The Infection

Updated:  We'll currently we have an operating computer, but it will need to be replaced soon.  We are running three different malware/spyware programs so it slows the computer down considerably, but it gives us some time to look around for a new computer.



Our computer has been infected with some nasty malware.  Right now, I'm pretty lucky to even be on the internet (I've been going into blogging withdrawls the past 48 hours.)  Until we get a new computer no more posting :(

Ava the snow bunny

My Mom called today asking if Ava came to our little weekend getaway.

Of course she was!  I took so many pictures (over 500) so I've only been posting a couple each day.  So without further adieu, here's some pictures of our little snow bunny.

Grandma holding Ava.

Every time I went sledding with Carter and Ava saw me going down the hill, she would get upset and start fussing.  She didn't do this for anyone else, just her mommy.

That grandbo is super cuddly too.

A little preview

Just a little taste from September 24, 2010.

Uncle Jason and Aunt Tiffany are having a cowboy themed rehearsal dinner before their wedding.

This little boy is ready to rock it.  I guess cowboys don't say that, so Yee Haw!  Carter is looking mighty fine. 

Don't be too jealous.

The Law

The face of the law.

Rule 1:  Give me my treats and no one gets hurt.

Rule 2:  It's always a good time to play with cars.

Rule 3:  Faces this adorable should be against the law.

brotherly love

Here are some more pictures from our weekend gateway at Chalet Shadle.

The theme:  brotherly love

Ok, which one is Dumbledore and which one is Voldemort?

Jason getting slammed into the snow.

Another picture of Jason getting beat up.

Really Mike, again?

You can't say anything next time Carter gets a little rough with his sister.

Two and a half years old

Carter Owen,

     Today you are two and a half years old.  It has been so fun to watch you learn and grow.  You have an amazing personality and love life.  You love to laugh and joke and I hope you have your Daddy's sense of humor.  You love being around other kids and interacting with them.  You are a protector of your little sister and can make her laugh and giggle like no one else.  Here are some of your favorites right now:

• Cars and trucks, trains and planes
• your drum
• your favorite movies:  Cars and Veggie Tales
• favorite clothes:  football jersey shirt and pajama pants
• you like to play grocery store, pretend to be an airplane, and play in the snow
• your favorite foods are burgers (cheese and ketchup on a bun) grapes, milk, raisins, cheese, pizza
• your favorite treats are cookies, cake, mints and gum

You are talking up a storm right now and saying new words every day.  Most of your phrases are 2-3 words.  You are counting to 14 independently, know all your shapes except for square and can identify 14 upper case letters.  Just recently you started broad jumping (jumping over an object, forward about 6 inches) and you love to do it.  Your biggest accomplishment recently is potty training.  We are still working on number two but you are doing awesome.  Lately napping has not been your favorite thing to do even when you really need it. 

Carter, Mommy and Daddy love you through and through from here to the moon.  Happy un-birthday to you!

Mommy  

Over the river

Well we made it "over the river and through the woods."  We arrived at Grandmother's house. 

And now, we sled.

Carter and Ava have enjoyed being spoiled immensely. 

Someone tried to bake us alive this weekend by turning up the thermostate to 85 degrees.

We celebrated Grandma and Bo's birthdays.

Family.  Lots of fun and love.  Laughter.

I love weekends like this.

Feeling the Love

Man, Carter was feeling the love last night.  While Daddy was on the phone with Bo, he spent his time loving on his sister.

Who, thankfully seemed to enjoy the embrace.

Daddy also got in on the action.

Valentine's Day must be rubbing off on him. 

Funny for the Day

Mike has a little saying that he uses when the children are at their most charming.  If Carter is in the backseat complaining loudly for mints when there are no mints in the car....Mike says this.  If Ava is fussing every time we set her down.......Mike says this.  If Carter is being grumpy and crying at every little thing....Mike says this.  If Ava is pestering her brother over and over....Mike says this.  (All situations are purely hypothetical, by the way.)

So what is this little saying?

Mike will look at me and in all seriousness say "Gordon (his boss) called.  He needs me to come in tonight" (or this weekend or right this instant.) 

So, Ava had a rough night last night.  I would say that rough is an understatement.  I was up with her from 3:30 - 6:00 and she spent much of that time screaming.  I gave her tylenol, vicks vaporub and sat with her all the while Mike was in dreamland.  So at 5 am when Mike arose he went downstairs for breakfast.  I whispered loudly down the stairs at Mike so as to not wake the monster Carter.  "Mike?"  Mike came to the steps eager to help me, "Yes?"  I decided to throw it right back at him "Gordon called.  He needs me to come to work today instead of you."  Thankfully Mike and I have the same sense of humor and he burst out laughing.  Which, if you know Mike, it's quite an accomplishment to get him to show any sign of life at 5:30 in the morning. 

We will now return you to your regularly scheduled blog posts of cute children.   

Valentine's Day: A recap

Curious about what we did on Valentine's Day?

Well, good have I got some pictures for you.

Each of the kids got a bag from Mommy and Daddy.  Carter got two books and two candy bracelets.

They were delicious!

Avery recieved two books, she's just a little too small for candy this year.  I love her staring so closely at the upside down book!

