Bounce!!! Friday, 3/25/2011

On Friday we surprised the kids and took them to Bounce Gymnastic's open gym. It is so much fun to let them run, jump, and play! They were red in the face and worn out after. I almost didn't take my camera in, but I am glad I did. Taking pictures is a bit of therapy for me. It was fun! Pretty neat having daddy home on a Friday!

 Pais will join them before long! Feel bad for her not being able to yet, but soon!

 Cars was tuckered out by the end!

 We were going to get Taco Bell and then go to the park, but RAIN stopped us :( So, we ate it at home. Didn't matter - it was fun!

 Paislee finished a pintos and cheese ;) Looks like she was enjoying it!

Thanks honey for taking this extra day with us - what a fabulous surprise! Mitch helped me clean the house, too. Agghhh, so nice! He even made us dinner tonight - chicken stir fry! So good!!! Thanks babe! :)

Thursday - March 24, 2011

How cute is this apron? There is a man at the gym, who has 3 grown kids and teen aged grandkids. He is always so sweet as I go into the gym with the 3 kiddos. One day he asked my friend and I if we would be interested in aprons for our kids. It was such an awesome blessing, as just the day before I was thinking that I needed to get one for Paislee, as she didn't have one. So, of course, I said YES I would LOVE one! Not too long after that, he brought in a bag, with an apron all wrapped in tissue paper, an adorable bow wrapped around the tissue paper, a sweet note, and a Mary Englebreit cookie cookbook. How awesome, huh! I was so touched at her amazing generosity especially for someone she hadn't met. I took them some of the peanut butter cookies that we made - a recipe from the cookbook. Then a couple days later, she surprised me with a matching apron for Austynn! And, I think she is even going to make a matching one for me! Amazing! I am so touched and thankful for special people like this!

 Carson was really wanting to make gingerbread man cookies! We made some peanut butter chocolate chip ones before they went with Papa and Nana, but that just didn't satisfy his gingerbread man desire :) (I guess he got this from reading the Gingerbread Man book.) I told him if he took a good nap that we could make them when he got up. He did, so we made sugar cookies, and used a gingerbread man cut out ;) He was telling me he was going to be the clever fox and eat the gingerbread man :)

 The BEST part of cookie making - the batter! :)

 Yummy!!

 We got through most the cookie making action before Miss Tynn woke up ... she is still a bit sleepy in this picture ;)

 Now she is waking up - she has her purse and her backpack :) Adorable aprons, huh!

 The kids were playing and I walked into the kitchen and found all these chemicals and garbage bags out and on the floor - courtesy of Paislee. Geeze, have to always be watching!

 Here are a few pictures of the kids playing while I made dinner. They found Paislee's shoe drawer, which has quite a few of all sizes bc I have saved some of Carson's and Austynn's.

 Just a picture of the kids in action!

We got the best surprise of all Thursday night - daddy told us he took Friday off! So, we got to enjoy a 3 day weekend with dad!!!

Papa and Nana fun!

Papa and Nana took Carson and Austynn for a few days over Springbreak - YAY! The kids loved it and it was amazing having just one baby (who slept all night)! I fed her a bottle around 6 or 7 am and she slept some more. AAGGGHHHH - I did take advantage of my mornings! Thanks dad and mom for watching the kiddos!

It was cold, but clear and the kids had been looking forward to their 4-wheelers! Especially Carson! He had been telling me for a week that Papa had it all charged up for him. Austynn would reply that Nana had hers all charged up for her. Mom called and sent this picture, though, showing me that Miss Aust was liking "Carson's" 4-wheeler :)

 I mentioned to mom that all she would have to do is ask Papa for her own and she would have one, too :) Yep, the next day, Austynn got one! Pretty sweet FJ princess cruiser.

 Tuesday they met Auntie Ashley to get Austynn's hair cut. I have wanted Ash to cut Austy's hair, and it finally worked out. It is such an adorable A-line! Thanks sister!

 How cute, huh!

 Auntie took them out to a new cupcake place after the hair cut and they each got to pick out their own cupcakes. How cool!

 And then they zonked!

Thanks for watching our kids for us!

Fransen March Madness...

...is just beginning!

Watch out for these pj'd up sunglass bandits!

A couple weeks ago (maybe last week?) I don't remember :) Carson had his friend, Taylor over. They were true boys and played outside in the dirt, through the rain! When I let them out, it wasn't raining, but in true Eugene fashion, it started in on them ;) Boys like the mud, though, right!!

It is really neat - I have a friend who has this boy and a little girl about Austynn's age. All 4 play so nicely together. It amazes us! So, she took the girls and I took the boys.

Pais standing up this weekend. I am surprised she isn't walking yet, but sometime! She has taken just one step a couple times, but not yet 2. She is a goer, though, as you can see by her firey little eyes!

Carson and Austynn climbing all over daddy this weekend! I love that Mitch has this kind of energy, because I just can't do this ;)

The kids were beat on Sunday. Austynn and Paislee were down at 6. Austy didn't nap - we had Carson down, too, but he wasn't going to go to sleep, so Mitch took him to get a treat - he got a oreo mcflurry from McDonald's!! :) I thought he was cute in his conductor hat, boots, and jammies!

Ohhhh, I am disgusted that this picture is blurry, as I thought it was so cute of my boys! I had to share. It turned out that Austynn woke up crying, so she got up (watch out for this girl's crying fits!) :). Her crying woke Paislee up, so they all got ice cream! So much for us having them to bed early!!!

Paislee likes helping me do the laundry!

:)-- Ha! true sisters! This is from just a bit ago. Carson was invited to his friend's house, Taylor from above, so I had just the girls for a couple hours. It was nice. I took them to the park for a bit and then they helped me around the house. Austynn wanted to hold Paislee, but that is no easy task. Notice how Pais is smiling and pinching poor Austynn's face. Geeze! This sums up what feels like our crazy life ;)-

Austy with her cute hat on, smiling for the camera, solo :)

And, I have to say, that I got a very wonderful report from "Miss Shelly" (my friend) on Carson's time at her house. This was the first time he has had a play date solo. It made me proud of him. I think the Lord gave me these couple hours to have some time w my girls, solo - esp some time with Austynn and to help me realize that our parenting efforts are not in vane (getting a good report on Carson). I think the kids are all trying to figure out their "roles" right now with Paislee getting bigger. It has been rough, but we are working hard! Hardest job I have ever had to do! Harder than I thought, and I am sure this is the beginning, but I do love it and am so thankful for what we have been blessed with!

Carson goes to Mimi and Grandpa's!

After Mimi and Grandpa brought Austynn home from their trip, it randomly worked out that they took Carson back home with them. Wow! Thanks! Nice break for mom! Great for the kids to all get more individual attention, too. Here is a picture of Carson getting ready to make some cupcakes!

One of Lu and Karen's friends had a bunch of toys that their grand kids out grew. They gave a bunch to Mimi and Grandpa - yeah! Carson looks like he was enjoying this Leapfrog Motorcycle! Pretty awesome!

Marie Callendar's with Aunt Marilyn and her friend Ron

Enjoying the boy!

Austynn sporting her stylish new hat and cute pjs from her sweet cousins! Thanks so much Aunt Stace for sharing all the ADORABLE outfits! We are loving them all!!!

Fancy Austynn Faith showing off for Papa and Nana! She was LOVING her individual attention! She showed them her glasses, new beads, purse, etc - she would go into one room and say "I in here Nana and Papa...I in here!" She would rock in the rocking chair and then go out to the table in the other room :)