Christmas Painting

One of my favorite Christmas traditions growing up was when we would paint the windows with some kind of Christmas picture. Usually there were the three wise men and a Christmas tree on the big glass door. I can't remember some of the other things but it was always much fun. So I decided to do with the kids this year since Grandma Dixon had come across the perfect kind of paint that we used to use to do it. Isaac and Lucy were really excited. We waited till the afternoon when Dan was awake to help and Lilli was asleep so she couldn't!

I did the star. Its a narrow door so it was hard to make it look right but you get the idea.

Lucy did Mary.

Lucy and I did the baby Jesus.

Isaac did all of Joseph by himself.

Lucy's arm

Well anyone who knows our little Lucy knows she's a bundle of energy, excitement and very carefree. Also not a very good rule follower. A couple of Saturdays ago she was bouncing on Nephi's recliner with Danica like she wasn't supposed to and fell off. I didn't think much of it at the time. Lucy hurts herself all the time and makes a big deal of it at first but she always gets better. I had a passing thought of maybe I should take her to the dr on Monday but in my busy life I just pushed it aside and said oh she'll be fine. So I watched her all week and although still a bundle of energy bouncing off the walls I noticed she wasn't using that arm hardly at all. And if I touched it a certain way it would hurt her. So I broke down and took her to the dr last Saturday still sure it was fine and had it x-rayed. Well to my surprise both bones in her forearm were broken. Oh I felt so bad that I had waited so long to take her but the dr said she probably would have waited to because Lucy was just so active still with it even at the drs office. They put a temporary splint on her arm and made us an appt to see a Pediatric Ortho dr up at Children's in Omaha. So we went yesterday and she got her pretty pink cast! I'm ever so glad too because I had to watch her like a hawk all weekend because she kept unwrapping her arm!! She loves the color. She thinks its gorgeous. And if everything goes as planned it will come off on November 23rd and she'll be good as new.

Now one might ask after all this if Lucy has learned anything... the answer is a decided "NO"!! She still bounces all over the furniture despite my constantly telling her not too. Even at the drs office she wanted to walk on all the benches. I guess its a good thing nothing is getting her down with this but I was hoping for maybe a little more caution out of her. Oh well I do love her enjoyment out of life.

New Windows!!

gaping hole in the wall

the mostly finished product

outside shot of living room window

inside

I think my favorite thing about Dan working at Pella is we can get these reject windows at auction for so cheap!! We got 6 windows all together. We still have one we haven't put in yet but we have still to decide where to put it. Originally we were going to replace the other living room window with it but the first one was so much work we're gonna wait and try to find something that's more to size. But I love them. The living room one is so big the room practically explodes with light!! I just can't stop looking at it. The upstairs windows have been broken for so long i'm glad to finally have them taken care of. Now I can feel good about putting the kids up there. Eventually (a really long eventually) we hope to get all the windows upstairs replaced. That will help a lot with controlling the temp up there since there is only the one air vent in the hall to push air. Anyways i'm really happy with how it all turned out.

Kids growing, growing, growing

Lillian Joy

Lucy Elaine

Isaac Hershel

I can't believe how big my kids are getting!! Isaac started preschool this year. He's loving it! I'm not sure how much he's learning or if he's really socializing but he looks forward to it! He doesn't have much interest in the other kids yet but he loves his teacher and he loves the arts and crafts so i'm happy. Lucy starts her dance class on Monday. She's going to do great. She dances all the time around the house and with the tv. She is taking the class in Shenandoah and Danica is going to be in the same class as well. We got her dance outfit yesterday and she's been wearing it ever since. I finally got it off so I could wash it. Lillian, my little baby, turns 1 on Wednesday. I'm in denial. I want her to just stay small! I remember when the other two turned 1 I was thinking about having another but I think i'll wait for a while. I love my babies so much. I'm enjoying them and all there personalities which are different and yet very similar. And they all love each other so much. Lucy and Isaac are best friends and Lillian thinks they are the funniest people ever. I'm a lucky mommy to be sure.

