Lincoln is 8 months old now and such a sweet little guy! It was warm (ish) the other day and we spent some time outside. He was being so cute, so I ran inside and changed him into a cute outfit to take pictures. By the time I got the darn outfit on he was pretty mad at me and would not cooperate. I am glad I took these pictures in his pj's before I decided to ruin the moment by changing him into a "cute" outfit. He is just as cute in his pj's anyway! And this is how he looks most the time- why on earth would you change a baby out of those snuggly jammies in the morning? Too bad we can't all look that cute in our pj's!

wow.... I am on a roll today. (This is my 4th post). I like to do things in bulk...then I don't have to worry about it for awhile.

Ethan says the greatest things.... every time we drive past Cal-Ranch (or cow- ranch if you are Ethan) he talks about the time daddy took him there. The other day, Katelyn happened to be in the car. He gave his usual explanation about how daddy took him there.

Then he paused and said,
"There isn't any ranch at Cal Ranch." (We use a lot of ranch dressing at our house... kids will eat a lot more when it's dipped in ranch for some reason).

After another long pause he said

"There isn't any cows there either, but it's still called cow-ranch."
Excellent observation.

So... my baby is 4. I guess he isn't really my baby, but I still feel like he is. It seems like the last couple of years have gone by so fast. I have found that the more children you have, the faster things go. I am a little sad. Ethan has such a tender little heart and is a very sympathetic little boy. I am so much more aware of his sweet innocence now that I have watched Katelyn get older (not that Katelyn isn't sweet, but as they get older the innocence fades... and it's hard to watch that go). Ethan is filled with this innocence and I want to freeze time.

Happy birthday Ethan! Ethan just turned 4 and he had a friend party this year. It was... interesting... 4 extra boys in the house the day after Halloween was a little crazy, but that big smile made it all worth it.

new scooter... yahoo

THE cake. Don't things always look easier in a picture than when you try them yourself? Well... it didn't turn out as amazing as all the pictures I saw, but I also didn't have 43 hours to make it. I think birthdays are all about the cake... don't you?

Ethan wanted his Toy Story characters on the cake, but it wasn't nearly as big as I thought it would be, so we improvised. Of course, I think the first picture is better without 15 plastic figurines on it, but it was HIS birthday...

Happy Halloween! Ethan was superman and Katelyn was supergirl. I love the BIG MUSCLES on his costume... so cute! Lincoln was the cutest little monkey ever! He even enjoyed his first sucker while the kids did their trick or treating. I wish I had a picture of that mess!

Katelyn started 1st grade this week! She was so excited!!! I am going to miss her. She is such a wonderful help and I am sad she will be gone all day, but she will do great!

Katelyn and Joe are in the same class... they have been friends since they were born (basically)...

Where is the sidewalk? Ohh... there isn't one... but I won't go into that! Katelyn is being extra cautious, walking in the gutter.

Ummm... BEAUTIFUL! She looks way too old to be going to first grade! I'll have to buy her a bat to keep the boys away in a few years (or sooner)...maybe one of those mini ones you keep in your car so she can carry it in her backpack.

Katelyn cut her hair off! She has been saying she wants to do it for about 2 months, but I wanted her to REALLY think about it before we did it. She wasn't even phased when my MOST AWESOME friend Haley got ready to hack it off. I was having a hard time... Haley asked me if I wanted to sit down... ha ha! Well... Katelyn looks absolutely beautiful, as always. She even had enough hair to donate to locks of love. AMAZING!

Well... it's official. I am
30
It's interesting that I remember each of my decade birthdays so well. When I turned 10 we lived with my Grandma Snow. I remember that my mom did my hair in some fancy french braid that went all around my head. I looked in the mirror and remember thinking... " Wow... I'm 10. I am so grown up." I had a few things figured out... I knew what that I wanted to marry someone like my dad when I grew up. I knew that I liked chocolate. I knew that I still had a lot to learn, but I was in the UPPER grades now and I got to play on the big playground.
When I turned 20 I was living in Hawaii. I played on the beach all day and then went to Hard Rock Cafe for dinner and ordered their biggest chocolate dessert. I had figured out a little more by then: I knew it takes hard work to get anywhere in life. I knew that sometimes you have to fight for what you want. I knew WHO I wanted to marry. I definitely knew that I still loved chocolate.
Well... now I'm 30 and I'm not sure if my hair will be in a princess braid and I wish I was in Hawaii, but I'm not. I will spend my day making meals, changing diapers, holding Lincoln and being grateful that my life is quite simple. I have learned a little more the last 10 years. I have learned that you have to give people a break sometimes, because everyone is going through something tough. I have learned that the only things that really matter are your family and friends and their happiness. I have learned that life goes by so quickly and it's hard to savor the precious moments, but we have to try. I have learned that chocolate is very important in my life... TRULY. I am happy to be 30 and have 3 beautiful children and a wonderful husband. Life just keeps getting better... I wonder what 40 will be like...


