Reminder

All parents are better at some things than others. For us, we tend to struggle with just letting our kids go nuts and be kids. On my end, I probably just expect too much. As soon as my kids can talk, I want them to understand their emotions, be able to read between the lines, and get the subtleties of sarcasm. On Meggan's end, she mostly just doesn't like the noise, chaos, and mess that comes with a proper game of freeze tag in the house. We try to catch ourselves when we are being overprotective or too demanding, but it isn't easy.  So, Meggan hung this little reminder for us in their playroom. It is just a way to keep up in check so we remember that when fun happens, toys get broken, kids get loud, and messes get made. 

Champion

Amelia's hide and seek skills have come a long way from the videos below. Now, she'll hide in silence for a week if I can't find her...

How she hides how...

How she used to hide...

New Look

After every holiday, Amelia always has a new look. This time, it is Elsa....I'm not 100% sure, but I think the blonde hair might be a wig....

Time Flies

Birth Day....

1st Birthday.....

2nd Birthday....

                          



3rd Birthday...

4th Birthday...
                     

5th Birthday....

Birthday #3

I know the Chuck E. Cheese party was pretty awesome yesterday, but for my money, if you don't have fried ice cream, a bunch of people singing Happy Birthday in spanish, and an enormous sombrero on your head, you aren't celebrating the right way. 

Birthday #2

Amelia had a great birthday party at Chuck E. Cheese today. I'd post a picture of her, but I couldn't get any because she was basically a blur of running, playing excitement. So, I figured I'd post a pic of this guy, who is clearly having a good time of his own...

Birthday #1

Amelia had her first 5th birthday party tonight (tomorrow is the real deal party with kids and fun). I don't even fully understand how 5 years has gone by.

Good Times

I found this picture from last week .....is there anything better than having a deep conversation with your sibling, getting warm by the fire, and drying off from your dad pelting you with snowballs??? I didn't think so....

Sharer

If Everett is anything, he's a sharer. For a 2 year-old, he exceptionally generous. The only caveat is you have to ask him. If you ask him, he'll give you half of his favorite cookie. Conversely, if you try to take even a crumb without asking, he will likely stab you in the neck. 

Here, his dog clearly asked politely for some chicken...

Problem

Of all the things I like and dislike about my new house, I have to say my internet connectivity might be the worst.  At no point is it good and at some points (like tonight) I can't connect at all. Posting from my phone is not gonna cut it.

Dressed Up

Ev wanted to dress to impress on his first day of children's church...

Style

First, let me state that I feel Amelia is about 25 years too young to wear makeup. Secondly, let me state that my opinion clearly doesn't matter as someone has already purchased a Cinderella makeup kit for her. Lastly, let me state that I'm pretty sure she needs some practice when it comes to sneaking in her room and putting on eye shadow....

Happy Valentine's Day!

Meg and I don't celebrate Valentine's day with/for each other. We both have the belief that you should love with all your heart 365 days a year. That said, Amelia loves it and made this card. She made it for people at nursing homes who may or may not have anyone share love with them, but I'm sure she wouldn't mind sharing it with you as well...

Woody

Cowboy Woody rides again!




 Note: No Everetts were harmed in the filming of this video

The Count

I found out today that Ev can count to 10 (with a little trouble with 7)

Get Some

Meggan and I decided to do some exercises at home tonight. Technically, Meggan has been exercising from home and I decided to join her. While I'd love to show you pictures of us killing it, neither of us is into taking pictures of ourselves. So, I've provided you with a photo of our two body doubles who also got their fitness on tonight...

Fresh Cut

Ev got his haircut today. Like they always say...what a difference a year makes...


Last March...

 Today...

Dressed for Success

Ev has always had a wild fashion sense. That said, I think a red pony tail, pirate shirt, and cowboy boots are out there even for him. The good news is if he ever finds ends up walking the streets at 3am talking to himself, he's already got the perfect outfit for it...

Selective

Why is it that Sophie can poop anywhere INSIDE my new house within 5 seconds of me turning my back, yet when I take her outside, she has to personally interview each blade of grass before choosing a worthy landing spot for her potty break???  Even after finding the perfect location, anything from a brisk breeze to the chirp of a bird can derail the entire operation. I know she's dealing with some stress issues, but if the Prozac and Pepto (yes, my dog is seriously on Prozac and Pepto Bismol) don't start working soon, I'm going to go Anchorman on her and punt her off a bridge.

Late Night

On nights like tonight where I am still at the office at 10 o'clock, I like to take a peek at some pics of the kids. The pics don't have to be anything great. They just serve as a nice reminder of what's important. Tonight's shot is from this morning. As you can clearly see by the way Everett has his hands behind his back like a tied up terrorist victim and Amelia can't take her eyes off the TV long enough to take a photo, the kids are really into making these memories for me.

Bilingual

While the closest Meggan and I get to speaking a foreign language is ordering a Nachos BellGrande, Amelia is steadily learning. Once she enters Kindergarten this fall, she'll take foreign language every day. In the meantime, she is getting a massive head start...

Like Dad

Just like her dad, Amelia is apparently a destructive force at the very important game of air hockey...

Well, almost settled

We are almost completely unpacked. The kids love their new rooms and play areas. Meggan loves her new kitchen. I love that I  saw two deer in the back yard this morning. It seems like everything is going perfectly. So, naturally, Sophie decided to take a dump on our happiness... literally. We had to take her to the emergency vet today because she was treating our hardwoods, our carpet, and our tile like a rest area toilet. Apparently, aside from being a jackass who likes to spend our money on Sunday visits to the vet, she is a sensitive dog with a nervous tummy. Yep, she is having puppy panic attacks due to the major change and can't control her stomach. Awesome. Awesome. Awesome.

If you know anyone who wants a sweet, lovable, slightly mentally unstable jack-a-poo, let me know. Please.

Getting Settled

Ahhh, sweet Internet, it is so great to have you back. Thanks to the lovely snow, essentially every hotel in our area being sold out, and the seller leaving our new house dirtier than a truck stop bathroom, I've had no time to get online the past few days.

We have now been in our new house for 3 days. I can tell you, no matter how many inspections, walk throughs, or drive bys you do, you will always find a few new surprises once you actually own the home. For us, the first surprise was how dirty and cluttered it was left. Meggan and I got on our hands and knees and scrubbed the house we sold. We did this because we wanted the new owners to walk in and feel great about their purchase.  The house we purchased had moldy cheese in the fridge, a dump truck worth of half used toiletries in the cabinets, and enough hair left around to make a homemade Donald Trump wig. The second surprise was that our bedroom is about 10 degrees colder than anywhere else in the house. All vents are open. The hallway outside the the room feels fine. However, Meg and I have had to sleep with 2 blankets just to fight off hypothermia. The last surprise so far is that water doesn't come out of one of our faucets and doesn't stay in our shower. Oh well, I guess you can't win them all.

The good news is these are all minor issues and we both feel extremely lucky to have our new home.  I'm looking forward to the years ahead and the countless memories these walls will witness.