Jack Photographs Bloomington

As promised - here are Jack's skilled photographs from our trip to Bloomington.

 "Mom on her phone."

 "White Express Bus"

"Josie the iPad Dentist"

In this picture - he captures Josie and me by Sample Gates...then continues snapping pictures as I thank a nice college kid (who felt bad for me, because I was making my toddler take my picture).

And finally, the Yellow Ginkgo tree on campus...

If you are wondering...yes, I have let Santa know that Jack needs a camera of his own.

Josie the Flirt

Saturday night we spent some time with our friends, The Festas. They live just up the road from us and we like to get together for dinner every now & then.  It's also a great time for the kiddos to play. And PLAY they do...

Jack, Christian (almost 5), Josie, and Landon (2)

Josie was getting cozy with Christian...and who can blame her? He's cute! But Tyson wasn't having any of it! Josie also showed off her flirting skills a few weeks ago when the Carsten boys were here. Well, the Festas will be adding their 3rd boy in April... Josie thinks she will enjoy being the center of attention for years to come.

Wine Sippy Cups

Just an offer to friends & family - I am getting ready to place a couple big orders for some friends & some recent Etsy orders. If you are interested in purchasing wine sippy cups for Christmas gifts, let me know. The bigger the order, the cheaper the price! And if I'll see you - (Michigan people & Indiana people) then you can avoid shipping costs.

Bloomington in the Fall

Tyson had some recruiting work to do at IU on Thursday and Friday...and this time I said, "I'm coming along...and I'm bringing the kids." We needed a change of scenery. And let's be honest, is there any place more beautiful than Bloomington, IN in the fall? Answer: NO!

Thursday night we dropped Tyson off for "work" and the kids and I headed to Bryan Park. It was cool, but we managed to stay warm by playing (on everything) and then Jack found a hill for us to run up & down. By the time we left, we were sweating and ready for some dinner...and I had JUST the answer!

Is there anything more delicious than Aver's pizza? Answer: NO! We enjoyed a Crazy Avers special - which is still CRAZY cheap, by the way! And had a picnic on the hotel floor. It was BYOB (Bring Your Own Blanket).

Friday morning we woke up early and dropped Tyson off at Kelley. Then the kids and I enjoyed breakfast at the Bakehouse. I think we only minority (not a word) traumatized the patrons...but the syrup covered table was a whole other story {Sorry, Bakehouse!}. After a hearty french toast breakfast, we walked down the street to the WonderLab - a kid's science museum. It was awesome! Jack & Josie spent 2+ hours running around, doing science-y activities, and having a blast! Money well-spent.

After a failed attempt at a nap - we packed up the car and made our way to Kirkwood Ave for some shopping {IU gear}, lunch {sadly, no Nick's}, and a stroll on campus. By 2:30 we were back in the car and ready to pick Tyson up from his event. Before I pulled out of my parking spot - Josie was asleep. And before we made it to 10th Street - Jack was asleep. They had so much fun!

{Funny side story: Josie recognizes the IU symbol and will yell "IU!" really loudly when she sees it. So - you can imagine how shopping in the Varsity Shop went down, not to mention a walk on campus. Within a 3 minute span - she had pointed at 5 different college kids and yelled "IU!" at them. Fortunately, they all appreciated her enthusiasm.}

Make sure you check back later this week for Bloomington Through Jack's Lens. He hi-JACKed my camera a few times. And let's just say, he knows how to work the "continuous shooting mode" on my camera.

Stink Eye

This is proof that Josie is sassy. She has perfected her stink-eye. She has also mastered her "little boy who cried wolf" scream. If she wants to get Jack in trouble - she screams in his general vicinity. She's too smart for her own good. Pray for me.

Happy Birthday to Aunt Gina! XOXO

12 Seconds with Jack

In case you are wondering what life is like with Jack these days - here is a snippet. He's basically GO GO GO as long as his eyes are open...and his eyes are open about 12-13 hours a day. You won't find anyone more excited to play or meet new friends. He is funny and personable - two things you can't teach. He's my little buddy.

Election Day

Today is an Election Day, but we are not good citizens and we have failed to register in Michigan. Because it's an Election Day, Jack had the day off school...so we headed downtown Northville for some fun at the park. Ford Field Park is a really cool, HUGE park with a playground, baseball field, walking/running track, and Mill Race Village (a historic area). We took a walk through the village and I attempted to take some pictures of my uncooperative children. Jack knocked on every door - but no one answered.

The leaves are falling and the air is crisp...but we will get outside as much as we can in the next few weeks, because I know what is ahead. Cold. Gloom. Snow. Misery. Can't it just stay Fall until Spring?

Get to Work, Son

We are trying something new around here - chores. Yes, the 3 year old has been put to work! Jack - like most kids - thinks he gets whatever he wants. If you ask his grandparents - he should get whatever he wants... But if you spend 5 minutes in the toy section with him, you'll understand why I felt he was ready for chores.

First of all, he told me "I want to do work and make money like Daddy." Great. I thought hard about what could be expected of a three year old and referred to my friend, Erin's blog for advice, as well. Then I made him a chore chart and put it up on the refrigerator.

Here are his chores:
Shirt = get yourself dressed
Hanger = put your clothes away (PJ's, socks, & underwear)
Dog Bowl = put the dog bowls away after their meals
Smiley face = good behavior (at home & school), listening and following directions

He earns a quarter for each "X" he gets. The picture above was taken Thursday (I back dated his "Getting Dressed"). He earned $2.50 for the week...and says he is saving up for a "really big robot."

Personally, I think he has seen the Jetsons - and thinks he can buy his very own Rosie (maid) to do all the work for him.

Window Markers

The other day - while shopping at Target - I stumbled upon some Crayola window markers. And I had to have them! I mean, my kids HAD to have them! We bought them and tried them out...and loved them!

I think Jack liked them because he felt like he was doing something he shouldn't be doing...yet he wasn't getting in trouble. It was a perfect solution to a 3 year old rebel.

As you can see, Tucker admired the artwork from the outside. He was impressed. It was pretty easy to clean up too! I just used Windex...but it took a couple cleans to get it streak-free. All in all - I think these will come in especially handy during the long winter months.

{Crayola - I know you don't pay me to review your products, but I happily would...if you needed me.}

Finally, if you are searching for a TV series - look no further. The Blacklist is on NBC and it's pretty much amazing. You can catch up on all of the episodes you've missed on NBC.com or on the NBC app. Amazing, I tell you...

Jack the Photog

Earlier this week during nap time - Jack, who was yet again, refusing to nap - decided to try his hand at photography. I usually wouldn't let him use my camera, but I'm trying to convince Tyson I need a new one...so putting it in the hands of a 3 year old seemed like a risk I was willing to take.

He took some picture of me and the bedroom...then he heard Josie crying and ran in to take her picture, as well.

He recently submitted some of his work:

But the WINNER is:

{I already know that High School Josie does not approve of this picture}