Tuesday, February 12, 2013

Funkytown

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I thought I would document a little bit about what has been going on around here, as of late. I am not a huge fan of February, (I tend to get into what I call the February Funk) but I have enjoyed helping Jacob get ready for his Friendship party at school. Why they can't just call it a Valentines' Day party is beside me, but to each his own. They were required to just write their name under the "from" column and no name on the "to" column for easier delivery. I was a little bummed to find out they wouldn't be decorating mailboxes or bags to collect their valentines in. I remember doing that every year in school and having a contest in class to see who had the best, most interesting or clever designs. I LOVED it! It was definitely one of the highlights of the year and I wish that my children could participate in the tradition too. Who knows, maybe next year I will get on my "good mommy" ball and do something like that here at home but I think it would be way more fun at school.

PS Check out Jacob's tripod grasp! He is doing a lot better with his writing skills. He spent quite a lot of time trying to make each letter perfect for his friends at school.


Hmm....What can I say about this cute little face? Well, she has cut three teeth in a week and last night wasn't pretty, I will tell you that. Most nights I handle things pretty well but every few weeks or so, my patience wavers and I lose it. Thankfully I can just lay her in her bed and David takes over. He is such a good help to me and I would be lost without him.

Emeline is doing well in nursery and she only really cries in there if there are other children upset. She still makes friends wherever she goes and loves to say bye to people as they are leaving the grocery store. She is really into shapes and balls and Dora right now. Why must every child go through a Dora phase, and why must Dora shout everything? These are questions I have been pondering lately. Emeline is my little "skippy".
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The weather has been funky. One day we will have snow and the next sunshine. On Sunday, the clouds were gorgeous and I had David put the ladder up so I could stand on the roof to get a good picture when the sun set. Unfortunately, all the clouds had dissipated by then and I didn't get my "shot" but we sure enjoyed watching these fluffy things fly through the sky!

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The girls have been laying more eggs lately and it has been so fun to check the egg box every day. Aren't the eggs pretty?! I love the little brown speckles on Ginger's eggs. I am thinking within the next few weeks we should start getting 4-5 per day.  Chickens need sunlight to lay and with the spring weather headed our way, I am optimistic they will all be laying again soon. We are thinking we might try to hatch some fertilized eggs but we shall see.

Caleb does a good job taking care of them everyday and has his own form of chicken language. We have been reading the Laura Ingalls Wilder series together and he has loved hearing how they farmed in those days. He certainly would have liked the farm cooked meals. Every time we read a description of the food, he literally salivates. He has a hollow leg and eats everything put in front of him. He is growing quickly and I can barely keep him clothed!
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We were in a car accident a few weeks ago (no one was hurt) and finally were able to get our van into the shop this week. Thankfully, the lady who hit us had insurance and we are now driving a brand new Town and Country minivan for our rental. It's sweet! Caleb even wanted to skip riding the bus this morning so he could ride in it to school. It will definitely be a bummer when we have to return it at the end of the week. ..Sigh... Oh well, I am always worried it will get dinged or scratched and when the lady hit us in our own van, I barely batted an eye. It's probably good for my anxiety level to never own a new car so I am OK with it, but it sure has been fun to drive this one for a bit.

David went to a conference for work and learned how to give trees shots. Now he considers himself a tree doctor. It's great. Now I guess we finally fit into this medical area that we live in. Ü We are surrounded by doctors and med students and sometimes we feel a little out of place with all the medical lingo but that's OK. We like to be different. We really do feel blessed to know so many smart, talented and dedicated people.

Friday, February 1, 2013

Llyod the Green Ninja

When Jake likes something, he LIKES something. We are still going strong with the ninja phase at our house and we have decided to start him in karate in the fall. We think it will be great for his confidence and also work his muscles and help with his coordination. Oh, and did I mention, he is ALL about learning "ninja moves"? This is all I hear about when he is home and sometimes it gets a little old. But not to him. Everyday he gets up and puts on his quiver and sword, and does ninja moves all the way down the hall to breakfast. That is when I realize he still needs to use the bathroom for the morning. Then, he can finally sit still and eat. Ü

He tells me everyday that he is Lloyd, the green ninja and explains in detail, everything that his weapons do. Yep, it's pretty intense. I sure am lucky to have this guy around to protect me.
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This kid is so special and I love him so much! His therapy is going well and he is learning to be a little more confident around other kids and in his abilities to run, jump and move. He can also write his own name now, with a bit of encouragement, and is learning to enjoy school. We have recently noticed some other obsessive compulsive tendencies and anxieties so we are meeting with a child psychologist next week to see if we can help in other ways to make him more comfortable and happy. I know this is quite the long journey we are embarking on, but I am positive he is worth all the effort. I mean, really, check out those loooong eyelashes! He is my goofball and I will miss all our time together when he starts full day kindergarten. What a kid!
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On your mark....

Get set, Go! Caleb recently participated in his very first Pinewood Derby. I am pretty sure he had a blast and it was very entertaining to see how competitive everyone was. Oh the joys of scouting recreation! His car was the blue one, #57. He did all the work himself, minus the large cut on the saw. He was really excited to design it and paint it and he and David spent a few days working on it.
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Check out this display! The bishop's wife made it and I totally thought it deserved a picture.  photo P1188094.jpg
I loved watching all of the little kids' faces as they watched the cars race!

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Jake was having a good time, sitting a bit apart from the crowd, (it was wild in there!) but loving every minute of it too. He can't wait until he gets to make a car of his own. I want to make one too, to be honest!

Okay, these two were hilarious! Caleb and his friend Hadyn seemed to be paired up against each other a lot. One was just a bit more anxious about it than the other.

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But alas, someone had to win and someone had to lose.  photo P1188103.jpg

Ahh! Glorious defeat! Unfortunately Caleb placed 2nd in almost every race and got eliminated quickly, but he said he still had fun.
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On a side note, Caleb tied his very first bowtie on Sunday! Pretty exciting stuff going on here at our house! He was so proud of himself and I think he did a fabulous job. Most of our young men's group in our ward wears bowties too now. I remember thinking when I initially saw David wearing his bowtie, how strange it was. It has since grown on me, to say the least, and I am excited for my boys to carry on the tradition. Jake has even worn one to church a few times and that is saying something since I can count on one hand the amount of times he has worn anything around that neck of his!
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