Birthday Girl!

Our little Isabelle is now 4! Here comes the cliches...I can't believe how fast they grow. It seems like just yesterday we were bringing her home from the hospital...etc I could go on. If they weren't so true, they wouldn't be said so much! We had a fun birthday. Mike got home super late from his trip on Thursday night so we celebrated her birthday on Friday. We didn't even tell her it was her birthday on Thursday. From the get go, we just counted down to the wrong day. It's so great when they don't know what day it is. She picked everything we did for the day.

We all slept in on Friday, had a slow morning, did the morning birthday business and sent Mike off for work. We played at home until Mike got home. Then he took her swimming at the YMCA, while I ran to Target to get a last minute present with the boys. Then we went to Chuck E Cheese. We only payed $3 but got extra tokens. So we used about half and are saving the rest for Michael's birthday. They had so much fun!

We came home, had spaghetti (her favorite, although she just eats the noodles with parmesan cheese), did presents, put an out of control Michael to bed, and then had cake. With both boys asleep for cake, it was fun with just the three of us. She picked sprinkle cake with sprinkle frosting. That made it easy for me. I didn't have to do any decorating this year. :) It was a fun family day and Isabelle loved every second.

Michael kept trying to unwrap her presents all day. At one point, he got the bubblegum (which was hidden on top of Mike's desk), unwrapped it, opened the package, and had eaten 3 pieces (all at once) in less than 5 minutes. Isabelle wasn't upset, if anything she was excited. Not only did she get a present at 11am but then got to eat the rest of the gum. She got gum, a puzzle, a farm set, a leapster, a couple of books and money.

October Moments

Oct 4: I put dinner in the oven and walked away. 20 minutes later I made it back in the kitchen and sitting there was one of the ingredients. I'm a disaster in the kitchen. I make lots of silly mistakes. Dinner still turned out ok.

Oct 5: We celebrated Mike's birthday. It's so much more fun with Isabelle getting into it. She picked his dinner and it included blue jello. Yum!

Oct 29: We had a doughnut party. We invited a few families from our ward and enjoyed deliciousness!

Best Business Trip Ever!

Mike had a business trip to Jacksonville, FL and was gone for 4 days. It just so happened one of my best friends was able to road trip with her mom to visit her aunt in Coeur d'Alene. Which meant, Kari and her 2 year old, Abbey, came and spent 3 days at my house during those 4 days Mike was gone. It was fabulous! Not only did I have company while Mike was gone, but we got to stay up too late, and do some projects I've wanted to get done.

This is my new living room. This is something Mike and I have been talking about doing for 2 weeks and every time I suggested it after kids were in bed, I end up sitting on the couch next to Mike for some TV time and got nothing done. So finally I just did it myself with lots of help from Kari. Not only did we get the energy to do this at 11pm, but it may have involved a saw, lots of laughter, and some serious muscles on the tv and treadmill. There are pros and cons to both scenarios of the living room. We are leaving it for a week or two to see which one we like better. (who are we kidding, it's not going to get put back) I'm going to hang that mirror hiding behind the couch on that wall, eventually.

This picture makes me laugh. Look at Isabelle with everyone else completely not happy. The kids had fun. Abbey was absolutely terrified of Jake. She climbed Kari so fast anytime he was on the same floor as her. She started to lighten up just in time to go home. Apparently in a year, she forgot about him. This visit was some seriously needed best friend time. Kari used to come over all the time and just sit and visit with me while I got stuff done. It was just like old times.

"I NO LIKE!!!" again

I've been trying to get some pictures of Michael for a post and just in general get a decent shot of him. 3 WEEKS later...no success. Every time he even sees the camera, he runs away and yells, "I NO LIKE CHEESE!" Or "I NO LIKE CAMERA!" or picture, or something about getting his picture taken. It was funny at first, but now it's just irritating. Even bribery doesn't work. Oh well, here's the classic, "no like" face.

The other night Mike and I were laying in bed chatting and we heard Michael. He started crying, and then a minute later, "I NO LIKE AWAKE!" mumbled something else, did some weak cry and then was quiet again. We died laughing. What a funny boy.

And, I love this shirt...so fitting.

Farewell, My Friend...Again

Luke is sensitive to dairy....UG! That's all I have to say about that. My awesome sleeper of 7-8 hours at night wakes up every 2-3 hours after a heavy dairy day. Granted he is nowhere close to Michael. Michael screamed in pain. Luke just wiggles in uncomfortableness and whines and you can tell he's just off. I've completely cut out the mega obvious milk, cheese, butter and yogurt and have seen a huge improvement. I'm gradually cutting all the hidden dairy too as I remember what I used to have to avoid and what I used to eat. After cutting everything out for a few weeks, I'll add back a few things at a time to see how much I can get away with. I keep making it a day or two and then cheat and remember just how HARD it is for me to completely cut out dairy. So, farewell again, my friend. I will miss you again, just in time for the holidays. I enjoyed you for the few months I had you. Hopefully our time apart will be shorter this time. In one way I'm excited! I lost so much weight last time, so it will help me get rid of these extra pounds I'm carrying around.

