Professional Photos????

Here are some photos that I had done of the kids. A lady from Bliss came up and offered a 1/2 hr. photo shoot, free 8x10, and a cd with all the pictures for, drum roll please........$39.00. What I actually got was about 45 min., 1 8x10, 6-5x7's, and several 4x6's, the cd and a release form so that I can print all my own photos. I chose to have a later session with the idea I would be able to get my girls down for a nap. By the time we got home from church I decided it would be better to not nap them than have to wake them up. Well, Gretchen wanted no part in the pictures and would take off just before she would take the picture. She told the lady in no uncertain terms that she did not want her picture taken, so typical of her. The pictures that I posted are some of my favorites. I couldn't decide on just a few so it's kinda long. Hope you enjoy! These are by far the best looking kids around.

the sweet innocence of a child

Where's Gretchen? I know, I know, that's what I'd like to know too.

Becca loves her big brother

Little helpers

Here we are making applesauce. It is so good! We have already eaten 2 quarts and 2 pints of it. Homemade applesauce is quite the process but so worth all the work. Thankfully my mom inherited the "Sqeez-O" when my grandma passed away. It cuts the work down and makes it that much more fun. I remember using the sqeez-o when I was kid. It's kina nostalgic now to be using it with my kids and the memories that we will have becoming domestic together.

Dani's 6th Birthday Part 1

On Dani's actual birthday, Oct. 1, we had my parents over for dinner and cake and ice cream. We had nachos for dinner and confetti cake with cookies and cream ice cream. It was all really good. Dani, is very loved(or spoiled, however you look at it). Tony bought her just about everything Hannah Montana and she got High School Musical 2(which included a free ticket to HSM3...YEH!) She got a gift card to Target from Grammy and Papa which she thought was the next best thing since sliced bread. Any chance she gets to do her own shopping at Target she is in heaven. We had a great time!

super cute dress from Grammy and Papa

the Hannah Montana wigher very own laptop.

readyset

blow!!!!!!!

Dani and the trick candle. I don't know how I only got one trick candle on the cake but it did make it a bit more entertaining for the rest of us.

Dani's Birthday Part 2

This is Dani's "kid party". Because of the size of our immediate family I have never let Dani have a party with just friends. Since this is her first real year in school and Aunt Erin moved(taking two cousins with her) I decided I should let her have a theme kid party. The theme was

Hannah Montana with a splash of Tinkerbell. I had a bunch of outside games planned but the weather changed my plans. It was only 32 degrees outside. We quickly changed our plans and moved the party inside. We played pin the nose on the clown, balloon pop, musical pillows to HM music and of course the pinata. I actually had a lot of fun doing her party, maybe I'll do it again next year. Dani invited 8 friends and one of the girls got to stay for a sleep over. My friend Chante` came over and helped keep everyone under controll and took the pictures and videos. My sister-in-law Shelly also stayed and helped. Thank you girls for all the help, it was very much appreciated.

Happy Birthday Dani! You are a very special little girl and we are so glad God put you in our family.

playing balloon pop. an Awana favorite.

all lined up and ready for the pinata

opening presents

Dani doesn't look too excited but she was....really. After all the Hannah Montana stuff Baskin Robins didn't have the cake. So, we settled for a Tinkerbell cake.








Dani and the pinata

Alexandra and the pinata

Mom Tag

Here are the rules: Ask the following list of questions to one of your children and enter their EXACT answers!

