Rumbles in the Jungle

TV Watchers

2012-02-15T09:35:00.003-05:00

What has everyone so interested??? It's The Fresh Beat Band's version of Wizard of Oz on Nick Jr.

Tee Ball

2012-02-11T11:01:00.006-05:00

Yup, that's right, as of 10:30 this morning, I became a proud Tee Ball Mom! We signed Caden up for tee ball with opening day on April 15th. We are so excited. Let the next 14ish+ years of sports begin! Many pictures to come...

Tissue Paper Hearts

2012-02-10T16:54:00.006-05:00

I think Valentine's Day is actually my least favorite holiday (I know, Jason's a lucky guy - I keep reminding him of this fact :), but I'll admit it is fun to celebrate with kids. There are a lot of cute crafts to do, so we've made into more of a family holiday, which is always more fun. So, this year, I found this craft to try with Caden and Abigail. They got a little frustrated when the contact paper stuck to their arms, but overall they seemed to enjoy it. The end result is really cute (sorry I don't actually have a picture of ours, but the link shows an example)!

Caden's first heart (I think he made about 3)

I love Abby's smile in the background.

cutie

really sticky stuff

Even my sister, Erin, got in on the fun...doesn't she look thrilled?

Chicken Spaghetti

2012-02-09T19:35:00.002-05:00

I have wanted to try this recipe ever since I first read about it in Ree Drummond's book, The Pioneer Woman: Black Heels to Tractor Wheels. I've never really followed her blog, but I thoroughly enjoyed her book. Anyhow, the whole family ate this one, so I recommend it. Also, it makes A LOT, so have some people over to enjoy with you (note to self next time I make it).

"Pees, un, oo, free"

2012-02-08T11:04:00.002-05:00

The other day Caden and Abigail were playing together. When Caden took something Abby wanted to play with, rather than the usual scream, I heard, "Pees, un, oo, free". She first was asking for him to "please" give the toy back, and then when he didn't right away, she started counting to three like I do. I guess she hears it enough throughout the day. It's so cute to listen to!

Snow Fun

2012-02-04T11:34:00.002-05:00

Our second snow storm of the season (first one was before Halloween) came on Jan. 21st. The kids waited very patiently to get layered up to go out side to play. Abigail took a few steps on her own, then holding my hand, and then gave up all together and wanted to be picked up instead. Needless to say, she wasn't out very long. Caden on the other hand went out twice that day and then once the following day.

He had a great time scooping the snow from one side of the driveway,...

dumping it on the other,...

and then coming back for more.

On Sunday, he tried to clear off the back deck while Abigail turned her high chair around to watch.

100 Bowls + Potato Soup Recipe

2012-02-03T11:39:00.004-05:00

We learned last night that Caden understands exaggeration. We were having soup and salad for supper, so of course everyone had two bowls each. After putting all the bowls on the table, Caden said, "Mom, why do we have a hundred bowls on the table?" Jason and I just had to laugh. He's a quick one!

On another note...here's the recipe for the potato soup we were having. Abby ate it all, but Caden just picked at it. My mom found it in a recent Guideposts issue, but you can also find it online:

http://www.guideposts.org/recipes/recipes-ednas-scalloped-potato-soup

Let's Make Some Music!

2012-02-02T11:20:00.001-05:00

"Hanging" Out with Daddy

2012-01-29T18:22:00.002-05:00

Caden's First Hockey Game

2012-01-26T10:24:00.005-05:00

Last Friday evening, Caden went to his first Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins hockey game with Daddy, Nana, and Papa. He was soooo excited!

showing off his skeleton gloves

a little excited

It looks like he can't take his eyes off the ice.

This little vehicle Tux drove was one of the first things he told me about the game.

Of course he loved the zamboni! Jason said he kept asking when it was going to come out.
When I asked him the next morning what it was like, he said, "It was like being in the Arctic!" :)

Abigail Pics

2012-01-25T12:23:00.002-05:00

Here are a few pictures of what Abigail's been up to lately:

Silly girl!

Wipe

2012-01-24T20:13:00.006-05:00

We have 4 of Tad Hills' Duck and Goose books. If you haven't had the chance to read these, I highly recommend them. The illustrations are the cutest. Anyhow, there's a page with a picture of a bush and 7 purple berries. Next to the bush is a very messy duck and a very messy goose. Whenever we get to that page, Abigail tries to clean them off with her hand. Tonight she went a step further by getting a baby wipe out and wiping them down. She wasn't too thrilled that they wouldn't get clean, but accepted the fact that they were really dirty and a wipe just wasn't going to cut it!
*She also tried to wipe off another book last night where this cute little wombat is covered in mud. I hope this doesn't become an obsession :)

Smoothies! (finally)

2012-01-24T16:46:00.003-05:00

Caden came up with something for me to put on my Christmas List this past Christmas...a blender. When I opened it up Christmas morning you would've thought it was the best toy ever! He jumped up and down and cheered :) The reason for his excitement? He's been asking for smoothies for months now. He finally got his wish! We've had them multiple times since.

Yes, he is using a table knife but under close supervision!

I think he likes it!

"Why can't I get any?"

"Thanks for adding milk to mine, Mom. It's much better."

Abigail

2012-01-18T18:44:00.003-05:00

If I had to describe Abigail in just one word, I would say caring. As you can tell from this picture, she takes very good care of her dolls and stuffed animals (although she does toss Funny Bunny (FB) over her shoulder while holding the ears, tries to "ride" FB, holds onto FB by the ears around her neck so it looks like a backpack, holds onto the ears and kicks it along in front of her, etc. - guess that's her way of showing love). Anyhow, Caden also benefits from Abigail's caring nature. She enjoys picking up his shoes/coat and putting them in the closet, cleans up his dirty laundry off the floor and puts them in the hamper, and also picks up his PJ's and puts them under his pillow. I love seeing her grab his water bottle and hold it up to his mouth so he doesn't even have to move. She picks up his bowl after he's done with his snack and takes it to the kitchen too. It's fun to see...but I think Caden might be taking advantage of it!

