One final day in the sun...

Winter is fast approaching, which in Washington means rain, rain, and more rain...and NO sun. ever. for three months. (if you don't believe me, check the weather forecast) We were lucky enough to have a beautiful weekend with warm temperatures and sunshine. Even though the kids have been sick, we had to take advantage of the last few days of sun.




Jack loves to ride his little bike, it was a great way to lift his sick spirits.

Baby B. and her mamma, just relaxin in the sun. ahh, it was nice.

Not even the croup can keep this kid from having fun.

So good bye sun, it was nice to see you for a few days...I guess we'll see you again in a few months!

Holiday bazaar

NOTE:This post is mostly for my mom and sisters to show them what I was stressing about all week...so bear with me people.

This weekend I decided to take do a bazaar on my own. (another note: this bazaar was actually at a retirement community and I thought that my stuff would appeal to the children of the resi-dents who would be there. Well, I didn't do my math quite right because the residents are like 85-ish and older, so that makes their kids like 65 and 70-ish...needless to say, the elderly crowd wasn't too hip on the vinyl signs.)

Anyway... I have really been building my inventory and so I thought I'd give it a shot. I was really worried about being able to stage things so it would have that cute "boutique appeal"...but once I got going, I actually had a lot of fun setting it all up. My mom shipped up a bunch of cards for me to sell and people really loved them. My sister Candise made some adorable pillows that helped complete my holiday touch.


I was able to snag a few staging items out of the shop to give me a little height...and some scented rosehips really drew people in. kind of a funny side note: this lady next to me was selling Scentsy(a wickless candle company) and my little rosehips were overpowering her candles.

I have added a few new maget boards to my inventory, and though they didn't sell well, I think they will be really popular in shows to come!

Even though the sales were quite dismal, I had a great time interacting with the elderly folks of olympia. My little 85 year old pal Gladys next to me made a killing on her crocheted towels, hats, and sweaters...next year I will have to take up knitting if I want to sell more!

Happy Birthday Jack!

I know I'm about a month late on this one, but in the Springer house we celebrate birthdays when it's convenient for everyone to join the party. Besides, does a two year old REALLY know that it's his birthday? Nope, not this one.

We had everyone over for a fabulous dinner of chicken enchiladas (thanks sis for the recipe...people were RAVING about them.)

When we went to Utah a few weeks ago my mom got Jack hooked on Choo-choo's, so it seemed appropriate to have a train cake for the big day. NOTE for any one wondering: I used Twinkies as the train cars, tootsie rolls as the rail road ties, mini oreos for the wheels, and a mini Reese's peanut butter cup stacked on some shaped starbursts for the smoke stack. I had a blast trying to be creative on making a miniature model train out of candy...and all the kids LOVED it! For the adults enjoyment that cake was four layers with a hefty butter cream frosting and raspberry filling. delicious.

Needless to say Jack loved the cake and kept pointing out the "choo-choo" on it.

Scotty had to help blow out the candles because jack wouldn't get near the "hot".

Grandma Susie and Grandpa Terry gave jack an awesome radio flyer tricycle with a handle on the end so we can push him around until he learns to pedal on his own...I'm tellin' ya, people have thought of EVERYTHING when it comes to toys! He also got a Cars helmet, and if you all knew how much this kid LOVES Cars and McQueen, you would know how cool that is.

Even though it was dark, cold, and raining, we had to try this thing out...He's looking pretty sporty on this bad boy.

On a slightly mushy side, we want Jack to know how much we love and care about him. His smile can brighten the room and his giggle is absolutely contagious. We feel blessed on a daily basis to have this little ray of sunshine in our lives.

We love you buddy!

A lady bug, a pirate, and some swashbuckling fun!!

Halloween is always a lot of fun at the Springer house. Everyone came over for a yummy dinner of taco soup, and then the moms took 11 grand kids trick-or-treating. luckily we live in the perfect neighbor hood...it's about forty houses, all really close together, and EVERYONE gets into the Halloween spirit. People decorate their front porches with lights, spider webs, fog machines, and play spooky music; and a few even set up haunted houses.

