The Coolest You'll Look Pooping In Your Pants!

The other day I was at my mom and dad's and I was watching TV and I saw a commercial for the new Jeans Huggies and I flipped out. I think they are the cutest thing. Well my mom had to stop at the store before coming home and when she walked in the door she was carrying a box of them. I was so happy!

I just love how they look like little jeans. It's a terrific idea too...kids run around in the diapers all the time during the summer why not having them make a statement. I think this is only the beginning too. I bet soon they will come out with ones that look like cute pink tutus for girls.

Jack says let's go play!!

Cheesin' for the camera!

Owen and Jack were having a lot of fun playing in a mud puddle under the play structure...then Owen found an old paintbrush and painted Jack with mud!

Good think Ga-Ga has a big bath tub!

Schedule

So I thought I would write down what Ella's new schedule is since she is having more and more awake time. A few weeks back I decided it was high time she had a schedule. Everyday was different and it was driving me crazy. So I did a little quick read through of my Baby Wise book and realized I had forgotten one of the main points of the book....having a consistent wake up time in the morning. Plus the fact that it's my responsibility to decide when naps start and when they end. So I got up the next morning at 6:30 and got myself all showered and ready and then I got Ella up at 7:30 and nursed and changed her and then got the boys up at 8. The past few days I've moved that back to getting her up and the boys at 8am because life's been a little crazy around here. Ella's schedule during the day is awake for 1 1/2 - 2 hours and then asleep for 1 1/2 - 2 hours. She takes 3 naps during the day and goes to bed at 8pm. It's been so nice having her be more consistent and it usually works out where she is sleeping or just finished nursing when I need to get food on the table.

Wow...Do I Feel Old Or What!

Last week my mom, GG, Ella and I went shopping Walmart in preparation for my Dad's 60th Birthday party. My mom ended up buying a the kids a new outdoor water toy.

Owen is wondering what is going on Mama?

Daddy's all ready to show Owen what to do!

Oh I get it now!

Whoa...that's a lot of water Daddy!

Neither Michael or I had bathing suits so Michael is wearing my Dad's and I'm wearing my Mom's. I haven't been on a slip and slide since I was 10 years old. You wouldn't think you'd use all that many muscles to slide, but let me tell you...you do! I'm still a little sore and it's 4 days later!

Jack was not at all thrilled about the slip in slide so he hung out in Ga-Ga's arms...his favorite spot!

In the end Owen really started getting it.

He had so much fun in the sun and can't wait to play with it again!

Happy 60th Birthday Day Pa!

Today is my Dad's 60th Birthday!

When he was born in 1950 he was almost 2 months premature and was so small he could fit in a shoe box.

My Dad has always been my biggest supporter...always telling me I could do anything I put my mind to...always telling me he loved me no matter what (not sure he expected me to wreck one of his beloved cars when he said that, but he loved me still)...always showing me by example what a good loving husband should be and always working hard to provide for his family!

Love you Dad! Hope you have a terrific birthday surround by the people that love you!

Jack's Two Year Pictures

On Jack's birthday we headed to Sears to get his birthday pictures taken. I wasn't sure how he was going to do since just a few months ago when we had Owen's birthday pictures taken he wanted NOTHING to do with it.

This time around he did really well for the first 8 pictures and then it took about the same amount of time to get the 9th pictures as it did to get the first 8. When we was done...he was done!

We tried to get pictures of all 3 of the kids and our family of 5, but they just didn't turn out very well. We'll be going back later this year specifically for those pictures so maybe next time.

This is my favorite pictures...I just love that the guy got him to put his hands in his pockets!

Ella Talks

Pretty much since Ella started babbling she's been saying her name. It's just her normal baby coos, but it sounds just like her name.

It's Comin' Along...

This is how our backyard looked a couple days ago. Michael and I have been working hard at digging out the ramp area that was left over from the tractor. It's been really nice getting outside and using my muscles and feeling the soreness at the end of the day.

Once we dug out the ramp we realized that this old stump wasn't actually low enough to be covered up with the dirt so it needed to go.

First Michael dug all around it and then he went and got some boards to help give him some leverage. He was still having trouble, but thankfully our neighbors have a lot of family visiting right now so they came over to lend a hand.

After quite a bit of digging and chopping and pushing and pulling it finally was almost out. They had it out of the ground so far, but it was still connected...that's when I said, "Why don't you guys just reach down there and pull it out with your hand?" So Michael did by himself and...


in the words of Tim The Toolman Taylor...Raa Raa Raar!


