Cure for the hiccups

At dinner the other night Jade announces that she has the hiccups.

Wade says, "Hold your breath, that will help."

Jade replies with, "No Daddy, that's not how you make hiccups go away.  You have to sing to me, then they will sink from my tummy to my feet and go away."

"Aaah, what do I sing?"

"You, and mommy and brother have to sing Jingle Bells."

Wade starts to sing, "Oh, no, no, no Daddy, you all have to sing at the same time!"

So while she swayed her little conductor hands we all sang Jingle Bells and what do you know, they sank out of her tummy, down to her toes and out.  When asked where she learned this she replied, "Around."

Remembering to be joyful

Weather - something old men talk about and everyone else mostly ignores until it upsets your plans.  Maybe young mothers discuss it a lot too, since where you go and what you do is often curtailed by the whims of mother nature.  The winds have been howling through the state and so has the rain.  Floods, blown-down trees, lack of power and other calamities have brought peoples lives to a halt throughout Alaska.  In our part of the state things still seem to be flowing along nicely, the rain being annoying and the winds mostly creating fun distractions. 

A couple of days ago the winds shook (and knocked down) trees in our neighborhood, but since most of our neighbors have the trees cleared away from their homes it didn't adversely affect anyone.   Wade went out to help people cut up the trees and supplied people with wood to season for next winter.  The rattling of the trees also brought down a ton of leaves.  We laid on the lawn and watched in wonder as in "snowed" birch and aspen leaves across our yard.  Then (of course) we had to fetch a rake, bury one another, throw the piles in the air and jump like Linus (minus the wet sucker).  Hmmm, forgot to mention it has also hit 60+ degrees here ??? in late September!!

Sibling conversations

Slater started Kindergarten two weeks ago and he doesn't seem to have found a groove yet.  He misses his old classroom, his old teachers, his summer routine and sister.

We hear parts of this conversation daily:
Slater:  Sister are you five yet?
Jade: Not yet Brother.
Slater: Awwww
Jade: What's the matter Slater?
Slater: I want you to be four and then five and then you can be a Kindergartener like me.
Jade: Momma, can I go to Kindergarten with Slater?
Slater: That would be great sister!!


The scene: Playground on Friday at the end of the second week
Teacher calls all the kids to get in line after recess, counts heads, NO Slater.  She dashes down to the far end of the playground (the only corner that can't be seen from the rest of the playground) and finds him scaling the fence.  **sigh**
Teacher: Oh my goodness Slater, you scared me.  We don't climb the fence, you could get hurt!
Slater (gets down): That's very dangerous
Teacher: Yes it is and you scared me.
Slater: I'm sorry, I'll give you a hug, don't be scared anymore.

I feel like that whole interchange sums up my Kindergartener.  The kid who is completely focused on his mission, isn't listening, doing something dangerous, not really thinking about the consequences of his actions or the rules ... but at the same time, so kind, so sweet, willing to admit that he messed up, and sorry to have upset someone else.

Ever look through old photos and find gems?

Naptime with both my babies, just a couple of days before Jade arrived.

Less than 6 weeks old, little did we know that the pacifier would hang around for nearly 3 years!

Monkey chocolate face - Always willing to help

It is hard for me to believe that Jade is now older than Slater was in this photo!

Helping sister

He wanted so badly to be little one for just a few moments

Sweet Baby Jade

Hee Hee Hee

Proud moment

Lovin' the ghetti

First dog sled ride 3.5 years old

Princess Jade is 3!!!

The ladies making crowns (the boys made knight shields)

Favorite foods of a princess, castle cake, white chocolate fondue, fruits, tuna salad, and fresh cut veggies.  We feel like we are doing something right when the first thing that she asked for was celery, followed by strawberries, finally she wanted cake - the kids actually didn't like the chocolate fondue (more for me).

She was so excited and proud to be the birthday girl

Triple layer cake, two of chocolate and one of strawberry, the layers were also filled with frosting and strawberry jam.  The towers were vanilla Oreos topped with sugar cones and the grass was coconut flakes with some green food dye. 

Gobble it up!!

She was thrilled to open presents.  At Christmas she just wanted to tear everything open for the fun of unwrapping, but at this party she took a little more time to savor the gifts.  Princess paraphernalia abounded.

Her first American Girl baby!!  She was beside herself!

She also received a Tinkerbell costume that was a huge hit.

Terrific Three's!!  She enjoyed every minute of this party and helped plan all the details.  She went shopping with me to pick out the table settings, the party favors, selected the menu, and gave us a list of her friends that she wanted there.  This was repeated almost daily for weeks before the party.  It was wonderful to be surrounded by family and friends on such a special day.  We love you Princess Jade!!

Summer Reading Program Parade

Dragon and Solider

At the top of the rope climb

Finding a way to make this more dangerous

This butterfly stayed for a week!!

This summer both of the kids participated in the summer reading program.  Each week we would head off to the library for new books, fill out our reader log, get our reading program stamped (and our hands), get prizes, answer questions, attend special programs, and read!!  The last event for the summer is a costume parade at Pioneer Park.  All the kids are welcome and they parade around the entire park to celebrate, get their faces painted, have ice cream, play on the playground and are awarded a new book!!

Pig Roast 2012

Pre-party nap with Grandpa

Cutting up the swine!

Not the most cooperative year for photographing children at the pig roast

So someone brought markers and left them in Jade's hands unsupervised - she elected to give herself a kitty nose

Fishing the Chena with dad

The hike on Left Beach

Rescuing the starfish, Aunt Kelly spotted this little guy way up the beach from the water.

Rusty's Lagoon!

Attempt at a family photo - open mouth, fish face, looking away and closed eyes *sigh*

One of the log-obstecles

Cruisin' the ferns! 

Yup that is a giant pile of bear poo!  We turned around and headed back to the beach at this point.  Even though it wasn't steaming, the trees and undergrowth hemmed us in and made continuing with small kids spooky.

A little after lunch napping in the sunshine

At the end of the beach you can just make out the jutting rocks that distinguish Left Beach from Right Beach.

Scaling the cliffs

Brave girl

This photo makes the rocks look crazy dangerous - which they were not!

"Look Mom, I can just climb up using these roots!"

This cool kid is now 5!!!!

The first Jones to climb McKinley???

Never will I let big brother out do me!

This is one of my favorite photos ever!  Pride and delight in her accomplishment!!

Brother and Sister hang time