Cash Register

2012-01-11T15:09:00.001-05:00

Caden got this cash register from GG and Pappy for Christmas. I think these pictures pretty much tell their own story:

Train Whistles Update

2012-01-09T14:32:00.006-05:00

I mentioned once before (HERE) about Abby listening to a train whistle and smiling when she was almost 4 months old. I thought then that she might enjoy hearing them as much as I do. It seems like just recently she has started noticing them again and will stop playing, smile, and run to the front window and wave. You can't see the tracks from our house, but I guess it's the thought that counts!

Sharper Scissors

2012-01-08T12:48:00.002-05:00

I just read in the February/March issue of Country Woman where you can sharpen your scissors by cutting through a sheet of sandpaper several times. Sounds easy enough!

Christmas Day

2012-01-07T14:52:00.007-05:00

We had another wonderful Christmas with our families. Thank you everyone for everything!

This is what Caden and Abigail found waiting for them from Santa.

Abby really enjoys her little baby and carrier. It didn't take long for Funny Bunny to find his way into the carrier too.

Her new baby had to join us for Christmas breakfast.

After breakfast, Nana, Papa, and Aunt Missy came over.

Then it was off to Uncle Jeff and Aunt Bonnie's for a yummy feast.
(Abigail was screaming)

They enjoyed playing with one of their cats. I think his name is Sneezer.

Caden actually asked to have his picture taken next to this fun, tin soldier.

Abby and Aunt Erin

Uncle Jeff and Abby

Then it was back to Mammy's for more gifts.
Abigail got another baby from GG and Pappy along with a bottle set.

Caden's trying out his train whistle from GG and Pappy.

These are called Color Wonder by Crayola. They only color or paint on special paper...really nice stuff!

GG had a good time with Caden's crazy ball.

Finally, we had a little visit with Aunt Justine and Uncle Randy and kids before we went home. Snack time is always a good time. We discovered Abigail really likes peppers.

Uncle Randy and Abigail

Christmas Eve

2012-01-05T13:52:00.002-05:00

Here's a little peek at our Christmas Eve traditions:

1. Get the cookies and milk ready for Santa
(Abby didn't like putting the cookies on a plate without being able to taste them first)

2. Get the reindeer food and water ready on the deck.

"Um...why are you guys out there in the cold?"

3. Hang up Santa's Key so that he can get in the house since we don't have a chimney (this was a concern of Caden's this year, so I'm glad we have the key)
4. Read about the birth of Jesus in Caden's Bible and read The Night Before Christmas
Then it's off to bed!

We had a surprise visit from Pappy D this year. It was nice to be able to see him for Christmas.

Abigail's Christmas Craft

2012-01-04T09:32:00.004-05:00

Abigail's Christmas craft was decorating foam snowmen with scarfs, sticks for arm, a colored band on the hat, and a carrot nose. She usually got the band near the hat, but she added her own style to everything else.

Caden helped out too of course. He added some extra stuff to his. He didn't like Abby's stuff being everywhere, he would try to fix them.

Then Caden made a "necklace" for me out of some extra pieces. I wore it Christmas morning. By the time I was done wearing it, this strip of paper had maybe 2 pieces left. The rest we had to pull out of my hair.

Homemade "I Spy" Bottles

2012-01-04T09:16:00.005-05:00

I saw this idea on the I Can Teach My Child blog (click on that name to get the link) and thought it would be a fun thing to give for Christmas (they found them on their car seats when we left to go to Mammy's). Of course Abby's too young, but I thought she would have fun shaking it and turning it.

I decided to take a picture of all the things that were inside the bottle rather than trying to draw it myself. Of course these tags were torn off first thing, so I'll have to look into laminating them. They are a good car ride activity which is what I was hoping for.
I think this picture frame felt idea will be my next homemade project.

Caden's Christmas Craft

2011-12-30T09:54:00.004-05:00

Caden's craft this year was a foam gingerbread house. It was a bigger craft, so we spread it out over 2 days. The age was 6+, but I figured he could do it. He did a really nice job with it. He even looked at the picture to see where certain things are supposed to go. Then at the end he put some gumdrops down on the snow to use as stepping stones like at his cousins' house (they have stepping stones as a sidewalk). He put any of the extra pieces inside the house and called them witches (guess he's thinking of Hansel and Gretel).

He kept sticking the gumdrops to his hand.

He's showing the gumdrop stepping stones to Abby.

Abby was pretty impressed.

Merry Christmas!

2011-12-24T22:00:00.002-05:00

Merry Christmas!
Love, Abigail and Caden

The Boettger Story

2011-12-24T12:54:00.002-05:00

Every year Jason's parents write "The Boettger Story", a summary of what's been going on in the past year. When we got it, I taped it up on the closet door with the rest of the cards, and Abigail walked by and pulled it down. From then on she's been carrying it around along with her peach colored crayon. This is her favorite spot to sit and "read" it.

Lights

2011-12-22T21:09:00.005-05:00

Last Saturday we went to look at the lights set up in Nay Aug Park. After getting into our pj's, we were on our way. Caden fell asleep on the way there and was hard to wake up, but he did. He was good until about half way through, then he was ready to head home. Abigail was making happy sounds, but we think it was because Funny Bunny was along for the ride. We're not sure how much she could see anyhow since she's still facing backwards. Note to self: use Jason's car next year...not something I'd recommend doing in a stick shift.

A beaver chopping down a tree.
Jason's 1st thought: falling broccoli (I always think of falling broccoli at Christmastime, don't you??)

A couple of penguins and an igloo.
Caden's 1st thought: an egg

I couldn't get a picture of Abby because she was sitting behind me...sorry Abby!
On our way out we passed 2 houses that were in Caden's words, "All decked out!"

Holding Hands

2011-12-22T18:54:00.003-05:00

This is a rare thing to see around here, so of course I had to take a few pictures.

They were having trouble deciding which way to go.

Homemade Teacher Gifts

2011-12-20T15:56:00.006-05:00

I decided for Caden's first teacher gifts ever to do something homemade (pretty much the only thing I know how to knit)...dishcloths. Caden has 4 teachers, and I had 3 designs in mind, so 12 dishcloths isn't that bad, right? Let's just say that I'm glad I started in the beginning of October because I just finished them up yesterday. I got the red ornament design from Designs by Emily (click on that name to link to her website). With her design, I was able to make my own patterns for the tree and snowflake. In true snowflake fashion, all 4 are different (I had trouble deciding on one I liked).

