My husband is truly the BEST sport!! I am in awe!

Last night as Rich entered the house, he was asked to sign a contract...stating that he would be in Ruby's band after dinner. Being the great Dad that Rich is, he signed the paper and kissed Ruby on the cheek. Ruby beamed all through dinner.

We had a lovely meal (that no one would eat except for me and Rich) and then as I cleaned up dinner, Ruby corralled everyone else in the play room. I wasn't sure what was going on but the Red Hot Chili Peppers were jammin' and I could hear laughing, I knew they were having a ball.

Ruby then called me into the play room and the concert began...I was able to get a few pictures and thought I would share. Now sure, it is cute that Rich went in to play along after a long, hard day at work, but the amazing thing is...their instruments they were using, are the instruments for Rock Band, intended to be played on a wii game system. (see previous post if you don't know what I am talking about) Rich was a grand sport! If you were just looking through my pictures, you would think they are really just playing rock band...but NO! They are in Ruby's ROCK BAND!! Oh it brings tears to my eyes! Rich is, in fact, the greatest Daddy out there!

Confessions of a Slacker Mom

I was going to be so diligent in updating my blog and journal all the funny things the kids say and do...2009 was going to be my year to get organized, be healthy and ROCK at this motherhood business!

Well, needless to say, I have failed at all of the above so far! It is so disappointing, but I can kick myself into high gear and get started today, right? RIGHT!

Honestly when it comes to this blog, I haven't had anything "blog-worthy" to write about! (sad, huh?) We have had lots of sickness and misery going on and who wants to see or hear about that? NOT ME! It was hard enough living it, I couldn't write about it too! I know you are so deeply disappointed, aren't you?

Ruby asked me to post this lovely picture...she has been a play-doh junkie while she has been home sick (ear infection, NOT ringworm STEPH!!) This is her masterpiece! I just might ask her to do all the baking at our house this year!! Isn't she adorable? EVEN WHEN SICK, she is gorgeous!

Good job Ruby! Sweet icing color and I love your long skinny candles! MAKE A WISH!

Last weekend we had a horrific discovery at our house!

Rich and Kirk had just come home from renting their favorite wii game (that I won't let them buy!!) and discovered some sort of jam in the wii game system. I heard some choice four letter words and then the madness was in full swing! After painstakingly removing all 345 parts, (numerous of them were actually unable to be seen by the naked eye) Rich removed an Albertsons reward card and a small fortune in spair change.

We believe the wildest of the wild ones has been using our precious wii as a personal piggy bank, maybe he was making a withdrawal with his Albertsons rewards card, who knows...anyway, it was all my fault! I am after all the only one who is responsible for this child and I am with him 24 hours a day, 7 days a week! But alas, I am the one that LIVES on facebook and eats, drinks and sleeps from the wild world of bloggerdom, therefore ignoring my child 24 hours a day, 7 days a week!

On that note, I am ever so grateful to the person (whoever SHE is) that shops, cooks, cleans and does laundry (AMONG MANY OTHER THINGS!) for the people that live in this home!

It was an ugly weekend! It took a good 48 hours before my spouse would speak/acknowledge me.

Thank goodness we have moved past this hideous tragedy in our lives and once again we are all friends at the Fairbanks Family Compound...

Yesterday, while ignoring my child (WHILE ON FACEBOOK AND STALKING MY FAVORITE BLOGS) this is what John was doing. He is not capable of the above unmentionables! Look at him, so harmless, so sweet! (even with snot running down his face!)

His favorite activity is to grab all the cushions and pillows from our love seat and chair and make, what I call a "NEST!" He has a grand time and could be entertained for hours...no need to destroy expensive toys that belong to Daddy. He grabs some good ol books, Mom's calculator (what is that for anyway?) and some trucks...he could play there all day! (and thank goodness, because I have facebook and blogs to attend to!)

A new tradition!

I saw this cute idea in Family Fun Magazine or on one of my favorite blogs, can't remember which, but I LOVED it... After lunch, I sat everyone down with stickers, construction paper, scissors and some glue...our mission was to make a valentine for everyone in our family and they were to say THREE things they loved about that person. I wasn't sure what the kids would think about my plan, but surprisingly, no one objected, not even Dad! We shared them after dinner and it was very heart warming...I loved watching the kids read what everyone said about them. They were BEAMING, it was very sweet! I think I will cherish these sweet notes forever!! Take a look! (grab a tissue first, if your last name is/was Fairbanks!) ha ha OF COURSE, John wasn't too thrilled about the idea, but after we read him his Valentines, he read them to himself over and over and over...it was cute!

I think we will do this every year, the cabin was BURSTING with love! It was a glorious way to spend an evening! I knew my kids liked each other!

Thanks for playing along my dear, sweet family!

Taking advantage of a little down time...

Kirkie needed to do some scout projects...so we worked on them while hanging out at the cabin...he needed to carve a bear out of a bar of soap...you know, practice widdling! (however it is spelled??) He took his work very seriously! John was soooo proud of his big brother!

I walked away for a minute to help Ruby with something and HE CUT HIS THUMB!! I felt awful! I had switched blades so he could start on the small details and he got hurt!! What kind of Mother am I? SORRY PAL!! I will have to post a photo of the finished project, it turned out great! Way to go Kirkus!

Valentine's in Yest Lellowstone!

We woke up on Valentine's Morning and followed the heart path to the "table of love!!" (I know what you are thinking people...BARF!!) BUT HUSH!! It was fun, we had pink, heart shaped creme brulee french toast with raspberry white grape juice and fresh fruit...DELICIOUS!! There were hearts everywhere... it was a LOVE FEST!! Of course Mom and Dad had to check their email/facebook/fave blogs while breakfast was cooking...JUNKIES!!

We had a great morning and told the kids that we would do whatever they wanted to do...choices being: cross-country skiing, sledding, snowmobiling, 4-wheelin', snow ball fight, ice skating, snow shoeing or snowman building...guess what it was that they chose...SLEDDING!! I couldn't believe it and WAS DYING to go for a ski, but since it was all about the kids, I put my "big girl panties" on and we headed out to the sledding hill in the city park...here are some photos from our adventure...WE HAD A BLAST!!

Yep...he is crying!! & Yep, I went sledding in my p.j.s!!

I think I had more fun than if we would've gone skiing...wahoo!

The snow in Yellowstone is really too dry to build a snowman, but John insisted, so Rich helped him build an iceman...kinda sweet, don't you think?

Ta-Da!

What a fun morning!! What a fun family!