The joy of a digital camera

Do you remember having a 35 mm camera? I'm sure some still own and use one quite proficiently. I, on the other hand was not good at using one or having my picture taken by one. I have a tendency to have massive red eyes, drunk faces, or closed eyes, and sadly this has been passed on to my children. We have had a digital for almost six years and there have been more deleted pictures than actual kept ones, because of this fact. It takes quite awhile to take a good family picture, where all the kids, at least look alive and well. We're lucky if they are smiling and looking at the camera, with their eyes fully open. All of this said, last night with the help of our digital camera we were able to get this "picture perfect" photo of Sean, Kaelin and myself. I love technology!
























At least there's no red-eye, right?

Learning to read

I wanted to make a gingerbread house as a Christmas family tradition. Since we are low on money and time, I just bought a store-made kitIt really looked simple enough. Kaelin kept complaining that the smell of the gingerbread was going to make her sneeze. Savanna, of course was eating just about everything. She would reach over to put a candy on the house and then very quickly change directions and the candy would end up in her mouth. Sean and Kaelin did very well with the decorating. All went quite smoothly.




This is a picture of an almost finished gingerbread house.




But slowly the roof started to slide. I had followed the directions, of holding it together for one minute and then frosting the top and hold for an additional 15 seconds, before decorating.
But it still feel apart. I was feeling a little bumbed, and cheated.
Until, Rob made me reread the instructions.





Apparently, as I help Kaelin with her reading skills, I need to work on mine.

New best friend

I think Sean has been affected the most by our move. Recently, I realized how much. He started off potty training really well and has now regressed. He used to sleep through the night and now he routinely comes into our room in the middle of the night. He used to have no problem with a dark room at night time and now needs a night light and the door slightly ajar. I'm sure there are more but those are the ones that I'm starting to connect with the move. I think he has realized that we're not going back. This isn't just another vacation. He has attached himself to this "brown shirt" also. He wears it everyday, and then pairs it with pj bottoms at night. If you see him wearing a different shirt, his brown shirt is usually hiding underneath. I try to wash it at least once a week and more if it's visibly dirty. It might be gross to some, but he's three, its not like he has B.O. or something. I don't mind too much, because I think he's having a tough time, he should have something permanent and familiar. I just hope he out grows his attachment before he outgrows the shirt.

a joy of childhood

Who has never done this, as a child or even as an adult? We wanted brownies, so we looked up a recipe and made them. First time I have ever made home made, not boxed brownies, by the way.


They turned out pretty good.

stolen idea

I've been feeling really lazy with the kids. Our mornings are kind of rushed getting ready and off to school, then the kids get home for lunch, Savanna takes a nap while homework is done and that's when the lazy sets in. We just watch t.v. until dinner. It's pretty sad, so I'm trying to find fun stuff that's not TOO messy, since this isn't our house. (Brandi, let me know if this activity is too nerve racking for you)

Anyway, I saw this on another blog that I follow. I gave them each a bowl of colored water and then an empty bowl. They could mix the colored water to make new colors. The empty two liter is to clean out the brown that eventually was produced. The cookie sheets were for spill containment.
Sadly this only kept them occupied for ten minutes. But, hey that's ten minutes away from all these new shows they have found on cable.

Freeze

Rob and I caught a classic picture of Sean frozen in front of a t.v. This happens when he's tired and he's watching a new episode of a favorite show. He sat in this exact position for at least five whole minutes, might not seem long but time it, it's pretty long. His arm was just frozen in that spot.


Rob and the kids just relaxing and enjoying some Daddy time.

New addition to our family!!!!

Kaelin has been bugging us about having our family be bigger. She even said that she would save money to help us out. Well, after a lot of thinking, a lot of saving, and a couple of months of waiting, we finally have some pictures to share with everyone. Hopefully, you can see exactly what I'm talking about; and I hope your as excited about our good news as we are. It will be hard when it's time for us to move but I know it'll work out. We have friends and family here to help us if we need it.








































Hopefully, I fooled some of you. Anyway, Kaelin finally saved up enough money to buy a beta, a plant, and some rocks. His name is Purple Prettiness, picked out by Kaelin of course.


I think Savanna loves him the most.




The video shows how much Van loves the fishy and how crazy the other two are.