School Carnival

I tried to convince Zane that it wasn't a Halloween carnival, just a regular carnival, but he insisted on wearing the Zorro hat & black leather gloves (not shown).

"Mom, I need to look cool", with a roll of the eyes.

The hair spray paint booth was a huge hit.

Max's scalp is still blue.

The Pie-eating Contest.

I think Jake wins this every year.

We are so very proud.

This carnival is actually alot of work for Brian & I.

A couple years ago, we volunteered to help out with the silent auction part of it & somehow ended up being in charge of it!

Soooo... we get to harrass our friends & neighbors & local businesses to donate stuff for it and collect it & set it all up & everything.

Soooo... for the most part we're in the gym doing auction stuff & the kids are pretty much on their own. Gus got lost several times. I was lucky to get any pictures at all before it got too dark. Trying to make sure they all eat their nutritious Carnival dinner of pizza, pop & cookie, before they hit the cotton candy stand. Kids...some that weren't even mine....begging constantly for more tickets.........

What I'm getting at is that we were a little busy that night to notice that our precious Jake had bid on a kitten last minute & won it!

Someone had generously donated four 3-month-old kittens they couldn't get rid of.

Dude! We practically have a farm already!

Someone at the auction told me, "you just have 'sucker' written on your forehead".

I always imagined......

.....our playroom to look something like this............(normal child peacefully reading on the beanbag included.)

Organized. Tidy. Nice.

And this is what it really looks like on a good day.

What gives, my little ingrates?

Why. is. it. so. hard.

Bunny Buns

The kids thought it was time I did a post on Mr. Bunny Buns, our rabbit we've somehow managed to keep alive for 2 years now!

He's actually my favorite pet.

He's cute & soft & quiet & lets you hold him & keeps himself clean & doesn't bark........if only he didn't eat my flowers in the backyard he'd be the perfect pet!

He & Daisy have become good buddies.........maybe a little too good of buddies........................I think there may be some unnatural things going on there in the backyard............but I'm trying to keep an open mind...........

Haircuts

When you have 4 boys, there's always someone who needs a haircut........or their nails trimmed.
Always.

It was Gus's turn yesterday.


He's so good at the barber's!!
One of the old guys there asked if I had drugged him beforehand.
But the truth is.......the kid will do anything for a sucker!


My little angel.

Angel with a new buzz cut!

Snow Skiing

We went skiing last weekend in Utah with some friends (love you guys!) and had a fabulous time.
I love the snow. I love snow ski-wear. I love beanies with ski goggles. I love ski lodges. I love taking my boots off at lunch in the lodge. I love Deer Valley turkey chili. I love hot cocoa breaks in the lodge........but I can't say I really love the skiing itself.
It kind of stresses me out.


You see, I was a freshman in college when I went skiing for the first time.

Here I am.....with the white headband & a perm......

See how I'm smiling?
It's because these were taken before I tried to ski.
The first time skiing is a miserable experience.
And it doesn't help at all that you usually don't have appropriate ski-wear. Look at me.......I'm wearing pink knit stretch pants!! My legs were popsicles before I even successfully made it on a lift!
And then.......you must get off the lift.......terrifying!.....is the only word to describe it.
I recall being amazed at the speed I could attain in such a short amount of time........until the impending crash & yard sale.
All in front of my girl & guy friends whom I adored, whom had all skied on family vacations and such growing up.

I hated it!!!

I swore to myself right then & there.....as I lay in the snow.......after a sweet faceplant.......that when I had kids of my own, they would learn how to ski as kids......so they would never have to endure such a mortifying experience like this!

I made it through the day, and luckily without having to be taken down the mountain on the first-aid toboggan (like Michelle did a majority of the times she went skiing).

I kept with it, though, and married a skiier, and now I can make my way down a black diamond if I had to, but would much rather be in the lodge with my boots off........

......and gosh darn it, all my kids can ski !!..........except Gus because he's 3, but we're putting him on skis Spring Break....... and Marlee can ski circles around me!

I had to include this picture. This was the same ski day. At lunch the guys put suits on & skied in them the rest of the afternoon.
Cool, huh?
We thought so.

My baby turns 3 today

How did this happen? I just had him! My baby!!

It goes so fast, yet I can hardly remember him as a tiny baby.......why is that?

Good thing we have pictures.

We had a little family party. I made the sheet cake. The kids decorated. It was almost too much excitement for a little 3-year-old to handle.

Since we're really into submarines lately, Gus got a Little Einsteins submarine & a submarine Lego set that Zane can't keep his hands off of.

Happy Birthday Gus!!!!

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