Tide Pools

Last weekend we made a spur of the moment decision to go to the tide pools. It was such a nice day, the tides were at their lowest, and we had grand visions of pleasant hours spent exploring the tide pools, finding all sorts of cool sea creatures. We packed up, and set off toward Moss Beach.

When we got there, our visions started changing dramatically. Not only was the parking lot PACKED, but the wind was blowing with hurricane-like intensity. Despite it, we bundled up and headed down to the pools.

The kids didn't seem to mind the weather, and with Jon's help found some fun things...a couple starfish, lots of anemone, and a huge mussel bed, among other things.

 Jon told Matthew to show him the mussels (that's the mussel bed behind him) and Matthew flexed his muscles.  :)

Despite the wind and the cold, we had a fun, but quick, little outing.

Buddy Says

Matthew has been insistent lately that he wants to be a mom when he grows up. It used to drive Emma crazy, but we convinced her to just let it go and now she ignores it.

Today the kids had a friend over for a playdate. Matthew again mentioned that he wanted to be a mom and the friend told him that boys grow up to be daddies and girls grow up to be mommies. He got really upset and yelled "I can be anything I want to be!" They had this conversation over and over while I tried not to laugh.

When I asked Matthew why he wants to be a mommy when he grows up, he said it's because he wants to be able to have a baby in his tummy. Oh goodness! I told Jon that next time I'm pregnant I'm going to make it seem as miserable as I can. :) 

Lost Rings and Keys

Apparently we lose important things...a lot. Last Friday, I was at Chuck E Cheese with the kids and was helping Matthew play Skeeball. He threw a ball, but it didn't go far enough and rolled back to us, so I grabbed it and hurriedly threw it again. Unfortunately, my ring flew off with it. It has been about 2 sizes too big for the last two years, and has fallen off several times. As I threw the ball I knew that my ring was going to fall off, but it was all in that quick split second and before I could do anything, the ring was gone.

A really nice employee spent the next 1 1/2 hours under the machine, in the machine, and taking the top of the machine apart, but the ring was never found. So so sad!

While they were looking for the ring, Jon took the kids to the car and suggested that they say a prayer to find the ring. Emma said a short prayer and then they waited. When I came out, they were excited to tell me that they had prayed so the ring would be found. Unfortunately, it is still somewhere in the depths of the Skeeball machine. However, the lesson stuck with the kids.

Yesterday after getting home from preschool, Matthew took my keys. I didn't realize it until I went to get them so we could get Emma from school. They were gone. I ransacked the house, trying to think like Matthew, checking every random place I could. They were nowhere. We finally just ran to the school, arriving 15 minutes late...oops!

When we got home, I promised the kids candy canes and lollipops if they found the keys, and sent them on their little search. Matthew ran down the hall and then stopped and said, "Mom, if we say a prayer we'll find the keys". I wasn't in the best mood, and honestly praying was the last thing on my mind, so I asked him if he would say one. He immediately dropped to his knees, folded his little arms, closed his eyes as tightly as he could, and said one of the sweetest, most sincere prayers I have ever heard.

Within 30 seconds, Emma yelled that she had found the keys. She ran to me and said that Jesus pushed her to the keys and she found them deep down in the couch cushion. We knelt down again and Emma said a short prayer, thanking Heavenly Father for helping us find the keys.

This experience was such a sweet testimony of prayer for me. I'm grateful for these moments when my kids teach me.

Can't Get Enough

We feel so blessed to have Ellie in our family. She is such a sweet, happy baby (except when she's teething...then she just gets grumpy!) and we are all in love with her. I love the age she's at and all the fun things she's doing. Here's are some of my recent favorites!

(And for the record, I love my other kids too.  :)  Every time I go through baby pictures of the other kids...Emma especially....I worry that I don't have enough baby pictures of Ellie, and I don't want her to feel less important later.  :)  )

Ellie pulls herself up to EVERYTHING, even in the bath. It's a little nerve-wracking, but she's steady and if she doesn't feel comfortable, she'll sit down.

She just can't resist the shiny faucet

Just like Emma and Matthew, Ellie is a little water baby

She makes this face often....makes me laugh

Much to the older kids' delight, Ellie taught herself how to spit. They laugh so hard every time she does it, so of course she laughs and does it more.

GUILTY!

Kickin' back and munching on Cheerios. Emma used to do the same thing, and I find it hilarious.

Ellie also started clapping a couple weeks ago...so so cute!

January in Pictures

 Jon, Emma, and Matthew each painted a small canvas a few weeks ago. They have been on a painting kick ever since.

Jon's lizard

 Emma's monkey

And I'll let you decide what Matthew's picture is  :)

Ellie started making this face several weeks ago. It makes us laugh so hard...kind of a "I want to smile, but I'm not really sure if I should because I don't know if I'm happy or scared right now" face. She does it all the time and it's hilarious.

Hammin' it up for the camera

The pose that she held FOREVER. As soon as I took the picture she moved.

This boy ALWAYS has a bump, scrape, or bruise on his forehead. This time he tried to jump into the stroller, but he jumped too hard and ended up on the ground with the stroller on top of him. Poor kid!

