No More Toupee

Well if you remember from his first birthday, Ezra was definitely serious in his business attire. However, you may not have noticed his strikingly realistic toupee. Well, he decided it was time for a younger look and now is sporting a much more youthful doo. Hope you like it!

Santa Baby

There is a little history to this story. It's about Mimi and swearing. She doesn't really swear in the strict sense. This is simply because she doesn't have the ammunition. However, she has her own way of getting the message across.
One of her first swear phrases was "you bad girl ____." You simply insert the person's name in the blank. You can imagine the hilarious forms of this phrase, from the times she called the table she just ran into a "bad girl" to my personal favorite, "you bad girl Daddy." Eventually we had to outlaw the phrase. Then another one popped up in it's place: "I not like you." This too had to be outlawed and was soon replaced with the most amazing teeth gritted, angry little girl hiss of "I like you." Eventually, she gave up on this one herself because we either laughed at the irony or simply told her that we also liked her. Not the desired response.
The latest swear phrase is "you baby." She lovingly calls Ezra, "Ezra Baby" with no seeming contradiction. However, if you make her mad she will call you "you baby" with the full force of her almost three year old anger. Lately it has become something of a joke, even to her, to call someone, "you baby." She will lovingly say, "you baby, mommy" just to get a laugh. Well the other day we were listening to Christmas songs on the radio when Mimi piped up from the back seat. "Santa a baby. Hey mommy, Santa a baby." She started laughing and I realized how the song, "Santa Baby" sounds to her. Like a funny joke or name calling.

Our Magical Experience

So we visited the Magic House in St. Louis this past Friday. It was truly a great time. After the first 3 or so hours, Jason did ask, "So when are the kids going to nap?" I replied, "They aren't." He told me that I was being my mom. Which translated means: "You are crazy and have not fully thought through how this will wear us out. You have simply cracked out our kids by planning for us to be here all the live long day." After another hour or so, we did at least give our kids some legitimate crack by treating them to donuts (note the creepy snowman picture). Then we finished it all off with two movies and pizza at Uncle John and Aunti Kayla's house. Needless to say, I took a two hour nap the next day and so did all the kids. It was awesome!

Getting down to business

Here are some pictures from Ezra's first birthday. I know he looks formal, but he really wanted to take things seriously on his big day. He wore "bib-ness" attire (made for him by his Aunti Vera). And, as you can see he certainly got down to business.

Zombies? What?

Trying to find a way to pass the time tonight while Jason was at youth group, I decided to ask the kids some questions at dinner that might be fun. Here is a bit of that conversation:

Me: If you could go anywhere in the world where would you go?
Esther: Disneyworld.
Josiah: Spain.
Miriam: Snow White.
Me: Snow White's house?
Miriam: Yeh. Snow White.

Me: If you could have any super-power what would it be?
Josiah: Turning into a Cheetah.
Mimi: Riding on a goggie (i.e. doggie).
Esther: Sliding down rainbows.

Me: If you could be any animal, what would you be?
Josiah: A Cheetah. No, three animals together: a lizard, a snake and an owl. No maybe just an owl. They eat lizards and snakes.
Esther: A unicorn... a flying unicorn.
Miriam: A chickie.
Me: What?
Miriam: A chickie, bock bock bock-a-doodle-doo.

Me: If you could eat any food in the world what would you eat?
Miriam: Stambehees.
Josiah: Zombies. She said a zombies (laughing).
Miriam: No a stambehee.
Esther: Yeh, a zombie. I want to eat a zombie.
Miriam: (Getting frustrated a bit) No stambehees, stambehees!
Me: Jammies?
Miriam: (With soup in her mouth busts out laughing.) Jammies. I eat jammies!
(At this point everyone is busting up.)
Me: Mimi, what were you really trying to say?
Miriam: (Still laughing) Stambehees.
Me: (finally realizing what she is saying.) OH! Strawberries.
Miriam: That what I say... stambehees.

Playtime with Mimi and Ezra

Knives are for Bad Guys

Josiah: Mommy what are you doing to that knife?
Me: I am sharpening it.
Josiah: So you can use it to kill bad guys.
Me: No. So I can make dinner.

Welcome Klaebel and Bo!

Here are a couple of pictures of our two newest pals, Klaebel and Bo. Just in case you might be confused, Miriam clarified for us that Bo is actually a baby saying, "I think he not a rainbow." We are all eagerly awaiting their ability to talk, walk and play. Until then, aren't they cute?

