Summer?

 Buzz cut for the Summer

 Local water feature. The kids had a blast!

 Summy always asks Daddy to bring her to me after her bath.

 Sneak peak at our life when the kids get older.

Summy got to sit with the big kids at our friend's birthday party. She is growing up so fast!

Summer is finally here, but we still haven't had a string of great days. We like to call it Juneuary around here. None the less, we are trying to make the most of the nice days we do have by spending loads of time outside. We took the kids to a local water feature and they had a blast. It was nothing too scary and it was so fun to see them both do there thing. They are growing up so fast! This will be a major theme of this post.

Leo is in Vacation Bible School this week. He seems to be having fun and I like that he has a school type structure when preschool is out for the summer. He has already made a friend named Luke. It seems as though Leo always makes friends named Luke. Leo is extremely popular and makes friends where ever he goes. He is the most articulate, outgoing, friendly 4 year old I have ever met. He is bursting at the seams when we encounter a new social situation, always eager to meet new friends and explore new situations. He is so blessed to posses this amazing ability.

Leo is doing great with Karate. He really loves it and is showing many leadership qualities. He is a shining star in class and although he does get in trouble at times for being a bit goofy or talking out of turn, he shows extreme focus and respect while in class. Plus, he looks so darn cute in his uniform.

Leo has also been doing a great job eating. He is up to 34 pounds and although that doesn't seem like much, his appetite is really taking off. I am so thrilled he isn't as finicky as he used to be.

Somerset has entered the terrible 2s a tad bit early. She is throwing tantrums and cannot be reasoned with on many occassions, ex. she wants nothing but nuts, all the time, even though it makes her sick. Although she is whiny and strong willed, she still seems like an easier child than Leo ever was. An example of this would be how she behaved ay our friend Audrey's 5th birthday party. She was able to sit at the big kid table and hang with the rest of the kids, following their lead and eating along with all of them. I can only imagine that Leo would have been all over the place, causing little disasters here and there. However, they do remind me of each other a lot.

Somerset is far more jealous than Leo. She does not like me to give Leo too much attention (but that won't stop me). She even gets jealous when I brush his teeth. Leo has never been jealous, so we are super lucky that we had him first. 

She started really articulating a few words very clearly like "yessss." She also says please and thank you now. She can understand every thing that we say to her, mind you, we speak very simply to her.

She adores animals, especially dogs and cats and I am sure she would be so pleased if we got a kitty. She also loves babies. She will chase down a mom and dad if she sees that they have a little baby with them. She also loves her baby dolls. Last night, Joe found her wiping her  baby's bummy with a paper towel and then using the towel as a diaper. So cute!!! She is more nurturing than Leo ever was.

Somerset is doing a great job potty training. She goes in the potty at least once a day, and ever went #2 a few times this week. Way to go Summy!!!

All in all, the kiddos are great! I am so lucky to have 2 happy, healthy, wonderful children.

Grandma turns 90!

 Yeah for Grandma. She sure looks pretty!

Summy has a new kitchen! She and Leo sure love joking around.

 

 My most advanced soap to date. Multi-layered! It sure smells good! I still have so much to learn.

 Somerset tucked Perry into bed. She is so nurturing.

 Not much is cuter than a toddler in jammies!

We just had a wonderful weekend with my Grandma, who came up for a visit with her sister Jeanette, my Uncle Andy and my mom's cousin Carolyn. My Grandma just had her 90th birthday and she is sharper than ever. She has such a lovely disposition and everyone who meets her loves her.

Today, we went on a brunch cruise on the Portland Spirit (a cruise ship that sails along the Willamette River) and it was a beautiful day to relax and enjoy each other's company. I would sure love to make my way down to CA soon to have more time to visit. I am hoping we can make this happen within the next year. I better start saving.

Leo also moved up a rank in Tae Kwon Do from a Orange Tiger belt to an Orange belt. Unfortunately, I missed most of the ceremony because I was on the cruise, but I arrived just in time to see them place his new belt on him. He still is super passionate about his classes and LOVES Karate. We are so proud of him.

Leo has been a royal pain. Maybe he misses school, but he has been testing the limits again. We are having many challenging moments with hi. I have such a sweet spot in my heart for this boy. I love him like no ther, but at times, he can be draining. All this hard work will pay off someday....right? 

Somerset is speaking more and more. Today, she fell and clear as a bell, she said, "I'm alright Daddy." She can put together simple sentences quite well and is really getting a firm grasp on language.

She also is sleeping later. A few times, she has even slept until 7 am, which is pure bliss to me! Her Mr. Sun alarm clock has been worth it's weight in gold!

It's been a few rough weeks because she had a minor cold and her canines have been poking their way through. I am looking forward to having my sweet Summy back!

She also got a few freckles. She got one on her rights leg and one on her left arm (I think, I will double check). They are so darn cute. Well, everything about her is cute to me!

