Project Life ~ January {Photo Dump}

You wouldn't know it by the looks of my blog, but I am still taking pictures and attempting to do 'Project Life.'  I love pictures of the "ordinary" in our lives and find that re-reading memories I've documented through pictures and stories makes all of the 'work' worth it.  In the past, I've pretty much turned my blog into a book at the end of each year (don't ask me how 2012 went...) but this year I'm looking into some other options and while I don't exactly know what I'll do yet, I figured I may as well get my photos on here and do some journaling in an attempt to stay on top of 2013 (yes, I know we're half way through February, thankyouverymuch!). 

 

 I Man:  "I can't do it!!!"

L:  "I'll help you I Man."

 

 D installed my 'new' under the cabinet radio.  Safety first (note my sunglasses!).

 

 "Here's your pizza with spicy things on it, mom!"  :-)

 

 We attempted to catch snowflakes one morning  but they were more like crumpled up ice crystals...

 

 Later we bundled up

 

 and went out to

 

 enjoy the snow!

 

 Family bowling night! 

 

  I Man went down to the playroom and came back upstairs saying, "Mom, you gotta brush my hair!"  Apparently, he'd seen himself in the mirror and noticed his bedhead.

 

A puzzle and a snuggle with Grandma M. (who was here for I Man's 3rd birthday)

 

 "Howdy, howdy, howdy!" says the boy who's just spent 3 days with his Toy Story obsessed cousin!

 

 

What can I say?  She likes to play 'hairdresser' and he's a willing 'customer' (she does pretend nails, too!).

 

 I'm working my way out of this job! 

 

 Storytime started up at the library again a few weeks ago.  This is the end of storytime where they do 'Jack in the Box,' it's good to see that I Man is participating, sort of.

 

 L's flower girl dress (for a wedding in June) arrived in the mail today.  She had to try it on right away and looked at it from all directions.  She loves it and even said, "I feel like a princess!"

 

 I Man was playing with our shape cookies the other day when he said, "look mom, I made an 'I.'  I assumed he meant an 'eye' but looked over to see this: the letter I.

 

An unexpected visit from Aunt D, Cousin K and Baby D brought an impromptu pizza party to our house!

Conversations

L:  "I'm as sleepy as God is mighty."
Me:  "Where'd you hear that?"
L:  "I made it up like soup in the backyard!"

{While looking at the wedding picture hanging in our room}
I Man:  "You're a princess mommy!"
Me:  "I am?"
I Man:  "You're not a princess right now, but in that picture you are!"

D:  "We should take you kids bowling sometime.  {to me} Are they too young to bowl?"
Me:  "Yep."
D:  "You guys are too young for everything!  What's the deal?"
L:  "We're not too young for snack, Dad!"

I Man: "Mom, get out the candles, you hafta make me a cake!"
Me: "Why?
I Man: "It snowed!"

D: "Three year olds put their stinky in the potty, I Man."
I Man: "I don't know about that."

A Prayer by L:
"Thank You for this food,
thank You for the beautiful necklace Mom has on today,
thank You for all the water You made.
Amen."

{While putting mittens on to go outside}
Me: "Is your thumb in?"
I Man: "Nope, he's over here with his friends!"

I Man:  "The fish with stripes is Nemo (pronounced 'name-o').
Me:  "Yep, he's orange, isn't he?"
I Man:  "He has a mom and a dad, well not a mom but a dad."
L:  "He had a mom, but she died because a shark ate her." 
I Man:  "A shark ate her?"
Me:  "Yep."
I Man:  "Oh." (sad and quietly)

Me:  "Good night sweet boy."
I Man:  "Good night sweet mama."

{While watching me put makeup on one day}
I Man:  "Why are you doing that Mommy?"
Me:  "It makes me pretty."
I Man:  "You are pretty, Mommy."

L:  "The time is 10:34." {which was not the right time}
Me:  "I think your watch is off."
L:  "Can you please turn it on?"
Me {distracted with the dishes}:  "What?"
L:  "Can you turn my watch on?"
Me:  "It is on."
L:  "But you said it was off."
This conversation was followed by a discussion of how some words have more than one meaning.

L: "I Man, in the spring we can go outside without a coat on."

I Man: "I don't want to go outside."

L: "Not now, in the spring!"

I Man: " I don't want to go outside in the spring."

L: "Yes, you will."

I Man: "No, I DON'T!"
Me:  Sigh! 

