Three in a tree

Happiness

No more Babies.

Annika turned 3 this week. I thought I would be sad to say that I have no more babies or even toddlers in the house but I'm not. I love my 3 year old. Even when she wakes me up with a Dora pinnate in my bed (Man, if I could just get a tape of her saying Dora Pinnate you would melt). I love when she whispers she "Lubs me" out of no where. I love seeing how pure and carefree she is that she can dance like a crazy womana in the middle of a festival, with absolutely no worries. I love trying to keep up with on her new bike and not have to push a stroller. Most of all I love that I can see so much of me in her but know she is 100% her own. Strong, Sweet, Independent, Smart, Vibrant and Caring. She makes me smile every day, for that I feel very blessed. Happy Birthday my 3 Year old little Monkey!

Second Grader?

This past year has been stressful with Logan being in first grade. I questioned in the begining of the year if I should of held him back in Kindergarten just because he was a little behind and more or less just young. He would sit and space out and (go figure) not listen as well as he should of. I should of listened to my gut reaction. Homework that should of taken 15-20 minutes was taking at least an hour. Well we made it through and he did pass first grade. (barely) Actually the only thing he got a D in was Religion ;) blame that on us. We just shouldn't of had him in a Catholic school that we would fight over who had to go to the special services that Logan would be in. After going to a very non-traditional church, sitting through a traditional Roman Catholic service was torture. Horrible and hypocritical I know. Every other class he made great improvements in. Spelling test's he would Ace, as long as I would spend hours each week with him. Math would take twice as long as it should of and he still has no concept of Money, But can read a clock and add and subtract fine.
I know Logan is on the young end of his class. I know we will have issues for years to come. Logan is smart, I have no doubt about it but he has a auditory discrimination issue just like his Father. He hears what he wants to and focuses when he wants to, if he is not pushed he will do nothing. This drives me nuts but I can also see that Erik has learned to live with it and is what most would consider successful in his job and life. I love Logan so much that just like most Mothers would do anything in the world to protect him. So I'm stuck, do I push him and spend much of our time and family time working on catching up all year, just to have him on track and get average grades. Do I hold him back a year and hope that he isn't bored and that it builds his self esteem that he thrives? I guess the answer is simple, just hard to come to. It was so much easier when he didn't know anything. The hardest part is trying to explain to him why after a whole year of working our butts of he has to repeat the 1st grade. Being a Mom sucks sometimes.
On the other end, the first week of first grade (really the first month) Logans cried almost everyday. It was killing me, and I felt guilty for even going out with the girls and doing things. I had to walk him to his room each morning. The last week of School, Logan cried almost every day, he knew he wasn't going to be in that school next year, and probably not see most of the people again. He was crying for already missing his friends and Teacher. The other day while I was out getting stuff done with the new house I was late getting back to meet him at home after school. We had a big POD (or as he called it a trailor) sitting in the driveway empty I called him and he said he was sitting in the trailor relaxing. I found him eating a yogurt, drinking a juice box with his feet kicked up as above. (note the phone on the table) he is a true boy scout I guess always prepared.

New Abode

This is (half of) our new back yard! We have closed on the house and been painting, cleaning and getting ready for the move. First we are off to Florida, (which the kids think the whole state is named Disney). For a quick and I'm sure crazy weekend visiting Aunt Kris and Kevin, and Great Grandma, then on to Disney, with some friends. I have been looking forward to going for years and haven't been since I was about Logans age.

I Love the new house and am excited about getting into it. My favorite points are the fact that we have a real kitchen that I like to be in. That we don't have to fight over the bathroom when we all have to go at the same time. The backyard that I can lock them in and a street that is safe to ride bikes on and neighbors that seem great.

I am VERY thankful that we sold our house so quickly (4 DAYS!) if all goes well we will be closing on it with in the next couple of weeks.

I have been pinching myself lately, life is good, hectic but good.

Valentines day

Curly girl

What can I say about Anni. There are no words to describe how vibrant and verbal she has become in the past couple of months. I no longer have a baby in the house. Potty training is in full bloom and going great (knock on wood). Life is going pretty well my crazy 2yr old. I love watching her at this age. She is so different than the other two were but at the same time I see each of them in her. I often look at her and see my baby pictures (with out the extra chub ) and think she has more of me in her by far. Her crazy curly hair that by mid day is frizzy and staticy. Her blue eyes that can draw you in and make you give her just one more handful of M&Ms. She is still a blankie and baby girl which she must have with her each night along with a growing list of other things (an ugly old squirel of Eriks, Her new Dora doll Grandma gave her for being potty trained).
If there was a list of things that she loves, Chocolate would have to be up near the top (I told you she was like me;) along with singing and dancing. I keep telling myself to get the video recorder on her and send a shot of her dancing and shaking her booty to the Ellen show. She has an incredible memory and knows the words to many of the High School the Musical songs Logan sings. I have known for the past year that she understands so much of what I am saying, it is funny now to hear it coming out in her many of the things I say, and shouldn't be saying.

The Sweetest boy in the world.

Logan has a hard school year. It's been hard to put a finger on what exactly is the problem. I have always known he is a smart kid. He loves learning, he just loves learning what he wants to learn. When he doesn't want to learn it he completly zones out. He is like a Mexican jumping bean being tied down at times. All in all he is a happy kid, I don't have to fight with him to go to school or get up in the morning. He comes home with a smile on his face and talks about his friends and Teacher often. If he is out sick from school he demands to me that he IS going to school Tommorow! When it is time to actually do the school work/homework is when the teeth pulling begins. He would be happy if he could just go to school for the social interation and forget about the rest, except maybe art/music/ social studies and science.
In January we found out he did not pass the school eye exam so we brought him to an eye doctor and were floored by how bad his eyes were. I felt horrible I hadn't noticed how hard of a time he must of been having. He is now required to wear glasses 100% of the time besides when just playing. He doesn't mind them and has had a pretty easy time transistioning to them (besides forgetting to put them on before school! and leaving them home).
I still believe I have one of the sweetest boys in the world. He loves his sisters with all of his heart. He is so easy going, and gentle. He loves nature and trying new things to eat. His teacher says that she wouldn't trade him for anything, even if he is twice the work. I feel the same way most days. I remember when I first brought him home from the hosptial a feeling of falling in love again for the first time feeling, I still do.

Checker Queen

Abi has become obsessed with Webkinz and Checkers for the past couple of months. This is how I find her most mornings (afternoons, and evenings too). My sister asked me how she gets around Webkinz when she can't read yet, and I told that she can read, or memorize what she needs to know. She really is pretty darn good, on Webkinz you play against other kids or the computer and she has given up on playing with the kids because once she starts beating them they quit.
I know girls are supposed to be smarter or more advanced than boys, but she amazes me every day with the things she knows. I could put her in Logans class right now and she would probably be passing. She knows basic (and some not so basic) addition and subtration, Can spell and sound out most simple words (Mom, Dad,Stop,Car, Zoo,Cat, Dog, Logan). Besides book smart the girl loves to play soccer and swimming and gymnastics. We went to the pool on Monday after a VERY long break and she is a complete fish. I can't wait til this summer, next year she is off to Kindergarden the begining of school life and I think she will thrive at it~ once I have removed her from my leg.

Absent..

I have tons of pictures and stories that I have wanted to update... but I can't get into my Hello account because they switched to be hooked up with Yahoo which I can't remember any of my passwords (or even what email address it goes to). So It may be a while..

Thank you, God for a great day.

Another favorite.

"Mom what kind of skin am I wearing?" she asked about 5 minutes before this. She just went to an Indian museum and learned about different skins.

Do you know how hard it is to get three kids in a picture on a farm, ask me I know.

She was watching a calf nurse.

Classic.

Find boy and dog.

Find Waldo.

A boy and a dog not named Bingo.

Xmas tree farm.

Cow on Christmas tree farm.

Girl in tree in pants.

Will they remember this in 10yrs from now?

Girl in tree in skirt.

Another day another tree.

What a good big brother.

Much Milder December

In many ways this Christmas has been much milder. For one the weather Yesterday hit 60 degrees and the kids are still hanging in the Trees, or the deck as much as they can. In other ways it is milder that we no longer have a baby in the house~ which seriously I can't even remember the last time that has been the story. We can finally put ornaments on the bottom of the tree and not expect them to be eaten (cracked maybe, but not eaten). We can go out and do things like watch our kids chase a dog all over a Christmas Tree farm and not even worry about someone stealing them. Because come on who really wants a kid that doesn't stop screaming "BINGO!!" every 1.3 seconds chasing the farm dog (Who's name is Mac by the way) for over an hour, they would return them very quickly.
Logan is still extremely emotional kid. Last year we had to tear him away from one of the worlds ugliest X-mas trees (think much worse than Charlie Browns) because I think he felt bad for it, he cried like a 2yr old for us to get him that thing. This year he once again picked a "half" tree with no top that 100's of people laughed at as they walked by, he decided that was the one that he needed to "save". I tried to explain to him this year that it was at least still alive by not cutting it down and had a chance of staying there and growing and breathing the fresh air, which was the real way of "saving" it. So he let it drop, and now looks at a X-mas tree farm as an ugly slaughter house worse than any chickens or pig slaughter house. Although he still asks to go back and chase "Bingo". He or I should say, they would all be much happier if Santa forgot the toys and just brought a dog. Unfortunately their Mother is mean and is enjoying the freedom of having Christmas ornaments on the bottom of the tree~ a baby/Puppy free house, Thank you Santa.

Turkey Placemats

Chef Logans first 100% made by himself meal "Whole Wheat Waffels" from scratch. Happy Halloween to me.

Halloween 2006 or 1946?

Big mouth

on the purple people bridge

Fall is here and they finally fit into the wool sweaters Gradma knitted.

Another shot on the new Square.

Three little fins.

Tall stacks pictures

The reopening of Fountain Square.

Little miss Tutu