Merry Christmas

Our Christmas season was amazing and we enjoyed every minute we were able to spend with my family. It was very hard to say goodbye to Stephanie and her family today knowing that I might not get the chance to see them all again anytime soon! The time we spent together was great though. All of my siblings were at my parent's house this year and we had tons of fun! We went roller skating, bowling, made gingerbread houses, played games, watched movies, and just hung out together. We hope everyone had a great Christmas!

Santa Claus is coming to Town!

I haven't posted for a while now and I wanted to write about all the fun things we have been doing for Christmas but I have waited because I didn't want to post without pictures. Unfortunately I am going to have to because in all the fun I just can't seem to remember to take my camera.
My sister Stephanie and her two cute kiddos are here from Brooklyn, NY and we have been having the best time. Adam and Evy have so much fun together they are quite a pair. Dane is so cute and even though he is 10 months old this is the first chance I have had to see him. He is a very good baby and it's fun to watch Katie and him "play" together. It is more of a poke and gouge fest actually and Dane usually wins! I can't even express how great it is to see Steph, I have missed her and our visits together alot.
Last night we took the kids to Zoolights at Point Defiance and they really liked it. We had to force Katie's little hands into mittens and bundle her up very cozy in the stroller, but when we got out in the lights she loved it! She clapped her hands and yelled almost the whole time we walked around the zoo. The boys really enjoyed it and when we stopped in the aquarium for a minute, they were really into the shark tank! The sharks were circling the top just like Jaws with their fin on top of the water. I think Addie favorite part of the night was the hot chocolate and cookies at the end.
I love this time of year with the holiday music, movies, baking, and getting together with family and friends. Noah loves fudge and sprinkle Christmas cookies, "The Carol of the Bells", and the movie Elf. Addie loves hot chocolate, "Christmas don't be late" by the chipmunks of course, and The Polar Express. Katie just loves it all and adores the twinkle lights that are out for the season.

Story Time

Every night before Noah goes to bed we have been reading chapter books together. It is so fun! Over the past two years we have read lots of the greats...Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle, Stuart Little, My Father's Dragon, Junie B Jones, Mr. Popper's Penguins, James and the Giant Peach, The Boxcar Children, and don't even get me started on how many Magic Treehouse books Noah has begged me to read to him. (They are really more for read alone than read aloud. I get so bored reading them.)

Today I went with Noah's class on a field trip to the Seattle Children's Theater to see the BFG (Big Friendly Giant.) It was such a great show we loved it! Noah and I actually read the BFG together when we heard his class was going to see it. We really loved the book so much, as we have liked all the Roald Dahl books we've read together. He certainly knew what kids found funny. Sure enough when it came to the part in the play about whizzpopping, I'm sure you can guess what that is, it was absolute hilarity to the first graders present. Yes a real laugh riot to be sure.

It was very fun to get to spend some time with just Noah and see him with his friends. He is at that great age where he has yet to figure out what a nerd I am and he is still completely proud to show me off as his mom. Most times I feel very undeserving, but truthfully I couldn't be more happy about having such a sweet little admirer because the feeling is totally mutual.

Baby Steps

Katie has been such a crack up lately with all the new things she is learning to do. She has been taking some tentative first steps... not going back and forth between Jason and I but she will stand up in the middle of the room and just take some steps until she falls. She is so excited about what she can do too, it is cute to see. She can say mama, dada, and hi. She says hi the most though, always when I go into her room to get her in the morning or after nap she'll say hi! The boys were laughing so hard today because she was shaking her head no to everything so they asked her all kinds of silly questions, just so she would say no to them. I love to watch her cuddle her baby, she will hug it and pat its head, what a good little mama she is!

Happy Thanksgiving!

For Thanksgiving this year we had a smaller group than we usually do, just Mom, Dad, Michael, Michelle, Aaron, and us. The dinner was delicious and the company was great. We had lots of fun. We had dinner and then played lots of games, the highlight of which was the spanking machine, one of the boys' favorites. Then we went for a walk to the park to play for a while and afterwards a yummy apple pie, courtesy of Jason. The day was mostly hanging out and relaxing, which definitely felt like a good way to spend the holiday! As you can see from my blog I am very ready to start celebrating the most wonderful time of the year!

