Oh what do you do in the Wintertime?

When all the world is frozen..........

You play on the ice

and go for a ride........

and cut down your Christmas tree

Is that what you do?

So do I

Oh the creativity

Little J and Baby A were playing in their room one

afternoon and I came in to find this

She has been found in several odd spots around the house lately--sitting in an empty doll case just her size, chillin in an empty curio cabinet (use your imagination to figure out why it's empty in the first place), etc.-- and it's still surprising me the creativity that goes into such a manuever. She has been very into puzzles lately and it strikes me that she may be attempting to prove herself as a *human* puzzle. Little J of course had to follow suit and Bug-a-boo kindly let him have a go. I think she may have been a bit pleased to see her big brother following in her footsteps on this one.

Little J is 3!!!

Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you, happy birthday to Little J, happy birthday to you!!!!

We love you little J!!!!!!!

Even Big J got to celebrate little J's Bday with us via webcam!

Jared requested a green caboose cake--we see one that looks EXACTLY like this on the tracks quite often when we drive into town. ;)

A trolley ride was the finishing touch to the celebration of a great 3rd birthday for our great little J!

My almost 3-year old!!

OK, so as a parent I'm perfectly entitled to brag. I do have the cutest boy ever as my own flesh and blood. I know you'd all say that, at least I hope you do. Today as I was taking little bug-a-boo to bed, I overheard little J happily sitting on the couch reading himself "Driving Buddies", which is a book about his favorite movie, "Cars". He was 'reading' his first book! He later read me the book after Bug was asleep and he used many of the phrases exactly and said them so confidently. This, to me is so fun and amazing for a kid of any age but with little J my heart absolutely melted because if you knew him a year ago he couldn't even say 'Mama'--it was 'ama'--and I could count on one hand the number of words he said. And now he's reading books! What a transformation that has taken place!! While we're on the subject his birthday is coming up quite soon so I'll mention a few of his 2nd year triumphs. He has learned SO many new things: learning to talk was definitely the biggest accomplishment (though he still needs to get some sounds) he can now sing his ABC's and has learned about half the alphabet by sight and knows number to 9 by sight and all his colors, he can count to 20 or so by himself and to 10 in Spanish (getting that from B too), he has also learned a number of words and phrases in Spanish and Russian, he was 'swimming' by himself by the end of the summer in a life jacket, and can now turn pedals on a bike/trike, he can do sommersaults, cartwheels, a pike sit-stand on the trampoline and a number of other gymnastics moves, has been fully potty trained for about two months now--even at night!!, has learned a number of songs and nursery rhymes by heart ("Hey diddle diddle" being his favorite rhyme), has learned to pray, loves to play games and is quite good at them, loves trains and planes and automobiles (not the movie, the real deal), loves to talk to his Daddy half-way around the world and send emoticons via computer, loves to tackle and run and swing and throw and shoot baskets and do all the things boys LOVE to do yet pink is one of his favorite colors along with green and yellow, he enjoys quiet times to himself and entertains himself quite well, is an excellent hiker and has also made it up to the top of a climbing route, he loves to help me cook and bake and clean--from dishes to laundry to bathrooms to collecting leaves to vacuuming, and I could go on and on. He is everything we hoped he would be and much much more. All this and he has numerous allergies and asthma and puts up with it like a champ that most adults couldn't or won't do (at least that's what a nurse at our most recent asthma-induced ER visit told another nurse). We just adore our little Bear!! (Birthday pics to come as celebrations come under way.)

These are a few of our Favorite things

I promised a friend I'd post a few images of our favorite things about our new residence--here goes:

This is a view from the driveway. I found it fascinating that the fall colors were advancing up the hill rather than down. Now they are all red! And snow is on its way--we hope!

Little J and Bug-a-boo LOVE passing the trains anywhere we go. J no longer likes just any ole train, only double deckers and diesel engines. He's taught little A to say 'double decker'. So cute!

Of course we love walking down to the lake near the house. It's

practically the only thing we can walk to around here!

We love going to the library, of course! President Hinckley did say to surround ourselves with good books and here little A is taking him quite literally.

Happy Halloween!!

What cuties all dressed up and ready to go!

Little J and B are ready to head out to a spooky

festival put on by the housing area we live in.

Pumpkins carved and ready for Halloween. Little J was excited to participate this year and LOVED it and B as always was estatic! Little A even tried to get in on the action, of course!

The pumpkins gave out some pretty eerie effects once the lights were all turned out!!

