Ward Campout

Our ward held their first campout right before school started for the year. Jason worked but I decided to brave it alone with the kiddos. It really wasn't to terrible. It was a bit hard to keep track of them as it got dark, but we all survived intact.

They instructed all of the kids to bring light sabers. We don't own any, much to the boy's dismay and much to my pleasure, but we own enough swords to supply a small army. So the boy's brought swords. And there was a mighty battle.The battle carried on all night and the next morning. It looks as though Tab got himself surrounded. We'll have to work on his combat skills.
Benton was lucky enough to have a little boy who brought extras, loan him one of his light sabers for a little while.
There was a lake nearby, so we wandered down.It was beyond beautiful. There was a bit more fighting action.But mostly, they threw rocks. I mean who doesn't love throwing rocks into water?And of course we enjoyed some time around the fire.

Blankie Kids

My kids have all been blankie kids. I recently was pulling out quilts that were made for my kids when they were babies to measure them in order to try to decide how big to make the blanket for the baby. Tab was watching and asking about them. I showed him one and told him that his grandma in the pink shirt made it for him. He asked if he was allowed to have it. I said sure and gave it to him. They have been inseparable ever since. (The crime is that when my mom made him this quilt I was of the mindset that he would ruin it and thus he never used it. It hung in his room for a while, but that is it. By the time I had Paisley I understood the true value of a handmade gift was in that it be used and loved not set aside to look at or just keep. Thus Paisley's quilts have been washed and used countless times. Tab's is now getting the loving attention that has been neglected it.) Benton woke up from his nap and wanted to know if he had one. So I pulled his out and gave it to him. They now have their baby quilts in rotation that both of their grandma's lovingly made for them.

Soccer

Tab started play soccer in August. This was his first practice. Kicking the ball back and forth.Um, buddy...about kicking... it typically works better when you go straight at it.
That's more like it.
He is really getting a lot better and is LOVING it. This is a vast improvement from last year when he took a hockey class. Though he loved the class he wasn't the least bit aggressive or competitive. He now is quite the go getter, until he gets distracted because he sees a stick or something. But he is only 6 after all.

I love my Reader

I know I've mentioned a million times that Tab is such a great reader but it always makes me proud when I see him reading to his brother or sister.He loves the Frog and Toad books and has read the Frog and Toad treasury about a dozen or so times.

Slaying the Dragon

The boy's recently scored some knight outfits at a yard sale for a quarter and they have loved playing knights. And what else to knights do but protect the castle and save the princess from the evil dragon?

Here they are protecting the castle. (Side note: Don't you love the play house? Best addition to our back yard! Thank you Sam's Club for randomly putting it on clearance for 1/2 price.)And protecting the princess. Tab was fighting off the dragon while Benton hurried Paisley back into the castle. They had a little bit of a hard time keeping her locked up in the castle. She didn't understand that it was only to keep her safe.

Paisley, What a Character

Paisley is a funny girl. Somehow with two older brothers she managed to be ALL girl. We tried and tried to avoid the princess thing, alas. As a matter of fact we have done a nearly 180 and except it fully. She is regularly dressed in some sort of princess dress or carrying a purse or reading a princess book or talking about princesses and how pretty they are. What a silly girl.

Here she is riding the "McQueen car" around all decked out.She had to try to make McQueen seem girly somehow...She is just an all around silly girl. She loves to wear hats.
And recently Jason's parents came to visit and brought a set of great grandparents with them. Paisley made them wear her new sunglasses that Grandpa brought with him. They were good sports.

Community Day at the park

Have I mentioned that I love our neighborhood? It pretty much rocks. It is quiet and safe and the park right down the street hosts all sorts of activities and such all summer long. Recently they held community days there. There were stands from a lot of the local businesses and such. They also had a little car show. The boys could have cared less about any other car that they saw after they laid eyes on the baby.I mean really can you blame them. It is pretty rockin'.A little later they had a bike show. And daddy showed up home from work just in time.At least Paisley sat with me temporarily.She was quite mesmerized by the bike show. I have to admit it was pretty awesome.They were doing some pretty high jumping.But this little picture sequence describes the best part.I think they liked it.

Cowboys and Indians

We recently read the book "The Indian in the Cupboard" to the boys. They LOVED it. We have two of the other books in the series and just haven't gotten around to starting them yet. (I have this annoying problem that when I sit down to read to the boys, I fall asleep while mumbling.) Anyway....the have shifted their interest only slightly from Pirates to Indians. Although the pirate phase I fear is long from over, it is kind of nice to see other types of play going on round these parts. As we don't have any Indian costumes (can you guess what is in store for Halloween this year?), Tab decided that he could pretend to be Boone (the cowboy from the book).Stick 'em up! I am proud to say that I have taught my boys to play cowboys and Indians in a very politically incorrect manner. I taught them to run around while patting their hands over their mouths while they they "howl". You know what I mean right? And they know all about scalping. Yeah, that's right, I'm totally awesome.