MY MOM....according to Dani

1. What is something mom always says to you?

I Love You

2. What makes mom happy?

Tucking kids into bed

3. What makes mom sad?

When I'm at a friends house and you miss me

4. How does your mom make you laugh?

Tickle me

5. What was your mom like as a child?

sort of like me(not quite as sweet though)

6. How old is your mom?

30

7. How tall is your mom?

I don't know(after much thought you're just how big you are)

8. What is her favorite thing to do?

to help us

9. What does your mom do when you're not around?

babysit

10. If your mom becomes famous, what will it be for?

fashion show(looks like she has my sense of style.....not good)

11. What is your mom really good at?

making applesauce

12. What is your mom not very good at?

I don't know(she does think I'm perfect)

13. What does your mom do for her job?

Takes care of us

14. What is your mom's favorite food?

Spaghetti

15. What makes you proud of your mom?

buy me stuff

16. If your mom were a cartoon character, who would she be?

Jerry the mouse

17. What do you and your mom do together?

shopping

18. How are you and your mom the same?

We both have brown hair and bangs

19. How are you and your mom different?

You're white and I'm tan

20. How do you know your mom loves you?

You help me do stuff

It's always interesting and scary to really get your kids perspective on you. Thanks Dani for helping see through your eyes.

Anyone out there reading this blog is tagged!

The Fruits of My Labor

Here is a brief overview of my little fruits and because of them what I have started doing to satisfy their little tummies.

Thoughtful Than. The look in this picture about tells it all. Than is one of the most serious, dry, thoughtful, concerned about others boy that I know. Than loves to be by himself and get lost in his own little world. Than loves to read and reads 2 grade levels higher than he actually is. Than loves soccer and is getting very good at it. Than has a very dry sense of humor that throws most people off guard. Than loves to learn and is history buff. He will rattle off war facts like nobody's business and wonder why I'm not interested in all the weapons that they used, who was President during a particular war, who was involved and who won. Why is the war still going on in the Middle East and when is it going to be finished. This is my Than in summary and I'm so very glad that God blessed me with a boy with such curiosity.

Darling Dani. Dani is the most sensitive, empathetic little girl. She feels everyone's joy and pain. She is always very anxious to help(unless it's cleaning her room) She is such a "little mother" and keeps everyone in line and comforts them when they need it. Dani and Becca are the bestest buds. Dani is very fashioned minded. I'm not sure what to do with such a picky dresser. She is very particular about her shoes, dresses and she HATES jeans. This is what makes my Dani so very special and keeps me on my toes.

Gorgeous Gretchen. She is the funniest, sweetest little girl I have ever met. She gets so excited over the littlest things. She has the biggest heart and when someone is upset she is the first to console them. She is also the biggest tease, I'll hear Becca screaming and Gretchen giggling so hard she can't breathe. I'm so thankful and blessed to be entrusted with her. I know this is not the most becoming picture of Gretchen but it is so her.

Our Beautiful Becca. Up until the last couple of weeks I've wondered why God blessed me four times. I think I'm finally catching on a little. Being able to be home and be with Gretchen and Becca all day I've learned so much. Patience, tolerance and how to have fun with my kids. If we would have only been blessed with two I would not know how to really enjoy my kids. Anyway, Becca is the most expressive child through her eyes that I've ever seen. You can look into her eyes and see the most amazing things and if you're not careful she'll take you out with those big, brown, beautiful eyes.

because of the "first fruits of my labor" this is what I have been up to the past couple months.

Italian stewed tomatoes

super yummy cinnamon applesauce

corn

Soccer

This is Than's 5th year playing soccer. He LOVES it! I don't usually get too excited at the games since I don't know the game all that well. (I'm the mom that will get kicked off the field at sporting events) Anyway, each year he gets a little more aggressive and for those of you that know Than, that is a good thing. He is much faster this year also. He plays in the offence and is so happy there. I was starting to get a little irritated after the last game when he was still playing offence. He's been playing offence since last season and I as the mother and seeing how well he has improved thought he should at least play a little defence. I asked him why he never got to play defence and he told me, "I don't like to play defence, just offence and did you see that I got to play to whole game Mom?" So there you have it, he plays offence because that's what he likes to play and I as the very competitive mom needs to be o.k. with that. After all he was the only one that got to play the whole game. The first game of the season got rained out and when they called the game we were up by 5. The second game against a pretty hard team who think they are playing American football was awesome too. We won 9-1. We have another game this Saturday and hopefully we will keep up our winning streak.

waiting very patiently....to patiently if you ask me