Busy Busy!

Whew...a whole week of working!  I was exhausted!  With all of the snow days and special days off...this was the first full week we had at school in a long time!  And I am hearing bad rumors that we are in for some "blizzard-like" conditions early this week...ugh!  I treasure my summer days with the boys and this snow is just ruining that!

Wednesday we had the priveledge of having the Ottis girls over while their mom, Mary, had a meeting.  Even though it's 2 more kids, it almost seems easier to have all of them because they all have a playmate their same age, and they go off and do their thing!  Mason and Nora were playing with babies and books, and Zane and Madelyn were playing Mom and Dad (I got nervous when they closed the door and wouldn't let me come in the bedroom...) and school.


Nora and Mason reading books

Zane & Madelyn

Wednesday night we were watching American Idol and all of a sudden Zane came out with a "Zane" sign taped to the front of his shirt and a microphone in hand.  He told me he was on American Idol and started singing/dancing in the living room.  It was too cute!  Here he is "showing his stuff:"

Are you the next American Idol?

You're going to Hollywood!

Zane has really wanted to take pictures lately.  He will ask me, "Mom, can I use your camera to take pictures so I can print them?"  I usually let him because he comes up with some interesting photos...  Here are a few of his artistic images...

Mason and Mama rocking and singing before bed

Mason tucked in and ready for bed

Zane "posed" all of these creatures

Grinch with my purse

Grinch with markers and a notebook...because "Grinch likes to draw."

Then he tried a few self-portraits

Serious face

Then he wanted a photo of he and Grinch

And finally I had to help because he couldn't get everyone in the picture by himself

Saturday Zane and I headed to a birthday party for a little friend from his Pre-K class.  It was a "Hello Kitty" themed party, so as the kids arrived they were given a headband with kitty ears to wear.  Zane wore his, but drew the line at a painted nose and whiskers (thank goodness).  There were 2 other boys from his class there, so he had some friends to hang out with.  He seemed to have quite a good time, and I enjoyed talking with some of the other moms who I hadn't met before.



Reece and Zane decorating picture frames

Zane and Nathan playing

One of the party games

Zane discovering he likes cherries!

Today we went to church and Mason actually stayed downstairs the whole time!  Yea!  It was nice and relaxing to sit through church and listen to the message without having to handle Mason also!  At one point the pager they gave us said "Please come," so I headed downstairs only to see Mason with his blankie around his shoulders like a cape, walking around with a smile on his face.  I don't know what happened, but they didn't page us, so that's a good step for us!

Zane-isms

~Conversation with Zane and I on the way to the birthday party this weekend:

   A:  Zane, can you belive you are going to be 6 soon?  It makes Mom sad...stop growing up!

   Z:  Why are you sad Mom?

   A:  Because you will grow up, move away from me, get married, and have babies!

   Z:  Well, I will kill them.

   A:  What?!?!?

   Z:  When the guys come to get me to take me away from you, I'll kill them.  Even if they are cops.

   A:  Oh.  Zane, it's okay.  Everyone grows up and moves away from their Moms.

   Z:  But I like you.

   A:  And I like you too.  But it's okay.  I don't live with my mom anymore.  Maybe you will be a rich

         doctor and you can take care of me.

   Z:  No, I will be a skateboard driver.  Or a race car driver.

   A:  Will I have a special place to sit to watch you?
   Z:  Yeah, right in the front row!

Mason's Marvels

~Sometimes Mason will put his hand over your mouth and say "Calm down!"

~Jo emailed me the other day to say that she was playing some music and the kids were dancing to it.  She

  looked at Madelyn and said, "You go girl" and she said Mason's reaction was to put up two fingers (peace

  sign) and say "Peace!"  I have no clue where that came from!

~Mason can count to 10!  We practice each night and the other night he said, "1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 100!"  Then he

  clapped, wanted me to clap, then wanted to do knuckles, high five, a kiss, and a hug!  He's also been

  saying other numbers, such as 11, 12, 13, then 16, 15, 20, 11, 12, etc.

~One of Mason's newest reactions is "Cool!  Awesome!"

~Mason said "Oh my gosh" the other day!

~This weekend we stopped by the "dinosaur restaurant" but the dinosaurs weren't working (they move and

  roar).  Today Mason said, "Dinosaurs not nurking (working) (while his hands are making an "I don't

  know" motion).  I said "oh yeah, the dinosaurs at the restaurant.  What was wrong with them?"  He said,

  "Dinosaurs are dead.  They not nurking."