halloween 2011

Happy Halloween from Rapunzel and Peter Pan.

Some friends from our ward invited us to trick or treat with them and some of the other families from the ward.  Here is the whole gang before heading out.  Look closely at Jackson's expression in this picture.

matt and tanya greenway 2012 model

Scheduled release date:  May 2012

Jackson's Turn

Well, it has only taken me a over a month, but here are the pictures from Jackson's first days of preschool.  In his words, "I not a baby!  I BIG!!!"

Jackson loves his teacher, Mrs. Debelak(see picture above).  He wants to bring her flowers every day he has school.

madelynne is a kindergartner!

Our lil' love bug is a kindergartner!

All ready for school and waiting for the bus a whole hour early. L-O-N-G wait!

Life dream realized-official kindergartner riding a school bus!

Jackson devastated because he does not get to ride the school bus. So, so hard to be left behind...

at the beach club

Hard at (work) play.

Little monkeys.  They swing across those bars as if they are part monkey.

I absolutely adore this picture of Madelynne.  I love the joy captured in this small moment of childhood bliss.

 

Baby Lauren thinks she is one of the big kids and is constantly running in the shadows of the bigger kids trying to keep up.

This playground is part of one of the many private "beach clubs" that can be found in the neighborhoods of our town that are located directly on the shores of Lake Erie.

maybe not

So, maybe we will wait on the hedge trimming chore training for Jackson.  Especially since his father tried to sever his finger off while trimming said hedge.  Some people will do anything to get out of a little yard work.  The crazy thing is Matt was humiliated that he only had to get three stitches.  I mean if you are trying to sever your finger what an embarrassment.  Boys are so silly.  At least now he has a cool scar and can make up some "cool story" about what really happened.

Waiting at the urgent care.

Jackson having a meltdown in the waiting room because he cannot have sole possession of the one water bottle we managed to scrounge up for the whole family.

The embarrassing three stitches.

And just for the record....did I mention we had all been outside?  I was pulling weeds and gardening, Matt, mowed the lawn and then was trimming the hedge while the kids mostly played and occasionally tried to be helpful when disaster struck and Matt was gushing blood all over the place.  I ran in the house and grabbed a towel, my car keys and purse and then proceeded to herd the kids into the car while directing Matt to apply pressure.  Matt does not do well with medical procedures and needles, so I was a bit worried he would pass out before we even got to urgent care.  We made it to urgent care safely and got checked in and. then. it. dawned. on .me.  I was wearing ratty work in the yard clothes with shoes in varying shades of lawn stained green.  My hands were filthy and my nails were embedded with layers of mud.  I had sweat dripping from my brow and my hair looked like I hadn't washed it in a week from said sweating.  I wondered if my deodorant was working as it should...and in short I was embarrassed.  Matt was embarrassed about getting three stitches and I wondered if I would ever be able to show my face in public again.

chores

Now that Jackson is getting older (you know all of three years old) we thought is was time for him to start helping out around the house more with some little chores...

 

I mean he is almost taller than the handle bar of the lawn mower, plenty big!  Next up hedge trimming?!?

button art

Have some extra buttons and fabric laying around?  Turn them into art.  My first button art project was of eggs for Easter (I don't have a picture).  Then of course, because I can't let a good idea go to waste I decided to extend the idea to The Fourth of July and made these button stars.  More holiday button art may be in my future or not.  We will see how far I stretch this one good idea....

last day of summer swimming lessons

Madelynne took swimming lessons this summer with her bestie, Madelyn.  It was amazing to see the improvement in their swimming and the confidence in their ability compared to last summer.  Everyday I just marvel at how fleeting each moment really is and how fast my little love bug is growing up.

a visitor

In July we had the pleasure of a short visit with my Uncle Dave (my dad's brother).  He was driving through on his way back from to New York to his home in Oklahoma.  He treated us to lunch at our favorite Mexican restaurant before he got back on the rode homeward bound.  My children had never met my uncle and as Jackson saw my Uncle Dave approach the door he yelled, "Papa!!" which is what he calls my dad.  All through lunch he kept calling him Papa because they both look so much alike.  My children absolutely adored my uncle and after he left kept commenting on how they wished he could have stayed longer with us.  Even though it was a short visit we loved every minute of it!  Thanks, Uncle Dave for taking the time to see us.  We love you!

jackson is three!

Our little slugger turned three on Saturday!  Here is how the celebration went down.

Donuts for breakfast. (He had been talking about eating a donut for a solid week!)

The invite for the big party.

The goods.

The games were centered around "baseball spring training".  They had pitching practice (throwing whiffle balls in a can), batting practice (battting balls off a tee), and of course catching practice (catching bubbles from the bubble machine).

Lunch was hot dogs (of course!), potato chips, and watermelon.

Baseball cupcakes as requested from the birthday boy.

Singing "happy birthday" with gusto!

Make a wish...

batter up!

This video is for Papa Borgersen.  He knows why.

workin' at the car wash

Upon hearing water running in the bathroom, I went to investigate.  Lo and behold there is Jackson standing at the sink with his cars all lined up.  When questioned, "Jackson, what are you doing?"  He frankly replied, "Mommy, my cars need a washing."

poolside

hot summer afternoons=cooling off at the pool.  life is so hard sometimes....