Easter at the Church.

"There's an egg daddy!"

Here's another one.

So this is what's inside it.

Chocolate!

Stickers!

The brave adventuring 2 year old.

Last night after I had arrived home from Ladies Bible study, Rick told me a story with a funny, sheepish look on his face. " I put K-bug to bed about 8:30 and shut the door to our bedroom. About 45 min later I heard scratching at the veranda door. Darn cat! Now it knows how to scratch at the door too!" I thought. I went through our bedroom to use the bathroom and noticed it was really cold. Upon closer inspection, I noticed that the slider door was open and Caleb was gone. I went to the living room and opened the veranda door to find a chilled, wet, and happy boy asking to come back inside." Rick showed me Caleb very wet and muddy jeans. He apparently was playing in the baby yard in the dark happily. The story left me feeling sick and at the same time incredibly thankful.
(We do have wolves around here.) I am so grateful he didn't wander off and that it was warmer last night than its been. Again, I think parenting is about near misses.

Practicing up on his faces- takes after daddy and big brother.

Little dude.

Peek a boo!

Happy birthday to you!

His candle tipped over and put itself out on his hand.

He was screaming, "No! No!" and batting at it till daddy took it away and blew out the mean old candle again.

I flipped the candle over and told him to lick it off. He took that too a whole new level and bit off a big mouthful. When I told him it wasn't food and to spit it out, he burst into embarrassed tears.

Emmy at 4 1/2.

Emmy with a thoughtful expression gazing out the window. "Momma, there is something interesting/strange. What's wrong Emmy? " I asked." I think there is beans stuck to the top of my mouth!" she replied. "Oh, is it bumpy? Yes!" Well my little girl discovered her palet. She walked away mumbling "I don't like being a person like this!"

Caleb
My day ended last night with Caleb toddling out (after I had bathed and dressed him)into the kitchen soaking wet and his diaper ready to burst. Yes, he enjoyed a clothed bath his big sisters. My day started out this morning with my washing machine running ( I didn't turn it on) and my almost 2 year old sitting right on top of the lid. Yes, he did it.

Caleb at 23 months.

I told him I'd give him a bath and undressed him. I found him in a puddle of shampoo in the bathtub ready for his bath.

What a mess that turned out to be. After this photo he and Emmy had a kitty food fight. It was down the hall an in the bathroom too.

Chocolate was a great way to get him to sit still for his hair cut.

He dressed his foot and sister helped him with his jacket. He was off to play in the snow.

One of his favorite activities is goop! ( Momma hates it really). Its fine on the table...

I wasn't sure I like those brownies. So Caleb climbing up and wrecking them wasn't that horrible.

Uh oh! Now its on the floor. Boy does this stuff make a mess out of my carpet, upholstery, and his clothes.

Brother removed his Ukulele...

All is better. He has it back.

My attempt at brother pictures. Caleb wasn't impressed. He thought Lucas was gonna drop him.

Pure terror.

Caleb at 22 months and stories...

He LOVES the vacuum. The only safe place for it is behind closed doors these days.  If it's parked behind the gate he simply opens the baby proof gate, retrieving it. If my bedroom door is left open he trots inside, unplugs the heater, plugs in the vacuum, unrolls the cord, pushes it into the living room and turns it on. That's fine and dandy unless you worry about the shock factor of plugging things in and the problem of running over the cord. Occasionally one of us will "help" him vacuum. Here is proof for a few years down the road when vacuuming isnt as much fun that he DID love it.

A day in the life of Caleb: Momma thinks she has a few minutes to sew while the kids are playing after getting back from Costco. Sewing machine gums up so momma comes out and Caleb comes to show momma what he has been up too.... Smashing 5 eggs on the counter, cupboard fronts, floor oh and did I mention the carpet? Then he finds his music box clear up out of his reach gets it down managing to drop it so it is now missing its second ear this week. Next, momma forgets and leaves her bedroom door open. Caleb goes in and gets the vacuum, plugs it in, and starts vacuuming the living room. Then Momma is feeding the older kids. Caleb helps himself to the shredded cheese. Did I say I am grateful for the dog? He's helped clean up the eggs and cheese. Lastly he found somebody's hot chocolate and spilled it on the newly mopped floor. What's a boy to do? Why lay down and slurp it up like a dog of course! Why did I ever tell Rick I wasn't sure what to do with my extra time lately???

Abby ( age 6) coming up excitedly to me pointing to a tooth in the back left side of her mouth, " Mommy! I found my sweet tooth!!!" ( She had been eating candy and I think it was stuck in her tooth.)

Sledding on our hill in January.

Tasting winter's goodness.

Bravely riding with his little eyes scrunched shut with daddy.

Oh the fun!

Pulling this little guy in the sled was the easiest way to get him back up the hill.

Onward!

Many years have past since his last snow igloo. I think he was 3 so 7 years ago.

Brothers.

We have had an abundance of snow and then ice this winter, The temperatures have been subzero and night and single digits frequently for daytime highs. We had about a 1/2 and inch of freezing rain on top of our 10ish inches of snow. We went sledding with out sleds, simply sitting down and sliding down the hill. Fun! But treacherous to walk on. While walking out to sled we watched and 18 wheeler slide sideways off of Touchet/ Gardena Road south of us. A flat bed pick up truck tried to turn onto White Road and instead slid in a semi circle and wound up in the ditch north of our driveway. We were blessed to have Gary Segerman plow the snow out of our driveway before the freezing rain came. I think we've had snow on the ground for coming up on 3 weeks!