Lucy's birthday

Olivia, Lucy and Danica

Evelyn Knight looking like a little princess

Lucy's cake made by a lady in Clarinda and not me!!!

Lucy the birthday girl

Danica Jones

Olivia Knight

Isaac getting in on the action. He's dressed as a cool looking king who lives in the kingdom of silly!

Leslie doing Olivia's make up

My little girl turned 3 this year!! Can you even believe it. I know i can't. She wanted a friend party this year so i said what the heck i'll give it a go. It was princess themed cause that's what she is into right now. They wore their dresses and we found tons of princess dress up stuff to make little goodie bags for the girls. My niece Leslie helped them get their make up on and we did nails and Dan made a balloon arch for them to take pics under. It was a lot of fun. Her two cousins Danica and Olivia came and played with her. It was a great time.

Painting

So Dan and I have started painting the rooms. We took on the biggest project first which was the two front rooms. We decided on a green color for both. The living room color is just a little darker though because its a lighter room. It took us literally 12 hours to get everything moved around, covered, painted (both coats) and everything put back together again. We also did house cleaning, Dan went out with the Elders and dinner at Grandma Jones' house in that time to so it was a busy day. Not to mention the fact that we have three small kids running around. But its done and it looks great. The pics are a little darker than what it looks like in real life but its still a good representation. The first one is the dining room and the second is the living room. We still have to paint the ceilings a white white white but we got the primer on them and we have to get the crown molding back up in the living room before all is said and done.

Updates...

Just a few random pics of the kids. They are keeping me busy. Lucy is starting to get into that stage where she wants to do everything herself and she wants to do computer games like Isaac. Some things she can do pretty good but she has Isaac to help her whenever she needs it. Isaac starts preschool in August and he's very nervous. I hope he likes it. If nothing else it'll be an experience. I hope he learns a lot of the social skills he is lacking. haha. Lilli is crawling every where and so happy all the time. She's very observant and picks up on games very quickly. And of course she has us trained to clap whenever she does something!! Clever girl. Isaac and Lucy are very into a singing group called Celtic Thunder. Its my fault. I got one concert dvd and a cd cause i liked their music and now its all i'm allowed to listen too. But its too cute to watch them sing along with it all the time and put on their own little concerts.

Group kid photos

Pretty self explanitory. Dan was just having fun taking some pics of the kids all playing around together. Gotta love my babies.

Lucy's hair cut

We recently got Lucy's hair cut for the first time ever. It was just getting to ratty in the back and the mullet... well I thought it was cute but Christina kept bugging me so I caved. All her pretty baby curls got cut off and we're pretty sure they won't be coming back. Makes me a little sad inside I'll be honest but she's still a little cutie.

Lucy and Lilli

Just some pics of their first of many baths together ha ha. Lilli was laughing so hard at Lucy splashing her with the water. They are such great sisters. I love it.

A little Update

It has been a while but I feel like I have been running a million miles an hour. I don't really have time right now but I'm ignoring the kids since nothing is being broken...yet! So Isaac is into any kind of electronics game. Our wii broke and was away for about a month getting fixed and I think I liked him better when we didn't have it! Ha Ha. He's a sore loser at 4 but we're working on it slowly but surely. He is ever so helpful with Lucy and keeping her entertained though. I love to watch them play together. Mostly cause Lucy has no idea what they are playing but she goes a long with anything Isaac wants to do. Lucy is a pill and a half at 2 1/2 years. Last week her thing was climbing up on the sink and putting tooth paste all over the wall. I caught her at it three times! But she's so happy go lucky and has this smile that will melt your heart it makes it all worth while in the end. Lilli is like her sister just so happy with life. She just got weighed at she's only 13 1/2 pounds at five months. I love that she is staying a little girl. She rolls over occasionally when she really wants that elusive toy. I watch Jasper (Christina's son) during the day too. He's the same age as Lilli so its like having twins. Watching the two babies play and learn together is so much fun. They go after the same toy all the time. Jasper is bigger and stronger but when Lil gets a grip on it watch out. Its a good tug of war. So just putting up some random pics of the kids so you can all see them growing.