Awwwww....

Because some things just warrant having their picture taken.... in this case it would be Miss Reagan in her new dress!  :)  She looked so cute and she was being SO funny!  Couldn't help myself!  I know, I post a lot of pics of her.  I take even more!  haha.  But she just warms me up!  I love this little girl! 

This is a common look for her!  haha.  Maybe it cools her off!  ;)

Move Your Button...

We are the owners of a PS2... only for the purpose of playing the oh so awesome Rock Band game. :)  We are not really advocates of gaming systems or computer games for our kids... the average kid spends 7 hours a day in front of an electronic device!  7 HOURS A DAY!  Holy cow!  Anyway, so we figured to avoid that problem, and the whining and fighting that comes with it, we have never bought any other games for the system.... until now.  Patrick recently came home with a game for each of the boys, Legos Star Wars for Jackson and Cars for Harrison.  ....And the whining and begging began.  So, I thought, how can we use this to our advantage? ;) Enter the Minute Charts... and the Buttons.

The boys each have their own chart and can earn up to an hour and a half a week.  They have 3 opportunities to earn minutes a day, aka move their button.  They get to move it for good behavior (Jackson gets to move his based on his behavior at school), for eating their dinner (which has done WONDERS for Jackson's appetite) and for doing a random act of service/kindness for someone that day without being asked.  They earn minutes all week and then they can use them on Friday and/or Saturday.  They also lose minutes for doing things that are not acceptable.  And I have to say, I LOVE how well this is working for us so far!  ....Harrison would rather play on the computer (Playhouse Disney), the PS is a little hard for him still.  But Jackson, and obviously Patrick too, really get into the Star Wars game.  :)  I guess it's not all bad, they are having fun together.

It all just freaks me out a little.  They seem WAY too young to be this interested in this stuff!  We just didn't have this problem when we were kids!  We played outside and used our imaginations and road bikes... and I would hate to see them lose interest in that stuff too soon!  Am I crazy??  ...But like I said, for now, this system seems to really be working for us!  So I'm happy!  :)   

On Your Mark...

Sibling rivalry... um, I mean, healthy competition by means of an awesome scooter race... took over our back yard the other day!  It was pretty sweet!  :)

Patrick and I got in on the racing too!  I was a little too slow to make posting my race worth it!  haha. (Seriously, I didn't feel that slow when I was doing it!  But it's a minute of your like you can't get back!  haha.)  So, here is Patrick racing for Team Mom & Dad. :) 

And they're off!

I think this is the most alike I've seen them look.  haha. I wonder if that look of concentration is genetic?  :) ...Also pictured here, Reagan's fingers!  :)

Harrison was very determined!  :)

She has a pretty good concentration look too!  :)

Good times!  ...That patio is already paying for itself!  The boys are out there everyday riding on it.  The first thing Harrison asks in the morning is "Can I go ride my scooter on the cranky?".  (He means concrete. haha.)  LOVE it!  Can't wait to get the rest of it done!    

Sweetness

We've been trying out new hair styles to see if we can keep that hair under control a little better.  This one actually works for the most part... and it makes her look so grown up!

Just because.... :)  

And just a little update:  We were able to get the genetic testing done on her at the end of last year, we recently got the results.  They confirmed her diagnosis, RTS, but also found the the defective gene that she has is completely unique to her, it's never been seen before.  So she's special... but we already knew that!  :)

She has been very vocal lately, which has all of us (dr. and therapist included) very hopeful about the possibility of her speaking some day.  She is making quite a few new sounds... and yes, even her sounds are cute!  hahaha.

Love her to pieces!  She is getting so big! 

With LOVE...

