Carter's Stamp Collection

One of Carter's scout requirements was to start a collection.  He chose to start a stamp collection.  He wanted his collection to be mostly queens.  What can we say, he loves the beautiful, rich and powerful ladies!  :)  Just kidding!

Happy Birthday Matt

Today is the birthday of The Greatest Dad in the World!!!

Everyone shout hooray!!!

As soon as Matt walked in the door from work, the kids tackled him to the ground and started giving him his birthday spankings while singing Happy Birthday.  We all counted each spanking...

One, Two, Three....Fourteen, Fifteen, Sixteen...

Twenty-Four, Twenty-Five, Twenty-Six,

Thirty-Seven, Thirty-Eight, Thirty-Nine...

Matt interrupts us and asks, "How high are you counting?" reminding us that we had

exceeded his age limit by 5 years!  Oops!

Josie excluded herself from the fun, not sure she liked the idea of everyone spanking daddy!

He really got 3 times as many spankings as he should have, I guess catching up for all

the years we forgot to spank him!

We made one of Daddy's favorite meals. Parmesan Chicken with Pasta Salad and lots of fruits and veggies.  He led the kids in a series of "Hooray's & Yeah's" for who knows what, but it was keeping everyone entertained before dinner was ready.

He was thrilled to be sung to again before blowing out his single candle, representing his new age...  This year he wanted a lemon cheesecake instead of cake.  I think we are having an "I'm getting tired of cake" year. 

At least Matt and I are. 

What a handsome Daddy!

Ok, maybe I spoke too soon.  :)

I think he is making a good wish...I hope it comes true for him.

Here are the cards the kids made for him.  We pulled out the markers and stamps and the kids had a great time making special cards for their favorite man in the world.  They were precious and from the heart.

This yellow one is from Chloe and it was too precious.  It says,

"Dear Dad, I love you because you are cute."

Happy Birthday Matt!

We know that you are another year wiser!

Goodnight ~ Sleep Tight

Tonight, as part of the bedtime routine, I went to give Josie a "kiss and a big squeeze" and she would not let go.  She just kept hugging me tight and finally said, "Mommy, take a picture."  I told her that I couldn't take a picture because she wouldn't let me go.  Then she yelled for Daddy and told him to take a picture.  This started a whole round of bedtime picture-taking!

Mason has started sleeping in his clothes at night and wearing his pajamas by day. 

He is a little man with his own style.

I believe Carter was already asleep.  Good and tired boy!

Good Night!  Sleep Tight!

Josie's New Bed

Josie will be 3 this year and she just thinks she is as big as the rest of the kids.  She is still sleeping in a crib, because we are lazy and haven't figured out what we are going to do.  She just climbs into and out of the crib by going over the side.  It is a bit of a challenge, but she is tough enough. 

Well tonight, I noticed again that a few screws had come loos and one had fallen off...probably posing a hazard.  Anyway, we decided to just take off the side that was already coming off and let it be a little toddler bed.  Josie thought this was the greatest invention, because now she had her "own bed!"

She had to line up all her stuffed animals and tuck them into their blankets.  I told her to lay down and I would tuck her into her blanket also.  She looked at her animals and said, "No, I need to sit here and watch my babies.  Now take a picture."  And I followed her demand. 

She is so cute and loves to take care of all her babies. 

Oscar Meyer Wiener

Carter spent the weekend at Cub Scout Day Camp and at the very end, each pack did a skit.  His group did a really cute skit about Raisins.  The boys did this little dance with the words...

"We are raisins, make Raisin Bran so raisiny." They wore little black garbage bags over their shirts and continued doing the dance and song.  Along came a little group of "goons" and they took away the raisins one by one.

Finally the last raisin stops, looks around realizing he is alone, and then sings, "I am raisin, make Raisin Bran so raisiny."  When they take him away, he stops singing and shouts, "I wish I was an Oscar Meyer Wiener!"

So, today Carter was teaching us the song about the raisins...which led to us singing the Oscar Meyer Wiener song.  Since Chloe picks up on the tunes to songs very quickly, she starts singing...

Oh, I wish I was a wiener to a dog,
Oh, I wish I was a wiener to a dog,
Oh, I wish I was a wiener, oh I wish I was a wiener, oh I wish I was a wiener to a dog. Woof!  Woof!

Matt and I thought we would die laughing because she had NO idea what she was singing about! 

Cub Scout Day Camp

This weekend was Carter's 1st Cub Scout Day Camp.  Matt and Carter stayed the night Thursday because they had set up Brother Stoddard's Teepee and many of the other stations and needed someone to stay there for safety.  They slept in the teepee and had a really fun time.  Carter stayed up really late catching grasshoppers with his friend Tyler Landon.  Tyler's dad, Josh, is one of Carter's Wolf Leaders. 

Friday morning came and the Pioneer Adventures began.  There were many activities to keep these boys entertained.  The pictures tell the adventures...

Candle Making

Lots of fun pioneer games.

The Stick Pull

Gunny Sack Races

Three-Legged Race

Leg Wrestling

This is Carter's Wolf Pack joined with another Pack.

This was Leather-Working in the Teepee!

Then a little B-B Gun Shooting.

Carter is quite the little sharp-shooter!

Banana Boats!  Carter loved this yummy snack!

Saturday brought a whole new day of fun activities.  Matt taught a class on woodworking and the boys made birdhouses.  Carter said this class was his "favorite" part because he got to work with his dad!

Saturday afternoon, families were invited to come and watch the boys perform their skits.  We may be partial, but we thought our Wolf Pack had the best skit.  They were dressed up like raisins in black garbage bags and they sang a little song about being raisins.  They were quite animated and had a fun time.

Here is a group picture of most of the Cub Scouts at the end of the day and weekend! 

They had a great time!

Carter came home both nights with a permanent smile on his face.  I asked him if he liked scouts and his eyes lit up and he shook his head yes.  He didn't look like he could be any more fulfilled!  He has definately found a passion in scouting!  It is in his blood lineage on both sides!  He can't wait until next year!

Josie is being Potty Trained!

Josie has literally been begging me to potty train her.  She has been taking  her wet diapers off for a couple months now, and whenever she has a poopy, she comes to me and says, "Mom, change me.  I'm poopy!"  She also detests wearing a diaper and always complains about it being to tight, too high, too close to her belly button or whatever else she can complain about it.  It's obvious she is sick of that big thick padding.  I am a mother who doesn't like to play around with potty training, so I put it off until I absolutely have to.  Mason ended up doing it on his own, and I think that is just what Josie is up to also.  Oh, could we be so blessed? 

This morning, I told Josie that if she wanted to wear her panties she could, and if she went potty in the toilet, then we would all get a gummy bear to celebrate!  She has stayed dry all day and has earned several gummy bears.  This evening, she went running to the potty and said she had to go poop...this was my only concern with her.  She climbed onto the toilet and pooped before I could follow her into the bathroom.  Pardon me, Josie calls it a "restroom."  She is a very formal little child.  Anyway, she wiped her bum, hopped down, washed her hands and received 3 gummy bears for doing so well!

Let's hope tomorrow and every day there-after will prove as successful as today!  Cross your fingers!

Cute little saggy panties.  We need to get some meat on that little bottom!