Gideon the Fisherman

Gideon got to go fishing last week at camp as Joshua was teaching fishing to the boys. Gideon had the best fishing rod because on the first day he caught 9 fish! Then he wound up catching 33 in all during the week...now these were small fish but really, what a little fisher man!!!

Gideon's 4th Birthday Party: Construction Theme

Gideon turned four last month! Can hardly believe it myself. Except that he is so smart and growing so quickly...he adds quickly in his head, almost has the alphabet down, counts well and loves God which is most important! He also loves to push Tirzah's buttons. The other day in the van we were meeting someone to sell something and Gideon is talking to Tirzah and suddenly says, "we're going to sell you Tirzah!" Instant "no!" and whining from Tirzah...so funny! He loves to have Bible time in the evenings and retains everything he learns. That is most important to us that Gideon grows up loving the Lord!

We did celebrate with a construction themed birthday party that was lots of fun!

 Best cake ever...doesn't matter what it looks like as you're going to destroy it anyway!

 Coloring Table

 Game the family played where you throw the bean bag into the trucks...or try to...

 Cake and Candy Table!

 Food table, served chili for dinner!

 Birthday Banner

Flat tires and Boulders and Lumber Yard

Beautiful Spring

Raised bed turned into a digging area---best idea ever!!!

Gideon's Third Birthday Party

Gideon really loves trains so I decided to throw a family birthday party with the train theme. It was fun, we had picked up a big board that had wooden train tracks screwed onto it for young kids to play with trains so that was going to be Gideon's present along with some trains. Gideon helped me make and put together his train cake which I LOVED putting together, this is as creative as I get...and then I also let Gideon help me paint some boxes that he got to use as a train. It was fun and everyone was so wonderful to come and help us celebrate! I love our family on both sides!

My train cake

Opening presents--Cars books from Aunt Beth and Uncle Brandon

The new train track!

Blowing out the candles

Mimi and Chloe

Playing with the new trains and track

Painting his train

His train

Three Cute Children--I love them so much

It is quite the adjustment having three busy children...Chloe feeding, holding and changing...Tirzah needing some Mommy time and constant supervision and Gideon always wanting someone to admire his playing! But we are learning...the older children love their baby sister and love being involved with burping her, talking to her, watching her or bathing her. Yesterday I was able to get some adorable sibling pictures, Chloe now being wide awake for longer and very happy!Oh and I LOVE how babies make such funny expressions but can't talk so you can make up what you think they are saying...

How did I get held by my big sister?

Help...

Notice Chloe's hand--help me Mommy!

Then she said she'd had enough...

Um, excuse me, can I be taken away from my little older brother?

Gideon and Tirzah

More pictures taken by Kelsey at the maternity photo shoot...these are so cute! The kids decided to creek walk and eventually lost their clothing!

They decided to go creek walking and got soaked...

Rinsing out his shorts

Failed Potty Training and a New Project

I don't know if anyone else has failed in potty training like I have but I thought Gideon was going to be potty trained early at like one and a half, he acted interested and he could go on the potty...but here we are with him over 2 and a half and I feel like a failure! I know it's not really me completely and I'm trying to just wait till he is ready now but still it is frustrating! So I've stepped back from big boy underwear to a form of trainer underwear. Now I don't know if you've noticed but Pull-Ups cost $10 for like 20...that is insane! So I decided to make a few trainer underwear for Gideon out of fleece and PUL and we are going to try that for a while. I have five pair done and I'm pretty pleased, they are cute and we will see if they work well. Tirzah acts more interested in the potty than Gideon and I would not be surprised if she was potty trained before Gideon...as for now it looks like we will have three in diapers!

New trainer underwear

Train Table--Yard Sale Find

Gideon is quite taken with his Thomas trains and we have started a small collection. We have four or five trains and a nice little track for him to put together. We have kept our eyes open for a train table but they are quite expensive. Well a couple weeks ago Joshua and I stopped at one yard sale and found a train table for $20! Which is quite a good deal! So we snatched it right up, however I thought there wouldn't really be room for it at our house so figured we would give it to Grandma for her to have in her playroom! She was happy to have a train table but since she was out of town we brought the table home for the week where Gideon played on it and had a wonderful time. I discovered that I definitely don't have room for it but was glad we have one at Grandma's. So here are some pictures of him enjoying it at our house but it is now moved to Grandma's where he asks to go quite frequently.

I should have known it was too quiet...

I was finishing my lunch and Gideon and Tirzah had wondered into the laundry room, it got very quiet and when I went to investigate this is what I found...they had discovered my flour container with the lid not snapped on. I had to take a picture before doing anything else because it was just so funny! Good thing I needed to clean that room anyway!

Busted!

Uhhh--Ohhhh

All cleaned up and dressed again

They had pool time today the weather was so wonderful

New dress she got for her birthday...

Burt and Ernie

Joshua's Dad has a couple toys from when he was a little boy including this Burt and Ernie puppets. Gideon absolutely loves them! Whenever he goes over to visit he asks to play with Burt and Ernie...When we got snowed in Gideon carried Ernie around everywhere...feeding him...showing him the snow...so cute!

Showing Ernie the snow

Letting Ernie drink out of his cup

Carrying them both around

Daddy's Hat

Gideon loves hats and is always putting one on to go outside...today he got to wear Daddy's and he had to look way up to see out from under it!