Snow is falling all around...

Don't let our location fool you... Albuquerque gets more snow each winter than I remember getting each winter growing up in Lake Oswego, on average.  But this year, because of good ol' El Nino we are getting a bit more snow than usual.  Not that my kids have minded.

We have already had several small dustings of snow.  Two weeks ago we had had a good amount here at our house, but when we drove down off of our hill we discovered it hadn't snowed at all in the rest of the city.  That was really weird.  Then a few days after that we had another good snow that did get the entire city.

A few days before this picture was taken the boys spent time playing outside, but Kate slept through it all.  Thankfully we got another storm and she got the chance to play then  So this was her first snow day!

She loved it.  Her and Josh went out to enjoy the white stuff.  Eric is too old and too mature, at 10.  At least that is what he said.  He must have snowed out... his loss!

They built two snowmen, one each.  Of course Kate was lucky enough to have an awesome big brother to help her.  This is their Albuquerque snowmen, complete with the rocks and all.

Happy winter to you all.

Josh's birthday

Josh had his 7th birthday last week. He was VERY excited for the whole day. It started with him getting to take cupcakes to his class at school. He got a great surprise there when I was able to get out of class early and surprise him at his class with a balloon.

Later that day we had a family birthday party for the special guy. Everyone came over for some pizza, cake, ice cream, and PRESENTS!

The second everyone had walked through our front Josh wanted to open his presents. But we manager to hold him off until after dinner. He received some pretty great gifts.

A Steelers sweatshirt, his favorite team.

A really cool transformer.

And an ipod shuffle.

Josh is such a special guy. We are so luck to have him in our family. He has such a fun a sweet personality. He is a great helper to Mom and Dad, and a great brother. He is a great blessing in our lives.

love

Summer Haircuts

Tonight I finally gave the boys their buzz cuts. This is really not the most attractive look for them, but they are happy with the low maintenance haircut and I am happy that I will not be cutting hair again until about the time that school starts.

Ready for the real thing

Josh had a pre-school graduation this past week. He is now "officially" ready to go to kindergarten.

The graduation was very fun. The class put on a cute little presentation for the parents and their siblings. They recited the Pledge of Allegiance, gave a weather report, talked about what they wanted to be when they grow-up, and sang some fun songs. Josh had a shyness episode and chose not to participate through most of it, but it was still so cute.

Josh was the one leading the class for the Pledge of Allegiance. He performed his part perfectly. Then the shyness hit!

He wouldn't get up to and stand next to the teacher to receive his "diploma." So she came to him. She really enjoyed Josh in her class this year and said that he would come up with some very fun and creative games. His favorite part of school this year was the unit on other countries.

Here he is with his class. I convinced him to get in the picture, but he wouldn't wear his cap.

This is one picture that he wanted to take! He his picture with his awesome teacher Shayna Barney! Thank you for all that you did this year Shayna!

Sunglasses

Josh and I were at the Mall the other day to pick up a few things that the kids needed. I bought Josh these sunglasses and he has hardly taken them off! He so badly wanted to have me take his picture with them and so I took a few. They came out really well. I think that I have a good looking boy on my hands!

Spring season

It has started. Spring that is, and all that comes with it. In our house that means BASEBALL! With both boys playing we are in for a very busy spring.

Josh is playing t-ball (Phillies) and Eric (Dodgers) machine pitch. They love to play and have so much fun! It is fun to watch them play and learn the art of the game. And I guess that I shouldn't complain to much. Because of my work schedule, Brandon will be doing most of the driving to and fro. Stay turned for more pictures of the games.

Easter Craft

Josh made this at pre-school. Too cute!

And here he is sitting at our new kitchen table! This one will actually allow our family to sit together!

He wants you to know that he loves his Diego pj's

The wonderful finds in the kitchen cabinets

Today Katie found the kitchen cabinets. This particular one is my miscellaneous cabinet where I keep the stuff I only need every once in a while. In my opinion there is nothing exciting in there. But my daughter loved it. She found everything very interesting, the noises, the tastes, and the way it all fell onto the floor. She had a great time playing in it.

