Jack's birthday

Jack's birthday is coming in a few more months. For some reason i've been thinking a lot about what to get him. From a few posts back you know we get bored some around here, i want to get him something/s that will help with his boredom, that will help him with his imagination. We have quite a few toys, but we're all sick of them. And they're sort of annoying because most of them are half missing, or broken, or whatever. I want to get him something for his birthday that he'll just love to play with, that will help with his imagination and that he'll enjoy for a long, long time.  I was googleing what to get 3 year old boys and came upon this quote 

"Play kitchens or clubhouses, tents, cars/trucks, empty cans, blocks, pencil and paper, crayons, paint and the like. Anything at all really. At 3, children's imagination will begin to run rampant. The best thing to do is to avoid toys that do too much of the play by themselves (things that move, light up, etc.) Instead choose toys that REQUIRE imagination to enjoy. Blocks don't do anything until you add some imagination. Play food and kitchens don't do much until you PRETEND to cook., Basic cars, trucks don't do anything until you DRIVE them. Pencils, pens, crayons, markers, paper, etc. are useless until a child decides what should be there. At 3 kids LOVE LOVE LOVE to play pretend, so suggest that the couch is a rocketship heading to mars or the recliner is a horse drawn carriage and see where his imagination takes him. Ask him to tell you stories about places he'd like to see (made up or actual). These are all fantastic ways to encourage a child's imagination. Good luck"

I want to get him something that will be timeless, fun, durable so Nellie and our other kids will enjoy it for years to come. I don't want more cheap things that don't last. Or sets that are useless with something missing. I want to get something he'll love. But that i'll love to have around too. I keep watching and hoping to discover interests that Jack just loves, but haven't really come across anything yet. If anybody has and ideas of what we should get him for his birthday, let me know! What have your boys loved? I'd love some suggestions. We've got a kitchen (he doesn't play with it much), he's got a bike (he doesn't ride much) and we just recently got him a train set (that he loves, but will only play with if we're playing with him too). We've got to somehow teach him to play indepently, which he does pretty well outside, but we're stuck indoors quite a bit up here it seems so we need some more distractions... 

Thanks!

We've been working the yard lately and had a huge pile of dirt on our front lawn, the kids LOVED to play in it, and i think they're sad its gone. Anyway, one day Jack walked in and looked like this. He was pretty distraught and didn't know why we were all laughing so hard. Of course i grabbed my camera, took a few pictures and headed into the bathroom for a clean up. I lifted Jack up to look in the mirror and he just busted up laughing. Its was so funny, i still have no idea how he could have gotten so dirty.

Its been so long since i've posted i don't even recognize this publisher. Its different. ANYWAY, i figured it was about time. Lately i've been feeling like a terrible mom because we get SO bored around here. I have the hardest time thinking of things to do with the kids, especially on those days that its just too unpleasant to go outside. Jack's starting acting up a bit and i know its because he's bored. I feel like all i do is say  "No." All. The. Time. So...today i decided i was going to try to do something different and out of the ordinary. We played with flour. It was messy, next time i think we'll do it outside, but it really was fun. It kept the kiddo's entertained, along with their momma, for the better part of an hour. Here's some pics

No so sure why they thought it was fun to eat it, but i didn't try to stop them :)

I have the hardest time getting Nellie to look at a camera for pictures, she'd just rather not, so when i got that looking and smiling picture up top, i was pretty excited, even if her eyes are a little crazy. 

What do you all do for fun at your house? Any great ideas?

Let me know :), Please :)

I seriously can't believe how grown up my kids are. Nellie's 1 year old molars are coming in. She's talking so much, i love listening to her. Jack is big, and so, so funny. I love that they're playing together now. Its so fun to watch them outside, Nellie kind of follows Jack around everywhere but doesn't put up with anything from him. I love their little personalities. I don't know how we ever got so blessed to have such wonderful kids, i really do love them more than i ever knew was possible. 

Nellie love

Nellie loves pickles, I love watching her eat them

Its a Girl!

Maybe not many of you new we were even expecting.

Not only did you NOT know we are expecting, but we're expecting double nonuplets (yes, i had to look that up, and of course i googled it), that means 18.

Calves that is.

The first one made her debut last night and she's a cutie!

(For some reason, i think this picture is so funny. Just look at those eyes, my eyes would look like that too if John we sticking me with that needle. Be sure to notice her pink ear tag)

One proud daddy, i mean owner

He's not a baby anymore

Well its done. My 1st baby, is not a baby anymore. 

