Oh Owen

Owen is keeping us VERY BUSY! Oh where did that sweet, mellow, obedient boy go? Ok, he's still sweet...but he's definitely a BOY!

What Owen's been up to in the past 24 hours....

1. He hit his sister with her ballet baton.

2. He cut open his lips while jumping on the bed with his sister, singing ring-around the poo-poo.

3. He broke my glasses in two pieces.

4. He had a fit while we were at Azteca and almost made mom and dad make a scene.

5. He crashed 4 times on our bike ride down the street. Happy to report, no blood this time and only a couple of tears.

6. His new thing and it's happen twice (not within the 24 hours thank goodness) is first he takes his pants off declaring "I want to be naked". Then off with his diaper. We look around to see he's no where in sight (you might know where this is going). We find him pooping in a corner and once he's picked up the poop. FUN TIMES AT THE FRIDDLE HOUSE.

7. He refuses to where a coat, but doesn't win that battle.

8. He was in time out 4 times today, had two spankings and a nap.

9. He managed to spill his Easter bubbles on the living room floor before blowing one bubble.

10. He runs full speed from the kitchen to the living room and head butts the couch.

Is this normal?

Kindergarten Days

Here's a peek at some of Alyssa friends at school. We were a little reluctant to start Alyssa in school this year as she is a young 5 year old. I kept saying "there is no way that I'm putting her into school so young...especially public school in Tacoma". NO WAY. However, as the school year grew closer we were talking a lot with our neighbor Laura who's daughter Amber (Alyssa's best friend) was in a private Lutheran School. Laura suggested that we look at the school, even at the pre-school. She said it was a great fit for Amber and thought that we'd be interested. I've never really thought much about private school and wasn't convinced that I wanted Alyssa to attend a private school. As Chad and I talked about it we thought that maybe we could start her in private Kindergarten and have her do public kindergarten next year. This school was much less expensive than child care and it had an academic component she wasn't getting at child care, so we said why not.

What has happened since September is that we have fallen in love with this little school. It's K-8 and there are approximately 80 children. We adore Mrs. Kurbis, Alyssa teacher. She is the kind of Christian mom you strive to be. She has a gentle and kind spirit, but also a firmness that the children and families respect. Mrs. Kurbis, as well as the entire staff love the lord. In fact that is the foundation of the school. The teach an academic curriculum but also a Christian based curriculum. We are delighted to have Alyssa at Faith Lutheran. I think it's a great fit for Alyssa. She is surprising us daily. She's learning to read (which she struggles with and gets quite frustrated at times), she's participating in group times and working cooperatively with others. We know we made the right choice for Alyssa and for our family.

The hunt

We generally do our Annual Easter Egg hunt at our house, however this year our friend Harriett called and invited us to come to her house for a hunt. We had a great time, the kids Ricki, Romelio, Isabel, Alyssa, Owen, Dylan, Henry and Stella were all there. We hid over 300 eggs. Owen found two, realized that they had candy in them and found a spot on the grass to enjoy his treats. Alyssa was in to the hunt, as were the older kids. It was a fun day to play and be with with our friends.

2 bits, 4 bits, 6 bits a dollar, all for Alyssa stand up and holler

Holler! Ok can you believe it? Our shy little Alyssa participated in Cheerleading

during Spirit Week at her school. It was all her idea. When she got a flier in her backpack inviting her to come to cheer practice she jumped at the chance. They practiced on Tuesdays and Thursdays for a week. Then cheered with the team in a pep rally and again at two basketball games. We had the joy of watching her on Friday...she's a lot like me (very uncoordinated and needs to follow someone in front). But she did terrific. Then on Saturday Chad took her back to the basketball tournament while I took Owen to a birthday party. It's really exciting to see Alyssa coming into her own. We are really proud of her!

What the bunnies taught me

Our rabbit had bunnies the day I left for DC. It 's not a first for our rabbit (Junior, named before we knew she was a girl). Junior is a terrible mother. She has had a couple of litters of bunnies and killed them right after birth. We didn't know she was pregnant this time because we moved the male rabbit out of her cage right after the last litter was born. You know what they say about rabbits? Well it's true....silly us.

This time I didn't want the bunnies to die and told Chad, in my most bossy voice to take them out of the cage with their mother and "nurse" them.

Chad chuckled, like "yeah, right, I'm already caring for both our children, getting them off to child care, feeding them, bathing them and doing it all again the next day, all while you are in DC."

However, the next day when I called Chad reported that he had done some research on the Internet and found the type of milk necessary to feed bunnies. He'd called all over and found a pet store that sold it and went that night and purchased it. He told me that he was a little late getting Owen and Alyssa to the child care providers because he spent too much time in the morning "nursing 6 baby bunnies." He went on to tell me how interested Alyssa was in helping and how difficult it was to help Owen understand he needed to be gentle with the bunnies. Furthermore Chad called and asked Chad Eberhart to ask his dad (who is a vet) what else he could do to help these bunnies survive. So that night when I called Chad was at the grocery store picking up plain yogurt to supplement the bunnies feedings.

Chad is amazing, even after I did my own research on-line and found that there was a very slim chance the bunnies would make it, Chad kept a very positive attitude that "they will make it".

