Choo Choo and Princess

Well...we have fish!  The 3 kids love them.  Ally's fish LOVES to eat and is a very active swimmer.  Ben's fish is so lazy...we keep thinking he's dead.  He likes to hide under a rock for long periods of time and doesn't eat nearly as much as Princess.  Princess will swim to the glass and try to interact with you.  Choo Choo hides from you if you are looking at him.  We'll see if they both live much longer. 

How do you know if a fish is sleeping?  Just wondering...

2 new additions...

We have 2 new additions to our family...their names are Choo Choo and Princess.  1st- Can you guess who named them?  2nd- What are the new additions? 

December 19

This little girl is a ball of crazy.  Right now she's going through a mean streak (probably because she sees Ben play so rough everyday).  Right here though she's being super sweet.  Todays been a good day for her.

 Ben's development therapist is letting us borrow this fun trampoline.  Ben has found other things to do on it.

 Ally is picking up reading really well, but it seems that math is going to be her strong subject.  This morning she informed me that she loves math and thinks its so fun.  Obviously she's gotten that from Matt, seeing as how I have always detested that subject.

December 17

Ally told Santa she wants a fish. (check)

 Ben wants a choo choo. (check)

 Lucy wants NOTHING to do with the guy.

 quick shot of the kids

 They had a bounce house, crafts, cookie decorating, games and hot chocolate.  All FREE.  All fun.  The kids had a great time.  Radio Disney was there. 

 Ben is slowly warming up to the bounce house thing.  He went in with Matt and was fine until they got to the slide.

 Ally did it 3 times.

 Josey ate a stroller strap and Lucy just watched everything going on. 

December 15

Slowly but surely this girl will have enough hair for me to do a decent ponytail.

 Ally is a great big sister.  She has lots of fun making Josey smile.

 Matt and I had gone upstairs to put the older 3 kids to bed and when we came back down, we found Josey like this.  She had gotten ahold of an ornament that Ally had colored with marker, so it made a fun mess on Josey.

December 14

Lucy also likes to entertain Josey.  She prefers showing her dolls and taking them away from her.

 She also likes to read to her dolls.

December 13

Ben LOVES LOVES LOVES Josey.  Aside from kissing her all day he likes to read books to her and show her pictures.

 Look at that chub.  LOVE HER.

December 11

Last night before bed the kids wanted a snack.  So I opened up the lemon buddies for us to snack on.  Lucy reached over to try to help herself to some and dumped the bowl all over the both of us.  Luckily it wasn't too messy to clean up, I just hadn't planned on mopping the floor last night.  She was upset about the situation after it happened, but once she realized there were pieces on the floor she went to town.

December 9

Ally's teacher was taking everyone's picture next to the Christmas tree, so we made sure Ally was looking nice.  I gave her the option of 3 dresses and she chose this one.

The joys of being a mom

This morning after dropping Ally off at school, the kids and I were going to do a bit of couponing at the local grocery store (they are doing triple coupons right now).  We were literally 1 minute from the store (the gps told me so) and Ben said "mommy I spit up"..."just a minute Ben we're almost there"..."uh maa...blahhhh (he threw up)".  So I pulled over...not even in the grocery store parking lot...changed his clothes and had him sit in Ally's booster seat...and home we returned.  And since taking apart, washing and putting back together a car seat is SO much fun I thought I'd do all 4.  And then rearranged the carseats.  Cleaned all 4 bathrooms.  Folded 2 loads of laundry.  Swept the kitchen floor. Mopped the kitchen floor.  Unloaded the clean dishes from the dishwasher.  Fed the kids lunch (although I was having serious concerns about giving Ben food).  Naps for 3 kids.  Cleaned up the van a bit.  And I have been contemplating the life of a baby and how to make them stop progressing for a bit longer.  Josey is seriously moving around way too much.  She army crawls across the floor and I want her to stop growing..well for at least a few more months.  I want my immobile baby back.  My days are flying by too fast and I can't find enough time in the day to enjoy all of them.  I am just incredibly thankful that I have the opportunity to stay home with my kids and watch all of their milestones..even if they are flying by in the blink of an eye.  Ally is reading and doing math and loving school.  Ben is a jabber box and will talk your ear off if you give him the time.  Lucy loves playing mommy, coloring, following Ally around the house, trying to boss Ben around, sitting on Josey and poking her in the eye and helping mommy.  My kids are growing up too fast and I want time to slow down.  But at the same time the faster time goes, the sooner I get to be reunited with Sette.  And man do I miss that girl.  She and Lucy would be great buddies.  She'd be starting kindergarten next fall.  She'd be my helper.  I miss all her many facial expressions she could give you.  She was such a fun little girl and could so easily make me smile.  She had this love for Matt and everyday couldn't wait for him to come home.  We'd stand at our bay window and watch for him and sing "daddys homecoming".  Oh well...enough writing I guess.  I need to get back to "life". 

December 8

Don't worry...he's still quite manly. 

 dolls and trains have been the big thing here lately.

 My little guys slice of heaven right here.  He's going to love Christmas!

December 7

Josey got her first taste of food last night.  She had peas and did really well eating them.  Lucy loved them as well..YUCK.  Lucy finished the rest of Josey's peas today at lunch.

December 6

December 4