number of reasons they have given for this such as:
"They're too tight"
"They feel funny"
"I was too busy playing"(therefore they're wet),
or my personal favorite,
"I want them to match my shirt."
Okay.


LESSON #2
Beginning your trip to the grocery store with a full cart is never a good idea.

It's just all around better to go alone instead of trying to pile groceries all around the infant and toddler, with the five-year-old trying to bum a ride underneath(there have been a few minor injuries as a result). So much sweat is conserved when I just go alone and leave Dad to bond with his daughters. Plus, you don't accidentally walk out of the store with an item you didn't pay for hiding under the baby, and then have to turn around and go back so as to teach your children it's not okay to steal. Again, much sweat is conserved if you just go alone.


LESSON #3
Whoever said, "After three kids it doesn't matter how many you have, it's all the same", only had three kids.

I love being a mother of four. I look at all of them and can't believe they are mine. Time flies. But it is not any easier than having one or two or three. It's all challenging and tiring and busy. Sure the older ones can brush their teeth and walk and follow directions(sort of) and pour their own milk(sometimes). But no one ever told us that our seven-year-old would say she'd rather be dead when you ask her to stack her dishes, or that our five-year-old would stare at the empty space in our living room and cry that the Christmas tree was no longer there-for HOURS. All while the toddler is dumping food on the floor and infant just needs to be held. People say we'll miss this and I'm really banking on that.


LESSON #4
Never take your health for granted.

Being sick just really stinks. So does being pregnant in your thirties. The two don't mix well either. I believe 2009 was the year for me to appreciate a working body and mind. Knock on wood that 2010 will be illness free.


LESSON #5
Sticking your nose in the neck of a newborn baby and taking a big whiff makes everything better.

Seriously-there is something about the smell of a baby's skin that makes all your worries melt away. Love it.


LESSON #6
Kids say funny things and you should write them down!

I went to write in my journal and realized there wasn't ONE entry for 2009. What? In fact, my last entry was halfway through 2008. FOR SHAME! So I had to do a quick rundown of some of the major events(like the birth of KATE-I am ashamed) and some of the other memorable trips we took. What is sad to me is that our kids say the funniest things, and I didn't record any of them. Thank goodness for the blog, at least. I will be better this year!


LESSON #7
Family is everything.

We had two opportunities to be with my entire family this year. Once for the Champion Family Reunion in June and again for Thanksgiving in CA. Being together brings you back to what's really important. Living by our family here in WA is so fun, and we wish school didn't exist so we could just play and play with cousins all day! We miss Grandpa Jim and Grandma Colleen terribly and can't wait to see them in just a few short months.
I can remember one night a few months ago, when there was nothing to do but just hang out. It was great- and I was in heaven being surrounded by all these little people and a great husband to boot. Life is good. Here's to many more of those moments in 2010!

Enjoy some pictures of these adorable people we get to claim as our own:

An icy Adventure:)

Since Shawn has been dubbed the Fun Czar in the Rolph Family, we thought we'd share a fun outing our family had this weekend.
Cost? None.
Level of difficulty? Low.
Potential for serious injury that could result in death? High.
But we made some great memories.

It has been so cold here that we took the kids to play on the frozen Stillaguamish River. It's a fun childhood memory of Shawn's. The kids were in HEAVEN!



The ice was very thick so we felt pretty safe. The girls had a great time slipping and sliding around.



Dad and girls chillin' on the ice.
So we all thought we'd take a nap:



Brrrrrrrrr!!!!

Of course you can't be on the ice and NOT perform your own ice dance routine:
Here is Rachel doing a lovely spin:



Brooke's arabesque is exquisite:




She landed a perfect triple lutz:



Every good figure skating routine has to end laying on the ice:


And the final bow:



I convinced Shawn to join me in the pairs competition:




He hates me right now for that. We had a great time. Now I'm off to bed-I don't know why I've stayed up so late-Nighty night!!

I've been humoring myself by reading back on some of our earlier posts. I'm so glad I've written about certain things the kids have done or said because I've already forgotten. So here is another funny tidbit to remember. We were in Costco the other day, in the self-checkout, and this worker came to help move my stuff along. He was a little on the short side, which made Brooke ask rather loudly, "Mom, why is he so short?" I don't think he heard, and I gave Brooke a look and said, "I'm not sure, and please keep your voice down."
So, her intelligent, kindergarten self decided to rephrase the question:

BROOKE(in a loud voice)Mom, what's a midget?

MOM:Brooke, sshh!

BROOKE: Moooooom, what's a MIDget?

MOM: Brooke-quiet! We'll talk about it in the car.

BROOKE: MOM! What. is. a. MID. GET??

MOM: Brooke, you're in charge of holding my card and when it's time to swipe it I'll let you do it, okay?

BROOKE: Cool. Thanks Mom.

I'll be really sad when she is no longer distracted so easily.

Have your kids ever said anything embarrassing in public? Please share:)

A very Happy Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving has always been my favorite holiday. Who doesn't love a celebration that's all about food with no pressure to shop for gifts? I do. And what a better way to spend it then with all of my family. Yes, ALL of us. Not one of us was missing. A true miracle, I tell you, made entirely possible by our gracious hosts, Josh and Kristina. I don't know what was more exciting for our kids: seeing their grandparents or staying in a hotel with a pool and a "free" breakfast. It was a toss-up(sorry Grandma and Papaw). We had such a great time. I had to sit in the backseat for most of the ride home to hide my tears from Shawn. I wish each one of my siblings could be my neighbors. I love them all enormously. And the fact that they all married(and will marry)some of the greatest people on earth, makes it even more difficult to say goodbye. sniff sniff...until we meet again:)

Enjoy the photo gallery:



The beginning of our 13 hour journey-every one is smiling..but not for long.



When are we going to get there?




I'm bored.




Finally-we made it to the hotel with the pool and FREE breakfast!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!




I forgot my suit(shucks!)so Dad was the fun one...I was really okay being the photographer.




Brooke would not let me leave until I took a picture of her next to the hot tub and this is how she posed. Be scared for us.




We took a day trip to San Francisco. It was a gorgeous day. This may be our Christmas card picture so act surprised when you get it.




We stopped at the beach to play, but with all the little kids running around, someone was bound to bite it. Poor Kristina was the first to take the plunge.



Way to go Aunt Kristina for cooking the best turkey I've ever had. And stuffing, and potatoes, and salads, and pies.....truly amazing!!

Kate like it, too!



Our attempt at getting all the grandkids to cooperate in a picture with their grandparents. What a group of cuties!



Thanks to Josh and Kristina for opening their home to all of us and providing a truly memorable Thanksgiving!!