Roller Skates...

My kids love to bring the roller skates upstairs for a little fun...even James gets in on the fun. He does pretty good skating around in the little skates...

I love Elsie's skates...they are vintage skates that we bought at a garage sale a few years ago. I will be sad when they no longer fit! I need to be on the look out for more vintage skates when garage sale season starts again!

Elsie loves to roller skate...and she is getting pretty at staying up and not falling over!

I think everyone should own a cool pair of roller skates...just to get in touch with the simple joy of Childhood...

Writing...

My girl is a writer...she almost always has a pen and a little notebook with her. I find it fun to watch her progress through play...at first she just scribbled, imagining she was truly writing. Then it changed to writing random letters. Then to writing words she knows by heart...like her name and her aunties names. Now she has progressed to drawing a random picture {like a cookie} and writing the first letter of the word after sounding it out. I love that she loves words and writing...

She also loves her dollies...we never go anywhere without a doll under her arm. Sometimes we even have to buckle the doll into the car in the little dolly carseat. One day I was in a bit of a hurry to leave the house so I told Elsie to hurry up...she looked at me with her big eyes and very dramatically said, " Do you seriously want my baby to freeze to death with no blanket!?" That said, I gave her enough time to finish getting her baby ready before we left!

I have to share a little more Elsie humor...just because she can say the darndest things to crack me up! One day James was bothering Elsie so she said, "James, if you don't stop it I am going to have to use the F word!" I popped my head up pretty fast in a bit of shock...wondering what in the world she was going to say next. "Shut Up" she then yelled out. I breathed a sigh of relief and laughed. The F word = Shut Up...it is now a family joke!

My Big Boy...

My little guy is a year and a half now...he should still be my baby...but he isn't...he is my big boy. He is trying to grow up way faster than I would like! He is now rebeling against his high chair...he has been for weeks. He sits on a regular chair at the table or a stool pushed up to the counter. He is too funny...

He also thinks he should pee in the potty chair. And put his shoes on standing up...he wants to just slip his foot in his shoe the same way Daddy does. And he crosses his arms over his chest like a man...makes him look too cute! He is growing up and changing too fast!

He is "all-boy" too...a boy who loves to wear jewelery when he sees his sister and I putting any on. A boy who loves having his hair styled. A boy who gets a kick out of wearing his sister shoes and sweaters. A boy who enjoys feeding a doll a bottle and even makes it cry and burp because he already has an amazing imagination!

He is also a boy whose favorite shows are Cars and Nitro Circus. He does not know how to sit on a slide and go down normal like...he goes backwards, head first or walks down the slide. He truly believes a butter knife or his little drill can fix everything. He loves his uncle's dog with great passion. He loves to bug his sister...often chasing her around with the plastic snake. He laughs deep belly laughs when he farts...because boys do those kinds of things! He loves to be grossed out. Every day at the breakfast table he carefully spoons a spoonful of cereal in his water glass...then loudly proclaims "Ewww..." until Elsie and I look and are all grossed out too. He gets such a charge out of seeing us grossed out!

Gotta love this boy. He has more personality than any other little one and half year old I know! He wears me out sometimes. Most of the time really. But, I wouldn't trade him for the world...he keeps us on the go and gives us a reason to smile everyday!

Phone Dump...

Last week we were out of town and I skipped my Friday Phone post...so some of these are from last week. Also, I lost my DSLR last weekend...so most of my phone pictures are being saved for weekly posts...enjoy...

1. Last week Jon had to get some new clothes...he hates shopping as it is...add 2 crazy kids in the mix and it 10x worse...I just laugh!James kept crawling under the door and opening it up while Jon was changing...good thing we were the only ones in the fitting room!

 2. I think our next house should have a big 3 sided mirror...the kids love it...and its great for taking vain pictures of myself! haha.

 3. I don't think I need to explain this one. Let's just say, this was our last stop and the kids were tired of being good little shoppers. I miss the days of a certain little man wanting to ride in a cart!

 4. We put Elsie's hair up in rags the night before Valentine's day...she loves doing rags!

 5. Nice weather = a carwash! James slept in the back seat the whole time...I thought for sure the loud noises would wake him up!