I found these cute little boxes on sale at A.C. Moore for $.70 each. The 3 dishcloths fit perfectly. Then with my mother-in-law's homemade name tag ornaments to complete the look (thanks Carole), we were finished. Each box cost me about $3 each...not bad!

Secret Spies

2011-12-20T15:51:00.002-05:00

You might think you know these people...but I wouldn't be so sure!
(Abby started out as our target but then grabbed a blanket and put it over her head, so she joined our group as mini spy)

Just the Fit

2011-12-19T17:18:00.001-05:00

Elf Yourself

2011-12-16T16:49:00.003-05:00

I'm sure you remember that we are fans of Elf Yourself...so here's this year's video:

OUR ELF VIDEO

"Who Wants to Have a Merry Christmas?"

2011-12-16T12:54:00.009-05:00

Caden and Abigail were in a play at church this past Sunday. It was a spoof of "Who Wants to be a Millionaire?" Caden had the best line which we practiced for weeks. We would say, "Or is it D", and he would finish with, "The Birth of Jesus!" Abigail's part was to carry a star and stand next to her brother to help the contestant realize that the birth of Jesus is the answer to the question, "What Does Christmas Really Mean?" Mammy, Aunt Erin, Nana, and Papa were all able to enjoy the play with us.

She was so excited to do her part.

She wasn't happy when we kept pulling her back. I didn't think she'd keep the angel wings on, but she did!

There she goes again!
She kept peeking around the corner and calling to Caden.

Jason got to be one of the wise men and help the contestant answer the question when she polled the audience.

This pictures shows how Abigail started swinging her star around and got Caden right in the eye :) He was all smiles about it. It would've been a different story had we been home.

She just stood there nice and still.

Mom and I were trying to think of what this picture reminded us of...maybe Precious Moments figurines?

Tree Hunting

2011-12-13T18:11:00.004-05:00

On Saturday, we all traveled up to Roba's Tree Farm to hunt down our Christmas Tree. It was freezing, but we were bundled up pretty well. Caden wasn't in the mood to get his picture taken (again), but I did snap a quick few.

Neither kid wanted anything to do with Santa, but we did see him on Sunday and last night, and both times Caden sat on his lap.

Checking out our tree from every angle.

Tightening up the tree stand.

"I'll get this screw back here!"

"Everybody stand back!"

"The Gift"

2011-12-11T15:51:00.003-05:00

Friday night at 6, Caden and I were watching an awesome live nativity show called "The Gift". They had a bunch of animals, even camels which Caden enjoyed. He kept asking about the 3 wise men (one of them was on a camel). He asked a lot of questions throughout the whole thing, but I think he really enjoyed it too.

He didn't want his picture taken...seems to be the story lately.

This one's pretty dark, but they have a building to the left and then the manger is on the right. There were a ton of people there too.

Easy Apple Pie Slices

2011-12-10T18:41:00.003-05:00

If you like apple pie but don't like all the fuss...or maybe you don't have a pie plate which is my trouble...you'll really enjoy this simple recipe:

http://www.pillsbury.com/recipes/easy-apple-raisin-pie-slices/7d629532-da33-44ef-a3c5-37a7710e17ff/

(I cut out the raisins.)

Fun at GG and Pappy's

2011-12-10T15:10:00.003-05:00

I guess the kids were helping GG test her new walker.

(Caden's carrying the New Testament of the Bible)

(They are both playing with calculators)

Then they found one of my favorite places to sit when I was a kid...right next to the refrigerator on the green step stool.

Thanksgiving with Cousins

2011-12-09T09:53:00.003-05:00

Cori, Abigail, Katie, Matt, Caden, and Chris
This is a little late, but this is a really cute picture from Thanksgiving where every kid is actually smiling...and of course Caden's the only one not looking at me. Oh well.Then there's the silly face...
and the sad face.

N-E-I-F

2011-12-03T09:46:00.001-05:00

Caden was telling Abigail to not do something (what else is new), and this is what I overheard:

"Abigail, No! N-E-I-F, no!" At least he got the "n" part right!

Comfortable?

2011-12-02T16:08:00.002-05:00

The other day when Caden was tearing up his paper, Abigail went over, sat down next to him, and laid back onto his lap. I don't know what goes through her little mind some times. Caden didn't seem to mind too much...he just continued tearing paper.

No More Room

2011-11-28T17:10:00.003-05:00

The other day when Abigail woke up from her nap, we had to bring EVERY stuffed animal down with us too. There's still another stuffed animal on the other side of Abby that you can't even see. She's also very particular with how we bring everything down. She will stand in her crib and hand me things one-by-one, and then expect me to pick her up when my arms are already full. I tried once to put the stuffed animals down on the chair first so that I can pick her up, and she threw a fit! She's a stink sometimes!

Sleeping Sitting Up

2011-11-23T16:09:00.002-05:00

I guess when you're really tired you can sleep in any position!
Jason always says, "You took a picture, but you didn't fix her?" I then have to reassure him that I run to get the camera, take a picture, then I fix her.

These Two...

2011-11-20T16:56:00.005-05:00

It's hard to say where these two are going to play next.

(this picture was purely accidental...but I'm glad I got it)

Recent Accomplishments

2011-11-16T13:59:00.003-05:00

Caden - He learned how to connect and zip up his winter coat.

Abigail - She learned how to put on her pants and pull them up...by herself...warning - don't try to help!

Meeting Joshua

2011-11-14T15:13:00.002-05:00

On November 5th, Abigail and I (Jason and Caden went to my sister-in-laws since we met at the Schuylkill Mall) were able to meet up with my best friend, Rachael, her husband, Eric, and their son, Joshua. Joshua was almost 7th months old by this point, and it was the first time I was able to meet him. I'm so thankful we were able to get together. As I was going through the pictures, I realized I didn't get a good picture of Rachael or even a picture of the two of us. Oh well, we'll have to plan that better next time :)

Rachael and Joshua (taking a little lunch break).

Cutie Patootie!

Abigail was entertained with Rachael's water bottle.

