Happy Birthday Dane

Halloween 2013

Zombie, Baby, Spiderman, & Pebbles

Bam Bam!

What a cheesy grin! Her costume is ready for the big night.

Wordless Wensday

Exhausted Mama of 4 kids, and several pets

Wake up. "Get up! You can do this!!"  

Christian's ready. 

Get Sam ready.

Drive Sam to school... "Tuck and roll!"

"Coffee! STONG Coffee!!!"

Drop Christian... "Make good choices!"

Tug of war w/ M*... Negotiations, some classes ensure.

Make dinner if not in the crockpot.

Soccer!!!

Then, "Hi hon... let me update you." 

Nope, we've been interrupted.

Dinner, "hurry, eat, or you're going to bed!"

Bed for Emma. 

"Hello, love, let me update you." 

Nope, we've been interrupted, again. 

Bed for Sam.

Ahh, alone time... "let me update you!" 

Crap, now the big kids want to... 

Vent/talk/ laugh. "Hey, dad wanna play video games with me, after I've helped them with the homework I couldn't do earlier because Sam and Emma were bugging me?"

Cat and Maddy's bedtime... " I can't find the cat.. will you help me look for it?" 

Later I will need to open my bedroom door at ?? 4 am because the cat's finished lightly clawing at my daughter's face for attention MEOOOW... MEOW! "I will wake everyone else up if you don't let me OOOUT" I now hate this cat. 

Thank God Christian is independently on his own and takes off for school. 

9th Grade is a B*!! Good luck child of mine! 

4 am...Emma's rolling around knotting up my hair. "Binky, Binky!" 

Crap! I can't find the her frigin pacifier!!

I kick Sam in the face while trying to ninja out of bed, who's lying horizontally as he's sleep battling lego ninjas. I try to comfort him, telling him it's just a dream, and I'm here. An appreciative response, "I HATE YOU!"

https://trishtaylorcalligraphy.blogspot.com/#

FREE DOUGHNUTS!!!

Free doughnuts for everyone who dresses up like a pirate at Krispy Kreme's today!  Arrrg, we're gonna make out with a bountiful booty! 

Wordless Wensday

Wordless Wednesday

Flaming Gorge

Thank you Grandma & Grandpa Lloyd for an amazing vacation with our family!

Schools out for summer!

The day school got out on June 7th there was so much excitement in the air. I picked up the kids from school with the song "Schools Out for Summer" by Alice Cooper playing. Then we went out to eat at one of their favorite restaurants Panda Express.

So it's been just over a week, and every day when Dane gets home from work, I ask him... "Is it September yet"? They are driving me crazy!!!! Yes, I'm a stay-at-home mom so it's not like I'm not used to them being around all the time. It's just, that with Maddy and Christian home in the mornings, it totally upset the balance of things. Truth be told, for a good hour or so in the morning, I let Sam watch cartoons snuggling on one side of me and Emmalyn on the other (she just realized what the big box we stare at all the time is for). Both usually have a lock of my hair in their hands. And I just sit and enjoy whatever book I'm reading.

Well now, I come down in the morning and Maddy's taken over the morning TV and since I have nothing to pacify Sam and Emma they're usually off making trouble. Christian, however, sleeps sometimes till noon. At about that time, Maddy wants to know what fun thing we're doing for the day. Uh, I'm not your cruise director, it's not every day this summer we're going to take a Zoo trip, or go roller skating. Some days Mommy just wants to catch up on the huge mess that having 4 kids home all the time makes.

Thankfully this summer we're taking 2 big trips. July to Flaming Gorge, Utah a visit with my Dad's side of the family. Then the first week in August, our annual extended family beach trip to Lincoln City. Other than that we'll have to fit in lots of visits to the park, Baskin Robins, and sleepovers with friends.

Time will fly and it will be time to sing "It's the most wonderful time of the year," while pushing the Target cart full of school supplies. Just kidding, I love summer and all it's craziness! Next year Christian starts middle school and Maddy has her last year at the elementary level! I'm not sure I'm ready for that!

Emma shake down

Tell me what you know Teddy.

I said tell me what you know!

That's it I'm running you over with my horse.. Buhaha

Emma's favorite toy, Clippidy Clop. When you pull on his ear he sings.

I'm a pretty pony Clippidy Clop, Clippidy Clop
Such a pretty pony Clippidy Clop, Clippidy Clop
I love to have my coat brushed underneath the old oak tree

Lets run and jump and have lots of fun
When you come and play with me

This song will be forever burned into my brain! So sweet!

