Kylie's First Haircut and Kate's Birthday

Kate celebrated her birthday last week and we all headed over there to celebrate with her - the guys especially were excited to share in this birthday celebration. I'm sure it had nothing to do with the fact that the birthday girls husband rented ice and set up a hockey game of our family vs. the locals. While we were there, Kate gave Kylie her first haircut which was a very small trim of some edges and was not nearly as tragic as Kylie seems to be making it out to be:)

Carrie and Kate

Anna, Kate, MeikaKade has not always been friends with this dog, but is always proud of the way he has overcome his fear. "When I was three I didn't like Lucy, (understatement), but now I'm brave!"

Kevin and Jeremy enjoying a game of penny hockey. This is always a favorite for the boys when they go to Aunt Kate and Uncle Steve's.

Don't ask me where the rest of the family was when I was taking pictures, but I think they had not yet arrived . . . must have got busy when they did because there seem to be no more pictures . . .

For Rent

A most wonderful gift was given to us about a little over a year and a half ago. We enjoyed this gift for many days, weeks, and months and found it brought us much joy. Then it turned a year and a half and unlike most things, the novelty did not wear off - but some days it does wear us thin. In addition to the joy it continues to bring us, we are finding it is also teaching us many things - patience being the first that comes to my mind. It is teaching us that mess is a part of life as long as it is around - which is rather difficult for Jonathan - having VD blood in his veins and all. It has taught us to be ever vigilant, ever on guard - for there are many dangers to be encountered. It has taught us that everyday things can be used for destruction. It has taught us that boys are actually rather easy and that girls are just SOMETHING ELSE! Of course these are all generalizations and probably apply to few households. Since pictures are worth a thousand words, I'll share a few, but need to assure you that in no way does it capture even a portion of our dear Kylie. Most times, I am not in the right frame of mind to grab my camera and take a picture, but I have a few to remind myself in future years of what our precious daughter really was like.

I mean really - what 11/2 year old doesn't sit on the counter and "make toast"?

Or start the dishes for her mother?

Really she is very angelic! Doesnt' this look say it all?!!!She has graduated from dragging the chair over and now has her own personal ladder (which is rather hard to get rid of!)

"But mom, i'm just helping out you know."

A few other tales:

-one of her "at church" favorites is the toilet - not at home - just at church. It's been a few too many times, when its been reported to me that Kylie is in a bit of trouble. So I go to retrieve her and find toilet paper (wet) and water all over the floor - not to mention a very wet Kylie.

-saran wrap and foil wrap, or toilet paper roll completely undone, and ziploc bags all over the house

-the boys are into their lego right now and enjoy building things. Kylie will walk up, examine their creation and give a very deliberate kick to send it to immediate ruin. The boys often play in her room (which has a lock on it), or ask me to "Please put Kylie to bed!!!".

-the case of the missing toothbrush - this happens nearly every day. Kylie should have the whitest and cleanest teeth of any 11/2 year old around. At any given moment, she can be found wandering with a toothbrush or toothpaste tube in her mouth - and yes I've told her that it really is not healthy for her! Jonathan is especially fond of this trait of hers as it is often his toothbrush that is nowhere to be found.

-organizers - baskets are favorite of mine, and I have many drawers lined with them - right now they only organize mess b/c rest assured, the hour or two after they are straightened out, they are dumped and redumped until chaos reigns again. This applies also to any cupboard that can be opened. The candy bucket cupboard is a real favorite. This one is childproof, but it is also my "pantry" and therefore opens frequently during any meal preparation - she rarely misses an opportunity.

- then there is the temper - oh it is actually too humorous. She gets mad, runs around, bends over and bites whatever happens to be there - a workboot, a chair, doesn't really matter

- and as I write, she stands beside me on my "filing cabinet" and makes a disaster of my desk, and so I shall have to stop.

Below is a very rare photo opportunity of Kylie sitting still and being "a very nice daughter".

Just in case you suspect we don't love this girl, I had better set the record straight. We love her dearly. She really is a very funny girl and we think she's great. I've always loved a little spunk, and she's certainly got that. I was reminded the other day of a poem I've heard reminding us to find the good every day things - the line I was reminded of and will want to be reminded of in the days ahead goes something like this, " I will give thanks when I see a mess all over my house, because it means God has blessed me with children."

And the last line of this parable is this: Jonathan is helpless to do to much with this troublemaker of a child. She has her daddy completely wrapped around her finger and that is not always a good thing!!!

Christmas

Here are a few of the Christmas scenes from our house this past week.

Anticipation is half of the excitement of "Christmas". The boys did relatively well, but Jonathan still thought they were extremely hyper. (though he was quick to admit that it reminded him immensely of himself as a child!)

Kylie was at a really fun stage this year. She opened a gift - with help from her eager brothers, would give a very expressive "OHHH" and would admire, look at, examine, and play with the gift. (In stark contrast to the boys who ripped the present open, give it a cursory glance and perhaps a "COOL!", and quickly look to the tree for the next one - curiosity wins over manners - and I guess they figure - "Open em all up, and THEN . . . .we'll play!" Oh well, it's fun anyway!

This and That

I really have nothing too exciting or important to post about so I thought I'd just post a bunch of miscellaneous pictures of the last few weeks. Below is my beautiful sister Mel (as a bridesmaid for the umpteenth time) and her little Timbit.

We got to look after Landon for an afternoon which was a real treat for us. Kevin especially has a very special spot in his heart for Landon and can't resist hugging and carrying him all over the place. Landon takes it all in stride thankfully!This is Kylie playing Mr. Potato head . . .. And this is craft night with Daddy! The boys were dying to make something with Jonathan, so I pulled out this craft that I had in storage somewhere, and while the boys had a great time, Jonathan just kept muttering, "This thing has gotta go in the garbage - it looks terrible." to which he (every time) received loud protests from his pupils.

Things got a little crazy. Actually what they are trying to do is glue the tail on their upper lip as a moustache.

This is Kade's storytime group at the library. They are doing the "unwrap the multilayered gift" game for Christmas.

And this is Kevin and Kade's group singing at our church Christmas program. I actually got it on video and tried to put it on, but it didn't work. It was very funny because Kade and Aiden got in a little pushing match during the song. Aiden just wanted to stand beside Kade, and at one point was pulling on Kade's shirt, and then we saw the look in Kade's eyes and the tongue start to come out. The situation was saved by a certain father, but it was very humorous.