Bianca was a lady bug, but since the little darling goes to bed at 6:00, she missed all the festivities (we had to have a picture to send to Nana in Utah).



Jack was a fierce pirate...but probably the cutest fierce pirate I've ever seen. I didn't think he would get the whole trick-or-treating scene, but wanted to take him to a few houses. Boy was I wrong!! he stayed with all the kids and even carried his own treat pumpkin (until it got too heavy and mom had to hold it). He loved to go knock on the door and say "trick-treat"

Sometimes we had to stop for a little treat break...come on people, do you really expect a 2 year old to have a whole bag of candy and not eat ONE piece!


We had a great evening, but now I am stuck with all jacks candy...all he cares about are the dum-dums and smarties, go figure. Looks like I will be stuffing my face with all his snickers bars and peanut butter cups for the next few days. darn.

Lattin's

With two very young kids, sometimes it's hard to find something fun that the whole family can do and really enjoy themselves. Well, we found that something this weekend...it was the perfect combination of low stress-low budget-fun for an hour-parents not wanting to strangle themselves-fun. The place was called Lattin's, it is a little apple farm near our house. It had a little wagon ride, a fun little petting zoo where you could feed all the animals, and all their apples were only .99 cents a pound...as anyone aver had a HONEYCRISP apple? If you haven't, go to the store and fork out the 3.49 a lb. all you non-Washingtonian people are paying...it's definitely worth it.

You can see Bianca is thoroughly enjoying herself..

Jack was like a little kid in a candy store (or a petting zoo) at Lattin's... This picture pretty much sums up his expression for the ENTIRE hour that we were there....

This was our pathetic attempt to get a picture of me and Bianca on the hay ride. The whole ride was so bumpy...we couldn't even hold the camera still long enough to get one decent shot. And believe me, we tried!

hmm...a semi-okay looking family picture. At least all faces are pointed in the right direction. Does that EVER happen?!?

Jack and scotty raced to the car...I think Jack could could have won, but right after this picture was taken the poor kid bit the dust. Quite literally.

You know it's a good family outing when jack can't even stay awake for the 10 minute drive home...we tuckered this kid right out!

A short, informative conversation

Warning: this post contains "potty humor", if it offends you please move on to your next blog.

Before I share the conversation that occurred between me and Jack, I must fill you in on a few things so you can get a better mental image.

1. Many of you have witnessed "the face", but if you haven't you should know that ever since Jack was a newborn, when he tries to potty, this is the face he makes...
Yes, it is funny but I do hope for his sake he grows out of it eventually.

2. Jack has begun to talk. A lot. He is like a little parrot so we really have to watch what we say to him. Because he is learning new words, he is much easier to communicate with.

ok, now that you are up to speed, this is the short, yet informative conversation that occurred:

Jack in the corner, grunting and making "the face".

Me: "What are you doin' over there buddy?"

more grunting

Jack(with a crinkled nose): "I stink...I stink...I pooh"
***I imagine he is saying this because when ever I change his diaper I always say "whew, that stinks Jack"

Me: "Okay, are you done so we can change you"

Jack: "no"

Grunt, and more of "the face"

Jack: "YES!!"

Oh, the sweet joys of motherhood.

Thank you Jack, for making me smile all day long...even if it is in a sick sort of way!

A busy weekend

As some of you know, I help my sister in laws with their little boutique called Waddell Creek Rustics. This weekend we did one of the biggest shows of the year called "The Secret Garden". Along with my vinyl signs, I decided to try my hand at some confections. I made these white chocolate carmeled apples and people LOVED them. I sold out my entire inventory on the first day.



Scott brought the kids down to visit one day and Jack was enthralled with the flowers or "wowers" as he calls them. He thinks they are "petee"

I thought this picture of Scott and Bianca was darling...gotta love that chub!





