a *short* story about friends

Ethan and I spent the day with our good buddies Lori and Grant today. Thankfully Lori and I didn't spend much time arguing over which dress up costume we were going to wear or hitting the other in the stomach with stuffed animals {Ethan!!} or taking guns from each other or eating too many snacks {um, wait, we may have done that one...maybe}.
It was fun. The end.

book page wreath

I attempted this project yesterday, and I must say two things...

1. The town I live in has NO GOOD dollar stores. Where do all these bloggers live that they scoop up the sweetest stuff for one dollar??!
2. My wreath turned out to be HUGE. So big, in fact, that I ran out of pages. I need to fish another book out of the basement and finish. Then I'll show you.


On a heavier note, Ethan is on Prednisone for croup. I may not make it through the next 5 days...yet he is doing fine.

If I were writing a book about my life::

It would include things like this. Ethan is in the kitchen with me making cupcakes. Well, actually I am making 48 cupcakes and he is “washing” the dishes. He hands me a cup, about one quarter full of a liquid that looks a bit like whiz. “I peed in this cup mom.” Then he dumps it into his soapy dishwater.

honest.

Ethan has a hair fetish. He will twirl hair my until it comes out at the roots. At night when I go in to check on him before I go to bed, if I stir him at all...he reaches for my hair. At first when he was a baby, it was sweet and endearing. More than three years later...I am over it. In light of my recent hair cut, he had this to say to me...

Ethan {contemplative} - Mom, why'd you get that short hair?
Me {chipper} - Because I wanted to. Do you like it?
Ethan {firmly} - No. I like regular hair.

You know you're in trouble when they all have that crazed "I've had too much sugar" look in their eyes...

kids

Soccer recap, and Ethan

Well, I can provide you with soccer stats, but I couldn't get it together quick enough to get pictures. Avery's team won, but I don't know the score. She scored two goals for her team. Owen's team didn't win, but it was close, like 2-5. It was tough because they both played at the same time, and I had to keep running back and forth across the parking lot to see each game. Anyhow, Doug is home the next two Saturdays, so I should be able to get some pictures soon.

Ethan is back on the roids again. He had a cold, and just couldn't shake it quick enough, so it settled in his chest and he was wheezing last week. We went to the doctor and got meds and instructions to do treatments, which we did. He seemed ok on Tuesday so I quit the treatments. Long story short, we are back to Jekyl and Hyde with this stinking Orapred. I feel bad because I know it makes him feel like crap. But for him that translates into bad behavior. This too shall pass, right?

ethan

Gatorade mustache from the fair last night.

Ethan and Grant

I was going to include a few of these pictures in my last post but they are all so sweet, that they deserve to all be shown here in their very own post. Ethan had a play date at his friend Grant's house today. They had so much fun!
Unwrapping this gift of little friendships today for Chatting at the Sky's Tuesdays Unwrapped.

This is the post that never ends....

...it just goes on and on my friend. Some people started reading it, not knowing what it was, and they'll continue reading it forever just because....This is the post that never ends, it just goes on and on...{you get the idea}

Twin Spidermen. One putting the choke hold on the other...although I think Ethan was having trouble breathing on his own in that mask. : )

Don't they look strong?

All packed for camp, waiting for Dad to get home, so they can leave. I heard from Doug today that they are having the time of their lives!!

The pictures below are not from camp, but rather from a day out with friends.

We did some outdoor fun stuff with our buddies. Swimming and fishing and playing. It was fun, and much needed rest from "sibling only" playing.

Jack and Russ sporting their new collars. Working like a charm, by the way!

Some pics from Mega Sports Camp. Ethan as a superhero, and the big kids looking...well, BIG! Speaking of big, we bought some school tennies the other day, and Avery has caught up with Owen in shoe size and Erin had to get size NINE! Like ADULT NINE! When did I miss her turning into a young lady? Tweeners don't wear nines. I am in denial.

Time Lapse:: July 13th, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009

We love you so much buddy!
Happy Third Birthday Ethan!!!

::As I type this, I just heard Ethan say to his sister, "Let's get our guns and shoot mom!" I know I am not the only one with a three year old who has an affinity for weapons, but I am hoping that I can encourage him to shoot at something besides me, the dogs perhaps?::

I am linking this post up to Tuesdays Unwrapped at Chatting at the Sky.

The birthday mayhem

Grandma came over first thing and brought some birthday timbits, complete with candles to blow out!!

I suppose that this is not the last time that he will be passed out with a mess all over his face at the end of his birthday day...so here's hoping that it's always chocolate ice cream...

The festivities included a trip to the toy store where Ethan got a race track and a food set that you can cut up with the wooden knife, lunch at McDonalds, no nap, twizzwers {twizzlers} and plenty of play time.

Merry Christmas in July

We had a very enjoyable Christmas in July gathering today with family. I know that a lot of work goes into getting it together, and hopefully those responsible {Diana} know how much I appreciate it! The kids had a lot of fun, and the gifts for them were perfect. We had a fun evening making all sorts of crafts. We are now off to bed, so we can be rested for Ethan's big number THREE birthday tomorrow! WooHoo! We are doing lunch at McDonalds and then birthday shopping at ToysRUs. Should be fun!!! I will take some pics of Ethan and post tomorrow....until then...

