January

Ezra learned how to ride a bike!  The look on his face is when he is riding.."Are you seeing this?! This is Awesome! Are you seeing this?" Like a joyful surprise.
He likes to ride Rowdy's bike the best, so he's learned how to fall gracefully with it since he can't reach the ground.  He picked it up in like an hour...thanks to Dad and all the practice with that little cruiser of his.

and the next hour Cody built a ramp, and he did fine on that too.

 

We also love to see our cousins over in Coppell. We were hanging out almost every Friday for a while. Its been nice having  them nearby. & Yay for Paravel! She is such a doll. Its fun to be close and watch the nieces and nephews grow.

Here are some more nieces and nephews w a game Cody made up. However old you were that's how many balloons you had tied to your ankles and everyone had to try and pop them..except Elliot...and later we learned Ezra... (they were a little emotional over the whole thing)

We turned gun owners in January. 

Cody was so excited about his mega thrift store find...I was not so excited. but after he showed me the glow in the dark one and we had a glow in the dark dance party for FHE (with our crazy black light form Halloween) and Rowdy stripped down to his undies, because they were white and glowed better, and proceeded to dance around super silly trying to avoid the glow in the dark bullets and I almost wet myself laughing, that's when I started liking them. Plus we do little nerf gun stuff in seminary sometimes, & I giggle at the thought of everyone having the little guns and me walking into the activity with the one as big as Rowdy. I haven't worked up the nerve yet.

The kids rediscovered the sand box. 

Elliot loves, even in 40 degree weather, to take off her shoes and socks and stick her toes int he sand. Got a little California girl in her ;) 

Almost everyday for the past couple of months they will go play with it in the front yard right before Rowdy comes home from school then a bunch of neighbor kids will come play too.

Miles and Rowdy play really well after school together. They are pretty creative.

Elliot put her hand on the stove after we had made popcorn :( She fried her palm and most of her finger pads. It was so so sad, but she was a little trooper. She called it her hot hand. and was so excited when she got "new pink skin!"

This girl is unstoppable.

A sweet love note I found from Rowdy. He does and says the most thoughtful things.

He takes after his Dad

Also so proud of Rowdster for passing off all of his sight words! He made his own goal to finish, because he wanted to go to the principal and pass them off for his dogtag. Way to go!

There was also an after school camp night...Read S'more or something cute. When we went, so many teachers knew Rowdy and told us how great or thoughtful or polite he was. It was a great feeling. Thanks Rowdy for being such a good kid.

Elliot is getting better about eating real food, but she still loves her sugar... daddy

It snowed in January but not enough to call in a snow day. I took this picture after seminary
and there was a day with funny little dip n dot hail.

Ezra and Elliot admiring Paravel

 

Ezra and Elliot have been at odds lately (January-ish). Elliot knows how to push his buttons and sometimes she is mean. Hitting or biting mean, just because she knows he will cry. She realize it hurts. Time outs aren't cutting it. So even though it felt weird I told Ezra to hit her back. He was such a gentlemen and would just sit there (crying though) while she railed on him. I had to remind him quite a few times. Sure enough it only took a few times and they are back to being mostly buddies. 

A few weeks ago I was in & out of a seminary nap stupor, and I heard a smack and a crying. These days I am very slow to conflicts. I just let them try and work it out. I could hear Ezra crying, they were the only kids home, and Elliot says,"Rowdy did it! Rowdy hit Ezra!" !!  Then when she realized no one was around, & she wasn't getting in trouble she apologized to him! :)

We got to see Yaya for a few hours in January. She flew in for Paravel's blessing & we got to see her. Its nice having her around. We've got to see her 3 months in a row!! 

After Paravel's blessing we went over to Locke and Katie's for a lovely brunch. mmmm. We should do brunch more often. That was delicious.

 

I really should stay on top of the blogging. I'm hurting knowing I have already forgotten sweet bytes from my littles.

Preschooler!

Ezra's first day of pre-school!

Here he is with Miss Wendy his teacher

Wow. I was thinking about putting him in the pre-school Rowdy went to last year but it didn't feel right. It just felt too long for him to be away at school. He's my little boy snuggle bug, and I already feel like he is growing up so fast. I want to cherish it. I was thinking about even keeping him home but I am also teaching seminary everyday and thought we would both benefit from a little time apart. I'm thankful Miss Wendy decided to do one in her home for less time. It seemed like a good fit. I was a little nervous his first day. Rowdy was sort of born ready to go to school and Ezra hasn't felt that way to me. But it sounds like he did great and had fun. He loved a game of "leaf, leaf, apple." and told us he "had great adventures at preschool." So here's to a great start.....
of a lot more education.
We love you Ezra

Kinder!

 Rowdy's first day of school!

 Here is his teacher (meet the teacher night) I didn't even cry like I thought I would I am sure it was because of meet the teacher night. I still felt like I had cried.

