A learning moment

Just now, Leah asked me what wedgie is. I explained it to her, but felt that she didn't quite get it. So, being the good, thorough parent that I am, I demonstrated it on her. Don't worry. I didn't do it hard or anything. I just wanted to make sure she clearly knew what it was. Now I can check that one off the list of things I need to teach her in order for her to skip kindergarten.

Did you get it?

So, did you like my Pics of the Faves from last week? Did you catch the subliminal message I was trying to send? Yep, that's right! I'm pregnant and due in the summer time. July 26th to be exact. That means I'm going to have four little pairs of feet running around here this summer. I know, I'm crazy, but I think I can do it.

So, I'm almost 16 weeks, which means in 3 1/2 weeks we get to find out what color the little pea pod is, pink or blue. I think it's going to be a boy, but it's still nice to have proof one way or the other. So look forward to that post in the beginning of March. Until then, make a guess at what you think it is and just know that if you guess girl, you're wrong. I'm so sure it's a boy!

Pics of the Faves

I know it's only February, but we're getting ready for summer anyway!

It takes a while to count to 100

Today is Eli's 100th day of school. For homework, he had to make a poster with 100 somethings on it. It had to be neat, creative, and accurate. So I took out all the stuff I had at least 100 of and let him come up with what he wanted to use. I did give a few suggestions and this is what he came up with:

Yep, that's 100 googly eyes. He wanted to make a monster with 100 googly eyes. The reason why I wanted to post this is because this project is such a good depiction of what Eli likes. The body and blue pants are made of fleece. The hair is made of really soft yarn that happens to look like hair. The claws, mouth, and belt (purple part on the blue pants) are made of dyed noodles. It's super soft and fuzzy, yet still scary. Those are two things Eli loves, soft and scary. Eli likes his monster so much he asked me if I would make him a stuffed animal patterned after this creature. I'm not so sure I feel like attaching 100 eyes to a stuffed doll, but helping him glue them all on this poster was fun.

Keep this in mind for next year

Not sure what to do with your dead Christmas tree? Don't want to take it to the dump? Well, then just do what my kids did; take it out into the yard and beat the poop out of it!!

Our tree totally dried out a week before Christmas, despite all the water I gave it. So, the day after Christmas, I wanted it out! Mike took it outside and just left it there because I wanted the trunk for something. A few days later, the kids wanted to play outside. I let them. Since our yard is a bit small and doesn't have any obvious forms of entertainment, they turned to the dead tree for fun. They got other sticks that they had collected and stored back there and proceeded to beat that poor tree until they knocked all the needles off and quite a few of the branches. I didn't care. I wasn't planning on using those parts and I knew they weren't going to hurt the trunk. They had fun and got a bit of exercise. And our yard had a lovely pine smell for quite a while after.

Here are some pics of the fun:

What do I want the trunk for? Well, I have a little art project planned for it. If/when I complete it, I'll post pictures.

Baby Blaze!!

On November 27th, my brother and sister-in-law had their first kid. His name is Blaze and he is super, freakin' cute! He came over for a visit the other weekend so his cousins and uncle could have a chance to meet him. They like him too. Here are some pictures of their first meeting along with their thoughts.

"I like to hold him. I like to see his eyes. I like him open his eyes up. I like to like his little toes."

"I thought he was cute and his hair was fluffy. His eyes were blue. And I liked his bear clothes. I like his little handies. They are so cute."

"I thought he was so cute. I liked it when he looked at me. I like his little feet"

"I thought he was really cute. I like him a lot. He's really little. I tried not to bite through my lip, I was so excited. And I decided I'm going to kiss him on top of his head every time I see him because that's what my Papa would do when he would visit us and Blaze is named after my Papa."

"Should have....sent a ...poet. Can't...find...words."

I've seen him since and he's even cuter. I don't think my lip is going last. I'm pretty sure his cuteness is going to make me bite right through it!

School Picture Progression

I know school pictures aren't the best quality and whatnot, but I love getting them for this very reason. My dad also got them every year and kept them in the same frame, in order. It was fun/embarrassing to look at them when we added our new pictures for the year. I plan on doing the same with my kids. And I plan on sharing that fun/embarrassment with you. I think Eli's pictures have turned out great. Perhaps I'll stop posting them when he hits middle school and they start getting bad!

Preschool '08-'09

Kindergarten '09-'10

First Grade '10-'11

Second Grade '11-'12

I think he's getting more handsome with age, even with the missing teeth!