DATE: 01/19/2006 03:15:32 PM
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OK, after much frustration in trying to get the girl to be still for just a second while I took a picture, I have a couple of pictures of Ellie's new pierced ears.

On another note..........I'm not sure if a baby's activity level is a predictor their future activity level, but if so, I'm in for it. NONE of our kids were this active at 6 months.......and they are all now very active boys. Ellie is constantly moving. I know it seems as if I exaggerate, but I kid you not. Even while drinking a bottle (which is another topic altogether), she kicks her feet and turns her head 1000 times as if I'm supposed to chase her mouth with the bottle. Going to sleep, she will kick her legs down on the bed over and over until she falls asleep. If I sit her on the floor to play, she will sit for 3 seconds, then start crawling around looking for any microscopic piece of paper or dirt that she can find on the carpet and chew on.

She's wearing me out!


Ellie chewing on a microphone. (It's not as dangerous as it appears! LOL)


Ellie with her upside-down pacifier. Yes, she likes it this way.

DATE: 02/05/2006 06:34:12 PM

Well, not exactly his first......he technically has been around for 6 of them, but this is the 1st one he's wanted to watch. He decided that he's cheering for the Seahawks and even made himself a sign, which he is most proud of!


The phonics work we're doing is really paying off, huh?

Note the "claws" on the seahawks feet. He's extra proud of those!

DATE: 12/15/2005 01:54:53 PM
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Is it too much to ask for snow on Christmas? Maybe so......we woke up this morning to our own frozen tundra. I guess this is the curse of living not too far south, but not far enough north.

Here's what we awoke to this morning. (in all the nastiness of the day, it's actually quite beautiful!) Take a look!






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DATE: 12/30/2005 11:08:36 AM

Wow. It's so hard every year to believe that Christmas is over! It seems like there is this month-long build up to a day that passes so quickly, I sometimes wonder if I was even there!

We had a great Christmas. It just gets more fun every year as our children get older. Lucas was so excited this year about gifts (both getting AND giving, I'm proud to say!). We just knew that we'd be awake at sunrise opening gifts. However, we woke them up at 7:45! They were all so excited about their gifts. All the boys each got a scooter and some other things. I think they were most excited about the small, cheap gifts in their stockings, though. Who woulda thought!

We don't "do" Santa. Instead, we tell our kids the story about the real St. Nicholas and talk with them about how people dress up as Santa Clause to remind us of him. (we also tell them that they know a big boy secret that other kids don't know and they can never tell!) The boys are still at the age where the line between pretend and real is a little blurry. But, I thought Lucas understood. Until christmas eve. We were watching the weatherman on TV show his "Santa" radar. Lucas asked if Santa was coming down our chimney. I said "Lucas, is Santa real?" and he said "I don't mean that one, I mean the pretend one who dresses up every year!" Oh well.

Here are some pictures of our day. I got so carried away with their gifts, I forgot to take many pictures!


Lucas first reaction to his gifts!


Noah and his "stash"


Jacob checks out his stocking


It's so true that the more children you have the less pictures you take! This is one of 3 pictures we got of Ellie! Note the winged hair-do!


Just to prove we do brush her hair!








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DATE: 01/17/2006 08:45:54 AM

Not much going on around here. Just living life. We did take Ellie to get her ears pierced this past weekend, though. Actually, Kyle did it. His idea and he took her. I couldn't bare the thought........Haven't taken a picture of her with them yet. I'll try to get one today. Here are a few pictures of the past week or so.







I'll have to take some more pictures.........amazing how few pictures we take now compared to 5 years ago!

DATE: 12/07/2005 03:46:38 PM
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Because of Alison's inspirational blog about ramen noodles, I bought a couple packs last night at the grocery store. It's been a while since I tried them out with the boys. Lucas and Jacob have become very fond of chicken noodle soup, so I thought I could pass ramen off as the same thing.

So, for lunch today I made a pack of creamy chicken Ramen and told the boys they were having worm soup for lunch. It was a hit! Lucas and Jacob loved them!

I've never been so excited about Ramen in my life. I'm not a big fan myself, but if my kids will eat it (and it's sooo very cheap), then it'll become a staple in our household!

Long live Ramen! (and thanks Alison!)

DATE: 12/15/2005 01:50:02 PM
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Today is Noah's 4th birthday! I can't believe how fast it's gone. Noah was born at 9:56am on Dec. 15, 2001.....6 weeks before his due date. Talk about a Christmas surprise! He is such a precious little boy and we are so blessed to have him.

He's been a tad confused because we had his birthday party Tuesday night at Kyle's mom's house. So, today after preschool, we went to a friend's house (very close friends of ours live a few houses down from us and have 3 boys as well.) We had a little celebration there, but he doesn't understand why he's not having a "real birthday party" today! Oh well.

Here are some pictures from the past few days....


No, he's not really cross-eyed. I guess he was staring too closely at the candles!

Noah at preschool.....I don't know what kind of face he's making!?!?

Making a gingerbread house at school.

The boys with their best friends......what a crew!!!