Sew Monkey Butt

I didn't spell that wrong...I actually DID sew a monkey butt! It's a homemade cloth diaper! Cute, huh?

 A friend gave me a old Singer 500A and it's really awesome, but couldn't figure it all out! So Charlotte, a lady in our meeting, came and helped me figure it out and even cleaned and oiled it! So now it works like a charm!

I half printed off a pattern, half made my own for this project. There are parts I need to modify, but for my first one, I'm pretty proud of this little monkey monkey butt cover :D

New Chef Mate

There's a new chef in town who doesn't mind helping me out in the kitchen!

Actually, he's more like an intern...he mostly just watches and comments on a few things.

My only complaint?

He could stand to lay off eating every crumb.

His chin has over DOUBLED in size!

I can't be too hard on him...he's still in training, super cute....and only just about 4 months old.

1825

One thousand, eight hundred and twenty-five days (plus a few more now) is how many days we've been married!

Before you get your calculator out...that's 5 years :)

We spent the weekend in Kalispell, and with awsome Grandparents who were more then willing to babysit, we went on the most awesome date ever!

(The other most awesome dates were the one where we first held hands :), and the one where Logan proposed. Of course, all of our dates were nice!)

We went on a Moonlight Dine & Ski up at Big Mountain in Whitefish. We rode the ski lift up to the summit where we had a delicious Italian dinner by candlelight. And of course, hot chocolate resided shortly on our table. We were serenaded by guitar, and looked out to see city light of both Whitefish and Kalispell. Then we had a very very chilly ride back down on the chairlift...decending down out of the the fog back to the ski lodge. It was so romantic :)

3,000

3,000 - roughly the amount of miles traveled to experience some quality Krisher time :)

We've done it again! And once again, it was fun! And once again, my heart broke a little more while driving on County Road B, driving away from my childhood home, back towards Montana.

But let me tell you what..my heart once again lept with PURE JOY when we turned onto Hwy 93 S...meaning only 25 miles to go till we get HOME! 

Phew....what fun our Christmas time was this year...but oh what fun it was NOT to drive all that way with first a carsick toddler, then another 'real' sick toddler, and a constantly hungry 3 month old.

My heartstill smiles, though, thinking of the fun we had and the family and friends we saw!

(A very cuddly babe, and Auntie Sarah)

(Grandma reading to most of the g-kids)

(Grandpa and the boys discussing what looks necessary in this weeks Fleet Farm ad)

(Typical boys - delighted and curious in Great Grandpas dumptruck)

(Vroom vroom! It's maybe a good thing there wasn't enough snow for this beast to make it out of the garage!)

(Great Grandma now reading. I am realizing that most of my pictures are of someone reading to the kids. They were glad to have enough people around to read to them, whenever they wanted :D)

(Oh, and another reader... Uncle Ted)

(More giggles)

These next pictures are poor quality from my phone and out of order:

(Just call Naomi the "baby whisperer". She can put him to sleeep anywhere, anytime! It worked especially well when I was trying to do some shoe shopping with a fussy baby :D)

(While we were spending a few days in Minneapolis, we got up to see Katie, Brendon, Kenzie and new baby sister Macie)

(We went to the aquarium with Justin, Susie, Addie & Miles. Such a cool place! We saw sharks, jellyfish, "Nemo" fish, turtles....awesome sea creatures!)

Litte Remington was admited to the Childrens Hospital in Neenah for observation. He eats so much, but is so little, everyone is wanting to know WHY! Aside from first initial numbers that looked scarry but were later dismissed...everythning looks good. He's spot on for his social development, and within the past few weeks, has been amazingly catching up on his motor skills. Meanwhile, he's living up to his name of "Peanut" :) And, the happiest 9 month old I've seen!! He will continue to see a growth and development specialist down in Little Rock where Lindsay & Kelvin are currently staying for his work.

 When Kase wasn't hungry or needing a little cat-nap, he was super cute and happy :) He is talking a lot these days...coo-ing and even laughing. His curious little hands grab what's closest to him, and can often be found in his mouth! BUT MAN, he's getting HEAVY!

 Now, we're doing laundry, catching up on mail, re-filling the fridge.

Well actually, now getting ready to go to Kalispell for the weekend, and a special evening out for our 5th anniversary.

Time to make some Mater mac 'n' cheese......

These days find me very very busy. Not accomplishing much to be prove that I actually haven't been lazy....but just busy mothering!

