Homeowners, at last.

Dude.  And it feels wonderful.

Seriously though, especially wonderful because we were under contract for like 5 other houses, and they all fell through, and it was getting so annoying.

For a week straight, Mitchell kept asking to "go home" and by that he meant the 2 bedroom apartment with no yard, no closet space, and virtually no floor because we have accumulated so much crap in 3 years.

At one point, he took my clean laundry and threw it on the front lawn, declaring "we're taking this to OUR HOME!"

Just before this picture, Mitchell said "do a funny face, mom!" obviously an attempt to show off his dashing smile while simultaneously making me look... funny....

*sigh* I don't feel like moving ever again.  We have so. much. stuff. But not enough stuff to fill a house, apparently.   And 150 dollars later, we have, uh, laundry baskets and a trash can.  Okay, and a shower curtain. (Target! You are supposed to be cheaper!)

So we've got an empty sitting room.  (A nice place for my bookshelf sans shelves (where...did they go?)

But again, it's wonderful to have space.  Currently, the kids are sleeping in separate bedrooms on the top floor, while Mike and I reside in the basement (we've got 2 entire floors separating us from the children.  I mean, we can talk aloud to each other without waking Ali up.  HELLO LIFE!)

Meanwhile, since the previous owners sold us a trampoline, and also since Mitchell thinks it's hilarious to watch Ali run out of the house in lightening speed, they've been opening all four outside doors and escaping and today I thought I was going to lose my sanity (or what's left of it).  They don't take me seriously, so I bought some adult child locks so there is no more escaping.  At least the backyard is fenced, so escaping danger is minimal, but still gives me heart attacks. And they both think it is SO funny.  I mean, this morning I saw Ali running across the backyard through my bedroom window, right when I stepped out of the shower.  Rob, run, tie the rob, sprint, scream, threaten, oh, and seriously hope the neighbors aren't watching.

Anyway, but like I said, child locks.  Here's hoping Mitchell doesn't learn how to open/rip them off.

And each morning, I've found Mitchell in Ali's room, handing her toys through the crib, sitting on the floor, talking to her.  It's adorable.  When we moved, we finally moved her mattress to the lowest setting (you know, the one it's supposed to be at once they learn how to pull up and stand....whoops.) and so now Mitchell can't climb inside (genius.) but he still gently wakes her up and they have their morning talk, and it's so funny.  She sleeps with her baby doll, and Mitchell hands her the baby's bottle first thing.  Ali feeds her baby and Mitchell and Ali talk about politics, how to fix the universe, what to do if part of you is swallowed, or some other thing I don't understand.

And now we're trying to get the lawn and garden done, and Mike found out ripping out the ugly bushes in front was harder than it looked, but it's getting there.

We're pleased to announce the mysterious trees growing in the back yard are a cherry tree and crabapple tree, and we're so excited.  And, staying true to her character, Ali will not stop eating the green fruit. (gross. and is that even safe?) We haven't even begun to learn how to grow fruit trees but I can promise you I will perfect my cherry pie.

This is Ali trying to place a green cherry in my mouth. I told her not to eat it, and she assumed I wanted it.  Such a thoughtful child, really.

We are totally loving all the spaaaaace.

In other news, Ali thinks the top of her head is a "goose" and her nose is "honk" haha.  That might be hard to change.  We went window shopping, while Mitchell was at preschool, and as soon as she saw the shoes her size she ran right up and said "pretty" and handed me like 6 pairs. She and I share a love of H&M.  She also ran over to the bras/underwear and said "pretty" but I didn't think that was cute.

She tries to put my earrings in her ear, and she puts on her own pants, almost all the way.  She loves picking out her outfit and accessorizing, and I think it's adorable. Well, adorable except for when she tries to put eyeliner on her face.

True story.

I'm not sure where my baby went, and I'm not exactly sure where she picked up the girly-girl to the extreme thing.

And Mitchell "graduated" from preschool, even though he has another year left.  He is the most serious child ever, in public.  And sat there nicely with a weird look on his face for basically, the entire time.

He makes a darling spider for miss muffet to be scared of.

And they released the butterflies they had been... growing? (raising?) and one landed right next to Mitchell's foot and he stood there like a statue.

Ali was happy with the preschool refreshments and we found out, she can fit an entire oreo in her mouth, without even trying.