Just had to post this of Little A because I think it's soooo adorable!! Being her Mommy every picture of her is adorable, but this one she actually is beginning to look like an adorable toddler rather than an adorable baby. Perhaps it's the bling?! I believe this was her first sucker. We're usually in the car when we have them, coming home from the beloved bank that gives them out, and I didn't ever want her having one when I couldn't watch her. You may understand, if not I'll give you a warning, sucker sticks can be swallowed in their entirety--just ask sweet little J. The Dr. will likely tell you everything will be ok, but naturally not trusting Dr.'s intincts you may pray real hard and indeed everything does turn out ok. But, it's not something you'd want to happen again or to another unsuspecting sucker sucker.

Thanks, thanks said Mrs. Banks

So, today I overheard little J repeat one of my favorite semi-common lines to B while they were playing. "Thanks, thanks said Mrs. Banks". It's from a book called "I Wish That I Had Duck Feet" by none other than one of my favorite children's authors, Dr. Seuss. It is about a boy thinking he would like to have various animal parts: a whale spout, duck feet, an elephant trunk, a long, long tail etc. but discovers he likes himself just the way he is. This particular line is said when he has a whale spout and the teacher is happy he is keeping the school cooler with it. So, little J thinks it's hilarious when I say this when I'm in a silly mood and am thanking one of the kiddos. When I heard him say it I chose to not say anything and interupt their play but I giggled to myself for some time. I just love that kid!

B made me giggle the other day too. We were at a city team hockey game and the big Zamboni came out. This is their favorite part of a hockey game. I asked B why the Zamboni doesn't slide around on the ice. With no hesitation she replied with a 'you're-being-silly-Mommy' giggle "because it doesn't have skates!". I went home and did a little research on the machine as I should know more about it if we're going to keep attending hockey games and it being our favorite part and all. Zamboni got it's name from the man who invented it--an Italian immigrant family. And, oddly enough he was born in Eureka, Utah and of all places developed it in Southern California. It's speed tops out at 9 mph. On average, a Zamboni machine "travels" close to 2,000 miles each year in the course of resurfacing. More than 7,000 Zamboni machines have been delivered around the world. Prior to the invention of the Zamboni machine, the manual resurfacing of the ice sheet required three or four workers and took over one hour to complete.

Little A is talking up a storm these days and understands SO much. She's learning so many new words. My favorite is when she brings a book and says, "Booou" and backs up to me for me to set her on my lap and read. Some of her newer words are airplane, Grandpa and choo choo and it's so cute! This to me is a new adventure. B started speaking in literally 8 word sentances but not until 18 months. J, as many of you know, is a late talker and has had some stumbling blocks which didn't help--namely impacted wax and ear infections/allergies, tight under-the-tongue thingy and a very talkative sister. So, this process with little A has been very fun and it's more of what you would expect from an 'average' child. It's amazing how they are each so different. We love just them all to pieces!!

This is a bit of what we've been up to lately:

Little J using an apple peeler to peel apples that he himself picked off an apple tree. He and grandma are working on canning them.

At the annual Wings Festival. Giddy Little J got to see SO many planes take off and land. They even got to sit in a few planes and in one try out the stick which moves the elevaters up and down.

Little A at a farm we went to on the way to Seattle. She got so silly over these pumpkins!

The farm even had this adorable little Cow Train that little J and B rode all around the farm!

Riding the elephant at Woodland Park Zoo in Seattle.

B's fave: flamingos

J's fave: snakes and giraffes

Little A's fave: everything but especially the Komodo Dragons!
MY fave: watching the kiddos faces light up and

little J run and jump to "see more animals"!

Little A was 'backpack girl' for a day. She did everything with this on. Even pretended she was off to school, gave kisses and headed out the door saying "bye bye" all the way!

The cutest Kindergartner on the block!!!

"First day of school, first day of school, wake up, wake up!!"

"Time to learn to get some knowledge"

Any of you savvy movie watchers may know where these quotes come from. Yay, we have high-speed internet again so you can all now view my little B all grown up and off to school. She has some really cute, sweet kids in her class and she is having so much fun and making tons of new friends. Her faves: the playground (of course), doing crafts, and eating lunch at school. She also enjoys music time, going to the library, P.E., math, art and riding the bus. They've already had their first field trip to the local college to explore trees and she loved it. She was inspired by the Olympics this summer and is now taking gymnastics and of course is doing very well in that. I'm happy too as it's only 1/2 the price of where we were living previously. :)

As tradition goes I love to take the other kiddos not in school somewhere fun on the first day of school so the school kids aren't the only ones to have something exciting going on. So, we took little J and Bug-a-boo to a new park that looks like a castle. They had fun, though the park is obviously for older kids and were excited to tell big sister all about it! The tire swing was a hit -- one of my old favorites for sure!!

