I-Click

It's seems like months have passed since I last visited the blog when in fact it has been several loooong weeks. Rather than one long exhaustive post I will provide a brief update in the form of life captured through the lens of my iPhone.

The entire 3rd grade class at Meadow Lane participated in a wax museum in late January. Each student chose a famous person {past or present} and did extensive research on their lives. They then wrote a narrative which they presented to fellow students, staff and parents at the wax museum. Gabrielle choose Carrie Underwood and thoroughly enjoyed learning the little details of her life as well as dressing the part :)

I'm sporting specs again. I began wearing glasses in the 2nd grade and graduated to contacts in the 7th grade. I despised wearing glasses in my early adult life. Picture Coke bottle lenses - not.even.lying! Fast forward to late 1999 when I met Travis and that sweet man paid $4100 cold hard cash to have LASIK surgery performed on my eyes (before we were engaged or married holla!). My specialist suggested at my recent visit that I wear glasses driving at night and/or reading to improve the clouded vision resulting from my vitreous detachment that I shared about here. What a difference they make! I went cheap and a little on the trendy side in choosing my frames.

This is a glimpse into our playroom on any given day we entertain "extra" kiddos in our home. I would absolutely be a fraud if I didn't say that just looking at this picture gives me the jitters BUT I will gladly take the messes when it means my kiddos are living it up with their friends enjoying free imaginative play. You have to look really close but McKenna and Buggie (Ellaina) are hiding under the table.

For the <3 class="goog-spellcheck-word" of="" span="" style="background-color: yellow; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Legos
. Dawson loves Legos. I love that D loves Legos. Truth be told, I love Legosso when Legos began taking over his bedroom and his existing shelf was overflowing with completed and 1/2 completed projects I asked Travis to cut, stain and install a 2nd much larger shelf. I realize this is one tiny corner of it, but it is functioning oh so well! I'm also over the moon happy with how the Lego Manual I created turned out.

This wee one has me at hello (remember Jerry Maguire circa 1996?) each and every morning. What is it with our last babes? I can't/won't/refuse to let her grow up!

Travis saw his surgeon for his 10 week post operative appointment February 19th. His surgeon harassed Travis that he was smuggling a golf ball in there. We laughed, but seriously this picture brings the term cankles to a whole new level!

 I'll wrap up with our little man representin' on our family date night last Friday. #PowerGen!

Photo Dump

It's time for a photo dump of recent pics

It is love or hate around this house with these 3. They go from each other's best friend and playmate to being unkind to one another in the snap of a finger. Another snap of the finger and they are back in the friend zone. I missed this opportunity to video their deep belly laughs while piggy piling on one another Christmas afternoon.

Photo taken 12/25/2013

McKenna crawled onto the counter in hot pursuit of finding Makayla's pacifier stash. She (McKenna) gave hers up on August 23rd and this is the 1st time she snuck one into her mouth only to immediately be reprimanded. She quickly removed it with a look of shame on her sweet face. This is her cowering in hopes of not being seen. Stinker!

Photo taken 12/31/2013

This one can almost always be found during quiet time with her new Kindle in hand.

Photo taken 01/03/2014

This fiercely independent one was given NO choice but to say good bye to diapers in early January. All it took was me saying no more to diapers and placing them out of reach. Day 1 I gave her the incentive to earn 1 sticker with each potty made in the toilet and after earning 5 stickers she could have a bowl of ice cream. A little bribery proved for success! It has been 19 days since we began potty training and I am ELATED to share she is doing #1 and #2 in the potty and is accident free 98% of the time. Can I get a woot woot!

Potty training initiated and photos taken on 01/03/2014

Gabrielle received this American Girl self guided sew and stuff owl craft kit from Papa and Mema for her birthday. We took a good chunk of our Saturday afternoon and sewed the larger of the 2 owls. This one is for Gabrielle, the smaller owl will be for her dolls.

Crafternoon completed 01/04/2014

Gabrielle wasn't feeling her best and curled up on the couch to rest. It was a matter of moments before McKenna was right next to her. This picture pulls at this momma's heartstrings big.time! It represents what I had hoped and prayed for when we found out we were expecting McKenna Jane ... sisters loving one another, lifting one another up and unabashed laughter. My heart explodes at the sight of them together at times!
Photo taken 01/05/2014

If this photo could tell you it's story. Oh my! I try very hard to make one on one time in the afternoon with my little dude. Last week I was sitting down with him in the kitchen enjoying "us" time.  Some time had passed and the eery silence surrounding us grabbed my attention. That generally means one thing - Little Miss Mischief. I walked upstairs to find MJ in our master bedroom standing in the middle of a haze of white powder. A large section of carpet was matted and the furniture covered in a think film of white. That turkey got a hold of a large size bottle of baby powder and decided to powder her bottom only to empty it's entire contents! I grabbed the Dyson and began vacuuming holding my breath in hopes I wasn't causing any damage to the motor or components. After the powder clean up, the Dyson got a deep cleaning and is working good as new, PTL!