Ross Reflections. . .

All harnessed up and eager to climb. We had a fantastic family night, dinner at Skyline and then off to Climb Time. This whole evening was thought up and planned my Noah and Gary and it was wonderful. Noah and Gary had been here once before and loved it, so they were both eager to have us ALL experience it. Noah started climbing right away and Logan was so excited to scale the walls too. Of course little Isaiah had to get his chance to climb and had a great time running around on the mats, watching everyone and holding the ropes. Logan was the biggest surprise of the night, having no fear and showing amazing strength and determination to get to the top, 25 feet up in the air. She kept saying, "I can do it with all my might," and she did. Gary and I were so proud of her. She absolutely exhausted herself climbing over and over. Look, it's a bird, it's a plane, it's Noah. We all enjoyed taking turns and watching each other climb. We had a great time. Noah a...

Gary's parents (Grammy and Grandpa) came for the day today and we had a wonderful time. They arrived for lunch and then we spent the afternoon playing games and hanging out until we picked up Gary for an early dinner in Muncie at Texas Roadhouse. Please note that Mom's eyes are OPEN. She has an amazing talent of closing her eyes for 99% of pictures taken of her. It is truly unbelievable and quite hilarious. I was determined today to keep trying and this was the only one with her eyes open. I think this picture of Gary and his mom is sweet, although Gary looks very British with his sweater and cup of tea. Isaiah was so excited to play baseball with "grandma" (he called him that ALL day) Grammy and Grandpa got him this baseball bat for Christmas and Isaiah plays with it daily. Grandpa then took the games inside and played a couple rounds of Rummikub with Noah. Logan and Grammy were busy in Logan's room having a modeling session of all of Logan's hat...

MY WAY. . . HER WAY. . . So I switched to a regular headband, because I knew this is how Logan would wear her hair all day at school. I am all about her being "free" to express her fashion sense, but today I had to draw the line and deter her to another accessory. Loggy really loved this look. She got this new haircut and I think she looks adorable but she has her own ideas of how to wear her new hair. Gotta love her for it.

We had so much fun, I think I had more fun than the kids. We got in the van after the party and Logan says, "This was better than Christmas!" They loved it. I can't wait for the day when all three kids will be able to skate. Noah did fantastic on his rollerblades, opting for rollerskates all of 1 minute, just to try them out. Logan got a lot more steady as the night went on and really enjoyed the music. Noah was a blur the entire evening, never stopping so I couldn't really catch him for a picture. The picture above is Conner and Noah doing the chicken dance, and we also all loved the Hokey pokey. What memories I was flooded with, flashbacks to rollerskating to Mr. Roboto. The funniest moment to me was when the evening ended and Amanda had texted me while we were skating. I replied telling her how much fun we had just had and she texted back, "Did you have a comb in your back pocket?" I laughed out loud.

I don't know if I mentioned in my previous post about gymnastics that the Siegelin boys, Jonathan, Adam and Andrew are taking private lessons with Noah. They have all improved tremendously and today I caught the progress on film. Noah, keep up the hard work buddy, I am very proud of you.

from PIPPI LONGSTOCKING!!! Thanks girls, you know who you are.

This is the aftermath of our wind storms last night, we loving refer to this mass of metal as our Trampoline Taco. Around 9 pm last night, two men from our church knocked on our door and informed us our trampoline was in the street towards the Fairlane apartments. In the dark and in the midst of the raging wind, Gary, Dick Becker and Chuck Stevens pulled the trampoline to the fire pit and tethered it to the tree. Our kids were crying and I was quite perturbed that evening but woke up thankful. I am thankful that we were safe from the storms in our warm and secure home. I am thankful that the trampoline didn't hit anything, another car or house in it's path. I am thankful for the hours/days of fun we had on it to know undoubtedly that we need to replace this trampoline at some point. I am just thankful that the wind, so strong and mighty is controlled by the hand our God. I am thankful for perspective.

I love that Isaiah is on his tip toes, trying to play this game. I would have to say that often I don't care what the activity is, as long as it is DIFFERENT. I am a scheduled person and a try to stick to my schedules (homeschooling) but today was a "planned" morning off to do something different. We headed to Chuck E Cheeses in Muncie with a group of friends. It was just what we all needed, a break from home, fun with friends, pizza and games!! We were the only group in the whole place, it was fantastic and freeing to let the kids go free. Isaiah cracked me up always coming with his little hand out asking for "money." (tokens) He would then disappear and come back a few minutes later. Noah informed me his was running to the farthest game in the front to kick/play the soccer game. (I have another crazed sports boy on my hands and love it!!) I don't have many pictures of Noah because I hardly saw him this morning. I handed him his cup of tokens and he was of...

A quick follow up to my last post, we have a washer!! I was excited to have it installed and start washing, only to find out I need a "special" detergent to use this new space age looking machine. So this morning, it was Big Time Entertainment when I started a load of clothes. Isaiah and Logan were excited from the minute I put Pup Pup in for a bath, but even Noah had to come see when it all started spinning. It is pretty fun to watch. I keep thinking of the mothers in Africa who walk miles to get water, scrub their clothes and hang them to dry. I am spoiled and recognize the blessing that sits in my mud room. I am very thankful for modern technology.

So I have been without a washer for 8 days now, last Friday the washer acted up again (once in December too) and Gary said no more dumping money into the 12 year old washer, time to get a new one. We went Thursday night as a family, looking back, a babysitter would have been better, and I spontaneously went with a front loader washer. Amanda let me down (ha, ha) and decided to focus on her husband during a dinner date and not answer her phone, when I called with a pressing front loading vs. top loading question. I went on and made the decision all by myself. Any way, it will be delivered Tuesday. I have to send a huge shout out to The Pasko Family who was so sweet to leave us a key to use their washer and dryer this weekend while they were out of town. Here is the POINT of this blog: We have been running over to the Pasko's to switch out the laundry. Gary was out with the kids so I asked him to switch out the clothes before he came home. All is good. Well, I just got back from the ...

If I'm not worried about Isaiah becoming a cross-dresser, I shouldn't worry about raising a bar maid, stripper, or hussy but the smaller and tighter the clothes the better, in Logan's opinion. Today's outfit deserved a blog, it was a MUST to blog about. Look closely, the shirt is a 12-18 month onesie and the skirt is a baby doll apron, the high heels with athletic socks just put me over the top. Just look at her sassy pose like she's all that and more. Very funny but scary. I will just have to pray over her fashion sense, I see major battles in our future, I desire and pray for purity. Please pray.

Logan LOVES, LOVES, LOVES "Junastics" The splits are her thing and below she is doing a V sit. Miss Brandi is a wonderful teacher and below she is helping Logan with her bridge. Just tonight Logan learned to kick herself up into a handstand up against a mat and hold that position. I am very proud of her for working hard to get this and secretly hope gymnastics becomes her sport. Noah has taken gymnastics in the past but this year we have tried private lessons in order to focus on one skill, the front flip. Why this one skill? SOCCER,of course. The front flip thrown in is a weapon is Gary's opinion, although I am the one pushing him to learn it. Gymnastics is just a great, full body control sport that I love my kids to be a part of during the winter months. Noah is ALWAYS doing handstands around the house and just tonight stuck his first front flip, landing on his feet. The video is from last week, I will have to post his flip again after a few more weeks.