Surprise Visit!!!

For any of you that know Quinn's youngest brother this won't come as a surprise.  What gets me though is that I do know Quinn's youngest brother and I should know better but hey it was a surprise.  I was sitting on the couch taking it easy with the kids and someone knocked on the door (this was Sunday the 14th of April 2013) and I went to get it and there was Daren with his lovely Wife Bec and their two kids,  Will and Shane.  These are a few pictures of our short (less than 24 hrs.) time together.  This one is Thomas playing with Shane.  He really got attached.

Thomas holding Shane.  Who besides me thinks Shane looks just like his dad?

Quinn holding Shane.  I don't know if you know this but Quinn and I have an ongoing competition of who the nieces and nephews like the best.  We both have our own methods of making them loves us more.  Quinn of coarse uses candy.  I use love and affection and anything they want.  I think that's fair don't you?

So these next ones were taken the morning that they were leaving.  Andrew got a "fish" bowl for Christmas this year.  It's actually the best pet ever.  They are not real so I don't have to take care of them.  So Will saw the fish bowl and crawled up to look at it better.  Andrew followed right along.  It was kind of cute how this had captured their attention.

This is a video of Will singing the ABC's song.  It was super cute!!

So Uncle Quinn thought he could pull out all the stops right at the end.  He got his Easter basket and let Will have whatever he wanted.  I noticed that daddy, Daren, was not as keen on the idea of his son having whatever he wanted.  Paybacks stink!!! 

BUBBLES

You can always tell when it warms up a little around here.  The bubbles come out.  I recently got  a new set for the two youngest and they were so excited to go out and blow.  But Andrew somehow coerced his dad into "blowing" with him.  Quinn of coarse could do it pretty good and was blowing them into Andrews face.  You really can't see the bubbles very good in these pictures.  It was a cute moment and reminds me that Quinn is really good with the kids sometimes.

Turkey Hunter

Oh a Turkey Hunting we will go ah Turkey Hunting we will go....Well that's what we did this week.  I figure since it seems to involve the whole family that I would say we instead of these boys.  On Monday it was opening day for the youth so Dad took Nolan and Thomas out of school and went down by Grandma RuthAnn and Grandpa Morris's house.  When Becca realized that she missed out on this she was Not happy!!  I stayed home and keep the home fire's burning.  They were gone almost the whole day and did not get a turkey that day.  Nolan was pretty discouraged and Dad and Thomas went and got a turkey call.  Let's just say I'm not a huge fan of the turkey call.  But Thomas sure is and he even begged to take it for show and tell on Thursday.  Which he did.

 

 So on Friday they decided to try their luck again.  I guess they saw some turkey's on the summit in Immigration canyon and did get those so then they saw a Moose and then made it to Grandma and Grandpa's.  I guess soon after they got there they Nolan saw a turkey and shot it.  Thomas was so upset because he wanted to call in a turkey with his new call.  So they got it and brought it home to show mom.  Now I guess I don't care if they shoot it but they are responsible for taking care of it.  That's momma's rule. 

 Nolan was carrying the turkey like a baby.  What is up with this child?

 He saved the feathers.  I'm not sure what he is going to do with them.

 Andrew was so fascinated by the turkey that he went in the house and got Becca and pulled her out to see the Turkey.

 Then dad insisted that Becca hold the turkey for the picture.  This is of her NOT holding the turkey.

 This is of her finally relenting and holding the leg for dad. 

 Don't you just love this pose?  Andrew is destined to be the SUPERVISOR in the family.  He was "yelling" out orders to them so that they would know what to do.  I wonder who he reminds me of?

Nolan's Adventures in Dorseyland

So here are some pictures from Nolan's time up with Grandma and Poppa during Spring Break which was the last week in March.  So yes I am slow but eventually I get it done.  Anyway he probably knows more about each pictures but he's not here and I don't have the memory anymore to remember what my mom told me that he did while up there.  I do know that the triples were in full force.  DeLaynie, Weston, and Nolan.  They were all born in 2001 and all in the month of August.  So they are triples!!!

 Here is Nolan.  You can see his cousin Wyatt in front of him.

 Here is DeLaynie up above and Weston down below.

 If you can tell who is who good luck!!

 Here is Nolan and Weston doing a little miniature golfing.  I wonder how well they did?

 I am pretty sure this is Wyatt but a little blurry.

 Here are the triplets.  Actually DeLaynie and Weton are older than Nolan but had a rougher start so they are almost the same size so that's pretty good.  While Nolan was up there enjoying the warm weather we were here enjoying snow still.  That is actually when we went snowmobiling.

 O.k. so when Grandma told me that they were playing in the water I found it hard to believe but here's the proof.

 Well here are the triplets again.  I realize recently (I'm a little slow) that Nolan is way more into FUN than I ever will be.  It is apparent in these pictures.

