Photographs of Spring! It's coming!

I've been going to a photography class (enrichment) so I went outside with the kids to take some pictures. Our camera has tons of different settings but I don't think I've used them, other than auto. So I used the sports setting on the kids swinging and jumping on the tramp (it stops the action), a portrait setting on Zander (it focuses close up and the background is more blurred). I think thats the setting I used for my tree picture as well. And then back to regular old auto for my emerging daffodils. So enjoy my celebration of spring!

I think Payton would swing for hours. He kept saying "Mom, ush eee! No ic ure!" But I did get a few of him smiling!
It took a few tries to get someone in the air, but I got the timing figured out. That is Kegan's friend from down the street.
First time Zander is feeling grass on his feet, he kept lifting his feet up and wiggling his toes. Then I decided to put socks on the poor guy. He was much happier. But he had fun watching Payton go back and forth on the swing.
See the little buds on my fruit tree! I think this one is an apple, but it might be the peach tree. But all the fruit trees have buds; leaves are on the way!
The Garden restaurant has a gazillion daffodils in front and I noticed the other day they were already several inches tall. So I have been watching for mine and I finally have a few. (The Garden daffodils get sun all day, and mine only have sun in the morning, so we're slower.) But soon we'll have pretty yellow flowers to look at!

EARTHQUAKE!

So I had just stepped out of the shower this morning when I felt a little shaking and heard things rattling about. I figured the kids were running around the house, but when I opened the door they were all sitting down. (They were yelling at each other about someone farting and then being pushed off a chair, but still, they weren't running.) I thought, "hmmmm, that's wierd I wonder if that was an earthquake." But I figured I was imagining things and went about the morning. Then as I was taking Kiara to school, they were talking about the 6.3 earthquake near Wells, Nevada and about how they felt it! So I wasn't crazy after all! Kiara heard them talking about the earthquake and wanted to know what it was. So we had a quick plate techtonics lesson and talked about what to do if there is a really bad earthquake. Hopefully Kiara doesn't hide under her desk at any small sound today. She left the car so excited and couldn't wait to tell her friends about how she felt the earth move under her feet. (Well, the kids did NOT notice a thing!) But her and Kegan both have some great tall tales of what happened. Kegan's story is helped by watching The Land Before Time, I am sure, because he calls it an "earth shake" instead of earthquake. Hopefully all is well in Nevada, it sounded like it was not too bad from the story I read online. Have a great day!

Payton-isms

So Paul and I were both sick with strep throat last week and all I could think about while lying on the couch were ideas for cute and funny posts. But I had tons of catching up to do and now finally have the time to do it!

Payton is talking up a storm, but as is typical of 2 year olds, it takes some time to really figure out what he is saying. So I thought I'd provide some translations here for everyone.

Nanner - Zander

Ra Ra - Kiara (a lot of little kids seem to say her name like this)

Ki Ki - Kegan (Kegan does NOT like this at all, Kiki is a girl's name)

nummy - you'd think this was yummy, but nope, its money

eeee all - cereal (EVERYTHING Zander eats is Nanner eeee all)

atch oo bee -watch movie

oh man - snow man

upe ah man - Superman

uh-er wear -under wear

ipe -wipe

bee bop -Sponge Bob

ack - snack

ee go -Diego

ooby - Scooby

eee - cheese

ink - drink

ohr - more

ap in - napkin (I know, that a two year old even attempts "napkin" is amazing, but he won't leave the table without wiping his face, he is sooo OCD already!)

Basically, when he says something you can't figure out, quickly run through the alphabet adding each letter to the begining of what he said until it makes sense. Works well until he leaves out the end sound too, and then its a little tougher.

Payton and his Ooby uh -er wear!

Kiara's Competition

Kiara had her first Clogging Competition this weekend. She performed two solos and one team number. We had a lot of fun and she did very well. When we left the competition she was very tired and hungry and told me she wanted to quit clogging, but when I tucked her in that night she wanted to do three solos at the next competition. Amazing what a little food in your stomach and rest will do to your outlook on life!


This is one of her solos. She got first place for both of them. (Placement is not determined by comparing dancers, it is by a point system, at least for the younger age groups.)


This is her team number, dancing to Blue Suede Shoes by Elvis!


This is her team. Kiara is always excited to do shows and competitions because we spend so much time on hair and makeup. Everyone got a participant medal. They also got a "first place" on their team dance, but did not recieve a trophy this time. They are all excited to practice and will be doing two numbers at the next competition.

Good job, Kiara!

Zander High Centered

So the past week or so Zander has been developing some pre-crawling moves. He can get from sitting to his stomach pretty good now. Its a little amusing. He stretches out to one side as far as he can and then brings the other hand over and kind of falls the rest of the way to his stomach. He does little push ups, but mostly just flops like a fish on his stomach. He can do a full rotation when he is sitting up and can scoot a foot or two. Yesturday I put him on his hands and knees to see what he would do and he managed to walk his hands back and sit up a couple of times.

Now we come to the title and the pictures. Today I put him on the floor with some toys by his high chair while I was cooking. I looked down to see him high centered on his high chair. He played that way happily for a few minutes, but then got frustrated and uncomfortable I imagine. Of course he probably didn't understand why I was taking pictures and not helping him out!

Cake Mania

Well, it's been a good couple of weeks for cakes! We had cake night for Paul and my birthdays. Our birthday's are close together so we usually pick a night near both of them and have friends over to eat the cakes we choose each year. The first two cakes were for that. And then Paul's dad's birthday cake is last. All were delicious and fun to make!
This is Almond Biscuit Roulade filled with Raspberry Cloud Cream. (Paul's choice) We put some of the left over Raspberry cream in some hot cocoa, it was yummy!
This is the tower of chocolate. (My choice!) Chocolate Fudge Cake with Milk Chocolate Buttercream and dark chocolate curls.
This is carrot cake with cream cheese frosting. Paul's dad used to have a model train collection and is now getting into them again. They are converting a bedroom and have all sorts of fun things planned. So I went a little crazy and had fun designing and carving this cake for him!