"Hilarious Outtakes" - I Heart Faces

This week's challenge at I ♥ Faces is "hilarious outtakes". Given that I mostly take pictures of children, and given how much my children like having their picture taken (not!), I have plenty to share. It was a challenge to figure out which five to post. I settled on these because they make me laugh. I hope you enjoy them too. Head on over to I ♥ Faces to see other entries.

I love this picture of my daughter, Elizabeth. I had taken several pictures of her. Got to play with the camera, you know. After a while she surely let me know that she was D.O.N.E.! My college roommate was kind enough to let me "borrow" her kids one day this Fall and I made multiple attempts to get a picture of the three of them. This one makes me laugh so hard. Little boy on the left looks like he has a headache. Middle child wouldn't stand up if you paid him. Beauty there on the end LOVED to pose. :)This is my son, Andrew. I got a number of GREAT shots of the kids at the beach that day... but this wasn't one of them. Well... truthfully, I kind of like it. Makes me smile. When I took this shot, I was still attempting to get a good picture of our four children. My mom had been asking for one for a while. That day was NOT the day. Andrew was not going to sit and smile no matter what. Nathan would not get his hands out of his mouth, and Alex had quite the silly smile.This is a recent picture. The kids were enjoying their huge lollipops at their aunt and uncle's house. I just happened to catch Elizabeth looking cross-eyed at her treat!

Christmas Card

As promised, here is the "inside" of our Christmas card... well, not quite. I left up Elizabeth's snowman painting as I really like it.

This year in the ********** household

* We began the exciting though sometimes intimidating journey of homeschooling our children. So far it is working out well. The kids love to learn and we are enjoying our flexible schedule.

* Alex (almost 7) had his first visit from the tooth fairy! He recently lost both of his bottom middle teeth!

* Elizabeth (8) is thoroughly enjoying her watercolor lessons. She painted the snowman on the front of our Christmas card!

* Our family enjoyed a two week vacation in Kauai with Kari's aunt and Kari's sister and family. We got plenty of rest, visited the beach every day, swam with turtles, laughed, rode horses along the bluffs (Elizabeth), took a helicopter ride over the island (Gordie and Andrew), took basket weaving (Kari and Elizabeth), hung out as a family without the interruption of work, household chores, and cell phones.

* Andrew (8) is spending hours each day playing on our new (used) piano. He's taking lessons and is enjoying composing his own songs. We've also discovered that he has a beautiful singing voice and he is enjoying learning to sing hymns.

* Nathan (2 1/2)is finally talking up a storm after two years of silence. He amuses us all with his choice of words. He's got an infectious smile and an enthusiasm for life.

* Elizabeth spends oodles of time writing and illustrating creative stories.

* Andrew is happiest when he is doing anything related to Star Wars - putting together Lego sets, reading magazines or books, or watching Star Wars the Clone Wars on TV.

* Alex continues to be our resident chef, bread connoisseur (his choice of words to explain his love of all kinds of carbs!), and bird enthusiast. He's also learning to read.

* Kari spends much of her free time practicing with her camera and has recently starting a side business doing photography for family and friends.

* Gordie continues to work at ***** Airport and Kari continues her part-time position at ******. In these tough economic times we are thankful to be employed. We don't know the future, but we do know the One who holds our future in His hands... and we are grateful for His goodness to us!

May God richly bless you this holiday season and in the coming year,

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas to you all!

This is the picture that Elizabeth painted for the front of our Christmas card. I love it! And I love how much she loves to paint! I'll post the "inside" of our card another day.
This is another of my favorites that Elizabeth recently painted. It has a funny story, too. She explained to me that her two older brothers had buried her in the snow and then run in the house and shut the door and locked her out so that they could decorate the Christmas tree by themselves... Poor Elizabeth. :) I've just finished wrapping up presents and am heading to bed. The kids will be up at the crack of dawn, feverish with excitement about opening gifts. They are also excited to finish the final chapter in the devotional we've been reading - Jotham's Journey. It's a fantastic book. The author really hooked our two boys - a challenging thing to do... They can't wait to read the book each day. And... it has really helped us focus on the true meaning of Christmas.

