Nate is 20!

How is that possible?!

nate & slade 12/2007

Happy Birthday Nate!!

you need to come visit us SOON, mister.

We miss you! 

the boys want to play with their uncle :)

stubborn boy

today jagger had his first speech therapy session.  corey took him while i stayed home with cash and slade.  this session was basically just a "meet & greet," getting all jagger's basic info and a little bit of observation.  from what i understand, jagger refused to do anything they asked because it wasn't on his terms.  jagger wouldn't even say the one word they asked him to, even though he says it approximately 92,584 times a day at home: more.  it will be interesting to see how they go about getting him to talk, and i am eager to learn any techniques they can teach us.  i'm convinced that he can talk, but he is stubborn and a little lazy.  for example, the other day corey asked jagger if he wanted a grilled cheese.  his response was "yay! grilled cheese!" just as clear as day.  corey was surprised jagger said it so clearly so he asked him to repeat it and jagger said "yay! chee!"  and he wouldn't say it clearly again.  what is with that?!  laziness, i tell you.  

we'll see what happens.  his next appointment is on monday.

i can't wait until he can start communicating better!

I Love Fair Food!

even though it is so not healthy and ridiculously expensive.  

one thing that i love about summer is all the festivals and street fairs that go on.  warren happens to have quite a few that celebrate the local heritage.  there was a greek festival a couple of weeks ago that i missed, but i was able to go the the italian american festival today.  hurray!!

corey took a (very) brief break from working so we could go sample the food.  thanks, honey!

so many yummy possibilities...

this is a group of men playing the italian game morra.  

have you ever seen anyone playing it?

it's crazy.  they are yelling loudly while throwing fingers at

each other trying to guess what the sum will be.  

it's like the italian version of rock, paper, scissors, but much more heated and serious.

this is how we got the kids around.  

jagger and cash in the stroller, slade in the pack on papa's back.

this pack is what i have been using to carry slade around in the house.

he loves it and has taken a few naps in it, and it helps free up my hands.

cash being happy and cute, as usual

enjoying ravioli (it is the italian festival after all)

why do i find it necessary to open my mouth like i'm eating when i'm feeding the kids?!

i look crazy :)

these are the essentials:

everything else can vary, but these items are a must from every fair i attend:

what is it about fair fries that makes them so good?  i think it's the extra grease...

delicious fresh squeezed lemonade

and a huge heavily sugar coated elephant ear

all the food was delicious and it was nice to get out for a quick walk around downtown :)

canfield fair is next on my list!

park

hello!

still dealing with crazy kids.  not sure what exactly is going on.  teething may be the culprit for cash and slade.  being 2 might be the culprit for jagger.  their decibel levels have reached new heights.  tonight they overwhelmed us with their shrieking abilities and we realized we had to get out of the house as though our lives depended on it (or maybe their lives!).  so we made a quick trip to the park.  quick because after we were there for only about 15 minutes, it started to pour.  I was able to snap a few picks at least.  it was the first time in the swings for cash and slade.  slade loved it, while cash enjoyed the first few pushes, then preferred to just watch slade and not move.  not many pics of jagger because he was running around like a mad man giggling wildly and I couldn't keep up while watching the babies as well.

and can i just tell you that it is pretty much impossible to get anything done when you are surrounded by screaming kids?!  there is so much that i need to get done and my house is in shambles, but these kids just won't let me be.  particularly mr. slade, my constant companion, who prefers that i hold him at all times lest he be forced to use his powerful lungs to voice his disapproval at having to entertain himself.  i know that i'll miss this baby stage when they are out of it (especially since it is the last time i'll be going through it), but sometimes i find myself thinking i just can't wait until they are a little bit older.  is that bad?  it's a catch 22 because i don't want them to grow up too fast; i want to savor every little baby moment, but at the same time, i think they are making me insane and i'm hoping it will be easier when they are a little more self-sufficient. 

we'll make it through one day at a time :)

difficult day

today has been a very difficult day.

is there a full moon tonight?  maybe something in our water?  

the babies have been screaming their heads off and will not be consoled.

jagger is being very mischievous and ornery.  he is like a tornado, leaving destruction in his wake.

so let us think back to yesterday when they were in a somewhat more happy mood...

jagger was very helpful with mowing the lawn :)

coloring the driveway with chalk.  

per jagger, I was not allowed to draw, only he and papa.

cash and slade enjoyed being outside :)

who says sparklers are only for the 4th of july?  

jagger thinks it's fun to try and blow them out

I'm hoping that a good nights rest will restore these boy's happy attitudes.

tomorrow's a new day, right?

let us hope it is a better one...

congratulations!

congratulations to grandma & grandpa d on your brand new granddaughter!

how exciting to have a new little life to love :)

she is blessed to have such wonderful grandparents!

we are so happy for your family!

We now return to your regularly scheduled blog

Hello there!

It's been awhile.

So glad that my busy, busy week is over.

Back to our old routine.

Here is a snippet from this weekend.

I went over to my friend Jessica's house on Sat. while Corey was working at the church.

We let the kids play outside all day.

Jagger is obsessed with their little motorized jeep.  he would sit in it until one of the bigger kids came over to drive him around.

first things first, strip the kid down to his diaper & slather on the sunscreen

sage obliged jagger's request to be driven around.  he is blowing me kisses goodbye.

torin came over to be included in the picture :)

uh oh...the two year olds have control of the jeep.  neither knows how to drive it.  notice no hands on the steering wheel...

jagger looks smug that he figured out how to make it go...torin looks a little scared...

oh no... torin has abandoned ship.  now jagger is in total control.  

but he can only make it drive in circles.

(and notice the tongue out while concentrating...he must get that from uncle andy)

crash!

  the big kids come to the rescue.  

boy am i glad that it's still another 13 1/2 years until he can start driving! 

here's what cash and slade did while jagger was terrorizing the streets,  i mean yard

notice how pudgy slade's thighs are.  we call him chunk.

and jessica and i kept an eye on the kids while reading this glorious book.  

It's 756 pages and we read it in less than 48 hours.

(we actually went to a midnight book release party on friday to get it.  yes, we are that dorky)