Matthew Idol

Untitled from Kelli Melin on Vimeo.

I made this for his nursery teachers Birthday, Too cute not to share!

Monkey Business

It's been a while since I've posted some of Matthew's "Monkey business" so I thought I'd catch everyone up. As I was uploading the pictures, he was telling Jess that he wasn't Matthew, he was "Monkey, oooh oooh, aaaah aaaah!" So fitting.
More make up trouble. Note the ankle tatoo. Hopefully this is the last one he wants. I need to swipe a zip tie lock from somewhere else until I remember to buy another set. It's almost worth it for us to buy stock in the child lock company!

This one is double trouble! Summer's bathing suit and into the strawberries. Jess is not thrilled about this one. He saw this and muttered somthing about needing to take that kid out logging or something...

He loves dress up time! Dancing is fun, too. He's got great twirls!

He likes to build towers, whenever he feels the need really. He's very concentrated on his work. It's important. Also note that he has discovered his birthday suit. It's his favorite outfit lately.

Building supplies are unlimited. "These should do."

Raider of the chocolate chip tub. Are you noticing a counter theme this post. For a while we could keep those handy zip ties on, but loose. This run of events happened during the transition phase to "must be cinched as tight as possible."

Notice how he doesn't even really take his eyes off of the TV as he is trying his Houdini hand at tearing it open. This one I actually caught before he got it open! Yea me! Oh yes, and his second self inflicted carpet burn on his head. Why? I have no idea.

Happy Mother's Day!!

I have the Best Mom ever! Biased, I know, but my Blog, my call! In celebration of my Mom, here are ten of my Favorite things about her:
1. She thinks that I am fabulous in every way, and it builds me up knowing that.
2. She would do anything for me and my family. Who doesn't need that in life?
3. She is a hard worker and taught me to be one, too.
4. She is great at activity and event planning. She taught me everything I know.
5. She can find the best bargains.
6. She can say what needs to be said.
7. She has come to help me welcome all of my children into the world. They all adore her.
8. She taught me that honesty and good values are extremely important.
9. She taught me the importance of being nice to everyone. I hope I can pass this one on.
10. She's mine! I love you Mom!

I must also say that I have the best Mother-in-Law in the world!! I am so blessed to have her. Here are ten of the things that I love about her:
1. She gave me Jess, muy importante!
2. She is a great teacher in all things home maker.
3. She is very kind hearted
4. She makes me feel like one of her own. I love that.
5. She is very service minded.
6. She gives the best homemade gifts.
7. She is a very hard worker.
8. She is great with my kids.
9. She respects me for the person I am and loves me. (flaws and all!)
10. I get to say that she is mine now! I love you, too!
I had a great Mothers Day myself. T Jay was so excited to surprise me with breakfast, he woke up at 3am, 4am & 5:30 am to do it. Jess apparently kept sending him back to bed. I am gifted with extraordinary heavy sleeping! At 5:30 Jess told him to go and watch 2 cartoons and then to come back. At 7 am I had yummy waffles, sausage, fresh fruit and cards from all! What a great way to start out the day!

Happy 5th Birthday, Summer!

It's the Birthday Girl!!! May 4th is a big day!!
You've come, well, a little bit of the way, baby!
Summer at about a month and a half (left) with her cousin Heidi.
Age 1, 2005.
Age 2, 2006

Age 3, 2007

I uploaded the wrong picture for age 4 in 2008, and the OCD in me couldn't bring myself to add it out of order. (Does anyone know how to change the order they are uploaded in after it's already uploaded?)

Summer's 5 favorite things:

1. Anything to do with art. He favorite color is yellow right now.
2. kissing (I don't look forward to her being a teen, for many reasons)
3. Writing the alphabet

4. Baby Alexis- she even got to change a diaper all by herself! She was in Heaven!

5. reading books

My favorite 5 things about Summer:

1. Her smile.

2. the letters and drawing that she makes me.

3. How helpful she is with Alexis

4. She is pretty darn funny.

5. I like doing projects with her
Happy Birthday baby girl!

Little Angel

Our precious little angel is 6 weeks old today. I can't believe how fast the time is going. To prove what a big girl she is getting to be, she has slept through the night for the second night in a row! I woke up yesterday at 6:20 and felt so refreshed! It's the first time in a while that I woke up feeling like I actually rested during the night. (The other three children are partially to blame for that.) Here's to babies sleeping at night! And hoping for many more!

Compare and Contrast

Who looks like who? People keep asking me, and I'm not really sure, what do you think?
Alexis

Matthew

Summer

T. Jay

Last week

Jess and little girl. So sweet.

A good view of her blessing dress. Isn't she an angel. Thanks, Aunt Sweetie Pie!

Typical Matthew. Look of mischief, someone else's shoes and his hands into something! I love my monkey!

Alexis is so sleepy! I have to work so hard to get a full feeding and a round of burping in before she falls irreversibly asleep!

Water baby in training! Well, really we just basked in the shade while the big kids swam, but it's a start.

T Jay lost one of his front teeth last week! He's a little richer for it!

Summer with her personal baby doll. She's so lifelike!

Alexis at four weeks this past Sunday (yikes, already?!) all ready for church! "Thanks for the dress, Grammy, aren't I cute?"