"Look Mom! She's Mary!" (because if you wear a head covering, that makes you Mary)

We got this bathtub when Emma was a baby. Then Matthew used it when he was a baby, and Emma always insisted on sitting in it with him. Now it's Ellie's tub and Matthew insists on sitting in it with her. We have gotten a lot of mileage out of this thing! And they look so cute in it.  :)

Lately

This is probably my favorite recent Emma quote. I laugh every time I think about it.

Emma: (Looking at some curtains I had bought and just hung) Those are some nice curtains you got there woman.
Me: (Looking at her, speechless)...
Emma: (very hesitantly) Well, cuz you're a woman because girls are a woman and boys are a man...right?
I got a good laugh out of it.  :)

I have so many posts in my head that I want to do, but I never get them done and I'm so far behind now that I know they're not going to happen. So instead, here's a little rundown of our life lately.

Ellie cut her first tooth today! I have to admit though, that this is one milestone I don't get excited about. I love when they learn to sit, roll, crawl, walk, eat solids, etc. I think it is SO fun to watch them grow and learn new things. However, there is just nothing fun about teething....at all. :)  And there is just something so cute about a gummy little smile. I miss it when they get those pearly little whites in!

Ellie has also perfected her crawling and is constantly pulling herself up to things to stand. She is BUSY....always on the go. She keeps up with the kids pretty good and is convinced that she is one of them. When I go to get her out of her crib in the morning and after naps, she is usually standing up in her crib, looking so proud of herself. She is such a social little girl and will smile at anyone and everyone who looks in her direction.

Matthew had another breathing episode (for lack of a better word) last week. He had been complaining all morning that he was tired and his tummy hurt and when we were in the car he kept asking for more air. I thought he was just being whiny and didn't think anything else of it until we went to eat lunch with Jon and I noticed he was working pretty hard to breathe. We called his pediatrician and headed straight over. They did a couple of nebulizer treatments and gave him 2 doses of a liquid steroid and he was good to go. But it was definitely scary for a little while there. The doctor called in a prescription for a nebulizer, which was delivered yesterday (and was completely free...I LOVE our insurance!) so hopefully we can take care of him at home from now if anything else happens.

Matthew has also been saying so many funny things lately...wish I remembered to write them down! He is insistent that he wants to be a mom when he grows up (because that's what Emma wants to be). When he's excited about something he says it's "super duper muper!" He's also really gotten into painting lately, again because that is what Emma loves. Unfortunately, he inherited my art skills (or major lack therof) but he has a lot of fun doing it anyway.  He moved up to Primary at Church and was so excited to join Emma there. The first week was great, and then he started having Nursery withdrawals after that. He doesn't ever want to go to Primary, but once he's there and we leave, he's fine. He still LOVES his preschool, loves his teachers, loves show and tell, and loves music time. I have caught him several times lately singing preschool songs while he plays. He goes to a Lutheran Church school, so they're all church songs. It's so cute to hear him singing things like "Peace Like a River in My Soul" and "This Little Light of Mine".

Emma has been having such a great time at school. She has the best teacher and has made several good friends. I've had the opportunity to help out in her class for an hour every other week and it is so much fun (crazy, but fun). Matthew loves going because Mrs. Rothe lets him play with the toys and Ellie basks in all the attention she gets while we're there. We've also been able to go on all but one of her field trips. This week we went to the police station. I'm really glad I'm able to spend this time with her and be a part of her school experience.

Twenty-nine!

 This year Jon and I both turn 29...hard to believe this is our last year in our 20's. We're getting old! :) Jon's birthday was January 31, but we spread the celebrating out over several days.

The kids got Jon a dart board and just COULDN'T WAIT to give it to him, so he got it a week early. It was killing Matthew to not tell, and we had several conversations like this in the 5 minutes after Jon got home the day we bought it-

Matthew: Dad, we got you a bow... 

Emma cutting in: Shhh Buddy, don't tell him!  

Matthew: We got you a bow and arrow game and it's really cool and it lights up!  

Emma cutting in again: Buddy, you're not supposed to tell him!

So, I finally told him they could give it to him early. They ran and wrapped it in a blanket and brought it out to him. They were SO excited. And we've had a lot of fun with it since then.  :)

 Jon requested a pumpkin cake with cream cheese frosting (and the kids requested festive sprinkles). We ended up having the cake the night before his birthday (family night treat!) and it was tasty! We didn't have 29 candles so I did 2 and 9...hey, it works.  :)

How many people does it take to blow out 11 candles???

On Jon's birthday, he took the day off of work. Emma's class was learning about community helpers (jobs in the community) and Jon had volunteered (or been volunteered :) ) to talk about his job. Made Emma's day!

The kids all thought his movie posters and Megamind cape were cool and had a lot of random comments and stories. It was a fun little presentation.

 

 

 It also just happened to be Emma's special day so we got to stay and watch her present her "All About Me" poster.

We raced home from the school and got ready to leave again. Jon's mom was kind enough to come out and watch the kids for the day (THANK YOU!!!) so Jon and I could go out for a birthday date. We were able to go to the temple, grab some lunch, and do a little shopping. Such a fun afternoon!

Sadly, this picture was the ONLY picture we got. But the food was really good.  :)

 

Happy birthday Jon!