Blueberries

Earlier this summer we found a great price on local blueberries.  We made syrup and froze several pounds for blueberry pancakes, muffins, tarts, or whatever other tasty goodies we can think of this winter.

Ironically, once the blueberries were stored away Edwin and I realize we brewed a little more than syrup.

 So we are now introducing... Baby Blueberry! 

 Each or our kids had a unique in-utero name.  Baby Blueberry was named because morning sickness hit hard and fast and we explained to the kids why mom was so sick.  They asked how big baby was, and well.....baby was the size of a blueberry according to one website. With all those blueberries in the house the kids understood just how big Baby Bluebery was at the time.  The name stuck and we are happy to have Baby Blueberry arriving this spring. 

So there you have it....

We are expecting a healthy baby boy in April.

Curlers

We finally found some sponge rollers and we all think they are fabulous. 

James likes to curl his hair too. 

 He's having such a difficult time being a boy in this house full of girls.

Missing

Look What Grace is Missing

It's been about 8 weeks of "loose tooth" syndrome at our house.

Today was the final day.  It's Grace's first tooth and we are excited to try to catch the toothfairy tonight while she is sleeping!

Ah, the joys of childhood!

Halloween Festivities

It all started with two little girls who knew last year they wanted to be witches. 

We bought a few witch hats and embellished them.

James needed a wizard hat to go along with his big sisters.

We spent an afternoon painting pumpkins and gourds.  For Family Home Evening one night we painted Styrofoam balls to look like eyeballs (I neglected to take any pictures of Grace's wonderful idea so you'll have to wait until next year.)

We dressed up for the church Trunk or Treat

Anne wanted to be a scary witch for Halloween night

Grace was a pretty witch

James wanted face paint too and refused to wear any sort of costume.  However, he helped himself to the neighbors' candy troves and gave lots of hugs to the elderly couples.  We had a successful Halloween.

Edwin did a great job carving the spider pumpkin too.

Messy, Messy

James was the sweetest little baby.

He accepted his sisters' love and adoration.

James was willing to do whatever the girls wanted.

I should have known trouble was on the way when he learned to stand up in a moving wagon at the playground.

Nothing seemed to deter him from his destination.

He's always been fond of sweet treats, cold things, and anything that contains a straw.

There was a time James took four baths a day in the kitchen sink.

We thought it was funny that he couldn't walk, but he could roll watermelons around all over grandma's floor.  Who needs a ball when you've got a melon anyway?

As I mentioned before he bathed after every meal time.

Oh, then he discovered rocks, gravel, and sand.  Delicious, no?

One day he helped himself to the raising roll dough.  Sneaky little guy opened the back door so I thought he was outside for a few minutes, but then I heard the clatter.  James washed his hair in the dough as well as my entire stove and floor.

He's enjoys painting.  It doesn't matter the canvas.

And now he's big enough to really be a help in the kitchen.

One day I believe he'll be a bit neater, but for now, my house is chaos, and I'm really doing my best.

While visiting family this summer a relative asked, "Is James always messy, or do you just like taking pictures when he's messy?"  After two days she concluded, "James is always messy."

One of our little friends from summer daycare would constantly say, "James is a messy boy."  And I would certainly have to agree with that wise little man.  Some of the things I regret not having pictures of include the day he had a rootbeer can explode in the kitchen, the day he painted the table, chairs, all his clothes, and the carpet pumpkin orange (residual stains still remain) and the day he bleached the bathroom by himself. 

Oh, lovely little James, you are a messy boy. And we love you!