The next american idol~ Addison!

Well, I'm posting someone elses child but I feel like she is part mine and I think this is so funny so enjoy!!! (you might want to pause the music so you can hear her)

Family Night ~ Bowling Night

We took the kids bowling and to dinner Monday night and had a great time!!! Ali had a hard time keeping the ball out of the gutter but I think she still had fun. I scored over 100 both games!!! I'm pretty sure that is the only time that has ever happened!!! Of course Brandon beat all of us. Mitch (as always with any sport) did pretty good but was mad that he didn't get a strike everytime!!!

We had a fun time spending time together but the darn bowling alley was soooo freezing. We were the only people there and i'm pretty sure there was no heat in the place. Miserable but fun!!!

Just when you think things can't get any crazier, they do!!!

Just a little update!!! I have been a bit of a slacker when it comes to blogging. Posting just the minimum that I can so here's what we are up to these days.

Mitch is the busiest boy I know. He now has baseball 4 times a week and basketball twice a week, drum lessons plus practicing of course, he stays after school 3 times a week for homework club and then twice a week after homework club he goes straight to kick-ball. There was no time to fit in reading group so he has to do that twice a week during lunch at school. If you saw his recital pics, you saw him playing the guitar. Well, since baseball has started, we couldn't fit everything in and he has had to stop his guitar lessons for the time being (which we are all sad about). Seriously, I don't know how people that have more than 2 kids do it. After all of this we still have to find time for homework, food, eating, sleeping and at least a little bit of time for friends. He's such a good kid!!!

Ali is just as busy as Mitch with gymnastics twice a week, piano lessons, choir and honors choir (yes, they are two completely different things at different times during the week), Irish Dancing for 2 hours on Friday nights (she may be taking a break from that), activity day's twice a month, not to mention, she's on safety patrol at school so she has to be there early everyday and she on student council too! Plus, she is the most social girl ever and can't stand to be without a friend for very long. She continues to be the most happy and well-rounded girl I know.

Brandon is busy as always! Work, work, work that's about it. He training for the half-marathon that is coming up in May (when he can find time). He's helping coach Mitch's basketball team and helping carpool to baseball which is about a 45 minute drive from our house (remember 4 times a week, that adds up). He is as funny as usual and keeps us laughing all the time!!!

Me! Well, not much is new here. I'm still watching kids. Still running and planning on running the half-marathon in may with B and who ever else decides they are going to do it with us. Hoping to start some projects on the house. I told B this morning that I'm aching for a project. Hum, what will it be first? I'm hoping to start some little sewing projects and figure out how to use the Cricut. Oh and, it just occurred to me that I haven't finished my photography class so I am hoping to find the time to do that too. Besides all these things I want to do, I pretty much do a lot of laundry, driving, potty training, cleaning (although you would never know if you came to my house, that I had ever attempted to clean ) and fit in as much reading and piano playing as I possibly can.

Things are crazy but good!!!

First Cricut project

I was so excited to get the Cricut Expressions machine for Christmas even though I am no NOT crafty. It's been really fun to play around with and learn to use.

I had been wanting to get an ABC poster to have here at the house for Aidan and Addison when they are here but then when I got the Cricut, I decided I could make it so, here it is..

Not a great picture but you get the point. Pink poster, cut out letters with different color cardstock and shapes with white cardstock. It actually was more work than I expected and I will probably add more to it but it was fun. Now let's hope they can use it to learn with rather than destroy!!!

Following footsteps!!

You can hardly see her but...that's Ali at the top of the rope!! She's a little monkey. She's been a climber since she was little and I guess it paid off. She climbed all the way and touched the ceiling.

And now the BIG news..... She's following in the footsteps of her Aunt Kimmy!!! Ali was asked to be on the level 3 gymnastics team at her gym and she's only been taking lessons for probably 5 months!!!. We are so excited. She will start working out with the team next week. There is a meet in 2 weeks which she probably won't be ready to compete in but if she learns the routine's fast enough, she could possibly compete in the last 2 meets of the season!!! Way to go Ali girl. We are proud of you!!!

Leading the way to mismatched socks day!

Brandon is always trying to teach the kids about leadership. Every morning before they go to school, he says "be a leader" as they are walking out the door.

The following quote is from an email that Brandon sent to some of our family about what he has been talking to the kids about!!

"I have been trying to teach the kids about leadership and standing out amongst the crowd (to be able to lead others, you must be willing to go forward alone). Ali has started wearing different colored socks everyday to school….now the whole school is doing it. Not sure this is the essence of leadership, but either way, it is hysterical!"

So funny!! What do you think, leader or not???

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas!! Finally!

The kids were so excited when we finally got snow except Ali was mad that it came after Christmas!! It's pretty much gone now but for a few days they did nothing but play outside.

I think it's so great when they can get out of the house and play outside but I don't think it's so great when they come back in and leave their wet boots, hats, gloves, coats and snow pants on the floor in the laundry room so that when I walk in there to do laundry my socks get wet or when they leave them right in front of the front door where I have yet to put a rug.

Well, I guess it's ok if it keeps them playing together and keeps them from fighting!!