Innovation while Mommy showers....

Yeah. Title says it all. While I was showering the boys got C off the bed and created a little playpen for him. Apparently they managed to get him off the bed "without hurting him so it was okay." This is one of those parent moments where you just smile and nod and ask them to obey the rules even when they think they are being safe.

All Day Long

this is what the boys do.

It really flies..

Where have the past 5 1/2 months gone????

First Soccer Game

Four and five year old soccer is just all about keeping the ball moving. The kids were either into it for a few minutes, tantruming on the sidelines, or just doing their own thing (one kid put his arms inside his t shirt and laid down on the field). W's team lost two players from the start so they were outnumbered at any given time in the game. 7 1/2 minute quarters should be shortened to 5 in my opinion.
W was just so proud to hear me cheer for him that he'd forget it was the ball he was supposed to kick and would just smile at me and G while the other team stole the ball from him.

All in all, a good time. W thought the capri sun roaring waters juice packet he was given afterwards was "yucky water" and he threw it out and asked the a mom from the other team for an organic chocolate milk instead. He got that and a rice krispie treat which he thought was "very nice, like rice and sweet stuff."

D.C.!!!!

Wow. Twenty seven and a half years it took me to get here!

They boys enjoyed riding the subway. We walked A LOT. Saw the Capitol building, the Lincolon memorial, the reflecting pool (W really wanted to swim in it but it was green and there was lots of goose doo doo around), the Vietnam War memorial, and the Korean War memorial.

Camping+Fishing+Swimming=One Tired BOY!!!

Members day at the Zoo

C took W and G and they got to ride the train for free!!! This was taken end of July.

Brothers....

My artist

almost three months!!!

my how he has grown!!

Announcing the arrival of

the newest member of our family!!!

Caedmon Bryce Powell ;

Born at home into the loving hands of his father,

March 18, 2008 at 8:19am,

Weighing 8 lbs. 9 oz. and measuring 20 1/2 inches long.



His name means "wise warrior; alert, ambitious." The story behind his first name can be found here).



We are flat-out enamoured with him and mama is enjoying her babymoon. His brothers have welcomed his presence quite easily (so far) and love up on him constantly. Daddy is a strong and loving anchor to all of us during this time of transition.



We are truly blessed!

Specific request

We went on a family walk tonight, it was so gorgeous out. W specifically asked for me to take this picture with this precious tree as he deemed it.

What a cutie!

Belly!

Yes, there is a very active baby in there that has had a recent growth spurt (as evidenced by my ravenous appetite and belly growth).

A little haircut

Before and Afters

I guess the only hair length I can cut is SHORT!!!!!!!!!!!

Christmas Day... well some of it!

Christmas Day started with W looking through the gift bags Daddy had painstakingly packaged up the night before... of course they were for us to take with us and not for him to open. He and G finally realized that their gifts were under the tree and they opened them quickly. W loves his Audborn Society cardinal. It is the one toy that makes noise that I actually like.

G was so excited to see Cars cars. He got Sally and W got Chicks Hicks.

After they opened great Grandmom & great Grandpop's presents (more jammies! and mushabelly stuffed animals with fleece blankies), we had early breakfast, got dressed and headed over to Gigi's. We had brunch there and met with more family. And opened more presents. It was mass chaos with W wanting to open everyone's presents, then wanting to hand out everyone's presents, then wanting to help everyone open their presents. With three young boys present, (ages almost 4 and two 2 year olds) there was plenty of action. C sure loved the Hot Dog Johnny's T shirt that his brother and SIL gave him!!

And M just really wanted to go back to sleep

before the rest of the festivities of the day.

Christmas Eve

Christmas Eve started slowly for us. We baked cookies all afternoon after going out for two hours to get a few ingredients Great Grandmom didn't have. Phew traffic! After cleaning up the kitchen we ate venison stew and hurried off to church (BCCC) for a candlelit service. The kids got glowsticks for safety's sake so they were thrilled. W really liked the Happy Birthday Jesus song. When we got back we opened our Christmas eve presents (new jammies and toothbrushes) before visiting a bit with the great grandparents. Then it was "brush teeth - read books - go sleep!!" G fell asleep in Daddy's arms before the 12 days of Christmas song book was even over!

Happy Birthday!!!

G's birthday was such fun. He loved his quad racer and the new hat I knit him to match his new jacket (thanks Grandma!). And finally! He has his own backpack!!

He loved wearing the silly giraffe hatband we got instead of birthday hats (W got a parrot). And the balloons and streamers galore were a big hit when the boys came home from the playground.

And he had plenty of help opening all the presents.

The family at Thanksgiving

November at Turtle Park

These are from when we went to Turtle Park down the street and tried to get pictures of us for our Christmas cards. It was cold, the sun kept bothering W's eyes and both kids were whiney and hungry. I was tired and hungry. C was just wanting everyone's cooperation. We ended up deciding to try and take pictures again but never did and so that is why no one got Christmas cards from us this year!