Bath Time Bubbles

J+M+J

I walked in to the bathroom one night to wash Alexander and Joseph’s hair when they were in the bathtub, and I was shocked to find that the tub was filled with bubbles. I found a half empty bottle of foaming face wash near the scene of the crime, so I think that the boys mistook that for bubble bath soap.

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THE FACE OF THE GUILTY PARTY!

THE FACE OF THE GUILTY PARTY!

Would you care for some of our bubbles? We have plenty.

Would you care for some of our bubbles? We have plenty.

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Alexander’s 5th Birthday in Pictures

J+M+J

 

Alexander and his presents.

Alexander and his presents.

 

Landon decorated Alex's cake in chocolate chips.

Landon decorated Alex's cake in chocolate chips.

 

Alexander's candy necklace. It was gone by the end of the day. Alexander also had a tummy ache at the end of the day.

By the end of the day, this candy necklace had been eaten. Alexander also had a tummy ache. Coincidence? I don't think so.

 

I took this picture because Alex loves his age, and has been telling people he is going to be five ever since he turned four. If you come to our house, he will probably tell you that he is five, but he's turning six soon.

I took this picture because Alex loves his age, and has been telling people he is going to be five ever since he turned four. If you come to our house, he will probably tell you that he is five, but he's turning six soon.

 

It took a while for Alex to blow out his candle. Joseph is trying to get Alex to play with his new WALL-E and EVE toys, which were his birthday presents.

It took a while for Alex to blow out his candle. Joseph is trying to get Alex to play with his new WALL-E and EVE toys, which were his birthday presents.

 

Another attempt to blow out his candle.

Another attempt to blow out his candle. I think he got it this time.

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Cuddling

J+M+J

 

Joseph requested this cuddling session, and Alexander followed him.
Joseph requested this cuddling session, and Alexander followed him.
Here you can see Joseph better, but I must have been blinking.
Here you can see Joseph better, but I must have been blinking.
I almost fell asleep.

I almost fell asleep.

 

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Birdie Playtime

J+M+J

When we had the breeder sun conures out, one flew to Alexander, and then the other followed. This is a rare occurrence because most of the birds in our house are a little wary of Alexander and Joseph.

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Penelope and John Paul

Penelope and John Paul

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Hide-and-Seek, or: How to Amuse Little Brothers Without Leaving a Comfortable Seat on the Couch

J+M+J

I was laying on the couch, exhausted by a day of babysitting my siblings, when Alex said to me, “Look, I’m hiding in my sleeping bag. Let’s play hide and seek.”

Joseph chimed, “Me pway to. you count.”

“Okay,”  I thought, “I can count and not leave this cozy couch.” So I called, “You go hide, and I’ll count to twenty.” I closed my eyes, and counted, “One, two, three, four, five . . .” I could hear Alex dive farther into his sleeping bag. “Six, seven, eight, nine, ten . . .” Joseph was wildly running around, looking for a spot to hide.

When I had almost reached twenty, he frantically screamed, “Not yet, not yet, I need to hide!” So I added on ten more seconds. At twenty-five, I heard him say, “O.K., I’m ready!” I continued counting.

“Twenty-nine, thirty! Ready or not, here I come!” I called. I spent a few minutes pretending to be looking around, and then I said, “Alexander, I see you in the sleeping bag.” Alexander emerged screaming with laughter. I turned my head around and saw Joseph laying in the stuffed animal box, on top of the stuffed animals that filled it nearly to the top. “I see you to Joseph.” I laughed.

Joseph giggled and jumped up out of the box and cried, “Wet’s pway again! You count again!”

“Okay.” I watched with amusement as Alexander jumped back into the sleeping bag, and then I began to count, but was interrupted by Joseph protesting, “No, wait. No, wait for me to get into ‘amal’ box.”

I nearly burst out laughing. It seems that neither Alexander or Joseph now the object of Hide and Seek.

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Adventures in Cooking: Turkey Triumph

J+M+J

A few nights ago, I prepared a turkey for supper. I brined it for two days, to see if it would make the turkey exceptionally tender. I watched it closely during cooking, and the result was a gorgeous looking bird.

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The outer layers of skin were the juiciest pieces of turkey I had ever tasted, and the inside was good, though not as good as I had hoped. Alexander, however, thought it was good no matter where the meat was.

Alex enjoys his drumstick.

Alex enjoys his drumstick.

Alexander shows his approval.

Alexander shows his approval.

I made delicious gravy with the drippings and cornstarch. I was surprised at how simple it was. We poured it over mashed potatoes and it was GOOD!

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The Butterfly House

J+M+J

Today, our family went to a class for some homeschoolers at our local butterfly house. It has been many years since I have been to the butterfly house, and I was looking forward to going there. No butterflies landed on me, but I didn’t care, because many posed nicely for my camera. Here are the pictures

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Alexander is holding a butterfly chart in his hands. If you look closely, you will see that there is a butterfly on his right shoulder.

Alexander is holding a butterfly chart in his hands. If you look closely, you will see that there is a butterfly on his right shoulder.

 

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This is a White Kite butterfly that I found coming out of its chrysalis. In this first picture, it has just cracked the chrysalis skin.

This is a White Kite butterfly that I found coming out of its chrysalis. In this first picture, it has just cracked the chrysalis skin.

Now it is a little farther out of its shell.

Now it is a little farther out of its shell.

Finally, after a tremendous amount of squirming, the butterfly manages to escape its chrysalis. Its abdomen is filled with fluid that it will pump into its currently wet and crumpled wings. Then it will be prepared to soar!

Finally, after a tremendous amount of squirming, the butterfly manages to escape its chrysalis. Its abdomen is filled with fluid that it will pump into its currently wet and crumpled wings. Then it will be prepared to soar!

This is a butterfly which has recently emerged from is chrysalis. He wants out of the glass box that holds the chrysalids.

This is a butterfly which has recently emerged from is chrysalis. He wants out of the glass box that holds the chrysalids.

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This is a gorgeous Blue Morpho butterfly

This is a gorgeous Blue Morpho butterfly

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This is an Owl Butterfly, which gets its name from the eye spots on the outside of its wing

This rude little butterfly is standing on an Owl Butterfly at the fruit dish.

This rude little butterfly is standing on an Owl Butterfly at the fruit dish.

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Other Christmas Gifts

J+M+J

This afternoon, the Johnathan, Alex and Joseph were enjoying their Christmas gifts. Joseph and Alex each received a package of eight juice boxes.

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Here they are displaying the flavors they were given.

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Johnathan put together these little wooden toys and painted them himself. He also made that orange lego recycling truck.

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How to Fit Six Children into One Bed

J+M+J

Joseph and I were playing one morning on my bed, when he told me he was tired. So we got under the blankets and laid down, pretending to sleep. Just then, Maria walked into the room and decided to climb on board the bed. One by one, the rest of the children followed, Landon, John Paul, and then last but not least, Alexander. It was a miracle that everyone stayed still long enough to photograph.

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Hello

J+M+J

Hello, it has been a while! I am going to start posting some pictures from the trip we took with Grandma and Grandpa Frederes. There are so many pictures I won’t possibly be able to post them all, so I will begin a series of post with those pictures I think the most worth looking at. I shall start with some pictures of our family in the airport and arriving in Florida.

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When we arrived at the resort, Grandma and Grandpa met us and helped us take our luggage to our rooms.

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