That night I happened to chat with our friend Jeremy on FB and he said that he could get us the topsoil we needed....for FREE! Love it! He said the only catch was his boss wanted him to wait until it was dry out. So I figured it would be a few days or weeks until we would see the dirt. The very next I got a call saying he was on his way over with the dirt! I was SO happy!

This never gets old!

Like I said our neighbors have a lot of family visiting so when the truck showed up and starting making that beeping noise while it backs up they all ran out on the decks to see what was going on.

Owen of course was super excited too!


I'm like a kid in a candy store when the truck comes...I'm not sure, but I might be MORE excited than the boys.

Look at that wonderful, nutrient rich...TOPSOIL!!! Thank you SO much Jeremy!!! After the truck came with the first load (We got two loads) I had to take Ella to her 4 months check-up. When I got home this is what I saw...

Michael and one of the neighbors family members were already out there working. They had move a lot of dirt in the short amount of time I was gone. Ella was sleeping in her car seat so I went out and help too and we got so much done.

The boys had so much fun climbing on the dirt mound and playing with their dump trucks.

King of the mountain!

By the end of the day we had shovelled about 2/3's of the dirt pile. We even had more help from our neighbors family members. It's been such a blessing to have all the extra helping hands!

Michael has been such a hard worker. We now have topsoil over all the backyard we just need to rent a water leveler to make sure it's compacted and then we can plant seed.

BBQ At Stephie's

A couple Sundays ago Uncle Ryan and Stephie had us over for a BBQ and Steph's house. They picked up these cute aprons in Leavenworth a few weeks back.

Steph's family was there too. That is her niece Victoria with Ga-Ga & Jack. Steph got bubbles for the kids to play with.

Ga-Ga also brought the boys hippied hops.

She got Owen a Cars one.



And Jack a Toy Story one.

Ryan and Steph went the day before and picked up this nice looking grill. Ryan was definitely in his element!

Ga-Ga and quite a few other people got some Ella snuggles.

Stephie also got the boys new swim trunks...Toy Story for Jack and Cars for Owen. :)

Towards the end of the BBQ the kids ended up on the couch watching Mickey Mouse Clubhouse on demand. We had a great time and can't wait to do it again in July!

Such A Good Big Brother!

If Ella cries...or even just starts cooing, Jack thinks she needs a toy. He will go into the playroom and start finding all the baby approved toys and bring them to her. It's starts off with one or two toys...

then she ends up with ALL her toys!

Thanks big brother!

Daddy's Girl!

This is my new favorite outfit on Ella. I have no idea where I got that skirt...probably a garage sale or MOPS, but I LOVE it! My friend Kim said it best, "I wish I had a skirt like that!"

This little girl is IN LOVE with her Daddy and I'm pretty sure the feeling is mutual! One of the nice things about Michael being unemployed (He's been doing a few side painting jobs lately though) has been the fact that he's gotten to be with Ella (and the boys) so much. Ella is definitely getting WAY more Daddy time than the boys got at this age.

Look at that face! She got him wrapped around her finger and she SO knows it!

Andy's Birthday

Last Saturday we headed over to our friends Micah and Kim's house. Their son Andrew is exactly 3 weeks younger than Jack and they were celebrating his second birthday. Kim did a cute beach theme...there was little pool and sandbox in the backyard for the kids.

Of course this cutie didn't want to come out and play because Andrew has a really big Woody doll.

Ella got to wear her sunhat...finally!

This is the only picture I got of Owen...he was having a ton of fun with the pool and the sand. Mostly it was because he was taking the sand and putting it in the pool. OOPS!


Caroline (Andy's Nana) made him two cute fish designed cakes. They had candy all over them...there was also mango sorbet! YUMMY!

Make a wish!

Micah made some super good chicken and pineapple kabobs. I think I ate 4 or 5 they were so good. After the party Michael and some of the guys got to hang out and play Axis & Allies.

Andy had fun opening his presents, but he was kind of like Jack was...the first present he opened was his favorite so he didn't really see the need to go on. Miss Kim was so sweet and she had treat bags for all the kids filled with candy, bubbles and these blow up punching balls.

This is Andy's gift from Micah and Kim. It's a felt playhouse. Kim and Micah made it. Kim found a design online and then adapted to want she wanted. It's so cute! The side on the left has a car with a hose and a bucket with a sponge so Andy can wash the car. The front as a window with flowers that go in the window box, a mailbox and the front door.

This side is a tractor with a basket in the back so Andy can pick the apples...they really come off too...gotta love Velcro! The other side I didn't get a good picture of...it's a garden with different veggies so Andy can pick those as well. I really want to make one of these for Ella, but it's a BIG project...it took Kim 3 months to finish this so we'll just have to see!