Photoshop Effects

Just having a little fun with the Photoshop Elements program I got for Christmas.

Coming SOON!

Just so that I'll remember and be held accountable to post... here are some upcoming posts.

Thanksgiving at the beach
Cutting down our Christmas tree
Parker's 2 month stats and Levi's 3 yr. stats
The freezing trip to Multnomah Falls
The Holiday Express Train
Levi's first roller skating adventure
Bible Study Christmas Party
Christmas service/ Children's Program
Christmas
Zoolights

Man am I behind :( Let's hope nothing eventful happens in the next couple of weeks so that I can catch up. Oh wait check that, we're going to California on the 13th. Maybe I'll do 2 posts a day! =) So check back often.

and...I'll leave you with a cute picture / Where's Waldo aka: Parker

Levi's 3rd Birthday Party

Singing Happy Birthday


The race car cake as requested by the birthday boy.


Some of the kiddos that joined us, I think there were 14 kiddos in all and only 4 of them were older than 3.

Opening presents amongst friends.

Levi and one of his best buddies Jalen.

THE DAY MY BABY TURNED 3

WOW, I have so many things to post about that I'm not quite sure where to begin. The holidays have kept me busy =) I guess I'll start with December 1st, the day my baby turned 3 and then I'll move on to his birthday party, which was December 4th!

Before Daddy went work we made pancakes and Levi got a candle is his. We sang happy birthday and he was so thrilled that it was all for him. We bought him a fisher price smart cycle and instead of wrapping it we hid it in my closet and gave him the first clue to a scavenger hunt in order to find it. He liked the adventure and was happy to find his present. The rest of that day he pretty much just played with that and talked about his party he was looking forward to on Friday.

It was quite a sentimental day for me too. The day Levi was born was the day I became a mommy for the first time and I couldn't help but think about that. I still can't believe that it has been 3 years since the nurse handed me my precious baby for the first time. What a joy it has been.

Levi- I am so proud of the boy you are becoming. You are a caring big brother and son. You are proctective of your entire family and will defend us at all cost. You have a sensitive heart like your daddy and can't wait to be "big like him." You have not yet learned all of your colors but you have inherited you dads sense of direction. You know how to get to daddy's work and grandpa house and will tell me if I deviate from the most direct path. You also know your left from right. You are a good sleeper like your mommy. You do everything with such passion and your face reads like a book. I look forward to this year with you. You are learning things everyday and have a thirst for knowledge. Some of your favorite things are Lightning McQueen, Buzz Lightyear, dinosaurs, and building (with anything from cushions to legos and blocks). Your imagination is going wild and I often find you talking to yourself or your toys like you are in a different place or time. What a joy it is to be your mommy! I love you so much!

Levi's Quotes

Levi's vocabulary has really been expanding and been easier to understand these days. Within the last couple of weeks he has busted out some great lines that I wanted to remember.

Levi: "Mommy, can I have a cookie please?"
Me: "Sure honey."
Levi: "That's what I'm talkin' 'bout mom!"

Levi had woken up and come into our room one morning and had an idea.
Levi: "Dad, let's go build a house!" (aka: fort)
Mike: In his half awake state says, "okay Levi."
Levi: Impatiently, two seconds later says, "Dad, let's do this!!!"

And yesterday, the kids were playing in the living room and Levi runs up, puts both hands on his hips in an action figure like stance and says, "I'm gonna tear it up!"

Mike says the first two quite often but that third one he pulled out of his own hat. It's so funny to hear kids says things in their cute little voices. It's also a great reminder that we must be very careful with what comes out of our mouths!

A glimpse into the lives of our children...

Levi has been...making our couch cushions into all sort of fun things; houses aka:forts, hopscotch squares, trampolines, diving boards, and anything else he can think of. I usually put the cushions back on a few times a day but if you stop by without warning your more than likely going to find them on the floor.

His imagination has really been developing. It's exciting to see what he comes up with. In this one his fingers are a camera but he can often be found talking to himself or role playing with various toys.

He absolutely adores his Daddy!

He likes to test his Mommy...and Daddy! It is amazing what he comes up with as a means to get his way. He is currently learning that he can't have everything he wants when he wants it and it's a tough lesson!

He is also enrolled in swim lessons and is really enjoying that. He is unbelievably comfortable in the water. He can float for a few seconds on his back (what he calls a starfish float), complete a "U turn" (falling in from a seated position and proceeding to turn around and grab the wall and climb out), swim underwater for about 6 seconds, and with assistance dive a few feet under to grab a dive toy. Honestly he is far more comfortable than I am which makes me nervous and is comforting at the same time. He is going to have a blast on the boat this summer!

And when he isn't doing on of those things he is just plain handsome!

Makayla has been...growing like crazy, physically and intellectually. She is so much fun at this age! She laughs constantly and she talks constantly.

She wants to try everything that we do and she wants to do it, "i self" or herself and she is a determined little booger.

She plays with balls, trucks, and anything else her big brother enjoys but don't be fooled she is ALL GIRL. Notice how she is playing with a truck but balancing it all out with a tutu over her pajamas. She loves to put on "pretty lips" (chapstick) and "pretty fingers and toes" (nail polish). The mommy in her is also coming out and she has become quite bossy.

She loves her Daddy and has completly captured his heart. Though he has decided that she is the only girl he needs, he is so glad he has a girl. She melts his heart daily with her affections and will fight with the best of them for "her man." Makayla and I are currently in a battle over him. She will argue back and forth with me saying that "he is my hu-band!" and she will push us apart if we are kissing or hugging. It is actually quite adorable and I really do like to provoke it. =) I just pray that she always loves her Daddy as much as she does now and though I know that she will one day learn that it is not such a great thing to have her Daddy as her husband I pray that she will find a husband who loves her as much as her Daddy does and hopefully the model she uses to find him is her Daddy and MY HUSBAND!

She is such a beautiful girl!

Parker has been...learning to smile!

He has also learned to sleep through just about any noise.


And though he may not be doing as much as Levi or Makayla he is getting more alert everyday. He will follow us with his eyes as we walk around the room. He is sleeping great and only usually has one night time feeding at about 4am and then goes quickly back to sleep. He is a very content baby and hardly never cries. Truly I couldn't ask for a better baby! He has become such a part of our family and we adore him!