Inside Swimming Pool

#3 sure does want an inside swimming pool. She keeps trying and trying, and finally she just decided to make one of her own. I keep trying to tell her that she is too small for that much water, but she doesn't seem to believe me!

She finally noticed that Mommy had caught her in the act!

As you can see, she didn't care too much. . . She just wanted the water.

There actually ended up being more water on the floor than I had thought. She was in HEAVEN. . .

Jump & Go!

The Jump & Go was the greatest invention for child #1, but it isn't quite so great for babies #2 and 3 because then the older kids enjoy pushing them and watching them swing. Hmm. . .

#1 was showing off her beater, and #3 wanted it SOOOOO BAAADDD!!!

I've decided that my kids definitely look like siblings. What do you think?

#2 LOVES the ipod! I think it is one of his favorite words.

I guess there is a reason I call them cookie cutter kids! I sure do love them!

Bunkbeds!

I have the most amazing husband in the world!!! #2 kept going into the girls room wanting to sleep with his sisters, and #1 was scared of sleeping alone. So, I told Daddy that I wanted to find bunk beds for them because I knew they loved them, and it would save space. So. . . two weeks later, we had bunk beds! #1 shows everyone who comes to the house her new beds i.e. missionaries, home teachers, friends etc. She LOVES her new bed!! It is almost like a crib on stilts!

Dinner Time Naps

I'm not sure what they put in baby food since it just labels the food and water, but it seems that they must add some sort of sleeping powder. #3 falls asleep a LOT after eating a good meal! She cracks me up.

So here is the process of falling asleep at the table. If you need any help getting it to work for you!

And she's gone! Sleep well little angel!

Ames Wildlife

It seems that if you want to see wildlife in Ames, you just have to stand by our window and look out. If I were to see an elephant walk out of the woods, I don't think I would be too surprised anymore! Okay, so maybe a little. Here are some of our favorites

This is a little chipmunk who lives in a hole in our sidewalk by the "front" door. . . He's pretty cute, but he sure looks like he might be part rat or something.

Who would have known that we had woody the woodpecker up in our trees! Unfortunately he would fly away before we could get really close so this is from pretty far away and really zoomed in. . .

That's our beaver friend under the gazebo!

And then there's our friend the beaver! He took up residence under our gazebo for a time and came out to eat the bugs after a good rain storm, but I haven't seen him lately. He had great ears. . . Whenever I tried opening the door he was gone! One time, I almost had a great picture but the flash on the camera opening form 30 feet away sent him running into the woods. Bummer!

I think that cardinals are my favorite birds here in Iowa. They are so BRILLIANTLY red. I haven't ever seen one until now. I also saw a blue jay a few times, but he didn't care for our bird feeder. Which reminds me. . . I need to put more seed out because the squirrel ate it all!

I have also seen many animals that I haven't gotten pictures of. . . We had a mother raccoon who had babies in one of the abandoned buildings on our property. I watched as she moved her babies out and away, and I haven't seen her since. And finally, the other night we drove into our driveway to see a deer standing there eating the red berries that I told the kids not to eat. I guess if the deer eats them they aren't poisonous!

Plant life is also abounding and we have poison ivy, poison Oak (I think), and lots of trees and bushes! What fun!