She's a Girl

I wasn't prepared for how those girl tendancies just show up so quickly, without prompting or notice.

Since Cole was our first, our house is still boy-dominant. Lots of trucks, tools, balls. We don't have much girlie stuff. It's just funny to me how those tendancies are just part of who girls are.

Here, Adison is brushing her hair and enjoying it. With her tiara by her side, of course.

Wii Party

For Cole's birthday, we also let him choose 5 friends to come over and celebrate his birthday with him. He wanted a Wii party. I wasn't quite sure how to implement this, but when we decided to get him Wii Mario Kart for his birthday, it all started coming together.

We had the kids go outside and throw water balloons at a Wii target first, then we came in and paired them up 2 at a time and let them race against each other. I was worried the two ladies in attendance might get bored but everyone loved it and it was fun to see Cole enjoy himself with his friends.

Cake, Presents, and then my personal favorite: parting favors.

If I could, I would be a party planner. I love to get a theme and then coordinate all of it. Unfortunately, I don't enjoy doing all the work so that puts a damper on implementing all my cutesy ideas.

What I did do was make a Wii matching game as a favor using card stock and stickers. There also happens to be the cutest Wii candy dispenser's at Walgreens. Throw it in the bag with more stickers and I'm patting myself on the back on a job well done (because no one else is going to notice, or care, that everything goes with the theme.)

Wedding Bells

After the excitement of his birthday, Cole is putting his clothes into the laundry and looks at me and says casually:

"Ma? When I get married, I want that person to come live with me here."

Ok.

First of all, Cole has never talked about married. Never asked what it was. Never showed any interest. Never talked about any prospects. So I say:

"Well, who do you think you might want to marry?"

Cole: "uhhhhhh.......Kellie?"

He didn't say it like he was asking a question, or unsure. He said it in that quiet, shy tone and the inflection at the end suggested: what do you think about that, mama?

Kellie is our babysitter, but I really don't even like to call her that because she is just so much more. More on her in a second. So I say:

"Really!!"

Cole: "Did she already get married, ma?"

Me: "Well, no I don't think so..."

Cole: "But what do you have to do to get married, ma?"

So I explained the ceremony, paperwork, etc....and that was the end of that. He was off to bed in his fire truck jammies. [Note: he mentioned, that since he is FIVE now, he needs all new pj's that have a "5" on the tag. Because he's not 4 anymore.]

Kellie is such a sweet, wonderful person. I was pretty pleased this was his first foray into the subject of marriage. We were lucky enough to come to know her through someone at mom & dad's church and she's been watching the kids since before Adison was born. When she comes over, it's like a two-for-one deal. 1: she watches the kids so Kevin and I can go out. 2: When we get back, I get to sit and talk to her for awhile, which I really enjoy. Sometimes I genuinely wish I was in college, and she was my dorm....leader? mom? head dorm? whatever the kids call it.....I'm so grateful we've been able to have her around so much and I'm genuinely panicking as I think about her graduating college and moving on. Fun fact about Kellie: she has 1,199 friends on Facebook. She will probably have 2000 by the time I post this.

She sent me a picture of she and Cole from her computer, and I stole one right off of her profile page. I think it's pretty obvious why we all love her.

FIve Years Old

Hard to believe Cole is 5. 

We are so lucky to have this little boy of ours.  At 5 he is getting more into sports (definitely hockey, thanks to this year's playoffs), Wii games, trucks, anything outside with his Daddy and Mighty Machine movies.

He is an articulate little fellow who truly loves to talk.  He puts up fairly well with Adison and is a thoughtful, sweet, loving little boy.  I'm grateful for each day with him.

We had the family over to celebrate Monday night with Cake and snacks and he really enjoyed it. For the first time he "got it" that it was his birthday this year.  He woke up on April 1st and said: "Is it April? 19 more days until my birthday!"  

I decorated the house for him while he was at preschool and it was so fun to see the surprise on his face when he walked into the door.  

The birthday party consisted of cake, presents, cousins, and catch with uncle Micah.  A really great day.

Incredible Shrinking Man

Good looking guy, right?

Yard Work.

Kevin loves yard work. 

I look out at our yard and think: good enough! Green on the ground, some trees, a couple plants thriving despite our attempt to "help" (i.e. kill ) them.

However Kevin sees it as a blank canvas.  He's always got some project going in the yard and honestly every single thing he does turns out fantastic so there's no reason to doubt.  This spring: new patio.  

Cole is always ready and willing to help Kevin, and in fact unloaded tons of stones from the car for the patio.  We suckered Dad into coming over and helping too -- and he even bought US lunch, I'm still trying to figure that one out.  No matter, we were thankful for his hard work and the kids got into the act too.

The patio still has some finishing touches to put on there, but here's a view of the day's progress. 

Curly Locks

We're always surprised during bath time when we wash Adison's hair how very long it actually is.  You just don't see it when those little curls are boingy-boinging around with her all day long.

Spring has Sprung

We're so happy that spring has finally arrived through a series of abnormally cold days and lots and lots of rain.

Every year we attempt to plant and grow things with limited success.  But we didn't let it stop us from trying again this year.  Saturday we picked up seeds to plant corn, green beans, lavender, green onions, cucumbers, parsley and zinnia's.  I think half of the seedlings have already gone by the wayside...and as I type this I realize I have not even checked on them since Kevin transplanted them into the back yard.  

We had fun with the kids, though, putting the seeds into the little dirt pots and watching them sprout and who knows....we might actually have something to show for it in a few months.

Easter 2009

Saturday at the Museum

A lot of mobile posts these days...I guess because its so easy.

Today was a rain rain rainy day. Since yesterday was a rain rain rainy day too, we decided to take the kids downtown to the children's museum.

It was crowded but we really had a lot of fun. They have some very cool exhibits out right now, including a hockey rink. Score.

P.S. Adison did not enjoy having a fort built around her.
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Once a year

Mini eggs come out once a year and I usually eat my weight in them. The crunchy egg..the smooth milky chocolate. Addictive.

This year they enticing me even more if that's possible. Sorted by color? Packaged in cute, small little bags? It's like a magnet to my soul.
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Brrrrrrr!

2nd snow of the season and sooooooooo cold!
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If She's Not Sleeping.....

...then she's probably taking off her socks.

Then her pants.

Then her diapers.

Oscar Bingo

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I like to record the Oscar's, then fast forward it through to the interesting parts and people. This year a blog I love to read came up with an Oscar Bingo card that was too fun to pass up.

Kevin and I made fondue and sat down and watched it and NEVER before have I had so much fun watching the Academy Awards, from beginning to end. The bingo categories were hilarious (you can find the download here) and I am pretty sure this will be our new tradition.

Kevin lost...which is why his Bingo card is contributing to the nice fire we had that night.

Cookie

Have I talked about Cookie before? I can't remember....

Cole's preschool class has a mascott and it is Cookie the Gingerbread man. Every week a child's name is drawn from a jar and they get to take Cookie home and take pictures and write about what they did.

Well it was Cole's turn last weekend and we had such a wonderful time. It just so happened that someone called us and gave us 4 tickets to a hockey game. Turns out Cookie loves hockey. Especially when we win.

But Cole had a very specific idea in mind when he got Cookie, and that was to take him to Grammy & Grandpa's house and show him their toys. So that is what we did friday morning, and had lots of fun building -- and then destroying -- Lincoln Log structures.

Sunday I took Cole to Target to spend the $5 he had left from his stocking money from Grammy & Grandpa and he chose a pair of work gloves to help Daddy out in the yard.

Be Mine

I like Valentine's Day. I don't buy all the hype about flowers and things. Kevin and I celebrated on the thursday before at a new french restaurant in town, and that was a great treat to beat the crowds.

Reason #2,846 I love Target is their dollar section. I snapped up two mailboxes and tried to fill them with things the kids would enjoy and use, not just throw away the next day. And of course chocolate....

For Cole the biggie was an electric pencil sharpener. He has accumulated dozens of pencils. As soon as he cracked it open he sharpened every pencil in the house.

Adison got some hair clips which she loses by the handfull daily. I hear at least once a day "I took my clip out!" And she did. That's usually followed by "I dropped my clip!" (Note that she insisted her tiara be on that morning...)

We had a wonderful Valentines day together. Kevin even had a fire on the deck in the fire pit and we roasted hot dogs and marshmellows. Sweet day indeed.

Happiness Is ::

:: Finding a vintage Pyrex bowl with two of my favorite things on it. The Color Orange, and Polka dots.

We found this at super neat mid-century modern garage sale.

I also found an an amazing yellow lamp....that was $240. I thought it said $24. So I slowly put it down, offered the $3 he was asking for the bowl and went home happy.

A Perfect Valentine

I was in Cole's class on thursday for his Valentine's party and he suddenly pointed to a wall with hearts on it and the words "Love Is..."

Here is Cole's definition of love and I first, fought off tears, and second, snapped this picture and sent it to Kevin.

Cole has never been into drawing pictures. In fact, since his teacher requires him to, this is really the first time we have seen him draw out his thoughts and feelings and I am really attached to these pictures he makes.

Kevin is in the process of making a little patio area in our backyard and brought home what appears to be 10 tons of stone. Cole dutifully helped him unload 2 carloads of stone, carefully stacking them in a big wall.

He cannot wait to help Daddy with this big job and clearly loves the time they are getting to spend doing it.
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A Moment In the Day

Reading books together. Cole requested a close up of this picture.

Adison + Marker = Freckles

I went to the bathroom and had been there 30 seconds when I hear "I put my mouth! I put my mouth, Mama!"
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