My two plumbers

Nothing is worse than when your toilet breaks and you have only one bathroom! This weekend the tank on our toilet broke while Dane attempted to replace a broken handle. What a pain it was to have a broken toilet for a day and a half! Thanks to Daddy and Emma for fixing our potty!!!

 

Ready to just turn it all OFF!

We've never been that big of a "gamer" family, until recently. The kids would have their weeks where they would play video games non-stop for a while, but then get sick of it and forget about playing for a few months.

Then Christian and Dane discovered "Black Ops". Gaming has now become a family event (minus mom). Every night Dane, Christian, Maddy, and even Sam (with a pretend controller) would play this game of blood and gore.

Now the kids are into Minecraft. And well I guess I should be happy that at least this games requires them to think and be creative, it is also VERY addictive! Sam right now has it the worst, as this is his first video game. I could not believe how fast he learned how to play it. If allowed he'd play this game all day long! He mostly likes to see what he can create and then find the most explosive way to blow it up. To control his Minecraft addiction I make him play ABC mouse each day for an hour before he can play his video game for an hour. 

Maddy loves  this game too. However her approach to playing is much different. She likes to create farms with lots of animals. She'll make 2 animals of one kind share a pen, if she feeds them they'll love each other and make babies! Too cute :)

Sundays used to be my escape from electronics. Dinners at GaGa's house. But not anymore! :(   The boys have taken over the two back bedrooms to game with eachother. I think it might be time for a power outage at Wenzel Mountain!

Boys playing Command and Conquer 

Sam teaching Aunt T* about Minecraft

Samuel's 5th Birthday

Yep, Sam is a whole hand! I can't believe my little boy is already 5 years old! This was a big year for Sam. He became a big brother (which he LOVES), got a big boy bed (which he refused to sleep in), got rid of diapers and binkies (took his sweet time on these), and has discovered video games (I really wish I could go back on this one)! On the other hand, some things stayed the same. Still loves pirates, cowboy boots, and snuggles while playing with my hair. He's still very much a little boy. I treasure all the many firsts he's still to have!

Favorite present... Mincraft blanket made by Aunt Jenn.

My girls on thier 1st Birthday

                Madelyn                                                                          Emmalyn

The picture of our two girls on their first birthday. Maddy had classic Minnie, and Emmalyn loved her pink Minnie dress. That's about where the similarities end. Maddy was shy and clung to me, whereas Emmalyn was silly and outgoing, taking in every part of her party. Maddy had long hair and big brown eyes. Emmalyn's eyes are still changing. They've gone from deep blue to green, and now hazel. Maddy took a few first steps on her birthday, and Emma was running about.

I love that our two girls are so different. Both are one of a kind and have brought me so much joy! 

Christian's 12th Birthday

I can't believe Christian is 12 yrs old! He is growing up so fast. Wasn't it just yesterday he was playing and watching Thomas the train. Next it was Pirates and Legos. Now his favorite shows are Gold Rush and The Walking Dead. And the only things he plays with now are the computer, PlayStation, and the Kindle. One thing that's stayed the same through out the years is his love of soccer. Christian is such a great player, his favorite position is right wing. He also tried paintball this year, LOVES it!

Emmalyn's 1st Birthday Party!

Emmalyn enjoyed her party so much! I mean really, really enjoyed it. I've never known a 1-year-old to be that engaged in a party. She loved seeing all her guests, clapped and danced when we sang the birthday song to her, and she played with ALL her cards and new toys. The only part she didn't enjoy was her cake. Yep, you read that right! She didn't want anything to do with her cake. GaGa made her a separate smash cake all her own, but she didn't even want it on her high chair! After lots of coaching to get her to taste it, she pushed it off her tray! Smash cake smashed into the carpet. Little stinker! So instead of birthday cake, she enjoyed her first See's Chocolate. Yum!!!

I can't believe she's already one! Seems like just yesterday we were bringing her home from the hospital. Emma is so loved by everyone the other kiddos would fight over who would get to hold her next. Now they fight over who gets to play with her! I pray that we have many more happy and healthy birthdays.

Happy Birthday Emmalyn!

We celebrated today by buying a new pair of shoes at the mall! And then this evening, her first cupcake with the never-ending birthday song. Sunday is the big party out at Wenzel Mountain. Everyone is invited!

Duct tape wallets

 

Maddy's new hobby! She makes wallets out of colorful duct tape.

Bath time