Life in pictures!

We've taken lots of pictures lately, so that is mainly what this post will be.

Leah, Madeline, Anna and Gideon all take gymnastics. Leah and Logan took them for 3 or 4 years when they were younger, but we have been out of it for a while. We started back up this quarter. It was a huge hit. All 4 kids love it! I was super impressed with Leah this past Saturday because she was involved with a skills competition at the gym and she did great! Especially for only being involved for one session!

Here's Anna on the beam.

Gee's big finish (yes it was staged :)).

Maddie on the beam.

So, Madeline turned 4 years old on the 6th and we celebrated in style (and celebrated, and celebrated......). I prefer to do something with just our immediate family on each kids actual birthday. That usually works out, but this year, Leah had a piano "thing" and hour and a half away. So, we celebrated Maddie's birthday the night before. We ate at a local spot for dinner and then went and saw "Astroboy." It was fun. The kids did really well at the movie (although I think it was a smidge scary/old for the 3 little ones) and it was odd to be out doing "big kid stuff" with the whole fam. Usually we have someone too little to take to something like that.

Oh and I need to add that Maddie is finally binki free. Normally we totally break our kids on their 3rd birthday, but for whatever reason, we let Madeline have her binki to sleep with. The day before she turned 4, I just took it away and explained to her how she was too big for it. She fussed for a couple times and got to sleep on our floor one night, but she has done great!

Here are our dinner pics. I have to say here, does Leah not look WAY too old. Holy cow (I am dabbing my eye right now). Oh, by the way, Madeline LOVES this dress. I let her (and Anna) pick out anything they wanted to go out in. Both picked dresses and Madeline picked this dress.

(Birthday take #1)

Movie Pics (they each got their own box of candy).

Friday (her actual birthday), Kayla, Aunt Jami and Noami came over to play and celebrate a little bit. I let the kids decorate the cake. Gee seriously dumped a whole bag of sprinkles on it.

(Birthday take #2)

Saturday evening we celebrate Kayla and Madeline's birthdays in Columbus, after church. Kayla turned 5 in October.

(Birthday take #3)

Getting a birthday song.

Finally, last Thursday we had my crew over the the house to celebrate one more time.

(Birthday take #4)

Ok, enough with the birthdays! Here is the computer/sewing room I just finished. Yes it is orange and I love it. Gee's favorite color is orange and when I started painting he said (in a high pitched squeal) "Mommy, you painting the room my favorite color!" It was so cute!

The trim piece above the door has to be specially made, so it will be a few weeks before we can get that up there.

(FYI, the kids have become camera hogs) This wall was very difficult to work with because of the core surface. There was no way to strip it like I did the other walls. So, I used this technique. I am happy with the results, although I might do things a tad different if I were to do it again.

So, Gideon has been long overdue for his big boy bed. The boy loves "Spidy-man." I was not planning on doing a Spiderman theme for him (yes, I am so mean). The whole room was redone just a couple years ago in a camo theme, which I like. Spidy and camo don't so much go together and I don't really care for character themed stuff. So back in August I was talking to Rick (aka, pawpaw) while on vacation and he asked it Gideon's new bedroom was going to be Spiderman (or something to that extent). I explained to him probably not and why. Well, after we got home from vacation Rick picked up these little Spiderman wall stickers for Gee. That got me thinking, but I was not totally motived at that point to do Spiderman at that point. Well, literally less than a week later I was at a consignment and they had a Pottery Barn "Spiderman" comforter and pillow sham, brand new for $15 bucks. I didn't even know Pottery Barn "did" Spiderman. Well, I snagged the set and the rest is history!

Here is Gee very happy with his new bed.

Here is our new "compromised" room. :)

(Note the armoire off to the side, that is Asher's and it was kind of exciting to get it in place and start filling it with all his stuff)

Julie