Dang Bobcat!

So, the Bobcat has already broken down. It is either the starter, the relay, or the battery cords. The inside is all rusted up. This was Levi's project car. He said it did not have a lot of electronics, so it would be really easy for him to tinker with and fix. Yeah Right! It broke down about a week ago, and it is still there at the bottom of the driveway, and now we can not even get the hood to close. Lettie went to help him fix the car. I do not know who knew the least about the car, him or her! There is a guy who lives 2 doors down that fixes cars out of his garage. I am going to see if he will take a look at it. I guess it is a good thing we never called the homeowners association about his little "side business"!

Poor Nolan and his Restless Leg Syndrome, probably because of the Leg Magic!

Advertising is never lost on Nolan!

Last night I read Harry Potter to Nolan as usual and kissed him good-night! Someone called me, so I got on the phone. He was calling for me and he sounded like it was urgent, so Levi went to see what he needed. Levi said he went and told Nolan to go to sleep. Nolan said he had to tell him something very important. Nolan said his legs were aching. Levi dismissed it and said that was ok, sometimes that happens and he just needed to go to bed. Then Nolan very seriously declared, "But dad! My legs are aching and the lady on the TV said that if your legs ache at night when you go to bed you have something called RESTLESS LEG SYNDROME!"

Well, I guess I better go ask Nolan's pediatrician about REQUIP!

He does not miss a thing!

The other day he must have been watching the early morning info-mercials instead of cartoons because he came downstairs and told me, "Mom! Did you know that your thighs are a very hard part of your body to exercise! There are muscles there that are hard to isolate! So, if you want to exercise your thighs you have to get a machine called the Leg Magic! And it is really easy to do. You just put your hands on the handlebars and move your legs like this!" (He then proceeded to jump and spread his legs and jump and bring his legs back to center!) He then proceeded to tell me all about the benefits of the Leg Magic, so he must have watched quite a but of the info-mercial! He retains information really well! Perhaps too well!

The good thing is: I think he may have a promising future on QVC!!!

My Dancing Girls!

Here is a cute little video of my dancing girls! Lettie loves to turn on the bells that I put on the tree and dance. Each time it is the same dance. A lot of booty shakin and spinning. When she first did it Levi thought that she was trying to be gross (she is at the potty humor age). I think he was going to fuss at her when I told him, "Honey! Wait! I think that is the way she seriously dances!" and sure enough it is! Jovie joined in too and did a good job! If we did not remember to clap, she would clap to remind us that she needed more positive feedback! Now Jovie goes into the kitchen and points at the CD player and wants me to turn on music! When I do... oh buddy... it is on! She dances and dances and dances! Then Lettie goes and turns her bells on so she can dance. She calls that her dance music. The 2 sounds clash so bad! Bells and Pop music don't mesh very well! Anyhow, enjoy the video!

Happy Birthday Levi!

So, Levi had a happy birthday! The kids and I made him a banner that said "Happy Birthday Dad! We love you!" and Nolan insisted I write "kisses" on it! So, I thought, "Let's add some kisses! Here are some pictures of the kids coloring the banner and adding bright pink kisses: We had a good time kissing daddy's banner!

Then we had the party! We had pizza, balloons, and balloon animals (I happened to have some long skinny balloons... Levi was special to get balloon animals at his party)! I made him a German Chocolate cake! It is the ugliest cake I ever made, but it tasted very yummy!

We did come to a realization that it bothers Callie when anyone put ANYTHING on their head! She was giving her Daddy the most sad and concerned look (if you do not remember to Tutu incident, go here... ) because he had a balloon har on, then Levi realised, "Oh I forgot! I makes you really concerned when people have strange things on their head!" The looks she was giving him was a mix or terror and concern. At least she was not weeping this time! He took it off and she was fine... but she did not want it on her head either!

The Tackiest Christmas Ever!

We have been wanting a Christmas where we go a little overboard! This year was our year! Levi has been working very hard at making this the tackiest Christmas ever over here at our house!

Take a gander at this:

My 2 Babies!

