It's Time For A Shave!

 On Thursday morning I wanted to do a craft with the kids that we hadn't done before and I had some shaving cream left over from this craft.

 I got bibs on the girls and then we had a little chat about what NOT to do with the shaving cream.

All ready! 

 

At first the kids didn't really know what to do with it. Of course I told Logan not to stick it in her mouth, but she did end up tasting it. She just can't seem to keep her hands out of her mouth! 

 

I started out giving them each just a little because I wasn't sure how much was in the can. The can I bought was from The Dollar Tree and it's nice that it was cheap, but it squirts out SO slow! 

 

I think Jack was the first one to venture out and touch it with his fingers! 

 

Owen was quite enthusiastic so he quickly went from using the spatula to full on...

 

digging in! He was also the first one to be done! Once he got all messy he quickly wanted to get clean...and change his shirt! 

 

Ella and Jack played with it the longest. Jack had gotten some cars for them to drive through the "snow". It was a nice easy and relatively clean craft. The shaving cream was mainly contained in the cookie sheets and what was just wiped up off the table super easy! The best of both worlds...crafts and cleanliness!

While The Big Boys Do Taekwondo The Little Kids Play...

 Ring around the rosie...

 Pockets full of posies...

Ashes, ashes...we all...

 

Fall Down!!! 

 

There are quite a few younger siblings that aren't quite old enough to do Taekwondo yet so they just hang out with the parents. This little guys name is Preston and he's super cute. One of the times the kids "fell down" he didn't let go of Logan's hand and he pulled her down and they bumped heads and Logan started crying. He was so precious he came over and gave her the sweetest kiss!

Who Needs Summer And Water When We Have Beans and Peas!

 Remember that water table I purchased for the kids prior to Zeke being born? Well it saw lots of use this summer...mainly as a container to suck up water into Owen and Jack's water shooters that Uncle Ry got them. Since the weather has been quite dreary the poor water table hasn't seen any action in months! Bring out the beans and peas please! 

So I cleaned out the water table since it was covered in pine needles, brought it inside and the kids helped me dump in the bags of all different kinds of dried beans and split peas.

Before opening the bags we did have a little chat about what NOT to do with the beans and peas. Like no putting them in your mouth....some little girl in the picture above still thinks that EVERYTHING belongs in her mouth! ;) I also informed them that beans and peas were not for throwing up or around the room or at other people.

Jack and his characters...how I love it! I remember thinking, "How do boys play with those silly action figures?" Now I know....this boy could and does play with some kind of character all the time! 

 

Owen loved sending the beans and peas down the slide. Of course this was the most messiest way to play with them. See my hand in the bottom left corner...I'm trying to block them from hitting the slide and going everywhere. 

 

So focused on her task!!! 

 

The kids really liked this activity and in the end we bagged up the beans and peas for another day. They were also helpful when it came time to pick up the ones on the floor. Then when I brought out the vacuum to get the rest we didn't get with our hands I did something else fun with the kids...I let them run around and scream their heads off while I was vacuuming! We must have sounded like a nuthouse if anyone was walking by, but it was sure fun!

Issues Resolved!!!

Thanks to my friend Bobbie Jo I'm now using Firefox and Blogger is working just fine!!! Yay!!!

Blogger Issues!!

For some reason when I click on the 'add an image' button the box pops up for me to add a picture from my computer, but the browse button to find a picture on my computer isn't showing up. Not sure if what the deal is. I've even tried it on Michael's computer and it's not working either. I looked online for some helpful tips, but none of them worked. So annoying!!! If any of my computer savvy friends know what might work to fix the issue the help would be greatly appreciated!

 

So instead of photos from my camera I leave you with a cute picture I took with my phone of Zeke snoozing at Costco.

A Shopping First!

On New Year's Day we went out and ran some errands. When we got to the final stop instead of wearing Zeke I thought it would be fun for him to sit in a shopping cart for the first time. He looks so cute!!

 

 

 He wasn't too sure what to think of it though. When I pushed him he would let go and then he would wobble all over the place. About halfway through the trip he started crying so I ended up carrying him around.

 

It's funny how some first strike me and I feel like I have to take a picture of him. When I think back I have no idea when Jack or Ella sat in a grocery cart for the first time. But just like Zeke I also took a picture of Owen when he was in one for the first time at Bartell's.

 

 

Owen was 7 months old and it was a bit bright outside that's why his eyes are closed. Looking at this picture brings back lots of memories...one in particular is the fact that I had a bib on him ALL THE TIME. He was such a drooler I just decided I would rather change his bibs numerous times during the day than his whole outfit. Oh and I just noticed his shoes...I'm going to ask Michael to get down the shoes bin and find those for Zeke man.

Major Cutie...Major Stinker!

