Nonnie and Papa's February visit

My parents came to visit in February. We did not take very many pictures. I am not sure why other than my parents took the kids to do things and Nathan and I stayed home and took a break!
Here is a cute picture of my mom and Everest. My parents and sister are in New Zealand right now! We miss you and wish we could be there. I don't know that the kids or anyone else on the plane would have survived my 3 kids! Next time!

My parents were here for my birthday and I made an amazing cake from The Smitten Kitchen. Her cake is sooooooo much prettier than mine. I don't care how it came out (very lopsided and goopy looking). It was amazing! If you like chocolate and peanut butter (sunbutter substitutes very well!), you have to try this cake!

Mom holding my big girl. She is already trying to feed herself. UGH! I am in trouble!

Everest broke one of their Madi Gras necklaces, but found a very good use for it. He made a bunny. Not bad!

He decided to make more shapes. This is his ghost. Gotta love the cheetah pants! They are from his Halloween costume. He wears them all the time.

Leaf had some blueberry pancakes....can you tell? We discovered something interesting when we made the pancakes. The frozen blueberries changed the batter purple. But when we cooked them, they turned blue. The kids were very excited by this discovery!

Leaf holding Roar

The boys love their sister and beg to hold her. They are both getting better at it and luckily she is getting bigger and better at them holding her too.

At first Leaf would just get up when he was done or let go of her so he could suck his fingers. Now he makes sure he holds her the whole time.

I was able to take about 10 pictures of them together.

Just playing around

This winter has been long and cold. Everyone is ready for Spring to come. The kids can get a little stir crazy, so we have been thinking up all kinds of fun things to do at home.

Elliot and Everest playing Plan City from Plan Toys (I love this company!)

My wonderful friend Dawn, from UT, sent the kids each a pillow for Christmas. They all love them. Aurora tries very hard to eat hers, but it is so cute.

I am almost 6 months old in this picture (she is now!)

Are you talking to me?

Paging Doctor Leaf Mentzer. Doesn't he remind you of the old time doctors (with the light on their head)? It is a head light, he has it turned sideways. Another one of his obsessions is lights, ones with batteries- he loves to take out the batteries and put them back in and turn the lights on and off.

Single handedly bringing back the 70's. We used a wooden dowel, string a paper clip and magnet and went "fishing" one afternoon in the living room. Everest was fishing from his "house".

Leaf cracked me up, he is such a two year old. This was his version of fishing:

1. put the magnet on the paperclip.

2. Stand up, pick up the fishing pole, making sure the "fish" stays on.

3. Triumphantly hold the pole over your head and announce you caught a fish!

Snow Day

A few weeks ago we had a snow storm. It wasn't as bad as they had predicted, but it wasn't good. Purdue closed the campus for 2 days, something that had not been done in over 10 years. Luckily our friends live next door and we did not loose power (something they were predicting). The kids played at our house and then we went over to their house for a pot luck dinner.

The kids playing dress up in the basement.

The Cat in the Hat aka- CJ

Everest and Meredith

Cheetah Kate playing some tunes.

Valentine's Day

A few years ago, my friend Kim made square bears for her kids to welcome Spring. I have been wanting to make some for the boys, but haven't had the time. I decided to make them some for Valentine's day. Leaf tells us on a daily basis (and repeatedly) that his favorite color is redblue (except he says "redbue"). Everest loves cheetahs. I was planning on making something for Aurora, but ran out of time. I know I do not have much longer before she realizes she didn't get one. I have a little more sewing to do.

We had heart shaped pancakes. Nathan had breakfast with us before he went into work.

Our breakfast. Happy Valentine's Day!

Nathan cut Everest's hair while I made breakfast. Everest just wanted it short enough to spike.

Leaf did not want to be left out, and although he did not want to sit still to get his hair cut. He wanted it spiked like Everest's. Nathan worked a little magic and TADA....Leaf has "spiked" hair too.

My Valentine!

Onto dinner. I got heart shaped ice cube tray a while ago. I filled them with cranberry juice and bought fun glasses for the boys.

We had heart shaped pizzas for dinner.

Leaf enjoyed his pizza. The picture of Everest will not load for some reason. He at a pizza himself (not only his individual pizza, but a pan pizza too!).We didn't have any left overs, but it was not due to Nathan this time!

Hope you had a wonderful Valentine's Day too.