Wheeler Farm

Last Friday we took a little trip to Wheeler Farm. Hannah and Johnny love this place and have been asking when we could go again. It was such nice weather and they were off track so we took the trip. We had a ton of fun! MaryAnn (my wonderful mother-in-law) offered to take Lucy, and gave Hannah, Johnny and Maddie each their own little box of animal crackers to take with them for a snack. Off we went, just me and the big kids. Hannah was in heaven around all of the different kinds of birds, and Maddie just liked chasing them. Maddie singled out a little black duck and chased it until it was so tired it started panting. I have never seen a duck pant before, I felt a little guilty that I let her torture it for so long, but it was just too darn cute. It was one of those simple, easy getaways that we love so much--and the best part, it's was free.

John's sixth anniversary

There is a little known anniversary that John and I celebrate this month. I just couldn't let October pass without paying tribute to a day that happened six years ago this month. It is the day that John decided to take the leap into baldness, most men tiptoe lightly into this stage of their lives--not John. On this day I came home to find John playing the biggest prank of his life on his unsuspecting wife of almost 3 years. He had shaved the very top of his head and had just left a fringe around the sides and back. I did what most sane women would do, I gasped and cried "John! What have you done!?" John just laughed, took a few pictures and shaved the rest of his head. It took me a while, but now I can look at these pictures and laugh. What a wonderful husband I have, he can take anything that life throws at him and make it funny. That is what I love about him, life is never dull when John's around!

Could this be why Johnny doesn't want to dress up this year?

The evil mom in me laughs out loud everytime I look at these pictures of Johnny wearing his halloween costume last year, I just can't help it. On the other hand I get that little tug in my heart and I just want to hug him and kiss his little chubby cheeks.





How could we have put Johnny through this kind of torture at the tender age of four. While all of the other boys in his pre-school class were dressed up in costumes with swords, magic wands or big biceps, all Johnny had to defend himself was a big squishy nose and a sense of humor.




This year I am so sad that he doesn't want to dress up at all. I decided to just buy him a low key black shirt decorated with ghosts. I hope we didn't damage him for life. I sure love that boy!

Another milestone for Lucy

Little Lucy is growing up so fast, where did the last 5 months go? The other day I was playing with her on the couch when I realized that I had never thought to try having her sit up by herself. I remember with Hannah, I would try to get her to sit up at least once a day at this point, and it didn't seem like she could learn fast enough. Well I sat Lucy on the floor and, viola, she did it--no problem, no practice. If only I could have realized as a new mom that acheiving some milestones is inevitable whether we practice or not. I think that I would have been able to enjoy each stage so much more. I am so glad that I was given more chances to make babyhood a happy time without all the worry, I think on the 4th try I am finally getting it right.

Kids say the darndest things: Take 1

Johnny:

...and after Lucy finished eating, I stuck my finger in her mouth...
(pause) ...for dessert.

(uggh, I wonder how Lucy will
ever survive cold season.)

Tagged by Kelly, your turn Valerie!

A-Attached or Single: Attached
B-Best Friend: Sister, Kathleen
C-Cake or Pie: As long as it goes with ice cream I love it.
D-Day of Choice: Sunday after the kids go to bed. Day of rest = no projects=our time together.
E-Essential Item: I think it should be my cell phone, but having it charged and where I can hear it is another story.
F-Favorite Color: Sky blue. Not the crayon sky blue, the real sky blue.
G-Greatest Accomplishment: Setting up a blog was a pretty big accomplishment for me.
H-Hometown: Bancroft, Idaho. Population 340 I think.
I-Indulgences: Chocolate chip cookies and a big slice of cheese, any kind.
J-January or July: July if I had to choose, but I really like the months in-between better.
K-Kids: Hannah, John (Johnny), Madeline, and Lucy.
L-Life is incomplete without: My family
M-Marriage Date: November 6, 1999
N-Number of Siblings: 10
O-Oranges or Apples: Apples, and now I can eat them without cutting them up first--one of the simple pleasures of life.
P-Phobias or Fears: Forgetting one of my children someplace, that is one of the reasons we think we should stop at 4.
Q-Quotes: By John; "Laughter is the crazy glue that holds us together."
R-Reason to Smile: When I get a random hug.
S-Season: Spring
T-Tag 5 Friends: How about just one? Valerie Illguth.
U-Unknown Fact about Me: My mom used to call my older sister and I her little blonde headed Eskimo's and give us Eskimo kisses (something I just discovered she didn't invent) because we were born in Alaska.
V-Very Favorite Store: Kid to Kid, (should I be embarrassed about that?)
W-Worst Habit: Staying up late
X-X-ray or Ultrasound: Ultrasound, I guess?
Y-Your Favorite Food: Anything with the base ingredient of cheese.
Z-Zodiac Sign: Gemini

Just another laundry day

I have joked about having ADD ever since having children. I am not so sure it is a joke any more. The other day I was sitting on my living room floor folding laundry when I came to Lucy's maryjane socks, I absolutely love these socks. I looked over at Lucy who was laying on the floor next to me, and as luck would have it, she didn't have any socks on. I slipped them on her cute little feet and the thought came to my mind "I have to take a picture of her wearing these before she grows out of them." I gathered up a few partially matching things, some bloomers and a blanket (also waiting to be folded) and spent the next fifteen minutes snapping pictures of my Lucy. No wonder it takes me three days to fold laundry!