Class observation day!

Class observation day snuck up on us today so I got a few gems!!

Observation day! #flipagram made with @flipagram . http://flipagram.com/f/QW61ZUVfb6

Hockey mama

A few weeks ago deven and I spent some qt on a Sunday.  Nick and Tova were down watching the hydro races but dev's hockey practice was mid day/afternoon so we stay up north.  I got a quick lesson on gear placement and tapping.  Please note I'm not responsible for the elbow pad placement when all was said and done.  He did pretty well though listening, being humble and not purposefully falling all need to be worked on. Afterwards we walked to fish tale brew pub for snack (it's tradition).  So I guess I'm officially a hockey mama now.

Birthday boy - final celebration

For Deven's actual birthday I picked him up early from school, took him to get some tacos for lunch and an Apple crumble pie for his birthday treat an excellent excuse to try out the Snohomish Pie Company we keep ogling at when we go to the little downtown area.  I have the best video of us signing to him - I'll try to attach it soon! Oh and this first pic is just a fun one I got from school - one I can show all his friends later in life!!

Birthday boy - more oics

Couldn't leave these ones out.  It really was a blast!! Dev got his new hockey gear just in time for his skating practice.  We literally went straight from the party to practice.  Always on our way to somewhere.  That's the way we roll. 󾓦

Birthday boy, deven is FIVE!

We decided that having a party at the house this year just wasn't in the cards.  A bouncy house warehouse (jump rattle and roll) where they take care of just about everything sounded way better.  The menu wasn't as creative as we normally are but pizza, Oreos and strawberries sound pretty darn good.  I'm pretty sure all the kiddos and many of the grown ups had a blast!  I even was able to talk to almost every guest for more that the usual 15 seconds.  We may need to make this the new normal!!

A swimmer

We've got a swimmer again...almost...he's learning again anyhow.  We took the winter off for a lot of reasons (ability to listen to teachers primarily) but he earned lessons back and he's doing pretty well.  Tuesdays and Thursdays at 6:30pm make schedules tight but help leave weekends open other fun stuff.  Man he's getting tall!!  They've got them hanging on the side for dear life during class which I love because he has to focus on self preservation over getting into other kiddo's personal space!  He's almost got the back float thing and then he'll earn his way up to the next class!  Oh, and I have to note here too for the future.  He met a little guy just as...full of life...as Dev. His name is Tyler.  They are the same age, will go to the same school and they are so similar that I'm sure they will be best buds!!

A Zombie Birthday

Yes, this was all Deven's idea.  Deven has been requesting a Zombie party since January.  I have no idea where this idea came from, we don't watch zombie anything and before he mentioned it...well Nick and I had never actually mentioned the "existence" of zombies.  But living with Dev this sort of discovery is par for the course.  So a Zombie party.  In pictures.

Lovin' on Daddo a couple weeks before his birthday.  Making sure he stays on our good side.

Practicing for the big day.  Yes, I busted out a face painting station.  Thankfully the nearby beach offered way more entertainment and not too many kiddos were interested.  Best to keep my art to myself.

Keeping with the a kiddo Zombie theme Zombie Teeth, aka White Chocolate

Nick and I cut up black licorice to resemble zombie hair.  I think it worked.

 

 

It felt like master chef in our house except we were the fools that planned too much and there were only 3...2...1 minutes left before we had to pack everything up and get the heck to the park.

But they turned out freakin' fantastic.  Kiddos loved them but either grown ups were trying to watch their figures or these awesome jello eye balls with edible food paint just grossed them out.  From scratch peeps, from scratch.  That's just how we roll.

 

Dev in his zombie/monster face paint with buddy Myka who just loved playing our ring toss game (six pack of root beer using canning lids for a ring).  She kept putting the prize back so she could play again. 

I didn't get a proper picture but I had my mom and sister make up the Zombie Goo aka., red jello with strawberries cut to resemble blood cells.  Yes.

We got some cheep (not powdered) plastic gloves, put water in them and used them as ice cubes for the Zombie Juice.  Some of the fingers fell off but this just added to the "ambiance."

A creole recipe using fingerling potatoes for zombie fingers.  Was so good but again...I think it grossed people (grown ups) out. :)  I didn't get a picture but Nick grilled up some Muffaletta sandwhiches to go along with our attempt at a New Orleans food theme.

Frank has been with the family since Dev was about two but he certainly helped with the deco like never before.  I ordered the tape along with card board signs pointing people to various disgusting zombie places.

This was one of the invites we sent out.  I ordered from a gal on Etsy.  I had to print and cut them myself but...it was totally worth it.

 

 

Post party relaxation with his new football gear.  Such a Johnston.

Next morning all kids let us sleep in until 8am.  This may sound entirely too early for a Sunday but I am here to tell you it was a treat in this early bird house.

I hope he remembers this epic party.  I'm not sure Nick and I have it in us to do something this big again next year but I'm sure TMG ("the mama guilt") will get to me once again and we will end up doing something equally as awesome.  Happy fourth birthday Deven.  We love you - a ton.

Deven - four year check up

 

 

 

 

So Deven is 9...I'm mean 4.  Sorry, I'm easily confused these days since Dev is fast becoming a "big kid".  He says he's going to be sad when he doesn't live with us any more.  Where will he be living you ask?  We asked the same thing.  According to dev when he's a grown up he will be living at the fire station as a fireman.  Please note the picture of deven in his new fire suit to replace his out grown one.  Sleep easy folks our super hero fireman is on the job.

Seriously though deven has grown physically and mentally by leaps and bounds this year.  As always he continues to challenge our perception of when a boy his age should be doing or should be talking about or should be interested in.  Who knows any more.  All I know is this kid recognizes music artists from Hendricks to Macklemore.  He wants to know about any subject which is generally sparked by him hearing a word he hasn't heard before; only a true and full explanation will do.
Is he afraid or nervous to talk to you...or anyone for that matter?  Absolutely not.  In fact he wants to capture your attention so much and is thinking so hard that he will stumble over all of his thoughts colliding in his brain.

Speaking of his brain, he will lose it occasionally...or more than occasionally.  We look for it and call for it to come back frequently.  On it's way back it will stop at Starbucks and bring us all back coffee...a hot chocolate for dev...sister is to young for coffee treats so nothing for her.
We love our crazy, challenging talkative, hard working little man.  But boy is it nice when he takes his two hour naps on the weekend when we aren't running around town.

Happy Friday

His rap side

Ok, Last one for flash back Friday...because it will be Saturday in an hour. :)

This one is quite possibly nick and my favorite video of Deven and I can't NOT post it.  Enjoy.

circa., May 19, 2012

life's persistant question

 A few videos from December 31, 2012.

In case you were wondering what type of music Deven likes, here is one of his longest lasting favs.
 

Deven showing us how to get it done.

Pretty School

Today was Deven's last day of pretty school...I mean preschool. To continue with flash back Friday view this video from the first day of preschool this year, September 5, 2012.  I can and can't believe it at the same time.  I'm not going to pretend to have loved this year.  For many reasons it was one of the best and one of the most challenging year of my life. 

We had to finishing up potty training, he had to learn that he wasn't the necessary the most important kiddo in the room, he tested this...tested that...and tested this again, he demanding independence, then he demanded dependence 1 second later.  We convinced him that we always tell him the truth about things so now when we answer things like why the rain falls, why people pass away, and why it's necessary to clip your toe nails he doesn't always tell us we've got it all wrong.  We learned all personal space, all about fake food, and all about not peeing on bathroom walls.  We've been busy.

Thankfully the schedule included things like, hugs every night without exception, funny stories every day on the way to school about the dreams he'd had the night before, hot chocolates, mama and Deven dates, fire boots, music, music, music, digging holes to Australia, teaching sister to blow kisses, motorcycle walks, teaching sister to rock, teaching sister to love her blanket just as much as he loves White Blanket, books, books, books, morning smoothies, learning how to eat pizza and learning how to eat a cup cake.

This kid (heck this mama) has learned so much in what seems like a very short school year. 

You may wonder what in heck will be different come Monday when I bring him back to the same class room and the same teacher and generally the same class mates (pretty-k starts in September)?  Well, I'm not exactly sure to be honest but I am looking at a long list of weekly activities and it has several "Bouncy House" days throughout the next few months.  Ahhh...I wish I could have a bouncy house day. :)

So here is another archived video and a picture Nick took for me today (after I called desperately requesting that he take one because I couldn't believe I forgot...shheeessshhh I can't imagine what I am going to be like when he starts kindergarten).

P.S. I have finally convinced him that our hair dresser will not ruin his 'rocker hair' and we will be getting a trim as soon as I can get in.

Field trip

The other day I got to take some time off work and go with Deven to his first field trip to Craven Farms.  It was a lot of fun getting to be with him all day and getting to peak in on Tova a few times.  I was able to share momma duties with his teachers - I am honestly not sure how they do it.  I only wanted to kill him a couple of times and we came home with a huge bag of kettle corn, so I would call the trip a success.

The equally fun part was getting two full hours to myself while the kiddos napped and had a snack (at school).  I had TMG ("the momma guilt") for a little while but my solitude at Starbucks and deal finding trip to Target was totally worth it.  Hey I had two field trips.  A great day!!

Waiting outside the pumpkin patch - they had a bit of a guided tour.

Yes, that is Deven's blond little head standing in A LINE.  Who knew??

Climbing over everything and yelling...this is the boy I know and love!!

It's October

 Getting our pumpkin patch on.  Three times in a row makes a solid tradition, right?  Today we went to Bob's corn and pumpkin patch farm to get some pumpkins and various jams and syrups!  Deven was pretty excited and even though Tova was just hanging out she got all patch'd out.  Until next year.  Fall is the best!!
 

All three looked at me at the same time!

This is more like it.

We hang out together a lot like this.

Waiting "patiently" for the next wagon ride down to the patch

He was so excited

pumpkin patch'd out