The A-Team Keeps Growing

The A-Team just keeps on growing. I can't believe these two sometimes. We've made it through most of the "I don't want to share phase" and "I want what you have phase" and are moving onto "let's play together phase". There still are a few bumps during there time together, but most of the time they just like to be together.

Adalyn LOVES playing doctor. She makes you lay on the couch. You have to put a pillow behind your head and one  under your feet (see picture below). Then she'll examine you, give you a shot and then put a sticker on your hand and say "all done".

Adalyn decided that Arli should play doctor with her. 

Arli was a bit more into the sticker part of it though.

Play-dough is a favorite activity. 

Adalyn goes through withdrawals if she hasn't played with it every couple days.

Sidekick Shane and his play-dough creation. 

He enjoys playing with Arli as well. 

She still listening to what he tells her to do.

Arli and Adalyn spend most afternoons "reading" through stacks of books. Often they lay on their backs reading next to each other. It is the cutest thing ever.

They often spend time in Adalyn's room playing with the doll house, reading books, doing puzzles or just sitting on the bed together. They certainly can turn that room upside down, too.

Adalyn rushes to help Arli with either taking or putting on her shoes and coat.

Adalyn wants to hold Arli's hand all the time, but Arli doesn't always think that is the funniest thing to do.

Wordless Wednesday {All the Kids}

Baseball {2013}

It is that time of year again....baseball season has started. Shane is on a coach pitch team this year. He could have done T-ball again or moved up. His coaches/team from last year were all moving up to coach pitch. We loved our coaches last year so felt it was very much a good idea to move on up with all of them, plus we felt Shane skill wise was ready for the next level, too.

His team this year is the Washington Nationals. Took a bit to get him to understand it wasn't "our" Washington and he was sad to not be the Dodgers or the Mariners.

Kenny hasn't been able to be as hands on in the games or practices because they have often been at times where he'll have Adalyn with him since I'm either working or at class. Shane has done well with that. He still will cry and whine and demand Kenny stand here or there, but overall he has continued to improve in his anxiety and separation area of his life.

Shane at bat. They have 5 pitches from the coach to try and hit. 

I think he gets a hit about half of the time.

I was worried he'd freak out when he got out, but so far he has been ok with that.

Walking back to the dug out after getting "out".

All the boys lined up in the dug out waiting to bat. 

Those coaches and Dad are awesome. 

Being around the team for just a few minutes drives me bonkers. 

I can safely say large amount of 5-7 year old boys 

aren't my general favorite type of kiddo to be around.

Catcher still is his favorite position this year.

Taking a swing and getting a hit! Woot-woot!

On a side note: this is Adalyn's "look". 

She likes to give this to you randomly, maybe to be funny, or when she doesn't like something. 

It seriously cracks me up. 

If you ask her to give "the look" she goes instantly to this face.

Adalyn has done great at the practices or games with Kenny. 

She has taken to a few of the other siblings from our team 

and will play with them or sit and watch with Kenny.

Easter {2013}

What amazing weather we had on Easter this year. Close to 70 degrees, blue skies and sunshine. Just with that, the day was set out to be an Easter to remember. Add yummy food, church and friends...what more could we have asked for?!

We started out the day with Easter baskets, dying eggs and an egg hunt out in our front yard.

Adalyn and her basket...happy as a clam to get things.

Shane and his basket...mad that something in his basket just wasn't quite right. 

This was about 15 minutes into the day. 

At this point Kenny and I had decided we were never doing holidays in our house again. 

Dying eggs...Shane, still recovering from his terrible Easter basket experience. 

Ah, that is better. The smiles have arrived...finally!!

The egg hunt has started! Shane was the most excited about that.

I had taken Adalyn to an egg hunt on Friday. 

She refused to pick up the wet eggs. 

But by Sunday she had it all figured out and ready for anything. 

 Easter 2013 -- Overalls STILL and Long Blond Hair

Easter 2012

Not much has changed in Shane's wardrobe in a year and look at how little Adalyn is!

 Checking out the egg hunt treasures.
Note: This was NOT the dress I had planned on having her wear.
Come Sunday morning she wanted NOTHING to do with the special pink and puffy Easter dress,
so much she threw it on the floor in a fit.
Luckily I had just gotten a few spring dresses for her from a friend.
I started pulling out option from the bag...NO, NO, NO, YES!
Phew...at least she settled on a cute dress in the end still.

NOTE: I had NOTHING to do with his clothing choice and haven't for over a year now. 

I didn't even attempt to purchase him anything special for Easter

because he dislikes everything I've bought in the last year 

unless it is overalls or a sweater.

After all this excitement we headed off to church. Then came home to give Little Miss a nap. We finished the day off at friends house for dinner and another egg hunt. Thanks Nyhusmoen's and Hakamada's for taking us in this Easter.

Hey...how about if you all but your basket on your head!

 

Racing while the eggs get hidden in the back yard. 

Hanging out with the big kids. A shirtless Easter!! That is amazing! 

Another egg hung! Shane was so happy.

Show us your loot. 

Wow...these eggs are all filled with candy. 

And consume a large amount of it they did. 

Easter 2012 is here for you to check out.

Sleep Walker

Before Kenny and I go to bed we check in on the kiddos. On a handful of occasions we've found Adalyn laying on her floor sleeping. We never hear her move or call out over the monitor. It often is surprising to see her sound asleep on the floor. We've also found her asleep half hanging out of her bed. Like she started to get up and leave but couldn't make the full journey.

We've joked how she is going to be our sleep walker. A couple weeks ago she did come out of her room in the middle of the night. I woke up hearing her yell my name, thinking that is really loud. Oh, it was loud because she was in the hall way instead of her room. She was not really "awake" at all. She was very much out-of-it or in a dream like trance.

One night I walked in and found this: (note it was dark in her room and around 10pm)

 She was sound asleep in the corner of her room. 

 Her blanket made it a small distance, her bunny made it a little more...

Ah, we laughed. She woke up a few hours later and I snuggled her back into bed. The next morning we showed her the pictures. She thought it was really funny.

Resurrection Eggs

Shane made "Resurrection Eggs" at preschool last week before Easter. He came home and explained all 12 to me. I was so proud of him. We then read each verse that went with each egg. He wanted to do it over and over again. We ran out of time. I loved his excitement about Jesus and the meaning of Easter.

I just had to get it on video. I didn't do the matching bible verses with him this time. I'll post below (after I find them) the details in case you want to do it with your kiddos. It is a great Easter activity.

{Completed} Master Bath Remodel

We have competed our master bath remodel. Well, it is 90% complete. Some details need to be wrapped up, BUT it is fully functioning!!

Here you can see the before story.

Here is what it looks like now:

Double vanity with granite counter tops!

This is what was there before (our walk in closet). 

Big 'ol shower.

It still needs a day of grouting. 

I'm anxiously awaiting the first day of showering with out bath toys.

This was our shower before. 

Hard to see because of all the walls and door. 

It was in a tiny little room. 

New bath tub (a brand new feature in our master bath).

This still needs the most finishing work. 

Tile up on the "shelf" and around the sides. 

This was where the vanity use to be. 

Here is a little video tour:

I wish I would have taken one before. It is so hard to understand what it looked like with the pictures. Basically it is 95% different. Just the toilet is in the same spot.

Phew! We (especially Kenny) are happy to have this project just about done. It has been a long few months of evenings and weekends to get this thing completed. Kenny worked super hard. Besides plumbing and electrical he did it all. I think he has swore off any home improvement projects for the rest of 2013.