Here is Coy, our intellectual...working on a crayon dry-erase workbook from Auntie Lindsay & Uncle Kelvin. They are awesome! Thanks guys! Especially good for during meeting :)

But seriously..i do mean intellectual! My brain smiles to think of just how bright he is and where it will take him someday!

But ask him a question that his bright little mind knows?? He smiles goofy, and says "uhhhh" in a clown voice. Groan.

Here is our special little Kase-Kase.  He is now 11.5 weeks old! Wow, huh? He is awake and alert more, which is fun, but means he also is needing more and more attention! If he's not being held or talked to, you can bet he is in protest for some love!

We have never actually seen the movie, but these boys are in LOVE with CARS! Coy is usually carrying, or in search of "IcQueen". Bentleys favorite? MATOR! (my fave guy too) Grandma Braaten got the kids some cars legos, and they are one of their most played with toys. :)

Bentley is seeming bigger and bigger everyday. Logan often comments on the size of his hands. Meaning he may be a big guy someday? We always joke that Coy will be the scholar, and Bentley will be the jock. Kase? Don't know yet. Hopefully not the geek ;)

He said his first perfect, whole sentence the other day over dessert...." I like apple pie" :D

Benters has been quite cranky lately too :( He has been just gnawing on his pacifiers, which I presume is for comfort of new molars, which is the reason for the baltic amber teething necklace. But anyway, since the gnawing on the paci's, they have been ripping, and have had to throw them away. He's extra sad about that, but I guess it means it's time to start coping without a paci!

I just love watching daddy with his boys. They spend alllllll day with mommy, and are glad to have daddy walk thru the door in the evening. Someone who will get down on the floor and horse play with them. Someoneo who will be the buckin horse for them, and chase the rodeo clown. Yes, it's true...everynight we have a rodeo performance in our living room. Tickets are free!

Kase loves to talk! He's telling daddy here that he can't wait to ride the buckin horse too someday!

Saturday was project clean-the-fridge day. Logan is awesome at that...specially if he gets to watch a football game while working :D Too bad the Bobcats got spanked...otherwise he might have had a adrenelin rush and cleaned the cupboards too! Haha :)

Kase being entertained for a few short minutes, is a wonderful thing! He's started grabbing at these toys on his swing. Of course, it surprises him when his little hand actually gets ahold of something. Then, if it's something that makes noise? He'll jump, stick out his lower lip, and start wimpering. He'll get the hang of it....soon hopefully!

In a seperate picture where he's sitting there in the swing, I think he looks like Grandpa Pheifer :)

So....roley poley has gotten on the treadmill again! We talked about getting a gym membership, and me going certain days of the week after supper...and Logan would make SURE that I would go. However, i KNOW that will not happen....as any mom of an infant, and small toddlers knows. There's just too many variables to ever have a set schedule. So, I decided that I would take those times and use the tradmill that I begged for last year.

Other then wanting to shed pregnancy weight (X 3), I want to feel good too.

My inspiration?? Mariah Baseman. She's got the determination and will power that I want! Thanks girl!

I dream of just getting out there and running, running, running like I used to do 8 years ago.I would just put on my shoes and run down to the lake, like it was nothing. Nothing but air under my feet. Someday :)

Source: fit2print.tumblr.com via Jenn on Pinterest

Kase - 9 weeks

Monkey #2 is 2

It is incredible to think that just 2 fast years ago, Bentley Armour was born into our lives!

Then, it was his perfect little lips and long fingers that had our hearts beating so fast. Today, it's his crazy spikey hair (which I actually cut last night :( ) and his deep dimples and somehow incredibly cuuuute front teeth. And his goofy, care free manor. Care free, yet able to go from 0 to 10 in the "Toddler Fit" scale in about 2 seconds.

You will never see him without his paci - or his big brother, Coy.

When I posted this picture on facebook 2 years ago, a friend said he's got a "built-in best friend"...and that's proved so true! Bentley has such a unique little personality and style of his own, but he never lasts long without his big bro.

Does he not just absolutely melt your heart?

Looking at the picture again just makes me heart skip a beat, then swell right up! And now, he can turn any frown upside down pretty quickly. And can vanish any fear and sadness.

Ha, he still looks like this when he sleeps! Lips squished out...eyes closed tight, but eyebrows somewhat raised.

Happy 2nd Birthday, sweet Bentilee Boo Boo!