Christmas 2012

Gingerbread House 2011

Asher and Dylan's 2nd Birthday Party

Halloween Night

Our awesome friends opened up their home (or front yard) again this year. Everyone gathered for some frito pie and then went around trick or treating. I was so excited to have our kids all dressed as characters that relate to one another (Mario, Luigi, and Princess Peach). I thought had everyone on board with the costumes prior to ordering them, but at some point after the purchase, Evan remembered that it was his life long dream to be Spiderman. So as we awaited Halloween and people asked Evan what he was going to be, he would reply with a sob-story of how his mom was ruining his life by making him be Mario, when all he ever wanted to be was Spiderman. But despite the protests leading up to the day, he was thrilled to get in his costume when the time came, and surprisingly loved his mustache.

I think they all looked adorable.

Mario and a little cowgirl having a convo

COW CROSSING!

Our little Luigi was a champ at wearing his hat.. he hung out with Minnie Mouse most of the night.

Sweet girls!

Evan found a way to slide food in his mouth under that mustache.

Thank goodness Batman was there...

They just get each other :)

Look!! Jedi Knights are on their way!!

Picking out our Pumpkin

With Elena in school and Ben being gone for a couple weekends our family did not make it out to a pumpkin patch together this year... but thank goodness for HEB!

Yea, that pumpkin didn't make it... thud!

Love these kiddos!

Evan - 4 Years

I really don't think Evan will ever outgrow being cute (at least to me!!!)! There's just something about the way he interprets life - still so innocent, sweet, and imaginative! There's a lot of little conversations in this list; I can't help myself. I find them so entertaining!

- Evan is so drawn to any sort of action hero - the character is irrelevant, it just has to look "powerful".

- In September he began going to a day-school two days a week. For some reason he came home from his first day saying, "He can't tell us what he did, because it's just a secret." HUH??? I thought he'd get tired of that line, but he still gives it to us anytime we snoop.

Me: "Did you like the snack?"

E: "Mom, everything I do at school is just a secret."

Me: "Oh Evan, is that song you're singing from school?"

E: "Yes, but I can't sing it anymore, it's just a secret!"

Me: "Evan, your teacher said you demonstrated 'stop, drop and roll' during the fireman's visit!?"

E: "Mom, it's JUST A SECRET!"

- Evan is lacking some coloring skills. I think Asher's pages are now looking a more full than his. He picks one color, does a light scribble, and calls it done.

- He's the most eager and pleasant in the house to say, "good morning". He's often laying at the top of the stairs waiting for Ben or myself to come out of our room. The dialogue is usually

E: "Good Morning Daddy/Mommy!" "Is it morning??"

Us (eyes barely open): "Yea."

E: "YESSS!"

The enthusiasm is a little much for me at that hour.

- He wants to open the door to the fridge for me, and again when I put the item back. He sighs dramatically and says, "I just wanted to do something good."

- He will now sit down and do some activities (specifically to help with fine motor skills), and his attention and concentration has really come a long ways! The other day we had a funny exchange as he was finishing a puzzle.

E: "Mom, are you so proud of me?"

Me: "Yes, Evan I am.

E: "YOU ARE??!!" (He couldn't have sounded more shocked if I had told him I dined with Superman for breakfast)

- The list is short of things Evan fears: Haircuts, New Foods, ... and I think that's it. New places and faces are so fun for him.

- Evan has started going to Cubbies (part of the AWANA program). I am really, REALLY surprised at how well he is memorizing the verses. And he loves his Cubbie book. The Cubbie character is a little bear, and there's a picture of him on each page near the page number. He will sit and talk to the little picture of Cubbie (I do a voice, to talk back), and tell the bear all about his birthday party, cool toys he saw at Target, etc... he feels a deep bond with Cubbie.

- He loves Elena by tolerating her constant instruction to him, and he loves Asher by giving him autonomy in his play; he's the perfect middle child.

- His voice can get so LOUD! He can't seem to help it sometimes.

