Happy Halloween: the pilot, the princess and the dog

This halloween Nathan was an x-wing pilot from Star Wars and Laura was Rapunzel from Tangled and Noah was the dog that Nathan and Laura both were when they were around two.

This year they went trunk or treating at the church and it was such a pleasant experience. Bright, sunny and lots and lots and lots and lots of candy. The theme was toy mania (based around toy story 3) and all the cars (and owners) were decorated in theme. It was fun.

Things Nathan teaches Noah

To say Noah idolizes his big brother is probably an understatement but I don't know of any stronger language to convey how much this little boy loves his big brother NATE. He has his own way of saying it which just melts my heart. He always says it with enthusiasm that comes from deep within his heart - NATE!!!

So Nathan is often nice enough (without prodding even) to oblige the little one.

Noah with his little people book and Nathan with his Wimpy Kid book cuddled together in perfect harmony.





Nathan smiling because he really does enjoy being emulated and Noah thinking he is quite the big boy.












And then of course comes the "teaching" of the don't let mom get a good picture, put your hand up like this so we can ruin her moment.

Do the arm farts and burping lessons come next??

Oh well, at least I have these little moments to hold on to.

What can you tell from this outfit?

So, I am sharing this to prove someday to my darling daughter that her mother did let her have a say in what she chooses to wear on an average day.

This photo says to me that she must wear her favorite shirt even if it is cold and I told her she must wear a shirt underneath and it has white in it so it MUST match. AND she must wear one of her favorite skirts because it has pretty flowers just like the top. It says that the smile on her face of pure pride and comfort and confidence is something I will never be able to teach her and that I am proud that she already has that spirit.

All of these pieces of clothing on their own are adorable, but together??? I want to remember this part of motherhood and the busy-ness of everyday life.

It wouldn't hurt to use these later when she is a teenager or maybe even a fashion designer someday either. So I ask, what does this photo say to our family and friends?

Future Assemblyman?

Nathan and his cub scout den visited the capitol this weekend. The tour guide is a past cub scout and achieved eagle scout so he was very into showing the boys them lots of cool stuff. All the boys thought they were very important using the microphone in the committee room and standing in front of the press podium underneath the spotlight.

New Haircut

It seems a never ending battle with Laura and her hair. She has beautiful hair but she never wants it combed. The crying, the screaming, the tangles, it is all a bit much every day. I took her to get a new haircut. It is quite short in the back and a little longer and layered on the sides and a new kinda angle for her bangs. I also got some new product for her hair and although it was quite expensive, it has worked amazingly well. She is such a little doll growing up so fast. She is 4 going on 40 though and feels it her job to MOTHER everyone.

It's been 5 months since I updated this thing??!!

Well, I am not going to go into a lot with this post. I really didn't know how to start up with the old blog again after all that has been happening. I will just say, we are all okay. We are getting along each day, taking it as it comes and getting settled with new routines. Mike and I have seperated and I am living with the kids at my mom and dad's.

I want to share positive things here so the people we care about can see how the kids lives are progressing so I will do just that, keep it positive and share them and the crafty things I love.

I so love reading other blogs and want to keep this up so I am going to give it another try. I will not commit to how often this will be updated but I do think it is a unique way of staying connected to those we care about.

So with that in mind, thank you to all who have been so loving and supportive to me.

Teacher Appreciation Gifts

I managed to put together some teacher appreciation gifts for this week for Nathan's teacher. They didn't take that long and I know I should have been working on studying for my final but I did so enjoy the crafty break. I love to make things. I have no idea if Nathan's teacher will appreciate them but I sure did appreciate making them. I really should be checking into a crafter's anonymous home in the near future.

I used the ki memories school days line. I think I bought it last year. I love all the bright colors and fun embellishments. I used this line earlier in the year when I made her note cards for her birthday so I just continued with the theme. I was very proud that I used the packaging and cut out the pictures of the chipboard embellishments to make cards to go with each gift. I will always look for that now because I thought they were so cute with pop up dots.

Monday's gift: just a simple vase with some ribbon around and new colored pens

Tuesday's gift: saw this frame on 2peas and totally lifted it.

Wednesday's gift: I love the banners Dusti makes and saw this LEARN one on 2peas and copied it using the same school themed ki products.

Thursday's gift: a candy jar filled with nuggets wrapped in patterned paper, chipboard tied to the top. I later added another little chipboard apple to the front of the jar. A few of the cards are there too.

Friday's gift: I stole this idea off of 2peas too. Can you tell I did a search for teacher appreciation gifts? It is just a simple alphabet picture with adjectives for each letter that describe the teacher.

Update: Nathan, Laura, Noah and School

I have been feeling pretty bad about the lack of blog action here and thought it was time for an update.

School is going very well. As of two weeks ago I was getting 600 out of 622 points for a percentage of 96.5 in the class. I think mister 102 should check but the last time I looked 96.5% was a very good "A". So I should be studying for my final on Friday but I am here, cleaning my house, doing laundry and blogging. I love, love, love this class and signed up for a psych class for the summer session. My thinking is if I have to just take it one class at a time I had better just keep plugging along. My parents have been wonderful with watching the kids and helping me study. My mom is a trooper trying to find creative ways for me to remember the nutrition info. My dad has been wonderful playing countless games with Laura on Friday mornings. The kids often tell me to stop the nutrition talk, but then ask questions about the health and energy of foods they are about to put into their mouths. Nathan even thanked me last week when he was sick to remind him to eat protein because he had forgotten that the protein helps fight colds with "the making of any bodies and white good cells". I tell you I just got tears in my eyes when he said that.

Nathan got glasses around Easter and LOVES them. He mentioned that he was glad he got lots of compliments on them because he was thinking of losing them. I choked back my gasp and said that is great honey. Picking them out was an adventure. He only liked the molded frames ones (that just happened to be the most expensive) because the other kind are pinchy. He is just getting so big now. I can't believe he is almost seven years old and only 20 days away from first grade ending. He still hasn't lost any teeth but the two bottom ones are coming in behind the baby ones. He is anxious to lose them as I think he might be the only one in class to not have lost a tooth! He is excited to plan his 'Lego Agents' birthday party and I am searching the web and blogs to find ideas and have been excited to put some energy into that when this class is over.

Laura is growing into quite the young lady. She is constantly wanting me to take her picture and seems to "pose" for every shot. I think I might have to check into the modeling thing, if only to pay for college! She is ever so helpful with me and mother's Noah sometimes a little too much. She is busy with painting, coloring and crafting. She loves to do her homework right along with Nathan and her handwriting seems to be the best in the family yet. She is determined to pick out her own (unmatched) clothes each day (much to my dream land of dressing a daughter) and still cries each and every time I try to comb her hair. I have lost the battle with the 100 some odd felt clips I have made her and moved onto hairbands to at least keep the curlies out of her face. They seem to be working, so even if I can't get the comb to it at least it looks messy cute. I will try and post some pictures of her creations. SHE picks out what she wants me to make so she calls them her creations. I am only too happy to oblige, even when it isn't what I would have picked so long as she is excited and wants to wear them.

Noah, sweet, Noah. I wish every single day that he just stop growing where he is. I am finding myself tearing up every day with something he does. He is in the next phase of Nathan hand me downs and it has put me into a whole other world of emotional mess-dom. As I was putting him down for the night in his crib he learned to pucker and make a kiss sound. I just melted and started crying. How cute is that sound? He and Laura have quite the bond going on, but he just gets so excited when Nathan is around. He wants to do everything the big kids do and mostly can. I fully expect him to be riding around on a bike after Nathan and Laura next month.

The kids have found a new love with Daddy in watching old cartoons. I have been meaning to write about this for a while now. All four of them crack me up, huddled around Mike's office computer screen watching, Bugs Bunny, Yosemite Sam, Foghorn Leghorn, Secret Squirrel (Laura has the Morocco Mole voice down pact), Road Runner, Woody Woodpecker and so on and so on. My kids LOVE vintage cartoons. They laugh and laugh and laugh and I think it is great.

All, in all things are good. The kids are happy and that makes me happy. I have a whole new confidence from my class (college really is different when you want to be there). I hope to be better about blogging because I do so enjoy keeping up with the ones I follow.

Three Little Ones

So I sorta promised in a comment on a friend's blog that I would post some outtakes of my three little ones. I am really starting to dread trying to take pictures of the three of them together. It just seems like it will never come together. I guess I have to get good at head swapping in photoshop. I will admit that these outtakes tell the real story and I guess that is what I should be thankful for. So Maggie, this is for you....