Valentine's Day was a pretty fun one at our house.  We started out with pink pancakes, thanks to dad.  We got some fun goodies during the day from friends and family, both at our door and in the mail.  Jackson got loaded up with treats at school.  And we had some nice red spaghetti for dinner.  :)  It's not my favorite holiday, but it is fun. :)  These were our Valentines to our little Valentines.  (Patrick's is the one that is already open.) Nothing says "I love you" like a book.... about an undercover ATF agent and the Hell's Angels.  Actually, if you know Patrick, you know just how much that says I love him... and know him!  :) 

The boys got theirs after Jackson got home from school.  (And then my camera died.  So the pics were taken later.  haha.)  This is what they got!  Because you just can't have too many dragons!  ;)

Miss Reagan with her bag.  :)  She is SO stinking cute!  

And with her cute new summer cloths!  (And yes, she is chewing on a remote... an old, broken, battery-less remote.  It's her favorite toy! haha.) 

I am in LOVE... with these!  ;)  

Best Valentine ever!  I've needed shoes for a while!  And don't be deceived, the picture doesn't do them justice... SO cute!  (And comfortable!)  Patrick even went shopping with me.... Speaking of.... I'm pretty in love with him too!  :)  He knows it, I don't have to spell it out!  But if I did, it would be spelled like this:

JENNIE + PATRICK = FOREVER

Hey, it a Valentine's Day post, cheesy was not only expected... it's practically a requirement!  haha.    

Spare Parts...

Stinking tonsils!  Who needs 'em?!  ...Definitely NOT Harrison!  :)  The poor kid has had Strep 5 times in the past year, and 5 ear infections (3 of which were in both ears), always at the same time.  One of those instances landed him in the ER. ...SO it's about dang time!!!!  Here's to a much healthier 2011!  ...And popsicles and ice cream!  ;)  Can I get an "Alleluia"!  

(That isn't a dentist chair!  We were at the doctors office getting the good news!)  :)

SIDE NOTES:

*He is SO stinking cute!  :)

**We don't have a date yet, but we should in about a week! 

Birthday Wreath Tutorial

A few of you asked how to make the balloon birthday wreath I posted about.  As much as I would LOVE to take some credit for it, I can't!  And rather than type it all out, I figured I would just provide the link to the blog I got it from!  :)  So HERE you go!  

*Just an added note:  I started out by doing the front, all the way around.  I put the pins in VERY close together, totally not necessary... and tons more work... and balloons!  :)  My advice would be to put them in a little less than half an inch apart, if you want it fuller put them closer together!  

*Oh, this is not a project you will likely finish in a day.... even if you have the time... pushing those pins in totally bruised my thumb!  So pace yourself!  ;)

Good Luck!   

Dirt... and more Dirt!

I have expressed my non-loving relationship with dirt many times.  It doesn't help that we live in the desert or that everything is dirt colored!  We have also had an ongoing battle with the piece of dirt we bought with our house... to someday be known as "a backyard"!  The dust is killer!  And whenever we let the boys go out there to play they come back in looking like they were attacked by it!  Which means it's also getting tracked into our house!  And don't get me started on the MUD!  Rrrrr.... (Here's a pic to refresh your memory.)

So, we are finally starting to do something with it!  And our first move... contributing to the serious lack of concrete in AZ. ;)  Hello! giant patio and fire pit!  :) 

No complaints from the boys!  :) 

There is still A LOT of dirt left!  But we have a plan and are on our way!  :)  Woot Woot!

The Reagan-aitor!

I was trying to get a picture of how long her hair has gotten!  It reaches the middle of her back these days!

The hair that has a mind of it's own!  SERIOUSLY!  Introducing the Flock of Seagulls! hahaha. (And this was just from a nap!)

It would be a LOT funnier if I didn't have to brush it out... OUCH!

And how stinking BIG does she look sitting there like a big girl with her dad!!!  :)  LOVE it! 

She is scooting on her back now, rolling from front to back on her own, and has even started putting sounds together like "bu bu"!  (Although we're not sure yet if it means anything... but still!)  She went in for her 1 year check yesterday and passed with flying colors!  Yeah!  Even our doctor was excited about how well she is doing and how very interactive she is!   (And yes, even with her hair combed... it's crazy!  What can ya do?!)  Love this girl!

100 Days

Jackson, sporting his 100 Days of School gear!  :)  SUPER COOL, Dude!