Baptism

It is a very exciting night for Easton tonight. For the past couple months he's been talking about getting baptised but he wanted to do it when grandma got here. I had mixed feeling about it. A part of me was extremely proud, happy, and excited for him and the other part of me wondered if he really understands and I want this to be something he will always remember. Sunday night we went to a family night at church . It came up and I expressed to Bro. Chad my concerns. He said he would talk to him and see if he thought he understood and if he was ready then we could decide. After about a 15 minute conversation, he came out and said,"that dude is ready!!" =) He asked him why he wanted to be baptised and Easton told him because Jesus was and he wants us to be too. Then Easton went on to tell Chad that he wanted to get baptised to tell everyone he believed Jesus died on the cross for him and for everybody. Easton has such a great heart and I just pray that he will keep his love for Jesus always! I am so grateful to FirstWest Fairbanks(formerly Fairbanks Baptist Church) for the seed they have planted in my son. There are such wonderful people who unselfishly give up so much time to teach children about Jesus. I will be forever thankful!!

Spring Break

We've been on spring break this past week and it was great! It actually didn't fly by for a change because we didn't do a whole lot. It started with a trip to Baton Rouge to visit the Hawkins. We also visited the Moore's on way into and out of town. Mrs. Jean was nice enough to get us Sesame Street Live tickets. The kids really enjoyed it! We also got to go to the Easter egg hunt at their church. It was a fun weekend!

On Monday we tried to ditch the diaper with Emarie. It didn't go so well so we are taking that slowly. She will occasionally go on her own so maybe sometime soon she'll really get the hang of it. The rest of the week consisted of the Lorax, Painting pots and planting flowers with mimi, a play date at the playground with some friends and hanging out at home. Isabelle got a new bike so we were able to get out and enjoy that some. We had our last soccer games on Sat and had Elizabeth over to play. Sunday we went to church, tball(girls) practice,tball(boys) practice, Braden's practice then a dinner at church. Now for a 4 day week. There is lots to look forward to this week...Grandma comes tomorrow, Lion King on Friday, and then Easter!

Funny Little Girl

Emarie has gotten to be quite the little character. It still amazes how much she talks and the things she says crack me up.Here are some of my favorites lately:

I'll ask her any question and she replies,"Yes sir, momma."
I told her her hair was beautiful and she said,"yes, it's wonderful!"
I picked her up from school the other day and it was just me and her. Usually I have all of them. She says,"Where's my brothers and sisters? I miss dem."
When I tell that her I love her she says,"I love you more...I love you most!"
I asked her if she's been tee-teeing in the potty at school and she said,"Yes, Johnette(her teacher) help me. She my favorite!"
I walked in her room the other morning and was being real quiet because I didn't know if she was awake. In the sweetest voice she said,"is dat you momma?"
She'll ask me every few days,"Where's grandma?" I'll tell her at home in California and she says,"I miss her!"
Yesterday I asked her to do something. When she didn't answer I went to help her. She gave me this look and said,"I got it...I GOT it!" With total attitude.
Her favorite things are Dora(still), dress up clothes, the trampoline, and the tumblebus. About a month ago I picked her up at school and the tumblebus was there. She asked,"Why I no go on tumblebus?" I said "You wanna go on tumblebus." And she said,"YES!!" It never even crossed my
mind. I don't think it had hit me that she is really 2. I can't believe how the time has flown.

Surprise!!

As I type this post we are traveling through New Mexico on our way to CA! I am typing on Scott's new iPad that I am absolutely in love with!!! It has made this trip so far much more enjoyable. It's amazing the way we travel compared to the "old days." At one point this morning, Easton was watching a movie on netflix(on the iPad), Isabelle was watching a movie on the portable tv, Emarie was watching a movie on the car tv, Scott had his phone plugged into the radio listening to pandora, and I was on my cell phone. I thought,"what in the world would we do without all these electronics?" So with that being said I can add that the kids have been amazing. I'm very fortunate to have 3 little travelers, or 3 little kids that like to watch tv and play on their ds.

