A trip to the zoo with Grandma G and Kyle

Everybody loves monkeys
so brave

soon after this was taken (and I mean seconds) she tried to shake the bird off

no birds for Bear, but that's okay he didn't really want one any way

my what big teeth you have

Kyle had a pocket full of pennies and shared a new experience with Bear. Thanks Kyle!

At the end of the demonstration the owl flew right over our heads into his box. When I say it flew right over, I really mean right over. Kyle got bumped in the head by the owls leather strap.

Bear loves his "Gam-ma"

Isn't he a cutie!

My shy little girl has begun to branch out just a little....... We went to story time for months with her sitting on the very back row not speaking to anyone, even refusing to say thank you for things. They story people took a break for the holidays and we have just started going back. My shy little girl has begun to branch out just a little... and now I have to pull her back in just a smidge, I hate it. When we went back our first week she wanted to sit on the first row ( I was amazed), then she talked to the teacher and participated in the questions, all great things. So you ask why am I upset? She had to stop to talk the teacher about every page. She wanted to count the animals, tell the teacher about something she saw that was funny. Now some of you are thinking, so what. It's not so what, that is fine for home but not in a group setting. Can you imagine how long it would take a person to read a book to a bunch of preschoolers if every kid wanted to talk to you about each page. I know, I did it for nearly six years and it takes a really long time. What sucks is that is too hard to explain to a three year old since they don't really have a concept of time. So I had a talk with her last night about how it is okay to talk to the teacher before and after story time and at art time just not while she reads the book. Please keep your fingers crossed that she will still be out going when we go today. I hope I didn't mess things up for her.

I love it!

Only a true lover of reading can appreciate this blog entry. My kids love to read, it must be my genes because they certainly did not get that from Jeffrey. Kati and Bear both like to get my "cowboy" books and look through them. There are no pictures so what they are really looking at is beyond me but I enjoy it. At one point last night I showed Kati the front of her book to tell her everyone's name; when I gave it back she let me know I lost her place. She is really excited about when she can grow up and read by herself. She told Bear, "I can burrow Mommies books and I won't even have to buy my own!"

Twenty-four weeks

.......and I even left my face on for you this time Grandpa.

In light of the suicide bombing in Afghanistan I would like to ask all of you to continue to pray for our soldiers. It's easy to forget about what they go through everyday while we sit in our safe cozy homes. Be safe Jesse, we love you!

Cactus attack

Today we went out to see Uncle Jason's new house he has been working on (with help from Jeffrey before he hurt his ankle). It was very very very windy today. The wind was strong enough to move me. We made a trip out to the tank when a gust of wind blew Kati right into a cactus. Ouch!!!!!! She had needles in hers legs and one or two in her bum. How painful and embarrassing. The poor girl has little dots up and down her upper thigh and some on her knees. I guess we will just have to be more careful but who could expect to be blown into a cactus.

lovin' the warmer weather

We took advantage of the warmer weather and went to the park with some friends. You wont see any pictures of Keri's kids and mine playing together though. We both have shy children and if you have shy kids too then that is enough said. Like Bear's new hat? What a cutie.
After nap time we played in the kiddie pool. It wont be long before I have to start locking Kati up, she is just far to pretty.

After the kids got in they went for a chorus of screams.

Poor Bear, he just couldn't win. Kati kept kicking water on him and when he would go over to throw water on her he would just get a face full of cold water.

We played "Where did the water go?"

He found it.

He is just so cute!

When they got to cold be put clothes on and moved to the backyard where Daddy was grilling. We didn't stay for long because Kati and Bear kept pretending the leaves were cookies.

Brendon loves his "dee-dogs" (hot dogs). The tears are because Jeff joked he was going to eat Bears.

He's too much fun.

Valentine's Day

We started a new traditions this year, chocolate covered strawberries. The kids really enjoyed making them and later when they were all done only Kati liked eating them. When we were finished making them we still had some left over chocolate so we dipped sliced bananas in it. We called them special monkey bananas, Bear only liked the name and not the taste.

Twenty-two weeks and counting

Anyone can look innocent while sleeping

Kati received some new hair pretties from Grandma G since she stopped sucking her fingers. This morning I asked her to go get me some ( in my mind just meaning two or three) Kati brought back as many as her hand would hold. Who could tell her no after it was a present for something she worked so hard for.

This morning we had a special treat of eating at McDonald's. Kati made a new friend, the only problem was a language barrier. While playing the little girl ran away yelling "vamanos, vamanos". Both girls were confused, Kati wondered why the girl ditched her and the other girl didn't get why Kati didn't want to play anymore.

When we left McDonald's Kati wanted to know why we got "Grumpy Meals". I guess if it doesn't come with a toy than it just isn't happy.

Congratulations Bug, we are so proud of you!

Kati got her much deserved trip to Chuck E Cheese. She has been a finger suckers since infancy. She used a pacifier at first but then, being the smart girl she is, she learned that pacifiers can get lost and your fingers are always there. And that is where our problem began as parents, you can throw a pacifier away and just tuff it out for a few days but people kind of frown on you cutting a kids fingers off. We had a long struggle and I thought a goal was needed. My first try was that she should stop before the baby got here, that didn't last long, her answer was "the baby is not here yet." Okay onto something else, my next bright idea was she needed to stop before we got to Sea World. Once home she started again and I was told by Kati "Sea World is over." Can you tell both her parents are strong willed and she has inherited it? So Jeff and I put our heads together and he came up with the great idea of Chuck E Cheese. This is by no means a favorite of mine or Jeff's but Kati became introduced to it at Kyle's birthday and then requested it for her own. Kati has now gone four and half weeks with only three slip ups and we couldn't be prouder. If this sounds silly to you then you have never asked your kid to give up something so difficult for them, something that makes them feel safe when they are scared or sad, something soothing when they are tired, something they have done numerous times everyday for three years. We are so proud of Kati and she will tell you she is proud of herself too. Our little girl is growing up. And by the way the credit for initiating all this has to go to Jeffrey, if it had been up to me I would have sat down some day with a soon to be husband to explain why my baby girl was still a finger sucker, I am just to sensitive a mom to make her quite.

Kati and some of her Cubbie friends

Brendon has his first girlfriend

Our suspicions started when he named his doll "baby Paige". I don't want any grief from anybody about my boy playing with a baby. You have to give the kid a break he has an older sister and the house is full of baby dolls and besides that he is just getting good practice on being a great dad.
Here is Bear getting a huge hug from his girl. If you ask Bear if he likes her he gets all bashful, sometimes he says yes and other times he just smiles really big and wont look at you. He says he is going to marry her but we aren't setting any dates yet, you know how young love can be :)

Here is Paige leaning in for a kiss so I suppose the feeling is mutual. I am so sad I missed his first kiss but I am sure he was just fine with me not being there. I know they are young, but hey we are excited, her parents are friends of ours and we know she comes from a good christian home :)

She is ready for the rodeo

One of the many reasons we don't have a dog

When I got the kids up from nap the other day I found Kati feeding the fish
and Bear feeding himself.

A trip to the zoo

While the weather was nice we made a long awaited trip to the zoo.

Even the gorillas were enjoying the nice weather.

If Bear didn't look like he was in pain this could have been a cute picture