Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes!

Changes! That's what's been going on in the Verner household! Rodney left his job at Family in May for better opportunities. It took a couple weeks, but he now has a great job as a Sales Supervisor at Macy's! He's working at the Paradise Valley mall right now. Kind of a drive, but worth it! He loves it so far- a great company, great people and he actually gets to be a manager instead of doing all those extra jobs he had to do at a smaller store like Family. I've also started a new job. I'm working in the 1's and 2's childcare at Trinity Lutheran School. I just work in the mornings which actually is perfect. Colin gets to go to the 3's room while I'm working, and he'll be in 3's Pre-School on Tuesdays and Thursdays during the school year. I also get to still do MOPS where I'll be a discussion group leader this year. God couldn't have provided better opportunities for our family! Colin seems to like school a lot. Now we'll have to see how going every day and switching teachers goes. The end of May brought some of our favorite people out West- my brother, Jason, and his family, Sarah, Katie and Brendan. We had a great few days together just hanging out at home, going to the splash pad and the Children's Museum. Just a couple weeks after that Mom and Dad came for their summer visit, and to bring us the best thing ever- another car for us! We can't say thank you enough for their generosity! We're proud of ourselves to have made it 3 years with one car, but now with Rodney working so far away we definately needed something else. We had a great visit with Mom and Dad and Colin seems to be warming up to Grandma some more too! ;) He loved their iPad and the games he could play with Grandma and Grandpa. It's always so great when we see any family. We're always prying someday to get to move back near one of them! Rodney's new job came with some vacation time already so we went to Las Vegas for about a week. As always it was great to be with the family. Colin would wake up every morning calling out "Addison! Bella!" (his cousins) and also waking up the rest of the house! We took the kids to a trampoline place to jump around and to Chuck E. Cheese and they had a ton of fun. We got some grownup time too- going out for sushi and to see Batman! It was a great trip. Enjoy some pictures!

 The backyard water slide at Grandma Angie and Grandpa Danny's house

 Grandma was good with the squirt guns too!

 Grandpa Danny showed Colin how to play pinball

 Helping Uncle Ryan open his 30th birthday present.

Grandma "ringing through the wash machine" with Colin.

 And playing matching games with Colin

 Building towers with Grandpa, just so he can knock them down!

 Giddyup, Grandpa!

 Ah, Angry Birds on the iPad!

 All set- his cup, snack, book and Buzz Lightyear!

 Playing Just Dance with cousins Katie and Brendan

I swear we didn't pose this- Colin just happened to be sitting exactly like Daddy!

Colin is 3!

 Plenty of Toy Story decorations!

 Singing Happy Birthday

 Cousins! 

 Colin had to wake me up to open Buzz!  It was 7 am and he had already eaten breakfast and just couldn't wait anymore!

 All smiles!

 He loves his Buzz!

 But, he still likes to play with his old toys- like legos...

 And playdough!

On our way to Vegas!

Our big boy is now 3 years old!  We can't believe it was just a short time ago that he entered our lives.  What joy he gives us every day!  Colin had two birthday celebrations- one in Las Vegas at Grandpa Danny and Grandma Angie's house with all his cousins, and a very small party here at home with just us.  We had a nice little trip to Las Vegas earlier in May.  We loved getting to be with our family and Colin liked playing with his cousins.  We also got to go swimming for the first time this year in the neighbor's pool!  We spent Colin's birthday on the 23rd just with our little family.  His present was waiting for him when he woke up- Buzz Lightyear!  We ran errands in the morning, including getting Colin a balloon at the grocery store.  After naptime Colin got to eat his rocket cake.  He's not a fan of icing apparently, but he took a few bites.  That night we had a VBS fundraiser- roller skating!  Colin went around twice with his legs slipping out from underneath him most of the time, but he liked it!  Thanks everyone for the cards, birthday wishes and love sent to our big boy! 

March/April 2012

 Our Buzz Lightyear

 Such a good smile!

 Some "ears" he made at the library playgroup

 Looks like he found a new place to sit

 Rolling Easter eggs

 Easter sunrise

 His Easter basket from us, Curious George from Grandma and Grandpa Crowder, and the bunny from Grandma Angie and Grandpa Danny

 Easter egg hunt at home

 Trying a Peep

 Hmmm....one bite was enough!

 Books from the Easter Bunny!

 Colin wanted to read outside, mostly because he wanted to play with the hose.

 Bunny Cake 2012

 I don't know why we did this one day, but now he wants us to tie his snake around his waist all the time and he just runs around with it on!

Colin's big puffy plastic coated training pants

 If you look carefully you'll see how Colin eats his candy- in little bites!  These were Reeses Pieces and he ate one in about three bites.  He does the same thing with jellybeans

 My "don't worry, you can make it through potty training" encouragement flowers from Rodney!

 Yes, the snake must come off before going potty!

Colin sat down with his book and looked through it all on his own while I was making his lunch. 

Sorry its been a while!  Nothing that exciting is going on in our house, except potty training.  Ugh!  I'll wait on that though.  We enjoyed a nice relaxing Easter.  Rodney and I volunteered at church for all three services.  Colin did great all morning and then we came home and slept!  Colin got to hunt Easter eggs in the back yard which he liked.  But, that was about it!  Just a nice quiet day at home.  I started watching a 9 month old little boy two days a week.  It's gone well so far.  Colin loves playing with the baby toys.  He asks to get them out all the time and I have to tell him only when the baby's here!  Rodney's working hard on some projects at church and of course working hard at the store.  We're both getting ready for VBS as well- Rodney in the drama and I'm doing registration.  Colin has moved into the realm of potty training.  Oh my, what joys that brings.  He's doing pretty well.  It hasn't been too long but he's getting better at the whole process.  I think he likes his Mickey and Buzz Lighyear undies, and getting gummy worms after he uses the potty!  We're really looking forward to May- Colin's birthday, a visit from Uncle Jason and family, and hopefully Grandma Angie too! 

February 2012

Colin helped make alphabet crackers. He did a great job!

We went to visit Rodney's family in Las Vegas. Colin had so many late nights that he was so tired and fell asleep on Rodney's lap! Something that hasn't happened for a long time!

Cousins! Colin, Bella (6) and Addison (2)

We went to a great playground in Las Vegas. Colin loved this huge archway to climb on!

Colin is still obsessed with letters. He reads everything and even likes to line up his letter magnets. He's starting to say "M says mmmm" and things like that too.

Colin's first watercolors! We kept one and sent the other two to the Grandparents. The other page is very faint crayon circles.

He was very good at watercolors! He would go down the row of colors in the tray over and over again, remembering where he had left off when he stopped to get more water on his brush.

This is "helping" mommy put away the towels.

He likes to line up the letters by color too. Red just so happens to be all the vowels.

His tricycle from Grandma and Grandpa Crowder! He's getting the hang of it...when he's not looking at his reflection in the chrome over the back wheels!

He definately needs help steering. It's good to practice going to get the mail. It only took about 15 minutes to go there and back yesterday.

One of Colin's faces that he likes to draw too.

We've been up to the same stuff recently...work, housework, Colin's activities. But, we have done some fun new things. Take a look!