What I'm Up To

I don't just sew stuff for Katie you know. I am also the new den mother for Noah's Bear Den. I went to my first meeting tonight and I loved it. We built model dinosaurs. I am really excited to be hanging out with Noah and the other cub scouts. I also volunteer in Addie's class. I am there on Tuesdays for an hour to help with the centers. Addie is an excellent student, very helpful, very attentive to the teacher, and of course finishes his work quickly and correctly. He likes to have me in there and I like to watch him in action. I have been running in the mornings, I know- hard to believe, but the best part about it is that the boys come with me. They ride their scooters while I jog and we get some nice morning air together. They also keep me from getting scared out there when it's so early, dark, and quiet out. Jason calls them my bulldogs. I've started watching my niece Lizzy on Wednesdays so her mom can work and keep up her dental skills. It's fun and we enjoy having another little one around the house. I am loving the fall weather and everything that comes with it: hot chocolate, apples, scarves, soccer, soups, Halloween, pumpkin recipes, gorgeous colored trees, cozy fires in the fireplace, sweaters, snuggling under warm blankets, and that is just to name a few. Life is good.

A Bear

Noah got his Wolf badge at pack meeting last night. Here I am pinning his wolf pin on (Katie is helping). We are very proud of our little cub scout.

Party Boys

Grandma & Grandpa came to visit last weekend for the boys' birthdays. We had lots of fun together with them and Mike, Melissa, and Becks. We went to the fair, got to watch some great soccer games, shopped, played at the park, built legos, and Grandpa even got to watch some Cinderella. Addie got a new bike for his birthday which he loves! The weather has been so nice he has been out riding it constantly. We were a little worried it was too tall for him but after only a couple days he is a pro. Katie also got her own princess castle playtent from Grandma and she has it in the loft full of all her things. And I mean all. The only thing left in her bedroom is her bed. Noah got a bunch of cool legos for his birthday. He has been very busy building. We love it that G & G can come for the boys' parties, it really makes their birthdays special! We had a great time and now we need to recover before it is time for Katie's birthday in only a little over two weeks!!

Happy Addie Day

Adam you are six!!! Wow. Here are some of your favorites.

Song: Best Day Ever

Color: Green

Food: Chicken nuggets & Macaroni

Treat: Mike & Ike's

Show: Spongebob Squarepants

Movie: The Chipmunk Adventure

Book: Any Berenstain Bears or Curious George Books

Friends: Matthew, Elise, Taylor

Subject: Letters

Primary Song: Follow the Prophet

When he Grows up: An Astronaut

Favorite Person: Mom or maybe Katie

Ok I added that last one again. For Addie's big day we are having a huge family party on Saturday with Grandma & Grandpa all the way from California. I will post pictures and details later but just couldn't let Addie's birthday go too far by without saying, Addie we love you like crazy. You are one fun and funny little boy. You are an amazing big brother, a goofy little brother, and a lovely son. You add lots of laughter and love to our family and we are soooo glad for getting you!!!!

Katie Gets Pictures & Also Makes Pouty Faces

Is this not the face of Katie as a teenager?!?
I took Katie out for her 3 year old portraits and let me tell you it wasn't as easy as I thought. She is hard to bribe. These pictures are the outtakes just to show you most of what she was giving me. She's cute but she's stubborn. For some cute ones click here.

Do you think they're Related?

I took them on separate days and did NOT tell them to pose like that!

Katie has Company

Could these two be any cuter? Today we got to hang out with Melissa and B and had a great time. We took some pictures (click here), talked some fabric & photo, played at the park, and had some jam sandwiches. Katie and B had a great time and I always have lots of laughs with Melissa. She was actually trying to tell me she had a pregnant belly & I was all prepared for it, but of course she is as little as ever and not one soul would be able to tell she was having a baby. Blogger likes to mess with my photos but in the real copy of this picture both their eyes are bright and very blue. I think they look just alike. Hopefully we can get together again soon!

Our Reverse Engineer

What do these things have in common? They are just the tiniest representation of the things Addie finds around our home and takes apart. Just a token of the deconstruction that goes on. If something is missing screws, you know who to ask. The problem is: he doesn't put things back together again.

Tinkerbell Babies & Daddies

Katie loves Tinkerbell. She always wants to wear her Tinkerbell dress-up. She puts her Tinkerbell doll in the stroller and tells me, "I the momma Tinkerbell and she's the baby Tinkerbell." Katie also loves Cinderella. She talks about the plot line constantly like she's in a movie review club. She wants to watch it everyday. She takes her wand and says "Bippety, Boppity, Boo" all over the house. It's pretty cute.

Jason was watching the Tinkerbell movie with Katie last night but he had to leave before the end to go to a baptism. Much later that same night at around ten all the kids were in bed I was going out to the couch to watch a movie with Jason. He calls out, "don't laugh at me. I'm watching the end of Tinkerbell. I have to know what happens so I'll know how to talk to my daughter about it if she wants." Sometimes he melts my heart. What a good Tinkerbell Daddy he is.

Happy Noah Day

OK it's a little early. We actually still have a week and a half till the real b-day but we had a great time celebrating Noah's ninth birthday this weekend. Here's his favorites at nine:

Song: Pressure by Billy Joel

Color: Green

Food: Big Noodle Soup

Treat: Super Sour Spray & Now and Laters

Show: Phinneas & Ferb

Movie: The Mario Brothers

Book: Diary of a Wimpy Kid, Where the Red Fern Grows

Friends: Adam S & Andrew

Subject: Math & Art

Primary Song: Scripture Power

When he grows up: Video Gamer Creator

Favorite Person: Mom

Alright I added that last one in myself. Noah had himself a nice little party, pizza and root beer, games, presents and cupcakes (to look like Mario mushrooms), the fantastic crepe paper balls filled with prizes just like my mom used to make for us, videogames and a movie. His friends didn't go home till late and they had lots of fun playing with his new hot wheel sets, Bakugan guys, and new Wii games. Noah Gordon Pace you are a sweet, funny and wonderful nine year old boy and we are overjoyed that you belong to our family. We really couldn't love you more.

Back to School

First day of school. I was so nervous and excited for them last night I couldn't sleep. Addie has been so worried. We laid out their clothes and new shoes last night, went through their school supplies, had blessings and pep talks and were ready to go. This morning when my eyes cracked open at 6:30 am both boys are fully dressed down to their shoes and backpacks staring at me. We had a lovely breakfast, I took a couple pictures, and Addie had a nervous breakdown about getting on the right bus, "But MOM I don't know what bus to get on without Noah." Me, "Addie there is only one bus that takes all the Kindergartners home. If you see a bus after school get on it. It's your bus." Jason and I walked into the school this morning loaded down with school supplies and the confidence that the boys were going to love their teachers, makes lots of new friends, find the right buses, learn tons and love school. And that's just what happened.

Addie Boy

He's always been my handsome little devil. I can't believe he starts school tomorrow. We had a back to school party at the park with all the kids today and he had a blast running around with his friends. I think he is excited for school and only a tiny bit nervous. I think I caught his sweetness with these six year old portraits. To see the rest click here.