Camping

 We took the family camping a few weeks ago.  Penny stayed with us until after dinner and then Nana came and picked her up for the night.  She slept all nice and warm in her own bed while we slept, all four in one sleeping bag, freezing in 30 degree temps with the boys...who were complete troopers.

 Penny loved walking the trails and picking "flowers".  She LOVED being out in the woods.

 Penny was ready for bed and hung out with Daddy and Charlie until Nana came to get her.

 The boys had the BESTtime ever!  They got a long so well.  They didn't fight or argue, it was amazing. They worked together as a team to collect tons of fire wood and had a great time going on hikes together.

 Daddy made his incredible apple, spice cake in the dutch oven.  It is the best cake ever.  The boys just loved every minute of our camping night and can't wait to go back.  Neither can we!

Best friends with their "lovies" who are also best friend.  Precious!

I am so thankful that Trent introduced us to camping and has such enthusiasm for doing it together as a family.  I love that we can create these memories for our family and watch as the children bond even closer to one another.

Just life....

 Not much going on here, just life.

 With our 3 beautiful, spunky, loving kiddos.

Never a dull moment, and I wouldn't have it any other way.

Happy Birthday Tom Jr.

5 years seems so long ago but also feels like just yesterday that I held you for the first time.  You were beautifully BIG, 9lbs 15oz, I just say 10 lbs when I tell people your story.   I remember the stillness of the room as I snuggled you in my robe.  Everyone had left and it was just you and me.  You stared at me with your big round brown eyes and our hearts were joined from that moment on.

Today as we snuggle in your bed every night, you look at me with those same eyes and hug me so tight.  You bring us so much joy sweet boy.  You love so intensely and I know what that feels like.  You put every fiber of your being into whatever it is that you are doing, or want to do.  We love you and hope that you have a great birthday.  You are a blessing!

Love,
Daddy and Mommy

And now for Birthday festivies....Matey!!

We had a morning party with a few school friends, they were oddly quiet and well behaved for a handful of 4/5 year olds!!!.  And then we had family/friends like family party in the afternoon.  Whew, what a day, it was great, long, fun, and the smiles and squeals from my little FIVE year old boy made everything worth while!

decorating pirate hats and telescopes

Sweet treats table

Treasure cupcakes for school party

Jeweled goblets for school party

Every pirate needs a beard

Photo props, Argggggh

Serious and fierce pirates

Matey Charlie yelling "CHARGE!!!"

Walking the plank

Swords (Twizzlers), Sea Fare (Swedish fish) Cannon Balls (cream puffs and molt balls)

School friends digging for treasure

Cannon ball fight (balloons)

Singing Happy Birthday to Tommy, he was so sweet and kept saying "Thank you, thank you" in his shy little voice

Pirate ship cake for afternoon party

Argh!  These guys were into it!!

Daddy getting ready

Penny was upset that she had to wait for the cake...lol

Ah, that is better.  Lounging with Nana and eating chocolate cake.

Yeah for friends!

Thanks Grandpa for making the trip! It means more then you know!

Chocolate golden coins given as favors.  Thanks to Miss Gretchen for doing all the graphics for us!!!

It was SO much fun.  Tommy had a great time and was excited to have all of his friends and cousins with him!!

Happy Birthday big boy, we love you!
C

17 months

Dearest Penelope Jane,
     You are growing so fast and I love watching you make new discoveries and learn new things.  You are sure footed now, practically running, into everything but also a very good listener and nicely follow directions.  I can ask you to go get your shoes and you will, if you have something gross in your mouth all I have to do is ask for it and you quickly obey and spit it out into my hand.  You run to your brothers and Daddy to give kisses and hugs goodnight and wave good bye to Charlie when we drop him off at school.
  You are repeating everything we say, picking up new words daily.  You love other little kids and love to be around them.  You have already hosted your first party and were dressed to the nines in Nie Nie's tutu.
  You love your family and give hugs and kisses sporatically throughout the day.  I love it when you hug me and gently pat or rub my back.  You are by far the sweetest girl there is. 
  You are happy and very laid back.  You rarely cry and when you do it is because you don't feel well or because you have decided to protest whatever it is that we are doing.  You are a fall out, thrash, kick and wail kind of tantrum thrower even though you rarely throw them and can usually be easily redirected.
  You are a good eater, still taking at least 4 bottles of Soy milk a day.  Down to one mid day nap 2-3 hour nap, bedtime is still around 6pm, up around midnight and then this week you have decided to sleep all the way through the night for 3 days in a row!!! 
  You are the light of our family, you bring each and everyone of us such joy.  Daddy and I love watching you with your brothers and already how much you love them and how much fun you all have together.  I pray that the three of you will remain best friends forever!

Love you always my sweet girl!
Mommy

Lucky Charms

 
Last year I had to scare the little green guy out of our house with a slotted spatula before he turned ALL of our food green.  Let's just say that the dramatics less then appealed to the boys, but boy did they remember that little green Leprechaun had visited.  So this year when Tommy's preschool class started having daily visits from "Lucky", TWO WEEKS before St. Patrick's Day mind you ( those ladies are saints, really), we just knew we had to prepare our house for an invasion.

First, we made a trap together as a family.  Charlie did a beautiful job coloring the rainbow while Tommy glued on the clouds and painted the pot black with Dad.  I covered the box with green paper and gathered our "gold".

Lucky did not disappoint this year, that is for sure!  He visited every night the week leading up to St. Patrick's Day and was a clever and mischievous little green man.

The first night he relieved himself in our toilet and didn't flush...how rude!

 and then I think we ticked him off a bit with our trap and so he left his own for us!

He left balloons in the shoe closet,

and footprints in the kitchen 

 and a rainbow in the doorway

and though we didn't catch Lucky, we caught his little top hat in our trap!

Lucky decided to play some tricks on us and made us into Leprechauns on our family photo wall.

 and when the week of Lucky's charms were over he left us some green treats to share with some of our friends.

 We drove to a few friends' houses that are new by and left them some of Lucky's treats in a St. Patrick's Day bag that says "You have been pinched", supposedly if you don't wear green on the day a Leprechaun will pinch you ;)

 

We also made Pots of Gold for Meals on Wheels

and I took in some festive cupcakes for craft day at Charlie's school.

One of my favorite parts was Tommy's parade at school, it was beyond cute!

Penny and her little friend Henry

He was so proud

and happy!