Skating...

These pictures are from a few weeks ago...I had left Elsie at my parents house while I brought James to the doctor. When we finished at the doctor my Mom called and said Ceara had taken all the kids to the lake to go skating! So James and I had to go watch them for a bit...and it just so happened that I had the camera...imagine that!

Elsie loves to skate. She has 2 pairs of skates at home...one double runner skates and one single blade skates. So far she has not tried the single blades...maybe by the end of winter!

Colter went with to shovel off a little area for skating...but the kids preferred to skate in the un-shoveled area...go figure!

What could possibly be better than giant pom-poms on skates!? The pom-poms alone make me wish I had a pair of skates!

I think Elsie told me she only fell 2 times...not bad!

James just had to walk around with no skates...next year he will be old enough to try skating! Just a little FYI I do dress my children in hats...just so happens that they hate hats {and gloves and often coats} with a passion!

Getting a helping hand from Auntie Ceara...

I think it is safe to say that they all had a great time! Elsie has been begging to go skating again!

My Girl...

I love my girl...she is a thinker and a planner...she always has an opinion about everything...and she will tell you that opinion whether you want to hear it or not! I love all the crazy little things she says...she gives me something to laugh about every day...This is something she told me last week...she rambled it all off without hardly even pausing long enough for a breath!

" Some day soon we are going to have go to town and buy me a really fancy dress so I can go to Snowball. And I need someone to bring me to Snowball. The only boy my aunties have is Colter, and he wouldn't like to get all dressed up. He would hate it. Really."

And with a shrug of her shoulders she jumped down from my lap and ran off the play...or to plan more of her life...

Friday Phone Dump...

We have had a quiet week...and a quiet blogging week...I guess I just need a bit of a break from blogging to focus on other things.

1. This week I managed to find a little time for scrap booking! My kids have been enjoying creative play with each other all week...so I find myself with extra time for some creative fun of my own!

 2. Elsie loves letters...this week we bought a wooden letter set...she loves to find the correct letters and learn to spell some simple words!

 3. On Tuesday a special package came in the mail...seasons 3 and 4 of the Dugger's...we have been enjoying these shows! Good family shows...I certainly don't have to worry about the kids picking up anything bad...in fact they have picked up plenty of good habits from watching the show!

 4. My new pj pants...they make me happy! The price tag of $3 made me happy too...gotta love after Christmas sales at Target!

 5. Playing doctor in the Car's tent from Grandma B. We even slept in the tent one night...the tent is pretty little though, so we laid down under the blankets and I just put the tent over our heads...made the kids happy though!

 6. The kids got some finger paint from their cousins for Christmas...and we have been putting it to good use!

 7. This week has been a week full of art...painting, stamping, do-a-dots...all at the same time!

 8. I cleaned out the spice cabinet! This cabinet was bad...who needs 4 containers of cinnamon!? I had to text this picture to Jon...every weekend we talk about how badly that cabinet needed to be cleaned out!

9. My little guy thinks he is a photographer! He loves the camera, posing to have his picture taken and taking pictures. I think having a camera shoved in his face every day must have rubbed off on him!

 I am linking up with Life Rearranged again...



Dinner Time...

It is always a fun thing for the kids to decide where we are going to eat...when Daddy is home they know we all eat at the dining room table...but on weekdays we often eat at the little table or the kitchen counter. James favorite place is the little table. He does a good job of staying sitting while eating...for the most part! Sometimes James gets a little overly helpful while we are eating...if he hears anyone say something like, "I need a napkin"...he jumps up and runs to get it! I love that he is so willing to help out...but sometimes he is just a little overly helpful!

James has become a pro at swiping food of everyones plates...if he sees something he wants he simply takes it. We are working on correcting that bad habit...not that it is terribly annoying or anything!

One of my new years resolutions was to start praying a meal time prayer with the kids...but I have failed miserably! I blame it on the kids being sick and not really having much of a routine since the beginning of January. So, just maybe, now that the kids are feeling better we can stick to our new year's resolution!

My Boy...

What can I say...my boy loves a good headband! I cannot help but laugh at James...I find him begging to wear his sister's lip gloss, he walks around with sparkly necklaces like it's nobody's business and he loves playing with his sisters barbies and dolls...but he is all boy...he is rough...he does not understand gentle! He loves tools, his camo pants, 4-wheelers and dirt . I love his two crazy personalities...he is quite the boy!

Friday Phone Dump...

This week has been a not-so-good kind of week. Both kids have been sick for over 2 weeks with terrible respiratory colds...not fun at all! We had one trip to the dr. for a strep test...negative, though possible ear infection...and Elsie possibly has mono...so not a fun week at all! I just keep telling myself, It could always be worse! We did manage to take some pictures though...

1. James finds great joy in getting the broom to stand upright in crazy places...after I comment about it, he goes and stands by the broom with a big smile...meaning he wants me to take his picture by the broom. Makes me laugh... 

 2. Last Sunday we ventured up to the laundry mat with my dad and the little aunties. We had to wash a big queen size blanket that a certain little man coughed till he puked in. Lovely. And always in the blankets that don't fit in the washer at home! 

 3. Papa Wayne helping James to burn off a little energy...

 4. The aunties thought ahead and brought quarters for the little trinket machines...Elsie rummaged around in my purse till she found quarters too.

 5. Elsie got a pair of fake teeth from the trinket machine...I laugh every time I see her wearing them...

 6. I laugh even harder when I see James running around in those fake teeth! What one-and-a-half year old wears fake teeth!? He knows he is funny so he wears them all the more!

