Have You Been Waiting?

Here they are--the pictures!

This first set is Emilia playing in the sunshine one morning. One of her favorite "toys" right now is an empty water bottle.

In my family, I am well known for teaching my cousin Emily to stick out her tongue at an early age. I suppose I would be in big trouble if I didn't teach the same skills to my own children.



Somedays, after putting the kids to bed, I walk back out to the living room and am greeted with this picture. I can't even explain the feeling it gives me. *sigh* I'll admit, somedays I just leave it looking like this.


These pictures are from the Shriner's circus. We all had a lot of fun at it. Did I tell you about it already? The boys favorite part was the human cannonball, in part because of the anticipation of it. We sat right by the cannon so during the whole performance, the boys were asking when they were going to use it. The cannonball was, of course, the very last part of the show. They also liked the motorcycle ball. When it was first brought out, John said, "Are they really going to put 3 bikes in there?" Ha! Not only three, but SEVEN motorcycles were riding around in it! It was LOUD but the boys were fascinated.
This was taken before the show. We were happy to be there...honest!


Emilia hanging out in her seat...check out those bottom teeth!


Down by the elephant ride before the show (proof I was there)


Micah's maternity picture...this still makes me laugh.

this is the post that never ends....

These are some pictures from Josiah's last soccer games. He played his last game on Saturday. He really enjoyed the season, but as he said on Saturday, "I know it's my last game, but I'm not sad." Are you ready for a break? "Yeah, but not just a little break, but kinda a long one."

Pre-game team stretching. Josiah looks a little funny in this because he is intentionally falling over with every stretch. I caught him mid fall.

Micah stretching on the sidelines


Emilia hanging out in the stroller..."High five, man."


Oh, right, soccer pictures. Soccer star!


The soccer star pouting.


Emilia's new face. She makes it a lot, but especially when one of her brothers first walks in the room or when she spots one of the cats.


And now, I interrupt this photo montage for a story that happened this morning on the way back from the park. My grandma was in the car with us. Micah said, "Mooooommyyyyyy! Josiah's picking his nose!" I said (in a rather silly voice), "Ewwwwww! Don't pick your nose!" The boys thought the way I said it was funny, so they kept pretending to pick their nose and then they would say, "I'm picking my nose!" Repeatedly. Over and over. Seriously, I bet they both said it at least 10 times. My sweet grandma was trying not to laugh and kept saying things like, "Oh! Look at the trees! Aren't they pretty?" Finally, I called an end to it. I said, "That's it. No more picking your nose. That's gross." To which Josiah said, "I'm not really picking my nose. I'm just pretending. Because usually when I pick my nose for real I use my thumb. See?"
Boys, boys, boys.

Back to the pictures...

I don't know what Emilia's thing is with eating grass...


To be honest, I don't think she understands it either.


Cool dude at the park


My big kid (I still can't believe he's five already)


i just LOVE this grin of Molly's


Of course, this one is pretty darn cute, too.

yes, it goes on and on, my friend....

At the nature center with Gpa


The boys played in this little house the whole time. We never did go for a hike! I should have gotten a picture of all four of the boys, because they all had on their Okoboji sweatshirts!

This is an extreme close-up of Emilia's belly button. It is blurry because, of course, she wouldn't hold still. But can you see it? It's a little star in there! :)


And finally the pumpkin patch...This first one is best if you click on it to make it bigger so you can see our faces. The boys were complaining that the sun was too bright, so I told them to just close their eyes and make a funny face. This is what we got!






The hayride




My little pumpkins






Attitude? We has it!


Oh, wait...one more thing. The decorated pumpkins, complete with scary faces




One last, last story...
We were driving the other day. It was cloudy outside, the kind where the clouds cover the whole sky...except for in one spot so that you could see the sun shining through just that one break in the clouds and it looks like you can see the rays of the sun. Josiah sees this and says, "Look, mommy. Do you see that one spot where the sun is shining in just that one spot?" Yes. "That means that God is talking. Because every time he talks, there is just one spot of light." I wonder who He's talking to? "Us. I think He's talking to us." What's he saying? "Why can't you hear Him, mommy? Why can't you hear what He's saying?" Hmmm...I've been wondering that myself...Ok, I didn't really say that. If only I could be like Eli Stone without the aneurysm.

THE END!!!!!!

