Before and Afters! (Finally!)

This first picture is just an example of how badly our house needed siding! (For those who think we just had an extra $15,000 sitting there ready to pay for sidding. LOL)

Before...this was literally taken the day before they started tearing the house apart.

after...we need some house numbers!

before...

after....this one shows the great need for shutters!

before...

after...

before...

after...

before...

after...

Now when I'm at the park with friends and they ask which house is mine I can say "The green one!" instead of... "well...it kinda looks like the others..it's the 3rd one in if count starting with the blue one...etc.."

Kate's Version of Jumping on the Bed

We find Kate doing this quite often. If you happen to find her, then she will be mad if you walk away and don't laugh and applaud her. She thinks she is sooo amazing and funny doing this...as you can tell!

More swimming videos

He had to be able to float unsupported for 3 seconds or 3 body lengths to pass the back float then recover to standing on his own. There were about 25 different abilities (like this, some easier) he had to demonstrate to pass the class. He passed the class after only one time through the class! Apparently that "never" happens. One Proud Momma.

He Loves To Swim!

Kaden's To-Do List

Today I decided to have Kaden help me plan our day. This was his plan (in his words):

"Eat breakfast (when it's not to early out anymore)Yogurt, banana and granola bars.

Play trains.

Watch a movie.

Play trains.

And that's all. Is that cool?" (yes, he really did ask that. I laughed inside.)

So I suggested lunch and he said no. Then decided maybe yes...if it meant we could have Macaroni and Cheese. And then he decided that we could have a snack of a cookie sometime too.

So, that is his version of the best day ever. So, we've had our breakfast (Mommy asked if it was ok to have coffee with hers...he supposed it was ok.) and now we are watching Curious George episodes (yes, he switched up the order) while I pay bills. Next we will play trains. Then he will have to entertain himself for a while so I can do some cleaning.

It sure was fun to plan our morning together. Even if I did know EXACTLY what he'd say. I am surprised he didn't think of the park...but I'm kind of glad too.

Kadenisms

"Mom, can Roslyn (the baby I babysit) not talk?"
"No, she is too little."
"Yah, But I can talk! And baby (Kate) can talk a DIFFERENT language, because I can hear what she is saying."

"Mom, do you eat fishes?" (as he's eating goldfish crackers.)
"Not very often, why?"
"No, Mom, I mean the fishes that swim in the water? Do you eat those?"
"I don't like fish but some people do."
"Yuck. I just eat fishes that DON'T swim, Mom."

Katelyn-handing me a flashlight that has dead batteries and yelling jibberish.
Mom to Kate, "The batteries are dead, we can't turn it on!"
More jibberish yelling from Kate.
Kaden, to Kate: "Kate, we're just going to have to retire it for now. I'm sorry."
(Where does he get these phrases?)

Kaden, sucking on a sucker at the table. "Mom, there's water on the table!" "It's sucker water!"
(Thank you Kaden for drooling on the table your blue "sucker water")

I don't know...

what's gotten into me.

I told my husband my goals for the afternoon were a clean bedroom and kitchen. (And before you judge me for the low goal, remember you haven't SEEN those 2 rooms...)

The kitchen is done. And as I stand here typing at my kitchen counter, I have ham frying, sausage defrosting, and not one, but TWO batches of dough raising. I also have an 18 month old sleeping downstairs, (she's due to wake up and be fussy and impossible any minute), and a 4 1/2 month old sleeping in my bedroom how is completely and totally unpredictable. And who also hasn't eaten since she got here almost 4 hours ago.

(interuption while I cook)

The plan was to find something easy for dinner. That's when I got my cookbook out. And somehow, remembered another cookbook, which somehow convinced me I should make ham/broccoli stromboli. Ok. That's fine. But when did I suddenly feel the need to make 2 strombolis? And when did 2 stromboli's turn into a LOT of little personal size strombolis? And when did those little personal size strombolis turn into two varieties?

I think it was while I was unloading the dishwasher. Have I ever told you how much I HATE unloading the dishwasher? It is (seriously) up there with giving birth on my list of "Things I hope I never have to go through again." But I digress...

When I unload the dishwasher I always think of crazy things to do. (I wonder if that's why I hate it so much?) So while I was unloading I vaguely remember thinking 2 things: 1) If I made a LOT of little personal size strombolis I could probably not have to cook for a while again. Followed by the thought: what if my kids won't eat the broccoli ones...I better make a sausage kind to. And 2)I really need to blog again. (WHY did I think this? My theory: Only because I was unloading the dishwasher.)

So here I am. With 2 more thoughts before I leave you.

1. When you fry ham, 4 cups turns into 3 cups. I'm glad I had extra.

2. Kaden just went in my room and woke up Roslyn. He's lucky to still be alive.