Project Life 2016 {week 1-4}

Project Life 2016 edition has commenced.

This past Christmas I spent weeks making a book called Kids Say the Darnedest Things. It was a dream of my to compile of the funny, crazy, witty things my kids had said over the years into one easy to read place. It was a feature on my blog once upon a time when I blogged routinely. Once I finished that little project to give as gifts to the GPs I found my old project life scrapbook that I had never taken the time to print. Persnickety Prints was running a promo for their little 5x5 books and so I decided to go ahead and print the PL2013 book as a 5x5. I fell in love with it and it inspired me to do PL once again. {Which I will show you sometime in the future}.

And after 7 years of scrapbooking I think I may have come up with the perfect system. PL PLUS detailed and focused pages. Now with Instagram I have so many fun memory photos but they just get lost...now they go in my PL spread and if a more focused event occurs during that week that gets its own spread. I am hoping this new system will keep me caught up and make for a more well-rounded scrapbook of our story...of course it is week 10 and I am way back on week 5.


Here are the pages thus far:

Week 1 and 2




Week 3












Week 4


I am hoping by posting these it will keep me motivated to finish the year strong.

Anyone else love doing PL? What is your system?

MW 5.0

Well this is LONG over due. AND I haven't even done Lo's at all. Funny how life just gets busier the older they get. I think this is such a fun way to remember them. A few months ago Chad was editing an old video of the kids for their yearly video Chad makes and there was a part where MW was stuttering so badly and we just cracked up! At the time I was so worried about it, but now looking back, I am so glad to have that video and little memory since I had totally forgotten they way he use to talk.

MW is so full of life. That is actually an understatement. He does all things with intensity and gusto, including our snuggle time. His love language is physical touch at a level I am not sure I can meet. HA! He has to be snuggled a minimum of 3x/day for at least 20 minutes. I do enjoy it because one day our "loving time" as he refers to it will soon be another distant memory.

He is super smart. And I know all parents say that, but seriously he is super smart it is frightening. However, can't write to save his life or color in the lines. So you win some you lose some. I am so interested to see how he does in Kindy next year! The teacher may have her work cut out for her since he can't go more than 5 nano seconds without talking. {again wish I were joking}. However, the church SS teachers tell me he is a great listener AND participator...so maybe there is hope.

He is into Super heros BIG time. He plays with daddy's old super hero action figures all the time. Correction all the time he isn't watching TV or playing his kindle--which seems like a lot.

He is hilarious, just like his daddy and has wicked good timing. I love being around him all day. He is my little buddy and I am so so so going to miss him next year when he is off at school everyday.

I never thought being a boy mom would be as fun as being a girl mom, but wow I was wrong. The energy he brings and the boyish books and toys are tons of fun. We recently discovered Marvel Super Hero short chapter books that we read and we both love them. It's our special thing.

Stats at age 5:
wt #37
ht 3f6in {3 inches shy of sissy!}

Now without further ado your 5 year old interview




MW IS 5 from Michele Keethler on Vimeo.

Happy Birthday MW and Lo! {Party Style}

Hello.
I am back to share about MW's Fifth Birthday and Lo's 7th {early} birthday party.
I decided on a joint party because two different family parties within weeks of one another is a lot of work for me and our schedules. Thankfully they don't seem to mind.

Lo went low key this year with just brownies. I asked if she wanted anything special on it and she kept saying "No, just brownies and ice cream." Thankfully I found this cute little bunting at Target to dress them up a tad, along with a name candle. She was thrilled. I love you baby girl for being so simple and easy!!

Next up was MW's cake. He requested spiderman. He wanted a red cake with a web, but I didn't realize that no matter how much red dye you add to white frosting you still get pink! Apparently I learned later that you have to buy a special red dye to get the desired red...who knew...cake people that's who. Thankfully MW was so sweet and said "That's ok mom, I still love it! Thank you for trying." Oh my sweet boy and THAT is why I love you. Your tender and understanding heart.

I have to include this--we ran to Dollar Tree a few days before the party for supplies and we saw these balloons. I mean how do you say No to a $1 balloon for the birthday kids? You don't. So we were talking about his party and the following transpired--

Touche buddy. This kid cracks me up. His wit is on point like his father. 

{Shhhh don't tell Chad I said that. ;) }

On a side note---we still have Lo's balloon going strong a whole month later. Her real birthday is on the 15th. We wanted to see if it makes it. So dollar tree balloons are where it's at for future reference.

The party consisted of family going out to eat at Chick-Fil-A, a little play place fun; finishing off with cake/brownies/ice creams and gifts at home. The party stage is set.

These two are just two really great kids. I couldn't feel more blessed.

Ready to sing Happy Birthday!

This boy was surprisingly not interested in cake, only presents---actually I am not at all surprised. He loves to get gifts. I feel like he gets a "high" from receiving stuff. He could care less what it is, just that he gets something...

Now this girl loves gifts, but she {mostly} cherishes what she gets. When she wants something you know she really wants it. Like this puppy dog. Last year, she wanted another Our Generation tiny puppy. I said not right now, for your birthday. Well, when her birthday rolled around it was out of stock--EVERYWHERE! She was heart-broken. She eventually found another one she liked just as well. Fast forward this year she finds another Our generation puppy she really wants. I said no, we need to wait for your birthday...only this time I got smart and had Chad distract her while I sneaked it to the checkout. Over the month she would go and check on her dog at Target---he was gone. She was so sad---and then this happened on her birthday!!  She couldn't believe I "found" her dog...well, let's just say baby I learned a lesson last year.