- Evan was telling my friend about how he got a cut on his foot.

Sarah: "Oh, bless your heart!"

E: No, no! My heart doesn't hurt, just my foot!

Here's a couple pictures from his birthday - his party is still to come!

Elena and her FIRST LOOSE TOOTH!

Guys, this is a big deal. And if you don't think so just keep reading...

After the first week of school Elena ran into the house exclaiming that a boy in her class LOST A TOOTH! Elena was beyond excited that this was happening to someone she knew and immediately was consumed with the hope that her tooth would be next.

She started asking me when she could lose a tooth. To which I answered, "Well, I don't know when that will happen. Only God would know that."

That answer bothered her. The idea that neither she (nor her parents) had any control over something so important in her life, was not one she was comfortable with.

I reminded her that God knows everything about her. God loves her. And because of those two things, the time he picks for her tooth to fall out will be the right time.

Over the next couple weeks she prayed that God would let her lose a tooth, she read story books on the subject, and asked around school trying to find out more info on this "tooth fairy" character. :)

Well, a few nights ago, Ben was talking to her and noticed that one of her bottom front teeth was sticking out a little. He asked if he could feel it, and sure enough, it wiggled!

When Ben told her that tooth was loose, her eyes widened, she burst into a grin, and her eyes filled with tears. She was so overjoyed she cried, or as she put it later, "I was so excited my eyes got wet!"

What's most beautiful to me about her reaction to the news, was that she immediately saw it as a gift from God. She began talking about how God had answered her prayers. And as she went to bed that night, she sang. Yep, she sang praises to the Lord! Specifically ,"Praise Him, Praise Him!"; and at the bus stop the next morning, "God is So Good."

I love this story. I love that God was so good and DID give her a loose tooth so soon. I love that she was uninhibited with her praise to Him. I love that once again my children are a reminder to me to recognize God working in my life.

Now Ben and I are trying to figure out the going rate for teeth. Quarter too low??

Just Like Daddy

Last weekend Ben had a game on tv. At some point no on was in the living room watching, EXCEPT for Asher. He had sat down a few feet from the television and was concentrating so hard on what was going on. It was so cute! I pointed it out to Ben, and he went and sad down next to him.

It was sweet enough to watch Asher pointing out things to Ben, but when I saw Asher look closely at Ben's arms and then strike this pose... ahhh, I melted!

First Day of School

I'm just going to jump around and tell little stories about the day, taking my lead from the pictures.

Yep our little girl is going to Kindergarten! Crazy! As she's grown up I'd have little moments where I'd try to picture my then baby, toddler, or preschooler heading independently off to school. I could never wrap my mind around it - the idea that she'd ever be ready. But as we were laying out her clothes Sunday night, it struck me at just how capable she's gotten. Picking out and ordering her shirts for the week, and then carefully choosing the right shorts to match. I loved hearing her talk it through.

Her backpack from Land's End lacked a little bling, so I promised her she could pick out patches.

Now if you think those butterflies are loud, you should check out these shoes. The lengths gone to get these Twinkle Toes on sale - whew! Basically it was a team effort with my friend, Melissa. The shoes were a surprise that she opened just before Meet the Teacher night.

Here she is about to enter her massive school! I cannot find my way around that place.

Her brothers - they were so sweet at saying good-bye. Asher blew multiple kisses saying, "Bye Day-Da!" (That's now how he's saying her name.)

I felt pretty lonely getting into the car - I immediately missed her. And when we arrived home I felt kinda lost - not quite sure what to do with myself. I ended up taking care of some random things, ran to Target, and spent time with friends that have little boys. Ben was working from home.

She took the bus home, and apparently had a great time talking to her buddy Emily the whole way home. Ben and I were asking her about other stories from her day and she let us know that "A boy was mean to her." We asked what happened and she said, "Well, I was helping this boy be quiet, and he did not like that!!!" I giggled because I could see the whole scenario being played out. She has some practice at telling little boys what to do.

Now it's time to get the crew ready for bed - the bus comes at 7!