Watching her get into this cabinet made me realize that I have others that are not as harmless as this one. So out to the garage I go to find the childproofing stuff that I came across when we moved. Thankfully I found it and now the "bad" cabinets are secure. Josh wanted to help and so I had him plug up the electrical outlets. He was very concerned about what she could get into. He even blocked the ones that are too high. What a great brother!

Sick House

What a week! All of the kids have been sick here. We have finally been touched by the flu, stomach flu, that is, twice. We have also had a respiratory and an ear infection. Lucky Josh, he is the one that been sick twice. Last week he had the ear infection and the flu. I would have hope that the antibiotics that he was on for the ear infection would have protected him from the flu. Guess not. But thankfully he wasn't that sick. Eric missed two days of school this week with the flu. I am thankful to report that he went back today. And Katie had the respiratory infection. She had to have a breathing treatment at the doctors to help with that and she is on Albuterol to bring up the rest of the gunk in her lungs. I am anxious for spring and to be finished with all of the nasty stuff that has been going around this winter.

Clean mouth

Last week our sweet little boy said a bad word. Where he heard it, we are not sure. He says that he heard from a guy outside smoking a cigarette. At least his excuse was creative. I don't doubt that he heard it from some child safe television show/movie. Not exactly sure how they rate tv/movies, but I am shocked at what the consider PG. I am sure that I am not alone with this thought, but we are getting into a completely different topic. Joshua's punishment: sit with a bar of soap in his mouth for 15 minutes. The kids was a trooper with it (I myself had this punishment as a kid and would not be so calm).

I tried to get a picture of the bar of soap with his teeth marks, but no such luck. He says that he had learned his lesson. Let's hope.

Happy Birthday Josh!

It finally happened. Josh turned five. He has been so anxious for this birthday to come. He had a great birthday too. First we had a family party with his Grandma and Grandpa Piñon, Aunt Marissa, Uncle Aaron, Gabe, Carly, AND Grandma Bates. He had the best time being the center of attention and getting lots of presents (of course!).

Just this last Saturday, on his actually birthday, we had a party with his friends. They all had so much fun with bingo, pin-the-tail-on-the-donkey, and the piñata. His theme was Diego and so they decorated their cupcakes with jungle animal sprinkles. It was a great party for our great five year old. And the fun is not over, today Papa is taking Josh on his very first golf outing. Golfing is the very reason why Josh has been so anxious to turn 5, the youngest age they allow on the golf courses. Joshua is such a special little man, our bug, our clown. We love him very much and are so happy that he had such a wonderful birthday.

I can't resist adding this picture. This little girl is Madison. She is a friend from church and she goes to Josh's preschool. I think that he has a small crush on her. He talks about her all the time. Yesterday she was gone from church because her family went out of town and Josh cried because he was so sad that he would not see her that day. SOOOO CUTE!!!

Friends

Took my Mom to the airport today. She came for a quick visit before the big move to Florida. We enjoy my Mom's visits, but Joshua is the one who's day is brighter when Grandma is here. He adores my Mom. They have this connection I think only they can explain. When Grandma is here, I am nothing to him. So he cried today when we took her to the airport; cried the whole way home. A very sad and pitiful cry -- breaking my heart. When Grandma leaves he wants time to himself, maybe to ponder his loss, but inevitably the question comes, "when will Grandma come back?" I don't have an answer.

We lucky that we have Brandon's family near by. They can be a part of the kids daily lives. I feel bad that we are so far from my parents. They can only be part of the kids lives for a few days a couple of times a year. Despite this Josh has this wonderful relationship with his Grandma Bates. How lucky he is that he has this special friend.

Oregon Weather

Today is overcast with a little bit of rain. I love it! It reminds me of growing up in Lake Oswego. As we were going to school I told the boys that I thought it was a beautiful day. WOW! The comments that came from these boys, you would think that this type of day was equal to a hurricane! "But there is no sun! How can it be a nice day?" Eric exclaimed. Josh was worried about getting "poured." Just a few hours later, as we were coming home from pre-school Joshua put his backpack over his head to avoid getting wet going from the car to the door. Can you tell that my boys have been raised in desert climates?