So Many Posts, So Few Pictures

I realized last night that I haven't posted any pics on here in over a month. YIKES! What's wrong with me?? Trust me, it's not for lack of taking them. Last I looked I had over 300 pics for the month of October, I've just got to get my act together and put them on the blog. But I am a true procrastinator, so I say to you, "Maybe tonight." However, for now I am posting this pic because John wants it for his computer at work and I think my mom does, too, and the ones on the side are too little for that. So here it is:

My three beautiful, crazy, rambunctious, adorable, wild, independent, loving, sweet, obnoxious, fun, creative, silly, awesome kids.

By the Power of ?????

Micah spilled his drink on himself at dinner tonight. After dinner, he was taking his pants off because they had absorbed most of the drink. He wanted new pants, but I told him it was so close to bath time he'd just have to be Captain Underpants for a little while. He felt his underwear and said, "Yep, my underwear's wet, too." I told him that I guess that meant he would just have to be Captain Tushy. Well, that was too much for Josiah to resist. He joined in the shucking of the clothes and they are both running around as "Captain Tushy and Toes" (this is Micah because he has absolutely nothing on) and "Captain Tushy and Socks" (this is Josiah because he kept his socks on). What is their battle cry, you ask?

"Here to defend the world with my TUSHY POWERS!

(yes, they are really yelling that)

P.S. Micah just said, "Mommy, I guess I need new toes because my toes always hurt" Anyone know where I can pick some up?

First Word!

I win! Emilia said her first word and it is "Mama." Now, if you've talked to Josiah recently, you've most likely heard that her first word was "yeah," but that's not something she said knowing the meaning. Today, however, she has been saying Mama and looking at me and reaching out for me, so John and I decided that it's officially her first word. :)

Halftime entertainment:
Micah and I were sitting on the couch reading a book. He kept digging in his nose, so I finally asked if he needed a tissue.
Micah: "Mommy, I don't need a tissue. I was just pickin' so I could get a booger out."
Me: "Well, then you need a tissue."
Micah: "No, I already got it."
Me: "Well, where is it?"
Micah: "I don't know. I think it fell."
Much laughter in living room
Daddy: "Sure am glad you're sitting with Mommy with that missin' booger."

Josiah has been spreading the word that the dentist said he has a loose tooth, but I've got to clear that rumor up. What the dentist actually said was that he DOESN'T have a loose tooth, but Josiah misheard her and the next thing I knew he was telling everyone that the dentist said he had a loose tooth and he is so excited about it that I've just let it go. For all he knows it takes a couple years to lose a tooth once it's loose, so he won't know the difference. Besides, I see no reason to upset him over something that doesn't really matter because he is SO excited about having a loose tooth. So there's the rest of the story on that. No he doesn't really have a loose tooth, but you won't hear me tell him any different because I don't really think it matters if he believes he does or not.

Micah's Take on Pregnancy

Yesterday we were outside playing volleyball with my cousin Emily, I was getting the ball after it had rolled away and just for laughs I stuck it up my shirt and said, "Just think, 7 months ago, I looked like this." (Actually, I was bigger, but hey...) Micah was inspired and this is what happened next:

A New Favorite

Meet Sid the science kid.

He's new on PBS and Josiah's favorite show. Sid's intro line is: "Ever hear about the kid who wanted to know everything about everything?" But that sounds like Josiah if you ask me! Anyway, the point of this post is not really for you to meet Sid. It's about one of the songs on Sid. Josiah and I were singing it this morning and it reminded me of those songs from last week. Remember how Josiah's verse didn't really make any sense? Well, after listening to his version of Sid's song, it's no wonder---I think he thinks songs aren't suppose to make sense! Here's his wording:

I've been chicken on charts
'cause charts rule
A chart is a handy dandy scientific tool
It gives you information you can see with your eyes
A chart makes you wish you were eyes.
You get the picture,
so do I!

(What exactly does it mean to be "chicken on charts"?)

The real words are as follows:

I've been checkin' out charts
'cause charts rule
A chart is a handy dandy scientific tool
It gives you information you can see with your eyes
A chart helps you visualize
You get the picture
So do I!

One more thing about Sid....the other day at lunch Josiah was talking about non-standard measurements (the topic of Sid that morning). It made me wonder, how many 5 year olds have dinner time conversations with their parents about non-standard measurements?? Just hearing him say it made me smile because it was such a big sounding topic for such a small guy! He's just growing up so fast. He loves words and vocabulary (have I told you about him telling me he was "guarding" the medicine when he was 18 months old?) and learning new things so I shouldn't be surprised that Sid the Science Kid has captivated him--it's right up his alley!

Hot Off the Press!