Me and Joshua

Long Lashes

2011-11-13T11:14:00.004-05:00

Caden told me the other day that a girl at preschool asked him if he was wearing stuff on his eyelashes to make them look long. I asked him what he said to her, and he said he just laughed.

Caden-made Jewelry

2011-11-12T18:54:00.003-05:00

This is my first piece of Caden-made jewelry. He made it in church last Sunday for me. I thought I'd better take a picture of it before it breaks...for the 3rd time.

Say Please & Checkup

2011-11-10T18:39:00.005-05:00

Today Abigail has started saying please, or in her words, "meeeee" or "meeeees". Anyway, it works! She hasn't been saying much, so we're hoping by Christmas there will be more to her little list of words she says.

She had her 18 month well-baby visit this afternoon. She has grown, but she's still nowhere near average. At least she has a pretty good jump in weight. If you look at weight and height combined, she's in the 5th percentile...our little peanut! I think we'll keep her rear facing in the car since that's what's recommended now, even though she finally hit 20 lbs.

Height: 31.25 in.

Weight: 20 lbs. 1.5 oz.

Drinking From a Cup?

2011-11-09T14:11:00.003-05:00

The other day, Abigail tried this:

and this is what happened:

but it didn't stop her from trying again:

Busy Halloween

2011-11-07T14:25:00.006-05:00

Our Halloween was a busy day for us. It started out with a parade and party at Caden's preschool. Since it was soooo cold, we had the kids wrapped up pretty good. We watched the kids' parade and songs with our neighbors. After his little party, Abby and I picked Caden back up and drove straight to Daddy's new school.

Ethan and Abby waiting patiently.

Of course Caden and Ella came out hand-in-hand.

This was when they were getting ready to sing their songs. They were so cute. It looked like Caden was singing along for the most part. I know he was practicing them at home!

Halloween always brings about an exciting and somewhat trying question...what's Jason going to be for Halloween? He has been coordinating his costume around the kids for the past 4 years:
2008 - Caden - lion/Jason - lion rescuer
2009 - Caden - monkey/Jason - banana tree (my idea)
2010 - Caden - elephant/Jason - peanut salesman (Abigail was a lady bug...)
2011 - Caden & Abigail - dinosaurs/Jason - paleontologist (my idea)

He honestly did measure this and it came out to be about the length of the femur for a T-Rex.

Caden had a blast passing out pencils to Jason's students.

Abigail really liked the bug this kid made...she was kinda creeping up to him to get a closer look.

It was our first time to Daddy's new school...really nice to finally be able to see it.

Then for Halloween night...we bundled back up again. Caden wore a hat under the head which worked really well. It kept Buddy's head (he was Buddy from the Dinosaur Train on PBS - thanks Jen for the costume) from falling to the side.

Profile shot. Abigail loved Caden's tail!

Our dinosaurs.

Trick-or-treating with Ella and Ethan!

Abby got tired and only made it about half way. Jason took her back so that they could pass out some candy.

Happy Halloween

2011-10-31T22:16:00.001-04:00

from my dinosaur family

Caden Update

2011-10-30T09:38:00.004-04:00

It's been a while since I've mentioned what Caden's been up to...so here we go:
- He's taking naps every once in a great while now, but he still has a "rest" time in his room where he has to stay there until his CD stops playing (about 40 min.). It works really well...if he stays in his room. In the picture above, he came down stairs after the music was off, joined his dad for football, and you can see the end result. Football puts me to sleep too :)
- Last month, when we had the hurricane winds, he said, "Wow, it's really winding out there!"
- Today he was singing I've Been Working on the Railroad and at the end he sang, "strumming on the old man Joe" rather than "strumming on the old banjo". I got a good laugh out of that one.
- He has trouble with some prefixes...in his mind lots of words begin with "a". So if you ask him where something is, he'll say "ahind" rather than "behind" or "apposed" instead of "supposed". He also has trouble with will + not = won't. He often says, "willn't".
- His favorite past time is still either tearing or cutting paper. He will still sit for a long time doing this...it's so nice! He does enjoy coloring a lot too.
- He had a rough period of about 2 weeks where he was crying/screaming before preschool, and then stopping about 2 min. after I'd leave. It was rough for all of us. Friday was good though...hopefully next we will be good too!
- He's still good at making us all laugh...the things he comes up with sometimes!
Again, there is so much more, so I'll have to think about it...

Abigail at 18 Months

2011-10-29T09:13:00.007-04:00

Abigail is 18 months old today!

A few things about our Sunshine:
- She is very opinionated about her clothes. If she's wearing a hoodie, I have to have it zipped or snapped half way up and put it over her head or else she'll just rip it off...reminds me of the Hulk.
- She babbles...a lot, but still not many words other than Mama, Dada, and Caday. She does do elephant and sheep sounds really well though!
- She will answer questions with a nod or a shake, and is pretty good at getting her point across. She likes to point at things and then just nods. Sometimes she just stands there and nods - not sure what that one means.
- Funny Bunny is still her main squeeze (as you can see in the pic)- need to look into how to wash a surface washable only toy...
- She wants to do almost everything by herself including going down the stairs (which of course we don't let happen). We get our hands pushed away quite often during the day.
- When she has a cold she becomes a major Mama's Girl.
- She loves to boogie! She just recently started dancing, and she just wiggles her whole body...so cute!
- She's a very loving little girl. She loves to give hugs and rest her head on your shoulder or leg. When her Aunt Erin was here last, Abby literally hung on her most of the time.
- She enjoys "Ring Around the Rosies", especially the falling down part.
There's so much more, but I can't think right now. I'm sure I'll add more soon!

Family Halloween Craft

2011-10-28T14:05:00.004-04:00

The other night we went to a Halloween Party at our library. As the kids left, they handed out crafts. We all had a hand in putting this together. Abigail was good at tearing the pieces of foam out of their packaging.

The final product.

Tiny Helping Hands

2011-10-28T13:56:00.002-04:00

Abigail loves to give a helping hand, even if her hands are tiny. For example, the other day Caden asked me to get a cup off the bookshelf (not sure why it was there). Anyhow, Abby heard him ask me, walked right over to the shelf, grabbed the cup, and gave it to him. In these pictures she's helping Caden put his shoes on. She loves to help him with his shoes and jacket. It's nice to have a little helper and an even smaller one too!

