That Nose

All my kids have had the same nose as babies...cute as a lil' button! Recently, Isaac has started making a particular face, scrunching up his lil' button nose. It's hilarious and adorable all at once. What makes it even cuter is the "huffing" he does when he makes this face!

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I'm Alive...Barely

I have so much posting to catch up on, but blogging is the last thing I have time for right now. We bought a bigger house!!!!! It's been a looooong time coming, but we're so excited. It's not the dream house, but I love it anyway! More than twice as much room-I'll be able to breathe! Still in town, just a few blocks away, actually. 4 bedrooms plus an office, 2 bathrooms (yahoo!!), 2 living rooms, great kitchen, dining room, 1 car attached garage, and a fenced back yard! We close August 25th, so in the meantime, I'm trying to pack up as much as I can so this house is much less "cluttered" (man, we've got a lot of STUFF!) so we can show it and hopefully sell it! We had planned on doing all the "finishing up" projects after we move, but a couple of people have already been asking about it, so we moved that timeline up a bit! It's a madhouse around here...I'm drowning in boxes and displaced stuff! :)

So that's why I'm not around bloggy-world much and probably won't be for another month! :( but :)

A Dream Come True

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Anna has been asking for an American Girl doll for a long time. Lucky for her, Uncle Windell spoils my kids rotten! She got the one she's "been dreaming of" for her birthday! I told Windell I would post a video of her opening it. I'm miffed because I ran out of memory right when she realized what it was in the box!!! ARGH!!!!! Notice right after Aaron pulls the doll box out, she hugs it! :-) She has been in heaven all evening and has been lecturing Jacob about not playing with it unless she says he can and how she has to take very special care of Graci (what she named the doll). So cute. THANK YOU Uncle Windell for such a generous gift!! She is beyond delighted. But, you've created a monster...she was telling Aaron tonight that she needs some pajamas for Graci because "I thought about just putting her to bed in her underwear, but I don't hardly ever sleep in my underwear, and I don't sleep in my clothes either, so she needs some pajamas to wear to bed just like me." HA! Thankfully she doesn't know there are outfits for HER that match the doll's outfits!

The Things He Says

It's been proven to me several times recently that Jacob just doesn't hear/understand/get most of what I "lecture" him about when he's in trouble. Case in point...

I found him standing on Anna's guitar. I made him sit in timeout and then talked to him about it. This is exactly what I said:

Jacob, you do NOT stand on the guitar. You need to take care of your toys. You don't stand on them or throw them. You take care of them so they don't break. If you can't take care of your toys, I'll have to take them away and then you won't have anything to play with.

Jacob's response was the required "Yes, Mama."

Here's the kicker...when I ask him,

Jacob, what did I just say?

His answer? Telling...

Not ta 'tand on da guitaw and play wif my big toe.

I'm sorry, WHAT?!

So I ask again. And he says again,

Not ta 'tand on da guitaw and play wif my big toe.

So I simplify my lecture.

Jacob, you may NOT stand on the guitar.

Yes, Mama.

Jacob, what did I just say?

Not ta 'tand on da guitaw and play wif my big toe.

Am I missing something here?!?

Same story from last week. I was telling the kids that when they play on the bed with Isaac, they have to be very careful because Isaac will crawl right off the bed. I can't remember Jacob's answer but it was nowhere near what I had said. BOYS!!!

My Baby Girl is SIX!

Anna decided that she wanted to go to Hedrick's Exotic Animal Farm for her birthday. The problem became the guest list! She wanted to invite everyone. We settled on 3 friends and of course Jacob. So we had (read carefully!) Anna, Jacob, Ella, Jake, and Anna!!! The tour guide was a bit confused when she asked their names!

Feeding the giraffes!!

I love Jake's face!

Are arranged marriages really so bad??? ;)

It was miserably hot the day we went, but the kids didn't complain. They had so much fun seeing, petting, and feeding the animals! We stopped for drinks and ice cream on our way home and then they begged to play at the house some more...in the sprinkler! I managed to come up with enough swim suits for everyone.

Anna, you challenge me every day as a mother. Whether it's with your gentle spirit and soft heart, or with your fiery temper and sharp tongue. You can flip from compliant to defiant in .2 seconds! (which makes me a bit nervous about your teenage years!) But you always have a soft spot for your brothers. When Jacob was sobbing over letting our turtles go in the lake, you cried with him because you felt bad for him. When Isaac is fussy and crying (always when I'm trying to get something done!), you'll try to comfort him and if that doesn't work, you bring him to me and tell me, "He's fussy Mama. He just wants you." You don't like to see him unhappy.
My favorite thing about this year (okay, I can't pick just one!)...your love for horses and getting your very own horse! I absolutely love seeing your passion for horses and am absolutely amazed to see your trust and calmness around Maverick. It's been a joy to watch and I can't wait for your party when you get your present from Daddy and me!
Anna, I pray you never lose your tender heart and sensitive spirit. I hope you'll always want to cuddle, no matter how big you get! I pray that one day you accept Jesus as your Savior and spend the rest of your life pursuing His will for your life. I can't wait to see where He takes you! I love you more than you could ever know Anna Rose. I love you the most!

A Mover and A Shaker

I'm a little late on Isaac's 7 month update. I've been busy and HE is part of the reason! He was active in my belly (my most active by far!) and he hasn't slowed down since.

Isaac, in the past month you have reached many milestones! You got your first two teeth, made a trip to Iowa AND Colorado, saw your first harvest, started crawling and started pulling yourself up to stand!!! You also started saying Anna (and seem to know it's for her), Mama, and Papa.
You were a great traveler. The trip to Iowa was just me and all you kiddos, so it was a bit lengthy but we made it! You charmed all the family in Colorado. When we went to the farm and Aunt Cara's (7 months 1 week), you started army crawling!! That's at least a month ahead of when Anna and Jacob did. We got home a couple days later and within a day you were crawling all over the house! For the most part, you like to stay where all the action is, but sometimes you wander off on your own and explore. I need to do more baby-proofing (and keep the floors much, much cleaner)!!! We had to take the bassinet level out of your Pack'N'Play because you started pulling yourself up to stand in there! And if someone holds your hands and pulls you up to stand, you take off walking right away. I'm not ready for so much mobility yet!!!
You had fun at harvest. You preferred to be wiggling around, which made it very hard on Mama to hold you in the confines of a tractor! But when we got in the combine and you zoned in on that reel going 'round and 'round you seriously were sound asleep in less than a minute! And you slept the whole 2 hours we were on there. I think that might be a bit too expensive to buy as a "nap machine"! :)
Let's see...you do NOT like yogurt. I think your favorite fruit is banana and veggie is avocado. I don't think you've tried any new food since last month.
My brain is fried and I can't see where you crawled to so I better go! :) You're a joy, a delight, intent, and ACTIVE! We love you so much Isaac Jayden!

(here's a video of you "jumping" on the bed with Anna and Jacob, and of you crawling after a balloon)

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