Ian is "8"....

Ian opening up gifts...he was closing his eyes on each gift...he heard that makes the gift more exciting...:)
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Two posts in two days...wow...I am clearing out my camera so I was forced to get these uploaded:)
Ian had a friend party right when school ended this year. We went to Monkey Joe's and it was awesome...because all I had to do was show up and throw out a credit card:) He invited 16 kids and they ALL had a great time. We had a small family party last night and he will have his big family party when we return from vacation. I don't know how he lucked out with 3 parties. I already told him I think the friend party thing is over and he can have the cash that I would spend on it(really only about 1/4 of the cash...but he'll never know) I learned that little trick from my sister...thanks Tammy.

Jade turns "2"....

Hard to believe Jade is 2 years old..wow the time has just flown by..she is the best thing that ever could have happened to our family. She is so fun and so full of life. We can't remember what it was like without her...she loves to spend time with her grandparents and other family members. She sees my parents almost everyday and they love it. She is so beyond what Ian was at this age..she counts to 20 in English and Spanish...we take Spanish once a week and she picks it up with no problem at all. She is very active...and at times gives me a heartattack...like that day in tumbling when she did a handstand...seriously..she wasn't even 2 and she went straight up in the air..the teachers LOVED it and are excited to see what is next..me..I see broke limbs in my future:(...
Jade turned 2 while we were in Florida so I had her party about 2 weeks later...she wanted Dora..although she doesn't even watch Dora...she just knows that Dora speaks Spanish..so I hosted a Dora party:)

The cake was wonderful and Jade was so excited about the little toys on top of the cake...she played with those things for hours.

Amanda is home from college and really enjoying spending time with Ian, Jade, and Grant..I think somebody grew up alot at college...not that she wasn't the sweetest thing before...but she is the BIGGEST help ever...she is always taking care of Ian and Jade for me...I love it and so do they:):)

Jade studying the crowd..while she does often..she is actually pretty quiet around other people...which makes her seem perfect when she is out and about...BUT she is a firecraker at home...she keeps us hopping:):)

This was her favorite gift..a little baby bed...she loves babies and this was perfect for her dolls...Eve and Contessa...she came up with these names...I know she got Eve from the Bible and the other...I don't know.

Random photos....

Life has been BUSY...anyway...here are a few photos from the last few months...
Ian playing basketball...he LOVED it and had the best coach!!!!

Jade turned 2 in Florida...what a better way to celebrate than with Dora...she doesn't watch Dora...but she has it on and likes to speak Spanish with Dora.

Jade eating her cake...she likes the looks more than the taste:)

Jade running...she is always running!!! She is fast:)

Ian diving into the pool...he loved Florida this year...

Jeff made the trip this year:)....and he only had one meeting!!! We had a great time and it was wonderful weather.

Two peas in a pod...Ian is very patient with Jade...she loves him and always wants to play with him and his toys...aka..destroy his stuff. He is a good sport and thinks she is so pretty.

January just rolled on by..

Our official runner...doesn't she look too cute...and she looks like a baby compared to some of those girls..she was very nervous..this was her first race..and she did wonderful!!!!

One of her BIGGEST fans....grandpa!!!

Beau just waits for the snow to finally pull a sled!!!

My little snow baby...well...I think she will be a beach girl...after about 10 minutes she was done:)

Ian of course LOVED IT!!!

January is usually a boring month and a relaxing month...but we have been so busy with the snow...no school..going to UofI to watch Amanda run..it has FLOWN by and here it is the end of February...here are a few photos from January...

Christmas morning.....

I just realized that I loaded these backwards...anyway...this is Jade barely awake Christmas morning...wondering where all this stuff came from:)

We put Jade and Ian in our bed so that we could make sure they didn't come down and catch Santa putting out gifts:)....I think they were out!!!

Ian got the bike he always wanted...oh wait...he got the bike Jeff always wanted..but his parents would never buy...I am not sure I would purchase an $800.00 bike for a 7 year old either...oh wait..I just did...Jeff will NOT be doing any of the shopping next year:)

Jade loves kitchens...so she got a kitchen set...she loves it...she plays with it alot...but I made one mistake...I shouldn't have gotten all the wooden Melissa and Doug stuff to go with it...the plastic would have been better at this age..she is dangerous with that wood:)

My parents spent the night on Christmas Eve...the kids LOVED IT!!!

More photos....

Amanda and Grant opening up gifts...I got Amanda her gray ughs that she has been wanting...Grant was American Eagle clothes...easy!!! Grant was sick with mono for a few months...but he is just now getting back to normal...and he is sooo tall...it won't be long until he towers over me...and he is only in 7th grade:(
Jeff and Rob expressing how happy they are that their favorite mom-in-law is out of the hospital:)

Ian reading to Jade...he does this all the time...she loves books:)

We support are 2nd amendment...but just in cause the democrats take over and we lose our rights...Ian got his first gun:)

It has been awhile....

Time sure does creep up on you...I just realized I haven't posted since September...ugh...alot has been going on since then..Ian is enjoying school..he takes piano and Spanish...he also just started basketball.
Jade is Jade:)...she is really into the potty...ugh! She gets on and goes and tells me after the fact...but if I ask her...nope..she will sit...but not potty:(...she also loves to read...or act like she reads:)...she is taking Spanish and tumbling...she is doing just great at both...it is amazing how much her and Amanda are alike...in fact..she gets called Amanda on a daily basis..


Ian just hanging out in the yard:)...he is finally getting his teeth in...it has been almost a YEAR!!! My dad is teaching Ian to drive...this comes in handy living on a dead end road...he taught us to drive when we were like 10...Ian steers now...but claims summer 2011...he will be doing gas pedal also...so glad we don't get any traffic on the street...Jade joined them this day...usually she goes to honk the horn and than gets out before they drive up and down the street about 100 times:)

Jade trying out the potty for the first time...I walked in her room to find this..

I left to get camera and got this look....

Jade wearing my glasses...they look so big on her little face...anyway..she loves of have me print everyone's name and read them to hear..she tries to remember them and points them out to me...she actually does a good job:)