The boys from the block.

O.k. so my friend Melissa posted this today-
I thought I would throw something a little different into the mix this week. This week we are going to write about a photo we have stored on the computer. This is how it is going to work: go to where you store your photo's on your computer, choose the second folder of photographs, and then the second photograph in that file, then insert in it your post and write about the photo. Don't go cheating and find a photo that you want to write about or change photo because it's not a very good photo, no one will judge you on your skills as a photographer, besides that defeats the purpose of this task, just write about the 2nd photo in the 2nd folder. Enjoy!

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::Jared, Jameson, Sam, Logan, Jevin

Here it is. My 2nd folder, 2nd picture. They say a picture is worth 100 words. I don't always believe it, but this one lives up to the hype I think.

Look at Lays in the pic. Don't you think she is thinking the boys are so strange?

It finally fell out!

Jay lost his first tooth! It had been hanging there for about a week before Tom and I bribed him to let us pull it out! You may want to ask him if he is a little young to lose a tooth, and to quote the kids favourite T.V. show(Phineas and Ferb),

Jay would tell you- "Yes, yes I am."
But if you only knew the whole story, you'd know that he dodged a date with the dreaded...

Big Silver Tooth!

The story goes a little something like this- When Jay was two he banged his tooth, bad! We don't even understand how, but it was like hanging 3mm's lower than the other one! I was so worried. Call me vain, but I did not want my tiny little darling child to have a silver tooth for the rest of his life! You know those fake silver ones that look like "bling!"Now we all know it wouldn't really have been the rest of his life, and you actually can get a white tooth, but at the time I didn't have the $1000's to spend on a baby tooth, and three or four years felt like forever so that is why I over dramatically, as only a girl can, state that it would have ruined my little guys smile for the rest of his life! How did he bang it you ask? Now, I'm not blaming Logan, but I could if I wasn't so nice! So we rushed him to the Dentist and while we were waiting he bit down which pushed it back in place. I got excited thinking that it might be o.k., but that dang Dentist dashed my hopes warning that it would most likely turn grey and fall out soon! What the heck does "soon" mean? Well to all of our excitement, that Dentist bet on the wrong kid! Jays tooth held on for three years, and it was so white that he got one whole Dollar!!!

What a nice Tooth Fairy!

Jay got a $
Jay got a $
Jay got a $
HEY HEY HEY HEY!!!!!
He may look happy in these pics, but when he first looked at himself he was furious with Tom for pulling it out. Jay is all about his "looks." We do not agree on what looks "Good", but he usually gets his way. My sister Sophie commented one time that "She wasn't going to let that happen when she has kids." I love "THE CIRCLE OF LIFE." I totally remember thinking exactly what Sophie said. Then I had Jay! One winter I seriously could not get him out of the house with pants on unless I let him wear basketball shorts, not under, (which would have been nice) but over the pants. Don't you love that visual I just painted in your mind? Yes, I went out of my house with my kid wearing basketball shorts over his pants repeatedly! It was nerdy, silly, and a little crazy looking, but that's my life. And when Soph has it happen to her I get to be sympathetic, and laugh!

-Now for some EXTRA info along the bottom of the page-

Logan and Lay have both banged their front teeth as well. Logan got the same news from the Dentist. By the time Lays did it(she actually broke the ends of both her front two teeth off) we didn't even bother to take her to the Dentist. I wasn't in the mood for a huge- yada, yada, yada... it might fall out $bill$.

HAPPY VALENTINES WEEKEND EVERYONE! TO QUOTE LAYS, "I HOPE IT'S A TAMAZING BALENTIMES DAY!"

This week was a lot of fun. On Tuesday Jameson, Layla, and I made Valentines for their little preschool friends b/c their parties were on the next day. So on Wednesday I woke up to Lays trucking into my room, shoving a card into my face, saying...

Layla- "Happy Balentimes day Mommy!"

This was taken after their parties. Layla can only be so happy for so long! Jay really likes the kids in his class. He had a rough start this year and I was so excited to hear his teacher tell me that "Jameson is so polite and helpful!" This just proves that prayers are answered b/c I really was at a loss at knowing how to help my little middle child!

Logan had fun this Valentines day as well. He spent most of Wednesday night writing his classmates names on his Valentines. When we started he and I had a very heated conversation over the 6 different quotes he had to choose from. It went a little something like this...
Me- "Hey Log you have to use all of your cards so lets make sure to put the girls names on the one that says "be mine" o.k.?"
Logan- "NO WAY!"
Me- "If you don't use it for the girls than you will have to use it for the boys!"
Logan- "No way, no way, there is a-b-s-o-l-u-t-e-l-y no way that I am asking a girl to "be mine!" Are you crazy?"
Me- "Logan you will run out of cards and end up asking a boy to "be mine!" Are you sure you want to do that!"
Logan- "Oh... I guess we can put the girls names on them then."
Awesome right? I am glad that he doesn't really like girls yet, and even more glad that he doesn't like boys. It makes things a whole lot easier wouldn't you say?

