Sunshine & Lemonade

It was high time for a new "look". It has been cold and brown and dead around here. I cannot wait for spring to come. I need the fresh, cool air, colorful flowers and GREEN that I so miss. But since I can't make the grass turn green or the tulips to break through to say hello, I decided I would update my blog. I hope you enjoy the new look! It's like a little cup of sunshine and lemonade.
xox JL

Denver Kid's Expo

We went down to Denver on Saturday for the Kid's Expo at the Convention Center. It was filled with different activities for the kids and lots of free stuff. It was nice to do something a little different this weekend. It has been a while since we've been in a big city. After the expo, we had lunch at Bubba Gumps. It was such a big treat!
This big, blue bear was peeking inside the convention center.


"Whatcha' doing in there?"

Fun Money

We have had no "fun money" for some time now. So, we decided to break the piggy bank open. I've had a coke bottle bank since I was about seven years old. We've been slowly adding coins to it over time and it was about 3/4 the way full, when we emptied it out.

We have agreed the money is just for family fun and won't be spent on anything other than that.

It was kind of sad for me to empty the coke bottle, as I had always hoped to fill it to the top, but I am so excited we have it to use right now!

Stop

Stop whining. Stop saying "no". Stop asking to go to Target. Stop jumping off the coffee table. Stop dropping food on the floor for Addison. Stop eating all the marshmellows. Stop opening the fridge. Stop wiggling around when it's time to get dressed. Stop sassing me. Stop talking for just a minute. Please, stop.

Keep giving me big hugs. Keep "fixing my kisser", keep laughing hard when I tickle you, keep sharing with your sister. Keep chasing us around the house. Keep saying "I love you" and "Te amo". Keep asking Addison if she had a good nap. Keep singing your silly songs and sentances.
Keep playing with playdough and paints. Keep pulling "Bob" around the house with you. Keep talking about buses, trains and sharks. Keep whispering "Good Morning".
Do keep reminding me how thankful I am Heavenly Father blessed me with you.

*My friend Carrie inspired me to write this. Thanks for the idea, Carrie.

Thanks!

Thanks to everyone who participated in my Scentsy drawing! I had an awesome response. A very lucky winner was drawn on Friday the 20th!
I'll have more drawings from time to time, so please check back.

Race Cars

Mcayden got a surprise in the mail today. Auntie Renee (my bff in WA) sent him a fun, b-day present. He is really excited to have a new race track. He designated the red car for Addison and he gets the green car. They both love pushing the lever to watch the cars race down the ramps and hear the repeated "vroom, vroom" sound it makes. Again. And again.

A friend came over the other day and Mcayden excitedly grabbed this toy and brought it in to play. Of coarse we couldn't hear each other over the "vroom, vroom".
I smiled and said, "Thank you Renee." Just wait for Andrew's B-day! :) LOL
Love ya!

Mcayden Seeing Himself on Video

"That's YOU, Addison!"

Three Times a Charm

ONE

I wanted to make Mcayden a cupcake train cake this year, so I bought a silicone cupcake-train-puzzle cake a couple of months before. Thankfully I tried it out a couple of days before his party. The cupcakes did not come out of the silicone in one piece. The tops came off and the bottoms stayed stuck. I was so disappointed.

TWO

My friend Janell loaned me a 3-D train cake pan. The night before the party, I baked the cake. The toothpick came out clean. When I opened the pan, I found that only about 1/4 of the cake had baked perfectly, the other 3/4 was cooked unevenly and was doughy in parts. (I followed the directions to a "T".)

THREE

I didn't have time to try the 3-D cake again, so I decided to make a train with cupcakes. I looked online and got the idea of how to do it. Thankfully they turned out great. It was really fun decorating the cupcakes. And most importantly, Mcayden and his friends thought it was yummy.

Thanks to everyone who came to celebrate Mcayden's birthday with him!

Be a Winner!

Do you love free stuff? I do!

So, I'm having a scentsational GIVEAWAY! How fun is that?!

