IT'S A MOOSE!

O.k. so it's not really a moose, but it's our Moose. Here's a picture for you Seth so you can at least see what he looks like. Yesterday I brought home the newest, and furriest, member of our family for Tim's birthday/Christmas present. A few years ago we had to put our dog Max up for adoption because he was having all kinds of skin problems and we just couldn't afford (or bring ourselves) to actually see a "doggy dermatologist". It was a sad day in our house and we've waited a long time to get a new dog. Tim has always wanted a brittish bulldog, and since I don't have much of a preference - as long as it doesn't pee in my house - we started looking and researching all we could about the breed. We found a breeder in Sammamish a couple years ago we kept in touch with and about a month or two ago I contacted them to let them know we were ready. I was trying to keep it a secret, but in the end I had to let Tim in on it because he was about to try to get some abandoned bulldog puppies only a week before I was going to pick Moose up. So far everyone LOVES him and in true bulldog fasion he LOVES being the center of our universe! We'll post more pics of Moose and Tim when I get them downloaded, for now you'll just have to do with the ones from the breeder.

I know I'm the worst!

O.k. so I know I haven't blogged in a while, but we've had a lot going on and it's sad to say blogging comes in at the end of my day which usually means I'm braindead and about to crash. So here's an update on what's been going on with us. At the end of summer we got some really good pics of the kids riding bikes. Mackenzie learned how to ride with out training wheels, which she was very proud of, and everyone loves the scooters... Ella included.

Ethan is a wiz at riding the scooters, and at 2 years old he's got an amazing ability with all things physical and has the balance of a jungle cat. In all the many races they had he'd come in a close 3rd behind Mackenzie and Sydney. If Sydney ever came in 3rd or 4th her competitive side kicked in and the race "didn't count" and they had to start over again... she'll only be able to get away with that for another year or so before Ethan catches onto what she's doing. Tyler on the other hand doesn't really care that he wins he only cares when he's dead last.

Ella loved the scooter rides so much that this is what Tim would get whenever it was time to go inside. That girl was born to have the wind blowing through her hair and I wouldn't be suprised if next summer she was leaving everyone in the dust riding solo.

Tyler turned 4 this year and was very excited about all the presents, he caught on to the true reason behind the birthday party... lots and lots of new toys. We had his party a few days after his actual birth day and the girls took it upon themselves to inform him that he had already turned 4. He got really excited then and turned to me to let me know that since he was already 4 a couple days earlier he'd suddenly turned 5 on the day of his party. So I explained the best I could on how to "milk it for all it's worth" and I think he really appreciated my answer. Tyler is our logical man, and has blown us away with the ability to do math already... what a little genius he is!

Mackenzie was a little apprehensive when it came time to go back to school. I asked her if she was scared or nervous and she said no, I kept probing for an answer and finally it came down to the fact that she didn't think her 1st grade teacher Mrs. Heinz would be nearly as wonderful as her Kindergarten teacher was. About 2 weeks after the start of school she came home and said that Mrs. Heinz was really funny and has warmed up to her pretty quickly which we're very happy about. Mackenzie loves to read and has become quite the bookworm! Sydney has loved Kindergarten, but I was shocked to hear that she had been a little shy at first! She'll come home talking about the kids from her class and sometimes she'll ask what she can say to them, she loves to role play and has reported on several successful situations we had talked about. One sutation has been bothering her a lot, there are a few kids in her class who take the name of the Lord in vain and she's asked me several times what more she can say to them. She may be very dramatic a lot of the time, but I'm so grateful she gets what's important and isn't affraid to open her mouth and say something. It's amazing how often I am in awe of my children, and Tim and I are so thankful everyday to have them in our home and to be able to learn from them.