Happy Birthday, Ace!

Today is Ace's actual birthday.  He's turning four.

He'll make a great pirate when he grows up!

Seriously, we are so blessed to have Ace in our lives.  He is a creative, fun-loving kiddo who always has a new idea of how to play with tools and toys.  He has kept Ian entertained time and time again with his fun games.  This kiddo is super smart and knows how things he work and what he wants out of life!  He has a sweet side that can't stand seeing people hurt and loves to snuggle up with you at bedtime (I only wish Ian was such a good snuggler!).  I am so glad Ian has such an awesome cousin so close in age.  Happy Birthday, Ace!  We can't wait to see you again next month!

Master Bedroom Makeover

So this is a post that has needed to be written since fall of last year!  But, oh well.  Better late than never.  Our master bedroom had been desperately in need of a makeover and hubby agreed to get me the bedding set and coordinating curtains I wanted last year for my birthday.  It took us until fall to get the furniture in place, but I love our room now!  I'm not feeling well today (stupid gluten cross-contamination...mumble, mumble, mumble) and it is so nice to have such a beautiful place to relax.

A few before pictures (the new curtains already in place).  Taken with our old camera - what a difference in quality!

Hodge-podge of old furniture and mismatched fabrics.  The dresser on the right was James' dresser from the time he was two!

Aahhh!  So much better!  Even with clothes on our clothes rack, it feels so much more peaceful!

Ian spends many nights in our bed, so Skip ends up with our pillows when we make the bed.

To the right of the windows is our armoire.  The TV and many of James' dvds are in there now.

Close-up of the top of the armoire.  Grammy Jen gave us the sign "Prayer changes things" and the apothecary jars are just waiting for decorative fillings!

To the right of the armoire is the bathroom (behind Door #1!) and my dresser.  (To the right of the dresser are several pictures waiting to be hung!)  The gold jar on the left of the dresser houses drum sticks and the tree holds jewelry. :-)

Close-up of my gorgeous candle holders and the plant arrangement from my Grandpa's memorial service.

Better picture of armoire and dresser together.

The fourth wall in the bedroom.  Beautiful jewelry armoire my sweet hubby gave me for Christmas two years ago and our closet doors.  (Out in the hall are more doors for the hallway closet.)  Had we known we were staying here, this wall would have been lots more decorated.  As it is, those pictures will wait until we move to be hung.

While this has definitely been a budget redecoration, I am absolutely in love with our bedroom now.  It finally feels like a big girl bedroom should!

Ace's Scooby-Doo Pool Party

This weekend, Ian and I went to his cousin's pool party.  Unfortunately, we had to make a few stops for my poor car sick little boy along the way and ended up missing the cupcakes and presents part, so I have no pictures of those.  Fortunately, we did arrive in enough time to go swimming!

Playing in the pool with Grandaddy!

One of Ace's friends was giving ladybug rides.  Ian was thrilled to have a turn.

Ian and Gramma K.  She took such good care of Ian when we got there.  Ian had just woken up and was still feeling a little icky from the ride, and Gramma K got Ian all settled in and even held his pizza while he ate it!  That's definitely some TLC service right there!

It didn't take Ian long to find the trampoline.

He had a blast jumping on it!

Birthday boy with his new toy saw and a big ole cupcake!

I'm gonna get you!

So grown up!!

Aunt Erwin and Ian.  Ian kept rubbing his nose and I couldn't get a smile out of him!

But that didn't phase Erin!  She just went right on playing with him. :-)

Yummy cupcake!

Sweet little Tylar, Ace's little cousin.  She was pointing at the balloon that flew away.

Ian and Tatum, Tylar's older sister.  She and Ace are such good buddies!

It was so fun for Ian to get to play with Ace's cousins too.  Maci and Tylar are helping Ian and Ace open goodie bags!

Looking at the frogs Grant Julie got Ace for his birthday!

I have many, many more pictures on my camera for another post.  But in the meantime, happy birthday, Ace!  We love you!

Save the Grasshoppers!

Lately, Ian has been really into bugs.  He has several plastic ones running around the house and Daddy often pulls up pictures of different bugs on Wikipedia to show Ian.  So now our three year old can accurately point out a grasshopper, praying mantis, spider, fly, june bug, and who knows what else!

Of course, at the pool today, when Ian and I noticed a few grasshoppers going for a swim, he was quite intrigued.  He wasn't brave enough to touch the grasshoppers, but he was very concerned about them.

So we scooped up the grasshopper with Mommy's hand and placed it on the wall.  Poor little grasshopper just sat there trying to dry off. 

This little guy seemed to be content with sitting on the edge.  Ian was very interested in him an leaned closer and closer and all of the sudden yelled, "GRASSHOPPER!" 

Poor little guy jumped right back into the water!

So we rescued him again. :-)  This time we brought him to the side of the pool instead of to the wall in the middle of the pool.

He's a pretty big grasshopper!

Ian watched from a distance at first as his little friend walked along the side of the pool.

Then he got a little closer to see what his friend was doing.

And he thought about trying to touch him, but couldn't quite work up the nerve.

After a bit of grasshopper watching, we went back to swimming without our jumpy little friends.  Hopefully they all stayed out of the pool for the rest of the afternoon!

Happy 1st Father's & Mother's Day!

To: Mommy and Daddy
From: Fin (with a little help from Aunt Laura and Uncle James)

Dear Mommy & Daddy,

I know you guys went through some really hard times to get me here.  Thank you for not giving up on me!  I love you both so much and am very lucky to be your little boy!

Love,
Fin

P.S.  When are we going to Disneyland and Disneyworld?  I'd like to go ahead and add those dates to my calendar.
I

Buddies!

This picture needs no words. (But deserved it's own post!)

The pure simple joys of childhood buddies!  We are so thankful to have good friends like Noah and Libby in our lives!

Recipe for Blissful Summer Days

Ian's recipe for Blissful Summer Days is quite easy to make:

First, make plans to go to McDonalds with Noah and Libby.

Then have your awesome friend feed you french fries dipped in ketchup after another kid pushes you.  He might make some silly faces in the process.

Climb on couches while Mommy and Libby fill out Libby's guest pass at the pool.

You and your friend say cheese and look at the camera for Libby but not for Mommy!

Stand under the buckets and get lots of water dumped on you!

Let your friend borrow your Mommy so he can reach the squirty buttons.

Brave the buckets again with Libby.

Makes sure you get splashed really good!

Show your friend the big bucket of pool noodles and how to float on them.

Both of you float on them together for the first time!

Swim ALL over the pool on your noodles.

Realize you can interlock your noodles and swim that way.

Get really close to the mushroom waterfall.

Then swim, swim, swim some more!

Enjoy the feeling of weightlessness.

Be glad your friend enjoys it too!

Watch your friend link arms with his Mommy to get pulled around the pool and decide you need to do the exact same thing with your Mommy.

Let your friend squirt with the big ole water gun.

Watch him in action - he's pretty good with that thing!

Notice storm clouds rolling in.  Realize you are going to have to leave and avoid a major fit by inviting your friend over to your house to play.

Show him your cool new t-ball set.  Let him put balls on the stand while you hit them and then put balls on the stand for him so he can hit them.

Pull out your tub of beans and fill cups with beans and pour them on each other.

Show your friend your favorite game: pile on the animals!

Notice the rain never actually came down and go play outside with your friend. 

Make plans to invite your friend back as soon as possible after an awesome day!