Go to my Scentsy website and sign up to win!

Hearts are For Girls

Mcayden had just finished a water-color painting, when I added a couple of red hearts to it.
"For Addison?" he asked.
"No, for you, Mcayden."
"Hearts are for girls mom. I don't want it... I'm a boy. It's for Addison."

Yesterday, Mcayden was feeling sick and my mom said, "Bless your little heart."
Mcayden replied, "I don't have a heart. Hearts are for girls."

Happy Valentine's Day!

Valentine's Day Party

It was Mcayden's last day at "Fun Time" (his little pre-pre-school class) and they had a Valentine's Day party. It was fun watching him carefully put valentines into each child's bag. When I picked him up, they were on a scavenger hunt and had followed big, paper hearts through the building and to their goodie bags.

Addison's After the Party Party

Belated Birthday

Mcayden was really sick on his birthday this year. We rescheduled his little friend birthday party, but still had our family party that evening.
Here are some of the highlights.

Opening his presents...
Oooh, money! Thanks Grandpa B!
His friend's Zoe and Caleb brought over a gift (an art kit that he ADORES). Zoe handmade the darling wrapping paper. It was covered in dogs--just for Mcayden. It was so darling.
Addison loved the fun finger-puppet books Grammy B gave him!
This is such a fun toy. I had one when I was younger, but it was made out of nails. Now they have them made out of plastic "nails". Mcayden has had a blast with this! We got it at Target for around $8.

Sick

Craig gave it to Rick. Rick brought it home.
I picked it up, then Mcayden, followed by Addison.
Now we are all officially sick.
It has been a week and a half of coughing, congestion, sore throats, fevers and plain ol' feeling yucky.
I will update our blog soon!
Mcayden's birthday is tomorrow. We rescheduled his b-day party for Monday. Hopefully he'll feel better soon.

Preschool

So, here in CO., if you want to get your kid into a good pre-school, you register them nine months before school starts! Yes, N-I-N-E months.
They have this huge preschool fair in January and if you want to get in, you register right away. School starts in September.
Luckily for us, the school we want to enroll Mcayden in, opened a Tues/Thurs. afternoon class, and we were able to enroll. I went to check out the school, curriculum, etc. and am really happy we got "in". It is a Christian school-- they say a little prayer before they eat their snack and learn that Christmas is about Jesus Christ. I love that. The actual curriculum is based on "Core Curriculum" which is supposed to be great. I never thought we would have to sign up our kids for pre-school so early. I thought "those" kinds of schools were only for the elite, but I've learned. Here "those" schools are for everyone.
I'm going to take Mcayden on Monday so he can visit the school and he can stay the whole class time as a "visitor". It'll be fun.

Spray Bottle

Addison does this ear-piercing, hair-standing-up-on-your-neck-kind-of-squeal/shriek that she belts out when she wants something, is excited about something, or needs your attention.
At first, it was cute. Three months later, not so cute.
Today I started flicking her with water when she would squeal and she'd stop momentarily. Unfortunately, she'd just smile and do it again. She is very persistent. It reminded me of my friend's little boy would do a similar little shriek/squeal when he was about about 1 1/2 years old. She tried everything and finally tried using a spray bottle and would give him a little spray when he would do it. He eventually stopped doing it (as far as I know), but I'm not sure if it was the spray bottle, or that he grew out of it. When I'm on the phone and Addison shrieks/squeals, the people on the other side always comment on how loud her squealing is. Yeah, it's loud. Maybe we'll stop at Target tomorrow and buy her a spray bottle.

Today

A reminant of a wrapper. A red fruit snack. A piece of tape. A pen. A crumpled up piece of paper. A toy train. More tape. Socks. An elastic band. Tinfoil. Catfood. A dirty spoon. A dirty fork.
Things we took out of Addison's mouth today.
We don't remember taking so many things out of Mcayden's mouth when he was this age. We didn't. There was only Rick and I leaving things out. This time around, Mcayden helps add the array of miscellaneous objects Addison can (and does) put in her mouth.