Songwriter

At dinner last night Luke began singing his own version of Popcorn Popping.  When he discovered we all thought it was quite fantastic, he sang it over and over again.  

"I looked out the window and what did I see?  Snowballs bouncing on the trampoline!" 

She/He Is REALLY In There

The kids got to feel Baby Worwood kick on Sunday.  They loved it.  We can't wait for this baby to join our family.  Cindy and Travis will be wonderful parents.  And Sarah and Luke will be wonderful older cousins; a new experience for both.  :)  December can't get here fast enough. We love you already little one.  XOXO

 

Help or Hinder?

Frogs For Supper

On Sunday evening this summer we were having dinner at my parent's house.  My dad had barbequed corn on the cob and apricot chicken.  Near the end of our meal Richard slid his chair back with a surprised look on his face and pointed out this little frog hopping across the table.  My mom instantly thought that Richard had brought it with him.  I knew from the look on his face that he did not.  We decided he must have come over or under the fence from the canal and hopped onto the chicken plate.  It's always fun when silly things happen at Grandma and Grandpa's house.  We took a stroll to the canal and let the frog go free.  

Look how cute he is.  So funny!!  

The Tris Tri

After Sarah and her friend Braden did the Tuscany Triathlon, Braden was also hooked and created a triathlon in his backyard for the kids to "compete" in.  Braden is one of the most creative, inventive children I know.  He did an amazing job and had everything from treats to transition spots for each kid ready to go.  What a FUN day!!  

The Evolution of A Playroom

This is embarrassing.

It's remained clean the entire week. 

That is a miracle.

The new chore charts are working.

That too is a miracle!  

FHE games using large dice, a timer, before and after pictures, and "on your marks, get set, go," work.

BEFORE:

 AFTER 8 MINUTES:

 7 MORE MINUTES:

 8 MINUTES AGAIN:

 OUR LAST ROLL OF THE DICE:  LET'S GET IT DONE! 

 WE DID IT!  WE CAN SEE THE FLOOR.

Bikes, Bikes, and More Bikes

Sarah graduated from the **coaster bike this spring and learned to ride a little pedal bike we found at the used toy/clothes store.  Luke inherited the coaster bike.

So that we could continue to go on long rides we purchased a tag-along for Sarah to ride.  Luke remained in the trailer.  It was getting too tight for the both of them.  

This has been the summer of growing and Sarah's little pedal bike got too small, so she graduated to another thrift store find that she'll be able to ride for a couple of years.  

Luke, at the ripe old age of 2, has now graduated from the coaster bike and he too is on a thrifted pedal bike.  He's a little wobbly at times and has a hard time getting himself going, but he's ridden miles at a time, while I jog next to the kids. 

We counted and we have 10 bikes, 1 tag-along, and a bike trailer.  Poor, poor Richard; that's a lot of tubes to patch!!  

**the kids refer to the coaster bike as the "Trick Bike". Because their feet are not on pedals and can quickly access the ground, they do all kinds of crazy things on it.  
 
P.S.--all of this makes their bike loving mother VERY VERY happy!! 

My Not So Little Luke

It's official, we no longer have a baby in our home, as Luke is potty trained.  While I L.O.V.E. not changing diapers any longer, it sure does make him seem SO SUPER BIG!!!  I tell him all the time that I will always call him my baby.  Doesn't make him too happy, but it's not always about him.  :)  HA!  

 ***The chart didn't really work while we were potty training but after he had it mastered he would go to the bathroom about every 15 minutes just so he could get a sticker. 

It Never Even Crossed My Mind

We have loved watching the olympics.  Sarah especially liked the gymnastics and asks for it whenever the TV goes on.  But as much as she liked the gymnastics she liked the opening and closing ceremonies best.  Any guesses why?  

Yep, she heard Sarahmony, while I heard ceremony.  HA!  She asked if there were Lukemonies also and in order to keep the peace in our house we had to call them both, otherwise Luke would have none of it. 

Summer Water Day

I've had jury duty this week.  In California if you were responsible for the care of children during the day you could get out of your service, but not here.  While Richard is right when he says I haven't had to do anything, I also haven't been able to plan anything until the evening before at 5:00 when I find out if I have to report the next morning or not.  So far, so good; fingers crossed.  :)

Today since I wasn't called in and we had nothing else planned, we had a water day.  The kids loved it.  They had their favorite friend over and soaked up the sun.  Water relays were played, rocks were painted for the garden, the sprinkler went wild, and the slip-n-slide was a big hit.  We'll have to do that again SOON. 

