farmer's market...

When we were making the decision to move to Cali, finding a place to live became my responsibility. I told the Lord that if I was going to have to leave my family to move across the country with 4 little kids, then finding a house needed to be easy. Otherwise I would take it as a sign that we weren't supposed to move(even though I knew we were) and plant my behind firmly in southeast Texas! The Lord was merciful with my insolence and the perfect place just about fell into our laps. Seriously I keep finding out reasons we are lucky to be were we are. 1. We have a huge fenced in backyard. The biggest one that I have seen in our price range. 2. We live by so many parks...and in a place with weather where you can play outside year round. 3. There is a super Target 3 blocks from our house. It has been closed for renovations the whole time we have lived here, but no more...Grand Opening is TOMORROW! I am so excited! 4. There is a farmers market every Saturday...3 blocks from our house! Seriously! We live in such a cool place. Today was my first time to visit. I didn't get a lot of pictures of the stalls of produce, and indian food, and handicrafts....But we did run into this guy:
























It was kind of a tough sell at first...



















But with a little balloon flatulence he won them over...


















...especially Atticus, who laughed so hard he got blue in the face and I was sure he was going to pass out.


















We ended up popping most of our balloons before we even paid for them, but the kids were laughing so hard they didn't care.






























Stuffing our faces with fresh grapes and organic apples, while laughing at balloon gas = the recipe for a perfect Saturday morning.

Happy Saturday to you!

On matters of music....

There are some slight differences of opinion when it comes to what music should be played in the van....

The kids seem to think that the soundtrack from "The Nightmare Before Christmas," should be on repeat...all.the.time. I'll admit, I like that music too, but there has to be a limit...when not just Gavin, but the 2 year olds know all the words(and even the baby chimes in every once in a while) you might have listened to a song in excess.

So I have instituted what I call 'mandatory taste enhancement...'a.k.a. something I haven't heard 500 times in the past 2 days.

The girls are more flexible, they can be suckered in if they see me singing a long. The boys....well, they are a tougher sell....

may the force be with you...

Left over glow sticks from Halloween, some really cool music, darkness = another successful FHE activity.



Can you hear Atticus singing in the background. The "Theme From Star Wars" is in his key, and like his daddy...if it is in his key, then he has to sing it at the top of his lungs!

kiddie conversations...

out and about in the van....

Jane:(0ff in la la land)"Choo-choo!"
Gavin: "JANE! We don't say potty talk(pretty sure he thought she was saying poo poo)! You gotta go to the bathroom to say potty talk!(can you tell that he has gotten in trouble for inappropriate conversations lately?)"
Jane: : (oblivious)"Choo-choo!"
Gavin: "No Jane! No potty talk!"
Jane: (completely, utterly oblivious)
Atticus: (chiming in from the next seat up)"No...not potty talk. A joke!"

Annie's world...

20 months ago I got the news. First, I recognized the nausea...the last time was too recent for me not to recognize morning sickness. I'll be honest. I cried. A lot. I didn't think I was ready...but she knew better. She wasn't willing to wait till I was ready. The party was NOW and she is an important part of it. Oh is she ever an important part of it.


Weeny Witch...Isn't she aDORABLE! She is at the stage where her physical and verbal skills are exploding, and she is so proud of herself. She is the cats meow.









































This picture makes me laugh because of the story behind it.


















I heard her screaming in the middle of the night...and not her 'I am feeling peckish, let's nurse mommy' wail. This was a hard core angry yell. I stumble thru the darkness of her room and pick her up. The first thing I notice is the squishy wetness that meets my grasp. She is totally soaked. Her bedding is totally soaked. I am dumbfounded at the catastrophic failure of her diaper....until I lay her down on my bed and realize that she is not wearing a diaper. Have I mentioned that she has learned how to take her diaper off? Well, she has. And that night she did. And then after she fell asleep 'someone' had the gall to go and pee all over her. Boy was she ticked...and still half asleep. That is why I laugh when I see this picture. This is her after I got her in a diaper and pants. She fell back asleep immediately, but she still looked angry.


Have I mentioned she can climb?

She can climb....


Into the toybox....



















Into the cabinets...




































Of course she doesn't just confine her self to climbing "into" the cabinets...she also spends a good part of everyday to disgorging the cabinets.




































...and finding things on the cabinets to continue the destruction.



















Oh, and she can climb on to the table....(but not off =)






























I wonder who she learned that from?






















"Are we taking pictures?"






























"I'm sure you just forgot to send me the memo mommy..."































"Alright...I am ready for my close-up..."































Get distracted while you're making the lunch pb&j's?



















The pitter patter of little feet sprinting away? That's cause waiting is for the little people...oh wait, I mean the big people.






























And how 'bout some dessert?






















She is a bundle of energy. She is in the thick of any fray, grabbing toys and squealing. Her imagination is starting to blossom. Every animal is a "goggy." and they all roar. All vehicles say "beep beep," and "too too." It would melt your heart to hear her say "Daddy!" when Kenneth gets home from work. She is opinionated, and bossy. She is sweet and snuggly. I revel in her babyhood.


She is Annie. Big Fannie Annie.



















And we LOVE her!

poor, poor Atticus...

sitting bull-ogna...

It was "I" week at Gavin's pre-school. They built igloo's and talked about imagination, and had so much fun with the letter "I." Unfortunately Gavin had his heart set on riding home in the red car(a.k.a. with his friend) that he was pretty non cooperative for the indian photo shoot. The tube he is holding up is his rain stick. It made fun noise as it was full of beans...unfortunately it was not securely fastened at the ends and soon was spread all over the floor. This was around the same time the twins got to the letter "G" in their pre-school co op and brought home cups of dirt with grass seeds planted for their "garden." Lets just say that my vacuum cleaner got a lot of use this past week.