Get Ready to Party!

Today at preschool they celebrated Morgan's upcoming 4th birthday. He got to wear a birthday crown and be the line leader all morning. I was also able to bring in a special birthday treat for him. I asked him what he wanted me to bring and he said chocolate donuts. So I got a recipe (from the Deceptively Delicious cookbook), a donut baking pan and went to town. Cody and I were quite proud of our results.

Pepper was very happy to get to join Morgan's class for a little while and feel like a big kid. Two kids were out sick but even so Morgan has a small class and I really like that about his school.

Morgan was very excited to share the donuts with everyone and to feel like a special boy.

I can't believe my little man is getting so big!

Here's a video of the class singing to him:

Winter Goes Marching On and On...

I'm really not that depressed about winter I just thought I'd run with the theme from last time:) A week ago Monday, Morgan's Funny Bug Little Gym class ended the fall semester with a showcase. Morgan has really started to become quite the little gymnast and just loves his classes.
Running around is always his favorite.

After the bar routine they tried a "future skill." He was hanging on the high bar then put his feet on the lower bar. Then he reached out with this hands and swung down, with the teacher's help of course. I was pretty impressed that he even tried it.

Morgan used to hate the beam but now he is starting to enjoy it. This is his future beam skill.

The last thing they did was a little floor routine. Morgan was very proud of his medal until someone else got a trophy and then he had this face...

You get a trophy after five consecutive semesters. At the end of this next semester he should be all smiles with his trophy!

Just a shot of Pepper showing off her singing skills.

And her smiling skills.

Cody took these pics on Saturday afternoon when we were doing some house chores before running errands. Pepper has some great bed-head going on while Morgan scowls at the camera.

The sun coming through Pepper's hair gives her a bit of "Flock of Seagulls." This made me laugh along with her crazy smile. Too bad my kids eyes disappear when they really smile. Sorry kids.

Cody will probably not be happy that I shared this one but I thought it was pretty cute. Morgan loves clothes, all clothes and will never miss an opportunity to dress up as anything. I really need to start making them both some more dress up clothes, since it is a favorite pastime of the two of them. Last night for our FHE activity we popped popcorn and sat down to watch Fantasia 2000. This is how Morgan dressed for the occasion.

Have a great week everyone.

My baby boy turns 4 in four days!!!!

Oh, and my bestest good friend comes to visit in two!!!

This is a good week for me:)

It's Shaping Up to be a Long, Long, Winter

Here is some randomness from our life stuck indoors because of tons of snow. While Morgan was at school Pepper and I played dress up. Pepper was a ballerina princess and I was the mommy holding the babies.
This was her big dance move although it looks more like stretching.
Here is a little video of her showing off some more:


It is important for princesses to have good oral hygiene!

After nap time, we went outside to join Morgan in the snow. We got all bundled up, went outside and then realized he had gone inside our neighbors house to play. So we stayed outside for a bit and then joined them. The day before we were all outside sledding down our neighbors hill. Morgan and Pepper loved sledding. I have a feeling we will be doing that a lot more often!

Snow, snow and more snow!

Pepper attempting to make her way down the hill in knee deep snow.

Wednesday night Jack and baby Gwendolyn came to play again. Pepper was very happy Gwendolyn came this time and insisted on holding her despite the fact they are almost the same size. This little cutie was seriously the easiest baby ever! She sat and watched the others play for awhile, drank some of her bottle, then I put her in her carseat with her binky, sat her in the other room and she fell right to sleep without a sound. She then stayed that way till her dad came to get her. I have some pretty amazing sleepers but this little beauty takes the cake!

Jack and Morgan posing for me. These two crack me up.

Pepper showing off her cute Sunday dress I bought for her right after she was born. Not really the right season for it but still very cute.

So I have now become a huge fan of the Deceptively Delicious cookbook by Jessica Seinfeld. I have only tried a few recipes but I love the concept and am excited to keep trying it. I had to borrow the cookbook and a food processor from different friends. I wanted to try it all out before I committed to buying them myself and I am totally sold!

I spent Sunday afternoon baking and steaming lots of veggies to make purees.

