Introducing Mr. Bottle Bones...

We had so much fun making Mr. Bottle Bones. The project took a wee bit longer than planned, so out came the camera for some entertainment. We used 9 old milk cartons to construct the boney dude. Hubs used a knife to make his face...it was kinda scary looking so we opted for scissors for the rest of the project. Any family resemblance here?

K-bel and F were playing so sweetly in the playroom during the bottle bones assembly. That was definitely a Kodak (well, Nikon really) moment. It was really cute...they are both starting to say, 'cheeeeese' anytime I have my camera out.

Once Pops got here for the weekend, he intervened and finished up Mr. Bottle Bones with some help. All in all, we had a great time. The kids have talked about him all week as he hangs outside on our back porch. F loves to say his name the best...'mommy, dats (that's) miiiister bones'. Ha...she really is a cute little pumpkin (oh...and more on that pumpkin stuff to come soon).

Happy Birthday Pops...

Today is my dad's (technically stepdad's) birthday. There might not be a luckier little girl in the world as me. I always tell people that I have two dads. Thankfully, both of them get along like champs. And my real dad has thanked Pops several times for loving me and raising me the way that he did. That has been such a great gift to me. Both of them EVEN walked me down the aisle together.

Anyway...today is his special day. He is fifty something, but not quite sixty. He is probably the most hard working person I know (maybe besides Hubs). His heart...pure gold. His voice so soft and wise, but strong if absolutely necessary. Ask him how many times he disciplined me if you have the chance...the answer...exactly 1/2. I was so broken hearted that he was even having to talk to me about something that I told him to stop and leave me alone. He knew he made his point and it never happened again. :)

I have so many memories. I can't even list them all. I have two favorite to this very day. Each and every Sunday after church, Pops and I would run into the house and change our clothes real quick. We would play and play and play basketball in the driveway for as long as we could get away with it (Sunday was cleaning day ya know :). We truly enjoyed being together...we were best buds. Another favorite...as a young kiddo, I would holler for Pops after I had gone to bed. I would tell him that I wanted my back scratched and he would sit by my bed forever and scratch my back. The catch...he was so tired himself that he would start nodding off to sleep. So, I would jerk or move or something to wake him up and he would keep going. God love him...

Cause I sure do.

Happy birthday Pops...you are incredible. We will always be the best of buds. I love you! (and...you are an incredible grandfather....but I just wanted to write about us! :)

The Many Tricks of Baby T...

He might be the most talented baby 'EVER...in the whole history of the world' (that is how C describes a lot of things these days). Here are some photos, in order as they occurred...haha.

I am very impressed with Baby T's skills at only two weeks old.

I am not exactly sure what you call these moves, but they are truly major talent. We got a great laugh out of the tiny guy that night especially since it was about 11pm when his show took place. Impressive...huh?

Laffy Taffy laughs...

C just told me this joke off of a laffy taffy package... C: How do you fix a jack-o-lantern? Me: I'm not all that sure.... C: With a pumpkin patch.... Haha...I love clean jokes for the little kindergarten man.

A little ladybug turned two...

This weekend, our good friends here in the new hometown had a ladybug party for their youngest child. The party was great and we had tons of fun. K-bel is obsessed with swinging and wanted to try the big swing. As I was downloading pictures onto my computer from the party, Hubs and I both had to laugh about this one. F by the warning label...ironic? Slightly...what a mess!! :) Can't you just see that she is always up to something?

We had a great time at the party and hopefully the birthday girl did too!

Men of the house...

These guys are excited that their numbers have increased. Baby T is doing great. We are really enjoying him...the kids think he is fantastic (and well, quite frankly, Hubs and I do too). Yesterday, Hubs and I met up with C at his school for his Relay for Life walk with the American Cancer Society. With two double strollers in tow, we walked a half of a mile while honoring friends and family that have experienced cancer. C said that he understood the reason we were doing what we were doing. I was honored to walk with him...and for those that we love.

Our new hometown's football team did great last night...probably because they have Coach Hubs in charge of the defense. I mean, he is super incredible and all. I love him.

Today...first soccer game. For C, it was his first indoor soccer experience. For K, it was her first soccer game experience period. I must say that it was a lot of fun. C said that he thinks indoor soccer is a lot easier. He scored 3 of the 6 goals which is funny because he was not a soccer superstar in his previous life :) !! We were so excited that he had fun and we were proud that he played hard. K had a great time. There was only one glitch...her coach couldn't figure out why she wouldn't kick the ball at some point during the game. The coach brought K over to me and I asked her what was wrong...I am not kidding when I tell you that she said, "I can't play soccer because my bow fell out." I put her bow back in and all was well...haha. Then, after the game K said, "they never let me have a turn with the ball." I guess we need to teach the princess what team sports are all about...atleast the part about it not being all about her. :) Bless her heart.

F started her day out with this hairdo. Clearly, beauty rest has a whole new meaning.

Ya'll have a great weekend.

He's happy to be here....

And we are so happy that he is here too.

This is baby T. We received a phone call on Thursday from our foster agency letting us know that a sweet baby had been born. And that sweet baby needed a foster mommy and daddy to love on him for a while (always an undetermined amount of time). So, Hubs and I had the honor of picking him up yesterday and bringing him home.

Nana and Pops came to see the family and, as always, we had a wonderful time. Sweet little K-bel was so excited to meet baby T and she was screaming, "I hold it. I hold it." over and over.

All of the kids have been great with him. They are awesome...we just love our little (maybe kinda big) family.

He is adorable. He is sweet. And he is the perfect addition to our crazy circus.

These days are coming to an end...

Tonight's conversation in the bathroom went just like this:

K (while laughing as C was getting ready to get into the tub and she was getting out): "Ha...C, you have a tail."

C (slightly exasperated): "K, that is not called a tail."

K: "hmmm"

C (now decided he needed to go potty first...so, standing at the potty): "My tail does squirt water though."

Both went on about their business as I was hiding my face behind some clothes that I was folding, laughing so hard. Hubs continued his bath duties with no other mention of tails. Another sign that we are growing up.

The greatest and the latest...

Last week was a fun week. We had homecoming here in the new hometown, which meant lots of small town activities. We ventured out to all of them. K-bel and the other two girls wore their new little tu-tus that Lanie made them and looked adorable. On Monday and Tuesday of last week, we kept our sweet little friend, Little J. She was so good and just walked around checking things out all day. The ball pit was a super big hit with her. We had a great time with her...but we are not sure if we bored her or wore her out. What do you think?

On Thursday our friends A and J came to play all morning. The girls played great together...lots of art work and coloring. F and J played some together but K and A (boy that gets confusing) really play wonderfully together.

On Friday night, we enjoyed a great football game. We were so excited that my aunt and uncle and Chris' mom came in to go to the game with us. It was an easy win...our new team is really playing well. District games start next week, and the schedule is tough, but we are hoping for some good wins. Our sweet babysitter, S.C. was on the homecoming court...and looked absolutely beautiful. We love having her over (mostly just to hang out since we never go anywhere...haha)...the kids, especially K, think that she is the best.