Christmas Wishlists

It really is NOT necessary to buy the kiddos any gifts for Christmas. We want to teach them to love Christmas for the traditions, Advent, the story of Jesus, and special time with family.

BUT, some of you have been asking, and a FEW little tangible gifties never really hurt anyone, right? Please keep in mind that toys/books can be 'new to them' and enjoyed just as much as if they were actually 'new'.

Bubba: (I have plenty of Matchbox Cars.)

White Socks (I wear size 10 shoes)
A footy sleeper (I wear size 4 or 5) (RCVD)
STAR WARS LEGOS! (The little sets)
The Boy Who Loved to Draw: Benjamin West (Used copy is just fine!)
Binoca-lurs [Binoculars] (G.Pa...were you going to give me some?)(RCVD)
Tool Belt (I don't know it yet but I'm getting a real toolset from Mommy and Daddy.)
A pinata (This isn't Mama approved, but it's what he said!)
Addition Songs CD by Kathy Troxel

Sissy: (I have plenty of stuffed aminals.)

SIGG Kids' Water Bottle (REI, Vitamin Cottage, Amazon) - "Please buy me a girly one!"
Board books (RCVD)
Signing Time DVDs (I already have Baby Signing Time #1)
Dress up clothes (RCVD)
A soft squishy baby doll. (RCVD)
A coat. (RCVD)

Overheard during Homeschool

During Math Time.

Mama: Bubba, which is taller? The oven or the refrigerator?

Pause.

Bubba: THE FREE-RIG-GALATOR!!

[Guess we'll have to work on spelling next.]

Overheard in the Office

Bubba: Hey Mom. What're you getting me for Christmas?

Pause.

Bubba: Dooonnnn't teeeellll mmmmmeeeeeeeeee.

Overheard at Storytime

Bubba and Dada were talking about the snow.

Dada: You can pray and ask God to make it snow.

Pause.

Bubba, with eyes closed: God, will you please snow it?

Overheard in the Car

Dada: Bubba, what's better to have in your heart? JESUS or a Mini Cooper?

Pause.

Bubba: A MUSTANG!

Real Toys

I broke down and bought a NEW toy and even paid shipping! It's a Fisher Price Nativity Play Set. They do like it and are often overheard fighting over Baby Jesus.

But I digress.

Here's what I found after some particularly exuberant yelling and laughing.













Which would explain this: The cardboard box's induction into the National Toy Hall of Fame.

The Slippery Chair

Video:

Sissy's Winter Outfit

Video

A Day at the Zoo

EJ 'sitting on the head' at the Lioness Statue.


















Sissy kickin' back in 'Africa'.














L, M, Sissy & Bubba on the 'Pharoah Chair'. M didn't want to be on the Pharoah Chair, as you can see.














L and Bubba have been hanging out since they were wee babes. Sissy is along for the ride.

Sissy's Vocab - 16 months

Says:
doggie 'ga-gee'
good girl 'goo-ger'
daddy 'da-da'
nursing 'na-nee'
brother 'bubber'
cracker 'ca-ker'
bye
hi
please 'bees'
milk 'nooooo'
banana 'nay-na'
shoe 'sooo'
sock 'dockie'
berries 'bee-bees'
mama

Signs (ASL):
more
all done
milk
bye
daddy
please
bird
chicken
dog
owie
banana
fish
i'm sorry
i'm hungry

The GParents were here!

GMa with the kidlets. Thanks for your visit!















Kidlets helping Gpa with his stretching exercises.

Recent Pix

The girls.














The boys.

Sissy's First Joke

In the car.

Sissy in her car seat.

She puts her shoe up to her ear and says, "HI!"

And then starts laughing.

1st Game - FuSball

Bubba living out his life long dream...

(Actually, it might be more about the uniform than the game. We can barely keep the thing off of him!)

Overheard in the Car

Bubba: Mom?

Mama: Yah?

Bubba: I want my cousins to call me 'Eeej'.

Pause.

Bubba: Or... 'Fireblaster'.

