May???

Ok, so I have been out of the blogging loop since last May.  So much for my new years resolution for 2011.  I made it only a few months.  I want to say that 2012 will be better but who am I kidding,  I have two little ones and so much to do, RIGHT? 

Well, this summer was not without major news!  Liam turned 3! and decided to go potty "like a big man"! Woot, woot!

Jocelyn really wants to be a big girl too, but so far every time we put her in panties she has had an accident.  We will be glad to wait.

In other news, I am still working part time for the preschool and LOVING IT.  Charlie is working for Round Table and it is going great.  It was the perfect change at the prefect time for our family.

Since I have have been behind all summer, I will post a bunch of pictures then I will attempt to post regularly again...

May has come and gone

Here are some pictures from the month of May.

Jocelyn has changed so much this last month.  She has gotten her crawling legs on and her confidence is through the roof.  In the past month I have found her on the table, the kitchen island, Liam's window sill, the washing machine.  She has been on top of the play kitchen so often that I finally had to put it in the garage.  She truly has no fear which means that I have quadruple fear.

Charlie did get to spend some time with the guys fly fishing in New Mexico at Cow Creek Ranch.  He had a blast and we are so grateful that he has had the chance to get away for the break.

Uncle Matt

J also graduated (her choice, not mine) from her baby counter seat to the bar stool.  She just wants to do everything that Liam does.

We just recently took the kids to the family day a the Reno Rodeo.  It was so much fun, J rode a pony, Liam rode his first roller coaster for toddlers, and they both got to fish and sit on the front of a big fire engine.  Everything but the pony ride was free, including admission, highly recommend it for parents with little ones.

I have started my new schedule at work and so I am down to two days a week. It will be perfect for us for the summer, and I am enjoying having Fridays free now too.

Change

When we moved into this house, our backyard was great.  However, living through a winter here has emphasized how much we need to finish it.  So this winter we hatched a plant to get rid of the "clay" and make room for the play (maybe even a dog! We will see.).  We planned to finish the yard this spring so that no more mud would be tracked into our home.  Here are are some before and after pictures....

But that isn't it.....

We have the during pictures and a few others too, enjoy....

J filling her shopping cart with Granola Bars.

That's pretty much it on the backyard.  They love it. 

Also, we have a Jocelyn that loves her purse and hats....

Liam and I put together a Resurrection egg "project" so that we could start introducing the true meaning of Easter to him. The eggs are supposed to have something inside each egg. Liam heard "crown" and "head" and this is what he did instead.

Love that kid.

Hope you all experienced the joy and peace of the Easter Story this year.  It came to life for me in a different way than ever before.

The last of our BIG news. Charlie changed jobs.  He will be working for Round Table as a Manager now.  He has the option for growth and medical.  We are so excited.  He started today and it looks promising.  Mostly it looks like the change that he needed from working as a Lineman in the wind, rain, and snow at all hours of the day, to utilizing his talents as a Manager in the food service industry.  We are so grateful for this change!

Yeah, pictures!

I will do my best to update you with mostly pictures and few words....

Our trip to Calistoga in February...

This is the Calistoga Fire Station and the converted train shops that used to hold the candy store that we went to when I was a kid.  The shops are now less than thriving, sad.

Cool stone mushroom garden

We went to Yountville to go to Michael Chiarello's NapaStyle store and found this great space for the kids to run in and play in the fountains.

We had a nice time visiting with family.

Liam and Sage kept holding hands, so cute!

And playdough of course.

On the way home we stopped to let the kids play.

We also have had quite a bit of snow since my last post and have been finding fun ways to play inside...

This was not my favorite indoor play activity, but J liked it.

Liam made boats from Styrofoam and meat trays for he and J. The did well in the kitchen sink but didn't last too long in the bath that night.  Fun though.

Finally, we played at the new kids area in the mall.  Kids loved it and we will definitely do it again.

Jocelyn teaching me a lesson...Enjoy the wild ride, if you fly off onto your butt, laugh, get up and repeat!