I'm on my way out the door for a few moments to myself. This always bothers the kids for some reason. We've been together all day, you'd think they'd be sick of me by now but they always get whiney when I leave. Anyway, I'm leaving, telling John a few things before I go when this happens:

Josiah: You're leaving?
Me: Yes
Josiah: Where are you going?
Me: To the store.
Josiah makes a pucker lip face.
Me: You know why I do this, don't you?
Josiah: Why?
Me: For my sanity.
Josiah: What's that?
Me: My mental well-being.
Josiah guffaws
Josiah: You don't have that!

How true, how true! Who knew my 5 year old had me so figured out! :) From the mouth of babes, right? I guess I can stop with the facade now.

Josiah's Christmas List

I keep meaning to post this:
Josiah has decided what he wants for Christmas. You ready?

An air guitar

I'm having too much fun with it to tell him the truth...

Preview of the Songs of Tomorrow

The boys made up some new songs on the way home tonight. It's going to lose a bit in translation due to the fact that I can't post the music to these, but here are the words they came up with:

Josiah's song

It's OK to feel happy or sad
because you can always to go the happy and feeling good store
and there you will find
your contact.

(if anyone knows what that means, please explain it to me)
(second verse)

My mommy is the greatest
she always treats others with love and respect
She is the best
and she treats others the way she wants to be treated

**I don't think I got all of that second verse right, but yes, that was the gist of it**

Micah's song (sung with 2 notes, starting on the high one. alternating lines are shouted)

It is O-K to say
BOOTY!
It's not O-K to say
BUTT!

Movie Night

Tonight we went to "Movies on the Lawn" at the church around the corner from our house. They were showing "Cars" and the boys really like that movie, so we took our blanket, walked over and enjoyed the free outdoor show (complete with popcorn and lemonade!) It was really fun to get to sit and watch the movie with them. I admit that most of the time when they are watching TV, I take advantage of the time to either get things done around the house or read a book. So it is rare that I watch whatever it is they are watching. But tonight I laid on the blanket with my boys who are growing so fast and watched a movie with them. I got to find out what their favorite parts are, what parts make them laugh and who their favorite characters are(although I probably could have figured that one out anyway). At one point we were all laying on our backs looking up at the sky. Micah said, "I sure do like looking at all the stars." And then Josiah said, "I wish tonight would last forever. You can wish on stars, you know. But it doesn't mean it will come true. It's just fun"

And it was fun. The whole night was fun and I'm hoping they'll show another movie soon.

My Boys are Awesome!

I am so proud of my boys! In the last 24 hours they have walked a total of 4 miles--WOW! Not only that, but yesterday they probably ran a mile or more of the walk and only twice the entire time (from both days) did they say they were tired. Amazing! Yesterday we walked to the library (where I donated some canned goods to get my fines erased). :) It's just over a mile there and seriously, the boys ran almost the whole way. Today we walked to my grandma's house for grandma day, which is also just over a mile one way. Two funny things happened on the way back. First, we were about .25 miles away from the house and Josiah said (this being one of the two complaints) "This walk is killing me!" (I think he picked that up from Ice Age 2) Then, when we were almost home Micah was tired (nap time and all) and crying so I tried the distraction technique:

Me: Micah, Look! I see Melissa and Lorimer's mailbox!
Micah: Waaaaaaaaaaa! I don't wanna take a nap! I don't like naptime! I just wanna be home!
Me: You know what it means if I see Melissa and Lorimer's mailbox?
Micah: Waaaaaaaaaaaaa!
Me: It means we're almost home!
Josiah: (in a mock cry voice) OH THE HORROR! (I KNOW where he got that from....let's just say we're passing on a heavy dose of sarcasm to the next generation)
Maybe it's one of those in-the-moment things you just had to be there for, but it was so funny when he said it!

Anyway, I thought they did awesome for being 3 and 5. And I'm even more impressed that they seemed to enjoy the whole thing. I'm hoping to walk places more often, so I hope they keep their positive attitudes!

Recent Developments

So I've mentioned that Emilia has started laughing and I would love to share that beautiful sound with you, but she's kinda stingy about it! I've been trying to catch her on video so I can post it here and the best I can do for you at the moment is a little giggle. It is kinda entertaining how hard her brothers were trying to get her to laugh on here, though.

Then there's some video of Josiah riding his bike on TWO wheels--no training wheels! He's been out in the driveway almost all day (except for meals) for the last two days perfecting his style. Seriously, he's made noticable improvements. The first clip is the first night he rode two-wheeled and then the next is the following morning. If I video again tomorrow, you'll see what I mean about noticable improvements.

Without further ado...the video: