For my grandma

Because no one misses new photos on the (neglected) blog more than my grandma, this one's for her. The cute, the funny and the odd. If nothing else, they shall serve to prove we're still alive, crazier than ever and thinking of her.

Baby Betty Crocker: Our "to do" list for the week included making cookies with Alysse running the show. Her plan was for her to be in charge and I was to help. And so it was. She operated the stand mixer, poured and stirred. The best kitchen helper I've found yet.

Baby Face: Since receiving a Thomas the Train shaving set for Christmas, Trace has become even more manly than previously demonstrated. Jason lathers him up and he provides the close shave. What's most amusing is that he believes it's all "for real."

Alivia Swift: Obviously inspired by Taylor Swift's Sunday night concert, Alivia spent most of the day channeling the megastar. At one point she was serenading the neighborhood with "Fearless" through our open windows.

Ahoy, matie: During a recent incident in which Alena got sawdust in her eye, she effectively doctored herself with some Scotch tape and toliet paper. Creativity is something she doesn't lack.

Be still my heart

Do you love them? I do.

Are they priceless? Yes, when they're not coming to blows in the checkout line of Target.

Would I trade them? Not a chance.

St. Paddy's night out

Leprechauns are more exciting than Valentine's Day roses. Green beer is more adventurous than Mother's Day buffets. So we were a little excited about St. Patrick's Day around here.

Once everyone was sporting the color of the day, the green beer was ordered. And while they were intrigued by the beer's color change, leprechauns drank plain old Sprite. There was green ice cream involved later, though.

Window seat smile

One of the highlights of my day is seeing Alena off to school on the bus. It's not a highlight because she's leaving, but because her face smiling through the bus window warms my heart.

She must be kindergarten's biggest fan. The friends, her teacher, the bus ride ... she loves them all. Each day she's off to learn something new, come home spelling a new word and relate stories about classmates.

Some days my eyes get teary when she's doing her "I love you" sign as the bus drives away. It seems unfair she's gotten so big so fast. It seems impossible she's old enough to get herself to and from school everyday.

Some days I'm the one waving my "I love you" hand as wildly as possible to make sure she doesn't miss it. It seems there's never enough time to tell her just how proud she makes me. It seems time won't go quickly enough until that bus is bringing her back home again.

They are three ...

and yes, that's a rice cake under Trace's candles. His choices were pie, cupcakes or rice krispie treats and he chose a rice cake. These are the tribulations of our lives.

At three years old, Trace

• loves to help dad work with tools. He's the best little helper going and wears his googles for safety (even some days for lunch).
  
  
• eats chicken, peanut butter, crackers and pears. That about sums it up. He's also recently fallen in love with Starburst candies. I'm thinking we could get him to do just about anything for a Starburst.
  
  
• is captivated by anything with wheels. Trains, trucks, tractors ... you name it.
  
  
• says "mommy" 52,329 times per day. Half of those times he doesn't have anything else to say, I think he's just checking that I'm still around.
  
  
• can turn stormy in an instant when things don't go his way.
  
  
• is always the first little person up in the morning.
  
  
• gives the best good night hugs.
  
  
• can get dressed and undressed with some help.
  
  
• loves Blake Shelton's "Hillybilly Bone" (which ironically features Trace Adkins).
  
  
• thinks dogs make the world go around.
  
  
• can simultaneously make all three of his sisters scream for different reasons.
  
  
• is looking forward to the new Toy Story movie.
  
  
• is the best friend a mom could ask for.
  
  
• picks up NONE of his toys.
  
  
• has, at times, been threatened with duct tape and dismemberment.

At three, Alysse

• can drink faster than any child you've ever seen.
  
  
• climbs anything and everything.
  
  
• loves her older sisters and wants to do their "big girl" things.
  
  
• has been dubbed "most likely to pursue a career in competition eating" among our offspring.
  
  
• frequently thinks she's a cat.
  
  
• has been given the nickname P. Pie McSkittle (among other misnomers).
  
  
• called Alivia "Liv" for the first time just days ago. She typically refers to Alivia (her best friend) as "Pixie Mae."
  
  
• can get dressed and undressed all by herself.
  
  
• never shuts up. Ever.
  
  
• is the child closest to flying our nest.
  
  
• makes my heart sing beyond compare.
  
  
• absolutely, positively loves books.
  
  
• can't wait to start preschool.
  
  
• asks if her teeth are "sparkly" after she brushes them.
  
  
• gets frightened easily.

Now on with the year of fear ... two three year olds. Yikes!