By the way... I wrote this on my birthday (July 21st) and forgot to post it... oops. I guess I am a little more scatterbrained at 30?!

A couple of funnies...

Ethan was recently "potty trained" but refused to go on the BIG potty for fear of getting "lost." No amount of coaxing or bribing was effective so he has been using his little potty for a couple of months.

FUN!

Imagine Ethan trying to pour the contents of his potty into the larger potty at least 10 times a day (if we try to help a tantrum ensues and usually leaves one or both parties wet from the contents of the potty). To add to the pleasure, he obviously wouldn't go potty at any public place (or Grandma's and Grandpa's for that matter), because the potties were all TOO BIG! So we have been hauling around our beloved "froggy potty" (potty that look like a frog, if you aren't up on the lingo) for months.

SUPERFUN!!!

It is remarkable that I was able to fit the "froggy potty" under my stroller on several outings. And where, you might ask, do we put the "froggy potty" when it is in use? Wherever we are... church parking lots, Wal-mart parking lots, mall parking lots, you get the idea. I'm sure we could've found a private spot, but when you are hauling around a new baby and a little boy who doing a potty dance, who cares... we got a few looks, but I didn't really care...I'm too tired and busy to care what anyone thinks about our "froggy potty."

Then...
We have a major breakthrough... no more "froggy." Wonderful! It was like someone just flipped a switch.

So... as further proof that Ethan is a boy:
He was sitting on the potty yesterday doing his business (the one that takes longer) and he started complaining about how bad his leg hurt. (This is dedicated to you Tyler)!
HIS LEG WAS ASLEEP FROM SITTING ON THE POTTY SO LONG!
How does that even happen? I have heard countless men (mostly in my family) complain of similar ailments, but never a woman... why is that? Is the plumbing THAT different. I always believed it was in an effort to avoid doing the dishes after dinner, but Ethan doesn't have to do that yet, so... I may have to break down and get a magazine rack in the bathroom for him filled with Jonathon London's Froggy books (which are really cute and less messy than "froggy potty")


Another funny by Katelyn:

Every time she has a friend over she asks them if they would like a drink. They inevitably say

"Yes."

Then she asks if they would like ice.

"Yes." (again)

Then she asks if they would like it "crushed or cubed."

They are completely straight faced through the dialouge. How many kids really care about crushed or cubed ice (or know the difference)
Usually the answer is crushed if you are wondering. So... you better believe that you will get 5 star service if you come to our house for a play date.

Lincoln is 3 months old! He is learning to laugh... it's the cutest thing! He loves to sleep at night (what a GOOD BOY!), but sleeping during the day is not his favorite. He is growing and is a BIG boy (as you can see). 14 1/2 lbs.

Saturday afternoon... maybe we need a new car... or at least some new shoes (look at his shoes). As my dad would say: "Just get some shoe goo and they'll be good as new!). Too bad they don't make "car goo."

Lincoln is a little over 2 months old now and... he's cute! He weighed 13'9" at his dr appt and the dr said "He has excellent head control for a 2 month old...hmmm... it's probably because he doesn't have a neck." Well... he's the cutest neck-less baby I've ever seen! (and thanks for the bumbo tip Tawny!) I would've never put him in one of these cute little seats, thinking he was too small. I think he'll outgrow it soon!

My newest nephew:
Rodrik McCoy Gause was born on May 25th.
Oh... he is darling and sweet and a little smaller than Lincoln! HA HA!!

Jason turned 30 this year... HOLY COW! I thought it appropriate to make a superman cake in honor of the event. We had a great time BBQ-ing with our neighbors...thank goodness someone has a backyard to BBQ in (we are working hard on ours...more on that to come). I also had a superman shirt for all 3 boys and am very upset with myself for not taking a picture of that. It was quite manly!

Lincoln Snow Gause on his blessing day. I think he's mad because I tried to put a button up shirt and tie on him and he doesn't have a neck... but it was darling! Thanks Heather for taking some fabulous pictures of us!

Here is Katelyn on kindergarten graduation day! I can't believe she'll be in 1st grade next year. It really did go by too fast and seems weird that she will be gone all day next year. I a little nervous to send her out into the world (well...that's what it seems like), but I know she'll do great and LOVE it! (and we have a brand new elementary that is opening up this fall only 2 blocks from our house)!!!