Tales of Mckenzee and Riley

A couple of Mckenzee funnies:

Chris: Darn ole Greg Jennings just scored a touchdown. He’s gonna make me sweat this one out.

 

Anjolee: It’s fun to sweat it out.

 

Chris: When you are watching the game.

 

Mckenzee: Daddy, you know you don’t always win.

 

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Anjolee to Chris: Okay, I’ll get the kids ready while you load the dishwasher and then we’ll go

 

Chris: Okay, sounds good (sitting at the computer)

 

Anjolee: (finishes with Riley and calls out) Sweetie, are you still sitting at the computer?

 

Chris: uuuuuummmmm no.

 

Mckenzee: Daddy, you lying.

 

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Riley funnies:

We went out to Whole Foods with my mom the other day. There are restaurants nearby and when we got out of the car Riley was smelling them up and starting chomping his jaws all the way in the store. Then, I had to stop at the strawberry sampler thing for him inside. I think I ended up letting him eat 6 or 7 strawberries and my mom gave him 2 more. He was near meltdown when we drove the buggy away from there so I got him one of those already washed containers of mixed berries...cost me 6 bucks.. and he was happily eating that. Then, I'm filling my bag with pluots and when I look back to the buggy he is eating a nectarine that he snagged. He looks at me and holds it up and says "mmmm, apple." What do you do at that point? I can't put it back and if I tried to take it he would scream, so I got another one and went and paid for it and told her to keep it cause it needed to go back. At the checkout he was apparently still starving even though he finished off the whole container of berries and his nectarine and so I gave him a yogurt I had bought. So, in total it cost be about $8 just to feed Riley during my grocery trip, which was not at meal time.

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It was bath time because of too much sandbox fun. I cleaned the tub, from the previous sandy bath and then put them in and I got in the shower.  (Our shower is all glass so I can see them the whole time) About half way through my shower Mckenzee is yelling, "Riley's going poo poo!" So I get out dripping wet and get them out and shut the doors to the bathroom so they can't leave. I then proceed to fish for poop with my flour sifter that got demoted to bath toy and get out the toys and clean the tub and in the mean time they are playing in my closet until Mckenzee comes out cracking up and says, "Riley peed in your closet on the floor! It was a water fountain!” Great, buddy.

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A Proper Announcement

I wanted to do something really cute, but the time has passed so I want to get this little baby up here.

Introducing Baby Roberts #3

This picture was taken at 12 weeks 6 days. The baby is due on March 18th, but will probably be scheduled for c-section on March 11th.

 

I am 16 weeks 4 days now. Here is my 16 week picture.

We our so excited about this new little blessing and the completion of our family. Big Sister Mckenzee is beyond thrilled and Big Brother Riley doesn’t have a clue. Updates to come. Hopefully we will find out the gender at the end of the month!

:)

Book Reviews

I have wanted to do book reviews for awhile and I am going to give it a try. These are a couple of Riley man’s current favorites. I will try and do a Halloween/Pumpkin book review next.

 

Who Will Tuck Me in Tonight

by Carol Roth

This book is precious. Riley thinks it’s hilarious, although he may be laughing at his mother who makes a fool of herself doing animal voices. It is about a little lamb who is ready for bed, but can’t find his mother. All of the other farm animal mothers try and tuck him in, but none of them can do it right. Finally, his mother returns and tucks him in just right and he falls fast asleep. I think this book would be entertaining for ages 18mos-6years maybe longer.

 

Big Red Barn

by Margaret Wise Brown

This book is about farm animals that live together in a big red barn and what they do during the day. It is written like a poem in rhythm. The illustrations totally make the book. On the last few pages it shows the sun going down and then it gets dark and the picture is almost black, but you can still see all the shadows of the animals in the barn sleeping. It looks like it would really look if you were there in the dark. The illustrator is Felicia Bond. She also illustrated the If You Give a Mouse a Cookie books. This book would be entertaining for ages 1-4yrs. Our copy has gotten very worn over the last couple of weeks. Riley carries it around half the day and tells me the story and says barn and tells the animals night night.

Fall Makes Everything Better!

Today is just THE BEST day! When I woke up this morning it was 72 degrees in my house, all by itself. I put on a long sleeved shirt. I love long sleeves.

Little Riley boy slept in tight little footed jammies last night. I just love those. It makes the baby look cozier and I just want to squeeze them.

I spent the morning playing and loving and teaching my babies. Mckenzee was so great during preschool time and we covered everything I wanted to.

We played outside. It was so nice. My backyard is mostly shaded in the morning so it made it extra cool.

My pantry and fridge are full because we went to the grocery store just last night. Fresh fruit galore.

I already have dinner going in the crockpot.

I stuck a scarecrow in my front lawn.

