Happy Birthday

James wonderful decorating job.. I am Horrible at decorating for Birthday Party.. This is his job every year..

I SPY..

While the kids were upstairs taking a bath- Daddy was downstairs decorating the birthday area! He is really good at this by the way.. This is Abe coming down the stair s seeing the booty!

It is time!

Let's get to it - This is Abe before opening presents. He was really patient all day but after an early bath and after dinner- the scrumptious mac and cheese, sausage, black bean feast-he was really ready!

Planet Heroes

We bought abe some planet heroes for his birthday- Also a sleeping bag with a mattress for both Parker and Abe- If ayone out there is interested they are onclearance at Target right now for $8. a crocodile one for Abe and a Butterfly one for Miss Parker. Being Abe he need some Bad guys to go with the good guys so we bouth him the Villian Black Hole and Asteroid..He really likes the whole good/guy bad guy struggle- he turns everything into a good guy/bad guy struggle- this is even how Parker cons him into watching Barbie movies, by telling him there is a bad guy in it-It's true , They all do have a villians in them- Pretty smart of her though...

Planet Heroes

Thanks Nana and Mr. Ross for the Planet Heroes! Abe was really excited ! I knew that he really liked them and he does talk about them all of the time in reference to Sam and Mathews.. Ace from Earth is his Favorite... Thanks and good job! :)

RICH!

Thanks Nana and Mr. Ross for remembering Parker! She was very excited to have an envelope- She can't decide what to do with the loot-If I had to guess, she will buy stickers- I think she is ready for a sticker album- I showed her my old sticker album and I think it got her wheels turning.. I will let you know.

Thank you Grandma and Grandpa Lights for the Transformers! Abe Loves It ! He can't decide which one he likes the best- The good Guy Bumblebee or the Bad guys- He tends to really like Bad GUYS ! He was thrilled!

Walkie Talkies from Parker

Parker got abe Transformer walkie talkies! Too bad they talk so loud when doing it that you don't even need the walkie talkie :)

Here is Vi- She turned 8 months this week- She likes Odyssey 1 because she has alot to observe. She still only has two teeth on the bottom- she is almost wearing 6-12 month clothes- I am ready for a new wardrobe :) I think she ways about 16 lbs- she laughs alot and is making a ton of noise- she is able to sit by herself and play with toys (YAY!) SHe is standing up and tries to pull up- She seems to be right on trck like the older two as an early walker. We are moving to a bigger house in March, it already has baby gates installed by the stairs- thank goodness- we are going to need it!

JAN 19th FINALLY!

YES!! Today is my Birthday!!

taking a break

Parker taking a break rom Odyssey 1-

Odyssey 1

Odyssey 1 is this HUGE indoor playground with climbing structure, ball pits (clean ones) zip lines, trampolines, slides- there are differerent structures for small kids, there is lazer tag for the tweens, games like Chuck E cheese- the play structures are all roped in, it is enormous- It reminds me of what Chuck E cheese used to be like before all of the games- anyway it is only $5 per child- when it rains ALL WEEKEND this is where we go- It was really crowded so it helps to have two adults- The Pizza is good there too- :)

Odyssey 1

Here we are at Odyssey 1 with our friends Katie, Sophie and Emily- This is the same family as the sleepover. Katie and Parker have the same birthday, and Sophie is one year younger and Abe's pal, and Emily is a year older than Vi- Actually, they used to live in Tenn. too! They moved right after we did- We didn't know them there because they lived way out and we lived right in the midst of it all. :) They live nearby and it is soo wonderful- especially because they are all GIRLS- We have a lot of friends who have Boys - this puts Parker OVER THE EDGE_-so it is really nice to have great girls nearby.

Odyssey 1

The boys are really proud of this.. We thought they were going to get Marshmallow pistols- but the daddies were very very smart to get this because the marshmallow gun only shoots one marshmallow at a time- the bow has a large tube that can be filled with MANY marshmallows...

CRAZIES!

The bow and mallow!

