Similarities

I think Leah might be slightly older in these photos compared to Jerem, but I still think the comparison is amazing.

Ah, she's cute.This is Jeremiahs new sand box. It's small, and simple, just a rubbermaid box with blue sand in it (the blue makes it much easier to spot, and to clean up after). It sits out on the patio and lets Jeremiah play outside and have some variety when Leah is napping and we can't head to the park.

3 Short Years

It's that time again. Jeremiah turned three last week and I can actually tell a difference. Not really in one day, but in the last week or so he has become more precocious, if that's possible for him. Here are some pictures of his party. OH if Greg had only taken some pictures of Bubble Mania, and the Playdough Party that was going on. But just trust me, is was enough just to sit back and watch the kids play for HOURS.

I'm not one for party themes. Maybe next year, when he cares, I'll do something more theatrical, but this year we had a "Day in the Life of Jeremiah" party. We ate macaroni and hotdogs for dinner, with pink lemonade, and chocolate cake and ice cream for dessert. Earlier in the day I had made 6 huge batches of playdough and the kids weren't the only ones having fun with that. We played playdough and bubbles out on the lawn and Jeremiah was entirely wiped out and on cloud nine when we went home. Thanks again to the Hirschi's for hosting us, and for all our friends and family who came and made it a great day for Jeremiah. (and please email me pictures of bubbles and playdough if you have them).

(Jeremiah was sneaking sprinkles from his cake as we were gathering to sing to him)

Jerem's "super silly face"

He was so spoiled and though I'm glad he asked after each one if he could open it, not realizing there was more, I really enjoyed his confused ellation at so many great new things to play with. Thanks everyone!

If I had a Million Dollars

Well, I would need 2 million, but if I had 2 million this is what I would buy:

Isn't she a beauty? Yes, Harrison Blvd. in Boise has got to be my dream street and each time I drive down that street I see this house, light streaming from every window (a sheer waste of electricity, but BEAUTIFUL) and now... it's on the market. For ONLY $1,995,000! What a deal! You can find more pictures here.

And if I only had half a million dollars? I would buy this one; another Harrison Blvd. Beauty. LOVE IT!

Magic

It seems like home is never how you imagine it. My parents house represents all the characteristics of my youth. When I visit somehow I expect my carefree, independant days to return, somehow they elude me, but they do not elude my children.

I remember when I used to visit my grandparents house as a child. Though we were never allowed to step foot in the formal living room, or the dining room for that matter, and we always had to wear socks (it took me a while to figure that one out) it was a magical place with a large cardboard box that grandpa would haul out of the basement full of strange toys like an old wooden spaghetti spoon (the one that looks like a wooden hair brush) Thats the one that sticks out in my mind, don't ask me why, but that cardboard box was a delight every time. Grandpa's toys were better than anything we could imagine, and then night would come and we would have to put the toys away and go sleep in grandmas sewing room with our sleeping bags all lined up in a row. Nights were my favorite time at Grandma's house. We would play games like I spy. "I spy something white" was always the kicker, since EVERYTHING in that room was white, and we would choose something silly like the little plastic part that hangs on the end of the blind strings. Then we would sneak very carefully out of the room, down the hall to the stairs. We would stick our heads through the railings and try to see what the grownups were doing. Then when we thought we might have been detected we would scurry just like mice back to our sleeping bags and pretend to sleep. Some of us would pretend to snore, although I'm not sure we knew whether we really snored while we slept or not. Ah yes, the magic of grandma's house.

Now my children get to enjoy that same magic.

Yes, that is my twenty year old brother playing micro-machines with my two year old.

My grandpa had a hip replacement a couple years ago, yet he still managed to get down on the hard tile floor and play ball with Jeremiah. Everything was going well until jeremiah decided to run and jump on him... don't worry, both parties survived un-injured.

You know how my brother Aron is going to be known as the cool uncle who plays with the nephews? Well, meet Uncle Todd. about 16 years younger than my dad, he still lived at home in the early years when we would visit that magical house. He was the COOL UNCLE. Now he's the cool great uncle. :)

I told you - MAGICAL Flashlights.

Still Magical.

Update

I'm sure you ALL wanted to know that potty training is going remarkably well. I'm not brave enough to take him out in public without a pull-up on ( i know, it's only been 4 days) but at home, except for when he's sleeping he is all underwear. I'm still at the stage of having madatory 1/2 hour potty breaks, but he does tell me every so often when he needs to go, and we've only had two accidents, when I missed our potty break. I figure two accidents in four days isn't too bad!

I had so many people ask me between 6 months and a year ago if Jeremiah was potty trained. My response was"uh, no...." but I was thinking "Oh no! Is he supposed to be? Am I neglecting some monumentous motherly duty out of laziness?" But he really wasn't ready, and despite all the social pressure to have my child potty trained by 2, I am so glad I waited. I have dreaded this step for as long as I can remember, but because I waited until he was ready it (so far) has been remarkably easy and worry-free. I don't have to fight him on going to the bathroom (although sometimes he needs coaxing to take a break from playing long enough to do his business) He is picking it up naturally, and has now decided that he doesn't want to sit down on the toilet to pee, but stand up like a Man! Whatever. As long as he does it, I'm happy.

Now we just need him to start reading by age 4, doing algebra by age 6 and graduate from college at age 16. :)

Just kidding.

One Giant-Step for Mankind!

Yes friends, thats right, the beloved process of toilet-training has officially begun! I promised myself that when I ran out of diapers for J-dawg I would buy no more. I thought I had one package left in my stash (I buy in bulk) but turns out that package was for Leah.... so that meant I had one diaper left as of yesterday evening..... I guess that meant I was potty training today! So, I quickly got some things together, and got things ready for today.

We've got two stickers already. YAY! Once he fills up two rows he gets an ice cream party.Yes, those are buzz lightyear underwear. He has an assortment of Disney characters, and he gets to choose which ones he wears. He was SO proud to be an underwear wearing boy "like daddy"...don't worry, Greg's don't have disney characters on them. :)

Wish me luck!

Self-Reliance

A lot of you have built up your food storage and water storage, you have gardens and great skills that help you be self reliant. The Lords servants have taught us over an over how important it is.... well, I'm just doing my part.

I don't have food storage, or water storage, I don't have a garden, I can't fix my own car, I can't repair big things around my house... but I've known how to use a pair of scissors since kindergarten! Greg says I'm not allowed to cut my own hair, because he thinks I should feel okay about spending money to get a great haircut that I love. He wants me to do something for myself and not feel bad about it.... well.... I did, and I don't feel bad about it at all. I call it: homemade haircuts. :) I've never been so wreckless with the scissors but I've also never been so happy with the result. This is my homemade haircut, what do you think?