June

June-Pie, Junalicious, Juniper...

7 Weeks old!

What's going on around here?

Well - too much for me to keep up with. I really wish I would take the time to be a better blogger. If I would just do a little here and there...instead of blogarrhea. (Figure it out)

Nora is 18 months now. Officially in Nursery. She wasn't too keen on it at first but seems to be doing better. I know it has a lot to do with the fact that she's never been without her parents before. Because of her health issues - allergies etc, we've never left her with babysitters. Well, that's not entirely true. Wouldn't want anyone to think that she's permanently attached and that Pat and I have never gone out without the kids...although its hard to remember when that last happened. There have been babysitters, but Grandma (Pat's mom. She lives with us) was always there, too. So she's never been left alone without a familiar adult. Anyway, she's settling in. It helps that Kyle is in there as well. But hopefully he will be leaving nursery at the beginning of the year. More about that later - during his turn. Oh how we love our little Nora Suzanne! She is getting so smart. Its fun to see her show us all that she knows. Its also fun to watch the boys interact with her. She is so silly and crazy and naughty (and she knows it!) Her most favorite thing is coloring. She squeals with delight every time likes its the first. She'll color a little and then twirl around and squeal then color some more. My favorite is when she lies on the floor on her tummy and colors, usually with her tongue sticking out in deep concentration. She loves to dance and sing and go on Lion Hunt's - if you don't know what that is...ask me. Toddler's love it. Thanks for teaching us, Grandma Suzanne! I took her shopping with me last night - just the two of us. I had the radio turned up and was spacing out (Nice, safe way to drive, I know.) Half way to Costco I turn around to see what she is doing and her whole body is bopping up and down as she's really getting into the music. So cute. Naughty, delightful Nora!





This will just have to be a Nora post...its getting too late...sigh!

For our Phoenix friends

This is what Fall looks like in Vancouver. Pat took these pictures in our backyard at the end of a rainy day. Isn't it lovely? I know I'll tire of the rain and cold eventually (especially since this is just the beginning.) But for now - its beautiful.

Out of the mouth of Babes (or Kyle)

Dinner table talk:
After much frustration...
Mom - Kyle your choices are to eat your dinner or go wait in your room while we eat.
Kyle - Mom, you're killing me. You're just killing me!

Nice. Maybe its time to rethink my vocabulary.

Inspired Art

I was just looking at my cousin Randi's blog (which I love - she is a great blogger and has an amazing family...) Anyway, she posted drawings that her kids gave her. My boys were standing around and saw these pictures and were immediately very inspired and excited to draw their own pictures to be posted. "I want to do that! I need to draw pictures, too!"
Here they are...humor them : )

This is Lane's drawing of our family. Including G'ma Suzanne and G'ma Diane(in purple - baby June is the other purple.)

Here is Kyle's expression of his love of spiders

A little behind

I think I might actually be getting to the point that I'm ready to post pictures of our house. Especially the before and afters. Not tonight. Instead I will just give a sneak peak. But a little tidbit first.
I love my laundry room. It is so nice to have a place to have laundry that is not all over the house. Of course clothes can still be find strewn about and under couches on occasion. But for the most part...its all confined to one huge room. Now if I could ever get in there and actually do laundry...

One half of the room. To the sides are shelves that I use for folding clothes...love that! And underneath are buckets for everyones clothes after they are folded. In theory...I would fold the clothes and then they would be taken upstairs and put away. This doesn't happen often enough.

There's so much room in here that I set up a little table and chairs for the kids to do craft time. A nice room to do it in since the floors are cement. Easy clean up!
Am I a tired mom of 4 kids under 4? Why else would I be blogging about my love of laundry rooms...good grief!

Fun times

Just a few tender things...
Have I mentioned how much Nora LOVES her baby sister? She squeals with delight every morning (and anytime its been a while since she's seen her.) She always wants to hug her. My favorite is when she comes to get me and pulls on me to take me where the baby is - if June is crying. So much fun. I hope that June can learn to appreciate and tolerate all the love that Nora has for her.

Hugs and love

Yesterday I bought some bananas as I always do. One of these bananas had a sticker on it that read "Place sticker on forehead. Smile!" So that's what the kids did...cause why wouldn't they?

(I didn't get a sticker or a banana - I got a brown rice tortilla instead! But I'm cute so I got a picture anyway!)