I hate clutter.

Echkgahg. (Read that with a gross look on your face, it feels better.)

My garage has been the Mecca of slobs for a about a year and a half now. I have been dreaming of built-in shelves with labeled matching blue Rubbermaid totes for years and years... I'm not picky or anything. ;-)

Anyway, today we finally got around to doing something about organizing this unholy area of the house. All afternoon was spent cleaning, building shelves (ok, I didn't really help with that, except for moral support - that's a big deal when it's <45* outside!), and organizing boxes in the garage.

Kids, this is what not to let your garage look like:


The boys building the first set of shelves this afternoon. Yay!!



I seriously can't take a normal picture of Natester. But they're all pretty cute anyway! Check out the hat GALE LIGHT!! Nate clearly loves it! :)


And the boy being a boy. I'm sure every mom cringes the first few times their kid goes ankle deep in a mud puddle... but it's SO much fun. Or so I hear....?




I can't wait to post a pic of the garage all done and organized. It may take a while, but at least now I have the storage and motivation!!


On another note, after reading many other people's blogs, I think I write my captions wrong. Are the words supposed to be at the bottom of the picture? I don't want to be confusing, but maybe that just happens either way! Ha ha, "laugh o' lot"!

Gun Show!

.... he doesn't quite get it yet, but we'll get there!

Extra long bedtime

Tonight John had to work late so the boys and I had an extra long get-ready-for-bedtime time.

James was so kind to share his toys with Nate.


And we've been working on sharing (since Kenley being here!), so he was very quick to congratulate himself for his good work!





And it wouldn't be bedtime without some "tickle tickle tickle"s. Which in James language sounds more like "tckatckatcka" in a very high-pitched voice!

James fell asleep during lunch yesterday...

Move over Martha Stewart

Look what I can grow! Do you see it?? Keri would be so proud!


I don't exactly know what it is, maybe parsley, but I do know that I have successfully grown something that does not require regular feedings and changings. At this rate, I'm going to have my own vegetable garden in the backyard pretty soon!**

**to be read sarcastically

Happy Nate

Happy Nate.


Sad Nate.


Happy Nate.


Confused Nate.


And back to Sad Nate.

Tulip Run 2011

This last Saturday I did the Tulip Run with Carin and Aisha... and Ethan!

I'd like to really impress you with a 10k, 5k or something really cool and difficult. Sorry. We did a 2-mile run! BUT, that was the first run Aisha and I have ever done and we ran the whole thing. Woo hoo!

Now, once again, I don't want you to think I'm too awesome - so let me clarify: My "run" is a little slower than an average person's normal jog, which is a semi-consistent with a fast-walker's fast-walk. Of course, I also have short little legs and NOT a runner's figure so basically if you put me next to an overweight 6 year old on crutches, I could give him a run for his money!

We all finished in 23 minutes (give or take, the timing isn't super accurate because it depends on where you start). And let me tell you, if it wasn't for those two crazy ladies... and Ethan... I would definitely not have been that super speedy fast! ;-)



On the way home, we took the scenic route and drove by the "tulip" fields. There weren't many tulips but there were LOTS of daffodils. I'm not a huge "tulip gazer" anyway, so this was way pretty too.

Brothers

What you can't see in this picture is John and Reed standing a few feet away. My question is - which one of my boys will be John and which one will be Reed.... that will determine who to have more health insurance on!

Morning with Grandma #3

This morning we went to hang out with the Hoeglund ladies. Well, mostly one. The other one was very sleepy from the last 3 weeks of vacation!! ;-)

We had great fun. I dearly love the no-pressure.... everything at their house! And RuthAnn has a new name: Grandma #3! (I'm hoping to make it on their family wall pretty soon, ha ha!!)

James gets to ride in the front seat when we visit them.


Feels like I should add another disclaimer at the bottom of this post. The Hoeglunds live a block away from us. I'm not a bad parent, I swear! :)

Tuesday with Kenley

Tuesday we ran errands with John all morning. Right around lunchtime we found an awesome BK play place to take the kids for lunch.

After we got there and started eating, John and I started watching the kids in the toy area and realized they were disgusting little germy screaming kids. Eck.** We realized James & Kenley were probably just happy to be out of the car for a little bit... and that they didn't know what they were missing!

Oh, and Keri don't worry. Kenley ate about a half of a chicken nugget, 3 fries, and water.


James, on the other hand, enjoyed his chicken nuggets... and left BK with very soggy pants after he spilled his whole water in his lap. I'll blame that one on John. His side of the table! ;-)


Kenley..... the Fashionista!!

This girl loves shoes. No matter who's they are, or what she's wearing with them! We'll work on the style part later!



**Disclaimer: I'm all for a little germ-infested play place adventure. But this place felt like we would have been sending two cute little timid (white and clean, mind you) bunnies into a den of playful Hugos in a mud puddle. Get my drift? :)

Monday with Kenley

There was a lot of rotating through kids like an assembly line with 3 diapers, changes of clothes, noses, etc... but they each waited patiently in the crib every morning while I rotated through peeps!


Where's your nose?


Where's your ear?


Monday morning we headed out to Fred Meyer to pick up a few things.

Oh, on a side note, this is going to sound totally cheesy, but I pride myself in being kind of a cheesy person! As I was getting ready to go earlier in the morning, I saw the rain coming down outside and thought to myself, "Lord, it would be so awesome if we could get a good parking spot". And that was that. I don't know if it was so much a prayer as it was a God-directed thought (if there's a difference... I'm not theologically minded to debate that!!). Anyway, we pulled in to the store and the 2 closest parking spots were wide open - with no one racing to get them. God was so sweet to us!


Anyway, all 3 kiddos did so well in the store. James and Kenley shared water bottles, poked each other, and helped me "drive" the cart.

I'm pretty sure I got stopped at least a dozen times by people telling me how cute "my" kids were. I just said thanks and laughed.

And once again: "You guys make me laugh" was a highly repeated phrase on this outing!

Sunday night with Kenley

This was actually Kenley dancing with the music. I didn't get video, so just use your imagination! The girl's got some moves - must have learned that from Daddy!


I rarely catch Nate's smiles on camera, but boy does he have other faces that make us laugh!

Sunday with Kenley

Cousin Kenley spent this last weekend with us. It was really a hoot. Yes, more work, but she really is a sweet little girl and she and James love playing together.

I must have said "you guys make me laugh" a million times in the last few days!

Kenley came over late Saturday night, so James was very excited and surprised to see her Sunday morning!


Can we play, mom?


On the way home from church, James insisted on holding Kenley's hand the whole time. It was pretty cute.

Kenley was not a big fan of Hugo, I love her face here. After a few days, she started warming up to the big oaf.


A walk down to the shop.

This picture was also from the other day. I think he had some car-confusion?

Taking a break from "fixing" the plates in the dishwasher.

Exercise-April

That's right.

April is work-out month for Amy!

Time to dust off the ol' ipod, sneakers, and sweat-band.
Maybe not.

Exercise-April is self imposed for 3 main reasons:

1. I can do anything if I know the end date.

Hold up. I take it back. I believe that I can do most reasonable things that are within the limits of "normal human activity" if I know the end date. That's better, don't want to set my expectations too high!


2. If I lost weight last month just by eating better, working out should only add to the success.


3. I like the idea of focusing on one thing for an entire month.

I like "kick starts". Especially when I know that on May 1, my body will have changed. (For the better....... I hope. Again, don't want to set my expectations too high!!)


My rules:

1. Minimum 30 minutes every day.

2. I get one weekend day off.

3. I reserve the right to not work out on my birthday. (Monday, April 18. Hint, hint, family!!)