Mustard yellow is starting to come back into style from the seventies. We had a lady comment, "I just got my mom to get rid of all her nasty mustard stuff, and now it's coming back. great. I guess it's coming back cuter though"



We are having another show this weekend, so things are going to get crazy again! I do have a lot of fun though...and luckily I have a VERY patient husband who is nice enough to help out.

the pink stroller replaced...

When we were living in Utah my mom had this pink doll stroller that jack LOVED to push around. He would put his toys and bouncy balls in it and take them all over the back yard. When we moved to Washington, Grandma Susie had this lawn mower (that even makes this delightfully ANNOYING fluttering noise just like a real lawn mower) and jackson took to that thing like a fly to garbage. He pushes it around ALL. day. long. Rain or shine, that lawn mower can be heard fluttering up and down the side walk during most of the day.



I do have to say, despite the obnoxious noise of the fake motor, I like seeing jack push around something that isn't pink with flowers.



Uncle Paul, maybe you could hire jack on to your mowing crew, he makes great straight lines and will work for almost nothing...all you have to do is throw him a popsicle and some water every so often and he is set!!

A little something to brighten your day

...As my little brother Max would say "that smile 'slays' me".

And then one thing lead to another...

Let me set the scene: It was a beautiful day. Scott had just arrived home from work and dinner still had about 25 minutes. We came outside, spread out a blanket and the following story unfolded.

****I happened to have my camera because the kids were in particularly good moods and thought I could get some cute shots. Also, keep in mind that as this happened I was NOT being a neglectful parent who was just thinking about a great blog as I was snapping pictures...Scott was in the background taking care of the wounded and weeping!

1. Bianca is getting more mobile and so Jack actually really likes to play with her now. note: look at Bianca's fingers nearing Jacks mouth...she better watch out, that kid has chompers like an alligator. believe me, I have been in their grasp.



2. Oops Bianca, there goes those chompers on a death grip...I am surprised her finger wasn't bitten off in the process. Another note: biting is kind of a game for Jack. If someones fingers ever get near he chomps down (usually Scott and I know to get our fingers out of the way). Poor girl never had a chance.


3. Here come the water works...no blood, just a purple little blister starting to form.


4. Jack is EXTREMELY sensitive...once he realized he hurt his little sis, he start to cry. uncontrollably. yet another note: I thought I would re-emphasize the fact that I wasn't just standing by taking pictures while my children were both sobbing...Scott was taking care of Bianca in the back ground.


5. The STILL upset Jack needed a little TLC from daddy...the poor kid couldn't stop crying. Notice the fingers in the mouth, and the stroking of the eye lashes. All this crying must have made him tired.



6. All is well..."Jack, apologize to your sister for biting, then give her kisses. And Bianca, watch where you put those fingers please."

Car wash baby...

...or should I say Jack wash. A few days ago we had some beautiful weather, a free afternoon, and some kids looking for something to do. It was a perfect activity for a bunch of little kids, especially since it gave me a good chance to clean out the inside of my car (it was looking pretty bad from the long road trip a few weeks ago). Jack was completely enthralled with the hose, and the car wash turned quickly into a sopping wet child (but sufficiently dehydrated). Let's look at the sequence of events:

1. "Hmm, this water is fun to touch. Oh, and it's coming out fast"



2. "Maybe I could get a little taste of the nice, cold water"



3. Ok, I give in...I will just put my WHOLE face and body in the water, It feels nice anyway!"


You can't really tell, but the water from the hose is actually covering his entire face...I'm not sure how the kid was breathing!


Bianca was enjoying the entire scene from the grass. She loves to watch the kids play out side, and I'm sure she will be right there with them all too soon!

A new love...

When we moved to Washington I was worried about how Jack would adjust to a new home, new family, and new surroundings. So far he has done pretty well, but there is one thing we have at our new place that has made the transition a little easier...a trampoline, oh and a trampoline with a massive net around it no less! I didn't think a little kid could love something so much. If I let him out in the back yard he makes a b-line straight for the tramp and I have to literally peel him away from it. I have to admit, the kid has developed some pretty mad jumping skills. I thought I would share some of his happiness...