We left yesterday, Friday Dec 16, at 1:30 and drove to Van Horn, Tx. We got there about 2:30 am. The kids were delirious once we got them inside and in the bed. Especially Emarie, she had us laughing. But, we got a good 5 hours of sleep and got back on the road. Funny story about Emarie, I was getting in the shower and she says,"I come in there wiff you." I said,"whatever dude." She gave me this funny look and as serious as could be says,"I not dude, I emma-ee." She cracks me up!

I titled the post "surprise" so I guess I should explain why. Grandma does not know we are coming. Well, she knows we are coming but not this soon. She's expecting us next week. The even bigger surprise though is that the Crutchers are coming! I can't wait to see the look on her face when we show up at her door. Thank you Aunt Doreen and Uncle Tom for the fabulous idea and helping to make it happen! I can't wait to spend the Christmas holidays with the family. I hope grandma doesn't mind the early and extra company. Pretty sure she'll be ok with it! =)

Family Update

A little family update...

I'll start with Emarie. She is hilarious these days. She keeps us laughing with her funny looks, new words every day and her spunky little personality. She's even got the head bob down(wonder where she got that from???) She is growing up so fast. I call her the baby but she is so far from it. She tries to do what everybody else does and keeps up pretty well. The talking has been slow coming but she has made so much progress in the last couple months. Some of my favorites from her recently:
when she's done with something she says, "ear momma"
"I ont jush peas" --She now gets it out the refrigerator herself
"Elp" (help)
She gets so excited about the littlest things and she'll clap and say,"Yay mommy" or "Yay da-ee"
"a-din" again
She sings"d-d-d-d-dora" "you are my sunshine" and "baby,baby,baby, ohhhh"
"tay-tu"
She learns new things everyday. She showed me the other day she knows a few colors and she can count to 10(with a little help).
Her favorite things things these days are her cards, strawberries, swimming, Dora and baby baby(Justin Beiber).
She absolutely loves her brothers and sisters. She'll play dolls with Isabelle or take Braden a book and ask him to read. She's moved into the 2 year old class at school and seems to really like it. When I pick her up I'll ask if she had a good day and it's always the same response, "yeaaahh"

Next is Isabelle. She started pre-4 this year and now gets to go to the big elementary school with Braden and Easton. She's made a bunch of friends and seems to enjoy it. She is still my little busy body,always needing something to do. She just started soccer and has done great!! Her first game she scored 3 goals and even had an assist. We are skipping dance this year but starting gymnastics(tumbling) on Monday. Thanks to her cousin Tia, she loves Justin "Beaver." I have finally broken her of wearing a dress EVERY day but now it's the hair. She can't stand a ponytail. I told her when school started we were gonna cut her hair so she doesn't have to wear a ponytail, and trust me, she remembers that and reminds me every time I put her hair up.

Funny conversation the other day...

Easton:Mommy, did you break up with me?

Me: Where did you here about breaking up?

Isabelle(with total attitude): Uh, Barbie and the Fashion Fairy. Ken breaks up with Barbie!! He is so mean!!!

Easton is repeating kindergarten this year and off to a great start. He LOVES it, which,if you know Easton, says alot. He comes home every day in a great mood and tells me how great his day was. Homework is no longer an issue. In fact, he's even gone as far to tell me he likes homework. He's playing soccer again and really enjoying it. Easton's passion these days, though, is his ds. He's obsessed! He's also really into Star Wars and wants to be Yoda for Halloween.

Braden has started the 4th grade and is also doing great. He made straight A's the first 6 weeks! Right now he is in the middle of football. He had his first (somewhat)major injury about 2 weeks ago. He went to tackle a boy and his arm got caught on the snap of the boys helmet and put a pretty good gash, which resulted in 14 stitches. He's always carrying dome kind of ball around or out in the yard playing some kind of sport.

Not much new with Scott and I. We are enjoying coaching Easton and Isabelle in soccer. We love this time year where we get to tailgate out out ULM and watch football all day or just stay home (after the morning football and soccer games) and watch football. =) I've taken on a new role at work and am now the GED teacher. It's brought many challenges but I think once I get it figured out I'm going to really enjoy it. Right now I've got 3 girls and 1 boy that come to me 3 hours a day and we are working toward receiviing the GED.