Picnic at the Park

2011-10-12T10:03:00.004-04:00

This past Sunday we planned on going to the Frances Slocum State Park for their Heritage Days with Nana and Papa, but discovered on the way there that the road to the park was closed. I was quite disappointed, and Caden even cried. So, we turned around and found another park to eat our lunch, and the kids still were able to play. Oh well. There's always next year.

It didn't take Caden long to make new friends.

Kids Eat Free Website

2011-10-12T10:01:00.005-04:00

You may already be aware of this website, but this is the first I've heard of it. A friend of my mom's sent it to her. Thanks Marilyn! I think I'll look into this next week on my birthday...one of the few days I refuse to cook :)

http://www.frugalliving.tv/free-stuff/kids-eat-free.html

Pumpkin Faces

2011-10-11T16:45:00.003-04:00

This year we tried something new for making faces on our pumpkins. I found a kit at K-Mart (see post below) that really worked well! I was really excited to use them, hoping the would work well, and they did! The kids had a good time, and it was so fast and easy!

Jason had Caden start with the mouth and work up from there. He did well with figuring out where to put the pieces, but he did try to put one eye off to the side.

Abigail's is a little sillier.
She didn't do too bad though, just the mouth is a little goofy.

The final products.

In My Opinion

2011-10-11T16:22:00.004-04:00

I bought this kit at K-Mart the other week for $4. It comes with 3 sets of eyes, 3 sets of ears, 3 noses, 3 mouths, and 1 set of horns. It says ages 5 and up, but it worked really well for Caden and Abigail (with some help of course). I was really excited to use them, and they worked as well as I was hoping. I highly recommend something like this since carving is pretty much out of the question for a few years.

(an example of a face that could be made)

This is what the backs look like.
I'm sure they could be easily snapped off, but I'm hoping to get a few more years out of these!

Blanket Time

2011-10-09T09:17:00.003-04:00

The other day, while I was doing the dishes, Abigail came into the kitchen with her Smurfs and sat down. I got her a blanket to sit on, and she thought this was great. I turned around to start my dishes again, and I heard a thump. When I turned back around, there she was laying flat on the floor. I think she thought the blanket was going to be softer than it was. Either way, she stayed there and played the whole time I was working. That's something her brother never did! It was so nice.

Arms Full

2011-10-07T16:33:00.004-04:00

Abigail has been having a great time lately with her stuffed animals. These are 3 of her favorites. She tried to get them all in her little toy stroller, but that didn't quite work. Then she emptied out the Mega Bloks wagon and placed them in there. She only put 2 at first facing each other (just like when she and Caden ride in our wagon), but I showed her how she could fit more. It's fun to watch her figure things out on her own. I love how she gently places them in their seats and will fix them if they fall over. She takes good care of them.

My Little Fix-its

2011-10-05T11:35:00.002-04:00

I think they're trying to figure out if anything else needs fixed.
(These are older ones too, from Sept. 8th.)

Talk About Relaxed!

2011-10-05T10:39:00.003-04:00

She loves to relax!
I found these pictures from Sept. 10th that I forgot to post.

1st Kiss for "Mama"

2011-10-03T15:37:00.004-04:00

I received my first kiss from Abigail today while changing her diaper. She usually stands to get her diaper changed, and today was no different. So, when I was leaning around her to secure the front of the diaper, she gave me a little peck on the cheek :) So sweet!

She has also within the last 2 weeks or so finally started calling me Mama. It's music to my ears!

Knoebels

2011-09-30T19:16:00.008-04:00

We went to Knoebels with my mom and sister this past Sunday for the Weis Family Picnic. It was supposed to rain but ended up being a great day!

What a face!

Mammy and Erin shared their lunch with us. Abigail really enjoyed the ice cream
This was Abigail's 1st ride.

Jason let Caden steer most of the way around, so we ended up against the wall most of the time. Abigail didn't want to be held, she had to sit on the seat like a big girl.

Aunt Erin, Mammy, and Abigail

Abigail spotted Caden on a ride.

Abby was so funny on the carousel. Caden never liked the ones that go up and down, so I thought she might not either. So, once she discovered they could move, so started pulling up on her pole and grunting trying to get it to move! I guess I'll have to remember a moving one for next year.

Again, what a face!

I'm not sure if it was that windy or if Mammy pushed her hat back...

Caden covered his ear and put his head on my lap through the tunnels...Abby laughed.

The last ride of the day the Merry Mixer...one Erin and I always ride together. Caden enjoyed this ride too.

Mammy got pretty good with her action shots...we did delete about 5 pictures of the people behind us though :)

You never would've guessed everything was under water just 2 weeks prior. They did a terrific job cleaning up. Looks like flood level was Jason height.

Toddler Time with Abigail

2011-09-30T19:02:00.002-04:00

Abigail and I started Toddler Time at the library on Tuesday. She missed the first week due to a cold that Caden brought home with him after his 2nd day of preschool. Anyhow, even though she just turned 17 months yesterday, they still let her join (normal age is 18 mo.). She was so cute there! I put her down in the middle of the room, and there she stood. Then I sat her down, and she just sat through the first 2 stories. There was an older boy who sat next to her and rubbed her arm, but she didn't mind. After a little while she turned around, spotted me, smiled, and then sat with me. Here she is enjoying the books we borrowed...

until something caught her eye...

and she took off!

Firemen and Books

2011-09-30T09:14:00.005-04:00

Want to hear something funny?

Caden: "You fight the fireman, and I'll fight the book."

Don't get it? You're not the only one. Abigail's response? She throws her head back and laughs...every time! Then of course Caden laughs too.

2011-09-21T09:15:00.003-04:00

I'm a little behind on this post, but on the 11th, my mom, Erin, and Splane came to visit. It was a busy weekend for us, but so much fun spending it with family and friends. It was great seeing Splane again. The kids really enjoyed having her here. Of course the visit started out with a photo shoot of the kids:

Showing some leg!

She accomplished her goal of climbing into the chair.

My big sis, Erin.

Everyone had a great time kicking the soccer ball around.

Caden picked some weeds while he was waiting for the ball to come his way. He wanted to put some weeds in a vase with water in his bedroom the other day.

