Need a Favor?

Is there a disconnect between the title and the picture?  No.  I'll tell you why.  Rachel and I used to have the following dialogue on a regular basis.

Me:  Rachel?  Will you do me a favor?
R:  Yes.
Me:  Will you get me a Kleenex?

One day I sneezed.  Rachel's head popped up and she asked, "Do you need a favor?"

April 12th

One of my friends suggested splitting toys into different boxes then trading the boxes periodically.  The idea is that when the toys get old you switch for a different box.  The kids get a fun new set of toys every time a new box comes out.  It's a great concept.  But I was struggling with where to put the boxes.
 

Solution!  We brought these two cheap Home Depot cabinets up from the basement.  Doug screwed them to the wall so that they won't fall over.  I put the vinyl decals on.  Isn't it cheerful?


The big reveal!  Look at those beautiful boxes!  You can see the space on the left for the toys that are out in the family room. 


While Rachel and I were putting away toys, swapping boxes and taking pictures, Joe was busy taking in the sights from his tiny roadster.


His glee turned sour when he realized that Rachel and I had left the room.
 

The kids played with toys and watched far too much TV while I ignored the dishes and the housework.


I was finishing my projects for a busy bag exchange with our neighbors.  (I'll post more on that later.)  These are sound matching eggs.  Each kid gets 6 pairs of eggs.  You mix them up then let the child try to match the eggs that sound the same.  What's in the eggs?  A marble, 3 little jingle bells, a teaspoon of rice, 6 beads, 2 tin foil balls, and 3 pennies.


Lunch consisted of macaroni and cheese with ground beef. 


Rachel's was sans beef.
 

Just look at that sweet face!


Doug valiantly fought the rain to take the garbage out.


Joe watched from inside. 


Then Doug made quesadillas.  Hurray!


"Just a few more minutes?" begs Rachel and the pig.


"No darling.  It's bedtime.  Nighty-night."

Joe and Grandmother's Cane

Joseph took his first tentative steps on June 16th.  He truly became a walker on July 20th.  

"If Grandmother walks with a cane then so can I."

Here's a link to the video.
http://youtu.be/oWWVqE77iLE

Letters to Elizabeth

I've had a really hard time missing Elizabeth this year.  So, as part of my efforts to make peace with her absence on earth, we wrote letters to Elizabeth.


Each of us wrote a letter or drew a picture to send to Elizabeth.  Then we tied them to balloons.


We went to the cemetery as a family.  We talked about the plan of salvation and resurrection.  


The activity was harder for Doug than he thought it would be.


I cried and cried and hugged my little ones.


Here we are.  Sending Elizabeth's letters in 3....2....1....


Rachel's and Doug's soared high into the heavens and out of sight.


Joe's and mine never made it past the tree.


I had spent a lot of time writing my letter.  And even though I knew that my letter would fly into the sky and land in a stranger's yard, I was heartbroken when it was eaten by the tree.  I cried some more.  Then these 2 little angels cheered me up.  The next day I printed my letter again, bought balloons and sent my letter from our yard.  I'm sure she visits our house more than the cemetery anyway.


We left her a gift.  We love you Elizabeth!

Joe's First Bubble Bath

May 31st.  Joe experienced the joy of bubble baths for the first time.  He started out a little unsure.


Soon he was having a blast.


Splash, splash, splash.


And splash some more.


"Wasn't there a hole where I splashed?"


"Have you seen this stuff?"


Joe explored and played.


And slipped and slid.
 

And learned what bubbles taste like.


"Peek-a-boo Mom!  This is SO fun!"


My beautiful baby boy in bubbles.

Rachel's 3rd Birthday

Our little fairy was surprised by her Goodwin grandparents with a beautiful bunch of balloons.


She was more than thrilled.
 

"Thank you Grandma!"


Hugs all around.


I went overboard with this nature/Tinker Bell theme cake.


She loved it!


Nothing like a wonderful family to share such a happy day.
 

"Happy birthday to yooooouuuuuuu!"


Our resident gymnast entertained everyone while we waited for presents.  Joe thinks it's super funny to be upside down.


This little fairy was given tons of fun presents.  She received a Dumbo, bubbles and a Disney DVD from her Aunt, Uncle and Cousins.


Mom, Dad and Joey gave her a Mickey Go Fish game, Tinker Bell the movie, a cool alarm clock (more about that later), her fairy costume and a reading system.  Lucky girl!


By the time we played with the cousins and returned home Rachel was too tired to do anything.  She couldn't even stay awake long enough for dinner.  "Goodnight sweet 3 year old."