Happy 400th post bloggy!

Since this is my 400th post on this blog, I really feel like I should say something profound, but....I got nothing. Instead, I'll use this giant font size and include some pictures that I found on my camera. I am pretty sure Ethan is responsible for these since they include his toys and his chubby feet.

Enjoy "Adkins house in still life" by Ethan.

Really, 400 posts is a ton! It's pretty cool!

Softball is finally over so I feel like I have a full 45 seconds to myself.

It took Ethan about 24 hours to figure out how to ride his new bike. He does not want to be left behind by the big kids!!

Why yes, that is my $2 swim suit!

all you grandparent peeps out there::

Ethan's birthday is coming up, and he is having a little party for a few of his buddies on his actual birthday {July 13th}. However, I am anticipating the "what can Ethan use for his birthday" question from the grannies and grampies. What he would like is some play stuff for his kitchen. Well, actually it was Avery's play kitchen, but he loves it now, and all of our kitchen "stuff" that went along with it has vanished. So, you know, the basics. Dishes, food, pots/pans, utensils, etc. He has a table and chairs, and I think I may get crafty and make him a matching apron and chef hat. Maybe. Target has a nice selection, and I was online coveting the cute kitchen toys and things at Ikea today. Too bad it's such a long trip, because their prices are GREAT!!

todays goodies::

First up, I blogged about Lewa's Designs and added her button to the side bar over there and for all that {which isn't much} I got this little vinyl wall caterpillar {and another birdie} for free! They came in the mail today. Her things are cute and cheaper than some other companies that sell this same stuff. Go check her out! The 'pillar is now at home over Ethan's closet door, so cute!!

I worked in Ethan's room today. These are two of the shelves that I got from my neighbor's trash. They are the same length, and I painted them red. Not sure where to hang them in his room, so I need some advice.

I moved his bed, and hung the garland here, too. It was previously over the dresser. Also on the "bed" wall is his hook rack, hung at his height, and the two Duck on A Bike framed pages, pic below. This wall is full now.

Below is the wall opposite the bed. Blank now without the garland. I am thinking the shelves here, but how? Side by side? One hanging over the other? Opinions?

Poop, the sequel...

I think I will title this episode "The Shizzle in the Hizzle, Part Deux."
After his bath tonight Ethan was in his room supposedly putting on a pull up. What he actually did was poop the biggest two year old turd ever onto his floor and then stand there and wait for me to come in and notice. Doug was impressed and we took some video. {I'll decide later if I am going to share it or not, I may just ride the wave of success from my first big video hit!! This one is not as good. Or maybe just not as shocking...}
We went over, again, the proper place to put our poop, and Ethan even went into the bathroom and pointed out the potty. Someday...

Every party has a pooper...

No more epic pooping messes today. Wait...take that back. Ethan pooped in the tub this evening. What is it with him? Anyhow, just thought I'd let all you well-wishers {meaning all of you who are laughing at me and thanking God that YOUR kid didn't do this} know that I survived. Just you wait...what goes around, comes around.....
: )
nighty night.

~Jen

Shhhhh....it hit the fan.

I really am a firm believer in the fact that in the Bible it says that God will not give us more than we can handle. I get it. What I don't get is how He thinks I can handle evenings like this one. Here's what happened...it's a long way around to the point of the story. Hang with me.
We had to go out to pick up a birthday gift for Owen's friend. His party is tomorrow and Owen is going. This is a big deal for Owen, since he feels like he never gets to do things like this. While we were at Wal Mart, we made it over to the food section for coffee creamer {which I always seem to be out of}. I asked the kids what we should have for dinner and Erin suggested a "snack" dinner. Occasionally we will do this when Doug is working. We cut up cheese, fruits, veggies and include some pepperoni and crackers. Anyhow, we ended up with stuff for smoothies {strawberries and yogurt to add to the really ripe bananas we already had at home}, klondikes, one cucumber and one lemon. Who knows. So we had smoothies, I made blueberry muffins, Owen and Ethan and I ate a hot dog, and then we washed it all down with a Klondike. Under this delightful mix of dinner in Ethan's tummy was the following, consumed at the softball field this afternoon:
peanut butter sandwich, two packs of fruit snacks, too many mandarin oranges, two juice boxes, one orange slush, some nerds, some swallowed gum, a few bites of a nutrigrain, and some string cheese.
All of this added up to one giant mess. After dinner Ethan wanted some clean shorts on. He had helped me with the dishes and gotten wet. So I sent him up to his room for some clean ones. {Reminder...he is now wearing undies, full time}. He was gone a long time and I asked the kids if he was with them. Nope. Erin went on a search and destroy mission and found him in her room. All I heard was, "Oh, no Ethan. Mom, can you come up here?" He had in fact, gone into his room to, presumably, find the shorts, but managed to pee in his undies while he was in there. He took them off and wandered into the girl's room. He must have had a case of the grippers at some point in their room, because he.pooped.everywhere. At this point, nothing I can say will do the situation justice...so just click the link below, and see for yourself. Be warned...it is gross.

You know that saying, "it hit the fan"? Well, it did...but the fan is missing.
See what I mean here.