Maddy's 3rd Birthday

So I promised myself that I would keep up on the blog more often and here I can 10 days after Madeline's birthday and just now putting up pictures. This is Maddy opening up Grandma Nettie and Papa Mike's gift. She ripped off the front of the paper to see the Polly Pocket and started screaming.

Yahooo, let's eat! Side note: I made a huge mistake by putting the cake on the table and not watching it. Most of the top layer on the side facing Madeline is totally gone. She wanted to have her cake and eat it too.

Papa sent Maddy some money to buy anything she wanted. Well she wanted little Ariel (it's Disney's version of Polly Pocket). She was mad at me because I made her look up from playing to smile for me. Atleast she looked up.

I was an awesome day but we missed Aaron so much. Nothing's the same without him.

I just realized that Aaron will be home again for good (well done with school and then he gets deployed) but he'll be home when the counter on the side that counts how long we've been together reaches 1902.

Damn you Neil Diamond!!!!

What the heck is with the harsh language Jessy? That's so not like you. I have always dislike Neil Diamond, why? Because when I was like 3.5 ft tall I watched part of The Jazz Singer and since this summer I always thought that Neil Diamond was adulterous. "But mija, it was just a movie!" my mom would always say to me. So this summer when I went to go see her I agreed to sit down and watch the movie again, like 20 years later, and it's not so bad. Aaron Netflixed it when he was here last week and of course we, well he I fell asleep, watched it the night before he left. The next day when he was leaving, and those are always extrememly emotional days, he played the song for me and it has made me cry ever since. Here we are both crying to the airport because of this stupid song. I mean, who would of thought that in 1980 Neil Diamond would of wrote a song that plays how Aaron and I's life is right now being apart. This is our song for the present time. Anyways, here I go crying again and the only thing that usually makes me stop is if I raise my fist up high and yell, "Damn you Neil Diamond." See...I feel better now.

Hello Again lyrics

Hello

again hello

Just called to say: hello.

I couldn't sleep at all tonight

And I know it's late

But I couldn't wait.

Hello

my friend

hello

Just called to let you know

I think about you ev'ry night

When I'm here alone

And you're there at home.

Hello.

May be it's been crazy

And may be I'm to blame

But I put my heart above my head.

We've been through it all

And you loved me just the same

And when you're not there

I just need to hear.

Hello

my friend

hello

It's good to need you so

It's good to love you like I do

And to feel this way

When I hear you say:

Hello

my friend

hello.

Just called to let you know

I think about you ev'ry night

And I know it's late

But I couldn't wait

Hello.

Halloween...it's coming

Last night Caleb and Kali were playing over at the neighbor's house and they came home with homemade crafts and Caleb just came home as a mummy.

Lindsey and Ravyn then stayed over and watched movies with the kids while Anastasia and I quilted in the kitchen. It was so much fun! I can't wait for another quilting/ movie night.

Little climber

Yesterday we needed to get out of the house so I took the kids to the Community Center on base. The did a lot of rock climbing and I'm totally bummed that I wasn't able to get other pictures of Kali climbing. Here's Madeline on the little rock climbing wall and she thought she was all that because she could get about 6 inches off the ground. She would then fall backwards on the mat, stand up really fast and say "TA-DAH" with her arms spread out. What a nut.

I almost find it hard to believe that little Jackson is a year old. My last baby is already one. He just started drinking out of a sippy cup and it just makes him look even older. Plus he's drinking cow's milk.

Also notice that he's now wearing a tiny little medical bracelet. (I think the girl's are jealous). It just says that he had a severe allergy to peanuts. Poor baby. Can you imagine doing through life NEVER being able to eat a peanut butter cup?

More soda....NOW!

So I don't buy soda pop. So because I don't buy pop my kids don't drink it unless we get a hot dog from Costco or they get a sip is Aaron's around. Aaron was here on a visit last week and before we went to one of the military school functions we swung by McDonalds to let the kids play for a bit. Jackson just now getting his first taste of pop...and needless to say he loves it.

He loves it so much that he screamed forever until we gave him another drink. Look how mad he is! Aaron and I broke down and let him have as much as he wanted because 1) it was embarrassing after him screaming forever and 2) the other kids were up high on the play structure and there was no way to get them down to get out of there.

P.S- So while my child is screaming (at first) I was giggle with Aaron at how mad a 1 year old could get over soda pop. I just had to take a picture of it. I'm now wondering how I looked to other parents watching...especially the ones that are wound up super tight and don't let their kids...well act like kids.

Making a fall spider

The other day after Anastasia and I walked the kids home from school we thought it would be fun to make this huge fall spider. The kids had a blast!

This is my super cool new neighbor, Anastasia.

These are the photogenic kids out of the whole lot. The little boy is Dmitri who I drive home from school three days a week, Kali, and Anastasia's kids, Lindsey and Ravyn.

Ready....1...2...3!

Our final product

Yesterday when we came home from church I asked Aaron if he would rather have Zucchini bread or No-bakes. He chose the bread. I didn't realize that I had so much zucchini that needed to be used up asap. So I made around 12 loaves of it (some big and some small). I made little notes to each family we were giving them to and then after dinner we drove around giving them out. We had such a fun time! It's always fun to surprise someone.

So we delivered some bread to our friends, the Cochrans, and Jodi gave every body a sucker. Jackson was nibbling away on his in the car and this is what he looked like by the time we got home. Man did he love that sucker! What was more funny was that the blue stained his face and his sucking thumb. It was a good laugh.