The carnage...they made out like bandits. 

Playing Legos with Auntie Meg. 

Lo made MW these worksheets. Such as tracing his name, a color by numbers and a connect the dots. She is just so clever and sweet. 

Back to MW and his love of getting stuff. He wanted this Jake Skull Rock/Ship thing we found at Tuesday Morning. He begged for it. I said no--maybe for your birthday. Unlike Lo I knew he wouldn't be disappointed if it were gone. He moves on to the next thing like a butterfly. But as his birthday rolled around he asked again--I really tried to say "no." I knew he wouldn't play with it. So we got it. He doesn't play with it. Look for it in my garage sale for $5. ;) And now I learned another lesson about trusting my gut. HA!

We have very limited family time due to crazy work schedules. So when we are together we try to have a game night or movie night. Lo really is into Monopoly. We taught her how to play the adult version--but as you know that takes for-evah to truly complete. So she asked for this for her birthday--the Jr. version. We have spent many an evening playing. She is so good at it and somehow usually wins!

Well that sums up their party. Next Monday on her actually birthday we plan on going out as a family to celebrate more. I just can't believe they are 5 and 7. I can't even handle this. MW is going to Kindy in the fall. Lo is reading Junie B Jones all by herself. Stop growing. 

I love you both so much! Happy Birthday to my two favorite kids!!!

MW 5 Year Old Photos

Once upon a time I got this ingenious idea {from pintrest I am sure} to take my little boy's photo in a tie. I wish I would have gotten the idea when he was a newborn, but gasp---Pintrest was just a little tiny beta dream back then. Shocking...I know. 

However, I decided then that I would do my best to re-create said photo at ages 1, 5, 8th grade and senior graduation. 

My friend and photographer did his ONE year photo for me. This is my favorite.

I put the tie away knowing it would be YEARS until he was five...guess what it wasn't. It was like minutes. I don't know how we got here so quickly, but we did. My teeny tiny 4.5 week early preemie baby boy is five. He's my last, so it is a big deal. He is my little buddy. He shops with me, and snuggles me. He talks my ear off and makes me laugh. I am going to be all alone when he heads off to kindy next August. I may hyperventilate. It's no secret this mama didn't want a stinky boy...but oh my word how wrong I was. He is just one of the best things God has ever blessed me with. And well, now he is five.

And it was time to take the 5 yo tie photos...

MW was trying so hard to smile and be natural and Thatcher he's like look mom this is how you do it. HA

I call this a boy and his dog. 

 This face {next 2 photos}...well it sums him up. 

 And one with the beloved Blankers. I think he looks a little Toddler GQ cover model here.

And then of course a collage of the photos.

Happy 5th Birthday Micah!!!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Of course sissy was on laugh and smile duty during the photo shoot and then had to jump into the lime light herself. 

MW 4.0 {video edition}

Ah, my little baby baby boy is 4 years old now.
Sometimes it takes me by surprise how fast they both are growing up.
You are so full of life and energy. Oh the energy. You are like a border collie that needs to herd sheep for most of the day just to wear you out. Unfortunately we don't have sheep...so just mommy is worn out. Now all the naps I take are making more sense. :) Because let's face it you don't nap. And really if the truth be told if  you nap that gives you more energy to burn off. So we spend most of nap time learning the art of quiet play.

In order to run off a bit of the energy we lock ourselves in the racquetball room in the Y.

MW loves babies. This is our BFFs baby girl and he loves to love on her. 

Montage.

However, you do love to play by yourself a lot. That took some time to get use to after sissy started school in the fall, but now you will just sit and play Transformers or legos for a few half hour increments at a time. And when you get bored with that you usually come find me and help me around the house. Although sissy remains your favorite playmate and you are always excited when we go pick up her up at 1130a.

You are still a talker. I suppose that will never change?!!?
You are not a learner. We started contemplating pre-K for you next year...we are still undecided, but you choose not to write or draw. You can't even write or spell your name. I know it isn't fair to compare you to your sister, but well you aren't where she was at this age. However, we are trying to have a few quiet moments each day to work on our fine motor skills. It last approximately 45 sec. Baby steps.

The most coloring he has ever done.

You use to sleep with us nearly every night, which isn't exactly my favorite thing since you a toss and turn like a waller wart, but as of the last few months you have been staying put. YAY! If you nap you can't seem to go to sleep before 9p {bedtime is 730p regardless!} and you are up by 615a-645a.

You are still my little love bear. You never hesitate to tell me how much you love me and how pretty I am. You are going to be the best husband someday.
I love our time together in the mornings. It's nice to have that quality time with you that Lo and I had before you were born. Lots of memories.

{Stats}
Wt: 33#
Ht: 3ft 4in
shoe: 10
clothes: 3t/4t and pants 3t. {you are super tall and skinny like your daddy, so you are hard to dress}

Below is his birthday interview. It is so hard to get him to focus, but that is half the fun of the videos.



MW is 4 from Michele Keethler on Vimeo.