Favorite Color = Purple!

2011-09-16T16:57:00.003-04:00

It's been pretty easy to tell Abby's favorite color lately:

She always grabs the wrench first and then the hammer.
When it comes to crayons though, her favorite color is peach. She picks out the peach and carries it around with her.

Caden's 1st Pictures

2011-09-15T14:34:00.002-04:00

Caden has been on a big Curious George kick lately. George was taking pictures in an episode the other day, and Jason mentioned to Caden that we have an old camera he could maybe use some time. Well...he of course didn't forget that Daddy said this, so here are some pictures from his first try on Tuesday.

(he was aiming for the Thomas bucket)

(pile of bibs)

This one would make GG proud. She took some pictures of Pappy all dressed up in a suit, at least we think it's Pappy. His head is cut off in every single one!

Not bad!

(kitchen chair)

(craft from his 1st day of preschool)

It's a Secret

2011-09-14T11:05:00.006-04:00

Shhhh! Don't tell Caden, but Abby and I played in his room this morning while he was at preschool :) It all started with Abby taking my socks off, walking to the gate at the stairs, and pointing upstairs. After I took the gate off, she then wiggled her way up, walked in Caden's room, and put my socks in his sock bin (I guess she thought I was wearing his socks). Anyhow, once we were there it was like she was thinking, "Why not play since Caden's not here to say, 'No Abby!'" I think it might be her new place to play when he's away.

Socks

2011-09-14T10:10:00.005-04:00

This is Caden's newest fun thing to do. When he's in his room for his nap/rest time, he's been putting many socks on one foot. Take a guess at how many. If you guessed 11...you're right!

1st Day of Preschool

2011-09-13T17:08:00.008-04:00

So, I took a few pictures of Caden before his first day of preschool.

His day started out with a show in our bedroom.

He started posing himself...this is one from the back. Can't miss that cowlick!

This was another one of his ideas.

This is one from the side (another of his ideas).

(his pose)

I tried to get one of the two of them together...this was the best.

All smiles before we left.

This is the look I got after preschool with his craft. He's such an actor. Not sure what was going on here. He seemed to have a great time. He was with Ella, our neighbor, most of the time I believe. He doesn't really answer my questions for some reason, but I know they sang Five Little Monkeys Swinging in the Tree.

We gave him a book for his 1st day, so he was enjoying it on the way home. You can see the name tag he wore during school :)
I'm proud to say no tears were shed by me (I wasn't worried about him). I got a little choked up though.

After the Race

2011-09-12T11:29:00.003-04:00

Jason's family came over for a little cookout after the Race for the Cure in Scranton on Saturday. Papa, Melissa, Matt, Cori, and Katie all participated in the race. It was a beautiful day for a cookout and a race!

Abby enjoyed the "mud" Nana made.

Explanation

2011-09-11T17:04:00.003-04:00

Here's a little explanation for the picture at the top of the blog. Abby has been in "monkey see, monkey do" mode lately and has been doing almost everything her big brother is doing. So, the other day he was sitting on the floor playing, and Abby sat herself down and stretched out her legs, just like him.

Then in this picture, they are just sitting and playing so nicely next to each other, hardly ever happens! He's even letting her foot touch his leg! :) I'm thinking she took off her socks because he doesn't have any on.

Fancy Shoes

2011-09-10T21:16:00.002-04:00

These kids love shoes (and forks)! Thanks Jen for the Cars slippers!

Silliness

2011-09-01T08:29:00.003-04:00

What is it with these kids??? :) (click HERE for Abby's pictures)

More Abigail Pics

2011-08-30T08:53:00.003-04:00

I LOVE taking pictures of this girl :)

Abigail at 16 Months

2011-08-29T16:05:00.002-04:00

Our little Abigail turns 16 months today (finally posting on the right date)! Her biggest new thing is all the walking she's doing now. She loves to walk and carry things, so much easier than trying to crawl and carry things! Fortunately, she's still taking 2 naps a day though sometimes skips one. She continues to be a great eater, eating just about anything. We used to call Caden our "yes man" because he would answer every question with a nod (except for a diaper change). Abby was answering questions correctly with a nod or a shake, but recently she's been saying no to everything. She continues to smile and giggle most of the time, but if something doesn't go her way, boy does she get mad! We love you happy, sad, or mad Abigail!

Philadelphia Zoo

2011-08-29T10:03:00.011-04:00

On the 24th, we took a day trip to the Philly Zoo. We unfortunately weren't able to meet up with my sister-in-law this time. It really is a fun, nice zoo to visit, and very easy to get to. We got there around 11 and left around 3, so allow yourself at least 4 hours.

Holding hands on the way down.

Of course Abby has a big grin on her face while holding her brother's hand.

Caden and Abby (you can see her little finger pointing) both seemed to enjoy the naked mole rats running around. They are in cute in a twisted sort of way.

Abby was looking for some lions, but they weren't being very social.

Thanks Jay for looking! :)

Last year they had Lego animals everywhere. This year it was a Jim Henson puppet theme about extinct or almost extinct animals.

Taking a break for lunch.

After lunch, we discovered this really fun place called the Tree House. It's for zoo members only, but not sure how particular they are about it. I don't think they checked our membership either time we went...yes, we were there twice. :)

Abby met this cute little boy and they just kept smiling at each other.

It's very hard to tell, but if you look through that little hole in the root, you can kinda make out Caden. He was going down a little slide.

Caden checking out the bald eagles.

My favorites...I think that's Abigail in the middle.

A bit of a goofy picture of all 4 of us!

Abigail checking out the rhino.

This is a sloth bear. I had never heard of it before. The way it moved though, it looked fake, like it was mechanical.

I think this is part Michael Jackon's Thriller and part flamingo.

This is one of his new things, trying to stand or hop on one foot.

This nice lady was talking to him about different kinds of feathers.

Wondering what Abby's looking at?
Just this goofy kid:

What a pose!

Caden checking out the gorillas - somehow we walked right past them last year.

This was our second time back. Abigail was checking out this egg...

trying to figure out how to get in.

At the end, she was ready to kick off her shoes from all that walking she did :)

This is outside the zoo on the way back to the parking lot.

It didn't take long for them to crash!

