Pick Up Line And Apple Dumplings

Last Few Days...

Olivia is finally better, but she was sick for about 2 weeks in a row. The stomach bug was part of that. Do you see her toast by her feet? :)

Pick up line...

Josiah, Olivia and I spend a lot of time here.

Hours of entertainment!

They went on bear hunts together. (aka: hunts for Andy)

I've tried to get the boys to pick this movie at the library for about 1 1/2 years now. Finally, I just checked it out myself. They loved it and even got some yummy apple dumplings for a snack. Jay and I could have eaten the whole pan ourselves. Dangerous!

Good Ol' Ike

It's not often that I get to just blog about our firstborn. He's growing up and not in that cute baby/toddler stage anymore. You know, the stage where you take lots of pictures and smile at every cute little thing that they do? Well, Isaac's already past that point. I don't know when he passed it, but it's G.O.N.E. - gone.

Now he's at the stage where he can't look at the camera without making a silly face. He tells jokes that keep Jay and I puzzled. Bathing is the last thing he wants to do. When he doesn't get his way, he slumps his shoulders and sighs like Napoleon Dynamite. His teacher is smarter than me. His 6 year old friend is smarter than me. His first crush is a girl who always has snot dried on her upper lip. And his favorite song is one that he's never actually heard sung by anyone other than the kids in his first grade class. And he sings it all of the time. It makes me slump my shoulders and sigh like Napoleon Dynamite.

But, that firstborn of ours is just about the biggest hearted kid in the world. He loves everyone he meets. He strives to do well in school and make his teacher and his parents proud. He knows that a little girl in his class doesn't have a friend so he always invites her to sit by him. He eats everything that I cook and acts as if it has been cooked by an accomplished chef. He plays football like a pro. He's a super fast runner and wants to buy an ipod just so that he can listen to music and run with me. He lets me question him about his day and always tells me everything about it. He takes care of his little sister and tries really hard to let his brother tag along. He wants to be like his daddy. He's sentimental and saves every note he ever receives. He loves God and wants to be obedient to him.

What a great kid!

Magical

There is something magical about a musical snow globe-book.

Thanks, Nana!

Artist At Work

Life

Here are some pictures from the past few days.

Gee bought Olivia a new headband. She loves it!

Gee also bought me a scarf, but I keep forgetting to take a picture with it on. If you want some cute hair accessories for your daughter or yourself, check out Crafts For Hannah. Our friends, Tory and Kedra, are adopting a little girl from Ethiopia and leave in just a few days for their court date. The money they make from the sales goes towards Hannah's adoption.

Leaf raking day.

Olivia came in looking like this after raking leaves and said, "May I please have a coat?" haha

The boys have taken to climbing trees. They think that they are big stuff.

One day they'll see these pictures and wonder where the pictures of them climbing the huge tree are. Things are always bigger in our minds when we are smaller, aren't they?

sweetness

Friends!

Rachel really didn't think that she was in this picture. She begged me not to take a picture of her, but she always begs me not to take a picture of her. Sorry, Rachey.

an artist at work

making sure everything is absolutely perfect

love her

Isaac's self portrait

Isaac's take on his brother

hide-n-seek with Olivia

Where could she be?

Wow. This is difficult.

Found her!

Christmas 2010

This was our first year as a family to have Christmas with just us. I was a bit nervous about it, worried that we might feel lonely. But what a sweet time we had.

Andy kicked off Christmas Eve for us by allowing me to wrap him up in a Christmas bow. Doesn't he look thrilled?

Let me tell you something. The day of all three of my kids looking at the camera at the same time is over.

They came last year and then graced us with their beautiful presence/music again this year. I think this should be a Christmas Eve tradition...to practice music at our house before the service.

They love each other.

What did I tell you?

I tried to take a picture of the kids before the pageant, but this was the best I got. There were too many people there for my kids to stand still! Who wants to take a picture when there is socializing to be had?

Well, all but Josiah. He's his momma's child.

My favorite part was watching Josiah open his mouth WIDE to sing words he didn't know. His lips never touched.

And I loved watching Isaac sing so expressively. SO expressively.

Sweet evening

I sometimes see a picture like this and can't believe that this is me and that those are mine.

Christmas Morning!

Josiah and his art easel. He informs us that he won't become an artist, he already is an artist.

It's a toss up for Isaac. He's not sure if he wants to become a priest or a scientist. :)

Christmas morning cinnamon rolls.

Breakfast #1.

We eat like Hobbits around here.

I like sitting across from him.

Especially when our kids are fully entertaining themselves.

He has got the hang of it.

Lego's!

Josiah performed for almost every family member today. And enjoyed the spotlight.

Happy Birthday To You!

Olivia wanted to read her new book by her new lamp.

I made everyone hop up from the table so that I could remember what it looks like before clean-up.

We ended our dinner singing Christmas carols LOUDLY around the table. It was my favorite moment of the day.

Merry Christmas!!