Our Snowy Week

Finally some pictures from the last time the camera batteries worked. Twas' the the weekend before Thanksgiving actually, and we got to enjoy it at Chatty and the Mr.'s place. We arrived Friday evening just before this storm hit and woke up to this in the morning. The little men were quite worried that our van windows were covered. "How are we going to see out!?! We will have to clean them off." -Phi

Even the covered porch was "covered" in snow because of the wind.

This one's compliments of Chatty who grab my camera at just the right moment! :)

They were quite amazed and excited as it's the first snow most of them have any memory of except Phi.

Once the proper attire was found they had a blast.

Jeffy was not so sure of it, being it was at least 4-6 inches in most places and deeper were it drifted. After falling over several times he was ready to be done with it.

The guys chatting it up on the porch. (Do guys chat or would that be jabbering?? Discussing, discussing, that's it!) :) The sunshine was lovely here but once we got into town it was too chilly to enjoy much out of doors.

Phi was litterly rolling in the stuff as though he were in the sand at the beach or something.

Chatty got out some beach toys and the boys loved it. We headed for home Sunday with just a dusting farther South but more falling as we drove, later in the day.

At some point that week we were home and got this light dusting of our own to enjoy, much to the small men's delight.

They made this arrangement themselves, always gotta' have some challenge.

Half a week home and then we were off to Kate n Taeo's house for Thanksgiving and more snow. Somehow I managed to get all snow pic's and no indoor scenes. But, this I once again blame on my batteries which dejuiced this first day and I never took the time/ had the energy to get new ones the rest the weekend.

So here's Taeo thinking it looks like a lot of fun out there!!!

They were following Grampa's trails in the park, then Phi decided to head out as the "snowplow."

It was quite deep were it drifted and soo cold that it didn't pack real well.

"This stuff is overrated Mom, Can I go back in yet?!"

It was nap time and he was so snuggled up in his snow clothes that he nearly went to sleep before we got him out here. Jeffy had decided he'd had enough snow the last weekend and wouldn't go out in it without a fuss.

Shovels and a truck kept them busy for a while till the big people came out and built a sled trail.

Thankfully in all our travels the Lord graciously gave us good roads as we do not have a 4x4.

So that's been our snow thus far this season, though Phi keeps hoping for more around our house. And I wouldn't mind it either now that we're home safe and sound! :)

PS: The lovely new format is thanks to Mr Tech. I'm so dense right now that it took him looking at it to realize that the previous background had expired and that's why there was an annoying box in the middle of the screen when you tried to read it!!! :)

Only a boy...

Be warned, don't read this if you are at all squeamish!!

So we're heading out to Grampa and Gramma's for dinner on a lovely Sunday afternoon, when from the back seat Phi calls, " Mom, Leroy ate a booger".
Mom (thinking OK gross, but whatever) asks: "Leroy why did you do that??"
Phi (fills in for him in his tattletale voice): " Well I took one out of my nose, and I put it right here (pointing to spot on pant leg) and he took it and when I tried to get it back he put it in his mouth and ate it."
Groan! Gasp! Gag!
The joys of boys! ;P

Hello again!

I've been hoping to do a catch up post on the last 6 months going on 7 with a few pictures. But due to the fact that we recently got a new computer, I don't know where they are currently. That's my excuse anyway, so I'll just jabber a bit about what's been happening in our lives. I suppose the biggest item and soon to fill a large part of our days is the little one we expect to make an appearance around the January 19th, 2011! That's all of 5 weeks away which is rather startling and exciting at the same time. This pregnancy has been much like the last with a lot of struggles, the first 4 months I had tons of nausea and cramping so we didn't end up telling anybody until we were almost 18 weeks. Finally around that time we realized there were lots of intestinal issues going on so got on track with some supplements for that and it made a big difference until about 25 weeks when we found that the thyroid was acting up again and iron levels were low again as well... so energy has been greatly lacking but D-day is near! :D
I s'pose the next biggest event in our lives which is old news to most, was that my littlest brother got married in June, in Illinois, in the hottest part of the summer there. Well maybe not hottest but it was the first time I had experienced humidity and being about 2 and a half months into this pregnancy and feeling rotten didn't help. I'm sooo glad for pictures cause it was a blur for me though I wouldn't have missed it for any thing!!! We are very thankful for A. Ruth!!
Third on the list of most relevant would be that Mr .Tech branched out on his own back in the end of August . Something he's wanted to do for years but never felt the timing was quite right until now. This may sound a little absurd, as in how would the time seem right, now with the economy in a recession and our fourth child on the way?!? But, it did and it's been awesome!! He's been as busy or busier than before but able to be around more in the mornings when the boys wake up instead of the strict 8:00 to 5:00 of before, and of course we've all loved it! Mr. Tech loves the freedom of it and we've benefited from much more Daddy time most weeks!!!
The most recent happening is a relative of Mr. Techs who also happens to be a general contractor with time to work on our basement!! Yippee, we might accually get to use it one of these days!! For the last five years it hasn't been usable other than the washer and dryer. Once finished it will have a bathroom, two bedrooms plus a big multipurpose room for the kids to run off energy in!!! Can you see why I might be a little excited. Laundry can even remain down there (temporarily of course ;D) instead of up here on the couch!! The possibilities are many!
So that brings us to the here and now which is currently dinner time for us, the intent is to get some recent pictures on here soon. Hope to be back soon.

