On Tuesdays Ella has gymnastics and today I remembered to bring my camera.  Only downside is our extra flash died so the photos are really, really dark.  She was excited to pose for a few shots before we left too. 

Such a comedian!

She is getting ready to do a back bend

Bottoms up!

 

She loves the trampoline

We might as well forget all the toys Landon has received for his birthday, the kid just loves to get into trouble.  I caught him trying to get into the cabinets again.  I wonder how much longer they will keep him out.  Hopefully he will get bored of the cabinets and discover that playing with all his cool toys is SO much better. 

 

I don’t know why I keep putting this back on the cabinet…but he keeps reminding me to put it away!

 

Wow, it has been a year already!!  My little boy is heading into the toddler years.  Where does the time go? 

He is such a happy little boy most days and today he was so cute enjoying his “second” breakfast.  Yes, the kid likes to eat.  Especially what I am eating.  So after his baby cereal and bottle this morning, he started begging for my bagel too.  I got some cute shots of him enjoying every bit….

 

 

 

 

Tonight we had a little party for Landon with the Kinneys.  He had a fun time exploring that cake!  I don’t think he new what to do with it the first few minutes but then decided to give it a try.  He ate some of it, wore some of it and threw the rest on the floor for Kadi. 

This is the BEFORE photo…

 

Playing with Dianne

Singing “Happy Birthday” which he loves!

 

 

He is just playing with it…

First bite…not so sure…

Getting the hang of it…

And…we’re done!

Then on to the presents!

 

Not so happy with the rocking horse…

HAPPY  1st  BIRTHDAY  LANDON!!

I finally have a few minutes (for myself) and realized I have not made any posts to my blog this whole month!  Wow, have we been busy!

The girls are keeping busy with schoolwork and after-school activities.  Haley started Chess Club after school along with Chorus.  Madelyn started preparation for her First Reconciliation at our new church.  I have had to participate as well which has been a challenge as well as very rewarding.  The challenge is having to have someone watch the other three kids so Madelyn and I can go every week.  Thankfully, we have two teenage girls across the street to help out if John can’t make it home in time.  The rewarding side is the wonderful teacher who really makes me think each week about the better person I would like to be. 

The girls had a week off of school last week and the weather couldn’t have been better.  It was a little rainy the first half of the week but by Wednesday, the sun came out and decided to stay out until today!  I felt we had to soak every little bit up.  We had Madelyn’s friend from Redmond up for a playdate on Monday.  On Tuesday, we went to the Children’s Museum in Everett, WA http://www.imaginecm.org/ with the Sneaths (John’s boss’ family).  The girls had a wonderful time there.  This museum had the most amazing playground on TOP of the roof!!  I wish I had remembered my camera.

On Thursday, we had a fun day with the Kinney kids.  The kids were outside riding bikes, scooters, blowing bubbles and playing games.  That night, John invited 8 colleagues over for dinner.  It was great to finally meet these guys that John has been talking about for so long.  We had a wonderful night!

Here are a few photos from that night…

 

I was glad when school started again this week!!  On Monday, Landon had a recheck of his eyes and his doctor said they look great!  We go back in 6 weeks for another check. 

 

Landon turns 1 on Thursday and we can’t wait to celebrate it.  He started taking a few more steps on his own but gets so excited and silly that he falls down.  He is such a goober!  We will take lots of photos to share!!  I can’t believe it’s been a year.  Things need to slow down this year!!

This all started a few years ago when I saw an article in a magazine about a woman who took a photograph of her daughter every year in her wedding dress.  I was so touched by this that I thought I would do it with my three girls.  I know it won’t be an every year thing but hopefully I will keep remembering to do it!

These are from 2007…

Haley – just turned 8

Madelyn – age 6

Ella - age 2

From 2010…

Haley – age 10

 

Madelyn – age 8

Ella – age 4

I am getting my money’s worth for the dress!

I just wanted to recommend  www.SelectBlinds.com for any blind window treatments you may need.  I have ordered from other companies with our other houses but I have not been as satisfied as I am with Select Blinds.  I love how easy to use their website is too!  I hate when you go to a website trying to order something and it takes forever just to find out your “final price”. 

I ordered the faux wood blinds (white and cherry finishes) for our bedrooms and downstairs.  Why anyone would pay for REAL wood blinds nowadays is a mystery to me!  They make them so realistic.  (Although I have to admit that I had real wood blinds in North Carolina…only because that was the only option then!) 