The best toys

Aaron asked me what we should get Jackson for his birthday, I replied, "an empty milk jug." Because isn't it true, kids are facinated with the things that are free. Lets take my tupperware drawer this evening. While I'm cooking dinner Jackson and Mads are having the time of their life throwing the lids everywhere. They probably could do this for hours. Hey, whatever gives me more than 10 minutes to do something I'm all for. Besides, it will take me 2 mins to clean up.

Thanks YoYo!!!

Yoyo sent some money for Mads to buy some Polly Pockets because she's officially potty trained!!! She played for hours and hours yesterday. It was nice to clean the house while Jackson napped and then curl up to a book while Maddy played. Of course every 3 minutes I would have to stop because Cinderella needed a new dress on and Mads has a hard time getting her arms in the long sleeves.

Thanks Mom for making my day a little easier! Love you.

My new addiction...ahhh I mean hobby

Our ward is so awesome and we have tons of active interest groups. We have music makers for the preschoolers, play group, basketballs in the morning for the moms with kids, quilting, and maybe starting some exercise step class. Anyways, last year Jody was trying to get me to get into the quilting class. It conflicted with my lifting class and lifting won. I thought that I would try the quilting now that it started up again, because school started, and I LOVE IT! I cut on Thursday, and then sewed here and there the rest of the week. Last night I finished sewing my parts together and now I need to decorate it. All the circles are snowmen heads that you put hats on or anything you want. I left 4 white squares that I'm going to personalize for each one of the kids. I just can't wait for Thursday quilting day!!!!!

Jackson loves his Grandma's!

Jackson received two packages in the mail the other day for his birthday. Granny Yo sent a couple of outfits (he's wearing one) which look so comfy that I wish that made one in pink my size. Thank you Yoyo!! Grandma Nettie sent Chatting Elmo. After watching Jackson play with it it really should be renamed Shaken Baby Elmo. He loved it!! You can tell how excited he was. Poor Maddy sat on the sidelines just waiting for him to drop it and play. After a half day of listening to Elmo stutter and asking someone to talk to him I thought, "Is Nettie mad at me?" HA HA! I have to make sure that next time we see Aaron that this toy has fresh batteries so he can have the priveledge of hearing it....all day long.

It pays to live in Alaska...well next year it will

Usually when Aaron leaves the hardest times for me are within the 48-72 hours afterwards. I usually go through the house trying to find something that smells like him and cry. Wednesday was my bad day. The phone rang and it was my bestest ever sister Meagen. We started talking about the Alaskan PFD (if you live in Alaska you get paid once a year for being an Alaskan resident from the money Alaska gets from the Alaska pipeline). I started to explain what it to her. See, we don't get it this year because we moved in April 2007. You have to live in the state for 12 consecutive months before you're eligible to file in January. It's a huge bummer for us because it's worth $3269 PER PERSON in your household which would of been a huge deposit of $19,614 in our checking account yesterday. Side note: can you believe that soldiers ranked E7 and below got the day off yesterday to blow their money? Crazzzzy!! So Meagen was like: If I lived in Alaska and Eddy said to me ' why don't you get a job?' I'd say to him, ' I do, I'm living in Alaska!' I don't know why but it was so unbelievable funny to me and it was just the thing that I needed to get me through that hour of my day. I love you Meagen and your sense of humor.

Super baby

How come Dad's are so good at freakin' us mom's out? My heart nearly drops when Aaron does this but Jackson LOVE LOVE LOVES! Good thing we have extremely high vaulted ceilings.

After Jackson's birthday party we "tried" to get a family picture. I think I have a better chance of winning the lottery or coming home and finding Ed Mcmahon on my door step with a check and some balloons. The only time you can get all 8 little eyes on the camera at the same time is when you say "funny picture time." Oh well. It really captures the craziness and fun we have together.

Happy Birthday Jackson

Tuesday was Jackson's first birthday. It was perfect because Aaron was home for weekend to spend it with us. The responsible Mom that I am..cough cough...forgot to charge the battery to the camera so THIS is the ONLY picture that I have. Bummer. But I did get the rest on video so I guess it's okay long as it was recorded somehow. Jackson tore into cake and ice cream. It was just a great time.

Sing a song

So Caleb totally surprised me yesterday and had joined the school choir- yes choir! This is coming from the kids who NEVER wants to get up with the primary in church and sing. I reminded him that he'd have to sing in front of people and he said, "Yes I know mom. One of our concerts we'll sing in front of 500 people." HUH? So, we talked about commitments and he slept on it and decided this morning that it's still something that he wants to do. Alrighty then...

Happy Anniversary

Can you believe Aaron and I have been married four years now?! It seems much much longer and I think that's because we've accomplished so much in a short amount of time. Lets see....we've purchased 5 cars, had 2 dogs, have moved three times in three different states, had 2 kids, bought a house, Aaron finished his Bachelor's and Master's, 4 different career changes, and now separated for almost a year due to pilot school. Whew! Can't wait to see what the next four bring. Maybe we'll slow down.....nah!

Today was our busy errands day and can you tell the kids were totally tired by noon? LOL. Jackson actually fell asleep in the car and I thought that he would of waken up when I carried him inside the store but he didn't. So my purse became the pillow and he slept the whole time. Even through Madeline whispering to him, "Jackson wake up baby." She thought that I couldn't hear her because I would walk 3 feet away. LOL. Notice how she's grabbing stuff off the shelf during the picture.