Hamming It Up

Bubba & Sissy ham it up. He didn't realize it at the time, but this is Dad's 9999th picture with his Canon Digital Rebel XTi. We are such blessed kids with often having a camera lens pointing in our faces. Only took Dad 21 months.

The 9999th shot.


Sissy being cute.

Sissy Officially Toddles!

I'm walking folks! Yes, I'm a little tetchy, but we got 'er done. I'd like to dedicate this walk to my Grandma Briggs.

New Doo

Hey folks. I thought you'd like to see my new hairdoo. And my borrowed-from-a-friend retro outfit. And my wheat/gluten-free waffle. With ground flax in it. And my asymmetrical teeth. Aren't I cute?

I started signing 'Thank You' today. And 'where'.

Overheard in the Office

Bubba comes in from his room...

Bubba: Mom, does my hair look SHORT now?

Mama looks at Bubba. (He's obviously been using his kid scissors in an unapproved manner.)

Pause.

Mama: Hmm. It looks like you kind of cut some HOLES in your hair.

Bubba portrays a worried countenance.

Pause.

Bubba: But does it look SHORT?

Overheard in the Garage

Whilst climbing into the car:

Bubba: Wow! I like our new car!

Mama: Yeah, Daddy vacuumed it out for us last night. It does look new doesn't it?

Bubba: He did a good job!

Pause.

Bubba: Mom, remember when our car was NASTY in here?

Overheard in the Car

Whilst driving home...

Bubba: Mom, can we get a police car or a Chitty Chitty Bang Bang car?

Pause.

Bubba: I prefer a Chitty Chitty Bang Bang car.

Spoils from the Garden

Bubba with some very nice looking zucchini from the garden.


Bubba and Mom with some almost 4ft tall out-of-control tomato plants.

Bubba with Lederhosen

Here I am with my favorite little boy suit all the way from Germany.

Sissy Turns One

Yesterday the family came over to help me celebrate my 1st Birthday. It was great socializing, dancing and devouring Mom's famous pumpkin chocolate-chip cupcakes.

Dance Baby Video!


Sissy Eats Her Cake Video!





My Big Brother (the one in the middle) and his cousins segregated themselves from the girl party by eating in the kitchen. Or maybe it was because the cupcakes were in there.

Rescued from Bubba

Here are the plants I rescued from Bubba's Snipping Escapade (read below). I harvested my first 2 zucchini off the plant in the foreground! Whoo hoo. Had them an hour later in our lunch. Yums.

Gimme a Big Smooch!

C'mon Mama! Gimme a big smooch!

Overheard in the Backyard

Last Month-

Whilst I was working on some landscaping, Bubba asked me if he could "cut the grass with his scissors". (He'd seen his Dad doing some edging with pruning shears and wanted to help.

Mama: Sure. Go get your kid scissors.

Bubba gets his scissors and is heard happily snipping grass.

Later...

Bubba: CUT. CUT. CUT. CUT.

Mama finally hears what Bubba is saying...and realizes where he's standing...NOT by the grass, but by the garden barrel planted with 6 cherished and treasured cucumber plants.

Let me rephrase that...

..."by the garden barrel formerly planted with 6 cucumber plants". They are gone. Cut down to the ground by Bubba and his little kid scissors.

Sigh. I transplanted some zucchini and squash seedlings to take their place.

Overheard in the Kitchen

Mama: Bubba! Your dinner is ready!

Bubba sits. Looks unenthusiastically at the dinner on his plate.

Bubba: MOM! This is NOT good.

Mama: You haven't even tasted it yet!

Bubba: I don't like spinach.

Mama: Yes, you do! You just need to try it.

Bubba tries it.

Bubba: MOM! This is NOT good. I don't like it!

Mama: Bubba. You should THANK Mommy for making you something good to eat.

Pause.

Bubba: Thanks, Mama. But this is NOT GOOD.

Overheard on the way to the Airport

Bubba: There's the air traffic control tower!

Mama: Yah! That's where the guys sit who tell the planes where to fly. I wonder how they get up to the top. What do you think?

Pause.

Bubba: I think they climb up on the outside and then break a window to get in.

Bowling!

I love bowling! It's my new favorite sport!