A Few of His Favorite Things

Kid pop and hot gum. At our house we drink pop, and when I say "we" I mean Jason and I. The kids aren't allowed to have pop, it is for grown ups only due to the fact that I think it probably stunts kids' growth. Unfortunately I have reached my full height so I get to drink it. However there are two different kinds of pop; regular and kid pop. On our Friday pizza nights the boys get to drink kid pop which includes root beer, sunkist orange, or sprite--all in the diet variety of course to avoid all that sugar. Addie really loves his kid pop and once a week is just not enough as far as he is concerned. No matter how many times I refuse him he still asks me faithfully everyday at lunch if he can have some kid pop with his sandwich. You have to admire that sort of optimism that maybe this time I'll say yes even though everyday prior I have said no.
"Can I have some hot gum?" This is the question that Jason hears more often than me. Hot gum is just any kind of minty tasting gum. He loves it and hates it at the same time. It's hot and not at all sweet and bubble gummy, but at the same time it is gum, which is not allowed usually and is therefore a special treat and something to want and ask for. Which he does. Jason almost always lets him have some and so does his Grammy. I always try to chew mine inconspicuously so he doesn't ask.

Confessions of a Teeny Drama Queen

Lately Katie is becoming more of her own little person. She used to be really go with the flow but now she has her own agenda. It's too cute! For example, we were at Walmart today in the Christmas aisles where they have all those lovely singing santas and silly animals that dance, they even had some princesses that were in these fake snowglobes that blew snow around inside. Katie LOVED each one more than the last. I showed them to her and let her touch them, but when we came to the end of the line and I put them back on the shelf...she screamed! She was so so mad. She cried real tears about it for five whole minutes, which is a lot for her!! Noah was talking to her and telling her, "Katie, it's ok, we don't want one of those!" I think she could kinda get what he was saying and she cried even louder! Sometimes if she is getting too mad about something she will just stop crying and start sucking one of her fingers. It calms her down. Sort of a "Serenity Now!" type of situation, at least I think that's what she would be saying if she could speak.

She has been standing up on her own and so I'm sure walking will be soon to follow. She stands up on her kitchen and then practices letting go and just standing there. She is big into dancing and almost any noise qualifies as music to Katie and she will dance and clap away. When Jason and the boys are upstairs enjoying some "Wrestle Mania" Katie will roll around on the floor by them and "wrestle" with herself. It's really funny to watch. She is constantly standing up by the tv and turning it off and on much to the boys' displeasure. They can't stay mad at her for long though, none of us could ever, because gosh darn it she is just too cute!!

Happy Halloween!

He Will Rock You!

At our house we like to listen to a little Queen sometimes; "Somebody to Love", "Another One Bites the Dust", "We are the Champions," etc. Not tons, just as much as the next guy, who doesn't feel like listening to it sometimes?? I guess it shouldn't have surprised me then that Addie's favorite song is "We Will Rock You." I like this song too, being a retired cheerleader it brings back fond memories for me, but something I bet you didn't realize is that this song is only two minutes long. So basically we can hear it three times in a row when we take Noah to school in the mornings. Five times on the way to my Mom's and, heaven forbid, ten times on the way to soccer practice. I have all the words memorized and I still am not really sure what the heck the song is about. I've heard it 100 times too many so the song is on thin ice with me. I know how at certain times in your life certain songs really speak to you and you get addicted to listening to them over and over so it is hard for me not to give in to the "again please mom, again one more time," but come on! Seriously though, this is now the soundtrack to Addie's life so watch out or he will rock you.

Ok I have to brag a couple sentences about Noah. I just had a conference with his teacher, Mrs. Lee, and she had such nice things to say about him. She told me she can always count on him to do what she wants, sometimes even before she asks. She showed me Noah's score on the assessment test they give the first graders and he got the second highest score on the math part in the whole first grade. That's what happens when two geniuses have children together. Kidding! Mrs. Lee also wondered about the way he always writes a 7 after his name on his papers. She thought it was maybe his old number from kindergarten or the number of his pencil box in the desk at school. I told her it was his age and she really laughed. He has been doing it since he was Noah5. I can't believe he is already Noah7, my favorite first grader!

Splish Splash

Katie LOVES the bath. She can't get enough of it. If you let her wander anywhere in the house she will report to the tub and try to turn on the water. It's the reason every bathroom door over here is always shut.

