Brotherly Love

The other morning the kids were laying in bed with me. Mason got up and crawled over to cuddle with McKinley.

Mason: Kinley, I love you.

McKinley: ME? McKinley? Your sister? You LOVE me? OH, I love you too, my brother!

It was so funny, they hugged each other and cuddled - of course it lasted only a minute until Mason began to tease his sister again, but it was so cute! They love to tease each other, and of course they bug each other, but they are the best of friends. They really couldn't survive without each other. They play together ALL day every day, with very few little squabbles, and even those are pretty funny to listen to. I LOVE these little ones! I hope to be better at recording their fun cute moments!

3/8/2009

My independent 2-year-old

Mason took it upon himself to (by some small miracle) potty-train himself. If this had been my idea, NO WAY would it have worked, but since it was his idea, it was amazing! One night (date-night) it was our turn to tend all of the kids (we do a co-op). Mason knew that one of the little girls who was coming was his age and she has been potty-trained for a few months now. I told him the kids were coming over and the first thing that he said was "Bree goes on the potty. I want to go on the potty." I said 'okay,' thinking it would last a half hour until his first accident, but NO! That was IT! He wore his undies all day, all night, and so on with NO accidents for an entire week! He since has only had a couple of small ones, but that was it! I am still amazed by it, we hadn't even worked on the potty thing before that night, I had NO interest in dealing with it. I am so proud of my big independent boy! (PS - I know I shouldn't, but I just HAD to post a photo if him in his big-boy undies, they are so cute!)

2/8/2009

My Space - and other random projects...

If you know me, you know I always have a list of projects that I'm working on. Somehow, my bedroom always manages to stay at the bottom of that list. I finally decided to just go for it and re-do my room. In case you don't know, I am on a mission to abolish white walls forever! No offense, it's just me, I HAVE to have color on my walls, and preferrably lots of it! My bedroom has had white walls for 3 years and has driven me CRAZY, so here it is - nothing fabulous, but it is finally done!

My little painting helpers - thanks to Stonehaven Dental {Eric ;)} for providing the painting shirts!

The end result - ahhhh, yes! No more white walls!I was bored with the kids' bathroom, so I added stripes and pencil molding, as well as trim around the mirror - I can't stand that the mirrors have no frames :) Yes, we all know that I am OCD. AND, last but not least, my closet. It has needed a MAJOR overhauling since we moved in 3 years ago, but it finally made it to the top of the list.

Before - What a MESS!

After - SO much better! Every bin is labeled and EVERYTHING has it's place! It's hard to get good pictures at such weird angles, but you get the idea.2/29/2009

Preschool Day at the Aquarium

During their animals week, McKinley's preschool class went on a field trip to the aquarium. My kids LOVE the aquarium!

'Petting' the starfishI just love those two little ones! They are so much fun!Mason thought the sharks were pretty cool!McKinley trying to take a picture of the sharks with her princess camera - like mother, like daughter ;)McKinley and a few of her preschool pals1/29/2009

Princesses and Fairy Tales

This was on one of my weeks to teach preschool. The theme was Fairy Tales - we all built houses out of straw, sticks, and 'bricks' just like the 3 little pigs, then tried to blow them down. Of course, the brick houses stood strong! Poor Shalee was so tired that she fell asleep while gluing her project - I think she was trying to be sleeping beauty :).McKinley showing off her best princess curtsy

Snow White paid a surprise visit to Shalee's 4th Birthday party!
She made crowns with the girls, sang songs, and read stories. They had SO much fun!

1/15/2009 & 1/20/2009

Kind-of makes you feel like a kid again!

Although sledding is not something I grew up doing (the lack of snow makes sledding not so popular in California ;), there is something about flying down a hill on a cheap piece of foam holding a rope that is the epitomy of childhood. The day after Christmas we headed over to the sledding hill (conveniently located about a block away at the elementary school) for a morning of fast-flying sleddin'! Unfortunately I only had my cell phone, so the photos aren't great, but you get the idea.

Matt and Mason ready to go!
Mason marching back up the hill for another rideMcKinley loved going down backwards laying on her belly - my little daredevil ;)
These two are just the best of friends. McKinley takes such good care of her brother. They both sledded down on separate sleds, but once they got to the bottom Mason would call for McKinley. She would then drag her sled over to him, take his sled, and pull both sleds back to the top while he followed behind. It was so cute to watch her help him. Such a fun day!
12/26/2008

Guess who made a stop at our house...

SANTA! There must have been some good little children here this year! I love how excited kids are on Christmas morning!

Mason loves his new ballcap from Santa - it matches daddy's! Santa must be a Sox fan ;)

The best gift ever!!!The day wouldn't be complete without a visit from Grandma and Grandpa B. on Christmas day!
12/25/2008

And to all a good night!

We all went to Lisa's for the traditional Christmas Eve family party - it is SO much fun, we look forward to it all year round!

Grandma B. and the kiddos!McKinley decided to make snow angels on Lisa's white carpet :)Merry Christmas from the M&M's!The whole family - they are SO much fun! We love you guys!After Lisa's traditional reading of Twas The Night Before Christmas, the grandkids all opened their new Christmas PJ's for the annual PJ photo - so cute!

12/24/2008

Sledding in the backyard!

We had so much snow this year! Matt helped the kids sled down the ramp in our backyard

They LOVED it - in case you couldn't tell :)

For some reason my camera wasn't focusing, but we had to remember the fun time anyway!

12/22/2008

Santa and Stuff

We went to see Santa at Thanksgiving Point with the Tobler family - so much fun!

Marley and McKinley were SOOO excited!
The line was long, they could hardly wait!McKinley with Santa and the Mrs.

Mason was NOT Santa's biggest fan! :)

After a visit with the Big Man himself, the girls paid a visit to the reindeer, as well. Rudolph must have been sleeping in the barn that night :)

12/15/08

They look so innocent...

But the moment you turn your head...There are hardly words - those little stinkers! Mason and Carson are always up to some sort of mischief! At least we'll have good blackmale for them, someday! :)

12/4/2008

the best kind of love, the forever kind...

CONGRATS to my sister Amy and her new fiance Brett! What better way to celebrate Valentine's Day than an engagement? We have been waiting for this day for a long time (we all knew it was coming, you only had to spend 5 minutes with them to know that they were meant to be), and we are so happy for them. Their love is the kind that love stories are made of, the kind that makes single people sick, the finish-your-sentences-for-you spend-every-moment-together you-complete-me kind, the kind that lasts forever. I am so glad that I found that, and now I am so happy that my cute sister has that love in her life for eternity. There is truly nothing like being married to your best friend. Happy Valentine's Day, and here's to many many more for Amy and Brett! We LOVE you guys!

To my faithful public, I do apologize!

Okay, no one probably actually cares that I haven't blogged, but did I mention that this month is SUPER crazy?!? We are still here, alive, and partially sane, but have had NO spare time for blogging! Here is a little Mason-ism to hold you over until I do my major blog catch-up! (I know you are all holding your breath in anxious anticipation ;)

Mason walks into the room holding a pencil and wearing a guilty expression.

Me: Mason, did you draw on something that you weren't supposed to?

Mason: NO! I didn't!

McKinley: Yes he did! He drew on the couch, and on the front door!

Mason: And on the walls!!!

Lesson: If you're going to fib about something, stick to your story, don't add to the story after your sister rats you out! :) Oh well, at least he is kind-of honest about it (after he gets caught!).

I hope everyone is having a wonderful start of the year in 2009! I love reading all of your blogs, and I try to comment when I have a spare minute! I'll be back to my regular obsessive-compulsive blog up-keeping around the first of February!