Thanksgiving 2011

We traveled to Virginia for Thanksgiving as we do every year.  Unfortunately everyone else was traveling as well and the usual 5 hour drive took 9 hours.  

The boys kept each other company on the drive...

 The girls did an amazing job in the car. We hardly heard a word from either of them.  The boys got a bit rammy and Mommy was having a fit but we made it and it was worth it to see everyone.

The pictures on this blog post are literally the only pictures I took while we were away.  Taking care of the kids' needs trumps picture taking I assume.  I was a bit bummed that I didn't capture more of our time in pictures.

When we arrived the kids were excited to see what the Powhatan Turkey brought them...

 Grandmother snuggling with Andy...

 My favorite picture of our trip.  What a beauty!

 Luke loved playing in the woods.  I wanted to get both boys' pictures in the woods but since Gabe just started walking he wasn't really fond of the constant falls on sticks.  He preferred to be held.

 Socializing.  It was a gorgeous day.

 Gabe loved uncle Jeff!

 Getting ready to bless the meal.

 Jason being a good child of God and praying before his meal.  Dad on the other hand...

 Sister picture. We missed Steph but know that Bailee's soccer team rocked it out at Nationals and were semi-finalists!  Yay Bailee!

I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving.

Tooth Fairy

My big girl lost her first tooth. 

I was cleaning my van and could hear her screaming over the vacuum cleaner.  When I turned to see her running down the sidewalk, all I saw was blood gushing out of her mouth and her hands catching the dripping blood.  I assumed she'd been hit in the mouth.  I ran to her as she was sobbing and then saw the hole where her little tooth had been.  I finally got the story out of her that she bit a nerf football.  The tooth was nowhere to be found. 

Once we got her all cleaned up, the excitement of "losing" her first tooth set in and she quickly wrote the Tooth Fairy a note...

"Dear Tooth Fairy, It fell out in the yard.  Love, Lilly"

 The Tooth Fairy came and left her $5 for her first tooth (she knows it will be $1 for subsequent teeth).  She immediately went to Target and bought a wallet and make-up with her earnings.  

The kid cannot save.

Every time I look at her toothless grin, my heart sinks that my baby girl is growing up.

Ella Turned 3!!

This post is long overdue.  Ella turned 3!

When Ella woke up Lilly gave her the gift she picked out just for her sister.  Ella loves Barbies and dogs so this was a perfect gift.

 It was a beautiful day.  Instead of a big birthday party (she wanted to go to a "gym") we just met a few friends at a local play place called Kid Junction.  Ella gets nervous easily and wasn't sure about having a party so we played it off as just a fun time at a gym and fun it was! Getting ready to leave...

 Fun in the taxi with Christina.

 The boys kept sliding off the seat and into the floor of this car.  It was so funny.

 I love this picture.  It makes me think of them as 17 year olds in a real car.  The way Gabe is looking at Luke cracks me up.

 Playing in the pretend diner.

 Birthday girl with Mommy and Daddy!

 Luke shopping in the pretend grocery store.

 The dads...

 The moms...

 Even though there were only 3 families, we had plenty of kids!

 We were the only people at Kid Junction.  It worked out perfectly.  We even got the run of the snack area.  We enjoyed dinner as the kids went in and out to play.

 Ella picked out doggie plates and napkins.

 Ella's doggie cake.

Happy 3rd Birthday sweet girl.  You are such a blessing in our lives.  We love you so much!

Spinning

Life is getting crazier.

I find myself saying, "Oh my gosh" often.

We have two toddling baby boys, one of which is very very active.  The other is observing and I fear will become just as active. 

They get into everything all.day.long.

 Luke climbs everything.  He's a little Lilly but stronger.  The boy is an ox.  This is not a flattering picture at all but while I was snapping pictures of his brother covered in cookie this is what he was doing.  He took off his own overalls.  He's my crazy boy.  That's an understatement. This boy can singl-handedly dismantle our entire home in minutes.

 They love the dishwasher.

No, Luke's not grabbing a knife.  It's a spatula.

 They don't like the fun to end.

 They kids are all wonderful but it's getting a bit hairy having the twins enter toddlerhood.  They unroll all the toilet paper, soak themselves and the bathrooms in the toilets, pull clothes out of drawers, pull plates, cups, and bowls out of cabinets, break everything, throw and slam anything that will make a loud bang, dump over all of the toy baskets, climb on the kitchen table (Luke), pull out all the baby wipes, play with all of Andy's tools, torture the cat (with love?!), rip paper, dig in the trashcan... I could go on and on.  The boys are busy.  Luke is much moreso than Gabe.

 They love to help.  I had a lot of help raking the yard.  

What is Gabe looking at?

 Lukey Luke...

 They boys are also starting to show love for one another which totally kills me.  They make one another laugh, put their heads together to show affection, hold hands, and hug.  It's the most adorable thing on the planet (besides my girls).

 Gabe is a proud new walker!!

 On this day we were walking down the block.  Luke went ahead of us and I saw him going around our neighbor's car and we turned to get him and ...

 He was in my neighbor's van buckling himself in.

These boys warm my heart so much.