Little Girl Hair

So I've been dying for Paisley's hair to get "long enough" and "thick enough" to "do". I have given up waiting. After scouring the internet looking at hair blogs, I decided that I should just try something and see if it works. Some do, some don't. But I am having fun. Here are just a few of the things we've tried.

In this one it is tied in a knot at the top and then pulled back into another piggy. It kind of looks funny from this angle but it is really cute.This one is my favorite way to do her hair. I do it a little differently so that it ends in one piggy in the center, perfect for adding a single bow. (I need to get on making her sets of bows.) It works so well for keeping her hair out of her face and stays in really well, even after naps...the true test.
She does pretty good at sitting still for this one too. It is actually harder to get her to sit still just to put 2 piggies in her hair than for this, go figure.

Benton's Birthday!

So we are caught up on birthday's for the year. We actually managed to celebrate Benton's birthday on his birthday! Jason had the day off, so we went for it. He insisted on having the pirate ship cake that I had made for Tab several years ago and then made for Benton last year, only out of rice crispies... I googled a bunch of different ideas for cakes and cupcakes and showed them all to Benton, but he would not be deterred from having his pirate ship cake. So, what does a "good" mother do? She gives in...Then the opening of presents. The anticipation.Score... his very own umbrella with pirate paraphernalia all over it. Jason and I brought this back from Spain, as we had also given one to Tab for his birthday. He was quite pleased and has put it too good use.And a pirate island to add on to their Playmobile pirate sets. Gotta love Playmobile

Dancing

Paisley loves to dance. She has recently discovered this ability within herself and insists very regularly that I put music on for her. Sometimes she requests specific songs by name. Her current favorite is "We will rock and roll" aka.. Queen's "We will rock you". Gotta love a girl with good taste in music.

Tab was dancing with her on one such occasion. More like he was swinging her back and forth.
She didn't mind one bit. I find it funny how she won't let go of her purse to save her life.

Belly Pics

These are probably the only belly pics I will have from this pregnancy. Tab took these for me so you'll just have to deal with the angle and such. Jason isn't really home to take pictures so, this is the best I could do.

So here I am at about 30 weeks. So yeah, I'm posting these 4 weeks later..whatever. (So there to all of my Grand Rapids friends who didn't believe me when I say I get fat. Just look at those puffy cheeks. Gag...they are even worse now.I took the wrap off since it was kind of blocking the view. Wow, maybe I'll have to try to get Tab to take another picture, I think I've doubled in size since these were taken...sigh.
And no, this little boy does not have a name yet. Any suggestions?

First Day of School!

School started today...finally. This year we have two in school Tab started first grade.And here he is headed into school with dad. (Jason raced home from his overnight shift at the hospital in order to accompany him to school.) He was excited to see me at the end of the day and then seconds later completely melted because supposedly I am to send a snack with him every day. However nowhere in any paperwork did it state this. Apparently, according to him he was the only one without a snack. I felt like a schmuck. I feel like I should have known even though there is no way I could have known. Sigh...Benton started preschool today! It is only 3 hours 3 days a week but I think it is going to be good for him. He was excited about going, though his face in the picture looks more questioning.It is about at this point that he realized that we weren't in fact staying with him at school. (Will someone please teach my child to look at the camera.) He did really well according to his teacher. I guess he was a little nervous about playing with the other kids which is so NOT Benton. Alas, I'm sure he will adjust.
As some may recall last year I decorated/covered up logos on a book bag that we already had for Tab. Because we are cheap, I did the same thing this year for Benton. I took a book bag we had from storage and decked it out in pirate "stuff" per Benton's request. Pretty much the only difference between his and Tab's was that he wanted a hook on his instead of a skull and crossbones.
It had a sword wrapping around the top.And I made him a luggage tag and covered the straps with cool pirate fabric.Tab still has his book bag from last year but he did have to have an art smock for school. It was suggested that and old adult shirt would suffice but you know me. And I was sick of his long sleeve shirts getting ruined last year because they stick out, etc. So I made one. I just took one of Paisley's Ikea bibs and made a pattern that I enlarged to fit of course.
And the back is secured with a strip of velcro.
I put cuffs on the sleeves so that they would stay tight-ish around his wrists. Again with the pirates.And I stitched his name on it.