It starts out like this...

Then quickly turns to this...

Then there's always the ones that start like this...

Where this is as good as it gets...

Not quite as cute as hers with Brennon crying, but I will have to dig one of those up to share later.

Laura's 'ni hao, kai-lan' party

Here are a few shots from her special birthday party. It was lots and lots of fun to plan with Auntie Joni. It was fun to plan all the chinese food and games and little goodies that went along with the cute characters. It was so loving of Dusti to take pictures. I wouldn't have been able to capture much if it were up to me and she always takes the greatest pictures, so I am one lucky mommy to have her for a friend. It was a fun party and I am still thanking my lucky stars I got her off the 'Chicken Little' theme - Kai-lan was much more fun!

Happy Birthday (little) Laura!

My little baby girl is now four years old. She had a great 'ni hao, kai-lan' birthday party on Saturday and there are some wonderfully beautiful pictures courtesy of Dusti, which I will post soon. This close up shot is from Chris, the expression on her face just tweeks my heart.

She just keeps asking me today, 'Am I really four now, mama?", 'Am I bigger now, mama?", "I'm not three anymore?" It is like she just can't believe it. I can't believe it either. I asked her if she could stop growing now and she said "No, I have to get bigger silly!" I know she does but I just wish I could hold onto this version a lot longer.

Project 365 - Day 365

I wish everyday would start like this. I love when they "play nice". They were building legos which quickly turned into some sort of fort area and they were fighting bad guys and protecting their stuffed animals. What a perfect end to the year of photos.

It seems pretty lame that I am just finishing posting all of these and it is March but I know some of you out there wouldn't have been happy if I didn't post them all. So there it is. What a project. I am glad I did it and am glad it is over at the same time. I wish I had been on the ball this year now that I look back. I can always start now and fill in but who knows. This has been a great way to record our family life.

Project 365 - Day 364

This is movie night at our house now. While I was trying to put the Christmas decorations away they boys induldged in some popcorn and to let me know he was finished Noah promptly put the bowl on his head. This is a regular occurance with him once he has emptied the contents.

Where does the word 'vowel' come from Mommy?

How do I love being a mom? The kids actually said to me last week. "Mom, you know everything" How did I manage to pull off that facade I will never know. And, yes, I explained that I don't know everything but that was very nice to think I do.

So Nathan asked a couple of days ago about the word vowel. He wanted to know why it was called vowel and who came up with the idea to name the word vowel. I seriously looked totally dumbfounded. One, because I totally don't have any idea what the answer is. And, two, because I totally don't have any idea where he gets these ideas from.

So, according to Wikipedia on the internet (thank goodness for the internet)...

The word vowel comes from the Latin word vocalis, meaning "speaking", because in most languages words and thus speech are not possible without vowels. Vowel is commonly used to mean both vowel sounds and the written symbols that represent them

Isn't that interesting?? Aren't you glad you know that now?

This reminds me of my friend Maggie's Snapple facts. I miss her posts of Snapple facts. They made me feel smarter in some weird quirky off the wall knowledge way. I will have to ask her about any recent Snapple facts.

It's almost an "A"

I can't remember if I have shared about going back to college yet. I am still trying to update and save little stories to post. I am trying to just survive life right now.

So, I decided to go back to college. I know, you can say it. Brilliant idea, Cathy. I just say to myself, if not now, when. Is there ever going to be a good time to push yourself to the limits! I laugh at limits these days.

I am taking a nutrition class toward getting into a nursing program to become a registered nurse. I hope to be a part of taking care of moms and babies since my heart is always with babies.

Anyway, I had my first test a couple of weeks ago and I was very nervous. I always get nervous with tests. I studied but didn't study as much as I wanted to. I knew there were things I was confused about and only hoped I would be able to figure it out with the multiple choice answers.

There was even extra credit worth 10 points.

So. I. Got. An. 87.5. I was extremely bummed. I was extremely bummed that a few of the answers I actually knew and just marked the wrong answer on the scantron (remember those??). So, the nice young teenage boy next to me says...

"It's almost an A".

To which I replied the only nice and logical thing I could think of at the moment.

