I Don't Know

Once in awhile there are these amazing moments (like now) when Carson and Tana are playing TOGETHER in harmony upstairs for 1-2 hours. If, during this time, Hallie happens to be asleep (such as now) I don't really know what to do with myself! I am afraid to go up and see what they are actually doing, for fear that I will throw off their groove. Usually, I know I am facing 2 hours of playroom cleanup for my peaceful moments, and I feel it is worth it. But today, the playroom was already a disaster from our picnic on Friday. (No, I don't clean, nor make the kids clean with my assistance as often as I wish!)

Here's a picture of Hallie on my desk where I can find her several times a day if I forget to close the office door. This is how my favorite mug was broken.

Tired Hallie

Hallie will plop down anywhere with her blankie. Usually when she is tired and grumpy, I try to distract her from where I am doing something (usually the kitchen) for as many minutes as I can get before she comes trudging back to me to throw her arms around my legs and her head between them. The distraction always involves the blankie, because it will assist in keeping her content for longer. Here, I placed her on the zebra, with blankie in tow, and she apparently had no energy to ride.

Teddy Bear Picnic

It's been a boring week here for us following a spring break of snow machining with cousins, running around with dad and irregular schedules. The kids and I have spring fever something fierce. I found myself longing to get out of the house today, but with no where to go! It's getting warm enough to play outside, but there is still snow on the ground and Hallie is not stable enough on it to roam free.

The kids decided to set up a picnic upstairs and this is the scene I came upon. They left out no detail. Baby Alive even wore sunscreen. I love my kids' imaginations!

Decorating Eggs

The kids decorated Easter eggs with their cousins Braxton, Maddie, and Amanda. Aunt Mary, Aunt Kristen, and myself decorated our share of eggs as well. Tell me if you think this is crazy: over 108 eggs were boiled and decorated. I only wanted a dozen - I have no idea what they are going to do with all of those boiled eggs!

Easter Morning

On Easter morning, the kids found that the Easter Bunny had left tracks while munching the carrot they left for him. He also hid their baskets full of goodies and the eggs we decorated, along with some plastic eggs filled with candy. Hallie woke a little later than the other two, so she missed out of most of the action. We managed to make it to the early service at church only 7 minutes late.

Outdoor Egg Hunt in Alaska

Out at Fischer's we had a great dinner and the kids enjoyed (I think) hunting eggs outside with cousins Braxton, Madison, and Amanda (Steve's kids up from MO). Carson and Montana love having cousins! They just wish we had some that lived near us all the time! After our time at Fischer's, we stopped to visit with Grandma and Grandpa Howard. On the way home from there, Carson proceeded to throw up all over the back of my new (relatively) car and me! I was up late cleaning all that up. Lovely. Matt, of course, can't stomach the smell. Carson, of course, wants nothing to do with his Easter candy today!

Look-Alike Doos

Hallie and Grandpa bear amazing resemblance to one another here! Both spontaneous, unedited, on different occasions!

Happy Easter

I always attempt to get a family picture on Easter and Christmas, because we usually dress nice and I like to try to coordinate our outfits.

Here are our attempts this year, although the lighting is bad, my hair is awful, and you can't see Montana's dress, which is the cutest of all. Oh well.

Just need to vent a little...

about germiphobe moms! It bothers me so much that there are people out there who will not allow their kids around other kids for fear of them getting sick or whatever. There's this person I have tried to meet, but she has not accepted my invitations, although our husbands work together almost everyday of the week and are friends. We (myself, my husband, husband's coworker/friend) were just having this conversation at lunch about his kids and wife and he was stating that they really only need one vehicle because she never goes out. I said "She needs to get out! I bet (Kid's Name) would really like Tot Time." He said "I bet he would, but (Wife's Name) is kind of a germiphobe and she had a hard time with our kids around my brother's 5 kids, so I'm sure having them around a thousand unknown kids would really freak her out." I said what will she do when it's time for school, but then answered my own question in unision with him "homeschool." Wow. No wonder she will not accept my invitations to join us for lunch (even with husband there!) This whole situation does not seem healthy to me. Good grief, people, let your kids live!

Reuniting Socks!

I love reuniting socks! I just reunited three socks with their mates, whom had been missing for quite awhile. It is such a satisfying feeling. I will probably never throw out a single sock in case its mate should turn up one day.

H2Oasis!

We felt the need to do something fun and different for Spring Break, even if it's just in Anchorage. So we decided to go to H2Oasis. We suggested the other couples in our small group join us for added fun. We were delighted that Joel and Pam Burns along with Zach, Ellie, and Annie (all close to our kids' ages!) and Don and Darcy Drury along with Hannah and Sarah decided to come! We all had a great time at H2Oasis Indoor Water park. The kids played together, we took turns watching each others' younger children so we could go on the Master Blaster water coaster, and enjoyed each others' company. We also made time to have dinner together at Chili's before returning to Soldotna that night. That one day made our Spring Break in Alaska great!

Eating Lunch

The kids all enjoyed each other's company! It's fun to do things with friends!

Heading Home

Here are the kids piled in the car after H2Oasis, ready for the drive home. Hallie has a special Oreo cookie face! We are waiting for Dad to get out of Home Depot.

Mean People Make Me Mad!

Matt loves to concern himself with my e-mails (beware, secret lovers). And so one day he noticed a comment to the blog from someone we did not know, with a link. He warned me never to click on an unknown link (like, does he think I am that stupid?). Anyways, I get a comment on a blog post recently and it is one of these links and nothing else. I am so frustrated...I want real comments from real people, not viruses and spyware from mean people! So, I think, I want to know who this person is. They did not leave this link from anonymous, they have a profile. So, I go to their profile. No info, just their blog, titled "My Blog." Okay, curiousity has really gotten to me. It's a google blog, I don't even think twice. I click the link to their blog. BAM! Your computer is infected! I am such a sucker...trying to outsmart the smart guy. Mean people make me mad.

My Favorite Video

Beautiful Girl

I was pretty much a tomboy growing up. More concerned about climbing trees than putting on makeup. I've only just started experimenting with makeup in the last few years! I suppose I allow this "frilly mindset" (dolls, pink, cheerleading, makeup) to flourish in my girls, although I am perplexed at how it has taken root with no real encouragement and sometimes real admonishment from dad. My two girls love to get into my makeup drawer. This morning I finally gave in and allowed Tana to "put on" some of my make-up. I loved this statement she made: "Mom, I am going to be so eautiful today, because you have the prettiest makeup I ever seen."

Oh Happy Day!

My favorite earrings have been reunited! Just when I had given up all hope, Matt found my long lost earring while disassembling Montana's bedroom furniture, which is being returned. So, something wonderful came out of something very unfun.

A Sad Day for Mommy

We are gathered here today to mourn the loss of my favorite mug. It was only with us for a few short months, since Christmas, but was well loved during that time, with almost daily use. I will never forget you. While we are mourning, I must also pay tribute to my long-lost favorite earring, which was also used almost daily. I have faced the fact that our reunion is unlikely. Your partner, below, cries out for you!

This is my baby boy?

He used to sleep with his dog, "Farm," and his teddy bear, "Blueberry." Now I find him sleeping with a Hot Wheel car in his hand and his Pirates of the Carribean fishing rod (which he is not allowed to open yet) next to him. I can't believe we have already shared 5 years together. In six months he will be off to kindergarten and I will not know what he is up to all day. I will have no control over his actions, nor will I know if he is being kind, bossy, reactive, thoughtful, or respectful.