Brotherly Bubbly Love

Bubbles, Bubbles everywhere,
Bubbles, Bubbles in our hair.
Bubbles high and Bubbles low
Bubbles stay, please don't go!

Use it before it's gone

Wow, was it warm today! This afternoon I looked at the thermometer and it read 45 degrees! I couldn't believe it. Jon went out with Alaina and built a snow fort for her with the last of the snow in our yard-it is melting fast! He then forced Jonnie away from the tv to enjoy the new fort. He loved it and they made dishes, pillows, etc. out of snow for it.

Meanwhile, I was in the kitchen whipping up my purees (finally) to use with my "Deceptively Delicious" cookbook. I can't wait to start adding veggies into all our food. The broccoli and cauliflower smell so bad that I really hope I can't taste them in the food. I am on a mission to keep this up, not only adding more nutrition to the kids' food, but also for Jon and I. Tomorrow, I am making oatmeal with pumpkin puree for us in the morning-can't wait to see how it tastes!

Don't they look pretty (:

Pirate Ship Makers

Today Jonnie had a couple friends over-Lukas and his best bud Mitchell. I decided to get out a craft for them to work on and they loved it-they were so into it (: I thought it turned out great!

Gluing and beginning to paint....

Adding the sails.....

The finished product!

Sawyer was feeling left out until I got out his new crayons and markers.
An artist in the making!

Hope everyone is having a great weekend!

The buzz around town is......

There was a spelling bee! A mother brag moment.....Alaina was one of 12 twelve kids who qualified out of all the 4th grade classes, so that alone is great! She did not win the bee and the word that she got out on was cement. As soon as I heard her say "s.." I knew it was over (: What is it about spelling bees that are so intense? I am very proud of her.The boy in the front row in the red sweatshirt was the winner.

Swim Time

Here are a few pictures of us swimming this weekend. Jon's brother Tim and his family and sister Melanie and her family came for awhile to swim. It was fun watching the kids and adults go down the water slide (some by force :))

Happy Friday

Hope everyone has a great weekend! Us up here in the tundra are going to be spending the weekend trying to stay warm-the temp. in the morning is going to be 13 below-that is the regular temp. not counting the wind chill-brrrrrr! We are having a swim weekend at a nearby hotel, so we will stay toasty in the hot tub (: The kids are excited and so am I. Sawyer has been a little under the weather the last few days and I am kicking myself that I didn't bring him to the doc. today. It was so cold and I thought he was getting better, but his fever rose again tonight and he just wasn't his usual easy-going self. I am hoping he is cured tomorrow-at least we aren't going out of town, so it is easy enough to go to the doctor in the morning if needed. Ok, now that I have talked myself through it here are some pics of our Friday night.....

This is the look he gave me when he saw the flashlight-it meant I would try to see his throat.

It wouldn't be Friday without the dancing shots-the funniest part about tonight was that there was no music on (:

You would never know it was below zero outside.

Have a great weekend!

Getting ready for church

"Should I add some more mascara, dad?"

Heeeeere's Jonnie!

Well, here is my middle child and believe me he is not overlooked. He would not allow it (:
Here are some things I love about my sensitive, spirited child:

~He is an "expert" on all things football-I have to hold back my giggles because it is all wrong!

~He still needs at least 10 kisses and hugs every night when I tuck him into bed.

~He giggles at everything.

~He has such an innocence and joy for life, it is infectious.

~He asks every night what else we are having when I tell him what is for supper-aka picky eater

~He knows how to break dance (: At least his version and he is so serious about it!

~He loves books and being read to every night. He loves showing everyone how well he is reading, too.

~He is very smart and can talk his way out of anything (well he tries anyway). He would make a great Lawyer.

~He has a lot of energy-this is not something I always love, esp. when he can't channel it in the right way, but when he can, he is fun to watch!

~He has the biggest heart. He would help anyone, anytime and it is also easily hurt.

~He is a High School Musical fan and watches it all the time (the first one more than the 2nd)

~He loves drawing and has become quite good-he likes to draw tractors, trucks, and now football players.

~He loves his little brother so much and some nights I hear them giggling and talking at bedtime-it's the cutest thing ever! He would do anything for his little buddy and is the best big brother (when he is not trying to make him scream :))

~His best friend is his sister, Alaina. They are still just good buddies and play together every day. He also will not ride the bus without her. I have to drive him into school if she is sick.

~He loves to help me cook.