"Shut up, Mister one hundred and two!" I know very mature of me wasn't it?

I have since come to terms with it and decided to listen to my mother's advice and give myself a break, it is only the first test and I haven't actually taken a test in like 17 some odd years, so now there is room for improvement.

Okay, now I have to get back to studying for my next test!

Oh yeah, and finish planning Laura's birthday party for this Saturday now that I checked the weather report and it has changed the forecast to rain. Time to cancel the bounce house and figure out some inside games. Yippee! I love having 30 or 40 people inside my house at one time.

Project 365 - Day 363

My crafty kids. They are making themselves id cards for their many dress up pretend worlds. I think these were secret agent cards or something. They are very serious about crafts and pretend. I just love it!

Project 365 - Day 362

I love Christmas cards. I was very dissappointed with myself this year that I didn't make something with pretty paper and ribbon. I did make my very first digital layout (albeit, it was in the size of a Christmas card) but I still made it with papers and frames and layering and all that digital stuff I know practically nothing about. I love getting cards in the mail and seeing all our friends and family. I will have to find a better way to display them though next year because every time the kids would pass by one would fly away, but I do know they will have to be displayed where I can see them because they make me smile and are one of my favorite parts of the holiday season.

Project 365 - Day 361

"The Gas Fairy". My dad is also known as the gas fairy. My parents continue to amaze me at how much they love and support me. They are always doing things and helping me out. The other night on the way home I found my tank "full" thanks to dear old dad. Just one of the little things I love about him.

Project 365 - Day 360

I can't tell you how much I LOVE matchy-matchy clothing, especially at the holidays. The little vest Noah wore at Christmas this year was Nathan's and I saved it knowing I would be able to get another photo op with Daddy's vest someday. But when I found one for Nathan last year and scooped it up on ebay and I felt like I had won the lottery. I had been looking forward to seeing all the boys in their vests for 12 months!

We had a visit with Mike's dad and then went to Grandma Alma and Aunt Pam's for Christmas with my mom's side of the family. I still can't believe my cousin Greg and I had contributed 6 children between our two families and seeing all of them running around is something in my Grandma's house.

The kids had so much fun with their cousins and it turned out to be a wonderful Christmas.

Project 365 - Day 359

It's Christmas Day! Merry Christmas! The kids had a wonderful Christmas morning. They were so excited with their toys.

Some highlights were Nathan getting the Indiana Jones Lego set he wanted. Noah getting his very own chair. Laura had asked for a cough machine because she had been sick like a month before Christmas - I don't know where she gets this from. She was so funny because even though the cough was gone that is what she asked for. So, she got cough drops in her stocking.

The other highlight was Nathan asking Santa to bring his mom a new pot so she can cook. He really didn't ask for anything for himself this year, thus the super surprise with the lego set. I didn't really need new pots but Mike and I decided that Santa had better come through because it might be a pretty sad morning if Nathan's wish wasn't granted. So I will say that even though I didn't NEED new pots, they are pretty slick and I love having them. He is so sweet for thinking of me.

Project 365 - Day 358

So I had this idea to take pictures of the kids with candy canes made into a heart. My friend Dusti's kids did it so perfectly ( http://acupcakelife.blogspot.com/2009/12/christmas-card-photo-shoot.html )the result was so cute on her christmas card I wanted to try it with my kiddos. The result wasn't so perfect but I do love the pictures that came out, there are lots and lots and lots of out takes which I love.

It was a very nice Christmas Eve at my parents. The kids were overjoyed with all their goodies!

Project 365 - Day 357

More little crafty projects. I made these at the last minute for my green friend Donna's birthday. I tried my hardest to think of something unique. I came up with notecards made out of a paper grocery bag. I then used some scraps for the scallop and I even used the straps from the paper bag to make a heart shape (although it looks like a "V" instead of a heart). I stitched around the cards because well I just can't help myself. I even used a bunch of scraps to make a card.

Project 365 - Day 356

We got together with my uncle's family for some holiday cheer. My two cousins are beautiful smart girls who wanted to have some kids around for christmas and we were all too eager to oblige. They had a whole day of fun planned for the kids with decorating christmas cookies to opening presents they can play with and a very yummy kid dinner (to which I still can't make as good as cousin Nikki). It was a great day!