 7. When Elsie has energy she is up bring creative. One of her Aunties works at the DQ...so Elsie thinks it is the coolest place ever...so sometimes she pretends to work there too...she wears dark coloured clothing, tennis shoes and a huge label on her clothes saying "Dairy Queen". I love how much Elsie looks up to her aunties and wants to be just like them!

 8. Most of our week has been spent on the rocker...with lots of cuddles. Our house smells of vicks...we have gone through over 4 boxes of Kleenex's...tonight we will be opening our 3rd new bottle of cough syrup...makes you want to stop over, right!?

 9. Elsie...always a happy girl! This poor girl has no energy and has been begging to go to bed by 5:00! She has watched far too much tv this week...and the only thing she will watch is the Dugger's...I have our 3 disks memorised! Why don't kids get tired of watching the same thing over and over? I got fed up last night with the same show and ordered the seasons 3 and 4...we will have one happy girl next week when they come!

 10. I have been finding lots of these Barbie girls on my phone! I downloaded some new games for Elsie to play...it amazes me how quickly they learn how to save everything!!

So, there ya have it...a peek into our exciting life! I am linking up with Life Rearranged again...



My Little People and Me...

I have got some pretty special little people. I will admit that sometimes I forget to cherish them like I should. I am quick to get upset with them, I get upset with the constant messes, the constant needs, the not getting along moments...I need to remember to always treat my children like the special blessings from God that they are.

 I need to focus on being more relaxed about messes. I need to be better about seeking out the enjoyment in the little things. I feel most contented when I am having fun with my children...when we connect in a fun and simple way. I know my calling in life is to be a Mother...and I strive to do the very best I can.

 I am thankful for my babies. For their individuality and creativeness. For their spunk and humor. They keep a smile on my face, my heart light and a bounce in my step.

 Love that smile. Love to hear their laughter and giggles...love to see the unique and special bond the kids have for each other.

 I am blessed. Sometimes I want to pull my hair out and run away and hide. But then I ask myself what I would do without my kids...how boring our life would be. There is nothing I would rather be doing than being a Mommy to my babies...

 I need my Children...maybe even more than they need me!

I am linking up with Embrace the Camera at the Anderson blog.



Bath Time...

The winter days are getting long...its too cold this week to go out and play{-40 below with windchill tonight!}...I think the winter "blah's" have officially set in! So, when I saw a big end display at the local Pamida {shopping at Pamida!? I must have winter 'blah's'!!} of Colour Bath Drops...I had to get it...in a great attempt to add a little more fun to the otherwise 'blah' days...

The kids take baths purely for fun quite often now...almost daily! I am tempted to drop a fun colour into my next bath!

Just yesterday Elsie had to bring the bath drops to a whole new level of fun-ness...we put a towel on the counter and filled up her barbie pool...but not with plain ol' water...pink water! I think Barbie and her friends enjoy the colour drops also!

My kids are funny...and a little spoiled maybe...neither of them ever get their hair washed in the tub. Elsie mostly washes her hair by herself in the shower...but sometimes I still wash it in the sink. James only gets his hair washed in the sink. I kinda enjoy washing their hair in the sink...it is a special little bonding time. Someday I will miss it.

Writing...

These are quite old pictures...but I still wanted to share them because I think they are just too cute! Elsie is become pretty good at writing and spelling. I find her with a notebook and pen all the time...she is constantly asking me how to spell certain words.

 She can spell, recognize and write her name, her brother's name and Auntie Emma's name...pretty good for a 4 year old, in my opinion anyhow! She is now working on her last name...oh but not Souhrada...you see, she wants her last name to be the same as her auntie's, Ostrowski. So, I find lots of papers laying around with "Elsie Ost". {because that is as far as she can get it!}

 I love this new stage of wonder...the wonder of letters and words coming alive. All too soon Elsie will be spelling words and reading books all on her own...I am doing my best to hold on to this age...to not get frustrated so much with having to take time out to spell new words...just to cherish this time and help Elsie embrace the love of learning.

Tattoo...

I finally got myself a tattoo! I went to the tattoo shop the day before Christmas eve...everyone assured me it was terrible timing on my part and I would be in pain for Christmas...rest assured it did not hurt at all. My sister Laura went with me to take some pictures for me...we needed to document such a huge thing like getting a tattoo!

 Almost three years ago I got Jon a gift card for the tattoo shop because he wanted to get the kid's names tattooed on himself...he had an apt to to get the tattoo...but he chickened out at the last minute! So, he said I could use the gift card if I wanted! yay!!

 I had wanted to get Jon's name tattooed on my wrist for a long time...so I finally bit the bullet and did it! Now I am working on saving my money for my second tattoo...I want to have the kid's names done on the instep of my foot.

 I really thought it would hurt a great deal...so I was pleasantly surprised to discover that it really didn't hurt that bad. I would say giving birth with no drugs in a little worse...haha!

 When I first got home James kept wanting me to take the bandage off so he could see it...and he even learned to say the word, "tattoo"! He still likes to carefully touch the tattoo...he is very aware that it says Daddy's name...so he touches it and repeats "dada!" I think it is cute!

 Elsie frequently asks me when she can get a tattoo...she plans on getting either her brother's name or Emma's name on her wrist. I am hoping by the time she is 18 her name choice might change!

The finished product! I love it! That is my actual handwriting...I thought that was a pretty special touch. Now I am working on talking Jon into getting a tattoo of my name...I highly doubt that will happen...but a girl can hope!