He's seriously awesome. I know i shoudn't go bragging about this yet...its only been a view days, but he is AWESOME! This is how it went

Day 1: Didn't bother counting accidents (Because there were so many)

Day 2: 0 accidents

Day 3: 0 accidents

Day 4: Today, 0 accidents

He hasn't worn a diaper since Wednesday morning.

A momma couldn't be more proud

Which is why i'm posting this next picture of his knee-cap.

Not sure why Jack wanted a picture of his knee, but on a day like today, i was happy to oblige. 

One

Wow! I cannot believe my little girl is one...and she has been for a week! Crazy. Nellie is perfect in every way and her birthday was very fun. She was a little bit sick on her birthday, but was such a trooper anyway.

Lunch with the Porters, cake and ice cream with the Beans. Presents first thing in the morning because Jack couldn't wait any longer for Nellie-girl to open them. Yummy chocolate cake. Cincinnati Chili for Lunch (a HUGE hit, pretty sure that will always be our birthday meal because it is our FAVORITE), and lots and lots of attention, and Kitchen fun (hint hint, this is the cliff hanger for a future post). Overall it was a great day and so fun to celebrate our sweet angel that came to us a year ago. Happy Birthday Nellie! We love you

Nellie Facts, 1 year:

-Weight: 18.3 lbs
-Height: 29.5 inches
-Head circumference: Perfect ( i can't remember)
-Nellie loves to play with Jack
-She's a pro at stairs, has been going up and down for month or two now and hasn't fallen down them for at least 2 months
-She's almost walking. She walks back and forth between us, takes probably 8 wobley steps. She'll get it soon
-Doesn't like to miss anything
-Good napper, takes 2 naps. Both a couple of hours usually
-Doesn't sleep through the night. Has every once in a while but we have a theory that sleeping through the night makes her sick, because every time we get her to sleep all night, she gets sick, and then is up most of the night for a few days and it throws off her schedule.
-Still nurses. Probably 3 or 4 times. Especially when getting ready to go to sleep because she never did like the binky.
-Talks, all the time. Says ball, blanket, daddy, Jack, mama, and lots of other things i'm sure. She also always joins us when singing songs.
-Signs please
-Starting to really like books. She hasn't liked them much up until this point but  now is starting to sit with Jack while i read them both stories.
-Wears size 3 diapers and 12-18 month clothes.
-Gives great kisses
-Has 2 teeth

Nellie really is perfect, she is such a girl and we love it. She's got this fake cry that is so funny. She's very dramatic. I'm so grateful for my Nel!

Moving Cows

Earlier this week we had a little more excitement than usual, Von recruited me and the kids to help John and Debbie move some cows. We followed behind in the truck and i even got to ride for a little while Debbie drove the kids. It was fun and nice to practice my cow call (hup, hi-up, yip yip yip)

John was sure worn out afterwards. I love this sleepyhead.

"A beautiful lady and a handsome young man" (10 pts to whoever knows what movie that line comes from)

.

Man do i love these two.

Good day to run through the sprinklers

Well, its 65 degrees outside, aparently thats a good temperature for running through sprinklers. These were taken after he begged me to bring him inside because he was COLD! Go figure...

Weekend with family

We had a fun weekend with the Olsen's. They came Thursday and stayed through Sunday. We played, and made applesauce, and tore down walls, and painted kitchen's (not mine). Natalie and my mom both posted pictures and unfortunately i just didn't have many :(.

Here's what i've got :) First off though, remember when Jack fell off a horse? Maybe i forgot to mention that...anyway Jack got bucked off a horse the other day. It was pretty scary and thankfully he was fine, but this first picture is of Jack telling the story to the Olsens

"I fell down the horsie, got grass in my mouth, ouchie"

This is him demonstrating what he did after he got grass in his mouth

My mom and i went on a little horse ride, my mom is quite the cowgirl, she did great, and she even came prepared. I love this picture

She is most definitely ready for anything :)
It was so fun to have them here, we LOVE visitors!!!

"Happy birthday to Jack"...not really but this is what Jack says almost daily, whenever he see's something he got for his birthday, when he see's balloons, or when he see's a cake. Then he wants us to sing the song. "Happy birthday to Jack, Happy birthday to Jack, happy birthday to jaaaack, happy birthday to Jack. Thats how our song goes.

I think he really liked his birthday this year, but mostly, i think he thinks its pretty cool that there is a song with his name in it. I love this little guy