A Friend's Birthday Party

Claire and Joshua have the same birthday, March 8th, and celebrated their birthdays on the same day. Joshua's party was in the morning and Claire's was in the afternoon. It was a busy, but very fun, day!

The Birthday Girl smashing the pinata:

Joshua takes a shot:

Rachel preferred bubbles and jewlery over the flower pinata:

Rachel and Claire's Grandma blow bubbles:

Playing Catch Up With Pictures

At 'Sugar On Snow', a festival of sorts based on Colonial life in the 1700's:

Joshua:

Playing in the puddles:

A Stay At Home Mother's Ramblings

I (Renee) saw a robin yesterday in our front yard. My first robin this year! Today it is sunny and 50 F degrees out. I believe a nice walk with my family is in order as soon as everyone wakes up from their naps.

Joshua is a big four year old now and it seems this is giving him more confidence to do things himself more often. He is becoming less clingy and more independent. I love this!

Rachel is sick this week. Though both of them have colds, it seems that Rachel suffers more. She has a cough and runny nose. (Joshua is only a little stuffed up.) This is the second time in a month where it has been like this: Joshua and Rachel get sick at the same time but Rachel's always worse. Mama's thinking is that since Rachel is still recovering from her previous gluten filled diet, her immune system is still not as strong as it should be.

Joel still has work five days a week. A blessing and a miracle. I am grateful at the end of every week when Joel totals up his hours and it reflects a full time job.

Me? Well, I feel more pregnant these days. More tired and harder to get off of the couch. The kids help me up. :) The kids are also getting more excited for this baby, Grape Nut. Rachel loves babies, but still loves 'being the baby'. ("I baby" whenever I hold her like one.) Joshua looks forward to when he can feel Grape Nut kick.

That's all on my mind right now! Happy Spring!

Joshua's Fourth Birthday

Joshua turned four years old! It was a romping, good time, with an infant, two 2 yr olds, and six kids! So let's begin the pictures that tell a better story than words...

Here is the big four year old holding a card from his Nana before the party began:

Tanner, Boston, and Joshua:

Kevin and Kylie work on their puppets:

Jack holds up his finished Hairy Man Puppet:

Claire and Rachel have a good time:

Tanner:

The Birthday Boy:

Attempting to play Duck, Duck, Goose:

Candle and cake time!

This picture is specifically for Mark and Kelley! Thank you!:

Thank you to all who gave Joshua gifts, he is having a lot of fun playing with them and sharing them with Rachel. ;)

Oh Dear, my first...

Last week we had a lot of "firsts" for our family...Rachel went 'poo-poo' on the potty, Joshua learned how to put on his own toque, Joel laid linoleum at work, Renee hit a deer...

Yes it was sad, yes I cried (a little), and yes everyone is ok, even the car. On Saturday we were traveling, Joel and the kids were asleep and I was driving. The deer ran up from the left side of the road, and by the time I saw the deer it was only about 8-10 feet from the car. Not thinking of swerving, I started applying the brakes but obviously it was too late, Joel woke up at the loud noise and I pulled over. The deer was still alive, laying on the shoulder of the road behind us. Some guy who had just hit a deer 15 miles back pulled up behind us. He had a knife and was able to show "mercy" to the suffering deer. The car...Our wonderful, hardcore Neon? Is just fine. Well, if you count a shattered headlight and a bent hood just fine. I do: The car was still running after I hit the deer. So we're thankful for doing our taxes early to cover the expense!