Stools!!!!

Ask me.  I mean it just ask me why in the world I would spend soooooooooo much time on these little things?  Well back to the hoarding thing.  I had bought almost a year ago the beans to go into these stools.  Well I had them stored in Andrew's room and when I realized that we were getting a bed to go in there I hurried it up and started to work on these.  Now when I say hurry do not get the wrong impression.  These things took way more time than they were worth but the kids love them.  I used fabric from my stash (just for you Linda) and that is a step in the right direction (to quit hoarding).   Anyway so I was going to get these done for Christmas and then I thought it would be a great Easter present.  But I sadly fell short on all of those but today April 4, 2013 we are celebrating.......something.  But nonetheless the kids got their stools finally!!  And I am so happy to be done with it all.  You will notice that there are five stools and I only have four children.  No I'm not announcing anything.  The other stool is for my dear hubby.  So can you guess who's stool is who's?  I guess maybe there is one that is a dead give away but can you guess the rest?  Maybe if I had taken better up close pictures it would help.

I AM A HORDER!!

So for sure you are all going to think I am totally strange but I have recently been watching some episodes of Hoarders.  For those that don't know it's basically a show about pack rats in human form.  So I have become obsessed with the fact that I am a hoarder.  Now I know some of you might have already known that but for me the first step is admitting it.  So I have admitted it.  Let's just say that Quinn watched one episode and it wigged him out.  He is very defiantly not a hoarder.  (Which totally means that he is one)  Now there are varying degrees of hoarding and I am not the highest by any means but I fear what my house will look like in a few years if I don't stop.  So I decided to clean Andrew's room and get rid of some stuff.  I took out a garbage bag, diaper box, and little box of clothes to go to D.I. plus a bag to go to Zannah.  Then I took out two bags of garbage and then I took out a black big bag of toys.  So after all that I felt like I had accomplished some but when I looked around the room I realized that I really needed to get rid of more.  But by that time, as usual, I was tired and had to get a meal ready.  But I did do some so I guess it's better than nothing.  But I have found that I do have more sentimentality than I thought.  I know Quinn is super bad about it but I guess I am too (a little).  I took a picture of this shirt because when I was pulling it out of the tote for Andrew to wear I started crying.  Yes, I am crying now.  But listen first.  I had talked on the phone just a few moments earlier with my really good friend Linda.  When I pulled this shirt out I remembered so plainly when we got it.  Robert and Linda had helped with a fun run in Bennington when Nolan was really small.  They gave away T shirts and this shirt was their son, Jonathan's.  So they gave it to Nolan.  After Nolan wore it Thomas wore it and now Andrew will wear it.  Now Linda is not like me in this regard.  She doesn't need objects around to help her remember. (Linda did you remember?)  So I have had a hard time today because I miss my friend so much.  If there was a light at the end of the tunnel maybe I would be able to deal with it better but I'm afraid there is not.  Unless I do something drastic like kidnap her.  (Watch out Robert I just might do it!!)

So here's to those of us that hang onto objects like we are sinking in the sand.  I guess a few items won't kill me, right?  So sorry to my children who someday will have to clean out my house.

THE BED!!

It might seem odd to entitle a post called THE BED.  But I think it definitely deserves its own post.  So my baby turned three last week and I had ordered a double size mattress for him because the crib that he sleeps in can turn into a double size bed.  So I order a bed because it has become evident to me (and pretty much only me) that he was in need of a bigger bed than the old crib.  So I order one and it come on Wednesday.  So you see it here in my kitchen.  We ate lunch/dinner right after it came and then I had to run a meal to the neighbors and then take Thomas to scouts.  So I left. 

 This is what I came home to.  The rocker from my Great Grandma Rebecca was in the hallway with the bottom of the crib.

 And this is what I saw in the bed room.  Let's just say it turned into a project but I'm super glad that he got it done so that I didn't have to have that mattress in my kitchen all day today. 

 Andrew thought it really funny to "hide" behind the slats.

 So did Becca.

 So here is the mattress on the bed with dad trying it out.  He about had a heart attack when he saw how tall it was.  He figured Andrew needed a smaller bed.  But this is what I have so this is what he gets.

 So here's the story.  About 7:30 p.m. (which is thirty minutes past his bedtime, remember he doesn't nap) I finally got his room somewhat back to how it should be.  So Andrew laid down on the floor and wanted me to change him into his PJ's and then we read our book in "his" rocker.  Then he jumped up into bed.  I asked him if I could take his picture and he said o.k. By the time I took the picture and turned out the lights he was totally out.  He was so excited to sleep in his bed.  So the only one that had any stress about it all was the dad.  Sorry dad I guess your baby is growing up. 

 

 So today as soon as Thomas walked in the door from school this is where I found the three of them.  Thomas was reading book after book to them.  It was pretty cute to say the least.