Happy Birthday, Nathan!

Our little three year old!  Our family wouldn't be the same without you.

Here are some highlights from the big Par-tay:

The cake...

All he asked for was a Cars cake.

So I made, ok, bought one:)

Three candles for being "frwee"

He needed some help blowing out the candles before the cake was covered in spit.

He has been so excited all day ready for his party.

I want presents, I want presents!

He had a great night and loved every minute of it.  He did not, however, love the cake and instead ate the peanut butter chocolate balls. 

We are now officially done with "birthday season" in our house...

This Just In!

Emma was upset tonight because she hasn't been able to sleep in Bailey's bed with him on Friday nights in a long time (It's probably been a year or so) They used to have a Friday night plan that she could sleep in his room on Friday nights.  They grew up sharing a room and had gotten so used to it that Emma was sad when we moved her out and Nathan in.  However, Bailey is too grown up for that anymore apparently.  And who wants to have a slumber party with your little sister?  

So we explained to Emma that when Kate and Addison get older, they can have Sister Slumber Parties.  She was so excited that she wanted to start tonight.  Emma wanted to climb into Addison's crib, but she was already asleep.  So, she joined Kate.  Emma fell asleep first, then Kate. All in a little Ikea crib built for one...

Week 4, What a Bore...

Well, only because there were so many pictures I could have taken and just didn't.  And, according to my brother, I am not blogging as much as I used to so what is wrong with me?!  HaHa, Curtis:)

This week:
Kate and Addison are standing(without holding onto anything) for long periods of time (well, in baby time).  Addison crawls around the house then with amazing leg strength, stands up, grins, claps and does it again a few feet away.  Kate can stand on her own really well if she lets go of something.  She has a few pounds on Addison and I think can't quite navigate her large girth.  I wish I had taken pictures of them this week.  They are getting so big.  Kate loves to sing "lalalalalaa" whenever she hears music.  Both can say "bye bye" and "up."  Kate says "ball, "please" and Addison can say "Emma" and "Kate."

I made this shirt for Emma's 100th day of school celebration.  This is the picture before Curtis rolled the chair over the numbers 1 and 10.... (really, no hard feelings, promise...grrrr)

So, turn sideways to see:)

This is something we have always done for the 100th day of school.  I usually have the kid decorate it, but Emma said she wanted it to look like I did it instead.  She prefers not to wear things that look as though a Kindergartner made them.  I mean, really, Mom:)  Emma, Emma...you are going to be an expensive little thing.  We should probably teach you the word "knockoff" now.

Today was also....PINEWOOD DERBY.

The Cub Scout next to his car.

The track (it's about 100 years old by now, hahaha)

Getting ready to race.

Trying to give me a smile when he was really sad...

sniff...

It took him a while to realize he was done racing and hadn't moved to the next round.  Although we had spent the last month talking about how not everyone wins and if you don't win, you try harder next year...well, he is still Bailey.  You really want Bailey to win so badly, even though you know it might not always be the case.  I even saw the judges at the end of the track (his Wolf leaders) look at each other when it was super close and I could see they were considering saying it was him.  It wouldn't have made him progress to the next round unfairly, just given him a 1 out of 3 win.  How do I know that is what they were thinking?  I just do.  I was watching that finish line intently, and I watched them.  This is just the effect Bailey has on so many people.  It's not just a mom thing, I promise.  He's so sweet and kind and so hard working that you just want him to do well.  It was the same look I've seen from his teachers.  And every time I see it, I get a little teary:)  It's nice to know there are other people rooting for him too.  

So, a kid's meal from Burger King, an afternoon of playing Indiana Jones Wii and some time made the sad go away.  He's already talking about next year and how he will try something different.  The thing that made him still upset on the walk home was that he couldn't just use the track to do races for fun.  He spent so long on that car, planning and waiting and now it gets to sit on a shelf. He suggested we build one for our house, but um...probably no room.  I suggested he race it on our wood floors.  He is now planning a giant race between this car and his future Pinewood Derby cars...That's my Bailey...

Start Your Engines!

Bailey has been so excited for the Cub Scout Pinewood Derby for months.  He finished his car tonight and we turned it in for the race next Saturday.

He wanted to make a flame version of Lightening McQueen.  In case you haven't been anywhere near our house in the last few months, Nathan has been watching this movie EVERY DAY since then.  So, Bailey was officially inspired.

He's so excited, that it is really rubbing off on the rest of us.  He's already planning for next year's car.

Yippeeee, Week 3!

This week in the life of Oram House: Project Bar hasn't been that bad:)  I noticed I usually post the week countdowns on a Thursday.  Really, the week doesn't end until Saturday for poor Ben.  I am just used to Thursday being the "end" of the week and it's a habit.  How law school spoiled us!

Do you think studying has made him more or less sane?  :)

This is my don't take my picture right now look. 

Ben was trying to get a picture of him eating with his eyes crossed.  It's pretty funny, but he wouldn't do it once we started snapping pics.

Yes, he has food on his face...I think this was brownie.  Bailey is my calm amidst the storm (a.k.a. Emma, Nathan, Kate and Addison)

We normally do teach our children table manners. 

Um, or not...

A nice adventure story from our week should sum up the days pretty well:

I thought (oh how thinking is so often fatal!) that Kate and Addison would be just fine crawling around the house after dinner while I did baths and showers with the other three.  While washing Emma's hair and my hands were covered in shampoo, Kate decided she was missing out...

So in she crawled, right between my legs, shirt, diaper and all.

Of course, Addison followed right behind.

