These pictures were all taken within the last few days or throughout today as we've hung out at home. I've got lots of other thoughts to blog about, but just needed to say I really love my life and this little family of mine! I am truly blessed!Last Friday I had a mean chocolate cookie craving, but no eggs. So I had the boys help me make no bakes or chocolate haystacks - what do you know them by? Anyhow, the boys love to help me cook when I let them and they were fascinated that I didn't have to put these cookies in the oven!
What do you think of your new bean bag chairs, boys?
McKay sporting Dad's Red Sox visor - we'll start 'em young here!
When I let McKay take some pics, this one of Morgan's collar had an uncanny resemblance to the collar of another notable lady I'm reading about! Morgan's collar of course wouldn't lay down, but just cupped itself around her double chin :) Why are these types of cute collars even sewn onto baby clothes? All my kids don't really have necks, so maybe they work for some, just not mine.
Hot chocolate is becoming a routine after we retrieve Easton from kindergarten. Mini marshmellows are their favorite!
After Easton made himself a toasted peanut butter sandwich (HIMSELF!!!), McKay ventured into the kitchen to see if he could rustle up some grub. I knew he was in there and wanted to see what he was up to after about five minutes. I'm always curious to see why my kids are quiet for any length of time and figured he'd found something yummy between the peanut butter, unfrosted sugar cookies on the counter from last night's FHE, or some bananas. He found the hot chocolate mix I'd left out from earlier. To his credit, he only made a mess of himself and not the kitchen, even put the lid back on the can! Here he is thinking he's in trouble getting caught in the act.
This kid loves the camera and since I wasn't scowling, he felt free to feel the joy of his little venture.
Reason #1 my husband ROCKS! He fixed my washing machine's two leaks!!! After almost three months of having to go to the laundromat with this move, I can now do laundry at home! Granted, it's a German machine and takes literally 2 hours to complete a basic wash of ONE load! That doesn't include the drying time that you shouldn't even get me started on! BUT, I HAVE A WASHING MACHINE! Bring on the diaper blowouts, folks! I'm ready! McKay just asked,"What dat noise, Mom?" And I joyfully replied,"It's our washing machine cleaning our clothes!!!" This machine has 15 wash options, a water temp setting, a water level setting, a presoak option, a stain option . . . I couldn't figure it out until we got the manual! I just wish it did American sized loads for heaven's sake!
Reason#2 my husband ROCKS! He hung pictures Sunday evening!!! YAHOO - this place is starting to feel like home! Let's just hope his group's contract at work is renewed in June so we aren't moving! (Rumors are good on this front, we're not worried.) As a sidelight, the kids are eating their frosted sugar cookies but McKay is here trying to eat his new friend, Mr. Marker. More to come on that below.
McKay has discovered the beauty of Crayola markers. We used them last night in our FHE lesson and he has spent much of today coloring various papers at the table. After the hot chocolate mix incident, I removed his shirt. He went back to his drawings and when I saw him just now building his "puzzle" train, I saw his new body art. His hands are COVERED. But he is a happy camper and kept to the paper for the most part.
And spanning to the left of my train building Crayola kid, are my two other gems! Easton loves when I lay Morgan down so he can play with her. He loves to hold her in the bean bag too although that only lasts about five minutes until he hollers, "Okay Mom, come get your baby now!" He likes to get close to her face and make her laugh while she grabs his ears and hair. It's very adorable to see them becoming such good friends already! 
Easton's hair is a bit crazy today because he's still daily sporting his "Indiana Jones" coat and hat! I tell ya, that coat is the best $3 I ever spent at a yard sale! I found it last summer and hoped one of my boys would think it was as cool as I did. I'm sooooo thrilled Easton loves it so much! When he arrives in his class each morning he won't even take off the coat and cowboy hat because he's so happy to be wearing it! He's so proud of it he wants to be sure everyone sees it! He even wears the coat to church each Sunday. My favorite feature is actually the little airplane zipper!RECENT LAUGHS
Easton's teachers will often say "Ciao" to us as we leave and my boys think they're saying, "Ka-Chow!" My boys ritually say Ka-Chow to Ryan every morning before he leaves and are in tears if he doesn't say it back to them. So they're lovin' this "Ciao" business!
I've contemplated whether or not to post this, but I think it's pretty funny. One day recently, Easton comes up to me as I've just finished nursing Morgan. "Mom, when are you having another baby." I said,"We've got a baby right now. Why do you ask that?" Much to my horror and giggles he replied, "Because you're tummy is still big like a baby is coming." Aaaaack! Tis true though. Thanksgiving began my downward spiral which has become this move which I think I've already blogged about. Eating like you're on vacation for four months does nothing to help the waistline! Hopefully Spring comes soon so that I'm not so easily deterred from my walks!
So there ya have it, folks! My little life at home in Stuttgart. I'm excited for tomorrow because one of the kindergarten moms is having me over so she can translate the school's registration booklet for me. She's German and married to an American who works at the same base as Ryan. They're new to the area too and she's got 6 yr old twins (girl and boy), a 3 yr old boy, and a 3 month old son. Her 3 yr old at Easton's school always comes up to me because I speak English and I've been hoping to meet his parents to find out if we've got a close playmate.
