What's Up?

Aiden is quite the entertainer...if things are a little "slow" at home (and we've been snowed in for 2 days), he get's CREATIVE! I am continuously amazed at the things he comes up with...I'm sure it's contributed a little to my gray hairs as well!!

Peace! Shake it!

ROCK ON!

On January 17th, Chad and I went to the AC/DC concert with 5 other couples from our neighborhood! We went out for supper and beverages first then took a bus to the concert and home! It was a GREAT night! Chad and I haven't been out on a "date" for YEARS!

Say CHEESE!

Our view...zoomed to the fullest!

Leah, Chad & I

Ryan, Leah & I showin' off the ROCK sign! I look a little scary here....

Love you honey!

Leah, Brandi O., me & Sarah

I'm pretty sure the would have drug us on stage if they could've heard us singing....ha, ha, ha!!

AAAAhhhhhhhhhhhhh...AVEENO!

It's no secret...Aiden has "problem" skin. The poor kid...there are ALWAYS marks, rashes, bumps, flairups...you name it, he's got it. I'm always on the lookout for him, trying to make that skin smooth and soft. I found this oatmeal that you put in the tub, made by Aveeno. IT FRIGGEN' ROCKS!!! In fact, it's SO nice, I would like to use it MYSELF! However, my motherly conscience keeps me from using something that my child(ren) need more than me!! Anyway...it works and it works BEAUTIFULLY! The End...

I CAN DO IT!! I CAN READ!!

Ohhh, what a heart-warming, ELATED feeling I had after leaving Aiden's room last night at bedtime!! We did his Kindergarten homework (I know, HOMEWORK in Kindergarten...WHAT THE!?!?) and he had a two-page, folded in half sort of reading assignment to do - WHICH he did with ease. You know the ones, they go like: "Go, Nan! Nan ran, ran, ran. Go, Pat! Pat ran, ran, ran. Go, Van! Van ran, ran, ran. Go, Cat! Cat sat, sat, sat." ~the end. Aiden's comment to me after reading this out loud was, "that's WAY too easy to be homework, mom!" So I decided to grab the little phonics books I bought to help Parker learn how to read (which he just HAD TO DO BEFORE starting Kindergarten!!). I sat on the bed with Aiden and just asked him to TRY it...well, that was a challenge he was MORE THAN willing to take on!! I was just estatic he wanted to TRY! And...for the BEST part (I know, your thinking, "can it REALLY get better?", but hold on to your shorts!), he tackled it like a PRO and READ THE ENTIRE 10 Page BOOK! He sounded out words like rowed, faster, yelled, jumped and tipped! I had to help him out with "trailed" and "behind"...but WOW!! I'm SO PROUD OF HIM!! I took a picture of the book (not of him reading, that would be distracting and I didn't want to take the chance he would want to quit!):

Ohhh BUMMER!

Sunday January 11th, 2009

This is what happens when the noise and activity level in the house get to a point that mom can no longer stand! After raising her voice THREE times and threatening to put everyone in bed "NOW" - the crying, begging, and pleading began. So, since it was only 7:00 mom decided that if everyone can sit on the steps, near each other WITHOUT touching each other and NO ONE TALKS...NOT EVEN ONCE!!, for 3 minutes, the kids will be able to stay up. Man, the silence that fell over the house could be heard for MILES...!! And, as you can see, the kids were pleased...ha, ha, ha....

Basketball Boy Once Again!

Parker was very excited that they decided to do Saturday Basketball again this year at school! He kept his fingers crossed that the 3rd & 4th graders would be scheduled for a time AFTER he was finished bowling! He got his wish and started this week!! This young man just LOVES basketball...GO REBELS!!

Cool...

Learnin' the proper technique for that great "swish"-ing action!!

Going for the layup...

Basketball and best buddies (Nicholas & Ethan)! Doesn't get much better than that!!

Yepper! I think he's pretty cute!

Dinosaur Adventure!

It's a beautiful thing on a lazy Saturday morning when the kids get up a LITTLE earlier than you would like, they ask you to get a tub of toys they haven't played with for a while, you get it for them & they sit down NICELY and PLAY TOGETHER for MORE THAN A 1/2 HOUR!! This miracle of miracles actually happened to me this week!! I was so excited, I had to get out the camera. This way, I can pull the pics out in the future and say, "SEE!! You USED to get along SO NICELY!!"...that's a mom's privelage after all, isn't it!?!

Just LOOK at that TEAMWORK!! Whoo-HoOoO!!

Still in our jammies....it's EARLY! (Parker, however, is not a part of these festivities because he is on a bowling team! O.k...so, maybe it's not THAT EARLY!! - it is before 8:30 though)
For some reason, Aiden enjoys being the "carnivore"-type Dinos...you know, the really BIG ones that growl LOUDLY and like to EAT the other Dinos!! (wink!!)

Savannah, on the other hand, is just happy to have a Dinosaur to play with!! She LOVES being included in what her big brothers are doing!!

Can't you just FEEL the LOVE!?!...tee, hee...

DINOSAUR R-O-A-R!!