Tuscany Triple

Sarah Jane completed her first triathlon and from the moment she jumped into the pool she was hooked. While transitioning from the swim to the bike she excitedly asked, "Mom, when can I do this again?  This is so fun."  The entire bike ride and run were filled with similar sentiments; all of which made this mama proud.

The triathlon was held in a neighborhood here in Meridian and was for ages 3-12 and we were joined by her BFF. Sadly, Luke cried the entire drive over because he wanted to swim, bike, and run too.  It's no fun be the little guy.

Initially, Sarah wanted Richard to help her with the swim across the pool, but as her turn drew near, she decided she would be fine in just her life jacket, so that's what we did.  She was amazing.  When they said, "On your marks, get set, GO!", she was in the water and off.  Her swim lessons came in handy, and she performed a mean "superman float" accompanied by" boil the water kicks."

The next day she asked me where her triathlon shirt and shorts were.  We had to wash them that very moment as she needed to wear them all day, "so that everyone will know I am a triathloner!"

I have done some fun races myself and none of them compared to this moment.  I'm on the search for her next one and am keeping my fingers crossed that when she gets older she'll still love it and we can do races together.

Way to go Sarah Jane!  We are very proud of you!!

Bedtime Conversation

Sarah: "Mommy, do you know what I liked? I liked the day that Heavenly Father picked me to come to you!"

Me: "Sarah, I liked that too. Thanks for telling me that."

Sarah (looking at me with her big brown eyes and sweet smile): "Well, now you won't get mad at me cuz I said that."

Yummy in My Tummy

I've always said that Luke is scrumptious enough to eat. Yesterday I guess he wanted to prove me right!

I Love My Job

SCENE: mama and Luke in the kitchen making cocoa drops

MOMMY: Trying hard not to lose her patience with the mess and the finger licking taking place

LUKE: "You're my best friend!"

MOMMY: in love

Snow Day--HOORAY!

Wednesday was my turn to teach preschool. My topic was Winter and I had decided to do a Winter Carnival. Since we have had lovely, warm (40s & 50s) weather and nothing resembling snow, I had all kinds of indoor winter activites planned; painting with icicles, a mitten match game, roll-a-snowman (dice with pen and paper), snow sculptures out of suger cubes, and excavating toys out of frozen ice blocks. It was going to be awesome.

Tuesday night however, I was told that magically it was going to snow and that we should wake up to some in the morning. When I left the house at 5:15 for the gym there was no snow, however when I headed home it was snowing and sticking too. Perfect day for Mother Nature to do her thing. :) At the end of preschool we bundled everyone up in their warm snowclothes and played. Such a fun way to end our carnival. Then to top it off Carter's dad came to pick him up on a four-wheeler and gave us all rides and then we headed over to the golf course and did a little sledding. FUN FUN DAY!

Luke loving the bunny hill

Braden, Carter, and Sarah--FUN FRIENDS!

Sarah and mama go for a ride.

PLEASE snow come again! We didn't get quite enough of you yet!!!

BIG BOY

Just within the last couple of days Luke has really discovered his independence. Naps have become tricky and bedtime, HA! He's out of his crib and at the top of the stairs practically before we get out of his room. Well, last night was a bit trying. When he went to bed he was wired and all kinds of crazy. After a lot of bribing, threatening, raising of the voice, I finally decided that if he wasn't covered with blankets he would survive and that eventually he would lay down on his own. We left the room and thought for sure he would be right behind us. He never did come out of his room, however this morning when Richard went to get him up, this is what he found...

Yep, that's Luke halfway underneath his bed with all of his important items: binky, lovey, and pillowpet. I wonder when he found himself a new spot to sleep?!
Then to top it off, today we spent a few hours at Bounce on a preschool fieldtrip. The kids had so much fun and really wore themselves out. When we got home I made them a quick lunch. At one point Luke said, "Done. Upstairs." He proceeded to take himself upstairs and shut the door behind him. I helped Sarah finish up and got her tucked in for her nap then I went to help Luke out. Well, I could barely get the door open because he was sprawled out on the floor,right behind the door, again with important items, SOUND ASLEEP!!

Little Mr. Independent. I can't get enough of him!!

OUCH

The grocery shopping didn't end up happening this morning as planned because Sarah and Luke accidentally decided to play dominoes with each other in the parking lot. Sarah lost.

This photo was taken shortly after the incident and it's looking much better already.