When you give her a bath, no matter how long you let her stay in the tub, she is so mad when it's time to get out. If it's time for the boys to have their bath and not her, she is furious. She plays with the water coming out of the faucet, she drinks as much as she can, and she crawls all around the tub chasing bath toys. Katie was sick last week with croup. She felt terrible mostly, but she was still able to enjoy every minute of her baths. It nice to have something that will always bring a smile to your face in spite of other conditions. What a little lucky duck!!

The Great Pumpkin

We went to the pumpkin patch last weekend and had a great time! It was a beautiful autumn day, and the sun was shining, but it was still cool and a little windy. My brother Dave and his wife Jenny came with us to add to the fun! Our pumpkin patch has a straw bale maze for the kids, a baby animal petting zoo, the tractor ride to the pumpkin patch, and of course caramel apples and hot chocolate. The kids loved picking out their pumpkins, Noah took forever to find the one he wanted and in the end he found a monstrously huge one that was just perfect for him. Addie loved the kittens, Noah loved the straw maze, and Katie....well she loved it all.

We have been doing everything Halloween and just can't wait for the big day. Our house is all decorated, the kids and I have made and decorated pumpkin sugar cookies, made and eaten the caramel apples, listened to our Jeepers Creepers CD, and we have dedicated every Friday pizza movie night to scary and spooky movies for the last month! All that's left is the pumpkin carving, "It's the Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown" movie viewing, and the actual dressing up and trick or treating. I can't wait to see the kids' in their costumes and will definitely post a bunch of pictures of the big day!!!

Better Together

We've been together for nine years now and I still can't believe that at a mere 21 years old I was so very clever as to pick out the best of the bunch and marry him! These years with Jason have been a laugh riot and an incredibly good time. Since we have been together my life has been anything but the ordinary. Experts say the average child laughs 400 times per day and an average adult only laughs 15 times. When I am with Jason I definitely feel like a kid again! Going through the changes and ups and downs in life would be ten times more stressful without Jason who is my calm in the storm. Sorry Michelle if you have to get out your barf bag, but I would choose Jason to share my life with all over again a hundred times! To borrow the words of Ella Fitzgerald:

It’s very clear our love is here to stay. Not for a year, but ever and a day. Together were going a long, long way. In time the Rockies may crumble, Gibraltar may tumble, they’re only made of clay. But our love is here to stay.

Dear Daughter

Well it happened, Katie is one year old. Just one year ago I was hugely pregnant, unable to sleep at night, constantly worrying, anxiously praying and fervently hoping that Katie would make her way into our family safely. Ever since our baby Jillian passed away suddenly and unexpectedly, the last couple weeks of pregnancy are so full of anxiety for me. But Katie did arrive safely and has since filled my heart with joy and I have felt so much peace and happiness at her presence in our family! My boys are the apples of my eye, completely, but I have wanted a daughter, dreamed of my own daughter and Katie has been everything and more than I could have hoped. There has been something so healing to my heart to dress Katie in some of her sister's outfits and use Jillian's blankets for Katie. One does not replace the other, and I am certain we will see Jillian again, but just one year ago I held my brand new daughter in my arms and felt so much gratitude and love in my heart for her, and for the Lord in remembering me, I can only echo the words of Hannah, "For this child I prayed."

Katie is the chubbiest, sweetest, most good natured, and adorable baby girl. She has brought more laughs, happiness, hugs, and cuddles into our family in the year that she has been here. She is loved by her brothers, adored by her daddy, the darling of her mother, certainly cherished by her grandparents, and just generally doted on by all. I guess all that's left to say is Happy Birthday Katie-kins! And many more to come....!!! We love you so!

Party Animals

The boys' birthdays are over and they are one year older, 4 and 7 respectively. Noah had a Super Mario birthday party and Addie's was Curious George. Grandma, Grandpa, and Aunt Mandy came and after partying all weekend, we were pretty exhausted. They both got lots of great presents and were completely thrilled by the race car bed tents from Grandma and Grandpa. We had a big dinner on Sunday with the whole family and it was tons of fun. It's sometimes hard having the boy's birthdays one day apart, but we make the best of it by making sure the whole weekend is full of cake, treats, family, friends and presents!!! For more pictures of the fun, check out below:

Stand by Me

Katie has started to pull up on things and stand, especially when she is in her crib. Well that's an understatement--90% of the time she's pulling up on anything, it's her crib rails when she is supposed to be going to sleep. It's like she can't help herself. We have this new ritual we go through every nap time.