We wish you all a very merry Christmas and a year full of God's abundant blessings,
Kari

Look what Grammie is giving away!

Grammie has paired up with MckMama to do a giveaway as well. She is giving away a brand new copy of Adobe Photoshop Elements 8. Go check it out here.

Same as MckMama. You can win extra entries by tweeting about the giveaway, mentioning it on facebook, or posting about it on your blog.

The giveaway ends tonight, so hurry on over!
Kari

Look what MckMama Is Giving Away

MckMama is giving away a copy of Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 2. Come check it out here.

She's picking a winner tonight so hurry on over to enter. If you tweet about it or mention it on facebook you can earn extra entries! If you write a blog post about it, you can earn yet another entry!

Hopefully I'll get around to posting an update soon!
Kari

Hide And Seek

This morning I woke to the sounds of the kids playing hide and seek (yes, I got to sleep in.... My husband usually takes the "early shift" - until 7 - with the kids as I get the kids when they wake in the night).

Nathan called out, "1, 2, 3, 19, 18, Hide and Seek.... Here come I"

I just love, love, love listening to kids when they are learning to talk. They come up with so many entertaining and adorable things. I especially love listening to Nathan talk. Our sweet little guy was silent, completely silent, for so long (over 2 years!). It's a delight to hear him babbling away, communicating, making folks laugh. Thanks be to God!

Here are a couple of other cute things Nathan has said this week:

I was rushing about trying to get out the door with the four kids the other day. I asked Alex to get his shoes on and he didn't oblige. I asked him again, only to walk back into the room and see that his shoes still weren't on. In one of my finer parenting moments, I yelled at him to get his shoes on! Nathan looked up at me with wide eyes and said, "NOT TO WORRY!"

A couple of nights ago I was at the dollar store with the four kids. They had each earned a dollar to pick out a Christmas decoration of their choosing (Their choices - a giant stocking, some garland, a bow). Nathan was over-tired and kept trying to run around the store. I kept track of him until I had to pay at which time I asked the kids to keep their eye on him next to the register. I heard a shriek and looked over to see Nathan yelling, "Nay-Nay escape. Nay-Nay escape." Nay-Nay is what Nathan calls himself. He was announcing to everyone that he wanted to "escape" and run around the store.

I love you little man. And I love you Elizabeth, Andrew and Alex.

Poor Elizabeth has a UTI. I hope you feel better sweetie!

Want a chance to win a new computer?

Don't know if anyone even reads my little blog here, but MckMama of My Charming Kids is giving away a brand new HP TouchSmart 600. I hadn't ever heard of one, but after reading the review decided I just "have to have one". LOL! :)

So, if you'd like a chance to win, hop on over to MckMama's giveaway blog to learn about the giveaway and to enter the drawing. Tweet about it and earn another entry. Blog about it and link it and earn a third entry.

Good luck!!
Kari

Blackberry Pie

Alex, you make me smile. I love all your little quirks, and I love the adventure of raising boys with Asperger's.

Some cute things you've said recently:

"Mommy, I LOVE Grandma's blackberry pie" You do?! Have you ever had it? "NO, but it sounds like the sort of thing you're supposed to say." :)

"Excuse me, Mommy, but my sweatshirt just had a little breakdown" (You had just spent quite a few minutes trying to get your arm back in your sweatshirt sleeve after taking the sweatshirt off to do something. You were frustrated that the sleeve was inside out and finally decided to ask for help)

"Look at all that trash Mommy. Some people are apparently under the faulty assumption that the earth is a trashcan!" (said after looking at the trash littering Big Y's parking lot)

"My problem is that my pants like walking on the ground too much" (said after pulling your pants up for the umpteenth time... Mommy needs to buy you a belt. You are getting taller and more and more thin.. not even slims fit you at the moment)

I love you Mr. Alex!

Swallower

Poor Alex has been sick. This on top of having his adenoids removed last week.

When I woke up a couple of days ago, I found Alex by my bed. He said, "Mommy, I'm sick". I asked him what was bothering him. He said, "My swallower hurts". :)

Elizabeth's Gallery

Elizabeth has been taking watercolor this year. She loves her teacher and she loves to paint. Thought I'd share some of her work. I won't, however, share what she painted for our family Christmas card. It's beautiful!