Here is the famous bow and mallow- The boys are crazy about this! Seriously- Abe sleeps with it- :) "Just in case" is his reason- um- just in case we have a robber( highly unlikely) and then you are going to get him with a marshmallow?? Just a question- We roll with it though. :)

Goings on

So let's see.. Thank Goodness school started this week. :) It was wonderful to have a break from school and lessons but it goes without saying that routine is good. James was also home for two weeks. At the end of the break, Parker and Abe were really starting to get on each others nerves. They aren't used to spending all of that time together! It has been a busy, but great week. James and I were talking, and realized that it has been one year since we arrived here in the Pacific Northwest! Yikes! Quickest year of our lives! I think the way his job works makes it go quickly and also having a baby this past year really made it fly by. Vi will be 8 months old this week! Abe will be 4 this week too. I REALLY hate it when people talk about time flying.. and here I am doing it! :) We are planning Abe's Birthday Bash. Of Course, he wants it at Pump it up after Parkers Blow out. Abe really got the shaft on Birthdays last year! :( We were in our house, with nothing in it- we didn't know anyone to invite, so it was just the four of us! Not that there is anything wrong with that, because there isn't but... Birthdays around here are IMPORTANT!! It is the one day of the year that is yours ONLY YOURS! We decided long ago that no matter how many children we had- Birthdays would be big! I know lots of folks who subscribe to a different school of thought and downplay birthdays at their house, and I truly see nothing wrong with that- After spending time with us, their kids are not liking that though. It just seems like as siblings and members of this family, they are always compromising, sharing, and the like ( as they should) that one day can be special. So Abe's is in the works! Unfortunately, his birthday is on a holiday weekend- in our line of work, that means a 4 day weekend- (like a golden egg- hard to come by! ) and you should never plan a party on a 4 day weekend- everyone gets out of town! So the party will be the weekend after the party. I know some of you are laughing at me right now because you know how much I dislike this idea! Dragging out the celebration is a no no! I typically save all gifts, for any occasion, for a ONE TIME opening- all b-day, Christmas. etc so that it is a one time event- Now It will be a birthday week! :( So we will have a family meal on the 19th with family gifts- Abe gets to pick dinner.. Sausage, macaroni and cheese , and Black beans, with Peach Pie for dessert. Sounds soooo yummy doesn't it? He is soooo strange ! and then the party with friends the next weekend.
Abe went to Cabela's ( IKEA for boys! ) with dad, ron, Cody and Ty yesterday while Annie and I went to an Awesome grocery store that is like Trader Joes but all locally grown.. so even better- and they kept calling to see when we were coming home- we pulled up and out popped three little people with a bow and arrow contraption that shoots mini marshmallows - a bow and mallow if you will.. again what every boy needs! So, last night, the boys were here- they were having THE hardest time not shooting in the house ( and at each other for that matter! ) it was dark and raining (shocker), and so they stood at the slider just shooting the marshmallows- I am sure the raccoons were excited! I have pictures and will post them!

the sleepover

Parkers close friend Katie spent the night last night. Parker has been wanting her have a sleepover for awhille now! she lives a block awayu, so no middle of the night- how on earth do I get her home? issues! THe girls have the same birthday, which makes them sisters... They called themselves, birthday sisters, and of course, Girl Scout sisters! They are very cute together. Oh, and I have been reminded, that they are both the oldest of three siblings! The night went well. For dinner, we made our own Pizza dough and personal pizzas . They made brownies for dessert. I gave manicures and pedi's to the girls-(Of course, with glitter polish on top! ) Then the dance party.. we tried to do a craft.. BUT there was much dancing to be done! At the end of the night thet watched Barbie and the Island Princess movie! Parker abd Katie agree, "IT was the best night EVER!!" :)

the dance party!

get down!

After the manicures and pedicures graciously applied myself, the girls had a dance party. If any of you out there know anything about 6 year old girls, YOU KNOW it was.. HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL soundtrack. Actually, Katie brought a mix of soundtrack to movies 1 and two as well as the song that was played whenever someone got voted off American Idol last season... they were getting down!