a few more

from ellie's birthday!!

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and this first one is from the easter egg hunt at the zoo!!

(too cute not to add it!)

a moms greatest joy...her kids hugging!

Matt with Grandma and Nana!!

Ellie loves Parker!!

loving her dora cd!!

Josh made his first purchase!

So, today, Josh took another step toward becoming a "big boy"! Before we left to run some errands the kids were already asking for things at the store!! So, I told them that they don't always get something when we go to the store, but they were welcome to take their wallets. So, Ellie collected her wallet with a few pennies and a nickle in it : ) , and Josh with his bulging Pirate wallet. (Josh gets paid when he works at the construction sites and he is very good about putting his money in a safe place) So, with wallets in tow, we headed to the store! When we got to the Christian book store, Josh had spotted his "want"! "Joshua the Warrior" sword and shield. But first, he decided he needed to know how much money he had! So, we got out his wallet, and right there on the floor we started counting all the crippled bills shoved in his wallet! "One, two, three,...eight! I have eight dollars! What can that buy?"

Then, he asked how much the Joshua the Warrior outfit was and after trying to read the numbers (a funny moment in itself!), I told him it was $29.99! "I don't think I have that many dollars," he said. He made a sad face where I had a chuckle inside!! Then he found an action figure, and then another shield...and then, before I knew it, he was following me around, picking up things asking "how much is this? How much is this? How much is this?" (Ellie soon followed his lead and was also asking the same questions while I just wanted to read the back of book covers!) Most things were over $8 and so Josh would put them back and move on. Finally, he found a book for $7 on the clearance rack! Then he said, "hey! I have...one two three four five six seven (pause for "eight" in his head)...I have enough to get this!" (I was laughing so hard in my head!!) Then we talked about how this isn't a book he needs (and really didn't want, something for parents...but that it was just something he wanted to purchase just to make a purchase!!) and I finally talked him out of it!! Then, we got to the $5 table (I love this table!!). He picked up a "kid looking" DVD and said, "How much is this!?" I told him it was $5 and such joy came to his face! "I have enough to get this!", he said!! I wanted to let him have this experience (and i actually thought the dvd looked good) so I said, "Yes, you do, would you like to purchase it?" His wallet was out before he said yes!! He went first, and the man said "It's $5.30. He was a little confused at the $0.30, and overwhelmed with counting and taking out the 5 dollar bills! I went digging for the thirty cents so he didn't have to break another dollar bill. He gave the man the 5 dollars and then the man said you still need thirty cents. Josh just looked at him thinking "what??" so i handed Josh the change and he gave it to the man and waited patiently for his nickle and bag. Then I had to explain "tax"...another hysterical moment for the on lookers! And also what a reciept was! He got his own bag and proudly carried it to the car!! I thanked the man for his patience and explained it was Josh's first purchase! And then as I was checking out he asked, "do you home school?" haha!! I said, "he's only in preschool!!" haha!!

We had to put the DVD in right away and watch it on the way home! As I was getting us all settled in the car and opening the DVD and putting it in, Josh was digging in his bag...and then he explained "I got a reciept!!" with a big smile on his face! : )

So I was putting the DVD in thinking "what if Josh doesn't like this movie? Maybe it's fluff and will be too young for him? That might be a good lesson (checking things out before we buy, rather than just buying something because we have enough money for it)..." Then, the first scene is the children pretending they are pirates!! HE LOVED IT!!

It turns out, it is a great movie! I listened to it on the way home with the kids and it was such a precious story, I was actually crying!! It's a great movie to explain letting go of things we love for the greater good of others! Good first purchase Josh!!

PS. I should have taken Matt in the stroller rather than carry him in my arms thru the whole thing!!! I didn't even run anymore errands I was so exhausted from Matt and the conversations!! : )

HaHaHa

"It's funny that no matter what your status is at work or in the outside world, when you come home, you are the person who cleans up your kid's poop." -Tina Fey

Happy Birthday Ellie

Elizabeth Ann Stickle

April 13th, 2006

6:18pm

6lbs 6oz

21 inches long

and here she is...three years later!! : )

Our trip to State College!