 

Cute boy "took" his sister seat...

 

 

She wasn't happy, but he didn't mind!

Christmas Morning & Afternoon!

 

After Christmas with Michael's family we loaded up the kids and headed down to my parents house and got the kids off to bed. The next morning the kids were ready for round 3 of opening presents.

 

 

The calm before the storm! No, not really...we don't let the kids just rip into the presents like crazy. We have them take turns so we can all see and enjoy them opening their presents.

 

We go in order from youngest to oldest...Jack was sure he can after Zeke!

 

Ella Grace all ready...she was so cute she would squeal like a little pig while opening her presents. She didn't even care what they were. Once she ripped the paper off and said..."I got a box!" It was so precious!

 

He's a nerd, but we'll keep him!

 

Ella was so happy with her first present (the big bag in the picture of her before) which was a baby bed, car seat and stroller that she just decided to play with it and not worry about the other presents.

 

 

Jack got these awesome Toy Story cowboy boots...that light up!!! They are awesome!

 

 

Run Jack Run!!!

 

 

Owen got a LeapPad...he loves that it has head phones and a video camera. I swear he's going to have it full of videos of himself singing!

 

Zeke got the standard baby first Christmas present from Ga-Ga....name stool! Love it!!!

 

 

What???

 

 

One of the main things on Jack's list was this Imaginext Castle. When he opened his presents from us he even remarked that he didn't get his castle. We'll Ga-Ga & Pa solved that! This castle is A-MAZING! It is smart! It has this technology where it is connected to the other stuff that goes with it. When you shoot the cannons at it the castle will say, "Incoming" or "Protect the castle". It's sweet!

 

After the kids opened their presents Zeke couldn't take it anymore so we had to break for breakfast. I think he just couldn't wait to use one of his other presents...his sweet Cars portable highchair courtesy of Pa!

 

 

After breakfast it was time for the adults to open presents. I made Ga-Ga & Pa hand print ornaments for the older kids and Zeke's footprint. It made Ga-Ga cry!

 

Ga-Ga got Pa this cool clock for his office!

 

Ga-Ga got a new vacuum and before you say anything she's mad at all...she really wanted it!

 

Later on when Uncle Ry and Aunt Stephie came to the house we did round 4 of opening presents. That's when in my opinion the best picture of the whole day taken...

 

 

Isn't he just the cutest thing?? Zeke was SO happy the whole day!

 

 

Ella got a whole dress up set....5 dresses with accessories!

 

 

Owen got Skull Island from Jake and the Neverland Pirates. It's funny because he asked for it and then Jack spent the whole time playing with it while Owen played with Jack's castle. Kids are so funny!

 

What's a castle without a dragon?? Aunt Stephie remedied that...this also it connected to the castle so when the dragon is close the castle screams, "DRAGON" or "Stay out of it's mouth"

 

 

Aunt Stephie got a cute candy dish that says, "Live, Laugh, Love"...one of her favorite sayings!

 

 

Uncle Ry got Indian Jones on Blu Ray!

 

 

Ga-Ga & Pa got a gift certificate to Black Angus!

 

 

Ella's pretty kitty outfit! She ended up wearing it later in the day.

 

 

Later on when it was time to play with the toys that everyone got I thought that Zeke might like a ride in Ella's baby stroller!

 

 

I put together one of Zeke's presents (He'll grow into it) from Uncle Ry & Aunt Stephie and Owen and Jack broke it in for him.

 

 

Later on Zeke man needed some snuggle time and Pa and he complied. Sweet precious boy!

 

 

Here's the whole crew...Jim and Norean friends of ours came down for dinner as well. It's always so nice to spend time with them. Oh and note the lovely scowling face on Jack...he wanted to stand behind the stair railing where he couldn't be seen and he was told that wasn't going to happen...hence the scowl!

Playing In The Street!

Ever since Christmas Owen had been asking to drive his remote control car out on the street. So on Friday after lunch we headed outside. Of course by the time I got Zeke all bundled up and strapped into his car Owen was done driving his car around and had moved onto something else. At first it was riding his bike, but then it moved to playing soccer.  

 

 

 The boys were having so much fun kicking the ball as hard as they could and then running after it. It was great that not one car went by while we were playing.

 

 

 

In the end it was Jack on the south side of the street and Owen on the north side and they would kick the ball to me and I'd kick it back. It was great fun!

 

 

Like I said I got Zeke all bundled up and strapped into his car that Ga-Ga bought him at the Mill Creek Garage sales. It's so awesome that he can hold himself up to sit in it now. He's so cute!

 

 

Ella had fun pushing Zeke around while I was playing with the older boys! A little while after this picture was taken I noticed the Ella had wet her pants so it was time to head in and change her.

 

 

Beautiful Bundled Baby Boy!