Red Flags and Laundry Bags!

So, I pick up Alex from pre-school yesterday and this is what he looks like...



Hmmm...Several red flags go off in my head:
1) he's wearing clothes that I don't recognize
2) he has a very sheepish look on his face and he's not quite making eye contact with me, and...
3) he's got the inconspicuous plastic bag of wet clothes slung over his shoulder!
You got it! "The Dreaded Accident!" Uhhh! You would think he was out playing at the little playground and was too engrossed in his dump trucks or his sand castle to go, but no, it happened right during circle time! Poor little guy! He was clearly distressed so I tried to make light of it, reminding him where to go and to hurry when he has "the feeling".

So, then we're driving home and suddenly he's yelling from the back seat,
"Mom...I gotta...go...poo!!"
What! Buddy, come on, hold it til we get home...
"Can't...hold...on...much...longer!!" "Go faster, go faster!"
I can't drive any faster!
"Faster, faster!"
Then he bursts into tears and I know it's too late! "Mommy, you didn't drive fast enought!" His little face crumples and he just starts sobbing, and I think to myself...well, at least they're not our clothes!!

Later after he's had his bath and the clothes are all in the laundry, he says to me with a very serious face, "Mommy, don't you wish we had a turbo blaster on our car?"
Classic!

Tribute to John

So, ever since I started blogging, whether it was opening up a gmail account or starting a playlist, I kept getting pop-ups on my computer every few minutes and it was driving me crazy! I told John that I was about to download a pop-up blocker to try to fix it and he told me that was the last thing I should do. (no more downloads!) So, he sits down and starts de-cluttering my computer and getting rid of stuff and it doesn't take him very long and it's like this new computer! It's faster and cleaned up and I (and the computer too, I'm sure, if it had feelings) feel like a burden's been lifted off our shoulders! Anyway, I decided it was a metaphor for our life! He is this great, calming, secure, de-cluttering force in my life and I'm thankful for him!



Love ya babe!

Karli's Visit!

Gosh, I miss her already! Karli came out last week to visit with her 6 month old Kade and despite the rain we had a great time! Aren't girlfriends just the best? We shopped in Berkeley at the Crate & Barrel outlet, ate late-night nachos and junk food, tried to watch America's Next Top Model, saw friends, and just dished and reminisced. Perfect! She is radiant and happy and super skinny again (of course!) and Kade is adorable. I wish she still lived here but ...we can't have it all, I guess!


Karli at the airport

Kade's first plane ride!

The girls!

The boys! My kids were in love with Kade!

American Idol, Anyone?

I'm not embarassed to say I'm a fan. Gotta give props to this Murray, Utah cutie. (I have a thing for baby faces!) He stole the show with his rendition of Imagine by John Lennon. Chills? Me too! Amazing voice for such a little guy! Second favorite? The hottie from Down Under--Michael Johns. (I also have a thing for accents!)

Owen's First Birthday!

Owen turned 1 on February 16th and wouldn't you know it, I planned a date night that night with some friends--got a babysitter and everything! You can tell he is definitely a fourth child!
Anyway, the cousins all gathered and we had dinner and cake (decorated by all) the very next day.

Owen was napping for most the party (again fourth child) but we woke him up for the cake. Here he is sleepy-eyed!





Not quite sure about this...



Hmm...looks interesting...



and yum! He appoves!

Grandpa Blatter got to be there! Grandma Blatter was missed in Mexico!

Blatter Bistro

So, for Valentine's Day Hannah and I decided to turn our dining room into a restaurant by decorating with white lights and hanging hearts to surprise daddy. She even wrote out a menu, complete with "grilld samin and aspergus". It was pretty cute! Although, wouldn't you know it, by the time John got home the kids were grouchy, I had a head-ache and Owen was crying. I was just a tad snappy and John retorted snarkily with "Well, Happy Valentine's Day to you, too!" Our moods improved as soon as we all sat down to our feast! I was especially happy that every kid ate (and loved) their fish!! It was a great Valentine's Day!

We have since gotten a new light fixture (finally!)

The heart shaped brownie in the center of the table was a gift from John. There were two delivered to our door for Hannah and I ("his two girls"). He won "brownie" points for that!


Hannah helped decorate the platter. She saw it on the food channel!

Daddy Daughter Valentine's Dance

This is an annual event and Hannah loves it! They go in the same group from church each year, pose for pictures, and go to dinner. John loves that he will always be her first date! Someday he'll have to fight the boys off for her with a stick (and his very intimidating baby face!) She loves it 'cause she gets to paint her fingernails and cut the rug with her daddy all night!

smooth moves!

Brrrr! Lake Tahoe in January

We went up to the cabin last month and had a great time! It was beautiful! Owen sat in a little blue sled and we dragged him around everywhere. Alex, the 4 year old went skiing for the first time and refused to wedge his skiis to slow himself down. "No pizza, daddy! Only french fries!" The twins could only hack a half-day! We built sledding hills and snowmen and the kids especially loved the two-story icicles!

Here goes blogging!

So, I'm going to try this out. I'm not one to give into peer pressure but I had to crack! What a great way to keep in touch and an easy way to update everyone on our lives! I love reading all of yours so here goes....

This is my boyfriend!

Aaahhh, Mexico! Such a bathing beauty! This is my one year old Owen whom I adore!