 I have been loving making soap too. Last night, I made Joe a tea tree shampoo bar.  I hope he loves it. I just can't wait until I am super confident at this. All the learning and mistakes can be frustrating, but I am determined to get really good at this.

We are super excited for summer though. Hopefully we can meet up with friends more this summer. It seems as though there is never enough time. Plus, I have been working 3-4 shifts a week. It has been draining. I really should cut back, but the extra money made helps me justify the expenses of the soap hobby, Leo's Karate, hair salon visits etc.

Sunny days are here again!

 My baseball kid. He is so talented for his age.

 

The photo of me above was taken by Leo.

Me and my girl. I have new hair. Lighter and shorter!

 Neighborhood flowers

Our neighbor's house. So pretty!

 Handmade soap using cucumber puree...still learning!

 Another Leo photo. Beautiful job son!

Spring is here! Glorious sunshine, finally you are visiting us! That means the the Morris family is spending lots of time outdoors. We have been grilling, brewing, soaping, growing carrots, taking walks, playing sports etc. It is great!

I have started reading Leo Harry Potter at bedtime. Joe has always put Leo to bed, but we are trying to ween Somerset, which means that Joe is handling Somerset's night time feedings. This is not going great. However, I love reading to Leo at night. He says that I am the best mommy ever and that he loves when I read to him. I am so lucky!

Leo has completed his first year of preschool. This is how Mrs. Kepner described her experience with Leo.

"Leo- I've enjoyed getting to know him. His intelligence and curiosity about the world makes him a great scientist. He loves to build with blocks and other materials. He often sets the tone for play with others in the group. They get some pretty involved scenarios going! He is a very popular playmate. See you next year!"

I feel this is pretty accurate, but she forgot the part about how sweet and loving he is. Maybe he saves all that for us!

Joe and I have noticed how clearly Somerset is starting to enunciate. She is much easier to understand, which makes communication easier. She is at an age though, where she knows what she wants (unhealthy food is a good example), but she doesn't have the reasoning skills to understand that she can't do certain things. There can be days with quite a bit of fussing, but I know this time will pass.

Somerset is so very sweet. She usually says please and thank you without being prompted and I love how she says "I love you!" She adores a certain baby doll and insists on sleeping with her at night. Her favorite question to ask is "Where's Leo/Daddy/Mommy?" She always needs to know where we are. 

She also continues to potty train. If I was more persistent, I could get her to go on her potty several times a day, but let's face it, it's hard work! This summer, I will really try to get her trained, plus, she is still so young.

I have really taken to soap making. I am borderline obsessed, but it's a good hobby and I have learned so much! Every soap making process is a learning experience. I find the process so satisfying because I can be as creative as I want, all while creating a product that is good for my skin and smells fantastic. Also, the handmade soap makes a terrific gift. Hopefully I can sell soon to put more money back into the hobby.

Joe is still as crazy as ever about brewing! He is getting very good results. I love his beer. He is also growing hops. They are go crazy! Oh no, we both have full blown hobbies now! I just wish we had unlimited funds! We are really enjoying this time in our lives, even though it is exhausting.

So Busy!

     

Wow! We have been so busy! I guess that will be my excuse for not posting sooner.

We had a great visit from Grandma Rita (G.G.) and Grandma Paula. They were in town to visit Uncle Aaron for Mother's Weekend at OSU and stayed a few extra days to see us. G.G. had never met Somerset, so it was a real treat to have her here. She hasn't been to Oregon since our wedding, so we were super excited to share our world with her.

We took them to the Zoo and the Japanese Gardens. The weather was glorious, so we thoroughly enjoyed both outings. The kids were so thrilled to have guests too, especially Somerset, who enjoyed the company of the grandmas.

I recently had a date with Somerset at the Children's Museum while Leo was in preschool. I LOVED spending time with her alone and am going to make an effort to spend more one on one time with her. When Leo was her age, he would whip through the museum at rocket speed. She was also exploring freely, but she stayed and listened to the singer/guitar player for 30 minutes straight. She was mesmerized, where as Leo would never stay put long enough to make it though even one song. She is a music nut!

Somerset's grasp of English has increased drastically. I feel she now understands most of what we tell her. She speaks in 2-3 word combos,  "There's Spiderman, Leo," "Where's Daddy/Leo?" She talks a lot and caretakers are always telling us how chatty she is. She will have full conversations with people, but most of what she says is indistinguishable.

She also loves to play with dolls and her white doggy. She tries to feed her dog and her babies. I love to see this nurturing side of her. She will be a good mommy someday.

Somerset was waking up between 5-5:30 a.m. every morning. That does not work for me and was causing a lot of grumpiness for everyone. We invested in a programmable night light that displays the moon and the stars when we want her to sleep and the sun when she is allowed to wake up. It is currently set to have the sun shine at 6 a.m. (Too early for me, but better). We are still in the training stage, but it seems as though she understands our expectations and that the light will work. YES!!!

