In case you wondered,

DON'T BRING THE LIZARD UPSTAIRS IN YOUR HANDS!!! Yes, I'm shouting. If you find a lizard and want to keep him for a pet, great. But, ya know, he needs to stay in his own little home. He doesn't get to roam around my home. And for what it's worth, YOU are digging worms to feed it. I have enough mouths to fill already. And...don't leave a turtle in a toddler swimming pool around a our annoying dog. Said dog will kill said turtle and make your kids cry. Then said dog will dig up your new fruit trees and make you cry. Once anyone is crying, the baby will add his sympathy cries. What a mess.

The interesting and The cute

Cute - brothers who look like brothers

Interesting - Anna & Jonah: 2 years apart in age

More interesting - Jonah & Eli: 2 years & 4 months apart in age

Mildly interesting - Eli & Sarah: 1 year & 7 months apart in age

Cute - Jonah's first lost tooth

3yo Birthday

The cake The presents: A mini American Girl doll just like Anna has and a tea set just like Anna has. Do you see a pattern?

7yo Birthday!

Baking his own cake Decorating his cake (Yes, we now have a family tradition of crazy candy cakes)

Blowing out the candles

His first birthday party! We had to reschedule it due to SNOW. Yes, snow in mid-April. Oh, well. The boys had fun with a 100% outside party. They ran and ran and ran before, between, and after our planned scavenger hunt and bonfire. They particularly loved chasing the chickens.

Girled Sandwiches

Today for lunch I asked Eli how he felt about grilled sandwiches, and he started a big ol' whine. I was rather confused because he loves grilled sandwiches. After my fog lifted I gathered that he didn't want to eat them because he thought they were called.................GIRLED SANDWICHES. He didn't want to eat a "girly" food. [Insert picture of me rolling on the floor laughing.] When my laughter died down, I assured him they were called GRILLED sandwiches and were just fine for a boy to eat. Then....behind me....a piercing 2yo little girl voice announced indignantly, "They are not GRILLED sandwiches. They are GIRLED sandwiches." She wouldn't eat her lunch unless I agreed with her. Sheesh.

I think I can, I think I can, I think I can

I can't. Not yet. Tomorrow is another day.

Odds & Ends

Does this almost make you want to live here? What if you knew this was after our MARCH 23rd snowstorm? April Fools! You might think this is a hamburger patty with ketchup, peas & carrots, and french fries, but it isn't. It's really a chocolate rice krispie treat with strawberry jelly, cut up tootsie rolls, and baked cinnamon sugar apple sticks. Were you fooled? The kids were!

Uh......how did that cute baby pic get in here?

Here he is again. This time he's showing off his new sitting skills.

Making your own birthday cake is fun at 9yo. It's a little high in sugar content.