For ME?!?!

January 9th, 2009

Now, this is by NO MEANS an attempt to brag or be "showy", but this is MY blog and I got something NEW and I'm SO FRIGGEN' SUPER-DE-DUPERDLY EXCITED! Awwwww man! I think I piddled a little...darned pregnancies-ha, ha, ha! For those of you that know me, you know I'm structured, I like to have a PLAN and I get attached to things VERY EASILY. The last time my husband called me up and said, "honey - clean up the car and bring it in I got us a new one" - I told him to kiss my ass (yep, I said ASS and I'll say it again, A-S-S!)...I LOVE my Suburban, I'm a Chevy girl after all (no offense honey, you KNOW I enjoy Nissan's as well!). But, we've had our Suburban longer than we've had ANY car (since I married the car-man!) so when he took in a NEW Suburban that "was an AMAZING DEAL" (does that sound like a used car commercial!?!?) and told me he bought it, I couldn't resist...so, here is our new beautiful beast that I get to use for all my "motherly" deeds! (you BET that's how I justify it!!):

I LOVE that All-American Chevrolet symbol! I also enjoy the captains chairs so whomever is sitting in the "way back" can get there without climbing over people!! Umm-hmmm...we've already MOVED in, can you see the car blankets!?! Thank you WAL-MART!
My steering-wheel! The PILOT's WHEEL!! One day, I'm going to actually learn how to fly planes...it's on my Bucket List!
Navigation...now, how do I turn on the RADIO again!?!? Here we have the ALL IMPORTANT - VERY LARGE middle counsel area! I compile a lot of junk and I really NEED this space, man!!
All in all, I give it my BIG THUMBS UP!! Thanks honey...you must have been REALLY NAUGHTY in your past life to have to put up with me, and be so GOOD to me, in THIS life!!

Sick Girl...????

January 9th, 2009 - Friday

Oh GOOD GRIEF!! Savannah stayed home today because she was "sick". Now, to be fair, she WAS pretty sick last evening and through the night....SERIOUSLY, I didn't know little girls could hold THAT MUCH VOMIT in their tiny little stomachs!! Anyway, I digress! So, she's vomiting (and she's really a GREAT vomit-er too!...sweet, doesn't freak out, etc), she ends up sleeping with me and basically has me in a head-lock the entire night to boot! She didn't have a fever, but that didn't stop me from checking her EVERY HALF HOUR through the night! Then, I have to get up early to get the boys (and YES, that INCLUDES Chad!) up, dressed, teeth brushed, hair combed, back-packs packed, breakfast for Parker...did I forget anything!?!? As soon as I get them out the door and am looking forward to a TEENY-TINY nap with the sick-girl.....dum-dum-dummmmm....she comes down the stairs wearing her CHRISTMAS DRESS, ready to DANCE!! I'm pretty sure someone up there has a friggen' sense of humor!

Ohhh YEAH, YOoou BETCHA! This is the epitomy of SICKNESS! See the little hip-check?!
She can even show me her "Ballarina Twirl"!

Seriously, she's CUTE though, right!?!?

This dress will probably go down as one of my "FAVORITES"...I love, love, love it! There is a cute jacket that goes with it that is brown with flowers and a bow on it. She will FOREVER be getting a SPECIAL Christmas and Easter dress from her mommy!! In fact, I can thank my OWN mother for instilling this tradition in me...I can still remember how speicial it was to get new, super-cute Easter dresses!! (Even if mine DID match my sisters...we were stinkin' cute!)

Had to get a close up of the face...she's still a little pale, but DARLING!

She even talked me into painting her nails!! Actually, I was trying to get the kitchen floor washed and she wouldn't stop harrassing me so I did it just so she would SIT in ONE SPOT for more than a MINUTE and BE QUIET! Remember at the beginning of the story when I said I checked her every half hour...?...yeah, wasn't kidding and really FELT it at this point!

Six Year Old Aiden Lee...

My darling little Aiden is becoming such a handsome little man! And, boy does he KNOW IT! He uses those big blue eyes and his adorable "I just LOVE you SO MUCH mommy", to get away with all KINDS of things! These pics were taken by the same woman who took Parker's (have to be fair, ya know!)...but, alas...we probably won't be able to go back to her again. She's SO EXPENSIVE! Not that the pictures aren't GORGEOUS, but SERIOUSLY! I wish I could learn how to use my camera this way!!

Vikings Fans!

Chad has been looking forward to the Vikings vs Eagles playoff game since they won last week! He's been planning a "menu", shopping for jerseys, and prompting the kids to say "GO VIKINGS"!! Seriously, I don't remember the last time he was this pumped about something...it's kinda cute! In fact, I do believe Chad was the one who INSISTED we take pictures!! Yep, like a kid in a candy store...

The Fam
Down with the Eagles!!
Mom tries to get creative...

The boys and their little cheerleader!
This is our Taco Bar...with little weenies (a must for football!), veggies with ranch, meat and cheese with crackers, and THUNDER BUTT - the only contribution mom made!
Even Grandma Pam and Emmett came over for food, football on the big screen and pics!