Lesson Learned ~ Today is Not the Day

I took the kids to the grocery store the other day.  We had gone to story time at the library and were out anyway so I figured we could do a quick trip.  When we got there I Man begged for the 'Car' cart and after L offered for him to sit by the only steering wheel left in the 'car' {awww!} I went against my better judgement said, "yes."  Because for some reason I thought today would be the day that they could sit together without a problem... 

 

Can you see where this is going?

Obviously, I

thought

wrong.

 

These pictures were taken during the 'good' part of the trip.  In the end, L became my walking helper while I Man wailed from the car, "I want to help, toooooo!" 

 

Lesson Learned ~ today is not the day.

The A Team

The day after I Man's 3rd birthday my sister, brother-in-law and the A Team (their five kids whose names all start with 'A') arrived at our house for a few days.  There was a presentation my brother-in-law wanted to attend here in town and so it worked out for all of them to come to our house!  Yay!

 

 They arrived in the evening and after some playtime we put the kids up in our playroom for the night!

 

 The next day, we gave our birthday gifts to A4,

 

 A3,

 

 and A2 (all of whom have birthdays in January/February).

 

 AND contrary to popular belief (or something like that) we city folk do have something to show our country cousins...

 

 like how a garbage truck picks up our garbage!  ;-)

 

I should have many more pictures inserted here but for some reason I didn't take my camera out at all for the rest of the day.  :-(

 

I didn't get a picture of A4 and I Man racing their Toy Story cars or how A4 taught I Man that Woody wears a cowboy hat and says, "Howdy, Howdy, Howdy." 

 

I didn't get a picture of A3 and L playing school and store together. 

 

I didn't get a picture of how A2 set up I Man's new track using all of the pieces and getting them to fit together! 

 

I didn't get a picture of A5 and L playing 'babies.'

 

I didn't get a picture of A1 and A2 playing Chess together or of D playing Candy Land with them all.

 

Nor did I get a picture of us adults playing Golf (with cards) until midnight.

 

But all of that happened too and much more!!

 

 The next day, I had helpers

 

 in the kitchen

 

 while attempting to make cream cheese monkey bread.

 

 Obviously, it didn't turn out like the pictures (I should have used the smaller pan!!) and the kids could have done without the cream cheese.

 

 (Proof that B was here, too!  See him sitting at the counter?)

 

 We played Sorry!

 

 with the older kids,

 

 while the younger ones played firefighters (not sure how L escaped the picture and yes we ran out of fire hats so some kids had to use football helmets and construction hats - so what?).

 

 Before the A Team left, we got our usual picture with all of the cousins together in birth order (from left to right).  I liked this one,

 

 and this one.

 

 And these two aren't exactly frame worthy...

 

but they're just about right! 

 

Thanks for coming B, J and the A Team, we had a great time!  When are you coming back?!

#3

...and a word about blogging.  It's no secret I haven't been blogging much lately, maybe you've noticed?  I've been slacking for a variety of reasons but in the interest of keeping you informed when I DO blog I've added a 'follow by email' feature to the right.  All you have to do is enter your email address and each time I post something new you'll receive an email telling you I've done so (at least I think that's how it works).  You're welcome!

 

And now on to the real reason for this post...

 

I Man turned 3 on Sunday (3!?). 

 

When I asked him what kind of party he wanted for his birthday the choices were clear (in my mind anyway).  1) Curious George 2) Construction or 3) Firefighter.  Once he saw the choices he was set on a fireman birthday (no matter how hard I pulled for the construction one (becase that cake looked way, way easier)).  So a firefighter birthday it was for both him and Great Grandpa! 

  

printable invitation and a few other decor ideas (namely food cards and cupcake toppers) from here



those balloons are supposed to be water - idea from here



and those boxes are buildings on fire, of course!



directions for this cake here, and yes, I'm still confident that that construction cake I was pulling for would have been easier!!



he was happy with it, though!

 

Once the party started there were guests (and more guests via Skype)



cards



presents



a game



('pin' the hat on the fire dog)

 

prizes



food (to go with the firefighter theme, I served a "Hot" Potato Bar, "Sound the Alarm" Chili and "Fire Extinguishers" (pop and water).  I also had some candy out "Fireman Hoses" (twizzlers) and Stop, Drop and "Tootsie" Rolls)



and cake!



 

 (I still can't believe he's 3...sigh!)

 

when I Man's #3 candle was accidently blown out, he got to help Great Grandpa blow out his 86!

The rest of the party was spent playing and visiting

 

 and once the crowd had left and the balloons came down, the fun continued because L and I Man discovered that balloons can stick to lots of things...

 

including them! 

 

Happy Birthday, Little Man!