Today Chad emailed me the sweetest email, but had to inform me that the bunnies all died in the night. He wrote "everyone is mourning in the Friddle house."

The fact that we had bunnies for two days was really fun, even though I wasn't there. But what I found the most significant is that I have a wonderful, sensitive, attentive husband that cares enough about fragile bunnies and appeasing his wife and daughter enough to inconvenience his self enough to care for the bunnies and give them a chance they wouldn't have had otherwise.

Chad I love you!

By the way, we are done with bunnies and my grandparents have agreed to take the bunnies to their house in the country to care for them. Perhaps they will get a better female rabbit to mate with the male and be successful in the bunny business. For the Friddles, I think our next pet might be a hamster...Alyssa would love it.

TT's 50

Happy Birthday TT! I couldn't think of a better way to publicly tell everyone you are fifty. Now I just have to hope you check out our blog to see it yourself. Well for those of you who don't know TT, let me tell you a little bit about this spectacular lady! As Chad and I wish Tami Belisle a Happy 5oth Birthday, let me share my top 10 reasons she's so special to us.

1. She's the grandma to our children. She's the type of Grandma my children long to see and play with. She is great at getting the children involved with what ever she might be doing. For instance, she has a niche for hunting slugs in the pitch dark. Alyssa enjoys nothing more than going out late at night with Grandma to hunt for those awful slugs that eat Grandma's plants. I don't know if it's the hunt Alyssa loves more, or just being with her Grandma.

2. She's the mother to Chad. Tami and Jon have raised Chad since he was in elementary school. She has loved and cared for Chad and Holli as her own. She selflessly opened a big place in her heart and home at a very young age to raise Chad and Holli after their mom passed away.

3. She's a great wife to her husband. Tami has stood by Jon's side through sickness and health. During the good times and bad. She has been a pillar of strength and shown much mercy and grace. She is a great example to me, how to love a husband even when times get rough.

4. She's been a cheerleader to me. Whether it's my job, school, motherhood, family matters...whatever Tami has supported and encouraged me along the way. Her words of praise ring in my ears. She's proud of me and tells me often.

5. She's one strong cookie. She hangs gutters with Jon, hangs Christmas lights in the rain by herself and cuts and burns tree trimming at their property across the way. She can do anything she puts her mind too and has the muscle to make it happen.

6. She loved her mom dearly and shares stories about her past which helps us preserve memories. Grandma Dorothy passed away on the first day of our senior year in High School. Not only was this devastating to Tami, but also to Chad and Holli. Dorothy was a wonderful person who brought much light to this world. Tami tells us often as well as our children how proud Dorothy would be of all of us.

7. She never forgets our birthdays and calls to sings Happy Birthday to us. This tradition is something I look forward to every year. This year we turned the table and sang to her...well Alyssa did (she didn't want anyone else to participate).

8. She has a relationship with Chad that I know he adores. They talk weekly, maybe only about the weather and work, but she makes it a priority to check in with him and he with her. There is a special bond between mother and son and it's obvious with Tami and Chad.

9. She's comfortable in her own shoes. This is something she's teaching me.

10. She'd do anything in the world for us! If only she'd do for herself more often But she won't she's a giver by nature. I hope this year will be a time that she finds more time for herself and the things that she loves and the things that bring her the greatest happiness. Our lives are better because Tami has a place in them. Thanks for being you and being in our lives. We love you.

Copying my cousin- Ten on Tuesday

So I was reading my cousin's blog and she's started something new called Ten on Tuesday. So I'm trying it too, it will give you a look into our week and a way for me to capture some of those things I wouldn't normally write about. So here it goes.

1. Watching Owen pour himself "tea" from his sisters tiny teapot as he sings "Polly put the kettle on, Polly put the kettle on, Polly put the kettle so we can have tea". Totally made my day...I didn't teach him that song, he picked it up from his mother goose video.

2. Chad finally went to the hardware store and got the screw for the 1 kitchen knob that has been off since September. Totally made my day!

3. It's spirit week at Alyssa's school. She was happy to go to school in her pajama's yesterday. I think she was even more excited to wear "crazy hair" today. Totally made her day.

4. Chad calling me at work to tell me "you won't believe what your son did"... I respond with what now and ask does it have to do with lotion? Chad says yeah, how did you know, I say because he did the same thing yesterday. Chad said, but did he put it all over the banister and squirt the entire bottle in his hair. I said no, just on the carpet. Totally made Owen's day.

5. So busy at work that a 10 hour day flys by. Totally makes GSA's Day.

6. So busy at Chad's work that he's back there tonight. Totally makes ITS's Day.

7. Owen tells me me that "you look so cute momma". Totally makes my day.

8. Chad makes fun of the socks I was wearing with my skirt. (which by the way you couldn't see until I took my boots off). Totally makes Chad's day.

9. Chad takes Alyssa, Amber and Owen to school and day care, pays Amy, goes to the bank works, picks all the kids up and cooks dinner. Totally makes my day.

10. Our kids are both in bed and there's a bit of piece and quiet and time for me to clean up the house and do a little blogging. Totally makes my day!

Happy Tuesday!