Family - Elizabeth is interested in "selling" some of her work. :) If you are interested, let her know! Maybe she'll surprise you with something for Christmas....

She painted the birds for Alex.

Nathan Cuteness - Again

Nay Nay, I love love love that you are talking more and that you are starting to string words together. This week you've said several cute/funny things.

I was getting you a snack the other day and the crackers fell on the floor. You said, "Oh no. PLOP IT!"

At church on Sunday Carol (nursery helper) decided to make a really tall tower out of legos for all of you "littles" in the nursery. Once it reached the ceiling she wanted to knock it down. I got all of you on the other side of the room, and as she knocked it over, it sort of flew across the room. You said, "Fell throw"! It pretty aptly described what happened!

Stellan's Home Run

Here in our household we've been sitting on the sidelines watching God at work in the life of a little boy named Stellan. You can read about him here.

Stellan was born with a heart problem called SVT. He lives in Minnesota, but last week he and his mother, known as MckMama, flew to Boston for a risky procedure at Boston Children's. The poor little tyke was in rough shape. Doctors were hopeful that they could help him, but felt they only had a 20% chance of successfully ridding his body of SVT without causing permanent heart damage.

MckMama requested prayers that God would give their little boy a "home run"... that he'd be in that 20% category.

People all around the world prayed.......

and waited.....

and hoped......

Stellan fought....

Doctors used "creative thinking" and God blessed Stellan with a home run!!!!!!!! Stellan is now back in Minnesota with his parents and three siblings. We're so happy for them!
Who knows why God chooses to heal some here on earth, and not others.... We're grateful that God decided to be merciful to Stellan's family and heal him now. God is good regardless.... but... wow... I know Stellan's parents must have yearned for many many more years here with Stellan, rather than a lifetime of waiting to meet him in Heaven. And... to have him here, with NO SVT... all the better!

Can you believe it? A 20% chance!

To Him who is able to do "infinitely more than we can ask or imagine" be all the glory!

Daisy's Adventure

Elizabeth, you've been a busy bee lately. You're all about writing - poems, short stories, lists, journals. You name it. You record everything.... And, I LOVE to read what you write. Family has been asking to see what you've been writing lately, and when I asked, you gladly obliged. I wish I could figure out how to post your story with all of it's beautiful illustrations, but this will have to do for now. I've typed it just as you wrote it, spelling and all.

I love you noodle!

*****************************

Daisy's Adventure

One day, Daisy stepped out of her house and said, "I want to see what is above Squeak Land". Then she went for a swim.

When she was swimming she saw a worm. "Worms are my favorite", said Daisy. So she ate the worm then she felt something. It was a hook. She was cot on a fishermens hook. Slowly she started rising out of the water.

She saw moutins and trees and then she saw the person who caught her. Suddenly she was afraid. Where would she go? What would happen? Suddenly the man shouted, "Take her to Mr. Dan". They put her in a huge net.

Then they carried her to this huge building where in the door way was a man in a white coat. The men talked to the man and gave him the net with Daisy in it. She wondered what would happen. Then she felt water, very cold water. She looked around. She was in a fish tank.

Mr. Dan was about to give her a shot. Daisy was afraid. She jumped out of the tank. She jumped out of the window. She jumped right back into Squeak Land, right into Rose's arms. Daisy said, "Boy am I glad to be back in Squeak Land". "Why? Arnt you always in Squeak Land?", said Rose. "You'll never believe me", said Daisy.

Nathan Cuteness

Nathan, I thought I'd record a couple of "funnies" from you this week. :)

Friday you and Alex had to go get yet another round of vaccines. You haven't been making antibodies to the vaccines and your doctors are trying to determine what type of immunological problem you have.

You were quite the charmer walking down the hallway at the doctor's office, smiling at all the nurses... until we turned to head into room 3... then the "up Mommy's" started, and the little lip quiver started. Poor you. I held you for a bit and then lay you down on the table to hold you. You saw the nurse coming over and made the saddest little frown and said "Hey.... no like that!" I felt so bad for you... and at the same time was THRILLED that you uttered so many words at one time. You are still a man of few words, so any time you speak more than a word or two it is so exciting!