 6. Trying out my new phone. Something happened to my old phone and it simply wouldn't work any longer. I lasted 2 days of not being able to access the Internet or my apps before I told Jon I needed a new phone!! He is a good kind of husband and gave me the money to get a new phone...I am just a little spoiled by him sometimes!

 7. James got his first big boy hair cut. My plan was to let it grow long and shaggy for the winter and get a little mowalk this summer...but it was starting to look like a mullet...not the look I wanted on my sweet little guy! So, my sister got her shears out and trimmed it up. I am sad to say we lost all his hair cutting pictures when we lost the camera.

 8. We have no tv to watch here...just DVD's...so Jon enjoys spending his evening watching CSI on hulu...with his earphones on so I don't have to listen to it...he knows I detest that show like you wouldn't believe!

 9. I made a special little treat for the kids...Lilly Pad Pancakes! It is pretty much pureed peas, an egg, a little water and some flour...they love them!

 10. Elsie has been saving her money for a Barbie Camper...let my rephrase...a $90 Barbie Camper! Over the weekend she got some Christmas money and Valentine money from Jon's dad...so she finally had enough! She was just slightly happy as she skipped into the toy store...and very proud to plunk her own money down on the counter!

 11. We got a long roll of paper at Ikea...the kids love it...very creative kids!

 12. One evening my sister came over to work on wedding stuff...we pulled out my Cricket machine and got busy making hearts for her cupcake toppers...they are going to be so darn cute!

 13. This week James has decided it is high time he puts on some big boy undies and gets potty trained. Personally, I am not ready, but I guess he thinks he is. First thing in the morning he takes his diaper off and runs naked. The first morning he peed twice on the floor...and twice in the potty! I was pretty impressed with his ability to express his need to go pee and get on the potty in time! I kinda want him to stay my baby for a little longer though!

 14. My shadow and me...I love having a couple of shadows!

I am linking up with Life Rearranged again...



Embrace the Camera {ME}

My rambling thoughts...

Last night was Ash Wednesday...Elsie enjoyed celebrating Advent with me this year...so I have high hopes of her really being able to grasp the whole concept of Lent this year. A few nights ago we discussed the concept of giving something up...and we agreed that starting a new and good habit would be a better idea for this year. We need to be better at prayers...for meal time and bedtime. So saying regular prayers is our good habit for Lent. We have the traditional Catholic meal time and bedtime prayer memorized...and even little James loves to fold his hands and pray with us...his favorite is the great "Amen" at the end!
To start Lent out right the kids and I attended the Ash Wednesday services at church last night...I thought about not going, but I figured that was not a good way to teach Elsie about the importance of Lent! I thought about having my parents watch James...but I figured he needed to go with also...I do not agree with the whole "keep the baby/children out of church" thing. So, at almost bedtime I packed the kids up and went to church...determined that it was going to be a good evening and that James would do wonderful in church and not need to be brought out.{that is our failed goal almost every Sunday!} And all went fine...for like the first 15 minutes! James was digging in my wallet...I figured he was just gathering coins for offering like he normally does. But this time he decided to take handfuls and THROW them! Not a good idea...that is loud and rather distracting for those around us to be sprinkled with coins...I grabbed his hands which made his scream...loud screams! So, I quickly jumped up to bring him out...and Elsie followed...only after she accidentally spilled my wallet on the floor, scattering the remainder of the coins. Lovely. So, after a stern talking to James, we went and sat back down. All went good. Until James decided to scream because I was not willing to untuck my shirt and expose my belly so he could see my belly button. We went back out...where he promptly found a tall flag on a stand. Yep, he knocked the whole darn flag down and stood there with a dumb expression like, "I totally didn't know it would fall over if I pushed it!". I picked the flag up and made the kids both stand silently in the doorway with me until the end of the service, then we went back to our pew to pick up coins, put on socks and shoes{because James finds he can worship best barefoot!} and put on coats. Then home to bed. It was worth it. We participated in the Ash Wednesday services. We read in our Lenten devotional book. My kids will have an understanding of the beauty of Easter. I hope!
I am linking up with the Anderson Crew again today for Embrace the Camera...