Thank goodness for ibu and m&ms. We might not have survived this, had it not been for them. :)

Appreciation = One Happy Mama

Last week a friend posted this statement to facebook, "Is it bad that I want to fall into a coma for the next 16 years?" I thought it was just a funny statement until the next day when I wanted to join him. Sarah woke up 3 or 4 times in one night, then proceeded to wake up much too early with stomach issues that have been bothering her off and on. She could not keep it together and was a mess all morning long. While I felt bad for her, I was feeling badly for myself as well. Later that day when she was finally feeling more like herself, out of nowhere she came up to me as I was cleaning the bathroom and said, "Mama, thanks for taking care of me. For always taking care of me!" The coma all of a sudden sounded much, much less appealing!

Luke also showed me some much needed appreciation last week. One of my favorite things are squeezies (hugs) from my kids. I must make them give me what to them must seem like a hundred a day. Well last week I gave Luke a little love and he looked at me and said, "No mama, give me a big squeezie." ANYTIME my love, ANYTIME!!

I like these kids of mine!

New Year. Great Intentions.

It's 2012. Already 5 days into it. I have really great intentions to do a better job recording the happenings at the Atchley residence this year. Sarah Jane and Luke are growing like weeds and E.V.E.R.Y.D.A.Y. they each say or do things that I MUST remember. Since my memory is poor, very, very poor, I need to be writing them down. So while they might be short posts, with possibly fewer pictures, I look forward to recording these memories.

So to start us off...

Sarah Jane

1) At the beginning of December, Grandpa and Grandma Atchley came to visit. Richard and Sarah were talking about their visit before they came and she said, "It's your dad and mom, right?" Richard proceeded to clarify that it's his dad and his step-mom, reminding Sarah that his mom is in Heaven. Sarah got a concerned look on her face and asked, "Is she wicked?" I looked at Richard confused and he clarified that she is not. To which she replied, "But Cinderella and Snow White have wicked step-mothers!"

2) Kim to Richard: "We need to pay our property taxes."
Sarah: "We don't pay taxes."
Kim to Sarah: "You don't pay taxes but mommy and daddy do."
Sarah: "Mom, we don't live in Bethlehem!"

Luke

The kids and I spent the day at a childrens play center with some friends. They allow you to come and go all day and so tonight when Richard got home we decided to head back there for an hour before they closed. Luke and Sarah were playing in the contraption with a slide (like at McDonalds). Richard and I looked up to see Luke making friends with a little girl, obviously younger than him. We proceeded to watch him wait for her and then help her up to the slide. At every new area, he's climb up, and then reach back down attempting to help pull her up or he'd stand behind her and push her up when she began to climb. Then they'd get to the top of the slide, go down and the pattern would begin again. It was so touching for me to watch him be so kind and gentle to another little being. He's off to a good start to become the young man I intend for him to be!! He really made his mama proud.

Summer, Oh How We LovED You... (recap of months long gone.)

We have been (I have been trying to get this post done for months.) living it up this spring/summer. With Richard home from school and not working yet, we just play and play and play! However that all came to an end this past week when Richard started his internship (July 5th); which is the greatest blessing. Maybe we will be able to get out of school with a few dollars left in our savings accounts afterall. :)

We've have had lots of fun. Everything's better when he's with us!

Here's what we've been up to...

Richard built the kids a sandbox. In Santa Monica every park had sand and the kids loved building sandcastles and such. Here the parks are full of bark, so our sand toys were getting lonely. Daddy fixed that but not without the help of Bubba. When Sarah saw the sandbox, she very emotionally said, "Oh, it's so beautiful!" They spend hours in it everyday.

We went bowling one afternoon. Sarah had been before but it was Luke's first time and he loved it. Of course he would, it involves balls. Obviously we need to keep our day jobs. Doesn't look like any of the Atchleys will be going pro anytime soon. :)

Richard's mom's side of the family are fierce at their family history. He has some cousins that have put together 3 huge volumes of family history. While Richard was reading our latest version, we discovered that his Great Grandfather, James Johnson was both in the House and Senate here in Idaho. How cool. I worked as a capital tour guide while in college and knew that they had pictures of all of the previous House and Senate members hanging around the chambers. We headed to the capital for a fieldtrip.

One morning we decided to drive 2 hours east of us to Twin Falls to see Shoshone Falls. We received a lot of snow this year and had heard that the falls were running very high. Shoshone Falls is larger than Niagara Falls and let me just tell you, I have never seen it so full. It was A.M.A.Z.I.N.G!! As you can see we got very, very wet. Drenched really. I was wringing my hair out as if I had just showered.

We really had a fun few months. The kids and I have begun to adjust to the new work schedule and I guess it makes us look forward to having dad home even more than before!

We miss you love!!!