Stevie: Computers and Sleepovers!

He loves his computer games!  This is him wearing Tim's headset that he uses when he plays his games.  I guess he just wants to be just like his dad!

This boy will fall asleep in the weirdest positions. 

His first sleepover and grandmas house!  This backpack was mine from HS. He loves it.  Stevie packed: pajamas, shirt, shorts, pull ups, his blankie, his caterpillar (stuffed not real), toothbrush and toothpaste.  He walked around the house like this for hours waiting to get picked up.  He was so excited!

The sleepover went well.  He stayed up way to late and woke up too early so was very grouchy for us the next day.  But isnt that what sleepovers are all about?!  

My Adorable, Loving kids!

Seriously, my kids are great.  They love each other so much and share it constantly!! 

 I know it looks like he's trying to bite her fingers, but he's not!  He's really kissing her hand.

Ice Storm 2010

This past winter we had a bad ice storm.  One of the likes I haven't seen since I was in Elementary school (and Ive lived here my whole life).  It there was ice everywhere.

 To get these pictures of the tress, Tim and I went out while it was still icing.  It was so weird walking on the snow but not sinking through it like usual.  With all the ice on top it was like skating.  It was quite fun!!  The kids were sleeping, so we got to be really silly without worrying about them getting hurt.

 

Our wonderful friends, the Hansens, decided to brave through the bad weather and pay us a visit!  I just love how Stacey is being all goofy and Brett is doing all the work!!!  (if you cant tell, their van is covered in ice).

 the grill of our durango

 This icicle was almost touching the ground.  I had always wanted to see one like that and we did in the backyard.  That is until Stevie got ahold of it.

This winter I became infatuated with the bird footprints on the snow/ice.  I think they are so neat.  

Coming Soon!

I don't even know what to write about anymore, I am so far behind!  BUT good news is on the way!  I have just ordered a USB cable for our camera, so hopefully there will be plenty of pictures soon!!  (why oh why did I not think of this before??)

We have recently found out that Tim will be losing his job this summer.  So once again, he is an unemployed teacher.  This is getting quite frustrating, dealing with this every summer.  There seems to be some great prospects though, so hopefully things will work out soon.  However, despite this hard news we have had some small miracles.

1.  I have been able to watch some kids again.  There is a family in our ward (at church) that is moving.  She has a daycare in her home and called to see if she could give them my name.  One girl is full time and two others come maybe once a month.  Just from watching a few kids has helped relieve some stress of unemployment.  That blessing could not have come at a better time.

2.  Tim had recently had surgery on his sinuses.  He got a tremendous bill, that thank goodness for insurance turned out to be a little less.  However, it would still take us a while to get it all paid off. (which we are trying to do with other medical bills too, so this just got added to the pile).  While Tim was at work, I got a call about setting up payment plans for this bill.  I explained to her Tims work and his soon to be unemployment.  She asked a few questions.  Then a few minutes later she explained to me that we qualified for 100% financial assistance.  Know, for those who know me, I do not like to talk to these people.  I dont like to set up payment plans, I usually let Tim deal with it.  So, I dont know why I told her about our situation.  But it was another miracle.

From these two instances, and many more, my testimony has been strengthened a hundred fold.  Our Heavenly Father knows how much we can handle.  He knows when to step in and say, OK you've had enough.  I feel truly blessed to have the gospel in my life.  And I am so thankful for my family and all the experiences we go through together.

Havent posted in a long time :(

I know, I am sad too that I havent been posting things on here recently.  So much has happened.  We have tons of pictures on our camera but for some reason the memory card drive (?) on our computer will not register that there is a memory card in it therefore no pictures are getting off the camera onto the computer.  So UGH.  I am very frustrated about the whole thing.  I am sure it has something to do with our computer crashing a few weeks ago.  Thank goodness we were able to recover all our pictures that were previously on the computer!!  

But in the mean time, I guess I will tell stories but without pictures!

 Lately, and by lately I mean the past 3 months, Stevie says his own prayers.  He will bless the food, (no matter if we are going to be eating or not!) then go through all that are at the house at the time.  He will intentionally forget to say his own name though.  Then he will bless things he thinks of like the computer, his fingers, a game he enjoys playing, a movie he watched.  Then he ends it by saying amen.  Then he stops, acts surprised and says, "bless Stevie!?" Then will begin another prayer just to bless himself then close again.  EVERY TIME.  Its really funny.  He will even do it if he blesses himself the first time.

Adalyn Loves to tackle Stevie.  She is only 10.5 months, but she can hold her own!!  Takes after her mommy!!  If Stevie even thinks of laying on the floor she is on him like a hawk on a mouse!  And thankfully, Stevie is such a good sport about it and lets her do it. He will even join in on getting her, and is usually pretty gentle about it.  They are seriously the best brother and sister ever.

Stevie loves the computer.  He has his own file where his games are, like Legos.com  He loves to do puzzles, matching, anything!  I am very impressed on what he has learned on some of the programs.  He can even be better at matching than me.  And he's only 2.5!  I think this is how he learned how to count to 10 and some of his ABC's too.  The downside to this is, all he wants to do is play on the computer.  So, Ive had to create a behavior/ chore chart, so when he accomplishes 4 things he can get 30 min. computer time.  Then if he gets 4 X's for bad behavior, then he gets no computer for the rest of the day.  (I will post a picture as soon as I get it on the computer!)  So far it has been working pretty well!  And he helps clean and put silverware away!!

I am in the process of turning half the playroom into a craft room!!  I am so excited for this!  I am turning an old bookcase into a desk.  I will we taking it apart and putting pieces back together.  All by scratch!!  I was just sitting around and thought of the idea.  I hope it turns out!  Then will use some of the left over wood for shelves!  I have recently gotten a sewing machine and am in the process of stocking fabric and other necessities!  Cant wait to get it all organized.  I will also be making a net to hang all the stuffed animals in.  I have so many ideas of things to make!!

Thats about it for now! Life is going pretty well.  Tim and I have such a wonderful little family!

Tunnel Time!

This is the tunnel the kids got for Christmas.  They love it, 

and even more so now that Adalyn can crawl in too.

 I love her hair in this one!!  

catching up!

I have not blogged in such a long time.  It is quite hard to do and I only have two kids.  I honesty dont know when and how others can keep up!!  Here are a few things about Christmas of 2010!  Adalyn had her first Christmas.  This year the kids got:

       Stevie: A wooden crane truck where the crane is magnetic and has blocks that are too that he can pick up and put on the back.
      Adalyn: Her first baby dolls. (that took quite a while to find ones that do not make noise or are as hard as a rock, but we were finally successfull!!)
     Joint:  A tent with a connecting tunnel.  The tunnel is quite a fav!  But tent is staying put up till summer.  Then they can take both outside and play till their hearts content!  And a shopping cart.  Stevie loves pushing this around all over the place, and yes even with Adalyns dolls in it!
      So it wasnt a huge Christmas, but we do not want our kids to focus on getting presents, we want them to focus more on the spirit of Christmas and why we have it.  Tims mom sent us a wooden nativity set which is really neat.  Stevie loves playing with it!