Life on Fast Forward

 After some complaints from certain grandparents people, I figured I better put some pictures up. :) I take more pictures with my phone than anything recently and it's easier to post to facebook than to blogger, so even though a lot of family gets to see them that way, the most important ones (the grandparents) don't. So, here are a bunch of phone pics. This is life these days. Busy...crazy...recovering from sickness...learning...life. We love it (except for the sickness part)!

 After watching The Pioneer Woman just before the Super Bowl, I was asked to make these brownies. They're called Knock You Naked Brownies. Maybe I should change it to Knock Your Socks Off...Anyway, they are amazing. Decadent, rich, and calorie-free! Ha. So when Uncle Windell came to visit, I made them again.

 Jacob was SO EXCITED to see Uncle Windell! He basically talked from the second Windell walked in the door until Jacob went to bed. He talked Windell into playing Mario Kart with him. Uncle Windell quickly found out that it's not as easy as it looks! Jacob "helped" him.

 Windell got a rental car this trip (a Yukon). When we went to Hutch to go shopping, we took his vehicle. Anna and Jacob were soooo impressed that there were TWO movie screens! :)

 Isaac was too tired to be impressed.

 For Sale...CHEAP! ;)

 One weekend there was a Ranch Rodeo in Lyons. Anna was ecstatic to go! Jacob was more interested in running around playing and Isaac just wanted to run (into the corrals...it didn't matter where as long as he was running. That child has no fear.).

 She made a friend...

 I told Aaron it might be time to get a shotgun! ;)

 We had one day recently that was incredible...70 degrees! I think this day wasn't quite that warm, but it was very nice!

 Isaac enjoyed the swing.

 He just looks like trouble!

 I didn't have much luck getting a picture of Anna swinging.

 Yeah, I almost got kicked...

 Got it!

 Aaaand I almost got kicked again!

 But look! I got another one :)

 The kids had been such troopers, being sick for so long. So I got them a new game...Bed Bugs!! All three of them like it. Except Isaac picks up the bugs you get out and puts them back!

 Heaven help us. She actually slept like this for a nap one day. I'm in so much trouble when she hits double digits!!!

 The kids like to play in the crib, except I guess maybe Jacob wanted out here.

 And he didn't appreciate me taking his picture instead of helping him out...

 Uncle Windell got the kids some "color your own" shirts. I told Jacob he didn't color all of his shirt. He said "Yes I did." Okay buddy. Either way, he loved it!

 Anna colored a "Pinto horse" (she means Paint) :) and of course, was so proud to wear it! The greatest thing? The colors wash off and they can re-color them!

 I don't know...

 After almost 3 weeks of sporadic/no school, it feels really good to be back at it!! The kids had a lot of fun (all 3 of them!) playing with these today.

 Jacob was very proud of the flower he made...all by himself!

So fun learning and creating!

So! There you go Papa, Binga, Grandpa, and Grandma! :)

Trick or Treat...Yeehaw...Choo...Moo...

Once again, Uncle Windell outfitted the kids for Halloween. Anna requested Jessie (from Toy Story). While we were shopping before Windell left, Jacob got to pick what he wanted from Toys-R-Us. I tried talking him into being Woody but once he saw Thomas, there was no changing his mind--until Anna's costume got her and he said "Where's my other costume? I wanna be Woody!"! Isaac didn't get a choice :)

 Anna had to get Graci dressed up, too! She even took her trick or treating with us. A couple weeks ago, she was talking about wanting an Itty Bitty Baby (the American Girl baby doll). I had told her before she got Graci that maybe she should get the baby instead, since she loves to play with her baby dolls. She hasn't really played very much with Graci since she got her (which I pointed out to her). She said "Well, I don't really know how to play with her. What am I supposed to do with her?" So I told her how to play with Graci (she does whatever you do) and now she's been playing with her.

Thomas and Jessie :) And yes, it was warm enough for Jacob to be wearing flip flops!!

 Cheese!

 Anna was pretty excited that I gave her freckles, just like Jessie!

 Isaac was THE CUTEST little cow ever! :) I was surprised that he didn't hate the costume. He didn't even mind the hat. He just didn't want to stand there and pose for pictures!

 The ladies at Aaron's office spoil these kids every day (they ask the kids to come visit every day)! They're so sweet and the kids love them. I appreciate that they have crackers as well as candy :)

CUTE! We would be disowned if we didn't stop by the admissions office...

 Having a snack while we waited for Addie.

 What to eat, what to eat??

Always time to pose for Mama :)

Special Visit

 We had a special visitor at our house for a weekend. Uncle Windell!! It's been over a year since we've seen him. Anna was okay with giving up her room while he stayed, but she wasn't so keen on sleeping in Jacob's room on her old top bunk. "I don't want to sleep in a boy's room!" *cue eye rolls from Mama* 

It was a very hectic weekend, being the college's homecoming so the only pictures I have are from the day we took him back to the airport! Oh well. We had fun and Jacob was NOT happy that Uncle Windell had to go home. He wanted to get on the plane and go with him!

Since we (the kids and I) didn't get to spend much time with him the rest of the weekend, we spent the day in Wichita, before his plane left that evening.

 We ate lunch at PF Chang's. Anna was actually pretty good with the kiddie chop sticks.

 Not so much for this guy.

 What? Everyone is actually looking at the camera?! Not bad for the camera being propped on the back of a pickup! :)

The kids being silly at the airport...

And of course, there was a trip to Toys R Us. Uncle Windell is very good at spoiling these kids!

 What else?! Anna picked out a horse stable, horses, and a PINK pickup and trailer. Isaac likes opening and shutting the gates. :)

 Isaac got a Thomas ride/walk toy. He likes it, but the other two played with it more than he did the first couple days (balls shoot up out of his smoke stack)! Silly kids.

Jacob finally got  his Cranky fire set! He saw a commercial for it at least a month ago and EVERY SINGLE DAY he asked if we could go to the store so he could "borrow" it (he's confused on the terms buy and borrow!). 

As always, the time was much too short, but we enjoyed getting to see Uncle Windell. Next time it won't be so crazy...at least that's what we tell ourselves!

A Dream Come True

Make an on-line slide show at www.OneTrueMedia.com

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!