Fun at Home

Here are some of the things we've been up to during the last few days.

I babysat for some friends. We had a pizza party, dance party, and toy tornado party all wrapped in one. It was an exciting evening (truly). Here are all the party-goers.

Annie

Hannah

Logan

Gabrian

Uncle Ben and Alex were there too.

Saturday night was a super exciting slumber party. For the last few months, Logan has been sleeping in the living room with Jim about once a weekend. This weekend, however, was special because Annie joined them for the first time. Jim pushed the couches together to make one big comfy space, and here they are! I snapped this picture and then wished Jim luck as I made my way to my not so crowded and wiggly bed. (It turned out that EVERYONE slept well that night...success!)

Yesterday, Annie helped me take the clothes out of the dryer. Then she proceeded to put her blanket in it, and I found her like this...several times. It must have been comfortable? I found it quite funny.

While Annie was snuggling with the dryer, I returned to my boys to find this. Although he looks asleep, Logan was actually singing to Alex. It was very cute.

I needed to take this picture to document our progress. This is our smile chart. When it is empty, the kids get to pick an activity and treat to earn when it is full. They earn smiles for good behavior and they cannot lose them. We've done it twice so far, and it has taken them about a week to fill it up each time. This time they are working to earn a trip to Papa's work (my dad works for the utilities and part of his job is to oversee some farmland...hence the horse) and we are going to take popsicles when we go. They are VERY excited, and it has really helped improve obedience and kindness around here!

Yesterday as well...we had an enthralling game of Mousetrap. (Okay, I will admit we didn't actually play the game, we just played with it. Have you ever actually played that game? It is pretty un-enthralling. But the contraption is COOL.)

Annie wanted a mug shot taken.

Logan is pretty good at fixing the set-up after trapping the mice.

Alex supervised. (I had to wake him up, though. He cannot stay awake in the bouncer when it's vibrating. In fact, if he is fussy, he prefers it over being held!)

Green Eggs and Ham

Last week, we went to the library and checked out the Dr. Seuss classic that has encouraged children everywhere to eat odd-colored meals. After reading it about a dozen times, Annie and Logan were pretty well convinced that they too liked green eggs and ham. So we tried it for lunch.

I had them watch when I put the food coloring in, just in case. It mixed up rather flourescent.

They loved it!

The funny thing is, I couldn't get Jim to taste it because of its appearance! "You do not like them. So you say. Try them! Try them! And you may! Try them and you may, I say!"

Two Years Old

When Logan was two, I was convinced that there was nothing cuter than a two year old little boy. Now that Annie is two, I'm convinced that there is nothing cuter than a two year old little girl. There must be nothing cuter than a two year old! I love the funny way they act and talk and that they still look so much like a baby. This is my favorite age to just sit back and watch. It's wonderful because it makes up for their desire to show their independence (and tantrum)!

She's cute from behind...
She's cute from the front...

And especially when she smiles!

She's really cute the next morning...

And when she's being silly!

Cute Alex

Alex is doing so well so far. I can't believe it's already been a month! This has been the fastest month of my life! He's been a really content baby, a great sleeper, a great eater, and a solid boy! He feels like a lead weight in my arms! He's been really alert the last week or so, and it's fun to see that he's watching everything around him.

Sleeping so good...don't even try to wake me up Momma!
Moments later...I told you I wasn't going to wake up!

Hello!

Everyone loves me! (Except I'm not so sure about being smothered...)

A New Experience

I had a new experience today: a puking child in a public place. We were at the zoo, and Logan threw up all over himself, the stroller, and the carpet (there is ONE building at our zoo that has carpet and that's where we were). He freaked out and started screaming while I tried to convince him to follow me to the bathroom to clean up. He wouldn't really walk and was throwing a huge tantrum, so I basically had to drag him by the hood of his sweatshirt (I certainly wasn't going to carry him!) with several people watching the whole scene. Thankfully, I wasn't alone and was able to leave the other kids with a friend while I cleaned him up, and then cleaned up the stroller with hand soap...not the most ideal cleanser. I am grateful for one thing, however: we were not in the car!

My Boys

I came home from the grocery store the other day to find some male bonding...

Happy Birthday

Annie turned two a couple of weeks ago, but we waited to have her party until last week when we had extra family in town. We decided to have her party at Chucke Cheese's because it was the easiest thing for us this time around. It was a BIG hit...especially for Logan. He's been asking to have his birthday party there ever since.

The kids went on rides and played games...

Danielle came in town with her family. It was SO much fun to see them this week! Annie and Logan were particularly happy to spend time with their cousins.

Logan played games with most of the male members of our families...here he is with Terrance.

My dad wearing his grandpa glasses:) and Josh

Aunt Danielle and Juan

Aunt Elisa with Alex...he slept through the whole thing.

My dad bought a lot of tokens for the kids, and everybody saved their tickets to give to Annie. All combined I think they had more than 800 tickets! Annie picked out a stuffed bear wearing a Chucke Cheese's sweatshirt.

My mom

Daddy

Uncle Ben

After games and rides, we had birthday cake. Last year for Annie's birthday I made a cute cake; it was the cutest cake I've ever made...in fact the only cute cake I've ever made. For every birthday between then and now I've attempted various cakes and had a MAJOR disaster with each one. After my mom's birthday in January, I was pretty deflated about my cake making ability. I decided I'd attempt one more, and if it failed everyone was getting some other dessert for their birthdays henceforth. SO...I attempted a boston creme pie for Annie's cake this year (it really is a cake).

Step one: Bake and remove from the pans...perfect! I took a picture because these are the most perfect cakes I've ever removed from pans. Not one piece broke off and neither of them cracked!

Step two: Creme filling and layer: perfect. I was pretty sure this would be where my disaster happened, but once again no pieces broke off and it didn't crack when I put it on top!

Step three: Frosting. This would have been my disaster this time, except I was wise and decided to NOT attempt a cute cake. My goal was a delicious cake that stayed together. Mission accomplished! (And EVERY piece was eaten...it was my tastiest cake yet!)

Annie loved it.

She was MUCH messier this year!

She opened gifts after we had cake.

This little girl LOVES to accessorize...

While she was opening her LAST gift, and the one I thought she'd be most excited about (which she was later), someone in a Chucke Cheese costume came walking up to her and scared her! She is NOT a fan of a big walking mouse!

Several minutes later, she was still watching him nervously...she wouldn't take her eyes off of him!

Enjoying her accessories the next day...

Happy Birthday little girl!