Here's a few new pictures for admiring aunts and grandmas. He's smiling more, but they are still hard to coax out of him and actually catch with the camera.

What's More fun than a Baby?

PUPPIES!!!!!! 12 PUPPIES!!!!!! We went to visit our friends "on the farm" as Isabelle calls it, for the day on Saturday. They have two dogs that have recently had puppies. One litter had 5 and they were 2 weeks old. The other littler had 7 and were 3 days old. Isabelle could not leave them alone! She literally spent the entire day with those puppies. Michael loved the older ones, but didn't quite know what to do with the itty bitties. The mommas were very protective and scared the bejeebers out of Jake. He is so completely unconfrontational and just wants to play, he had no idea what to do. He is officially a seriously pansy dog, despite the fact he was twice as big as them. He kept sitting by the truck wanting to get back in. At one point Jake's head was between Mike's legs and he was cowering. Mike was very sympathetic to Jake. "Yes, that's how we've been feeling at home too, Jake." Don't get in the way of new mommas! We're crazy! I have been getting nicer again, just for the record. We went for a hay ride through their apple orchard and picked a few absolutely delicious Fuji apples, and then I got stung by a yellow jacket. It was a good fun day with friends we miss tons and don't get to see often enough.

Look closely at Michael in these pictures (or click on it to make it larger). Hilarious! He was also giving Jake a sympathy hugs.

A-MAZE-ing Fun!

Friday night we did a family date night. I had a groupon for a corn maze in the area, so we bundled up everyone and had some fun. Isabelle loved it. She didn't make walking the whole time. With some very creative kid carrying for Mike and I, she had a short break and finished up strong. Afterwards, we headed to Costco to pick up a few things and pizza for dinner.

Happy to Stay Awhile

When we first moved into this house, both Mike and I went into it thinking, "Sure it will work for a few months and then we'll move." We have left lots of boxes unpacked and we have 1 picture on our wall. Well over a year later we are still here. Every time we start to look to move, we find nothing, or nothing as nice for the price. I've come to find, this is where we need to be. All the things about this place that used to bug me, don't so much anymore. This hill is ours and leaves little grassy area. It makes me feel like I live in a hole because it is 2 sides of my house, however, the dog and kids LOVE it. With a few shovels and buckets, I can see them from my kitchen window and they are in heaven for hours. During the winter it is an awesome sledding hill. We also live behind another duplex with their back fence as our view from the front of our house. It's a long gravel driveway to get to us. I hated this, once again, feeling isolated. However, the kids don't wander! They have plenty of bike/trike space back behind this fence and don't make it close to the road. If they are barefoot, they never make it far on the gravel driveway, and what kid doesn't love TONS of rocks? All seasons, with little kids, this is a good place for us.

This house is smaller and downsizing was not fun, but I've learned to figure out lots of tricks. I'd like to say that also means it's cleaner....um....but....it's not. :) It just means I have more time to play with my kiddos.

6 Weeks!

Mr. Luke is 6 weeks. Time flies when you are having fun! Luke fits perfectly into our family. I feel like he's been here for months. Everyone says 3 is the hardest. It's definitely busy. I started what should have been a 2 hour project, and turned into a 2 day project. I get so distracted. Up to change a diaper, then someone needs a drink, then the laundry needs to be switched, but oh, I forgot to finish the dishes this morning, calm the crying baby, my phone rings, Michael runs by smelling, "OH YEAH! I got up to change a diaper!" You all know how it goes, but I love it! It means I have 3 kiddos and I feel so blessed.

Luke is such a tolerant baby! This poor kid gets man-handled and mostly puts up with it. Isabelle asks to hold him constantly and would hold him for hours if I let her. Luke makes it about 10 minute intervals before he cries for bigger arms and a little distance in the face. Michael loves to pretend he is eating Luke. He picks at him like he's eating Cheerios, and pretends to put it in his mouth. It's strange but cute. Michael gradually gets rougher and then Luke cries to be rescued.

Luke loves tummy time, but started rolling over at 3 weeks. He flips himself over and gets frustrated he can't go from back to tummy. He likes toys mixed with some social time. He seems to be a mix of Isabelle and Michael. Isabelle liked toys but much preferred social interactions. Michael LOVED toys at this age. Luke is in the middle. He loves to be in a sitting position. I've already pulled out the Bumbo seat. He doesn't like the lounge position very much and likes to stand up in my lap. He is a schedule baby and getting chunkier by the minute. We love our latest addition!

Isabelle got him out of his crib yesterday all by herself....yeah. It went as well as it sounds. Luke is fine and Isabelle knows why we've been telling her to ask someone to get him out. I'm actually surprised it took this long with my helpful little Mommy.

Constant Entertainment

Isabelle was trying to get herself dressed and got stuck. She was so upset, but didn't want help. After a bit it got quiet, and I found this. She was fast asleep. Apparently she gave up.

Every household needs some entertainment. I'm glad we have Isabelle.