MIA again...my bad

Oops, I did it again. Actually, what had happened was...our modem died. I had to get a new one; however,  having 3 kids to take in with me proved to be a challenge so when ever I saw they were busy I turned my posse right around and we tried again later. On a bright note, I was seriously more productive around the house while there was no facebook...err, I mean internet.

Anywho, I stumbled across a new photographer whilst facebooking (see, some good came out of my procrastination). Here's a couple of pictures she took. She was wonderful, only $50 and she gives you all the pictures! Amazingly refreshing to actually get all the pictures instead of prints of the ones I pay for! Expect more photos of the monkeys this year!

I hope you enjoy!!

Love,
S

Styrofoam

Cooper is the most amazing eater ever. The only thing I've ever seen him turn his nose to is a tomato and a mushroom (that's my boy!). He, however, takes this one step further into eating not so healthy things like receipts, Thatch's soccer picture, and most recently...Styrofoam. The following is submitted for your viewing pleasure:

I could commentate on this but I'm too busy laughing.

I tell my self that he thought it was funny too that way I'm not laughing at him, but with him.

Gymnastics, Mushing and Microwaves...Oh My.

Weekend planning is a prime time to apply the Deathbed Priority Test: On your deathbed, will you wish you would spent more prime weekend hours grocery shopping or walking in the woods with your kids? ~ Hal Borland

This Hal Borland fella is on to something. Laundry and groceries can wait, there is fun to be had. Today is Saturday and we were BUSY. Okay, not so busy that I don't have time for two blog entries, but still busy in it's own sense. This morning Cooper had Gymnastics, after that we went to Mush For Kids, and to finish it off we picked up our new microwave.

Speaking of our new microwave, let me eulogize our last one. It was a beautiful microwave when she (Yes, it's a girl. It did a lot of work around the house, cooking, cleaning and providing love in the form of warm hot fudge, which makes it a female.) came into the world, shiny and new. She enjoyed her job of warming the cold and reveled in the smell of perfectly cooked popcorn. The world, however, took it's toll on her. After only four short years her door became loose and yet she hung on, clinging to life like a dryer sheet stuck to a skirt out in public. Alas, on Saturday last she lost her battle. An explosion in her bowels ended her life, just 10 months past an average extended warranty. (5 years...Is there a conspiracy theory to be born in the misfortune? I think so.) She has been replaced quickly with a younger, cheaper version (HeHe.) but will be sorely missed. Well, as soon as someone who will not be named (No, not Voldermort...Jonathan!) takes her to the dump she will be missed. You were a good microwave, Ms. Fridgedaire Professional Series, but you could not hold up to the test of time. Fare thee well.

Huh, can you say Tangent? I can, and just did. Anywho, we were busy but there was fun. Here's a bit of photographic evidence.

I adore this picture of Coopie. Is there anything more beautiful than the sound of your baby's laugh? I think not.

His little faces crack me up.

Thatch driving the Fire Truck. It's kind of a big deal when you are a 5 year old.

The boys playing with a Malamute. (Go LHS!)

The Coopster playing in the snow while we were waiting for Thatch to finish his sled ride. Good times.

Jonathan is working tomorrow so today was basically the only family weekend time we are having together until April 28th. We squeezed in a lot of fun time and a little house work. However, Mr. Hal Borland has one flaw in the Death Bed Theory: we seriously need some groceries. I guess we are having Papa John's for dinner!

Love,
S

Vlogs

Vlogs, aka video logs, kind of sounds like a Russian word to me. Technically this isn't a video blog, it's really just a bunch of video links. That's how I roll.