Celebration...

I am posting these pictures a month after our Christmas celebration with Grandma B. It is not unusual for me to take 100 pictures in a week...so I am just slightly behind on blogging to say the least! Not having a camera for next few weeks will maybe help me get caught up some...so be prepared for "old" pictures!

 This year we celebrated Christmas with Grandma B. a month after Christmas...due to everyone having busy schedules! We thought we were going to have to cancel out on celebrating with everyone though...both the kids were just getting over some terrible colds/respetory issues...and Elsie was having a really hard time shaking the illness. After talking with the Dr. on the phone, we both felt fairly certain Elsie had Mono. Every day she was begging for bed at 4:30...so the idea of making her stay up to celebrate Christmas didn't sound like a good plan. But, she suddenly started feeling a little better and was able to go!

 Every year I tell Grandma B. that we need to take a Family picture...and every year we forget! This year, I forgot the trypod...but we still remembered to take a family picture!!  Even the dog had to be in the picture!

 Grandma B. and Patrick with the grandkids...

 It was a little tricky getting the kids to all be still...and I think James managed to open up Grandma B's gift while sitting still for the pictures!

 James loves to tear into packages! He was quite happy to open up some tool sets...he plays with those tools every day! He seems to think that drill can solve all problems he may encounter!

 I could tell Elsie was not quite herself...she just sat there with her gifts still wrapped watching the little kids. She did eventualy open her gifts...all slow and gentle...the complete oposite of her brother!

 Jon and Joyce...Jon smiling with his eyes not doing wonky things...a keeper for sure!

 After the gift opening the kids found a great deal of enjoyment in the lightswitch and playing on the steps! Who needs all those lovely new toys when a light switch is nearby!?

 Grandma B. is a "hands on" kind of grandma...she has this crazy knack of getting kids good and wild...and they love it!

 Colouring in the new colour books...

 Love this picture! James and Grandma B. get so wild together...James laughs until I am quite certain he is going to puke!

 What a fun Christmas celebration!

Valentine Party...

We had a little Valentine Party on Valentine's day...We decorated the night before...Elsie loves to set up for a party...and I love having her help me. Since this party was "her" Valentine party it gave her a sense of ownership to help decorate...let me tell you, she took her role as hostess quite seriously...planning out every last detail, like where everyone should sit and where the food should go and what to serve! I loved every minute it...

 The little party favors included a bouquet of suckers and a little Chinese box filled with candy hearts...

 Our centerpiece was a lovely bouquet of pixie stick flowers! A few nights before the party I spent over an hour carefully cutting flowers out of scrapbook paper. Then I used hot glue and glued the flower to the top of the pixie stick. A fun, fun centerpiece!

 Pink cupcakes...you can't possibly have enough pink, red and hearts on Valentines Day!

 We feasted on pink cupcakes, red knox-blocks {sugar free, of course!} pastel marshmallows and red Crush soda...what a tasty little feast!

 {Just a fun picture...because everyone loves mini coloured marshmallows!}

 We had the dining room all decked out in hearts!

 Even the light had hearts dangling off it...

 A few days before the party Elsie and I made a fun heart banner...with water colour paint. Very festive...and yes, it is still up. I hate taking such fun and festive decorations down. I am thinking we might need to make a new banner with shamrocks in place of hearts!

 Soon after lunch the little guests arrived...the two little aunties and Braylon. A fun bunch...

 The two little boys sat together at one of the table and were pretty much the hit of the party...everyone spent plenty of time laughing at them...and they knew it all too well!

 James was in his glory...lots of junk food...even soda! While the girls drank their soda in the glass bottles, the little boys got to use some little shot glasses to sip their soda. Braylon took one sip and that was enough for him. James, other other hand, drank his fair share!

 James found it necessary to dip his shot glass on the top of his cupcake before drinking out of it...love the frosting marks it left all around his mouth and nose!

 Elsie...enjoying her party! The night before we put rags in her hair so she would have lovely curls for the party!

 Everyone dressed so festive for the party...pink and red galore!

 All the little party goers right before heading home...all festive and happy!

 I would say the Valentine Party was a success...I think we will be making it an annual thing!