Wordless Wednesday

 

 

The winter that won't let go...

This has been a record-breaking winter for so much of the US.  We are shattering cold and snow records left and right.  Now don't get me wrong; I'm all for record breaking.  For example, watching that Dutch speed skater set a new Olympic Record on Sunday -- pure magic!  But shattering the record (and I do mean SHATTERING) for the longest number of consecutive days with more than 1, 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, or even 12 inches of snow on the ground in recorded history is not really my idea of fun. Our kids, however, have been having a great time (when the temperatures have allowed them out, that is...)  Here's a few pictures of our kiddos in the snow.

 

Our angel making a snow angel

  

It wouldn't be ... well, anything... if Hudson wasn't on his tractor.

 

Hunter pushing his "snowblower"

 And then there's this guy....

For his 4th birthday last year, Hudson asked us, repeatedly, for a snow shovel.  So a snow shovel he got.  Thank goodness!  This kid is a snow shoveling machine!  Hudson LOVES to shovel!  (And you won't hear us complaining one bit about that!)  During a recent snowstorm, I was shoveling the driveway and Hudson came out and said, "Mom, you look like you could use some help!"  SERIOUSLY.  Those words came out of my then-4 year old's mouth!  So he helped me shovel.  And when we went back inside, he told his younger brother, "Hunter, mommy and I made a good team today.  We used teamwork to get that snow shoveling job done.  We did great!" 

Ok.  I'm keeping him.  (Actually, I'm keeping all four of them.  Especially on the hard days.  Because someday I'm going to miss this.)

Another Studio J layout!

Here's another Studio J layout I've been working on.  These pictures are from Samantha's preschool graduation (almost 2 years ago!!!)   It uses the Boom-di-ada paper --- and looks great with Samantha's outfit!  What a fun night we had!

 

ENJOY!

In March, Close To My Heart is releasing their new digital scrapbooking line.  I have spent the past few hours (as in 90 minutes) playing around with this AWESOME software, and have caught up on six wonderful layouts.  These are just snapshots from the computer screen of what the layouts look like, but let me tell you how fun, easy and FAST it is!  You don't download or purchase software -- it is all done through a consultant's website.  You design it on Studio J and then purchase it.  Close To My Heart prints it and ships it directly to you.  Take a peek at what I made.. (and you can click on each layout to get a bigger glimpse!)

 

  

  

  

In the first layout, I obviously have a picture or two I want to still add, but look at the rest of them!  They look awesome and it is SO easy!  Can't wait to share more!

How can it be?

Can it really be time to celebrate my 2nd child's 5th birthday? It IS! Yesterday, we gathered with family to celebrate my husband's 35th birthday and my son's 5th birthday. (The birthday boy is the one in green.)

It is hard for me to believe that 5 years ago today, I was baking and frosting sugar cookies while it was snowing, with NO idea whatsover that in one day, ON my DUE DATE of all days, we would welcome our second child, our first son.

Tune in tomorrow for a look back!

Quarterback in the making?

Anyone who knows my husband knows he LOVES football. So it should be no surprise that he frequently "discusses" with the boys what positions he thinks they'll be suited for when they are bigger. And oh yes, it starts this young. (Of course, he realizes that football is not necessarily going be to as revered by his sons as it is by him...and he's okay with that. But he still dreams...)

So I couldn't resist snapping these pictures of our happy baby playing with the football a few weeks back. Isn't that smile just about enough to melt your heart? Hard to believe that little guy is almost 10 months old! I can honestly say that the past 10 months have FLOWN by!

Happy Tuesday!

It's been a few months...

Our family continues to amaze me by how much we can change and grow in the matter of just two and half months! I can't believe I let 10 weeks go by without a post about our family! Forgive me! Here is our first family photograph taken as a family of 6....we took it this weekend at the pedestrian bridge that cross the Missouri River.


Since June, Easton has doubled his birthweight and started laughing. We are finding that he is a funny boy who is a bit of a flirt. He'll suck his bottom lip in like he's getting ready to cry just to get you to make a funny face at him and then let out this great big deep-from-the-toes giggle accompanied by a huge smile. He smiles with his entire body! The enthusiasm from this wiggle-worm is contagious! He reminds me so much of his big sister, Samantha -- the way they look (although he is MUCH larger than she is , and obviously, a boy!), the way they act, they way they move...it is kind of like deja vu for me! Easton is simply a delightful, content, laid-back baby who loves a good cuddle.

Hunter has grown into such a big boy -- he turned 3 in July and I can't believe how tall he is getting. It amazes me that he is only 3 -- Matt and I often talk about how we have to remind ourselves that he is only 3 and that we can't expect him to be able to do things that his older sibs can do, but the thing is, usually he can! He can ride a bike (albeit with training wheels), he can throw a ball, he can jump, he can climb the rock wall, he wants to swim, he knows his letters, etc... Hunter, most of the time, is very eager to do what his brother and sister are doing, but sometimes it just takes him a little longer to "jump in" -- while most times he has a little less fear than we'd like, he has days of caution where he'll sit back and watch what's going on before he jumps in. He can certainly show a stubborn side (what 3-year-old doesn't?), but he is the happiest child I think I have ever seen. I remember being terrified when I found out I was pregnant with him -- I had a very challenging 7 month old at the time, and a 2 year old, and I didn't know how in the world I'd handle a third one. God sure knew what he was doing though -- Hunter is kind of the light of our family and easy to get along with. He seems to enjoy having a baby brother -- he asks to hold him frequently, and we're delighted to see that. It's hard to believe that in just a few weeks he's going to start PRESCHOOL!

Hudson is turning into a little fish -- a year ago, this kid would barely get near a pool. Now, he's jumping in without prompting, dunking his entire head under the water, and trying to swim on his own in the neighbor's pool. He's writing his name, and starting to recognize a few words, but reading, we think, is still a long ways off (which is fine, since he's only four!) He's a bike riding machine, too -- Hudson can ride 10 miles without batting an eye! He looks forward to the days he and daddy get to go on bike rides together, and he does a great job of keeping up with daddy and mommy! What an exciting September Hudson will have when he starts his second year of preschool!

Samantha is definitely our little mommy. She is eager to help out with the baby, and wants more than anything to help her brothers (when they'll let her). She took a baking class this summer and is right alongside me in the kitchen many days helping with dinner. I'm glad to see her enthusiasm for cooking -- that's something I didn't develop until Matt and I got married, and I wish I would have had more of a desire to cook alongside my mom! It's fun to have her with me, preparing food for our family. I think she likes that it's an important job to prepare the meals that nourish our bodies -- she loves to feel valued and appreciated! This weekend, Samantha and I are participating in a women-only Triathlon! I'm so excited to do this with her! We'll be sure to take pictures! She started first grade two weeks ago, and I am just in awe of the love of learning this girl has! Samantha is so enthusiastic about school, and I hope her love for learning never fades!

I've been spending my time cooking and baking up a storm. I cook for our friends and family, and couldn't be more excited to prepare food for them. But this love for all things food-related has forced me out of the house to run 20 or 25 miles during the week. I'm so proud of myself for doing it! It's such a wonderful release to go run miles. I feel like a new mom when I get home!

My goal for the school year -- to post pictures of our kids once a week! And to get back to papercrafting....I have missed it so much over the past year, and really want to do it again!