They are both so funny & so cute! They also have their own "things" they like to do! Callie is all about hitting things. She is always smacking things to see what sounds they make. She bends her fingers back and like to hit with the flat palm of her hand to get the maxium noise! We always know when she is at the top of the steps because the first thing she does is slap the floor because it makes a cool hollow sound at the top of the stairs. It is just her "thing"! Just last night she was slapping the water in the bath and then the side of the tub to hear the difference. Up and down she went! The other morning she was playing really sweetly with daddy's ear and then suddenly without warning she lifted her hand and smacked him flat palmed on the side of the face! Levi was shocked that such an act of aggression came from such a little sweet gesture. He said it was suprisingly painful! I heard it though, it made quite a nice pop, which of course thrilled Callie! The more noise the better! This is a picture of her when I started a fire in the fireplace! She proceeded to pound on the glass coffee table and make quite a racket while trying to get to the fire (that is why the coffee table is there)!

Now, Jovie is just a rascal! Levi and I both say she thinks she is 10 years old! She mocks you, teases you, and is always making jokes at the ripe old age of 1! Jovie was at the top of the stairs talking away (she knows how to come down now, so I was wondering why she was trying to get my attention)! I go to find her and she is sitting up there buck naked... and I know she knows she is not supposed to be naked! She was waiting for me to come so that she could laugh at me talking to her about where her diaper is. And of course, I said, "Jovie, where is your diaper?" and this is the response I got! Little rotten thing! She had slipped it off! I am going to have my hands full with that one!

I do have to say though... 1 pair of beautiful blue eyes is good... 2 pair of beautiful blue eyes is better! I love my blue-eyed babies!

My own personal Harry Potter!

So, the day before yesterday I hear Nolan singing the Harry Potter theme song (using Da-dums... yes, I know there are no actual words, but he really knows the tune well)! I hear him say, "Here comes Harry Potter!" and I find this:



Yep, that is my feather duster! His own personal Nimbus 2000! It is less cumersome for a 5-year-old than an actual broom! He was going around and around our downstairs chasing the snitch! He has seen 4 of the movies and we read Harry Potter every night! We are 10 pages from the end of the first book!!! He then proceeded to hold a 10 min conversation with me as if he was Harry Potter! He answered all my questions (to the best of his memory) and he would never just say Hermione, he would always say Hermione Granger, when referring to her, which I thought was funny!

Sometimes when he thinks no one is looking I have caught him acting like he was casting spells! He is a trip! So full of imagination!

Our First BMW!!!

Yes, we are entering the world of Big Mormon Wagons. Oh boy, oh joy! Never in my life would I have thought that my dream car would be a 12 passenger van! When we got the minivan, we had Jovie on the way, we did not know about Callie! So, when we got Callie it felt a bit cramped in there. So, even if the adoption thing does not happen, we have a bigger van!!! But, as of now, it looks like it will probably happen... so, now we have a van to fit everyone in! I need those window decals now with the little outlines of the kids and stuff! Oh, wont it be precious!!!

She smells just right to me...

So, Dizzie smells... BAD! I do not know if you can see it in this picture but her fur is turning a kind of gray, she has a jelly spot on the side of her face that has picked up dirt, and she smells like dirt, spit, and stale food all rolled into one! So, I asked Lettie if I could give her a bath! She said "No, why?" And I said, "Because Dizzie REALLY SMELLS!"

To this she just hugged Dizzie tight, took and big whif, and said, "She smells just right to me!"

Oh, the love of a girl and her bear! Dizzie is very real to her and Heaven forbid I wash her in that mean old washing machine!

Here is a little video of the last time I tried to wash Dizzie... and yes, I feel bad when I look at it now, because that is pitiful! But I was hoping she would get over it and when she realized Dizzie was OK after the wash and then she would let me wash her without too much of a fuss! She was happy when she came out clean, smelling good, and in one piece... but she still will not let me wash her again! Next time I am going to do a covert night-time operation! Man she was mad at me! I wish I had kept this video running 5 more seconds because she ran away and slammed the door like a teenager. It was so sad, but so funny! (Oh, and yes, the upstairs is a mess... not an unusual thing around here these days... lots of kids make lots of mess)!

Why front loaders are not always a good idea...

I came around the corner and found this:

She is such a funny kid! She loves to make trouble! One day Lettie was saying "Jovie Emergency, Jovie Emergency" (She and Nolan call it the "Jovie alarm"... quite impressive, they came up with it themselves) and I looked in the washer to see her smiling face staring back at me, but I could not find the camera in time because she was ready to get out, so I have learned to keep the door shut! I was gathering laundry when I found her on her way inside again!!! What a stinker! You can't leave her alone for a minute without her getting into something!