Shay just informed me that people who don't have a blog through Blogger haven't been able to post, so I just changed the settings, "anyone" can post a comment now, so please, post away! Thanks Shay!
P.S. Did you watch the Dwayne Wade commercial? It'll put a smile on your face.
comments anyone...
with a little help from my friends...
What did you learn today? Noah discovered what dirt is and isn't. Certainly not tasty, but fun to mash around in your fingers and crawl in. What kid doesn't like dirt, my six year olds still like to dig in it. Whenever I'm outside, I have some helpers running around, unless it's a job I just have to wait until he's napping. He likes to be in on all the action. He even put some rocks in the bucket. And hey, check out the dirt, no rocks, just dirt, I've never been more happy to see dirt!
just a short vent...
My goodness, what a yard! Before we bought this home it was a rental for quite a few years, and the yard was completely neglected. It was in need of a serious overhaul, which we have been attempting. On Tuesday Cody pulled out ten shrub and bush root balls with this strap and a truck. It was a real rush for me to see those things pop out of the ground. I hate those overgrown, bushy, scratchy, spider-loving shrubs, they had to go. Seriously though, who thinks planting trees three feet apart in your backyard is a good idea?! We've pulled out, sawed down, and trimmed up a lot. It seems everyone who passed through the home each added their own random tree. And furthermore, look above at my "flower bed," they dumped rocks in as a sort of ground cover I suppose. So I'm pulling all of them out,
it does look much better today, I'm making progress, it's a slow and monotonous job. Don't even get me started on our multi-color fence....
Really, I am glad for a yard, what I wouldn't have given for one when Lauren and Chloe were about two. It's a work in progress, like so many things.
spring days...
What a Saturday, I'm trying to talk the girls into going to the mall, just to get out. Noah is whiny today and the birthday party Lauren and Chloe were going to was postponed, so we're all going a little crazy inside, it's too chilly to be out. Noah's been bugged by the colder weather, he loves to be outside and when I pass a door and don't go out he throws his head back and cries. "It's too cold outside today."- doesn't mean much to him yet. He enjoys his walker, it gets him places pretty quickly, he's not quite brave enough to walk alone yet. These are pictures on a warmer day, I like to take pics outside, the light is always much better. Happy weekend to everyone!
beautiful Noah...
Here's some great photos Lauren can use as blackmail when she gets older! What can you expect when there is so much girly stuff around our home. I'm not sure he is always a willing participant, but he gets outfitted with jewelry and all kinds of dress-up. Let's just say he is a guy in touch with his feminine side. 
what's on your nightstand?
Just wanted to share a book I'm reading. I haven't read anything else by Sue Monk Kidd, but am really enjoying her thoughts about life and our relationship with other people in this book. Her perspective on our journey through life is refreshing-check it out. Plus it has short little stories and chapters, perfect for a minute here and there. Anyone else reading a book that deserves a recommendation?
Floam...
Lauren and Chloe got Floam from the the Easter Bunny. It is this weird molding compound that feels a bit like the beans from small stuffed animals. You use it to cover white styrofoam shapes and then add various bug parts. It feels very strange in your hands, like it will stick to your fingers, bit it doesn't. It was a nice diversion from the regular old Playdoh we have, but I was sad to discover not much messier. I guess crafting and children almost always involved some sort of mess, but hey, all in the name of creativity I suppose. Here are some of their finest creations.
simple pleasures...
Mmm, wish you could smell my kitchen right now! I have this love/hate relationship with cooking. Sometimes I truly enjoy it and it gives me satisfaction, but other days, it's just one more task to complete. Actually I think it's the clean-up that gets old for me. Yesterday I think I baked my best batch of bread yet (thanks Mom, for troubleshooting my flat loaves-I did need more flour!) My girls were beginning to think that bread was supposed to be "heart-shaped" and caved in the middle! It gave me a great feeling to put those loaves in the freezer and be able to pull them out later. I guess I'm a bit old-fashioned, but who doesn't love a piece of home-made bread! Many, many praises for the Bosch kitchen machine, we love it!
Happy Easter!
Our friends and neighbors met together for an Easter egg hunt this morning, it was the perfect morning! Lauren and Chloe are waiting patiently for their turn to enter the backyard. It was so much fun to have a small hunt with friends instead of the huge city hunts where you're lucky to come away with your toes intact, let alone a couple of eggs! Oh, the joy of being a kid, it seems every holiday is candy related. Lauren and Chloe couldn't even eat lunch after gorging themselves. And I find myself in a bit a of a dilemma-when do you spill the beans regarding the tooth fairy, the Easter bunny and all that?! I mean really, try to picture a life size bunny hopping into your living room, it's almost freaky. They have too many questions also, so when Chloe asked if the Easter bunny was real, I was tempted, tempted to ruin her mental image, but I didn't. But I do need to pick up some new plastic eggs. Lauren noticed that darn bunny used the same ones as last year! At least he's a frugal bunny! Happy Easter wishes to all!
westward ho!
During Lauren and Chloe's spring break, we visited the Oregon Trail Museum in Montpelier with Grandma Yost. The girls are very fascinated with anything pioneer related and on any given day we may be pretending to be pioneers at home! The tourist season was not in full force so we received a guided tour. Here they make fire and check out a buffalo chip. It was a neat museum, we want to come back in the summer for a wagon ride!
tis the season...
For all the kitchen-related work Cody avoids, he does love to barbecue, which I love too, since it means no cooking for me. This is his new grill which he got a smoking deal on and assembled last Friday. I think it rode around in the trunk of his Mercedes all winter long. I guess that's what happens when you buy a grill in December. Anyway, he had to have bratwursts to christen it. We also had grilled chicken and veggies. Here's to many more tasty summer meals!
kat killer...
Well, this picture of Chloe and our cat Macey-O is from February, but I figured he deserved a post on this blog. This morning when Cody went into the backyard there was a half-eaten squirrel-sorry no picture :) This cat is something else! I was worried that the squirrels would completely devour my garden, especially after watching them eat every last crabapple off the tree this winter- (maybe they were just desperate?) But, with Macey-O around I have noticed a huge decline in the squirrels in our yard, thank goodness. I have to say that I am not a huge animal lover, but he constantly entertains and amazes us. Maybe my cats growing up were just old or lazy, but I didn't realize what a cat was capable of. He climbs trees with the girls, scales our brick house, isn't afraid of our neighbor's annoying Schnauzer, and he kills squirrels! He is a keeper!