He's growing up to be such a little gentleman.  He opens my car door before we get in the car, and besides all the burping and passing gas and uncontrollable laughter that follows, he's very polite and kind and darling- I can't stand it.  When he's tired he crawls up on my lap and says "cuddle me, mom".  He tells Mike that I'm "his wife" as in, "NO.  ME'S wife NOT YOU'S dad"  hilarious.  And now, every time he asks for a drink he tells me he has my sonic sticker.  As in, "Mom, can I have a drink of water? And I have your sonic sticker" oh, awesome.  I swear we -alone- keep sonic in business.  And sadly, there is a deserted/closed sonic next to our new house.  They should re-open it.  Just for me.  And Mitchell.  And Ali.  And also so Mike can continue saying "IT IS NO DIFFERENT THAN ANNNNY PLACE ELSE!" But it is so different, Mike.  It's like drinking gold.

This was right after I kissed him.  On the cheek. He cannot be old enough to be repulsed yet....

And to Mike, Mitch just repeats everything his dad says.  Mike says, "Get in here now! 3! 2!...Mitchell!" and mitchell says "DAD! GET IN HERE NOW! 3! 2!' with an angry look on his face, that Mike found hilarious, so that got Mitchell out of being in trouble, and into wrestling/tickling matches and I think Mitchell has learned how to milk the system.  Dad says "bring it on son!" to Mitchell while they're wrestling, and Mitchell leaned out the window today, while we were waiting for sonic (that's right.  we drove to the closest one) and yelled "BRING IT ON SON!" to the guy in the next window.  And then said "HEY.  You like Sonic? You have my Sonic sticker?" and I just shook my head while the guy just waved.  Mitch waved back.

Besides quoting his mother at her favorite fast food restaurant that she only buys drinks at, Mitchell is always saying "No time to lose!" and "OCTONAUTS! TO YOUR STATIONS!" and my favorite, always said in a ....sarah palin... accent, "don't ya know?"  seriously.  it follows almost every sentence.  Sometimes he says things like "the doc is in!" and "HEY! .......What's the big idea?" and "YO HO LETSSS GOOOO!" and it's clear we watch way too much disney junior.

On that note, Ali goes absolutely crazy for Minnie Mouse.  "Minnnnneeeeeeeeee" she squeals every time she sees Mickey or Minnie on anything.  She practically sprints downstairs to Madees room, every time we're visiting my mom, grabs her large Minnie that is as big as her and clenches it for the remainder of the visit.  Sometimes Madee lets her take it home for a visit, and Minnie does not leave her side.  I need to get this child her very own Minnie, but I haven't done it yet.  Mickey Mouse Clubhouse comes on and she's so excited she can't even sit still.  None of this paragraph is an exaggeration.  Actually, the last like 5 paragraphs are not an exaggeration.  This is truly my life.

Ali's talking up a storm though, and I have no doubt she will be as funny as her brother, and then I can laugh twice as hard because I can tell the conversations about to come legible to me are going to be epic.   She says: bird. tree. dad. mama.  mmmmttlll for (mitchell).  gggg (for grandma). water. me. goo goo.  ali. nose.  she tries to say belly button.  Jesus. baby. giggle. tickle. up. down. tangled. cracker.  toast. banana. and on and on and on and on.

And she's picked up Mike's laugh.  I mean, she tried and succeeded to pick up Mike's laugh.  She sounds like she's cackling with short and fast "ha ha ha ha ha ha" made from her belly and it. is. so. funny.  Mike just eats it up.

She still climbs on everything.  And yesterday and today I found Mitchell had dragged a stool into the pantry, Ali climbed up and reached the spaghetti (I was not smart enough for zip locks this week, obviously) and was literally throwing raw spaghetti like spears at Mitchell, who was running around the kitchen screaming "YOU CAN'T GET ME" and they were both laughing so hard they could barely breathe, and my goodness, this child can throw.  Like spears.  Again, I'm not exaggerating.

And as custom, we're speaking at church on Sunday, and as custom, I'm terrified.  I have the busiest week ever.  and I'm not used to being busy.  I'm used to being lazy, but thankfully being busy is more fun to me.  Even if you're cleaning up raw spaghetti (that, by the way, matches the kitchen floor, so I kept stepping and smashing it) covering every inch of the kitchen.