Adam's Birthday

Adam is 5 years old!  

He got lots of new outdoor things to play with.  Here he is jumping on the launch pad to make the rocket shoot into the air.

Adam can't swing a bat.  Neither can I.  We both swing like we are playing golf.  The difference is Adam was able to learn how to hit the ball without launching the T at the same time.  (but not in this clip)

Olivia loved the bat.  She set up the ball and after hitting it she threw the bat.  Too funny.

Adam throws his new airplane better than anyone.  After a really long trip down the runway, he can make it glide unlike anyone else who usually makes it nose-dive.

And finally.....
(drumroll)

The Monster Truck Birthday Cake!

Only three cake mixes for this amazing creation!  The wheels are one cake mix divided between 4 - 5" round pans.  The truck is two cake mixes in a 9x13, and  a 9x5 bread pan.  The bottom of the oven got about 3 cupcakes worth of batter.  It is just a box covered in tinfoil to get the truck up high.

I can't believe he is 5!

teasing and the dance festival

Emily came up after bedtime to complain that Miriam was teasing her about having a boyfriend after the 4th grade did square dancing this morning at the dance festival. Of course it isn't true. Emily is humiliated that anyone would even go there. The kids had to join hands to dance with their assigned partner. No big deal. Emily had fun! "Don't make a big deal or I'll cry," philosophy.

Miriam then came to tattle that Emily won't stop singing "High School Musical" and she can't sleep. It's "we're all in this together..." over and over and over. I keep asking her to stop and she won't!

I told both girls to stop doing what they were doing that bugged their sister and get back to bed.
(funny that I easily find random pictures of both of them acting obnoxious while creating this post)

When they made yet another appearance to complain about each other I changed tactics.

I gave them both license to keep up their annoying behavior if their sister wouldn't stop.

So... if Emily keeps singing, Miriam can talk about Emily's alleged boyfriend, and so forth.

(ten minutes pass)

Emily returned to complain that she isn't allowed to sing anything.
I reminded her that she is still welcome to sing after bedtime, but...

Emily returned to bed. All is quiet, and I haven't seen the girls since.

What brought it all on...
This morning the elementary school held the anual dance festival. Each grade parades onto the soccer field and performs a choreographed dance for the rest of the school and audience of parents and little brothers and sisters. All parents must bring a camera to attend. (or so it seemed.) As each grade took their places, the audience shuffled to let the parents with kids performing at the time move to the front for better filming positions. So funny.

This is Miriam's dance. From High School Musical. It is the source of Emily's late-night serenade. Miriam is in the front row to the right of the screen in a blue shirt and jeans.

And this is Emily doing the Virginia Reel! I know, you can't see her. Emily's group is in the back right hand corner. Emily is wearing a green shirt and brown skirt.

Olivia's birthday

Here are some pictures of Olivia turning 2 last week.

Morning of birthday - hair done, and putting on her favorite thing... SHOES!

Olivia after her nap.  Messy bed head, and what did you do to your shirt?  Evidently, her talent of removing all her clothing in her crib has progressed to putting it all back on.  Just inside out.

Olivia loves to say two words.  They are "shoes" and "juice."
Here are her new birthday shoes!  Can't see them?  Me either.

Another present is...you guessed it!  Juice!
She is thrilled to feed her babies their own juice.

It even tastes good. (if Joshua isn't hiding it)

Olivia with her birthday cake.

Blow out the candles!  (I think her Dad had to help her blow)

Olivia received a birthday box from Wyoming.  She carefully removed each item one at a time, and looked at it, held it up, and sometimes hugged it.  What was in the box?  All clothes!  What will she be like in 10 years...?

This slideshow is to show her kind aunts and grandpa how sweet she was opening their present.  Thank you!

Make photo slide shows at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Raining Diapers

While I was busy (not paying attention), my kids opened a BRAND NEW box of diapers, and spread them out all over the living room.

When I finally noticed, I had to document it.

I think I noticed what they were doing after I heard the boys giggling, yelling, "BYE!" and (out of the corner of my eye) I noticed a few handfuls of something white fly down the stairs.

I managed to video this without the kids seeing me. They don't need any reason to believe that a repeat of this behavior is o.k.

Appropriate consequences were handed out once filming was completed.

And if you were wondering... 125 diapers CAN be put back into the box (by little hands), and we have no problem using them anyway.

Assignment completed.

I know, all of you have been anticipating the Orangutan video staring Miriam.

A quick email to Miriam's teacher helped sort out the requirements.

Miriam only needed to complete a poster OR a video.

This is her poster. We found pictures together and she wrote the words.

Miriam even picked the fonts and arranged everything. she did a great job!)

Later that day, after handing it in, she told me one kid made a clay porcupine with toothpicks sticking out of it. Cool! I told her she needs to pick a porcupine next time.

The following is a very short clip from a video my sister took of my dear Miriam. You can get the idea of how the orangutan movie would have turned out...