Potential for trouble!

Isn't this so fun to see. I have to thank Russel for taking this video with his new Christmas toy!
While we were attending a fun family party this past holiday week Rachel decided that she could really let go of things. Shortly after this video was taken it became really hard for anyone to just hold her. She decided that was too restricting and wants to be walking.
I can't believe she will be one year old in just a week. It was funny to read through the Christmas letter ( Thank you Derek!) and realize all that has happened in a years time. We really love having this fun little girl in our home.

1 jump.....2 jump.....3 jump......

Spencer just loves to got to the jumping place!
If you didn't know "Jump On It" has a mommy and me time every Wed. at 10:00am until 11:00 am and it is only for children under 5 and it is a great deal. It is so nice not to have the big kids.
This week we have been learning about counting and we had a great time counting how many jumps we could jump on the tramp. Spencer is really getting it all figured out. He now likes to have exactly five chicken nuggets, or 5 pancakes. (I think he has a favorite number already.) He double and triple checks my counting all of the time. What a smart little guy I have!

Wet Onsie Contest

This is Rachel's new favorite activity. It actually isn't that new, but in the past she has only done it in the toilet bowl. (gross!) which is why mommy came up this this new activity, hopefully to curb the crave. She is my water child. It wouldn't matter what else was going on she knew if there was water nearby to splash. She loves her bath!
It doesn't really help that she strives to do anything she has ever caught a glimpse that it is an adult only, or a big no-no. And I know that some of you may be thinking that I just need to watch her better. But as you may have not realized I do not have super powers which is what I would need. I just can't keep up with this one.
For instance the other day I was helping Spencer get dressed when I noticed that Rachel was in the Kitchen and before I could get to her she started to pull the garbage from the can. I quickly moved her to the other end of the house and piled the toys around her as I went to clean up the mess. Before I had the bag tied up I could already hear the splashing of a little girl in the toilet.
And I know that you may be thinking to keep the door closed or use one of those little toilet latches that are so great. But with a toilet trained 3 year old I just don't think that it would work out like that. She knows!
It is amazing to me that these little ones can figure us out so quickly and how much they know about the world around them. Oh, how I love to watch the little wheels turn inside there heads!

"An un-welcome excuse for a Birthday present"

Do you remember your first set of pots and pans? The little ones that made an incredible addition to your little tikes kitchen. They were the best pots and pans, ever! Then came the easy bake oven that you could hardly wait for you birthday to recieve. These things brought hours of enjoyment for me.
As I grew older I still had a love of cooking and pots and pans. I bought my first real pots and pans at 17. They were so much fun to purchase. I researched and looked and looked and researched, and that was almost as much fun as the day I brought home my new, non stick, expensive (because hey, I was single), hand wash only (gee, that was dumb) pots and pans; to add to my hope chest.
That was a very long time ago and since then I have really enjoyed that set of pots and pans. Over time they became a little less non stick, but I suppose that could be attributed to the fact that over time I got a little more in a rush and a little less likely to hand wash (I know, you could have called that one) and the best utensil to use was the one closest that filled the job (not always the wood or plastic). That was how it went until Thursday making pies.
Lemon pie filling is yellow, and it was yellow right down until the very end when it started changing colors. It first just started to look dark and then it looked green (appetizing I know). I couldn't figure out what was going on. I decided to start all over because who would eat a green pie. I washed the pan and then dried it with a paper towel when I noticed the paper towel was grey. I tried again and again the paper towel turned grey (gross!) MY NONSTICK COATING WAS COMING OFF RIGHT BEFORE MY EYES! (Don't worry, all those who ate the lemon pie, I made it in a different kind of pan)
So Saturday (my birthday) we were off to the stores, trying to take advantage of the after Thanksgiving day sales, if possible. And as much as I wanted to I couldn't get excited about getting new pans (they had to be replaced!). Derek was having more fun that I. He really got into the online research and looking at different stores to compare prices. It just wasn't working for me. I knew that I would have to use these pots and pans and they would have to be washed practically everyday. And since it was something I absolutely had to have, and there seemed a sense of urgency (I only have one other pot). I couldn't dream about the pots I couldn't afford or the ones that really were useless but looked so cute just sitting there.
We finally got new pots and pans after many of hours at the store looking and touching and comparing. We decided on the Kirkland pots and pans without any nonstick coating. Eventhough I know that they have improved nonstick coatings in the last ten years I have a little bit of a bad taste in my mouth about it now. I will probably have on or two non stick pans in the future but I know that these pans will last for a really long time and have no problems.
Thank you Derek for putting up with me at all of those stores. I Love You!

The greatest toy we own!

Of all of the toys we own our vacuum causes the most fights. Have you ever experienced the real fun of a vacuum? (me, either)
Spencer loves the vacuum! Much to my dismay, he is constantly asking if we can vacuum. It works as a great motivator to get the toys cleaned up: "I will vacuum as soon as you clean up the toys." I like a clean floor and everything but I have my limits. Once a day is enough, don't you think?
You probably already know this, but the vacuum attachments are almost more fun he the vacuum itself. Spencer can spend hours of fun using the attachments to vacuum the couch. Not to mention that the extender tubes make a great sword.
It is always an interesting argument when you don't want the vacuum out of the closet or you won't vacuum the carpet again. His favorite vacuum is my new carpet cleaner. Did you know that some vacuums are more fun than others? I hope that I am still having these kind of discussions with him when he is 16.