This will be my 455 post. Kinda crazy considering this blog is only 3.5 years old. Or maybe to some of you that is nothing, but it is to me. This is the best I’ve done at keeping a journal my whole life. So, in honor of that, I have a proposition. Our tracker says that 65 people have checked in with our blog today. For one, we’re flattered. We didn’t think that many people thought we were so interesting. The bad part is, we have little knowledge of who these 65 people are.

So, I have a deal for you. If you leave a comment, saying that you’ve stopped by, I will send you something in the mail. We’ll pick a random winner. Once the winner is chosen, I will give you options of things to win. Because, let’s face it, a baby item might not be appropriate for all winners. If you’re close, it could be a dinner, or maybe we can mail you cookies, or we can get crafty. Between Kevin and I, we have lots of hobbies around this house. It will be something good.

There you go. That’s my proposition. Play along or not. I will give you 1 week, and then we will choose a winner. So, next Sunday, the 6th (my brother’s birthday) at midnight, the contest will close. We hope to find out some of you curious lookers.

So here’s the deal. Our blog is public. I’ve debated with going private on many occasions, because we do get random comments. I don’t know every person that personally looks at our blog, which doesn’t always make me the most comfortable. But, to me, the point of a blog is so people can check what’s going on in our oh so interesting lives. Also, it would take a lot of work to make our blog private, which I’m not against doing if I need to.

But, there are some things I really only want to share with family or close friends. On those occasions, I don’t usually blog them, because I don’t want the whole world knowing. Or, things like bathtub pictures or a really funny one of Jameson on the toilet. I usually edit the pictures so nothing is scene that shouldn’t be, but I still don’t want any problems. So, we have found a solution. We can now do password protected posts, or make them completely private. If you see a post that is password protected, and feel like you know me well enough to have access, just ask and I’ll tell you the password. Most likely, I will send an email out to family if there is a password protected post, but if I forget you, just let me know. I’m not trying to hide anything from our family and friends, but from everyone else that doesn’t need to see such personal stuff.

So that’s the deal.

Today has been full of interesting conversations with Jameson. For starters, after church we were in the foyer preparing to leave. I overheard Jameson and his friend Abby…

J- “Who built the church?”
A- “I don’t know, who?”

J- “Jesus built the church.”

A- “Who built the bikes?” (Talking about the missionaries bikes outside the window.)

J-“Jesus built the bikes.”

A-“No, you talk to your self, and I talk to my self.”

Then the proceeded to ask “Who built…” with pretty much everything in sight, followed by the answer, “Jesus built…”

I wonder what their lesson in primary was about today.

Around dinner, Jameson came in the kitchen squeaking. He is usually some animal, as everyone around him can attest to. So Kevin asked him if he was being a dinosaur. His quick answer, “No. I’m being the Lockness Monster. My name is Nessy.” What! Where did that come from. So Kevin asks if Nessy was on Diego. Jameson quickly corrected him, “No, I’m on Wonder Pets.” Well alright then. It has come to my attention, with the songs and comments Jamo knows, that we might spend a little too much time watching shows.

Tonight, as Kevin was putting Ella in bed, Jameson was not happy. He was jumping around flapping his arms. He said, “Mom! ugh I can’t fly! Please help me fly.” He climbed up on top of the chair in his attempt. He was so mad he did not have wings, or tail feathers, or a beak, or anything else a hawk has to make him fly. I was laughing pretty hard.

Kevin bought this beauty last week. He first wanted a trailer, but nothing met up to his expectations. Then he found a government surplus website, and found army trailers. His dream came true. Every thing he ever wanted. But that wasn’t enough. Why get just a trailer. This one came with 2 generators. I’m actually quite ok with this purchase, though. I wouldn’t mind having a back up generator around, for times when there’s no power. We needed the trailer today, though, so he was trying to see if he could get the generators off. Jameson found his hammer, and went to help.

Turns out, it’s going to take some work getting those 500 pound generators off the trailer. So we found another source. In the meantime, Jameson did his best to help.

Last week, Feb. 24th, we woke up to lots of snow. It started out to be about 6 inches. It has snowed all Wednesday night. One thing I love about when it snows here, it’s actually bright outside. It seems like some of the only times the sun shines in the winter is if it has snowed. Then, the sun reflects off the snow, and makes it bright outside. I love it. I was actually a good mommy this week, and took the kids out into the snow.

Jameson has never really played in the snow. I know, crazy huh? Well, last winter it didn’t snow here, and the winter before, he was barely 1. I wasn’t going to bundle a 1 year old up to play in the snow. So, we got everyone bundled, and headed outside. Apparently, the bamboo out back doesn’t do so well with the snow. It totally bent them over to where they were covering the patio. I had to shake all the snow off, and they sprang back up in the air.

We built a snowman… the snow was perfect for it. We jumped on the trampoline. Ella sat in the grass, where the snow barely touched it. The trees above it sheltered it from the storm. She was not a fan of not being able to move.

My attempt at a picture with the kids. Proof it was me who was out in the snow.

Kevin was actually working from home on this snowy day, and Jameson asked if he would come outside and build a snowmom. Since I built him a snowman, he thought there needed to be a snowmom to go along with him. Thanks for thinking of me, kid.

After Ella and I had gone inside, Jameson decided to try and eat the snow. He told me it was so good.

Side note: Kevin actually did experiments with Jameson a few days before it snowed. He was showing him how the water in his cup turns to ice when it gets cold, and back to water when it warms up. The snow came at a perfect time to go along with our experiments.

By the way, our snowman still has now spouse. Kevin never did make it out that day to help Jameson with a snowmom. So next time, it’s all him.

Ella’s new favorite pass time is to climb on Jameson’s chairs. Sometimes, she tips them over and falls. Other times, she actually sits and enjoys them. She loves to be just like her big brother.

As a parent you do lots of dumb things, just to watch your child do something for the first time. Every time Ella does something new, we are clapping like it’s the final scene of the play. Well, now any time she does anything, she claps for herself. If you say, “Yay,” she will clap. Proof in point…

She will also laugh any time anyone in conversation laughs. She loves to be part of the conversation.

Jameson came into me today (Feb. 19th) telling me he was marching. He has a bucket on his head, his Velcro catching mitts on, and my slippers. Awesome.

Crazy kid.

She walks! I love Kevin’s face in this one… Ella had just fallen.

Want to see?

And if you need a little Jameson fix, he will sing you to sleep.

On Valentine’s Day, Kevin came in the kitchen with Ella and said, “Hey, watch this.” He set Ella down, and she took off. It surprised me. She has taken steps here and there, but that night, she took off. Here she is on the 15th, contemplating showing off. I tried to bribe her with Cherrios. Maybe if I had had a cupcake or something.

Almost.