OMSI Trip

Last weekend we got to go spend a fun day with Aunt Dana, Gadi and Gadi's family.  We went to OMSI, then out to dinner at the Spaghetti Factory, and finally back to Dana and Gadi's house to play video games.  Here's some pictures from OMSI.

Waiting to go in...

A cute picture that Jacob took...

Launching bottle rockets and Logan watching...

Logan in the Ball Room (His Favorite Place)

Gadi's Hair + Static Electricity = FUN

What's Going On? (List Form)

*I have neglected the blog this week.  I'm sorry.
*My mom and grandmother travelled down to California this week.  They thought they were going to get warm.  And they ended up in Oregon like rain.
*Logan continues to not answer when you ask how old he is.  He is weirdly stubborn about stuff like that.  Sometimes he says that he doesn't know...but I think it really means he doesn't care.
*Jacob and I now have to be very strict about reading at a specific time every night.  We are going to get him reading.  Some nights it is like I'm torturing him but I just have to remember it is good for him.  Watching him have a hard time is one of the hardest things I do.
*My kids love to tell jokes but they don't really know many jokes.  So they usually just make them up...so the jokes aren't always the best.  Logan always tells the some one...Knock, knock...Who's there?...Orange...Orange who...Orange Pineapple.
*Tomorrow we are going to OMSI.  I'm super excited...we are going to have so much fun.
*Next week I'm taking Ally to watch an OSU gymnastics meet.  I think we will have a fun girls night, and I even think Grandma and GG might come along.
*This is boring.  I promise I am going to work on writing something interesting this week.

Dear Logan...

It is unbelievable that you are turning 3 years old.  You are my baby...though you do not enjoy it when I call you such.
Since the day you were born you have been such a light in my life.  You love to see people smile. I think you know what you are doing when you are silly; you want people to laugh.  I love your smile.  I treasure your smile.  I have a habit of taking life too seriously and you are always showing me that there is fun in everything.
You have also shown me that even though I have 2 children that have survived their toddler years, I am not an expert.  You are your own person and I am not easily able to convince you to do anything.  If you do something its usually because you have decided that it is time.  I would just appreciate a clue as to when you will think it is time to be done with diapers.  Just give me a date and I would be happy to know that an end is in sight.
You may have been born a "preemie," but now at 3 years old, you are a big boy.  You are so tall.  You are atleast half a head above other 3 year olds.  And you are about to outgrow your 5 year old sister.  I think you might be bigger than her by next year at this time.
I love you Logan and I love seeing you grow!  Thank you for so much happiness!
Love, Mom

1st Birthday

2nd Birthday

3rd Birthday

Party!

Logan's birthday follows my mom's birthday by 4 days, so yesterday we had a bowling celebration for the two of them!

The Almost 3 Year Old!  (He was very confused he kept telling people he is 2 and a half.)

Grandma and Ally celebrating.

Back at GG's house for cake and presents...sitting at Logan's new table.

Grandma's Chocolate Cake

Make a Wish!

Present Time!

All Partied Out!

Logan kept his hat on until we were home and changing into pajamas.  As I took it off of him, he said, my birthday is over.

What's Going On? (List Form)

*We are already halfway through the week.  Wednesday is over...it's all downhill from here.  And I'm even taking an extra day off next Monday for Logan's birthday; so I am even looking forward to a 3 day weekend.
*Tonight Ally cried a lot!  That's what I get for letting her stay up to watch American Idol.  She cried when she bumped her cup on her tooth.  And she cried when she spilled juice.  I wonder if I cried that much when I was 5.
*American Idol has not been that interesting this week.  I remember in the early days of Idol when watching the audition shows was really fun.  Now I just want them to get to Hollywood.
*Jacob's spelling list has the word anemometer in the challenge section.  I had to google it; I should have just asked Jacob.  He knew...it measures wind speed.
*I went to my first Weight Watchers meeting last night.  I'm excited and motivated right now.  I cannot guarantee that my happiness about this will last.
*Tonight I put some old Pull Ups on Logan, from when Ally wore Pull Ups.  These Pull Ups have princesses on them.  So I told him since he isn't using the big boy potty, he is now a baby girl, wearing a baby girl diaper.  He thought that was funny.  I told him he would have a princess birthday and I would buy him make up.  He did not think that was funny.  He wants a boy birthday with choo choos.  Is it sad that I am calling my son a girl to try to motivate him to potty train?? 
*Happy Birthday to my Mom tomorrow!!!

Lazy Sunday

It isn't too often that my kids and I decide to just stay home. But after church today we decided to just go home and hang out.

We did do some cleaning and picking up. I, unfortunately, must admit that I still hadn't found places for all our new Christmas presents. So now I think everything is pretty much put away. I wish I could say that now my house is clean, but I definitely don't have the right to say that. But we are more organized now.

Jacob and I played some Super Mario Brothers. It is so hard to stop playing. I always think that if I try just 1 more time, I will make it through the level. We also watched a movie and the kids did some puzzles. We moved Ally's new easel into the living room. So Ally and Jacob are now able to be teachers for each other and Logan.

Then GG came over with her new movie, Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs. The movie promptly put Logan to sleep, but the rest of us really liked it. I love watching a movie and hearing my kids giggling. I love my kids' giggles.