I lay her down in bed and cover her with a blanket.

Mom: Good night Katie, go to sleep.

Katie: Thank goodness I am soooo tired. (of course she is only thinking this part, not saying it.)

I shut the door and about five minutes later I hear lots of excitement/anxiety coming from her room. I open the door to find what you see in the picture.

Katie: Oh I'm so glad you're back Mom! I just thought I would stand up for a minute and then I couldn't get back down. I have been standing here for 5 minutes just trying to figure out how to lay back down.

Mom: (lays Katie back down) Katie go to sleep. Night Night.

Katie: Thanks Mom. I'm really tired. Goodnight.

REPEAT FIVE TIMES

Pass Shoot Score!

This next post was going to be about the boys' birthdays and all the fun of that whole feverish weekend full of cake, ice cream, and lots of presents, but I am holding off on that because I don't have the pictures I am hoping to show you all. I was just going to wait, but thanks to your inquiries on what was taking so long for a new post, and various cryptic emails telling me to get a new post up on my blog ASAP I will write about how we spend our Saturdays this time of year: soccer games!!! That little cutie in the middle is Noah, such an awesome player. He scored three goals today at his game, he is having so much fun and loves to play. Noah has been on this same team for the past three years and the team's name is the Rapids. Ever since the first time the kids heard the name they quickly changed it to what they thought it was...Go Rat pits!!! I have to admit that does bring a scarier picture to mind. The Rat Pits' proud coach has been none other than Jason for the past three years and Noah loves having him for a coach. On the field he doesn't call him dad, just coach.

This picture shows how Katie occupies her time during the Saturday games. She goes through my bag and throws everything onto the grass, after carefully studying and tasting it. Then she crawls after the extra soccer balls on the sides of the field and sometimes she even sits on my lap in the chair.

Addie spends his time dribbling the ball up the hill and back down again and again with his buddy, one of our player's younger brothers, just like himself. They sometimes sit together at the top of the hill and just talk. They are pretty far away at that point, I can't hear what they might be saying, but I really wish I could. Maybe they commiserate about being too young to be on the team, or other unfairness issues about being the younger brother, who knows?

We like our soccer games and we have many more years of soccer ahead so I will finish by saying....Go Rat Pits!!!

I Heart Fall!

I know fall doesn't officially start until September 23rd, but I feel like it's already here! The weather has been so so beautiful, sunny with a nice cool breeze, and the kids are back in school. I listen to my Autumn Tunes playlist (Love it!), packed away the summer clothes and my sweaters and morning hot chocolate are already calling me. The honeycrisp apples are here, YUM, and yesterday I got these fuji apples that were seriously as big as Katie's head. Ok maybe not THAT big, but close. All the holidays are just around the corner and I think fall is my favorite season of all.

Ever since Katie has started crawling she has been lots of entertainment for the boys. They play this game, in which she is referred to as "the evil Missy", and they race their cars or fly their planes around her, then land them and wait till she crawls over to check out their toys and the boys snatch them up at the last minute right before she grabs them. It seems mean I know, but she just likes to be a part of their game and she is such a sweet, patient little girl that she doesn't cry about the unfairness of it all. The boys are really such great brothers to her, so sweet with her, in the end they always let her slobber their toys.

Soccer games are in full swing on Saturdays, both boys' birthdays are coming up soon and generally we are having a great time over here at our place. Now to start breaking out all my favorite pumpkin recipes!!

The Ladies Man

Addie had his first day of school this morning. He was so thrilled to be going and was all ready and dressed by seven o'clock. (school doesn't start until nine.) When we got to the preschool he just went right in and got to playing and making friends. When I picked him up his teacher, Mrs. SueAnn told me he had a great day and was very sweet. He is going to go on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9-11:30. I was so excited to see him having such a good time. He was playing with a little girl when I went to pick him up-- that is something so sweet about him. He loves the little girls! He adores our neighbor Cora and always calls her his best friend.
Other news at our house is that Katie is crawling!! She also got her first tooth! I tried to take a picture of her first tooth and you can imagine how well that went, but if you could see it, and see her crawling, I'm sure you would agree that now she is cuter than ever and growing up so fast!