Dancing with my Boy

Star in Your Own JibJab! It's Free!Jackson and I have really enjoyed watching Dancing With the Stars lately. Jackson has always been a good dancer, but he has really picked up a few great moves from the show. Check out our last dance together.

The BIG birthday bash!

WE JUST CELEBRATED JACKSON'S 4TH BIRTHDAY. HE HAD A FEW FRIENDS OVER AND WE HAD A GREAT TIME. HE IS SO EXCITED TO BE FOUR. AND IT HAS BEEN WORKING GREAT FOR ME AS WELL. ALL I HAVE TO SAY TO GET HIM TO DO SOMETHING IS SAY "YOU'RE FOUR NOW, FOUR YEAR OLDS HELP THEIR MOM." OR INSERT ANYTHING YOU WOULD WANT A FOUR YEAR OLD TO DO.

HE GOT HIS "KINATA" (PINATA) AND REALLY TOOK OUT HIS AGGRESSION TRYING TO BREAK IT. HE ALSO HAD A HARD TIME SHARING BUT EVERYONE, INCLUDING ASHER GOT A TURN.
HIS BIRTHDAY WAS A SPORTS THEME. I ACTUALLY HAD FUN DECORATING THESE CAKES. THE SOCCER BALL IS MY FAVORITE. HE WAS AN ACTIVE PARTICIPANT TELLING ME HOW A BASKETBALL AND BASE BALL SHOULD LOOK.
THE GANG; SYDNEY BRISTOW (I mean Smith), JACKSON, MICAH, GRACE & ELIJAH OETTEL (pronounced oh-et-tle) THEY WERE SUCH A FUN GROUP OF KIDS.

BLOWING OUT THE CANDLESASHER HAD TO GET IN ON THE ACTION AS WELL. HE WOULDN'T ATTEMPT BLOWING THEM OUR UNTIL WE SANG TO HIM AND THEN CLAPPED.
THE FOUR YEAR OLD!

Jackson's birthdays October 16th

How do you turn 4?

We just tucked Jackson in for the last time as a three year old. I can't believe that my little baby is four, and such a big boy. He always likes to inform me that he is growing, and I love it but it breaks my heart a little too. He was magical. He still is. I can honestly say that from the moment I found out I was pregnant, my life magically changed and has been wonderful ever since. He can drive me crazy, and sure he has his difficult moments, but he always makes up for it. Tonight for example. He wouldn't go to bed and it was getting really frustrating. And just when we were about to tie him to his bed he asked, "How do you turn four? I don't think I know how?" Mitch explained to him that all he had to do was go to bed and he would be four in the morning. He responded with the conclusion that sleep makes you turn four. So he snuggled in and said good-night, like an angel.

He was actually a little concerned about turning four. Three has been his identity. He asked me today, while pointing at his name if that was going to change to four as well as the number next to it.

Every year with Jackson has been an adventure and a miracle. I can't wait to see what this nest year will bring.

How can anyone not fall under the spell of those big brown eyes!

The Missouri River

We are lucky to live in a town with a beautiful river running through it. We took the boys out to Black Eagle Island for a hike and some quality time throwing rocks in the Missouri River.

Asher loves water a little too much. He kept trying to climb down the hill so he could go for a swim. Jackson was a helper and got him excited about collecting and throwing rocks.


I think these two looks so much alike. Look at the eyes and the smile. Such handsome boys I have!

A broken arm and a black eye

A few weeks ago Asher broke his arm. He had been left in his crib a little too long so he decided that he would climb out all by himself. Well, that didn't end well. I ran in after hearing a thud followed by a scream. He was on his belly and holding his wrist. After about an hour of him crying and favoring his right arm, I decided it was time to take him in for an x-ray. Upon the intial look at the film, his wrist appeared to be fine. So I left feeling like a foolish over-protective mother. Then, they called me about a half hour later, after the radiologist had a chance to look at his x-ray, and sure enough it was broken. For the medical folk out there he had a buckel fracture of his distal radius. He wasn't put in a cast and rarely complained about it again. However, I think he was harboring some bad feelings toward me for leaving him in the crib to long leading afformentioned injury. He got me back, and how. We were lying in bed when he sat up then threw back his body, the back of his head meeting my eye. I saw stars, and I thought for sure I was bleeding. I was sure that he was hurt as well, be he didn't seem to notice. A few hours later, my eye was black and blue, resulting in my first black eye. I guess there is no one I would rather have give me a black eye than my cute little Asher!