look at these leaves.

In the past few weeks I've noticed that Isaiah's attention span has really increased. He will focus on one activity for quite awhile now - which I must say is nice! He will often find an individual activity to do by himself and stick with it for 20 minutes or more!

He may go off and play with his trains, cars, blocks or ... leaves!

While the little ones napped, Isaiah, Jayda and I went outside so we could fill up the yard waste bin. But instead of helping, Isaiah spent a long time looking at leaves and filling up his wagon with them. What a good fall activity for him, and I was able to get some yard work done! Jayda kept both of us company! She went back and forth between me and Isaiah. I wish we could still play outside every day!

Thankful.

I must say that I like this time of year, I like that we are reminded to step back and realize how much we have to be thankful for....and I am thankful for so many, many things in my life...

I am thankful for my wonderful husband -
he is a great companion and partner in life,
I am thankful for my beautiful boys -
they make my life so joyful and crazy,
I am thankful for my loving parents -
they are always there for us,
I am thankful for my sister -
she is a great friend,
I am thankful for my nieces and nephew -
what great playmates they are for my boys,
I am thankful for my extended family -
they are fun and bring laughter,
I am thankful for my friends -
they help keep me sane!
I am thankful for my home -
I can't image not having a safe place to go,
I am thankful for my job -
I couldn't ask for a more flexible place to get paid to help others,
I am thankful for my church -
I need a place to feel free to worship with others,
I am thankful for my Lord and Savior -
for I am free to live because He died.

I am thankful.

Uncle Matthew!

Uncle Matthew was in town last weekend and he stopped by to say hi! We hadn't seen him since Isaiah's birthday in September, so it was great to see him. Too bad Levi was sleeping and missed out on the fun! Thanks for coming over Matt!

Hanging out with TC

Isaiah, Levi, my parents and I went to a UNI girls basketball game one night. Isaiah was SO excited because he knew TC (the Panther mascot) was going to be there. We had a fun time watching the game, but so much more fun playing with TC. Check out all the fun we had with the panther -- too bad daddy missed it!! :)

Where is TC Mommy???

We looked and looked and found him -- on the other side of the stadium!

Then he came to our side...
Hey! TC! Wait up!!

TC wants a hug!Group picture with TC!!

Watch me run TC!Both boys had fun going up and down and up and down and up and down and up and down the bleachers!
At half time TC went out on the floor and the kids got to play basketball with him! My boys were having so much fun we were almost trampled down by the opposing team players when they ran out to warm up for the second half!!
What a fun game!
However, I really have no idea if the Panther's won or what the score of the game was! :)

note to self...

Try not to accidentally fall asleep on the couch again while your 3 year old is awake. You will most likely wake up to a mess.

ha ha.

It was nap time...3 kids were sleeping and I was left with Isaiah...I still haven't figured out the best napping arrangements for him. Today I was tired, and decided to try relaxing with him on the couch... well apparently it worked for me (and Mark who came home and joined us), but not for Isaiah. I woke up to the noises of the scanner. Isaiah had scanned a few things and then drew both Mark and me a picture with permanent orange marker. He also colored on the computer desk and chair with the orange marker....and the computer screen--luckily this was with pink highlighter that came right off. oops! Live and learn, right?!

jammies!

I got the boys in their jammies tonight and then Isaiah decided he wanted to be like Levi so we found Isaiah's only pair of footed pajamas and they had a fun time together! :)

Since Isaiah's been potty trained, I've steered away from the footed jammies - way too hard to get them on in off in the middle of the night in a hurry to the potty! But they sure look cute, don't they???I went in the other room for a minute and the boys ran off into Isaiah's room...I peaked in to find this:

They play together more and more each day. I love it! :)

one already!

November 15, 2008-------November 15, 2009

How can it be that little Liahna is one already?! (Click here to see my post about her birth!)

She's such a sweet little girl and the perfect cousin for my boys!

We had a great time celebrating her birthday at her party yesterday!!

This baby girl loves to chomp on carrot sticks :)
Happy Birthday to you! Isaiah got to help blow out the candle!
She wasn't so sure about the cake!
Opening gifts...
I'd have to say this was her favorite gift!
Levi has a thing for balloons. He loved the balloons at the party. He almost could say the world balloon by the end of the day! and he definitely said, "uh oh" when the balloon would fly up t the ceiling. It was so cute, but too hard to get a picture of! Isaiah had fun with the other kids at the party - he even kissed one of them smack on the lips! He went up to her, put his arm around her, dipped her back and kissed her! HA HA

What a fun birthday party!
Happy 1st Birthday Liahna Marie!

I'm ready to go outside now!

Isaiah decided that he wanted to go outside and play today while the other little ones were sleeping. What a great idea! It was nice outside today--the sun was shining, but it was a bit chilly. Here's what happened:

Isaiah: "Let's go outside and play!"
Me: "Yeah!"
Isaiah: "Okay, I'll be right back, I've got to get ready."
Me: "Okay."

He went into his room and came back a couple minutes later like this:
That's right - in his swimming trunks and swimming shirt!

Isaiah: "Let's play water guns!"
Me: "It's not that warm outside, you will get cold."
Isaiah: "No I won't. I won't get cold."
Me: "Okay, we can try it."

So we went outside and had a water fight for about 10 minutes.

Isaiah: "My hands are really cold."
Me: "I bet they are."
Isaiah: "I'm ready to go inside."
Me: "Okay, let's go."
Isaiah: "That was fun."
Me: "Yeah, it was, huh?"

HA HA. A water gun fight in November, who would have thought?

Boys night out!!

Mark took the boys on a boys night out a week or so ago (while mommy was out with a friend!). They made a trip to Best Buy to replace the camera that I broke (yes, I broke another one - we learned the hard way to buy the replacement plan so we get them replaced for next to nothing) and then were off to the mall (by Isaiah's request - if you ask him where he wants to go, he'll typically respond with "the mall," "the park," or "the playgym.").

Mark used the new camera to capture their night out -- Diamond Dave's for dinner (I guess Levi wouldn't eat, he just wanted to play with the cup and straw - he was up in the middle of the night STARVING that night!) and then to the playland.