This one is of Thatch swimming. He's really doing pretty good now, hopefully he advances to the next level soon.   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MXLs1GpWUx0

This little ditty is of Thatcher and Cooper bringing wood in from the garage. I was nursing Harper and happened to have the camera next to me so I caught it. Coop instigated the mischief, as he usually does.  However, Jonathan would definitely be proud.  
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z3ib45hCUb4&feature=relmfu


Cooper has really started talking quite a bit. I speak Cooper, Thatch speaks Cooper and Jonathan is learning to speak Cooper but has less patience for learning a new language. In general you can figure out what he says because we always repeat it when he's done.   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hH6lze38J3M&feature=relmfu


We went to the Mush For Kids event at the Carlson Center this Saturday and while Coop was too young for the major dog sled ride, he was old enough for this little ride with his brother.   
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KXTZee98eNE&feature=relmfu

Museum With Out Walls

Fairbanks does not have a children's museum but do not fear as one is in the works. My friend Brenda is working night and day on developing one and I know it's going to be amazing! In the mean time she has set up a program called Museum With Out Walls that is a moving event. Once a month we all take our over-energetic kids to a contained space to explore, create and produce general mayhem, all while learning. It's pretty fun and the kids LOVE it. Here's a couple pictures of the little guys.

Imagine that, the first thing the gravitate towards is the trains.

Playing well together. This generally does not happen when trains are involved, Thatch is serious about his engines.

Baby Harps enjoying the museum noise :)

Considering this is my blog I thought I should start being in some of the pictures, even if I have to take them myself.

Cooper building a train city...still.

Ahhh, we finally moved on to other exhibits. This was a colored rice, textile thing. He loved it and made a big mess and I didn't have to vacuum afterwards. It was magical for the both of us.

Thatch finally moved on to this balloon vent. The general idea is you put the ballooons over the vent and it blows them sky high. It really is quite entertaining, I could have fun with this for hours.

Coming.

Going.

 Well, that's it. Every Saturday this happens is the best Saturday of the month!

Activitties GALORE

Keeping idle minds busy is a lot of work and quite hectic. We've been keeping the boys pretty busy and active as of late. It's exhausting and I would say the house is suffering the most, but who needs vacuumed floors or clean laundry? (I do, I do!)

Thatcher is taking swim lessons. He's not the strongest swimmer but he's having a lot of fun and that's what is important. I believe his favorite part is the swim goggles and his new Spiderman trunks. The problem with the pool is that the lighting makes for difficult picture taking and everything is blurry because it is so far away...but still, I snapped a few photos for you.

I love when he smiles, his whole face lights up.

He loves his swim noodle. Most of the time he uses it as a light saber..

The real trick with swim lessons is keeping Coop occupied. He climbs up and down the bleachers which scares the bejeezus out of me. I'm sure he'll roll down them one day when I'm not looking.

Cooper seemed to be having the most difficult time adjusting to Harper's arrival so I have been making an effort to spend more time with him alone and to make activities for him. I've signed him up for the library program in town and a parents and toddler gymnastics class. He LOVES library time but sitting still is proving to be a little difficult. Gymnastics is a good outlet for a case of the wiggles but his independent streak tends to come out and he does what he wants to do most of the time. Two year olds are exhausting.

This book is apparently awesome because he had to stand right in front to make sure he took it all in.

Nope, she didn't call him up to sit there. He just decided to sit there and get the best seat in the house.

We had a "coffee" (a vanilla steamer for him, a lot of caffine for me) before we headed to gymnastics and I forgot the sippy cup. Clearly we aren't ready for straws on their own yet.

Here is some of the gym equipment. I'm pretty sure he was a monkey in another life.

Here's a link of a little video of him at gymnastics too.  http://youtu.be/ur--ax2IjdA

Soccer has ended for Thatch until summer starts, we'll start that again soon, and he has said that he wants to do gymnastics too so as soon as I can convince Jonathan that it's not girly he'll probably start the next session soon. I think I'm looking forward to school starting in the fall already.

Enjoy!
S

Decoupage...Leave it to the professionals.

I was trying to be awesome (yes, it's an effort, not a natural side effect : D ) so I thought we'd decoupage some Easter eggs thingys. Two things:

1. Decoupage is hard.
2. Decoupage is messy.

From now on I'm going to leave it to the professionals (i.e. Martha Stewart, school teachers, ect.). In the mean time, enjoy this!

Love,
S

P.S. When the eggs finally dry I'll add a picture of them. I hate to admit it but they're kind of cute.