Some things are more important than preschool

Something Magical

Jane took this picture today. I didn't know she was taking it. I guess she just had my phone and started snapping away. I was in the middle of changing Tommy and decided to give his sweet face a kiss. Talk about perfect timing.

We live in a day of photoshopping and cropping. In social media we do the same to our lives, putting forth the image that we want other's to see.

But out of all the beautiful and digitally edited photos I've had with my babies, I think this one's my favorite.

My clothes aren't anything special. There's a pile of laundry on the couch, a half-eaten apple on the ground. Some discarded toys, a dirty diaper, wet clothes and socks. And yet in the middle of all of that...something magical. And wonderful.

We may complain about the hard days. The never ending messes. The long to-do list. But this is what it's all about. This picture right here.

We learned about Mexico

We made worry dolls. Technically...Central America. But Jane picked out the craft. A little bit creepy. A little bit fun.

My kitchen helper

Look, Mom! I'm a Pteranodon

Shadow Walk

It's always so exciting to get one of these

First hurdle passed!

Max's weather forecast for the morning: cranky

"In the morning...Jane will be mad at me."

Oh, how sadly accurate. Why do all our morning begin with fighting?

Science for Jane

"This stick looks like a walking stick."

Yes...you could say that.

My Little Snacker

Family Ice Cream Social

He's trying to eat the phone

Hand sewing Valentines

Jane's Word Logic

What do you say when you need the horse to go slow? Giddy-down?

Tommy thinks Max is AWESOME!

Scenes from preschool

My artist

My builder

Love my Max

Learning to Cook

This week it's oatmeal.

Daddy Cuddles

You're feeling very sleepy...

Max loves books

Today Max wanted to skip storytime so he could play ABC Mouse. At least, he thought that's what he wanted to do. Then he saw some of his favorite books.

Max: "Okay, we read just one book." *looks in the book basket.* "Oh!" *pulls out a book* "We read just two books." *sees another book he likes and grabs it. "Okay. We read just three books."

Lunchtime

Jane Hand Sewed A Pillow and Max is a Goof

Saturday's picture a little late

Rob is a balloon artist, which makes him the favorite.

Feet are neat

Photos Courtesy of Max

I can appreciate that this is the part of my body my kids probably see most. Lucky dogs. ;)

Goal Check-in

Service this week: Helped mom on partial bed rest
Had family sing along
Read through Matthew 8
Planted a container with salad mix
Revised novel through chapter 44. Got a beta read. Have issues in first 100 pages to fix. Will get to that later. Try to double up on chapters so I can still finish in January and get the whole thing beta read.
Wrote two silly poems.

Family Movie Night: The Incredibles

Herbivores and carnivores have new names over here

Max calls them "mean eaters" and "nice eaters." Also, "camadors."

An Ed Emberley book and colored pencils

Nothing better.

Jane and words

Jane: Why do we call our feet "bear" feet?

Rob: Bare means the same thing as naked.

Jane: Naked bear! Roar!

Lots of giggles followed.


Jane: Why are they called sandals? Is it because you where them in the sand?

Yes. I'd never thought of it or realized it before, but that is probably exactly why they're called sandals. She is figuring out words, this girl of mine.

Oh, I just love this boy.

There's so much that I realize, I don't remember about my other babies. Because I didn't write it down. But this little Tommy boy is so special. He is the most socially keyed-in baby I'm ever had or met. He just gets it, that he wants to be around us. He's only three months, but when we put his bumbo on a kitchen chair so he could sit with us at meals, he was just overjoyed. It was the best thing ever for him! He's learned that laughing is a group activity and is really good at figuring out when he is supposed to laugh. Like when Rob was tickling Max and then tickling Tommy. I know he's not really ticklish, but after a couple times of seeing Max's reaction, Tommy was laughing right alongside him!

He can stare you down like nobody's business and his eye contact is incredible. His cousin who's only two weeks younger than him came and visited over Christmas. Tommy could not take his eyes off his new buddy. I'm not sure Everett even knew Tom was there, but Tommy had zoned in on a baby and he was ready to talk.

Speaking of talking, this guy is chatty! All babies talk, and I have video of my other two talking, but Tommy really tries to have a conversation with you. He talks, then waits for you to say something. Then he talks again. And he does it so much longer than my other kids. He's just a jewel. My mother-in-law said last week "he has a spark" and I think that's the best way to sum it up.

Oh, and he kisses now, too! Lots and lots of big kisses. He knows how to melt hearts, that's for sure.

Dinosaurs and Fossil Dough

Just want to brag that this is an over-the-shoulder shot while breastfeeding. My camera skills are sweet!

Yes, this counts as school

This tramp is really coming in handy. Today we went and did 100 jumps on it. I think we will do that every day for the next year or so until counting to 100 is totally ingrained! Ha! Then Rob came home and went and played a dinosaur game using our vocab words for the week. Carnivore. Herbivore. Extinct. This is everyone being "extinct."

New Sunbeam and CTR 5 girl

Saturday Evening Antics

Tommy is not amused.