Here you go jewels!

My sister Julie asks me whenever we are on the phone what the latest Spencer Funny is! I'm telling you he is the funniest kid ever. The things that come out of his mouth sometimes are just priceless! I'm sure you all have one of those in your families.
Over this Christmas break our little family has been playing ALOT of Monopoly together. We are having a blast...when Dad doesn't kick our little hiney's. Anyways, if you haven't played this game with a 5 year old I highly recomend it. They are old enough to get enough of the rules to play, and they are so funny!!! So tonight we were playing and Spencer Just landed on one of Robert's properties...that of course had a Hotel on it, and Spencer shouts out "OOh yeah..I'm a LOOSA......that means GOOOOD in Chinese"! The kid just comes up with these things so randomly it's halirious. Anyways, if you don't have a Monopoly game go and get one and play it with your youngest kids, I promise you will not regret it!

We got our white christmas... for sure

Boy did we get snow! My kids were wishing and wishing for a white christmas this year, and Christmas eve they sure got it! And even more on Christmas. So much so that Church was even cancelled today! We all know that doesn't happen very often. Today though Robert got Christopher all bundeled up to play with him in the snow. He was so cute in all his Snow clothes. Gosh, I'm telling you...he is the cutest stinkin kid ever. How did I get so lucky to be this boy's mother. I will be forever grateful that's for sure!

Then, spenc was outside sledding with his buddy Alex from next door, So he put Christopher on a sled too(which made me kind of nervous), But he loved it so much. By the way how cute is my little Spencer? That Boy would live outside 24/7 if he had the oppurtunity.

I've said before how amazing Spencer is with his Baby Brother. He hopped right on the back of the sled without anyone asking and just held on to his Brother so he would be safe...Love him!


I think what I loved the most out of this was Robert! He looks for any oppurtunity to have Christopher feel like a big boy, and to have him join in whatever fun everyone else is having! Christopher will never be left out or left behind in anything because of his daddy!
Have I told you before I have the BEST husband in the world?

try, try again!

I love this picture of my Emily. What a beautiful girl she is becoming. Emily has been in the choir for the last two years at her middle school, and she really has a beautiful voice. I'm not just saying that either....the girl can sing. She has tried out for several thing in the last 2 years and either hasn't gotten the part or has just been part of an "ensamble" group. Needless to say she started feeling rather defeated. She started thinking maybe she couldn't sing that well and that's why she is never chosen for solo's or speacial parts in the musicals. I kept telling her it takes time. I remember trying out for so many solos in choir and not being chosen... it is kind of a blow to the ego. But I kept trying for some crazy reason and finally I was chosen for parts and solo's. I told Em that her time would come.... and it finally did. She got a part in her Christmas Concert. She called me from school when she found out, I just loved the excitment in her voice, it was priceless.
But I think the lesson learned here was Keep trying even though you feel like giving up. Because if you don't give up It will pay off in the end. I'm so glad for this experience Emily had, but even more I'm glad that she didn't get everything she tried out for...because I think it makes her appreciate it so much more.

determined

Ok so I have been talking about how great Chris is doing with our slide. He can climb up the three steps and slide down. I have taken videos of this and I cannot get them to post!!!!! But yesterday I found an amazing find on Craigslist. I have never purchased anything on there before....but I found the most fabulous Little tikes Jungle climber for $50....regularly $250! So Rob went and picked it up he assembled it in the basement today for the boys and Christopher is in hog Heaven. It is quite a struggle for the little guy to get from level to level to reach the slide, but he never gives up and he get's there all by himself. We are so excited for this new climber. I swear anything to build up that little boys muscles I am all about, because the bigger he gets the harder it is for him to get around, so we just have to keep getting him stronger and stronger...and he is! The last picture is of him on his new little walker (actually this is a loaner) Ours is on order so it wont be ready for another 6 weeks or so. Pretty exciting stuff for us Etchells I tell you!

compassion

I got a call from the assistant principal at the kids school last week, Instantly I thought ooh no what did one of them do? But it was for Emily and has actually been doing fabulous things. Each month at their assembly they award a few kids with an award for a virtue that they feel exemplifies that virtue. This month was the virtue of Compassion. They wanted to recognize Emily for her compassion towards others!!! I started crying if you can imagine. Going back to 2 years ago when we found out about Christopher having Spina Bifida and Hydrocephalous the first thing that came out of Emily and James' mouth was how worried they were of people making fun of him. I told the kids that it would be our job to make sure they don't, and if they did we would be their for him to cheer him up. We are his Cheer leaders. I had always hoped that from this experience we have been given that my children would become more compassionate people. That if they saw other people having a rough time, or if they were being made fun of they would have the strength to stick up for them and befriend them. For this very reason is why Emily was awarded today, I could not be more proud as a mother. This truly will be forever a highlight in my life! I am so very grateful for my Emily Anne!