Tomato Festival Parade

2011-08-25T12:58:00.003-04:00

This past weekend we went to the Tomato Festival Parade and met up with our friends, Cheri and her son Jacob.

The kids sat very patiently waiting for the parade to get to us.

Once it started, Abigail pointed, waved, and "talked" almost the whole time. That's a big difference from last year when she slept through the whole thing :)

Stopping for a piece of candy.

Waving at...

a firetruck...and pretty much everything else too.

CANDY!! I think that was the boys' favorite part.

They have such a good time together...and are quite goofy!

I think Jacob is holding Caden back from getting some candy that went in the middle of the road.

Like I said...goofy :)

We went to the festival for some lunch after the parade.
Then we visited with some other friends at their place for some ice cream. It was such a fun day!

Hillside Farms

2011-08-23T17:14:00.004-04:00

Last month, we went to Hillside Farms again for a little tour and ice cream afterwards.

Caden was a little scared of the cows...if you can't tell by how his hands are.

Abigail liked to point and shout at the animals.

Throwing twigs into the stream.

I guess he didn't care for how these smelled.

Silly Abigail!

2011-08-23T10:25:00.004-04:00

She's good at keeping herself entertained!

"Abby's Walking!"

2011-08-19T17:10:00.004-04:00

"Abby's walking!" is a new phrase that can be heard in our house. Jason thinks that we can officially say that Abigail is walking! She walked from the computer through the kitchen, down our hall, past the front door into the living room without falling today. If you've been to our house, you know that's an accomplishment :) It's funny to see/hear, she usually lets out a few squawks, smiles, and her left arm is out in front while the right arm is straight up with a fist.

Playing in the Rain

2011-08-19T09:43:00.002-04:00

He was begging to go outside to play in the rain, so one day we figured, why not?

Swimming

2011-08-19T09:22:00.004-04:00

One of our favorite things to do when we got to visit Mammy, Aunt Erin, Pappy and GG is to go swimming at Uncle Jeff and Aunt Bonnie's!

Jason came out of the light to try to get Abby to go swimming, but she was having a good time playing with her shoes.

Abby's Check-up

2011-08-17T15:48:00.004-04:00

Abigail had her 15 month well-baby visit last Wednesday. She HATED being weighed and having her head measured but hardly flinched for the shot. I showed the Dr. how her left foot turns outward when she walks, but she wasn't too concerned, figuring it was just Abby's way of getting balanced. Then during the exam she noticed that there wasn't much resistance when she was moving Abby's hips, which isn't always a good thing. She wanted to get an x-ray of her hips just to be sure nothing was wrong, so off to the hospital we went right after her appt. She was SO good there which made the whole situation a lot better. We got the results last Friday and everything looks fine. Then on Friday Abby has decided to just take off with walking. She now will try walking rather than just dropping to the floor. If it's a big distance, she will drop, but she has made it from one side of the living room to the other without falling. My mom said she just needed to know nothing was wrong with her hips first :) Here are her stats:

Height: 30 inches
Weight: 18 lbs. 5.5 oz.
As you can see...she's still our little peanut. I called her that the other day and Caden corrected me, reminding me that she's a baby, NOT a peanut!

On another note: Abby is now saying "Caden" or "Cay-day" (she says both), "Erin", and "Ella" in addition to "Da-dee!" I haven't heard "Mama" in awhile.

Halfway Dam

2011-08-12T10:22:00.008-04:00

I'm a little behind again...but on July 17th, when we were home to paint my mom's bedroom, we also went to Halfway Dam (a.k.a. Raymond B. Winter State Park) for a picnic, fun in the sand (Caden calls it Mammy's beach), and a little hike.

We were the only clothed ones there, but I just didn't want the fuss of having to take bathing suits and change, etc.

Caden loved these little bridges...something I always like as a kid too.

We saw someone walking with a little boy and holding onto a stick. It looked like it was working well but not for us :)

Some tired kids.

Abby finally fell asleep on the hike.
Jason might be getting tired of pictures at this point :)

Twizzlers

2011-08-11T17:07:00.003-04:00

If you've ever wondered what you look like while eating Twizzlers...it might look a little something like this:

Of course you would have a big smile on your face when you're done!

Granola Banana Sticks

2011-08-10T22:02:00.003-04:00

This was another recipe Jason found. He was going to make it for us, but he mumbled something about not being able to cook in front of an audience, so it became a family event :) Too bad Abby couldn't have any because of the honey and peanut butter, but she didn't mind.
1/4 cup peanut butter
2 Tbs. plus 1 1/2 tsp. honey
4 1/2 tsp. brown sugar
2 tsp. milk
3 medium firm bananas
6 Popsicle sticks
2 crunchy oat and honey granola bars, crushed

In a small saucepan, combine the peanut butter, honey, brown sugar and milk; heat through. Peel bananas and cut in half width-wise; insert a Popsicle stick into one end of each banana half. Spoon peanut butter mixture over bananas to coat completely. Sprinkle with granola. Serve immediately or place on a waxed paper-lined baking sheet and freeze. Yummy! I thought the honey flavor was a little strong, so I might cut back a little next time.

Abby at 15 Months

2011-08-07T17:06:00.006-04:00

Abby turned 15 months the Friday before last! (Sorry Abigail...I don't know why it's taking me so long to post your month updates.)

Here are a few things she's been up to lately:
1. She loves to back herself up and plop her little bottom on things such as the heater (she's learning this is a big no-no), my lap, my stomach, or my face (when I'm lying on my back), etc.:
2. Her Funny Bunny is her #1 main squeeze! Caden has his "blankies" that he carries around, but fortunately it can be any blanket, just a certain size. It's funny to me that she has a special animal that she has to have when she sleeps and plays. She just adores that bunny!
3. She's been signing "more" for the past few weeks now. (I'm working on a video of that.)
4. She loves to share her food whether it's a Cheerio or a fistful of saucy spaghetti.
5. She has finally taken a few steps all on her own...still not walking yet, but so very close.
6. She will make some sounds connected with things like "ha" for hat, "ba" for bunny, "mama", "dada", but that's about it.
7. She nods or shakes her head all the time now when we ask her questions.
8. She will throw these little tantrums where she shakes her head and cries if things don't go her way...I hear that a temper is a redhead thing???
9. She loves to take strolls around the downstairs while holding my hand.
10. She enjoys getting her sandals and hat and trying to put them on.
11. She continues to take two two-hour naps a day, one at 10 and one at 3, but she's starting to skip the morning and then take a 3 hour afternoon nap.
12. If you ask her for a kiss, she'll lean in to get a kiss instead.
13. She is still our smiley/giggly little girl most of the time and always bring us such joy.