WE ARE...PENNSTATE!

~

All of us at the Nittany Lion!

We walked around campus looking for the Nittany Lion!

"Nittany Lion, where are you?"

Then, when we found it, Ellie was so excited!!

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Did anyone else know they moved the Creamery!!??

I actually love the new location and store front!

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The kids on the lion!!

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In front of Old Main!

Sackets Harbor

The long over due NY post!
Thanks to Beth and Nate for their hospitality!
~
So, We all got to go to NY because Beth agreed to host a ThirtyOne party for me!
It's sad that we needed an excuse to go up,
but I am so glad I had an excuse!!
Beth had such a great party with awesome group of girls
that I get to go back!! I'm having another party up there!

~

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Here is mr. parker himself!

sitting forever in his chair, just eating and playing with his toes!

Matt took right to Beth and Nate!!

Brenden was so good with Josh considering the age difference!

This is down by the harbor at their house!

Where is Parker?

Where is Matt?

the battlegrounds were pretty neat!

this is an old cannon they were all playing on!

Some of you saw the other photo of adam and parker on adams birthday post!

but, here is the "normal" one!

What cuties!

ok, so the harbor is frozen.

and there were men ice fishing on it!

so, i decided it would be fun to go out on the ice! It had been so long since I had done that, and I was up for the challenge! Nate went first. I was still pushing Matt and checking it out.

Then, all of a sudden, we realized that Ellie was in the water!

It was so crazy scary!

I thought, it's going to be cold to go in there to get her.

Then I thought, oh my goodness!! she is already in htere!!

Then all i said was "Get in there!" Adam was the brave one!

and he got his foot wet! thank goodness she wasn't far in!

but far enough in that we striped her down, put adams sweatshirt on and my coat on then put her in the stroller. So here she is back at the house ready to get new dry clothes on!

Silly girl!

here is brenden being totally cool with josh!

they were watching the guys make pizza at the restaurant in town!

and here is josh wanting to be like brenden with his rootbeer!

while parker and ellie played under the table!!

on the way home, we went to the saracuse zoo!

here is the whole crew! miracle!

the penguins

i love the head tilted heads

the four little penguins!

they had a decent tiger exhibit!

i think the sign says enough

the elephant was on the move! we saw it down a side road! it was awesome!!

~

While I am working on this post:

Ellie: "Mommy, I want to go see Parker!"

Me: "I know, me too...but he lives very far away."

Ellie: "Oh, but mom, I love him!"

Me: "I love him too Elle"

~

Can't wait to go back!

Happy Birthday Adam!!

As Adam rounds out another year

I wanted to take some time and

let everyone know what an awesome man

I am married to!

~

Add comments to let him know why you think he is awesome!!

Happy Birthday Adam!

~

I say the measure of a man

Is not how tall you stand

How wealthy or intelligent you are

'Cause I've found out the measure of a man

God knows and understands

For He looks inside

To the bottom of your heart

And what's in the heart defines

The measure of a man

Measure of a Man - 4Him

~

Here is a glimpse into the heart of Adam:

~

...He is our princesses King...

...He is a knight in shinning armor...

...he knows how to party...

...he makes a great jungle gym...

...he knows how to spot zach on the field...

...he plays hard with the squirt gun...

...he enjoys his "anything but lazy" time...

...he loves taking his kids to pirates games...

...he can't get enough construction...

...he's easy to love...

...he is understanding and patient...

...he knows how to lose well...

...he knows how to be a dad to a little girl...

...he's a pet lover...

...he can tell a great story...

...he's my angel...

...he will always have a heart for educating children...

...he is strong...

...he knows how to wonder...

...he fears the Lord...not children...

...he is a wonderful son of God, husband,

friend, and father.

~

We love you babe!

Happy Birthday!!

ps. i know i owe you guys a post from this past weekend at the zoo...

but adam is more important! ; )