Also, they sent me FREE samples of the faux wood blinds so I could match the wood stain perfectly!  The samples arrived in less than a week!  Another tip…when you order the FREE sample, they include a coupon for 30% off!  You could probably find a similar code online but it saved me the trouble. 

The big catch is being able to install them yourself and accurately measure them.  Thankfully, I married a man who knows how!  

I have been really bad with taking photos of the kids over the past year.  I guess that is just what happens when life gets busy (and when you have 4 kids!).  I just hate to miss them growing up so fast.  I especially love black and white photos.  To me, they will never go out of style.  I just wish I was a better photographer!! 

Landon is almost 11 months old and keeping us busy!!  Today I caught him in the pantry – he had knocked down the Nilla Wafers box and it opened up.  Two cookies fell out and he was sitting on the ground with one in his hand and eating the other one!!!  Mr. Adventurous!!  (Not to mention the dog food that he repeatedly wants to eat!)

And I finally remembered to catch a few bath shots of Ella and Landon (for embarrassing them down the road!)

 

Love the hair!!

I am hoping to get some more photos this weekend of Haley and Madelyn.  No bathroom shots, of course!  I took some photos of the girls in my wedding dress and will post them another time. 

I finally feel like life is back to normal in some respects.  The girls are back in school and the house is almost completely “unpacked”.  It was hard those two months in temporary housing…not knowing where we would end up.  We are very happy with our new house and neighborhood.  I also really love how there is so much 5 minutes down the road! 

Haley and Madelyn really enjoyed their first day of school yesterday.  Haley had REAL homework yesterday!  I was excited about that!  Not that I think kids need a ton of homework but something to enforce what they are learning.  Her new teacher loves history (like John) so Haley was excited about that.  We had lots of good stories about American History last night at the dinner table.  Madelyn was excited that this school lets her checkout 3 library books at a time.  She was busy reading all afternoon! 

The activities are starting back up for the kids as well.  Haley and Madelyn started piano lessons again over Christmas break.  I really like their new teacher too.  She has a very fun approach to learning.  The girls are still able to work on music that they like (Taylor Swift- “Teardrops on my guitar” and from “Enchanted – That’s how you know”) as well as new books to help with the theory and basics.

Ella and Madelyn also start gymnastics this week.  Ella went for the first time yesterday and had a wonderful time.  She asked me at the end of the lesson if she could “come back again sometime”.  Her favorite thing was using the “bar” – even though she hurt her belly a little.  Madelyn starts tomorrow and she is very excited.

Landon is 10 months old now and he is everywhere!  His eyes are finally healed completely and we go back in February to see what the next step is.  He is cruising all over and gaining confidence every day.  Of course, if he sees me then he starts to cry for help.  But on his own, he is transferring from coffee table to couch and back again.  And forget all those new toys he just got for Christmas…he is happier with the remote or an empty water bottle!  Anything he can bang too.

I am enjoying a little “me” time again when Landon naps and the girls are at school.  I should be doing laundry or cleaning up the house but here I sit typing and looking on the internet.  It will get done eventually!

Hello 2010! I can’t believe 2009 is over…where did the time go?  It was a pretty eventful year for us.  Landon was born in February, John got a new job with Microsoft in October and we moved across the country and just bought a house in Washington.

We had fun celebrating New Years with our new friends the Kinneys.  It was also Dianne’s birthday (how cool is that!) so we surprised her with a little cake! 

The kids had a wonderful time last night.  They get along so nicely and are already great friends!

I think they played Twister for at least 2 hours! 

Hope everyone had a happy and safe New Years!

Happy Holidays to everyone!  We had a great Christmas out here in Washington.   We weren’t sure if Santa would be able to find us with all the moving we have been doing but he did! 

It was Landon’s first Christmas and he lasted about an hour before it was time for a nap.  (Lucky him!) He really liked the toys and clothes he got from everyone.

I think the best part might have been the Nerf guns that Santa brought for everyone!  Even for Mommy and Daddy!  John and the girls had a nice little battle with them. 

Landon after his nap finally playing with his new toys!

(his eyes are straight!)

Haley got lost in her new Percy Jackson books…

And for those who keep asking, here are a few photos of the house….I will take more when things are more organized! 

Merry Christmas!!