We got some good ones!

Bloopers!

"Why is that creepy horse staring at me?"

budding entrepeneur

 Here's Tate's staged money exchange photo from the yard sale he requested.

Ever since last summer when we attended Kirsten's three daughters' yard sale, Tate has been anticipating a sale of his own.  He donated a couple toys and books and I spent hours going through all our baby and kid clothing.  It was a good excuse to clean out some extra stuff around the house and shed.  Grandma let us use her home to host the sale since she had some furniture to sell as well.  I was most concerned that nobody would show.  So I was thrilled that people came despite the cold and wind!  Tate earned enough money to buy a wagon, which was his goal.  I'll have to post a picture when he buys it.

Conversations with Tate:

Tate: "You are glad Avery's not riding with us because she bugs Henry, right?"
Me: "Well, Avery is wild, but we love her."
Tate: "...no matter what."

It was sweet =)

Tate told me that he dreamed he died but it wasn't sad because he turned into a firework and flew fast all over without hitting anything.  "It was perfect," he said.

Henry

Henry just turned a year and is a sweet boy.  He didn't care for his birthday cake or his birthday song.  He has taken a few steps, but still prefers to speed crawl.  He loves to cuddle and play with balls and anything with wheels.  We love this sweet boy!

Avery

I looked at an old picture of Avery as a toddler tonight and had the sad feeling that she will never be at that stage again. It was a small reminder to enjoy my kids now and quit griping about the hard work that is raising people.

Avery is high-energy. She is also very loving and exciting and happy and smart. She is a lot of fun, and also sensitive to other people's feelings. She is many more great things that I am forgetting at the moment or I haven't discovered yet.

Recently, Avery told me that my real name is Shelly, but she is renaming me Sara. This morning she asked Eric, "If there isn't a bed at work, then where do you sleep?" This afternoon she solemnly told me about her dolls, whom she usually names "rock and roll", and how they go to movies and where they sleep, etc. As we loaded into the car to go to Winco she remembered to run back into the house to get her wallet. Among her 3 earned quarters was a dollar she hasn't seen. I told her about how our very nice neighbor found $2 crumpled by the mailboxes and told me to give them to the kids. Avery said "Oh, thank you mom! I love you so much!" She bought a sucker for herself and one for Tate, with her own money.

 After dinner she wanted to earn more money so I had her load the

washer and put the clothes from the dryer onto the couch. She climbed on the stool and twirled each item of clothing from hamper to washer as she dramatically and with lots of giggling told the story of how it was going for a swim. As the hamper was emptied she had to reach further and fell head first into the hamper with her legs stuck in the air. I was surprised she allowed me to laugh because she often chastises me for laughing at her. Anyway, by the time she was ready to unload the dryer, she was pretending to be a puppy. On all fours, she would grab an item of clothing in her mouth and walk to me for approval before dropping it on the couch. Never a dull moment indeed! I do love Avery.

Farm

Here's some pictures of our visit to the Severe's farm today.  The little goats are a month old and very cute.  Just before we left grandma's to go to the farm, Henry fell face-first from a toy onto grandma's pavers.  Good thing we took his year-old pictures earlier this week.

Avery has been obsessed with death lately.  As she watched me put on make-up, she asked if I am going to still keep it in the bathroom when I die.  A few days after that comment, she saw me put on some socks and asked, "Can I try those on when you die?".  In the car a few days ago she says, "It's taking you long to die."  I asked why she wants me to die and she said that she wants me to be with Jesus and hug him and be happy.  Crazy kid.

As we pulled into Pendleton today Tate commented that he sees a "furllection" in the car, referring to the light reflecting in the backseat.  Then he said that Pendleton is so beautiful, as we passed a factory, the delapidated mental institution, and the prison.  Then, he commented that the houses in Pendleton are so cute.

We stopped by Eric's work this morning and the kids had never been there before.  Tate asked if dad works alone in that building and I told him that dad works with other people.  Tate then asked, "Are they his slaves?".

Green