Percy

Asher built a snowman all by himself today. The first time ever without help. He was so proud. "This is the best day ever!" he said as he realized he was doing it all by himself . It's a rather stoic snowman, but that's the only mouth he could get to stick...He named it Percy.And here's sweet pea with Jinxy cat...

Gappy

Gappy is one of the names we've called him since he's lost both of his front teeth, although he really doesn't care for that nickname. About a week after he lost one of them, the other one followed suit. I actually gave it a little help...yanked it right out. Here are a few photos of his gappy mug.

Front tooth

A lost a front tooth last night. The thing had been hanging by a thread for some time now. He wouldn't let me pull it, so we'd been waiting for something to bust it loose. Last night he and E were playing on the kitchen floor. Next thing we heard was A exclaim, "Holy cow! Elle pulled out my tooth!" They had been playing like they were puppies. A had a long kitty toy in his mouth (yuck), and E was yanking it away from him. The last time, the tooth came with it and flung across the room.He's pretty proud of his "gap."And she doesn't want you to forget about her. She's been "wiggling" her teeth too trying to convince us that one was falling out. She made Daddy take a picture of her mouth after he took A's picture.

Jinxy

After a horrible experience with a dog a few years ago, we are now cat people. A very nice cat became available through some friends of ours. The kids were SO excited about it, and T wanted them to have a pet, so we jumped on it. Jinxy is very loving and fits in just right around here. A has been feeding her every morning, T has been cleaning more(he vacuumed for nearly two hours yesterday), E always wants to know where Jinxy is, and me...well, I guess I get to clean the litter box! :)

Rock a bye baby

Recently, Elle has gotten to where she likes me to rock her and sing her a song before bedtime which I thoroughly enjoy since she never would let me do that before. She was such a content baby and such a good sleeper that she didn't need rocking and would usually "shush" me if I tried to sing to her. She just wanted to sleep. Now that she's 2 1/2, she's a little big, but I indulge her, mostly for my sake. Anyway, lately, Asher has been wanting to help out more. He likes to get her dressed sometimes. And some nights he asks her if he can rock her and sing to her. This night she let him - she doesn't always. And he sang a sweet song to her. They're usually songs that he makes up. I will cherish these moments because I know they won't always love each other this much!

Art is six!

The first celebration was at school. Here he is with Ms. Val and the globe.For birthday's at school they carry the earth around the sun for each year they are old (6 times this year).
See the sun in the middle of the circle? This is Asher's entire class, minus one. And Elle is in there and was a guest for the party that day. (She wants so badly to go to school.)
Then we partied at home. This is the cake I made. He requested a dinosaur.
And supper with the family (and adopted family)
Ash requested a game of pin the tail on the donkey. (elle refused the blindfold)
He'd mentioned that he wanted to play this a few days earlier and then I sort of spaced it out...ok, I completely spaced it out. So while everyone else was eating pizza, I was downstairs ripping up a cardboard box, scratching out a donkey, and making yarn tails.
Asher won...of course.
Mark's head was too big for the blindfold, so we draped.
He is officially six. We love you buddy!

Elle poked the candles back in.
Mmmm!

Christmas Pictures

The kids before the Christmas Eve service at church. (it's a good thing Asher got a new tie for Christmas!)

Christmas morning at home. This was the first present he got and he said it was his favorite...Then he said this was his favorite...Little Miss with her Barbie shades. A baby! And some gum - notice the big wad in her mouth. She shoved a handful in right away, before anyone could take it away from her (she tends to swallow it).Next it was Christmas at Grammy and Grandpa's in the afternoon with Aunt, Uncle and cousins from Indiana. This time, Buzz Lightyear was his favorite gift...you get the idea. He likes them all~Helping Elle open the big one. (Sorry Dale, that's the only picture we got of you!)Playing with her babies in the new crib Grandpa made for her (Grammy sanded and painted it and made bedding for it). She had 5 babies snuggled up in no time.
Me and Momma.
Stacia and Elle (sitting in her baby's crib with a mouthful of something, probably sugar filled)
Asher and Trevor had fun playing outside. They (Trevor) made a neat tepee fort out of sticks.Aunt Ellen snuggling with Tiny E before they had to head back to Indiana on Christmas night. :(
Ellen snuggling with me. :)
And I couldn't leave out this doll face. I thought she looked like a porcelain doll in this picture...