this week

i know i need to get back here. i have a lot less time now but that's no excuse. i really like looking back 1, 2, dear lord it's been 3 years? i know my boys will too... bear with me while i regain some focus or maybe we'll just keep it as a modpodge starting with this all of the place post.

i finally picked my camera up these past two days. the dead of winter seemed like a good time to start. we dig deep during these times. with all the frigid temperatures lately i must say, i am, although usually the first to complain, well equipped. i finally got a big arse coat with the fur lined hood. one that comes midcalf so even your legs are shielded! over the past few years brett beat me to pointing them out when we'd see people wearing them on the coldest of the cold days "like that." this year i got one and i don't think i've taken it off along with my new ugg boots since cmas. santa was good to me.

anywho, we got the boys, and my neighbor's boy, a fish for christmas. so funny because my kids have never been namers. aiden's lambie, brady's bearmy, colin's bunny fufu. not too imaginative in the name department. so the red-blue beta in the tank on our kitchen counter is the fish. so crazy, but i actually like the fish. who would have thought fish have personalities.



with the christmas tree in front of our main window this year, my lemon tree needed a new one, and turns out it's brighter so better. despite this horrible cold, which it hates more than nonequipped me, it's hanging on. i am so happy my mom didn't coincidently give me the lemon of the two lemon trees she bought us in april because i'd think i was the reason hers is now dead. :(



so last month, for record keeping purposes, colin totally turned up his big boy dial. all of a sudden he dropped the diaps, literally, he gave them away to one of his almost 2yo friends, for the undies. he's a professional with the toilet now, even standing to pee. he wasn't taught that way since he's short but a recent snow sledding incident learned him.

with that, omigosh he's even waking up and using the bathroom on his own at night (super proud of him), he got his room denursified.



got himself a big big boy bed. he's the best kid too because his excitement level with all this, especially his bed was equal to that of all my boys' on christmas eve at bedtime combined.

alright, all over the place. middle kid just got the memo that he's going to kindergarten next year. the past 6 months he's been figuring out who he is i think, balancing on this little/big boy line. but when i see things he does like helping himself to a bowl of cereal i forget that 1. he didn't ask and 2. he's not eating it at the table since none of those three happen often.

yesterday i roasted a chicken and made one of brett & my many favorite soups, mexican chicken. brett has requested the roast chicken become part of the weekly circuit. seriously it is ridiculously easy, there is no reason it should not. as you wish farmboy.

this is one of those hundreds of things i will miss richter doing everyday when... the big stretch, flail and roll. (dog sleepover).

brady now has his own ipod and doesn't have to steal listens off aiden's.

two people in this house have birthdays this friday and since little changes make things special i trial ran a new cake and icing recipe. news spread quickly that this was for colin and he was all over it.

there was no way testing it could wait for dessert so after nap, the test panel pulled up their chairs.

colin asked to be sung to too. i didn't give into candles though. i can be tough sometimes you know.

if i had known colin would have loved this cake as much as he did, i would have lit the candles.

brady did give it a good run but his final was a thumbs down as was with noncake lover aiden.

another f-point awarded to colin. it's not hard, just like what i cook or bake. brett enjoyed the cake. so overall a win, but not party worthy i conclude.



inspiration for colin's birthday theme despite him suggesting scooby doo?

balloons on the ceiling. they've mastered the hair static trick but added throwing them up. ooh.

another failed attempt to get the toothless smile for uncle kevin.

more baking. epiphany was today and while i've never celebrated it ever, brett's Mom a little, aiden was asking about it so we looked up the details. came up with baking this "dora three kings cake" with a hidden hershey kiss (the slice recipient with it get's to be 'king' OR is more blessed per brady's teacher). i'm the Determiner of Snacks for brady's class this week and next so today they got cake. colin was pissed to say the least, he didn't get some.

oh and add it to the baby book, brady blew up his first balloon today.