 Ezra wanted to wear his backpack to take Rowdy to school

Walking to school already. Today was the first day he rode his bike

He's so big. I already miss him during the day.... although it is much quieter around here.

 So sweet

He seems to like it. He is pretty quiet about school by the time he gets home. I have been in his class at the end of the day a few times to help out & thats been fun. He says his favorite part of the day is getting to play superheroes with Miles at lunch.

Say Pre-K!

Mrs. Sonya & Mrs. Marie

Yesterday was Rowdy's first day of Pre-School this year. He did some pre-school at Lynda's house last year and learned so much! This year he is going to the Baptist Church at the other end of Justin.
We got him a new thermos and a new shirt and he was so excited for his first day. Mom on the other hand was a little tender-hearted. I know its not even kindergarten or anything! but it is the beginning of the end. I am so excited for him, because I know he is going to love the whole experience. He's just my little man and.. well, I hope I've taught him the things he needs to know up to this point. Its just so crazy the Baptists will be teaching him now. Ha ha! just kidding. I know he will do fine, He is a good kid.
Ezra had a hard time when we dropped him off too. Ezra started crying, " I want my Brother. I want Rowdy!" It was sweet, sad. Ezra and I cried together for 2 seconds at the car. Then we had a fun day together

Rowdy loved playing at the playground with Miles and Grayson (They are in the classroom next door). He liked to sing Ring around the Rosies . He learned about the letter A and Zero. and He loved his lunch. He liked it when someone held the American Flag and he sat by his friends. "That's all my favorite parts."

Rowdy is loving to draw and especially write these days. When he got a dry erase board for his birthday he just sat down and told us, "I am going to write all of my ABC's. and Did! with hardly any help. Then when he was done with that he did the abc's with the capital and small letters, all by himself. He loves to write letters and birthday cards to his cousins. and just discovered how to draw cactuses, temples, his people are improving, and he has his own fancy signature.

Love you Rowdy

smatterings of October

I always love Cody but October brings out the magic in him. It cracks me up to see him blog surfing for crazy halloween crafties or ideas to do with the kids. Its been fun to have a bunch of family projects together...when he was home. He worked on the road a lot this month. Here Rowdy is with part of the skeleton they made out of milk cartons. Ezra chowin' down on some blood worms Cody made with the Carmack girls. They weren't bad once you got past the weird texture. Ezra was probably the only one who didn't mind. They were basically just jelloand speaking of texture :)
Rowdy has been going to preschool with "Miss" Lynda on Tuesday and Thursdays. They invited Ezra and I to a little Halloween party. They sang some Halloween songs, did the pledge of allegiance and Lynda made an awesome Halloween lunch. The "brains " on the right were clear Asian noodles cooked in chicken broth with a little green food coloring. They were good but the texture was a little funny. Rowdy ate the first bite no problem and then I think Lynda and I and the boys just kept referring to them as "brains" "brains" "brains" . anyway the next bite Rowdy took of the noodles his face turned kind of white and he got that look. I call it the sushi look... like oh no! ...I can't handle this. It was so funny/ sad. He was totally gagging.. and loud! I couldn't even help him I was laughing so hard. Sorry little buddy. Last Saturday the 23rd was a busy day full of fun things. Cody was of course out of town on such a day as this. The boys and I had gone to bed late because of nickel auction, which was very fun. and then of course they still woke up at their usual time. Anwyay I had to finish off their costumes for the trunk or treat at the church at 5. and Cody had started making Livee's costume which needed a lot of finishing also. Lynda and Amelia threw me a baby shower from 1 to 3. It was a crazy morning. Ezra liked the way the baby food felt and was massaging it all over himself. Gave the boys a bath wringing my knuckles about making it everywhere on time. Rowdy was into everything, being very independent and opinionated. It was pouring rain. I asked Rowdy to play with Ezra while I just rinsed off in the shower. Came out like 3 minutes later and Ezra was soaking wet. Rowdy had let him out the front door. Luckily Ezra was good sensed enough to come back in.
The baby shower was perfect. Lovely, cute and good people. It was a vintage back to school theme. I need to steal some pics from Lynda. It was just really nice. Thanks to Paige for being my on call baby sitter this crazy weekend. Made it home just in time to finish Livee's costume. and I seriously debated just not going to the trunk or treat but we went anyway and it was fun but we only made it to the last 15 minutes (Our church is 30 minutes away) Then we ran home grabbed dinner and Paige and I went to go chaperon the youth dance (30 minutes the other way) I think I missed Cody getting home by 20 minutes and then had to wake up early for 8:30 church. And then Cody got called in to work right as we were getting in the car! Whew!
It was crazy but it was fun.
Here is Livee, the Lego girl and Mr. Fredrickson

Mr. Fredrickson and Russel from the movie UPLove these little stinkers