For the Bebe

When I was first pregnant, this time around, I thought I might drive myself to insanity researching everything that I wanted to get for baby #3. After our 2 big moves a lot of our baby stuff has disappeared in garage sales. So I have a few needs. Okay, and a few wants. The obsession wore off as soon as nausea kicked in and I haven't thought much about anything until recently. I'm trying hard to keep my "what-can-I-make-for-the-baby?" obsession in check. Luckily, limited funds keeps me pretty well in check. I have a growing list though.
We're going slightly "greener" (and cheaper) this time around and going the cloth diaper route. Good grief the choices are endless!!! Luckily I know several people that are already veterans in this department so I've gotten as much input as I can.....more always appreciated if you must.
The last 2 days I have done little but make baby wipes. Remember Wyatt's Halloween costume? It was simply 2 yards of the softest white flannel ever, that I purposely did nothing to but cut a couple circles in. Yesterday I cut the whole thing up into squares and got to sewing. I found a couple other little flannel projects that were no longer in use and those quickly became wipes too. The white ones are SUPER soft. They were fast and fun to make.....and seriously cheap which is one of the top reasons I think I will enjoy using them.....and reusing them.
In case you're curious...I made both 8X8 and 4X8 sizes. Sometimes you just need a little wipe. :)

Best Brothers

An Early Tree

Our Christmas tree is up!!!!
Yes, I know it isn't even Thanksgiving yet, but seriously. Thanksgiving is late this year. Also, we're leaving to go out of town (MN) on the 16th of December so we won't even get to enjoy it for the last week or so before Christmas. Soooo, no grief in the comments! :)

We went back to our "Pumpkin Patch" to cut down our own tree yesterday. It felt very Washington-y being amidst all those firs....except it wasn't raining. :)
We had the whole place to ourselves and had a great time despite being pretty chilly! Brendan was really holding out hope that it would snow, but it's just not that cold yet!

Here's some pictures of "the hunt" and "the kill". More to come on the finished product. I haven't gotten a chance to take pictures yet, but it's pretty much up and decorated!
Merry Christmas everyone! I mean, Happy Thanksgiving!



Aaaaaaaaaa, the Christmas Tiger!!! (another Papa-grandson game, of course)



Found our tree!


All the men took turns with the saw.

Killed it!

Kid Quotes::Vol. 13

Updated at the bottom

Oh my, the boys have been saying some hilarious things.

Yesterday I was writing about how lovey Wyatt is. Brendan is also very lovey but in a different way.
He is very, very much like Rand in how he thinks and what he thinks about and how he talks. Lately he's been asking anyone he comes in contact with if they know God or not. And not just "Do you know God?" but "Do you know the real God." He's very concerned if people might be worshipping idols. I've been surprised by people's responses. Some people say, "yes I do!", genuinely pleased at the question and happy to share. The other night at Target he asked the gal at the cash register, "Do you know God?" and she answered, "Not personally." Woa! I bet she was dying inside! The lady behind us in line got such a kick out of it. Her husband was a pastor and so she just loved it! It's a little awkward for me, but I go with it, and he's learning a lot! Me too.

Yesterday I was filling out new chore charts for the kids. They were helping me pick a few new chores they would like to help out with. Feeding the dog is one that they can do. Brendan and I had the following conversation about this particular chore. (If you know Rand, this is going to just kill you!)

Me: (typing and talking at the same time) How about "Fill Sammy's food?"

Brendan:How about "Fill Sammy's food bucket?"

Me: (not wanting that many words) No. Just "Fill Sammy's food"

Brendan: (laughing and sort of mocking me) Mom! That makes no sense! What are we going to do, break open her food and fill it with cinnamon and sugar or something?!?!

Me: (jaw on floor. ohmygosh speechless) YOU!!! Your dad does that to me!!!!! You are so right!
Let's put, "Fill Sammy's food dish".

Brendan: Yeah. That's better. That makes more sense. (he was seriously shaking his head and laughing at me for being so silly)

(And I was shaking my head and laughing at him for being so Rand!)

And for a Wyatt quote---
We all went to Chic-fil-A recently. The kids were playing in the play area with some other kids. Wyatt came out and we had this little conversation:

Me: You all done playing?

Wyatt: There's just one problem. No one will get me.

Me: Why don't you go back in and tell Brendan that you want him to chase you.

Wyatt: (talking a little too loudly) No! I asked that brown skinned kid and he wouldn't!!!

We died! Told him to go ask him his name and sent him back in so that we could cover our red faces and quietly crack up to ourselves!

This has got to be the best ages for kid quotes. They are just constant.

Update: Just to prove my "mini-Rand" point a little more, I just said to Brendan, "Bren, come on. You need to do your math work. You have a test today."
And Brendan said back, "YAY!!!!! A TEST!!!!"

Who does that?

Science Experiment #5::Air (Parachutes)

Wyatt launched a lizard and I think Brendan launched a small donkey


Bombs away!

One of the Sweetest Boys

I have a real charmer in Wyatt. Both my boys are wonderful, in my opinion, but since Wyatt was just months old we knew he was a charmer. He had a special sparkle in his eyes and he hammed it up around people. He still does. And now he has learned how to charm with words. For nearly a year he has been charming his mom. I feel so lucky. :) I'm cherishing it now because I know it won't last. It has seriously been about a year, this kid is constantly telling me how great I am! "Mom, you're so beautiful," over and over and over. "I love you Mom. I love you so much. I love you more than God," the last one being his...there-is-nothing-greater-than-that love you.
And just last Sunday, getting ready for church he says, "Mom, you're more beautifuler than a mermaid."
Some day, some girl is going to be so lucky to marry this little ladies-man. I hope he never changes!

Belly Shots

Not my belly, sillies!

Chore Chart

Found this great little chore chart. Brendan especially (little Rand) thrives off of goals and charts and accomplishments and checking little boxes that say, "I did that!"

I really liked this chart because it emphasized chores being a contribution to the family. I don't especially like the idea of paying kids to do things that they should be doing (like picking up their toys and helping out) just as a part of living and working together. I do think that when they do extra things or do my chores for me, it is great and definitely deserving of pay. :)

Another great thing about this chart is it is customizable. The boys helped make the list of chores they thought they could do: feeding the dog, taking out the recycling, picking up their toys, etc. My favorite being "be happy". I mean, who can't try and do that every day?
I don't expect them to accomplish the whole list every day, but we shoot for 2 or 3, and they are having fun with it.

Interested, click here.

Science Experiment #4::Yeast

Lesson learned: Yeast is a living thing that let's off air bubbles, hence the little holes in our bread and the bubbly glass of yeast, water and sugar. Messy little project....but tasty! :)

Another Round of Raking Leaves

My dad and wheelbarrows just go together. I clearly remember my dad pushing me and my sister around in the wheel barrow; through the woods, around the yard. The most memorable being taking a spill off the top of a stack of wood. Probably not the smartest trick we ever did.
In Washington, unlike these two boys, we never got the opportunity of being thrown/dumped into a pile of fluffy leaves. Fir needles just don't break the fall so well!










Good picture of the boys and their papa at Valley Forge Park