Here I am with some crushing pin action!




Here's me and my cousin having fun.

Recent Park Day

Happy Mother's Day

Overheard in the Kitchen

The other day I had cut up some mango for the little man to eat.

I left the room for a minute and came back to witness this.

Bubba was bouncing two mango pieces on his plate, like action figures.

Mango Piece 1: My name is Captain Osimus!

Mango Piece 2: Well MY name is HOT PORRIDGE!

Pause.

Mango Piece 2: AND I'M GOING TO SMUSH YOU, CAPTAIN OSIMUS!

Overheard in the Car

Bubba: Do we have any peppermints, Mom?
Me: Nope.
Bubba: We need to get some peppermints and some gum.
Me: Gum?! You're not old enough for gum.
Bubba: NOT gum, GUUUUN.
Me: What do you want a gun for?
Bubba: To shoot BULLETS. I need a KID gun to shoot KID bullets.

Pause.

Bubba: You shoot the kid bullets, and then you put them back in and shoot them again!

Apparently, my kiddo is taking after his G-Pa.

Super Kid

Super Kid Special Equipment:
1 pair Fruit of the Loom® (normal mode)
1 second pair Fruit of the Loom® (modified skull cap)
1 Safety Goggles

Super Kid Actions:
Run wildly about the house, jump off furniture, laugh, scream.
Repeat.

How does this thing go again?

Bubba helping Dad change the inner-tube on his bicycle.

Friend comes to visit

Here's Sissy hamming it up with Mom and Melanie.

Overheard in the Car

Sucking noises from the back of the car.

Mama: Bubba, do you have Sissy's BOTTLE?!
Bubba: Yes.
Mama: Are you sucking on it?
Bubba: No.
Mama: What ARE you doing?
Bubba: I'm cleaning it!
Mama: You're cleaning it? With what?

Pause.

Bubba: With my tongue.

Oldest Kidlet - He's pretty funny.

Yesterday morning I woke up lying on my side. My oldest kidlet was nose to nose with me and had a big smile on his face. He says, "Mama? Will you dress up as a clown today?"

So cute.

Working Pretty Good

Yesterday Bubba wanted to know why Grandpa [Brian's step-grandpa] had died.

Bubba: Mom, why did Grandpa die?
Mama: Well, when you get old sometimes your body just stops working very well and then you die.
Bubba: But I'M not old.

Pause.

Bubba: And my body is workin' pretty good!

Nap Time

Bubba got out of bed and came out of his room during nap time.

Mama: Bubba go back to bed!
Bubba: But MAAAAWWWM...when I go to bed it makes me want to get up!

Serious Slide

Last Tuesday we were getting ready to go to a MOPS park day.

Mama: Bubba, go get some shoes, we're going to the park today!
Bubba: Which park is it?
Mama: It's the one we went to before with MOPS. You'll recognize it when you see it.
Bubba: They have a slide there that goes up?
Mama: It goes up?
Bubba: Yah, you sit on it and then it goes up.
Mama: Wow, that's serious!

Pause.

Bubba: Yah, it IS serious, baby.

The Fam on Easter 08

Easter Hunt 08

Bedtime Stories

We love it when Dad reads us stories before bedtime. Especially the long ones.

Sissy in the House

This is the 'Sissy likes what she's eating' dance.

Bubba's Bunny Pizza

Recently we were waiting at a stoplight. Bubba looks over, sees Pizza Hut and says, "You NEVER see a bunny hopping on top of that restaurant, Mama."

"You don't?" says I.

"No, you NEVER do."

Apple doesn't fall far...

So, I go into the kitchen (because I hear some suspicious chair scooting and clinking and lip-smacking noises) and find Bubba sampling from the sugar bowl! Where did he learn that?!

Never mind the completely slanderous and false allegations of someone (me) hiding the sugar bowl in the sewing machine cabinet when I was little. Preposterous!

Bubba B-Day #3

As requested, Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins with Blue Frosting!
Tossin' some hoops on my new rim. (Sorry, Mama doesn't know Basketball slang.)
Liebe is checking my gun safety techniques.
Me and Dad.