Valentine's Day 2012

We don't go crazy for Valentine's Day but I did try to make it fun for my kids.  They woke up to find cards under their door made by me.  I cut their waffles into heart shapes.  For supper I set the table with candles and dimmed the lights.  We didn't have anything fancy to eat just some frozen chimichungas, spanish rice and corn but I served lemonade with frozen strawberries to spice it up a bit.  We each went around the table and said what we loved about each other.  Dessert was cupcakes with little heart toppers I made.  (The kids thought it was fun that I left Jay a card on his chair, which he found at suppertime.) I didn't take a blessed picture because I was just busy with all the prep and forgot!  But I do love these precious babies so much and just wanted them to know how special they are to me.

Vienna's card

Squiggle of the week

I love when Vienna brings home "Squiggle of the Week".  She is so creative and she really stretched her imagination on this one.  I probably would have done a mountain and cliffs. Obvious right?  Well here's what Vienna said: "My squiggle is an ice-cream falling from the sky in the city with people eating it. It was good. It is pink with a cherry."  Man, I love this kid!

The boys bonding

Lance and Colin are 3 years apart and their age gap is closing in.  They play together.  Act silly together.  They ride in the cart together at the grocery store.

They love each other show affection a lot!  Makes a Momma's heart happy.

Today Lance was in time out for disobeying.  And Colin sat with him.

A brotherly bond is not easily broken.

Content changing

I have been keeping an online journal for the kids since Vienna was in the womb!
I keep a journal for each child in a Word doc and I print it out annually for their binders.  To date, I have copy/pasted about 90% of those stories on here.  As my children reach school age, I feel that out of respect for their privacy, I ought to change how I blog about them.  Plus, Vienna will be 7 soon and Lance 5 so the milestones they reach have slowed down compared to the toddler years.  I write various stories like cute things they've said to my struggles with them, and I doubt they want that posted for their friends to see, nevermind the whole wide world.  I think the way I will proceed with this blog, is to share more event related stuff.  Things we've been up to.
Like this!  On New Year's Eve, we looked at photos and videos from the past year and had a fun dessert after supper!

I will continue to journal as I have been and emailing an edited version of it privately to friends and family interested in the details of our lives.  If you want to be added to that, please let me know and I will add you.

I am honored to be raising such amazing kids and I love watching them grow and sharing them with you!  I only hope my stories of them bring you a smile and some joy because keeping it all to myself just wouldn't be right!!!!

Merry Christmas

The kids had a wonderful Christmas.  It was quiet with just us and Jay's Mom.  She was here Friday til Sunday and we had a great time with her.  We went to church together on Christmas Eve.  We spent Christmas morning lounging around and we had a yummy turkey dinner in the afternoon.  The phone didn't even ring once!  There was lots of joy and we enjoyed the simplicity of it all.  So grateful that Jesus was born, although we celebrate God's amazing gift to us throughout the year!  All the best from the Newman Kids to you in 2012!!!!

Our cheerleader

Vienna joined cheerleading this year for the first time!  It's thru Upward Sports which is a Christian sports league. They have flag football, soccer and basketball too all over the country.  The church that hosts cheerleading is only 20min from our house so we signed up.  I like the idea of a group that has age appropriate moves and music.  I know the coaches and they are amazing ladies who love the Lord.  They even lead a devotion time at the end.  The practices are on a day of the week that is convenient and it's from 5-6pm so we can get home early enough for normal bedtime.  She'll be cheering at the basketball games which are on Saturday so we can attend as a whole family.  It really fit what we were looking for in so many ways.  Vienna BEAMED at her first practice.  She wasn't shy doing the moves as I thought she might be.  Her confidence boosted and her joy overflowed.  She cheered for me at the restaurant we ate at afterwards.  She cheered before bed and then again as soon as she woke up!  Here is our little cheerleader in her uniform:

Sparkly ears

I got my ears pierced when I was 3 years old.  I remember leaving the salon with only one done because it hurt so much.  My mother bribed me with hot cocoa in order for me to get the other side done.  (I was a sucker for chocolate even then).  So I told Vienna ages ago that she could get her ears pierced when she was ready.  No pressure from me!

Last week, she came to me telling me that she was ready to get them done.  She asked if it hurt and I was honest and said it'd be like when she got her immunization shots:  just a quick pinch and then it'd be over.  She was game.  So once the weekend rolled around, we went to Claire’s at the mall.  

When we went in the store, a little 7 year old was sitting in the chair with one ear pierced, a red teary face, and a mother coaxing her to get the other ear done (which she eventually did).  Oh great!  Flashbacks to my childhood!  But V was totally calm and certain of her decision.  A little baby was next in line and when she cried I reminded Vienna how it was like shots at the doctor's office.  Thankfully the baby calmed down and Vienna hopped in the chair for her turn.  When the first one went in, Vienna stared ahead, got a little flushed and that was it!  When she was done I asked her if it hurt more or less than a shot.  Her reply:  "It didn't hurt at all."  Wow!  I actually thought she might change her mind the last minute and she ended up being tough as nails!

Honest Lance

Yesterday Lance didn’t finish his supper.  He knows that when he doesn’t finish a meal he can’t have treats for the rest of the day.  Vienna, Colin and I were upstairs and Jay and Lance were downstairs while Jay got a cup of coffee.  Jay snuck a piece of chocolate and Lance asked: “Are you getting candy?” Jay said yes and Lance replied: “I can’t have any because I didn’t eat my supper.”  Jay broke a small piece off and said:  “Here, don’t tell anyone,” as he handed him a piece of chocolate.  Lance backed away from Jay and said:  “No I can’t have that.  Mommy will smell it on my breath!”  First of all HILARIOUS!  But then I was so proud of my Lance for remembering our rule so I gave him a piece of chocolate to enjoy guilt free this morning.  Gotta love that boy!

Photo by http://pawlukphotography.com/

Mystery injury

On Thursday night, I had friends over.  Jay was upstairs with the kids while I was downstairs with my guests.  Suddenly Vienna yelled that Colin was bleeding.  When Jay brought him downstairs, his face was covered in blood.  It dripped on his arms, hands and legs.  After we got the bleeding under control we saw that Colin bit his cheek near the corner of his mouth.  There was a cut on the outside too.  But Jay said he didn't fall.  He was just sitting on the floor with his back turned to him.  When he turned around there was blood everywhere.  Jay was freaked out because nothing obvious happened and it was like a scene from a horror movie!  Anyway, I took Colin to the doctor the next morning and although it could use a stitch, the doctor said that'd probably be more traumatic.  We're staying away from acidic and salty foods and must make sure the wound stay cleans.

Can you see the hanging piece in his mouth?

The doctor said the tooth did not go all way thru.  It looks like he banged his mouth on something.  Maybe he leaned forward to get up and did it.  We'll never know!

2 days after injury.  Blurry but the best shot I could get.  Turning white as it heals.

September is here...

... yet it's almost gone.

Summer days are distant memories and the busyness of school schedules is back at our doorstep.

This little monkey is now in GRADE ONE!  She said she wants to learn to read big words this year!  She has a wonderful teacher and has adjusted well to a full day away from home.  

And this little monkey boy is gone three mornings a week to preschool.  He misses his sister but gets to spend more time with his little brother when he's home.  

And lucky me... I get some precious one on one time with an amazing boy who is growing too fast!

I am loving my time with these beautiful kids.