This book is hilarious, guys!

I hope you had a wonderful day with your Valentine!

Piggy tail girl

Yesterday Meme gave Ava her very first pebbles piggy tail.  It was so very cute that I had to replicate it today.  Unfortunately she has been feeling a little under the weather.  She has a little cough, runny nose and as you can see her eyes are watering like crazy.  She took three naps today, which she hasn't done for a month or so.  I think she was in part needing a little extra rest because she dosen't feel good but she's also recovering from happy hour at the bar yesterday with Meme and Bob-Bob.

Mommy Love.

Daddy love. 

I hope that you are feeling better tomorrow!

Although if you need a little more time to recover, we've got plenty of that.  With all this snow, I don't know if we'll be able to get out of the house until April!

Happy Ten Months Old!

Happy Ten Month Birthday Avery Marie!

Today just happens to be Valentine's Day and you are our sweet, adorable Valentine girl.

Here's what has been going on this past month:

You are talking so much!  You love to say mama, dada, tat tat, meow like a kitty and woof like a dog.

You have been pulling up to stand.

Last night you crawled all the way up Meme's steps!  Seven of them!

You love to wave.

You are eating a ton of baby food, A TON.  Six jars a day, and more and more table food every day.

Sometimes, when asked, you will stick out your tongue.

You love to sing La, la, la, la, la, la, la (an arpeggio.)

You take your shoes and socks off just about every time we get in the car.

We love you so much, baby girl!

How Quickly the years pass, Valentine's Edition

How quickly the years pass, the Valentine's Edition.

February 2009

February 2010

Check out other "How quickly the years pass"  here.

Our little drummer......family

If you were to walk into our house you would expect to hear the shrieks and giggles of small children.  But lately a new sound has been added to the cacophony. 

The sound of a drum.  Morning noon and night.  With hands, drumsticks, and whatever nearby toy can be found.  Little Ava is so excited when Carter puts the drum down for one minute, because she can get her groove on.

Every time Veggie Tales "Rock Monster" comes on, we have to drum along.  For at least twenty minutes this morning Carter had a drumming parade.  He circled downstairs wearing a sock on one hand (what?!) and drummed up a storm wearing his puppy dog pajama pants and browns football shirt.

Our little drummer family.  If you plan on visiting anytime soon, bring earplugs.

I swear it's a boy scout coat

This is not a girlie coat. 

I swear it's a boy scout coat.

A snowy treat

Yesterday we decided to make a snowy treat: snow ice cream. First you take 8 cups of (clean!) snow.


Then you add one cup of milk, half a cup of sugar and half a tablespoon of vanilla. Mix and Enjoy!

Pretty tasty if I do say so myself. Three out of four Shadle's enjoyed it (and the fourth Shadle was too little to taste it.)

Eskimo Babies

I had a little more time to work on my pictures from today. Here's some pictures of my Eskimo Babies! (I really can call them Eskimo, because their Daddy is part Eskimo. At least that's what he claims. Really he's not Eskimo at all, he was just born in Alaska.) Anyhoo.....

Loving Ava's face in this one. She was a milisecond from losing it on the cold snow.

Fancy meeting you here...

Funny kids.

Eskimo Kisses

The babies in the snow giving each other Eskimo kisses. How much longer can I keep calling them babies?

Progress

Our potty training journey is....... going (no pun intended.) Saturday had a few bumps (and by bumps I mean accidents.) Sunday, well in the words of Mike it rhymes with Binormous Bailure. Then came today. Carter filled up his sticker chart with only one accident today! Here's a picture of Carter with his full sticker chart and his new Lightning McQueen car he recieved for filling his sticker chart.


Then no less than fifteen minutes later he had an accident on the floor. One big exasperated sigh. Two steps forward and one step back, although sometimes it feels like one step forward and ten steps back. But we are still working, working, working.

And Avaroo loved her some grapes at dinner time tonight. Minced up into little pieces, of course but they rocked her world nonetheless.

Tuckered Out

I took this picture on friday when we went to the Children's museum, but it was so funny I thought it deserved a post of its own. I was playing with Ava and looked around for my little guy. He was so tuckered out that he had to go take a rest on the bean bag chair in the middle of the children's museum! I think it's hilarious, but maybe it's just because I'm his mom. I hope you enjoy it.

A celebration

We celebrated with balloons.
And fancy plates.

And of course, a cake with candles. Confused? It's nobody's birthday or even a holiday. It was a....................

Pee Pee Party! Our little potty in-training man has been VERY resistant to the ideal of potty training. He does not want underwear or a potty to come anywhere near his body. So in the spirit of getting him excited about it, we had a potty party. I asked him what he wanted for his party and he said: cake, candles, two balloons, cookies and cars. We obliged on all counts, as long as he agreed to our stipulations: give all your diapers to your sister and only underwear (or pull-ups while sleeping) from now on.

We used a sticker chart. When he fills it up he will get his new Lighting McQueen car.

By the end of the day it looked like this. So I'm hoping with the many motivations we gave him today will do the trick. Here's hoping!

(Have I mentioned that I have a strong distaste for potty training?)