Leo has been fantastic. He still challenges us, but tantrums are almost a thing of the past. He is just so dang smart and he is constantly testing us. We will tell him he can't go onto the street and he will stand at the edge of our curb and smile as if to say, "How far can I go before you discipline me?" He is mischievous for sure.

Leo is extremely loving. He often gazes into my eyes and declares that I am the best mommy in the world and that he loves me soooo much. For all his antics, he has a heart of gold. He is truly a sweet and tender boy. I have to admit that I have a soft spot for him and I am crazy in love with him.

The kids sure do love each other, but they are starting to squabble. It is usually over a toy. They always want the same toy at the same time.

I had a fantastic Mother's Day. My mom and I went to get pedi/mani the day before and then on Mother's Day, I was treated like a queen. I got to sleep in until 8:30 a.m. I don't think that has happened for 4 years! I also got many soap related gifts. I took a class on cold process soap making, Joe built me a soap mold and he bought me 3 handcrafted soaps from one of my favorite soap crafters. Leo thought I should have a new mug for my coffee, soap and a lipstick, so Joe helped him make this possible.

The weather was great on Mother's Day, so we relaxed at home and grilled. I love my family!

First Karate Belt Promotion!

Today was a very proud day for me and Joe! Leo earned his first belt promotion in Karate; he graduated from his white belt to his Tiger belt. The ceremony consisted of a testing portion for all the kids from his studio which ranked from white belt to 3rd degree black belt. Leo was inspired by seeing the advanced students test (sparring, using nunchucks etc.). He was also able to witness 2 students earn their black belts, which made both Joe and I a little teary eyed. What an accomplishment.

There were some very memorable moments, including when Somerset started chanting the student's call backs, "yes sir!" and "A.T.A.! (American Taekwando Association)" The whole auditorium giggled. Also, Leo left the testing area at one point to hug Joe in the audience. This is a big no no, but Leo is barely four and it was so sweet.

Grandma (my mom), attended as well. Unfortunately, we were all on Somerset duty and she was away for good portions of the ceremony. We were still thrilled to have her there.

I just can't wait for the day that Leo earns his black belt. It will probably come sooner than we think!

Just a Pretty Photo

I was able to get this shot of Somerset just as we were waking Leo up from his afternoon nap. Somerset always gets up earlier from her naps than Leo, so we sometimes have to wake him up. Leo's naps have been crazy long! On this day, it was sunny outside and the light was hitting her so beautifully. I ran to get the camera and she greeted me with a sweet smile. She is always so happy to see Leo, so it's no wonder she looks so precious.

Spring Fever!

Surprised face!

Leo LOVES Games! He roped Uncle Aaron and Grandma Laurel into many rounds of Chutes and Ladders and Candyland.

Somerset's new dress

Our Front Yard daffodils

Spring is finally here! We enjoyed beautiful weather over Easter weekend, which included lots of family fun. We started Easter weekend with a Easter egg hunt at the church. The fun continued on Easter day with a family dinner at my parents, which included a trip to the park and an Easter egg hunt. Leo is now a pro at the hunts, but it was so fun to watch Somerset clumsily looking for eggs. She did get the concept, but she was a tad bit slow at collecting. One of my favorite parts of Easter was being able to dress up my sweet Somerset like the doll she is. I bought her a new spring dress recently, which she wore to the church hunt, but we saved her very special dress, that was given to her by Great Grandma Naomi for Easter day. She looked gorgeous.

We have had a lot of visitors recently. Grandma Laurel stayed with us for 2 weeks in March and we had a very nice visit. She is a pro at playing with Leo and the two of them are best buddies when she is around. It's too bad that she lives so far away.

Uncle Aron also stayed with us for the weekend after his Spring Break. The kiddos are so lucky to have such a fun and youthful uncle!

Life with the kiddos has been good. Leo is so well behaved and has been a piece of cake. Our biggest struggle with him is trying to get him to eat. We fight tooth over nail over him taking bites of food. I sure hope he develops a healthy appetite later in life. As his mommy, I feel so responsible for making sure he gets the nutrition he needs to grow healthy and strong. He probably has 2% body fat, so he doesn't have a lot of reserve.

Leo continues to LOVE Phineas and Ferb. It is by far his favorite show and since it is well written and quite clever, Joe and I don't mind him watching.

Somerset has started to become super animated. She has a number of faces that she routinely makes. One of them is her scrunchy face and another is her surprised face. She's my little actress. She continues to develop language. She now says thank you and probably says around 50 words with a few 2 word combos. She also understands us remarkably well, which makes things easier. This age is difficult though because she is very dangerous. She climbs like crazy and is fascinated by the cutlery drawer and the oven....yikes!!!

Summy has been waking up so early. 5:30 a.m is fairly common for her, which is super difficult for me. I am not a morning person at all and am like a zombie for the first hour. Leo wakes up around 6:30 am.

Joe continues with beer brewing and I have started making handmade soap. I would love to turn this into a small business one day, but I have to get good first. I am super excited about my new hobby though!!! I should start posting photos on here soon.