Slacking

My goal for the new year was to blog at least once a week. Well crazy as my life is, maybe it's a little more realistic to say once a month!!! The kids continue to grow way too fast. They make me laugh daily with their witty, cute,and yes,sarcastic comments. Nothing that comes out of their mouth surprises me anymore...well, maybe some things. We are currently getting over the flu which struck half the house full force while the others have so far been lucky to catch a break. Here's what's going on with each of us...
Braden is now in basketball. He asked me the other day if it was possible to play in the NFL and NBA. Haha I love that he has high hopes though. He has grown to really love sports. We went to grandmas house for Christmas and she let him choose her picks one time. We had to leave a couple days later but he carried those picks in his pocket and kept up with them! He continues to do great in school making all A's and B's.
Easton cracked me up the other night when he told me he wishes I would have just named him daddy. When I asked him why, he said,"Because then Isabelle and Braden and Emarie would have to call me daddy. And even daddy would have to call me daddy...and mimi" I thought this was just hilarious and pretty clever to think of it.Easton and I have been spending alot of time together these days playing Mario Bros on the wii. He's got me hooked!! Sometimes he plays with me and sometimes he just watches and gets so excited at each level I pass. I have really enjoyed the quality time.
A story that sums up Isabelle happened last friday night. Scott and I were going out to dinner and she was so excited for the babysitter. As I'm getting ready I get a text from the neighbor/babysitter that says, "Isabelle is at my house and said you might be looking for her." Come to find out later, she had been gone for 5-10 minutes. I hate to admit it but I never knew she was gone. You can bet when she got home she got an earful. I told her I was worried about her and she can't leave without telling me, etc. Her response..."it's only right next door!!!" She is so independant it's amazing!! She has a new bestfriend that lives 3 doors down. Maggie is 12 but Isabelle absolutely adores her. Isabelle is the social butterfly in her class. There are 3 boys in the class and all their moms have told me how much they LOVE Isabelle. Her teacher said if she had 12 Isabelle's her class would be wonderful. At home, she not so easy. She pretty much thinks she can do what she wants at our house. She also really thinks she's a princess! =) The other day Braden had a friend over and they were all telling her that princesses were not real. So she goes in her room, puts on her pretty "Princess clothes" and walks outside and says,"I told you boys there is such thing as a princess!!!" I just love her!! She's starting to show interest in basketball. We have a basket in our living room and she will shoot over and over and make it most of the time. Although she'll probably never play due to her size, I think she will be quite the athlete because she is not afraid of anything and so determined.
And then there is my Emarie. Learning something new everyday, I just love watching her grow. Her vocabulary consists of momma,dada,hot,mine,more,dog,stuck(She tells of this when she wants out of her crib or high chair),thank you(Tay-tu),shoes,sock,what's that(wah-da),night-night,hello(eh-woh),bye-bye and ball. She started daycare about 3 weeks ago and it has been a rough transition for us(me and her). She has seemed to adjust to the lady who is there til 3 but not so well with the afternoon girls. Everyday when I get there, they are holding her because she was or is crying. It breaks my heart but i know it will get better. One of the great things about my job is I get there to pick her up by 3:30 every day. Emarie loves music these days. Everytime she hears music she start dancing and just gets a big smile on her face. She's such a joy!!
Scott and I are busy as always! It was announced in the newsstar today about me being inducted in the ULM hall of fame. This is such an honor!! I can't wait for Feb 26, mainly because lots of family are coming in to celebrate the special day with me.
This is all for now but I am going to try real hard to do this more regularly!!

Express Train

I just love taking the kids to do as many Christmas activities as we can. They have so much fun and I love to see the look on their faces. This train we went to had 4 cars decorated with train sets, santa, lights and many other things. The kids loved it!! Unfortunately we haven't done many this year but maybe we can make up for it in CA!

Boarding the Express Train that passed through Monroe. Very cute!!

Our QUICK visit with Santa

Fascinated by all the lights The front of the train