*********

Another story: A couple of days ago we went to the Dollar Store to spend the dollar that Nana had sent you and the other kids. Per usual, you were completely captivated by the helium balloons and I knew that would be your "pick". At the end of our shopping trip I took you over to the balloons and asked if you would rather have the "ball" balloon or the "star" balloon. You thought long and hard and then said, "I thinking..... star". :)

I love you sweet Nay-Nay!

Alex Lost His First Tooth

Dear, sweet Alex has been waiting for several years for his first tooth to fall out. He was so upset 3 years ago when the twins began to lose teeth and get visits from the tooth fairy. He used to walk around the house trying desperately to dislodge his own pearly whites.

Well.... today it finally happened for him! He lost his first tooth! He was eating his cereal and felt something crunchy. He put his finger in his mouth to investigate and low and behold discovered his little tooth floating around with his rice krispies. He lost his bottom middle right tooth! Oh the celebration! I haven't seen a little boy so happy in a very long time! He and the twins got busy comparing notes about losing their first tooth. Andrew actually swallowed his first lost tooth!

I'll have to take a picture later in the day.

And.... hopefully the toothfairy hasn't forgotten her way to our house! Sometimes she is tired and busy!

Not Me Monday

This blog carnival was created by MckMama at mycharmingkids.net. You can head over to her blog to read about what everyone else did NOT do this week.

There's not much that I didn't do this week. :)

We held a tag sale this weekend and I most certainly did NOT tell my child that an item of his sold at the tag sale when in fact it was sitting hidden in the back of my van. I did NOT have a plan to take it to my office for a family in need. I wouldn't say that to my son. That would be lying.... that's NOT something that I would do.

I most certainly did NOT go to bed one night this week without brushing my teeth because I was too tired. I most certainly would NOT do that. That would be gross. I mean really, I could get cavities or something like that.

And, I most certainly did not write the wrong date on my calendar and show up for a performance at the Fine Arts Center one MONTH early... not me... I mean, really, the kids had their school work done and were so eager to attend the jazz ensemble - their first home school field trip. I would never disappoint them that way. I would never be so forgetful. And I wouldn't be so silly as to not realize my mistake until we were actually IN the auditorium. I wouldn't have silenced my children's questions as to why there were no school buses or other people at the theater.

I guess it is better to be one month early than one month late!!! Let's hope I do a better job with my calendar this month!

I Heart Faces - Excited

This week's challenge at I Heart Faces is "excited"

I had a hard time picking a picture.... I think that kids naturally get easily excited about most anything around them.



I do love this picture of our son, Alex, though. We were at Cape Cod and he found a sand dollar on the sandbar. He was beyond excited and was rushing to find his siblings to show it to them. I love the grin on his face and the bounce in his step. If you click on the photo it will come up "larger" and it is easier to see the expression on his face.

Go to www.iheartfaces.com to check out the other wonderful links to "excited" pictures.

Stinky Man Dan

Here's Andrew's poem from this week.

There once was a man named Dan
Who lived in a garbage can.
Cold long dogs in his hair
Oh, but he didn't care.
Please take a bath stinky man!

Handy Nanny

Elizabeth wrote this poem for school this week. Thought I'd share.

Yvonne was working as a nanny
The Hutchinson's thought she was quite handy
She was bright and fun
Just like the sun
And her ideas were always dandy!

Blow Up

Nathan, you were so cute at supper a couple of nights ago. We all sat down to eat and you kept looking at Daddy and saying "blow up". We couldn't figure out why you were saying blow up. We figured it was the lovely influence of your older brothers who love all things having to do with playing "war" and "army". As we bowed our heads to pray, I finally figured out what you were trying to say. You were looking at the steam rising off of the chicken and rice and you were saying "blow up", as in, the steam was blowing upward. :)

I love you little man!

My college roommate's oldest boy!

J. was quite the "ham".

My college roommate's oldest daughter

My college roommate's youngest boy