Quote of the Day - Princess Esther

Esther was sitting on Jason's lap while Jason and I were trying to have a conversation. Eventually, Jason asked her to leave saying, "besides, I'm not your chair." Esti said in response, "I know daddy. You're my throne."

Another Vacation Installation - Denver!

Here are some pictures from our visit with Aunti Becca and Uncle Eddie in Denver. One major highlight was our visit to the Aquarium. It was amazing!

Vacation day 1 - boat ride, fishing and a kiddie pool

We just got home from a wonderful, crazy, fun-filled, (did I say crazy?) trip out to Colorado. Our first day, we stopped in Kansas City to visit Jason's Aunt Pat and Uncle Ron. The kids took a boat ride with Uncle Ron - Josiah even got to drive the boat! Aunt Pat filled up a kiddie pool for the smaller kiddies. And, Josiah caught his first fish. Here are a couple of pictures and a video.

A Memorable Memorial Day

We had a wonderful time at Granddad and Granddo's house on Memorial Day. Here are some choice pics...

Some Real Cheese

Ezra Rolls Over

Spent a little time filling out some of Ezra's baby book tonight... Wow, it is a job just having kids, let alone trying to write any of this stuff down. Out of a sense of duty therefore, I must post that Ezra did roll over for the first time on Monday. I caught the second roll on video (that would be my "old pro" mom skills kicking in). Isn't he cute?

A letter to Farruk

At first we called him Frank. His name is really Farruk though. We found out when he started writing us letters, since that is how he signs his name. He is our sponsor child from Ghana, and they must have given him an American name to make it easy on us. Anyhow, we have often written Farruk letters and sent things that can be sent such as stickers and the like. However, this was Josiah's first letter to him. It says: "Dear Farruk, I made a lizard because you like lizards. I play soccer. I like to play football with my dad. My favorite color is red. From, Josiah." Josiah also made him a paper airplane for his birthday. I really treasure Farruk and what he is teaching our family about how very different his life is from our own and yet how very similar it is as well. I am reminded of how blessed we are in Christ and how his mercy towards us cannot but overflow through our lives. I pray that Frank is blessed by Josiah and our family as we are blessed by him.

A long overdue shout out to the Grandparents

Having a baby, then having a surgery and just having four kids is quite a deal better when there are grandparents around to help out. During all of our recent joys and dilemas, I have often called upon my parents and Jason's for babysitting, advice, trips to the store, kid watching, sleepovers, hanging out with the kids and did I mention babysitting? I don't know how I could do it without all of the loving support of our parents. So, here is a little montage to celebrate the wonderful grandparents in our lives. And if you are wondering, yes, my mom is wearing Esther's boots, and dad has on her necklace. And finally, it is worth watching the blooper I caught on tape of Mimi (a.k.a. "mean me") and Esti playing with Dita.

Potty Humor

Today is day 4 of a nasty little virus holding our family hostage. I am a bit stir crazy at this point. However, God reminded me that I should thank him in all things, even this. I laughed when I realized that had I just read in my devotional on Wednesday (the day before D-Day) about how God teaches us through sickness. I thought of a friend of mine who has been flying under the radar for weeks now recovering from a surgery. Well... little did I know that I should have thought of myself instead of her. Isn't that always our tendency to look outside of ourselves instead of applying things to our selves. Well, that encouragement was really a preparation for me to help me have a good heart and positive attitude as I deal with all of the bodily fluid clean-up of small children with the stomach flu. I am amazed both at the amount of clean up required and God's sense of humor. One thing that is always so helpful to me in hard situations is to be able to find humor in them (and potty humor has always been quite funny to me). Anyhow, not to over-spiritualize but it really speaks to my heart to know that God is laughing with me. In light of all of that, I wanted to share this wonderful video of Ezra laughing. What a joy. For him, I cannot help but be thankful.

Sledding Down the Plow Hill

For the first time since we have lived in our home (seven winters), we paid someone to plow our driveway. The result of which were some pretty massive snow plow hills in the back. Today, we went sledding down those hills, ate snow, and I discovered that there are some things that kids can do better than adults. They were able to climb the hills, I just sank. Hilarious. Anyhow, here is a video of our snow capades.

Tea Party Time

Well it has been a while since we had a good old fashioned tea party. It was quite fun. We dined on sugar with small amounts of tea, strong black coffee (for me, though Miriam would have loved some), and animal crackers with nutella - mmm...