We made it...

To the end of the alphabet! We actually finished at the end of April and then waited for the second Tuesday in May so we could get into the Portland Zoo for only $2 a person! It ended up being a busy day and the Zoo does not have enough parking. So to the great excitement of most the small men (Leroy didn't approve at first but recovered quickly) we had to park a few miles from the Zoo and ride in on a school bus they provide for such occasions.

We were very blessed to get quite a bit of animal action for the day! The sea lions were swimming around and playing by the glass, versus the usual blob sunning it's self on the rock.

The polar bear was scratching an itch on the log.

The elephants were the best, we got into the elephant house and there was only one male elephant not doing much so most people left. The boys were all lined up at the window when a keeper came in with a arm load of hay and a half a honeydew melon. He made the elephant back up and then lay down on command.

then sit up,

and a bow and then he got his melon. Not exactly your typical wild elephant but it was fun to watch such a big animal do those things.

The rest of his cohorts outside were busy too, the year old baby elephant was actually playing in the pool, sitting in the water and then falling over with a splash. That scene is firmly ingrained in Leroy's mind and we hear about it most mornings first thing when he wakes up, "the elapent, plashing in da wader".

Watching the elephants.

Mathew got to come along with Aunt Susie and the boys had a blast together.

The lions weren't too exciting this day, mostly sleeping.

Painted dogs

Hippos,
we're beginning to think they might be statues this is the almost identical position they were in last time we visited a year ago ;)

"Zeba-ra" (Leroy's pronunciation)

The one giraffe was indoors, not sure what happened to the rest of them there used to be at least 4.

The Alligator, I think,
tho' it could be the crocodile. I can't remember how to tell them apart and they were in the same encloser but separated with a natural rock wall.

A funny deer and ducks

Aunt Susie and the three little men.

The chimps were very active, eating broccoli (which impressed Phi) and pushing hay around the cage.

And last of all were the penguins, we couldn't find any at first and then some came swimming in and this little guy posed nicely for us before swimming off again.

Then it was back to the school bus to find our cars and head home for late naps and meeting night. :D It was definitely worth the $12 dollars it cost for all of us to get in (Gramma came too) since that is the average cost per adult on normal days.


So we are trying to decide when to start working on numbers now. I haven't decided whether to continue with the week per letter/number or how to work this. We've been playing Hide and Go Seek so that Phi works on counting from 1 to 10 so it will just be number recognition and amounts that we work on. June and July are very busy months for us so might wait for a bit of that to pass first before jumping in to this next phase. Thanks for reading and encouraging us along!

1 year

...Since I last posted, well not quite. But this little man

turned 1 on the 1st of May! It very hard to grasp that it's been a whole year since this.

and this.

He and Unca Dave shared the party since Dave's falls at the end of April.
The birthday boys.

So here's Jeffy's cake.

And Dave's, a Applesauce Raisin with cream cheese frosting. So yummy!

And here's the cake's demise. First the candies, Phi did the exact same thing only being the first and careful child he had to be told, yes go ahead and eat the cake too. :)

Not so with mister third child.

He knew exactly what to do with it.

No questions asked...

Diggin' in for more.

and then the inevitable sugar overload/time to save some for everyone else.

Opening presents with Daddy. Grandma was distracting the brothers so Jeffy actually got to open his own gifts.

And play with them for a bit uninterrupted.

He was 23 lbs and 29 inches tall at his 1 year check up. Still our little peanut as we call him occasionally. He is quite the talker, not words but baby gabber that sounds like 'what is it" and he'll go on chirping out sounds like a little bird. He does say Daddy and Momma. He loves to clap his hands or feet when he's in the car, hence the nick name Happy Feet. Daddy sings him "if your happy and you know it clap your feet". He doesn't walk yet alone, but loves to walk holding a hand. He will have the most serious conversations with people, making earnest eye contact and chatting away, only all in baby gibber. He's still our snuggliest little man and we love him that way. Happy first birthday little man!