Still Among the Living

Nothing like having someone practically sitting on your head while you try to play a game!

I didn't even need to ask who did this.

These sturdy little carts have many uses!

Just a cute face :)

Not sure who took these, Hopefully she won't hate me for posting them, but I know her mama will be glad to see her cute little face :)

They were sitting here so sweetly looking at books together on Saturday morning.

Wren had a substitute teacher on Thursday.  She is a girl attending a nearby college.  I LOVE it when she writes notes home.  Check out this girls handwriting!  I had to look twice.  I thought it was typed!  It is so even and uniform.

Heading to Hays......We tried to get someone to keep these little kangaroos.....because it's a lot easier to shop without hopping about and hanging off of every side of the cart......but......Iley has been asking EVERY. SINGLE. DAY........to go to town so she could buy a toy with the $5 Grandpa and Grandma gave all of them for Valentines Day.

The Whole Gang.

Shoppers, PLEASE make your final purchases......your father is tired of shopping :)  Yep.....the father.  I sent them off with Troy to pick out their toys while I did the grocery shopping, and picked up a few other things.............I asked him in the car which he wanted to do......and he said he'd take the girls, bless his heart, I think he was just being nice and giving me a break....he lived to tell.....but I'm not sure if he'll make that deal again ;)

Here they are with their final picks.  Wren got a little light that shines a princess image on the wall or ceiling.  I'm not sure she really knew what it did....but it had a light, and a couple of buttons, so she was good with it :) She was excited when she saw that it made an image!  Iley fell in love with this little horse........his name is Danny.......in case you wanted to know ;)

When we got home, Wren noticed right away that the money  that had been stuck in the chalk board crack was missing.  She pointed and shrieked!  Some how she missed that we were taking that money to buy her toy.   I told her "we used your money to buy your light"  "we took the money to town, and bought the light with it"  When I explained it to her she nodded and smiled.  She has come soooooo far to be able to understand that abstract concept. Now if we can just get her expressive language to come along!  Instead of shrieking, I wish SHE would have signed "Where's the money?  the money is gone"  Instead of just pointing and shrieking!  I know receptive language comes ahead of expressive.....even in babies, so I am trying to be patient.  I am pushing her harder all the time to use her words.  I won't give her what she wants until she signs a full sentence to me.  She always starts with "I want.....then help please"  even if what she is asking is "Can I have a hot dog"  So we have to stop and say noooo,.......then model what she needs to say.  Baby steps.  At least now she will correct herself instead of stomping off mad that we won't just give it to her.  I have to remind myself often of the huge progress over all.

That was Saturday evening.....this is Sunday morning.....yep same outfits!  A modern day miracle that they were clean enough to wear again!  They thought they were SO neat, they had their hair up in a french twist like moms!  I had bought some smaller clips for their hair............and they worked fine on Iley.....but I had to use my bigger one on Wren!  She has SO MUCH hair!!  I used the smaller one.

Poor Wren!  Think she has enough gear on her head?  processors, head pieces, glasses, flower, and several bobby pins.....that her headpieces kept sticking to instead of the metal in her head. 

The guys got stir crazy and brave the chilly wind to go out in the front yard to play a game of catch with a special ball with a tail on it.  You have to catch it by the tail with one hand.....I think.

The girls were out too.........I was sure Iley was going to get whacked with that stick!  There were several near misses!

Danny Boy was getting a ride in the skates. 

Notice in the picture above the thin spot in Iley's hair.....she has thin fine hair anyway, but I think her head must have grown, and the hair hasn't filled in yet.  I was combing her hair and noticed a lot of little short bangs, and asked her "Iley what happened to your hair?" I thought maybe she cut it........she says......... with a how am I supposed to know kind of shrug......."God jus made me that way"

Goodnight, sleep tight...

They were headed off to bed......Iley was trying to gather all her animals up.......with socks on her hands (we lotion her hands and put socks on so they don't crack and bleed)  After many attempts.....she finally managed to get 2 giraffes, a doll, a birdcage.....and a spoon? gathered up.  Wren is signing, and saying "happy" here.  She learned how to say it today.  It is super clear!!  Yay Wren! Mommy is Happy too :)

She informed me that her birdie was sleeping.

Goodnight all!  Decided to post the 3 pictures I took instead of waiting until the weekend and bombarding you with so many at once..........well that doesn't necessarily mean I won't bombard you.......but there will at least be a few less :)

Monday Monday........it's always Monday.......

No reason, just that Dad was home and because he's awesome and he helps get breakfast while I put on clothes and comb hair......we had enough time while waiting for the bus to snap a few pictures.

They love their daddy!  Wren woke up in the middle of the night and signed (she rarely signs in the night, just mumbles and fusses) "Daddy work tomorrow"  I told her no "Daddy Home tomorrow!" She nodded and went back to sleep :)

 I told the boys to stand here and smile........and Iley thought she needed to be in the picture too.  I asked Wren if she wanted in, and she shook her head no.......so.........we took the picture.  But when we showed her the picture, and she wasn't in it.....she was like Ahhhh!  Then wanted Iley OUT of the picture, and just her in it........but we said no that was your choice, you just get in the picture too!

She wasn't too happy about it!

 That's better of Wren.....now Harrison's not looking!

Where did the week go?

Wednesday evening.....While all of us ladies were at Kyndahl and Thatcher's baby shower....dining on dainty delicacies....(to which I forgot to take my camera! all the pics are on Kyn's camera, I'll have to remember to get them from her.).....Ash and Thatch had a bunch of guys over to play games.  I came home to this sight.......along with evidence of much pizza, popcorn, chips and pop consumption.

 

 Sunday morning........eating our traditional cinnamon rolls.......look at that nice smooth hair........except the twig she got stuck under her head piece..........

 ............and then there is this morning hair!  Seriously, how can you not smile when you see this! 

 they're all loosey goosey and wiggle and dance!  They just make me smile!

After lunch.......just chillin with Isaac.  He's learning that there is no personal space in this house unless you lock yourself in your room.

Nope.......none over here either.

Giving thanks tonight for all these precious lives.   May each of you have a wonderful week full of Gods presence and Love.