So now I have a nice little storage of carrots, butternut squash, spinach, chickpeas and cauliflower purees to add to many different meals. Yipee, for tricking your kids into eating healthier!

And that is just a taste of our winter lives.

Grateful for Friends

A lot of people have been posting about things that they are grateful for this new year so I thought I'd jump on the bandwagon. I am grateful for little friends. This week I babysat for my dear friends and was very happy to do so. Watching these little people is a joy for me and my kids. Wednesday night Jack came to play for a little while before bed time, so we decided to have an impromtu jam session.

Here are some videos of the talented kids:

Then we had a ball fight. These were very happy, hyper children.

Pepper showing off her trumpet skills.

And her super cool stage moves.

To calm them down I gave them all a bubble bath. We have missed Jack while he was in Utah so we were all very excited to have him come play.

On Thursday morning, Ben and Abby came to stay for the afternoon. Ben can be a little fussy for Becky but he was a DREAM for me...heehee. Isn't that always the way?! He and Pepper had so much fun playing and getting into things. I fed the little ones while Morgan and Abby played. Ben is just like Morgan was as a little one when it comes to eating. It was very fun feeding him. Gotta love that smile and those bright blue eyes.

I had to add this one because Pepper was actually saying "cheese" and looking at the camer, and because Ben's look was priceless.

Abby, Morgan and I had a picnic lunch and watched Toy Story 3 while the little ones both took 3hr plus naps. It was a great day!

Like I said, I am grateful for these wonderful little friends and the opportunity to help their parents out by watching them. I really enjoy babysitting and the fun of having friends come visit. So that's a little of what we've been up to this week.

Saying Good-bye to a Pretty Good Year

On New Year's Eve afternoon, Khan, Joanna, Karissa, Kegan and William came to play with us for the weekend and celebrate the coming of a New Year. Morgan was VERY excited to have his cousins to play with...if you couldn't tell by this picture!
Pepper hanging out with Kegan and Karissa while we all open Christmas presents from each other.

Khan and family gave Morgan a Toy Story 3 ball pit tent with extra balls. This kid was on cloud nine.

Pepper was pretty stoked about it as well.

The little ones trying out the tent.

Pepper was the lucky recipient of a new baby doll and stroller. This is one serious stroller.

Pepper has many babies now and baby accessories. She is also very, very happy.

Later that night after we put the younger kids to bed, our friends Becky and Jerry joined us for a game night. We had a lot of fun eating, playing and laughing and getting ready to ring in the New Year.

After we watched the ball drop, we went outside to shoot of some major fireworks Khan had brought. It was freezing cold but very fun...and VERY loud.

Jerry and Becky

Khan and Joanna

The happy hosts!

Kegan was just a little excited about the fireworks.

On New Year's Day morning, I once again made crepes. This time the audience was a little more excited.

We had planned to take everyone sledding but the day before they came we lost all our snow to warmer temps and rain. Since most things were closed, and the boys needed to get out and run around, everyone headed over to Chapel Hill mall to burn off some energy. Pepper and I stayed home because it was nap time.

Morgan and William had a great time running around. Gotta love Morgan's new fashion expression; shorts over his pants.

Khan and family stayed till after lunch on Sunday then headed home. That afternoon we cleaned up then decided to get some decorating done that we've been waiting for a time to do. I ordered a vinyl wall design for Pepper's room and was excited to put it up. The poor girl has had bare walls since we moved in last summer.

Morgan was the keeper of the directions and really enjoyed his job.

Pepper's job was to stay out of trouble. She did a pretty good job.

The final result. Pepper seemed very happy to have a tree on her wall and said, "Night, night tree," before going to bed. Now we just need curtains and some shelves and we'll be in business.

And finally, at the start of this new year I just wanted to document my little Pepper's amazingly curly hair. I have finally figured out how to keep it under control without having it in pig-tails all the time. Whenever I tell her I have to do her hair she says, "Ok" and comes right over to me. As soon as I say I'm done she says, "Pretty hair," and then walks away looking very pleased with herself. These are the little things that make me very, very happy.