The problem is, Addison HATES the water.  So she started crying after realizing what she had followed Kate into.  She only stopped crying for the picture.

So then I had to pull a crying baby out of the shower and try to get her undressed and then re-dressed in pajamas.  Kate then cried when I tried to take her out because she LOVES the water. 

I do feel like quite the hermit, and I actually kind of like it.  I get up, drop off kids at school, exercise, come home for lunch, naps for little 3, pick up from school, dinner, homework for big 2, bed for 5.  My first week of school was this week.  Lucky me, I start back with a class called Intercultural Communication. I've taken this class forwards and backwards at Sac State, but that's OK.  Because who couldn't use a little more cultural diversity in their life(heavy sarcasm intended).   If Sac State taught me anything, it was how to convince your professors that you think their way of thinking is the best and only way out there.  I think my writing in this class could also count as fiction:)

 

 

Week 2, Choo Choo!

We are nearing the end of week two of Ben studying for the bar.  Although he is gone every day/night, he IS home in the morning while we are getting ready for school.  I need to remember not to get used to this!  It is so nice to have the extra hands in the a.m. craziness. 

Here is what we have been doing this week:

Kids are back in school.  And this  not so little man is on the edge of being at grade level for math!  His teacher gave me the news today.  She said she refrained from hugging him and crying so as not to embarrass him:)  She had to hold back the tears at the beginning of the school year as well when he jumped up three levels in reading over the summer.  For those who know Bailey's history, this is amazing.  He has caught up in reading and now, almost in math.  Math has always been extra hard for Bailey and he has worked so hard.  This picture is of him doing his math computer game. 

Nathan cleaning up the living room for me.  Yes, we have entered the Realm.... Although we have to deal with the terrible whiney three's, we also get to see the little boy emerging.  He now can say his own prayers, clean up his room, etc... Now if we can just get the potty thing down!

It's 5:30 do you know where your twins are?

Almost ready to go to sleep!  I was reading my fellow twinner mom, Melanie's blog and saw that HER twins go to bed at 5:30!  Not to copy, but it really just made more sense than giving them that second late afternoon nap.  We have been trying and it works pretty well.  Right after dinner, they get in jammies (maybe a bath too!) and get into their cribs while we get clothes ready for the next day and Emma picks up her room.  I really need them to only take one nap a day for our schedule, so we are just pushing them that direction! 

Emma: Her picture is missing because I wasn't taking a picture of a little girl in a towel.  You see, Emma has this disease....she cannot get ready/do much of anything that involves clothing quickly.  I can get her up first in the morning and she will be the last one to get in the car.  I can get her through the shower first and she will be the last one in pjs.  It is just Emma and we have learned to give a little "Hurry Up, Emma" shout every five minutes.  9 times out of ten she needs it:)

I am enjoying my last week before my school starts....sigh....no really, I want to go back (translation: Ben is making me)  I am a little excited because I have so few credits left and I don't have to go back to the crazy bin at Sac State (a.k.a the Social Work department).  But I got my textbook today and stared at all those words...words that are complex and want me to make meaning out of them.  I was just getting good at figuring out Bailey's homework!  Next week's update may sound slightly more intelligent, though, as my brain begins to spin in a different direction:)

Kristi's Baptism! (and some snow...brrrrrrr)

This last weekend, Ben and I took a quick trip (minus kids, thanks to the McKee's and my mom) to Pennsylvania. Leaving sunny CA for cold PA in January may seem odd, but we would not have missed Kristi's baptism for anything. 

Getting bundled up to go outside. Thank you, Kristi, for the gloves.  I forgot to give them back, so I'll save them for next year:)

The boys!  Ben, Dave and Taylor

Ben, Leslie, Taylor

Ben and his "little" brother. Taylor has grown an inch since we last saw him-seriously. 

Taylor and Kristi.  I know, I made them all do a version of wedding pictures!

And I am actually in one of the pictures!

I even took a picture of the program.

The bookends are the two missionaries who taught Kristi.

Kristi getting ready to get baptized.  Poor things, had about a million pictures taken of them with four different cameras! 

Had to get a good shot of this skirt.  Taylor MADE it...yup, sewed it from a pattern and all.  Mr. Domestic, himself.

Out of Church clothes after the baptism.  Church clothes and snow don't mix:)  I only have like five shirts and coat, scarf and two hoods on....

Cracker Barrel!  You can't be somewhere where there is a Cracker Barrel and not go.

Nice, Taylor....

The newest member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints! 

I had way too much fun with this game.  I used to play it all the time as a kid.

Sadly, I am only "pretty smart" as this is as far as I could get. I think I used to be better at it.

We had a great time with everyone and enjoyed being able to spend time just us as well, even if it was on an airplane.  Now, back to the grind:)

One week down

I am documenting our weeks as we countdown to Ben taking the bar.  As if there wasn't enough pressure, right?

Ready for bed, ready for March

I got used to Ben being home during the week, helping with the nighttime routine.  Now, I am back to doing it myself and not enjoying that so much!  Maybe I'll get back into the swing of things once the kids are back in school.  This also marks week 3 of Christmas vacation.  I think we are ready for school to start...bad :) 

This week we have: gone back to our regular mac n'cheese, grilled cheese, pancake dinners.  Gotten up every morning early (this means me) and dressed all before 9 a.m. at the latest.  We have to slowly work back into the school routine. 

She's enjoying being able to eat the "leftovers" from her high chair.

She looks like a cute, pink seal on the shore.

Now, off to pack for our trip to cold PA!!!!