Trick or Treat

"Trick or treat, smell my feet, give me something good to eat"

"Ok, let me see your stinky feet!"

Patrick didn't know what to say to the guy who told him that.  Needless to say, he only said Trick or Treat afterwards.

So many great memories this year during Halloween I wanted to make sure I captured the memories somehow.  I figured what better way then to blog about it.

First of all, it is a miracle Joshua even had a costume on.  The last two events we went to he ripped off his costume before we got out of the house.  This time Gregg put him in something that zipped up the back which meant he couldn't take it off without help.  Once we were outside and on our way he completely forgot about it all.

Joshua battled with temptation every time someone dropped something new into his bucket.  He wanted to eat it and he wanted to eat it NOW!    When given the opportunity to pick, Joshua would sift through buckets trying to find something green, which is his favorite color.  If someone gave him a piece of candy that wasn't green he kinda just looked at it and them put it back and would start searching.  Very cute but quite confusing for the people at the door.

Poor Patrick just wanted to ring a doorbell but his big fire fighter boots slowed him down and Joshua beat him to the door every time.  There was a lot of crying going on.  As soon as we finally got Joshua to share the doorbell ringing with Patrick someone opens their door before Patrick reached the doorbell.  He just turned around and looked at me and started crying.  The poor lady at the door didn't know what the heck was going on.  

No worries though, Patrick was all smiles when he came across another fellow fire fighter (an adult) who got super excited to see a kid dressed as a fire fighter that he grabbed two big handfuls of candy and dumped them into Patrick's bucket.  Patrick looked down and then said "Yah! kitty kats!"  KitKats are his favorite and now his bucket was full of them.

As Gregg and I were walking with the kids we remembered a fond memory we had of Lillie's third Halloween.  We had told her to grab 3 pieces; one for her, one for mommy and one for daddy.  Being the good little girl she is, she followed our directions to a "T."  We were just not ready for her to repeat us word for word OUTLOUD while grabbing her candy.  Talk about embarrassment! 

Happy Halloween from my little Tigger, Power Ranger, FireFigther and Witch.  

We hope you have just as memorable a Halloween as we did.  

Stay safe!

Picnic Time

The boys set themselves up with a picnic.  

An entire box of pop tarts and a full jug of juice.

Our first fire

This morning while I was attempting to go to the bathroom I heard our stove burner start to click as if someone was trying to light it.  I hurried into the kitchen to find that Joshua had started the stove and lit a plastic container with cupcakes and my oven mit on fire.  I quickly fanned out the flame.  Thank God I was able to stop the fire and no one was hurt expect the poor chocolate cupcakes that I didn't even get to try :(

Lessons learned from today's mishap: 

1. keep a fire extinguisher handy (note to self, buy a fire extinguisher)

2. remove stove knobs (since the childproof covers obviously don't work)

3. never keep anything on the stove

4. always pee with the door open so I can hear ALL noises

5. never take my eyes off of a ridiculously smart 2 year on a mission for some cupcakes

6. always eat cupcakes immediately after they enter the house because you never know what will happen to them

Isaac

To fill you in our newest addition... Isaac was born about 4 weeks early and came home at 10 days old.  He made his arrival quite memorable when he decided to stop breathing shortly after popping out.  Thankfully the nurses were able to get him breathing again and whisked him away to the NICU to him some oxygen.  He continued to have issues forgetting to breathe which was what kept him in the hospital 10 days.

Since we brought him home he has been doing awesome!  Pees, poops, eats, sleeps and CRIES.  We seem to have a bit of a colic issue and he has periods during the day where he just doesn't want to be laid down.  Lillie has been a life saver, always wanting to hold him.  She is proving to be a little baby whisperer, always managing to get him to fall asleep.  The boys love him but just in a different way.  Joshua shows him his love by poking at his eyes and Patrick likes to get close up to his face and scream "baby talk" at him.  They are learning very quickly how to behave around a "little tiny" baby.

I have committed to nursing Isaac and I have already managed to nurse him longer than I did Patrick and Joshua.  My commitment to nursing has caused me to slack on my other commitments such has cleaning, laundry, cooking, wiping butts, breaking up fights and SLEEPING.  We are managing, taking it one day at a time, one hour at a time, sometimes one minute at a time.

"Is it always this crazy in this house?"  

Sorry to tell you, but the answer will always be YES!

I've been inspired...

I've been inspired to attempt to keep up with my blog again.  The original purpose of the blog was to keep a sort of online journal of our family during these fast, blurred years so that I didn't lose precious memories.  Also to share with all our friends and family who don't get to see us often.  I realized my last post was Joshua's first birthday, since then we have celebrated Joshua's second birthday, Patrick's second and third birthday and Lillie's 5th birthday with her 6th birthday only 2 weeks away.  We also welcomed Isaac Thomas into our family on March 30.  Which gives us three little boys aged three and under.  Lillie also started kindergarten last fall and I completely missed her whole first year of school memories, school friends and wonderful sayings.  I'm just kicking myself for missing all these amazing memories.  So I'm back, sharing memories and more crazy things that Lillie says.  I have also added a page "Memorable Patrick Quotes" and you will be happy to hear he says some crazy things too, I just gotta start writing them down.

Happy 1st Birthday Joshua!!!!!!

For Joshua's birthday we went to Rainforest Cafe with Sasha, Papa Don, Grandpo Franko, Vicky, Uncle Jake, Uncle Nate and Annette, plus the 5 in our family.  The kids seemed to really enjoy themselves and we topped off our evening with the Volcano dessert!!!

Now that Josh is 1 he is louder than ever before!  Josh has one volume level and it is LOUD!!!  Probably so he can be heard over every one else in the family  :)  Since about 11 months he has been cruising around and has just started to figure out how to run, that is until he falls on his face.  But he takes it like a champ, nothing phases this boy.  He has fallen down steps, been pushed over by siblings, fallen off chairs, you name it he has probably survived it without even a tear.  He is my rough and tough boy (complete opposite of his brother).

refusing to wear his hat

Using his teeth to open his present

Being goofy at Rain Forest Cafe

I WANT CAKE!

Sorry the video is kinda dark because the restaurant was kinda dark but it is Josh clapping for his ice-cream.

Oh my gosh!

How did another month go by without me posting anything.  The month of March was semi busy for us.  We celebrated Joshua's First Birthday!!!!!  Which was very exciting but also bittersweet because my baby is not a baby anymore, he is very much a toddler and getting into EVERYTHING!!! We also took a trip up to Mall of America.  This was a trial run for our much longer trip to Florida in June.  After a 5 hour installation by Gregg we have a TV/DVD player in the back of van for the kids.  This was a life saver.  They managed the 12 hour drive like champs.  Little do they know 12 hours will only get us about half way to Florida.

Right around the corner we are having a party for all 3 kids at our house.  Then the following week we will officially celebrate Patrick's 2nd Birthday, which happens to be the day right before Easter.  And of course we can't forget about Lillie, only because she won't let you.  Her 5th birthday is only 42 days away.  Then there is the BIG countdown... 64 days till we leave for Florida!!! Can't wait to spend some quality time with family!!!

If only this weather could decide to warm up and STAY warm then I would be a happy camper!