I am motivated to get my house organized and decorated.

And there’s a baby in my belly that I think I’m starting to feel move.

I thought about how God made the seasons this morning. He knew we would need changes to rejuvenate us. I am so thankful for all His blessing in my life!

All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ. Ephesians 1:3

First Day of Preschool!

 
She was very excited. I woke her up that morning and she smiled a big smile. She wanted to wear her new pink dress and had me fix her a cheerleader ponytail. I had made her a new bow and she was so excited about that too. The night before the room was empty and the walls were bare. We did everything after she went to bed so she was very surprised. The first week our theme was I’m Special and we practiced the verse, ‘I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made…’Psalm 139:14.

I am having a lot of fun with her, but it’s also harder than I thought. It’s sometimes a challenge to keep her on task and not give in when she says, “I just want to be lazy today.” She’s very teachable though, which is great for me. I pretty much only have to tell her something once and she’s got it. She came into preschool with a pretty good knowledge of the basics. She’s very excited to learn to read. We work on sight words and sounds and I am trying to throw in some blends for her here and there. I don’t think it will be too long. We do fun songs and games and read lots of books, and she loves calendar time. Mondays and Wednesdays are our regular school days from 8-11. Tuesday is our field trip/playdate/park/Maimee’s house day. Thursday is chick-fil-a and tap and ballet class and Friday is Bible school from 8-10. We do an art project in the afternoon. So far this is working and gives us some variety and also gets us out of the house.

So obviously this preschool classroom is in our home. Chris and I have decided that I will teach the kids at home for preschool-1st grade. That’s the plan as of now. We will have to take it year by year, but that’s what we feel is best for our family. I won’t go into all the reasons we chose to homeschool for a little while. I’m trying not to feel the need to defend our decision, although there has been some naysayers so I do need just a short minute to vent a little. Let me assure you my children will not be behind academically, because of my teaching. I do have a degree in Early Childhood Education and taught Kindergarten and first grade not that long ago. I’m not worried about my abilities and I do get my feelings hurt when other people act as if they are concerned that my kids will get behind.

I love the privilege of being home with my babies. Homeschooling will give me the chance to keep them here just a little longer. Mckenzee will do two years of preschool and then start Kindergarten because of her birthday. Riley will begin preschool as she starts Kindergarten and will be in Kindergarten when she goes off to 2nd grade at school. This will allow me to not have more than one grade school child that I am responsible for teaching at the same time.

           

Mission Completion!!

well, just about, almost.

Chris and my dad enclosed our formal dining room to make our new schoolroom/playroom.

I. LOVE. IT.

I think it really improved the house. The french doors are so pretty. and I love the art niche that Chris insisted on making with an arched top on the outside of the wall. So thankful that my Dad knows everything and he and Chris have such mad skills in the building, making, home improvement department. I say I want something done and they can do it.

We still have some paint touch ups to do and we have to put the baseboards back on and the door trim. I say we, I mean Chris. It is gorgeous though and I love the floors, which were a HUGE pain in the hiney for Chris to install. We've had preschool in there for two weeks now. Next post to come.

Here are some before and after pics!

BEFORE- OPEN FORMAL DINING VIEW FROM LIVING ROOM

AFTER-TWO NEW WALLS, ART NICHE, FRENCH DOORS VIEW FROM LIVING ROOM

Mckenzee Turns 4!

I can't believe she is four. I remember holding her tiny newborn self all day long when we brought her home. Mckenzee is a lot of fun these days. She is smart and witty and so pretty and grown up. She has gone from being constantly naked to changing clothes several times a day. She loves dresses and wants her hair fixed and she loves bows. She tells me to make her a cheerleader ponytail or a middle braid. She tells us she loves us and gives hugs and kisses. She is also bossy and sassy and very opinionated, which I am sure I had coming. I love her so much. I like to take her shopping with me and plan things together. She tells me we are best friends. I love my girl!

This year she had a cupcake party the day before her birthday with a few friends. It went so smoothly and the kids were so great. They decorated cupcakes and made a craft. We had pizza and opened presents and came home. Short and sweet and couldn't have been more perfect. They day before her party I took her shopping to find a party dress. She chose a "Fancy Nancy" dress and we made a bow to match. I loved trying dresses on her. She loved it too. She put that dress on as soon as we got home and wore it the rest of the day and for the next four days after that. Not kidding.

On her birthday she took cinnamon rolls to her Sunday School class and requested Daddy's "cancakes" for lunch and we had a great time at dinner at The Rainforest Cafe. She really had a good time there and even flapped her wings when they sang to her standing on her chair.

So, Mckenzee's fourth birthday weekend was so much fun. I am so grateful that God chose us to be her parents. She is perfect and precious and we are so thankful for her.