~He loves to learn and has 101 questions for Jon and I about everything. He is always bringing home library books on different animals-I am learning a lot, too. His new favorite animal is the Tazmanian Devil. I didn't even know they were a real animal!

He is such a character and when I am not pulling my hair out, I am laughing at everything he does-he is such a joy in my life.....

Eighteen Months!

Well, here's the big guy at 18 months. It is funny how I still look at him as my little baby and he is already 1 1/2! I guess that's what happens with your youngest, huh?

He had his doctor appointment today and everything went well. He still loves his doctor and was all smiles and showing him things-I was relieved as I thought he would remember last time and cry the whole appointment. I don't think he associates his doctor with shots, just the nurses, whom he is more leery about. He did cry when the nurse weighed him, plus another baby was screaming his/her head off down he hall and he was pretty worried. So all in all he was healthy and growing on track.
Drum roll.....His weight was 22# 11oz. and still in the 10th % and I was thrilled to hear he had a growth spurt and was 32 in. That puts him in the 25%tile. Not that I was worried before, but I couldn't help thinking of my dad's grandpa who was 4ft. 11 in. I just found that out recently and would not want my son to be that short-for his sake. (: Head size was 90%-yay lots of brains!

It is fun to think he is entering toddlerhood-lots of joys and I am sure some challenges as he learns his way through the world and hearing No No more frequently. (:

Signs my daughter is growing up...

1. She wants the new Alicia Keys CD and says she is the "best singer ever!"

2. She is writing a book on the computer and can type almost as good as me. She is up to chapter 5 and it actually makes sense! I am amazed at all her correct grammar and punctuation.

3. She has taken upon herself to clean her room everyday in hopes of getting a hamster or guinea pig for her double digit birthday coming up in June. Her room is looking great! Jon and I told her on her last birthday that if she could keep her room clean for a long period of time, we would think she was then responsible enough to care for a pet-well she must be getting serious about wanting this pet!

4. She comes home after school does her homework, cleans her room, empties dishwasher (her job), works on her book, and after supper she practices cello all while loving up her brother (who follows her around) without being asked or reminded.

5. She can't fall asleep unless she reads at least one chapter in one of the 10 books she keeps under her pillow. She also has to have the radio on to fall asleep, too.

6. I find her in the bathroom doing her own nails.

7. She carries around a purse with money, lip gloss, and hair ties in it.

Signs my daughter is still a little girl.....

1. Twirls around and dances whenever there is music on.

2. Plans and plots out snow forts and houses with her brother.

3. She is scared to go anywhere in the house by herself and I still have to check in her closet some nights for her.

4. Still sleeps with the same blankey she has had since birth-I now call it rags.

5. Still loves to collect things-pebbles, wrappers, marbles, anything shiny, My little Petshop animals, etc., etc. I am hoping the room cleaning will clean up some of her collections.

6. She still likes to take care of her many baby dolls and dresses them up throughout the day. She loves having Sawyer interested and loving up her dolls, as well.

7. She loves hanging out with mom and dad and her brothers-I hope this never changes!

I am so proud of the beautiful girl you are and the beautiful girl you are becoming!

Cold and bright
Winter light
Bundle up
With all your might
Cheery faces
Noses red
Is it time to
Get the sled?
Down the slope
Swooping low
Watch out, people,
Down below!
Like a skier,
Like a bird,
Only swishing
Silence heard.
Many times we
Sled the hill
Many a whoop
And many a spill
Until at last
Mom calls us home
Warm hot cocoa
Make us warm.
Winter wonders
Sweet delights
Snowy days
And frost-filled nights;
Memories are
Made of this
Childhood times
Of snowy bliss.

Tucker Time

Tonight we got to watch my nephew Tucker and we were all excited to have him over! He was such a good boy and we had lots of fun!

One of the first things Alaina did was turn on the music to dance with Tucker. He was jamming out but I was unable to get any decent pictures of it.

Flashdance?

Having fun throwing things down the stairs.

This is the first time I ever saw Sawyer jealous. Tucker bumped his head and wanted to be held and Sawyer all of sudden needed me. When I picked him up he kept kissing me and stroking my hair just to let me know he is still my boy (:

Guess which butt?

Can you tell who he is trying to be? HO HO HO

I could not get Tucker to look at me in the tub no matter how hard I tried.

All clean and shiny and ready to play some more!

Can you tell Alaina was in her glory? A little before nine Tucker actually asked to go to bed and I just laid him down and never heard a peep from him-he was such a good boy (: