Snaggle Tooth...

he finally accomplished his desires to lose a tooth! a few weeks ago, he kind of bonked his chin and said his tooth felt loose after that...and i encouraged him to NOT wiggle it so much because i was afraid it wasn't really ready to come out and it would hurt and or bleed a lot if it came out too early.

fast forward several weeks...he mentioned it on and off, but really it was put on the back burner of my mind...kendall and i went out on a date on friday night and while we were at dinner, his mom (bless her for babysitting!) texted me that e's tooth had come out, while eating garlic bread, no less! so we called to talk to him...it didn't bleed at all, really, didn't hurt, just surprised him...wow! what a growing up boy!

i shouldn't be that surprised i guess because at the last dental appointment he and avery had (last month? earlier this month? i can't remember...my months and weeks and days are blurring together) his adult teeth looked SUPER close to the surface...and now he says the tooth next to it feels wiggly as well...i better get on making the tooth pillow...i think i want to make this one...cute huh?

Thanks Mom and Dad!

My parents were able to come down for a weekend visit just this last weekend and it was SO GREAT to see them! Aren't they cute? i just love them! After they left Ethan said, "I wish Nana and Papa lived closer so we could see them all the time!" that would be fun! And Papa has Angry Birds on his phone...so that helps;) just kidding, we love you mom and dad!

first day of school!!!!

well, we did it! ethan officially has one day of kindergarten under his belt!

about an hour before he needed to be there, i started feeling sad about it. i didn't cry then though, so that's good:) he was super excited and we made sure to have his snack packed, his water bottle ready and everything in his book bag that he would need early so we didn't have to scramble.

Blake fell asleep on the couch while we were reading a story before we took Ethan, and i literally couldn't wake him up, so i took him in the car asleep, but that's why he's not in the hugging picture with avery and ethan....


Ethan before walking out the door!!!



The Transformers backpack he loves!


(this is him a few days before school started...he just likes to wear it around the house:))



here he is walking into the gates of the school....not even a backward glance! As it should be!



he had a great first day...he said they didn't get to talk much, he raised his hand a lot and he doesn't know all the names of the kids in his class yet...i told him he has a while before he needs to know ALL their names:) he was happy when he came home and happy when he left, can't ask for more than that!

i was able to hold it together long enough to get home, get avery and blake down for naps and then i walked into the pantry (i was hungry!) and just started crying...that lasted for about 5 minutes or so and then i felt better and now i am just so proud of our kindergartner! he will have a great year, i know it!

funny side note: i couldn't rest while ethan was gone! sheesh, i was so anxious to know how it was all going and hoping that he was doing well and that everything was going well that i just got some things cut out and sewed! it was pretty relaxing:)

school...

we went to meet ethan's kindergarten teacher today...i'm not sure i am ready for this! it's half day, everyday...but still...the fact that he can go, will go, is ready to go, and will love it...amazing.


i'm not sure where the time has gone and i feel emotional about it. i am sure i will feel even more emotional when he goes....i like his teacher, i am happy with what i have seen of the school so far...he's going to love it and thrive i am sure. he's a smart boy, but i guess i just want to hold on a little longer.

life moves on really quickly...how do we almost have 4 children? amazing.

thank you universe for listening to my existential ramblings...sometimes my mind is boggled by how fast these last years have gone.

i saw it...

my sister went to the midnight showing of Harry...i am too tired to do that:) but we did get to go last night...it was AWESOME! after you see it, we'll talk about the ending...but 99% of it, i LOVED! so much. amazing story, amazing special magical effects...amazing.

i can't believe it's over.


j.k. please write something else...it doesn't even need to be about harry...i just need more of your awesome skillz....

a rather tight pinch...

so we went to mcdonald's yesterday to play at the play area...i was feeling like i wanted the kids to pick something they wanted to do and this is what they picked...so we went.

about 1/3 of the way through our time there i started hearing blake cry...and then he wasn't stopping. so i went over and asked ethan where he was and he said he was standing at the top of the slide and wouldn't go down the slide with him (ethan). he also wouldn't go to the stairs to come down, or move in anyway...he was stuck. so here's me...34 weeks big, first i tried to go up the slide (it's a barrel/covered slide which is why he was scared of it i presume) but i kept slipping and needing stomach muscles i didn't have to get me up there. so that wasn't going to work.

then i went up the stairs, which are made for people ages 2-6, not people growing a whole other person...it wasn't pretty i have to tell ya! then i had to squeeze myself through a series of very small tunnels, and i finally got to him, and talked him down to me...then i had to get him out ahead of me...and contend with this other little kid who kept trying to go down before us...seriously he was right at my side the whole time and kept trying to get in front of blake...really kid? just hold your horses!

the best part? i was wearing a skirt! hahahahah! i am fairly certain i flashed some kids...oh well...you do what you have to, but i felt like i was being born again trying to get in and out of that play area with blake! yikes! needless to say he didn't go up into the tunnels again while we were there!

then when i sat back down after that, this older guy (who was sitting with his wife..grandpa of someone there i am sure) said something to the effect of, "i thought i was going to have to come in after you! or call 911...woman delivers baby on 3rd level of McDonald's play area..."

yep, that would be quite a headline!

Pirate Birthday {Arrrrr....matey}

the front door...

our treasure chest (started life as a styrofoam cooler...)

inside of treasure chest...(i put a box in the bottom of it, covered with fabric to raise up the goodies)

treasure bags...each kid got one when they came in...i freezer paper stenciled on them (of course) and just sewed raw, torn strips of fabric as handles...

all the bags...

we went on a treasure hunt throughout the house to find small treasure boxes i found at the dollar store that had their pirate accessories in them (one held bandannas, one had eye patches, one had tattoos and one had compasses). we gave the kids a treasure map with a picture on it of where the treasure box was hidden and then when they got that box, it had another map in it, with another picture of where the next one was and so on. clever idea by Kendall.

Kendall dubbed himself "Captain NO Beard" for our festivities...

all our little pirate friends...ready to play pin the eye patch on the pirate...

round three of cupcakes...swedish fish

messy boy!

and a fun time was had by all!

we also made treasure maps...and watched an episode of Jake and the Neverland Pirates...and opened presents of course:) it was really fun, the birthday boy had a great time, and that's what counts!!!

Fourth of July and Birthday...

Ethan had his sixth birthday party with the family...minus elise! we missed you! We went to Surprise and spent the day with Nana Kay and Papa Jerry and swam in their pool, ate delicious food...and had a great time! i am so grateful for all of our family who are so generous and loving and wonderful to our family and the kids! we love you! thanks for making his birthday great!

i made some quick embellished t shirts for the kids on the fourth...blake's has a red star...

avery's shirt has hearts (denim and red/white polka dot)...that is an actual headlamp she's wearing BTW...

birthday boy...has a matching stripe shirt with blake but no star...he was deemed old enough to escape my embellishing...this time! (6 years old! ga! how does this happen??)

first round of cupcakes (on his actual birthday)

second round of cupcakes, at Nana and Papa's house on the 4th! Idea from Hello Cupcake

Avery is showing us the Smencils Ethan got for a present...amazing scented pencils...i didn't know they existed but that root beer one REALLY smells like root beer! amazing!

No celebration is complete unless blake has at least half of his face covered in frosting! so funny!

aaaaaaaaaaaaaand...hopefully my mojo is back in full force...because i bought this oh so cute fabric online and it came in the mail this last week for baby Christian's bedding! i love it! i am excited to see the bedding come together!

pictures of Ethan's friend party (and round 3 of cupcakes) coming soon!

mojo...

where has my sewing motivation gone?

have you seen it?

i really need it back....so if you have it...could you please return it?!?!?!?!

Six Years Old

happy birthday eldest son!

(5 days old)

wow...time sure flies doesn't? it's amazing how far we have come. you were the start to our family, and we have learned so much from you, and continue to do so everyday.


you are bright, intelligent, happy, friendly, rough and tumble and very loving. we adore you.


thank you for being the big brother in our family. yesterday when you were on your date with nana and papa we missed you. i felt your absence and i was so happy to see you when you returned!


love you so much, buddy boy! keep on cruising...you are amazing to watch, happy birthday!