Potty Training

Yeah for the potty!!!

Xavier pitched in and helped out too. He would read her stories while she was sitting on the potty. She started to read him stories too. :)

The first couple of days she didn't want to stay in the bathroom forever, so she sat on her potty chair while watching Veggie Tales or doing some of her Montessori work. This worked because she began to realize that she had to pee or poop even when she was doing something else. Eventually she started coming to the bathroom when she had to go.

In order to keep her on the potty for a long time, we got her some books on CD. This is her favorite, Snow White.

On the potty in her pretty dress.

A trip to the Zoo with some friends

The kids on the train. They wanted to do this all day.

Me and Addie.

All the kids. Sophia looks very unhappy, but she had a good time,

Addison loves these photo ops. She definitely makes a cute elephant.

The panda came right up to Sophia and Addison.

Lunch at the zoo.

The last official day of Spring Break was spent at the zoo with our friends Melissa and her son Austin. Austin also invited his neighbor Sophia. The kids had a great time and it was nice to have another adult to talk to while visiting all the animals.

Easter Egg Hunt

Xavier, Ally, and Gracie Ann. I love how they are looking at him.

Would have been a great pic, if the 6yr old had looked at the camera. Oh well.

The Sunday church we attend, The Journey, had an Easter Egg Hunt before the service on Easter. This is Addison's first egg hunt and Xavier's second. Each child was allowed 12 eggs. Unfortunately Xavier got 2 empty eggs and one with a baby wipe in it. He didn't seem to care, he decided that these eggs were representations of Christ. The empty ones represented the empty tomb after Christ had been resurrected and the wipe was the cloth they wrapped Christ in after dying on the cross.

International Night and a Visit with Aunt Mary and Uncle Butch

Get your passport stamped!

Mt. Everest!

Base Camp and reports on Nepal done by my older kids.

Xavier at the top of Mt. Everest.

Working on a word find with Aunt Mary.

John and Uncle Butch discussing church matters.

yummy smoothie!

He has been congested for a month, so this was the first ice cream he has had in a looooooooong time.

Xavier and Aunt Mary eating their desserts.

Last night was International Night at my school. My class represented Nepal. I built a climbable Mt. Everest and we had a base camp. It looked really nice and everyone enjoyed themselves.

My Aunt Mary and Uncle Butch were in the Atlanta area for business and they came and spent the day with us. They came to church this morning and got to hear John preach, then afterwards we went to Steak and Shake (kids eat free on the weekends!) . They later came over to the house for a few hours and Xavier kept Uncle Butch entertained with legos and cars most of the time. It was a very nice visit.

Xavier's 6th Birthday Party!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!

David and Xavier. 2 peas in a pod these 2 are. It's awesome!

Climbing one of the jumps with David, his 25yr old BFF!

Jackson, Xavier, and Ethan. (Xavier always confuses these 2 boys and today they were in the same place and he didn't mix them up at all. LOL!)

EJ, Xavier and Josh. Xavier was getting tired at this point.

Eating his chocolate cake. He loves cake too.

My last minute creation that was a huge hit with the birthday boy and guests!

Addie only wanted some cake. The girl is her father!

Opening presents.

Daddy and Joey!

Addie and David playing video games. She loves to drive!

We had to reschedule Xavier's birthday party due to snow and the fact that he was sick. He apparently has seasonal allergies that turned into bronchitis. The poor kids could barely blow out his candles on his original cake on February 8th. (I will upload that video later.) So we rescheduled the party for a month later, March 6th.

He had his party at a jump house called Jump 4 Joey. He has always wanted a party at one of these places. This year he got his wish. Not all the kids were able to make it, but he still had an awesome time.

It is hard to believe our baby boy is 6 years old. He will always be my baby no matter how old he gets. We have loved watching him grow into the wonderful boy he is today. He loves God, his family, his friends, and God has blessed him with an incredible intellect. He surprises us all the time. We love you Xavier P.!

A Warm March 1st

Not to much to say these days. We have been working, going to school, and being sick around the Pethtel house. Today it actually got warm enough to run around the yard. I took a few pictures of the kids having fun.

This weekend we have Xavier's birthday party. We had to cancel and reschedule due to snow and him being sick. So be on the lookout for photos and an update this weekend.

Snow Day

Addie mixing the cupcake batter.

Putting the liners in the pans.

Xavier getting ready to eat his cupcake.

Addie using a little sprinkles?! ;)

Xavier's cupcake.

Addison's cupcake.

His new lego set.

Scrubbing that dirty baby!

Church was canceled on Saturday as well as Xavier's birthday party. (We have rescheduled for March 6) The whole family got a day to spend at home together. Mommy was a prepared for such a thing and made sure we had plenty of movies on hand. Gotta love 99 cent a week movies from Blockbuster! We also made sure to stock the fridge too! (Georgia doesn't do snow very well.)

The kids watched Snow Buddies (very appropriate for the weather), played on the Wii, and then we made strawberry cupcakes and decorated them with sprinkles. Addison also scrubbed one of her babies and Xavier built with his legos.

I did get the kitchen cleaned and started the laundry, but pretty much took it easy all day and played with the family.