Kidsburg

2011-08-03T10:55:00.006-04:00

Of course you can't go to Bloomsburg with kids and not stop at Kidsburg. We also stopped at McDonald's and had a little picnic lunch.

They have a new, cute little section for younger ones, just right for Caden and Abby.

Abby had a great time in this little train part.

I think she thought there was a bench, because she backed herself into the side and then slid down...

only to find there wasn't a bench!

They both had a great time at this musical pipe section.

Bloomsburg University

2011-08-02T08:48:00.009-04:00

A little over 2 weeks ago, Jason and I decided last minute to stop at BU on our way to my mom's and walk around with the kids. We were surprised with how many changes there have been, but then when you think about it, it has been 9 years! It was nice to be back. We said it was funny that the last time we were there together, marriage was a small speck in our future plans, and there we were 7 years into our marriage with 2 kids.

Andruss Library
There was parking in front of the library rather than this pretty grassy area when we went there.

Columbia Hall
The entrance was on the other side of the brick part that is sticking out when I lived there.

There's a nice basketball court behind Columbia now.

Caden had a good time climbing on the husky.

Future BU husky?

This also was once just road, no pretty trees between Northumberland and Luzerne Halls.

The fountain in front of the library.
I didn't realize how blue the sky was until I saw this picture...

Caden liked checking out the tile map of the university in the library.

Abby didn't like not being able to see her brother.

Abigail & Hat

2011-07-28T17:08:00.005-04:00

"Oh outlet...how I wish I could touch you!"

"My hat please?"

"Never mind, I'll get it myself!"

"What's this for?"

"Now for a little ballet..."

"Have you been there the whole time?"

Cool Dude & Dudettes

2011-07-28T16:50:00.003-04:00

Tunnels aren't just for crawling!

2011-07-28T16:39:00.003-04:00

In My Opinion

2011-07-20T08:31:00.005-04:00

Lowe's sells Valspar Signature paint (blue can, rust colored lid) that is supposed to be a primer and paint all in one, therefore covering in just one coat. Well, based on our experience this past weekend at my mom's...they are wrong. We had to buy another gallon of paint (which isn't cheap) to finish the job. What Lowe's didn't tell my mom when she first bought a gallon was that some people are having trouble with reds, oranges (the color we had), and some greens...they apparently need 2 coats in order to cover. Granted we would've had to do 2 coats anyhow, one with primer, one color, but it's still frustrating!

Tearing Papers

2011-07-14T10:27:00.002-04:00

Caden has recently discovered his obvious joy for tearing up paper. He usually does it every day at least once, and will sit for awhile tearing. It's great!

Abigail and Grass

2011-07-13T18:43:00.005-04:00

Here's what Abby thinks of grass:

When I first put her down, she surprisingly didn't seem to mind.

Then one knee popped up off the ground.

Finally both knees were up...and that's how she stayed. She lets out this little squeaky fuss until you come to pick her up.

At this age, you don't mind a picture from this angle.

Standing Up

2011-07-11T12:09:00.003-04:00

She's on her way down in this picture, but Abby has starting standing on her own for a few seconds. It seems like she'll only do it when she's distracted with something else and doesn't realize it. Still no sign of walking on her own, but I'm guessing we are only getting closer!

OK - scratch that...she took about 4 or 5 very wobbly steps on her own this afternoon. Jason had her practicing, so I missed it, but it might happen sooner than we thought!

Baked Spaghetti

2011-07-07T17:04:00.003-04:00

I made this on Sunday before our vacation so that all I had to do was pop it in the oven Monday evening. It's a lot like lasagna, just with spaghetti.

1 package spaghetti (14-16 oz.)
1 lb. hamburg
1 medium onion (chopped)
1 jar meatless spaghetti sauce (26 oz. - I like a little more)
1/2 tsp. season salt
2 eggs
1/3 cup parmesan cheese
5 Tbs. melted butter
2 cups (16 oz.) small curd cottage cheese
4 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

Cook spaghetti. Meanwhile, cook beef with onion and drain any fat. Stir spaghetti sauce and season salt in with the beef. In large bowl, mix eggs, parm. cheese, and butter. Drain spaghetti and add that to egg mixture. Toss to coat. Grease a 13x9 cake pan. Place 1/2 the spaghetti mixture into pan. Top with 1/2 cottage cheese, 1/2 meat sauce, and 1/2 mozz. cheese. Repeat layers. Cover and bake at 350 for 40 min. Uncover and bake for 20 more min. or until cheese is melted. Enjoy!

Abby at 14 Months

2011-07-06T10:19:00.007-04:00

Last Wednesday, Abigail turned 14 months (sorry it took me a week to post Abby). I think she's really starting to look older and is definitely getting taller. According to our bathroom scale, her weight remains around 17 1/2 lbs. Maybe she's just going to be a little peanut. She is finally wearing some 18 month clothes though the 12 mo. still fit her well.

Some things about our little girl:
1. hates grass...LOVES sand
2. very impatient - especially when it come to eating and waiting for me to cut up her food
3. continues to eat just about anything we give her
4. continues to take 2 naps a day (at 10 and 3) and sleeps from around 8 p.m. until 7 a.m.
5. down to nursing once a day
6. very opinionated...I remember when she used to play with whatever was around her, but now that she's more mobile, she has her places she wants to be and she'll let you know
7. loves to walk while holding your hand with both hands but isn't walking alone yet
8. easily frustrated and lets out a cry when things don't go her way or she isn't able to do what she wants to do
9. has all 16 teeth
10. likes to use me as her legs - she'll want to be picked up and then if I sit down she pulls at my shoulders until I stand up, then point to where she wants to go
11. continues to share her smiles with anyone and everyone and brings so much joy to our lives