Passing Down the Love

Today I made a trip to Costco (always fun). I was looking at their books and I just wished for more reading time. I love books! All those words, all those stories. I always have atleast a stack of books waiting for me. But I know someday my children won't be so small and those books will still be there waiting. Currently I am enjoying an Anita Shreve book.

I wish that there was some magic I could use to pass this love on to Jacob. Struggling through learning to read with Jacob has been one of the most challenging things I have tackled. He tries so hard and it frustrates him when he isn't able to read perfectly.

One of the most important resolutions that I made this year was to work really hard with Jacob on his reading. This past week I can see how my effort really makes a difference in Jacob's success. I have found a small chapter book that him and I take turns reading out of every night. It isn't always easy to find this time but it is so important. We are really enjoying this and I hope this is the magic that I need to pass on my love of books.

In Mourning...

Santa brought Logan a small fish tank for Christmas. After which we promptly purchased 2 fish and 2 snails. The fish were named Nemo and Dorothy. (I know Doree was in Finding Nemo, but Logan insisted it was Dorothy.) The snails are Garey and Goldey.

Maybe it was my pessimistic nature, but I have been waiting for a fish to die. I am not lucky with fish and I just knew it would happen.

Today was the day. Nemo is no longer with us. After Nemo was out of the tank and gone, it was time to tell the kids. Logan asked to see Nemo. I had to explain tht he was already gone. But he was pretty accepting. He would say Nemo died and is gone.

However Ally was heartbroken! Tears, tears and more tears came from Ally. She told me that we hadn't had Nemo very long. She cried that she missed Nemo so much!

Ally has finally calmed down. Time for bed. We loved you Nemo!

What Happens After Bedtime...

Ally and Logan were supposed to be going to sleep. But somehow Ally got a toy screwdriver stuck in her hair. What more can I say?

Spelling, Reading and a Puzzle

How can we make spelling practice less miserable?? I hate that there are tears when a word is spelled wrong. Jacob and I still have work to do to make spelling time better.


It doesn't help that his little sister thinks its fun to try to spell with her brother. She sits and writes random letters while Jacob is spelling. She smiles and laughs and asks what we are going to spell next.



Tonight spelling time was hard. But we recovered, after some tears, and we read together. Reading was fun tonight. I am so thankful for fun books.
And while we were going through our spelling and reading time, Logan started a puzzle. We all helped him finish...but he really did most of it. He didn't need us. I was just trying to speed it up; it was bedtime. However once the puzzle was complete, we had to shut off all the lights...becuase this puzzle glows in the dark.

We enjoyed looking at the fireworks and lights glowing. But seriously, a glow in the dark puzzle? Why? How often are you in the dark with your puzzle?

Bowling, Bowling, Bowling...

Last month we went to my work Christmas party, which was a family bowling party. We had lots of fun and I discovered that Logan loves bowling. Even after Jacob, Ally and I were done, Logan was still bowling. So I have been considering a bowling party for Logan's birthday in a couple of weeks.
Today we decided to go check out the bowling alley near GG's house and make sure Logan really does love bowling. That was a really great way to spend our Sunday afternoon! And I think Logan may be a true bowler.

Back to work for me tomorrow. And back to school for the kids this week. The holidays are done for now. I plan to start keeping a log of my food and exercise tomorrow. I also intend to continue blogging regularly. I just want to make sure I write those things down so anyone reading this can hold me accountable.

Our New Year

We did it...my kids and I made it until midnight and rang in 2010 together! We went outside and the kids banged pots and pans. And then some neighbors started setting off fireworks. It was a fun way to begin our year.

Logan had so much fun staying up for the New Year. But at 11:30 he looked at me and asked if it was time for bed. If he would have asked earlier, I would have just let him go to bed. But it was so close to midnight so I told him he needed to stay up. I think he was glad he didn't go to bed.

On New Years Day it took us a long time to get up and going. But we finally got going and headed over to Grandma's house for tacos. Tacos are my mom's specialty. We watched the Rose Bowl. It was bittersweet since our Beavers were 1 win away from being there (for the second year in a row). But it was fun to eat tacos, watch football and spend time with family.

After football my kids headed to their dad's house and I got to go have a girl's night with my grandma. We watched movies and stayed up late. It's always fun to have grown up time! We watched Julie and Julia. This was such a cute movie!

Today I had to get some work done. I finally got the Christmas tree down and decorations put away. It is so hard to keep all of the things that 3 kids receive as gifts organized. But it feels good; my living room is mine again! I even hung up new pictures and calendars that I had from Christmas. And I was able to rearrange the top of my entertainment center. I am really happy to have it all done.

Here is the rearranged top of my entertainment center. I did have some ugly speakers on it. I realized that I never used them, so here is what I did. (Please ignore the tape...I was using that...its not part of the decor.)

I tried to take a picture of our new family portrait. Unfortunately my house was dark, so I needed to use the flash. This caused a huge glare. Logan is under the glare; just try to imagine it!

Here is my Christmas present from Jacob. I love this calendar. I feel bad putting up the picture of January because Jacob told me he was sick the day they did this page, so his wasn't as good. I will have to post a picture every month.

And here is my other calendar. GG made this for us and I love it. Look at all those birthdays we have coming up this month!

I hope everyone else's new year has been as wonderful as mine!