Sunday

Some days at church are just so nice, sitting there with your family, enjoying the speakers, seeing friends.
Today was not one of those days. Jared had clinical, so I was on my own. It's awesome that the boys love their little sister so much, but they can't sit still and leave her alone for 2 seconds, or quit playing with her and laughing out loud at her. She is good entertainment for bored kids. And why does a baby have to go from totally happy and content to starving in the space of 4 seconds, and hysterical while you dump the formula in the bottle and shake it up. A little bit of mild crankiness as foreshadowing would help.
But we got through. I should get us some new sunday clothes. Maybe a wrestling singlet for me, and some straight jackets for the boys.
But Allie was adorable in this little dress from Auntie Betty. I call it a Cabbage Patch dress because doesn't it look like the little dresses they came with when we were kids?

Pinewood Derby 2012

Waiting for the races

Time to load the carsAnd the winner is . . . Not Joey's car. I think his car was the slowest one there. But he still had fun, and he loved his "tank" car. These trophies were made out of dollar store cars painted gold, glued to a wedge of wood. I think they're so awesome! And cheap enough that all the boys got one.After is was over I was happy thinking that this was his last derby. Then I remembered Jason will be in Boy Scouts next year. Then Tyler. I'm not really a big fan of Scouts, if you can't tell. But it's good for the boys, and I should change my attitude.

Headbands again

Okay, lace won the poll. I was planning on getting it at JoAnn, using my 50% off coupon. That would make it about 90 cents a yard. But yesterday I found some at a scrapbook store (Pebbles in My Pocket) for 35 cents a yard! And I like it even better. So I'm happy. But I keep wondering how you would use stretchy lace in a scrapbook.
Okay, now time for the embellishment. Here are you're choices:
Layered rose: Silk flower (not necessarily this one. Whatever's on sale. But it will be pretty, for sure)Ribbon flower (it will be pink):

Shabby rose:

I think they're all pretty, and fairly easy to make. Let me know what you think. Everybody vote! If you don't vote and these poor little babies end up with a hideous headband, it will be your own fault.

Tyler gets a haircut

I have always loved Tyler's long hair. I got the inspiration for it from the kid on Kramer vs. Kramer. But he's getting older :( and I started thinking he needed a big boy haircut. Plus, someone asked what "this little girl's" name is. Yeah.
So I broke out the scissors, and for the first time in his life, the clippers. He was really worried about it. He was pretty sure it was going to hurt. And now he looks like this. I know, I'm not a hairdresser. It's kind of a hack job, but it was the best I could do. I think he looks good, though.

But I'm a little sad. I think I'll let it grow back and he can be a little boy for a little longer.

Playing in the sink

I was trying to do dishes and Allie was really grumpy and did NOT want to play in the exersaucer, or sit in the bumbo, and she especially did not want to play on the floor. She was serious. And you know how you get in your groove of doing things and just don't want to stop? So I put her in one side of the sink with the water running and let her play. I can't say she loved it, since she didn't smile at all, but she was definitely intrigued by the running water and the dish cloth.
But it really didn't help me get the dishes done since I was afraid she might fall out, so I had to stay within arms reach of her, and plus she was kind of in my way. But it was fun anyway.

Valentines

My mom wanted to see the valentines my boys made for their classmates. So this is a little behind the times, since I kind of forgot.
Jason made this magic message valentine. You pull on the tabs at the side and . . .
this is what you get. It's a clever little thing, and easy. I helped with Joey's party at school, and this is one of the activities we did.

Joey made these super easy pencils topped with paper hearts.

And Tyler did a candy airplane. The wings are a stick of gum, the wheels are lifesavers, the body as you can see are Smarties, or Rockets, depending on if you are American of Canadian (ironically, these kind of Smarties are made in Canada. But in Canada they are always called Rockets). It's all held together with a rubber band.

I got the idea for these on familyfun.com. It's more work than buying valentines, but I think it's a lot more fun.

Friends

When Jason got his bunkbed tent the boys all loved it so much that they all wanted to sleep in it. Sometimes all three squash into it together. Then they decided Joey and Tyler's bed would be fun too. At first I let them have their sleepovers any time they wanted because I figured it was good for them to have fun together and be better friends. But they were too tired in the morning, so now it's just a weekend thing. They saw this picture and couldn't believe I came in their room and took a picture of them and they never even knew about it.
I want my kids to be good friends, and most of the time they are. When they're not fighting, of course.
Anyone have advice on how to get brothers to be good friends?