Bitter Sweet

BIG boy!!

TODAY is the day! For good and for bad. Let's start with the good news. Little J went on his first outing keeping his underpants DRY since our major project began last Friday! Go Little J!! Our excursion was to the library and he went potty twice during the 45 minutes we were there but I was more than thrilled! This 'major project' was delayed due to moving and transition and if it goes well then we'll all be happy--including our budget with only one in diapers!
Now, for the not-so-good news. I no longer have a husband. Well, I do, but an absentee husband. No husband to hold my hand or snuggle with or watch movies with or do the dishes, make dinner or handle the yahoos. He's on his way. Poor guy has to spend 11 hours in the JFK airport today, unless he ventures into NYC. But, I doubt that as he only got 2 hours of sleep on the plane last night. Then tonight, he's off to Germany for a shorter layover then to Manchester for his conference before "settling" in Moscow in a couple different apartments. What am I going to do without my favorite person in the whole wide world?! Well, my plan is simple. Get trim and not go insane. Luckily, we live in the age of the internet. Ahh, what would we do without the internet. We can instant message, we can send emails and pictures and videos and even webcam and talk for FREE!! All making those long-distant relationships a little less distant.
So, today HOORAY for the internet and public restrooms!!

The chain the kids and I made for the 88 days big J is gone from us + 12 extra red and green links for the time between when he is home and Christmas!!

....The Rest of the Story

OK, so, one of the bonuses of big J being in school--SUMMER is as we knew it as children--lots of play time. Man, we're going to be so spoiled though that his leaving is going to be truly rotten. That's the downside. B and I were talking about how long the chain we'll be making, as we've always done, will be and that it may need to span more than one room. In the words of little A, BLEH! So, back to happier thoughts--the rest of our summer vacation.........

Our first time on top of the Conference Center!! We got to show the kiddos where the apostles and prophets and other leaders of the church speak during conference and walk around Temple Square and visit the Church History Museum. Big J even got to practice a little Russian as a couple from Russia were there and knew little to no English. So, that was good he could help them find out a little about the church in their own language. Where else, other than NY perhaps can you find someone within minutes who can speak any number of languages??!

Bowling in Bountiful. Little A really wanted a piece of the bowling balls.

I let her end my round and she was estatic

The cats were out early in the morning at Hogle Zoo

This Amur Leopard wanted to eat us for breakfast and the kids got a huge kick out of it looking for a way out. Of course they're tough with glass between them

We even saw some monkeys at the zoo ;)

This is B riding a horse at Gardner Village where we met up with a college friend and her cute kids. Little J opted out

We stopped in Teton National Park on the way to Yellowstone and took a ferry across Jenny Lake before doing this short hike to Hidden Falls. The kids did another fantastic job hiking

Castle Geyser on the Old Faithful path. We saw 3 big geysers and several smaller ones.

Little A enjoyed this little photo op with Dad. What a doll!!

The bison were in rare form while we were there. Apparently hot and bothered they rolled in the dirt quite a bit and refused to get off the road for anyone. Although Big J did rough up several when we were in a hurry to get back to camp before the little ones fell asleep. Ahh, the things we do for sanity sake :)

After Yellowstone we hooked up with my grandparents in small town Montana where we also met up with my parents for a night before we took off for Glacier. Here we are stopped at Flathead Lake and Little J is suprising us yet again by being a dare devil

Glacier National Park proved herself beautiful. Here we are hiking up to a lake above Logan Pass on the famous Going to the Sun Highway

The kids really enjoyed this well-named "Weeping Wall"

Glacier's popular Avalanche Lake hike. This 5-mile round-trip hike took you up into this basin with mountains on just about every side, this lake and beautiful, long waterfalls. B hiked the entire way and Little J did all but about a mile or so of it--what amazing hikers they are!! (We did run on the downhills, which made it go quicker and kept up the excitement!)

Grandpa and Grandma took Little A on a boat ride around McDonald Lake while we did the hike. She LOVED it!!

After the hike/boat ride we took the kids in this river going into the Lake. The water was absolutely freezing but it was 100 degrees outside so wasn't so bad. Big J, my dad and B were the only ones to brave a complete submersion--I only got shoulder high and don't regret it

Little J was in heaven with the rock island we waded to

Rocks + water + Little J = one giddy boy

Even Big J had a hay day in this river with a bit of cliff jumping. He went several times and discovered he could ride the canal leading into this deep pool. I just love him!!

The condo that we stayed at during our time in Glacier was pish-posh and this was our jacuzzi tub. The kids had a blast in it! (btw, check out little A's tan line--what an outside baby!!)