I saved the best for last. Henry is doing some amazing stuff right now. Lots of kids with spina bifida don't walk till they are around 2 or 3, or not at all! The other day I posted how he can support his own weight all by himself. When I showed his physical therapist she was thrilled! She said that she didn't expect him to be able to do that for a long time. The cool thing about Henry is that he has no clue how awesome he is. He isn't old enough to understand that he shouldn't be able to, so he just does it! Now he has decided that he wants to not only do that, but why not get himself up all by himself too. I can't fully explain how I feel. I hope and pray for him to be able to do these things and work with him every day to help him to do them, but when he actually does them I am just so full of shock, gratitude, and so much joy that I want to burst! My brother Mike said that, "you sound like one proud momma!" I guess that's what I am. One proud mom. (I never say momma)

Bestest Day in a Long Time!

This pic is an oldie, but a goodie. It is My Grandpa, me, my cousin Sara, and my cousin Andy.
I couldn't resist putting it in this post, because...

my cousin Sara is getting MARRIED! I am SO SO SO EXCITED for her!
I wish I could be there. It is killing me that I'm not.
Here is the happy couple! John Marcel and Sara. Aren't they striking? They are so sweet, adorable, darling, and crazy in love. Talking to her about it is so much fun. I have never seen her so happy, and I am so happy for her. She found her best friend.

This is the only picture I have of her on her wedding day so far, but isn't it one rocking shoe? When we were younger we would talk on the phone for hrs. Now even though we are a world away we get to Skype. Instead of describing her wedding clothes to me I got to see them technology is so awesome! She sees my crazy kids and I get to see her blush when she talks about her guy. I can't wait to see the pics from the big day, but for now all I have to say is congratulations Sara Darling!

I just stole this pic off Sara's face book. They look so happy!

p.s. Now will you acknowledge how much fun pictures can be years later? You must start taking more pictures! I promise you will thank me later!!!!!

Family trip to the Discovery Center

I love going to the Discovery Center! I am always finding some new thing to figure out and learn about. If you have one around you I think you should get a pass a.s.a.p.! My kids and I go at least once a month, but I really try to go once a week in the winter cause it saves the kids from being stuck on the "time out" chairs. This time we got Tom to go with us and it was a lot of fun to see the kids show him all their favourite things.

They all love this elevator swing thing where you pull yourself up and then because of all the pulleys you gradually come down. I discovered the room of mirrors this time! I won't lie to ya. It hurt! But not as much as I was expecting it too, so I can't complain too much.


Jay Loves to do the blue screen thing. Lays was playing with the sound dish thing with Tom, and Logan got zoned into the electric current thing. If you want to get more technical than "THING" with my descriptions you would have to go yourself cause I am lucky to figure one of them out before another one of my kids needs help!
Seriously worth my $50.00/year.

Sometimes seeing the pic right after I take it is not a good thing!

I used to take "Sunday Morning Snapshots"of the kids.

I seriously only had time to say "Smile kids," take the picture, and run out the the door.

Now we have 8:20 church so I have zero time in the morning.

This simple time change has taught me a lot about myself.

I am obsessed with the notion of "The Perfect Shot."

I took these pictures yesterday after church.

Since I wasn't under a time crunch I just kept snapping

hoping that at least one would work.

I found myself begging, pleading, and

(though I'm so mad at myself) yelling at them to

#1. Look at the camera, and #2. Smile!

This is how it went...

Me- "Hey guys before you change I want to take a picture."

I get them all in the front room and Henry starts to cry.

I'm not worried though b/c Hen is a Ham and loves to pose.

Tom- "This is not going to work! Henry is crying let them go change."

Me- "It's o.k. he won't once I get out the camera."

So I get everyone on the couch and

Me- "Everyone look over here,

look at the camera,

smile,

say cheese!!!"

1st shot- Logan's eyes are closed!

(Henry did great)

2nd shot-Logan opened his eyes WAY TOO MUCH!

(Henry did great)

3rd shot- Jays eyes are closed!

(Henry did great)

4th- Jay is looking off into space. That never happens!

(Henry did great)

5th- Lays felt like it was her turn to close her eyes.

(Henry did great)

6th- Hand in the face.

7th-Everyone looking everywhere.

8th- One smile, one kid looking at camera!

9th- No one looking at camera!

10th- Only Henry looking.

11th- Only Henry looking again!

Me- " Could you guys just

look

at

the

camera

and

say

cheese!!!!

12th- Everyone looking,

but worst than the first.

Tom- "O.k. that's it. Now all you have is 1000 pictures

that aren't any better than the first!"

And he was right.