snow snow go away - we want to jump today!

i have decided that for 2007 april fools is a month long event.

this weather being the biggest joke.

two weeks ago we got a new trampoline for the boys. it is so much fun!
the only problem -- ever since we put it up it has either rained or been cold.

and now ... SNOW!!!

the boys didn't let the cold or rain affect them too much. but this snow has got to go!!

we're ready for april fools jokes that come more in the form of 80's and sunny.

lessons on wealth from a 6 yr old

(while driving in the car)

drew: mommy ... can i tell you something?
me: sure.
drew: mommy ... did you know that you don't have to have a lot of money to be rich.
me: oh ya?
drew: ya. money isn't what makes you rich mommy. it's people who love you and Jesus that make you really rich.

WOW. funny how a lesson can be so simple that a 6 year old can grasp it. but very easily forgotten for an old person like me ;) i can hear it over and over again through books, sermons, songs, etc. but, when i'm reminded of it by my 6 year old it is more powerful than the other methods all combined.

a new house would be nice. a new car would be fun. that vacation away from this awful spring snow storm would be complete bliss. but ... i really don't need any of it. i have everything i need. and although sometimes i would love all of those "things" -- after a lesson from drew -- i am reminded they are not necessary. i am already very blessed.

i am rich.

easter fun

i hope everyone had a great easter! the boys and i went to wausau while stacey stayed here and worked some ungodly hours for target. as always it was fun to be there but it is great to be back home too.

thankfully the weather was nice today so we could spend it all outside.

now ... if there was just something i could do about that snow we are supposed to get. hmmmm.

BEN IS 4!!

it's hard to believe that it was 4 years ago that the little boy with the big blue eyes, long eyelashes, and endless amount of energy came into our world!

the past few years with ben have brought us SO much joy! there is rarely a day that goes by that we don't sit back and smile just thinking about him and the crazy things he does.

ben - you are such a sweet little boy. you have got such a big heart for a 4 year old. you are such an encourager. all it takes is one of your 'i love you's to completely turn my day around. i wish i could have as much energy as you do. no matter what you do - whether it is soccer, playing star wars, or decorating yourself with markers - you give everything you have. you make daddy and i so happy!!

happy 4th birthday little buddy. i love you SO much!

my little assistant

this afternoon ben decided to use a scissors to try to open one of his birthday toys. while doing so the scissors slipped and stabbed him in the lip. now one would think this would hurt and startle a little boy. one would think he came running to me shaken and upset. but ... NOPE ... not ben. i didn't know that it happened. he didn't scream. he didn't cry. in fact, he didn't even come and get me. the first thing that he did was go and find the camera. he wiped off a bit of the blood and then snapped a picture. after thoroughly documenting his injury THEN he decided he would come find me (one guess where i was -- doing laundry). i saw him and wasn't sure what i was looking at. at first i thought it was paint. it was bleeding so heavily that his chin was bright red and this mysterious liquid was dripping ... actually running ... off of his chin. i asked him what happened and he said that the scissors hurt him. but that was it. i got him a washcloth and some ice and sent him to rest his mouth for a bit. thankfully the bleeding stopped and all was well.

it wasn't until later that i realized he had captured the first few moments after hurting himself with the camera. i had just taken some pics of alex and was getting them off of the camera. that's when i found about 10 pictures (and a video) of ben's mouth. i asked him why he decided to take pictures before doing anything else and all he told me was that he wanted to remember how he got hurt today.

at first i thought he was crazy to think of getting the camera before anything else. but now i see him as a very helpful scrapbooking assistant. an assistant who has obviously observed his mom on one too many occasions as she ignores the real issue at hand and grabs a camera instead.

HAPPY 9 MONTH BIRTHDAY ALEX!!

well... it's time for cake again :) what am i going to use as an excuse once we hit the 1 yr mark and we really don't count months anymore! ha ha.

alex and drew went in for their doctors appts today (9 month and 6 years).

alex was in the 50th percentile straight across the board.
he was 20 lbs 8 oz and 28 1/4 inches.

drew was in the 97th% for weight and 90th% for height.
the doctor gave me the talk about making sure he stays active and that he isn't spending too much time in front of the tv. i told him that they spend so much time outside now that it's getting nicer - that "being active" didn't concern me. they do play video games, just not a lot.
so later on in the appt he asked drew what he liked to do when he wasn't at school.
drew said "i like to play video games." "OH ... AND ... i like to jump on my trampoline." both answers which i'm sure the doctor loved.

we'll have to work with drew on "good answers" to give the doctor when he asks a question! ha ha!

what not to wear

i've decided that it would be really fun to be on what not to wear.

i would love for someone to hand me a credit card with $5000 on it. i would love for someone to take me into a store (or 10) and tell me exactly what would look the best on me and how to put different pieces together. the one downside -- i know it would be hard for me to spend the kind of money they do on simple pieces. shirts for $250?? YIKES! i'm sure i could get over it though. as long as i walked out with a few cute outfits i don't have a ton to lose. right?!

so ... feel free to tell TLC i am your worst dressed friend! ha ha ha! i'll wear that badge if it means i get $5000 to spend on new clothes :)

the adventures of alex and aiden

for those of you that might not know - my sister and i both had a busy summer. we were pregnant together and now our babies are just a few weeks apart.
in the beginning it was fun to just sit and watch them. they may be related but they look SO different!! and they acted completely different too. (hannah got spoiled. aiden is the best baby ever!!!)
now when we get them together, we spend our time trying to separate them. they spend the majority of their time trying to eat or attack the other.
it is so fun to watch!!
it makes me excited to watch them as they continue to grow. i'm excited for when they can follow each other around. i'm excited to see them run after one another. and i will admit i am even excited to see what kind of mischief they can create when left alone together.
although i know deep down you were hoping for a little eva -- hannah, i'm glad you had a little boy. and so is alex :)

a new pasttime

alex has a new favorite pasttime. alex likes to stand. he likes to stand next to the dishwasher. he likes to stand next to his activity table. he likes to stand next to the couch. anywhere there is a place he can stand ... he does. and it keeps him happy.

and if he is happy ... so am i.

oh ... and ... GO TWINS!!

a visit to the fire station

saturday we celebrated drew and ben's birthdays with some of their friends. we went to the new blaine fire station. it is SO nice. we got a tour and the kids learned some fire safety tips! it was a pretty cool place to have a birthday party. first of all, because it's free. second because it was actually interesting for us as parents to see the new firestation. finally ... because what little boy doesn't think firefighters have the coolest job ever!! drew and ben had a blast and got lots of fun stuff that they can't wait to play with! now they're just hoping the rain stops soon!

i don't really care about the rain. i'm still trying to get over the fact that i didn't even get a piece of cake. ha ha.

(speaking of cake .. isn't it cute ... i took a drawing drew made to target and the lady put it on the cake)