Thank You Pinterest!

The first of a few crafts that I will be doing....Thanks to Pinterest! This was very fun, and I LOVE it!

This makes me smile : )

 

What a smart way to get up into the tree....my little problem solver.

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Jake has informed us that the reason that he has streaks in his undies is that his butt gets grumpy and makes him need to poop in his underwear :)

Out of the mouth of babes...

Me: Devon, come here I need to change your poopy booty (yes, he still wears diapers, he has NO desire to go in the potty. I have a 7 month old, so I have NO desire to play his games...he'll do it someday)

Devon: Alright, Alright.....(he saunters along, playing with toys)

Me: Devon, what are you doing? come here please!

Devon (walking to me as an almost 3 year old, but talking like a 16 year old): why you so worry 'bout me for?

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Me: Jake do you need to go poop (it really is all about poop at our house)?

Jake: NO!

Me: Jake, you need to go, why don't you go?

Jake: The poop is trying to control me! I don't like it to control me!
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 This morning, Callie was fussing in her room during her morning nap, and let out a very loud shreek.

Jake: That was LOUD! I think she must be turning into something! like a monster

Buttons

Devon knows just how to push Jake's buttons. Devon has the sense of humor of a 30 year old man. He is kind of warped that way. He thinks it is funny to see Jake freak out...so he induces it sometimes. Here are a couple of examples:

Yesterday after Jake got home from school, Devon was still asleep. Jake went up to their room to wake him up (I asked him too).
Jake: "Devon...time to wake up buddy"
Devon: "I frew your Cars 2 lightening away"
Jake (freaking out, runs downstairs): "Mom!!!! Mom!!! Devon threw away my Cars 2 Lightening...we gotta dig through the trash now!
Devon (walking happily downstairs): "Hi mom! I'm awake! can I have a nack?"


P.S. Cars 2 lightening has been found...not in the trash, but in the Bat mobile

This morning Jake was looking for the hat for his Woody doll.

Jake: "Devon, where is my Woody's hat?" "What did you do with it?"
Devon: (yells) "I frew it downstairs!" (as he smirks, and sits calmly on the couch)
Jake (freaking out again): "mom! Devon threw my Woody's hat downstairs, we gotta go get it!"


No worries Woody's hat has been found...under the stove.

These little things make me laugh...and worry what trouble the years ahead will bring :)

Jake the film maker

Most kids love to play, Jake is no different in that respect. Jake just has a very loyal sense about him and it carries over to his playing.  Most of you know that Jake is a VERY loyal Pixar fan. I believe it was just before his 2nd birthday that he first watched Toy Story, then got his first Buzz and Woody. Cars, the movie followed soon....and they have alternated between the favorite and 2nd favorite ever since.

As result of this love of Pixar and their movies, Jake is interested in how the movies are made. He loves to know how "they created Buzz and Woody", and how to create the movie.  This has translated into Jake "stealing" my iphone and "making movies" or taking my iphone and shooting video. All kinds of video, play video, candid video, and staged video. This used to frustrate the crap out of me, because I would need to use my phone and couldn't find it. The frustration stopped when Victoria and I were watching the video's that Jake had taken. They were pretty great (for a 6 year old at least). I could tell that he really liked making these videos and had a pattern and theme to them. I was impressed, and not too surprised, Jake is a very creative guy (gets it from Colby). The thing I was surprised about was that the videos were not Pixar related. Even though Pixar is top dog, Marvel and its gang is following close behind around here. Jake received a ton of superhero toys for his birthday (as requested). The videos I saw were all Marvel (Theme) and each video had a different super hero.

I decided that Jake needed to see what his video process could turn into. We have an iMac, that has iMovie installed. So, like any good mom would do, I helped him edit his videos into a MOVIE! I clipped together the video in a way that it told the story Jake wanted. Every movie needs a soundtrack, so I added one. The result? A super great movie and what could be the beginning of a great talent/career (I'm crazy I know).  When I showed Jake the movie, he asked "Is it going to be shown on the big screen?", I told him "No, buddy, not this movie". Jake then told me (while shaking his head in determination) "well, I'm going to make movies until they show one on the big screen!!"

I think he'll do it, that is just the type of kid he is.....so without further adieu... Jake's 1st Movie

Give and Take

I am sure you all remember that Colby and I are getting out of debt. This task has been slowed dramatically the past year. A number of things have caused the slowing. Saving for maternity leave last year (like Dave Ramsey suggests). Then while on maternity leave we spent $8000 in home/car repairs (yes you read right $8000. I didn't fall on the zero button on accident). The day before Callie was born our furnace/heat pump went out. It turns out that because we are the only house in our subdivision with a heat pump the builder didn't know how to install one correctly. Thus, 5 years later we have to get a whole new system. Yippee! Then the super crazy wind storms this spring means that we had to get roofing repairs. Not to feel out done, Colby's Jeep decided that it needed a new transmission. ARGH!!!! I am sad to report that we had to take out a small loan to help cover the Jeep, everything else, we used our Emergency fund for. This is a double edged sword, WE PAID CASH for MOST of our Murphy's Law issues. However we had to get a small loan, and lost out on the money we were looking forward to slamming onto our debt.  Since then, we have had a hard time geting that snowball moving. I went back to work to find out that the free flowing extra shifts had become very hard to get. I also am now very frustrated that I have to spend so much time away from my family, that I am not very motivated to actually work extra.

Time for change!!! I decided enough is enough, I am now on a committee that I am doing a project for, this gets me hours. I am going to work hard to get at least 1 extra shift a month, and I have to get several more trauma hours in (also money). Only downside is that in order to do this, I need a babysitter that can swing by for a couple of hours. Enter www.care.com where we looked for a local person to help us out.  My mom does when she has time, but sometimes she can't. It was nice to screen people and find the perfect match.  We found Mandy, a local girl who is going to college to be a teacher and only needs a few hours a month! Perfect match! I am cheap, I 'm not going to lie, but I am fine paying someone in order to bring more money in. I see it as give and take. I've gotta give money in order to get some more : ) I forsee this bringing in enough money to make a difference.  I am too determined to get out of debt to quit, so doing this is just one more thing to make it happen.  We are too close to the finish line to stop now.