Spiderman...

Noah has started to take an interest in super-heros. We really haven't encouraged any of that since it's pretty violent, but we're not against it, we just figured he had plenty of time to get around to it. Well he has now. So he wanted to watch the spiderman 3 blue-ray we've had forever and never watched. So, we watched about a 1/2 hour of it last night. They don't look super happy here because it was an intense part and they just happened to look over as I was taking it;) But they enjoyed themselves very much, though it was scary for them!

{this moment}

Yesterday we had some of our friends over for the parents to relax after a long day and the kids to wear themselves out! They all came out giggling historically, and when we saw Jakey we started laughing too. He was wearing Riley's strong glasses! Andrew straigtened them on his head then we took that pictures. Our kids always keep us laughing, but especially Jakey lately. He's so funny!

Genius!

I finished putting together my scrapbooks (for the most part) that have been sitting on my dresser for months. Literally months. They just needed to be put in time order and put back together. The boys lives are all complete and caught up, and mine is missing a few key events still (like Jakey's birth…) but document most of our journey from college to the present. And I figure I have the boys books which have everything in them that I can look at for the next 18 years while they are living with us…

So, the first and last page of the scrapbooks are single pages. I just don't really scrapbook that way! I do mostly/only two page spreads. So, one thing I do is blow up one of my favorite pictures in a 12x12, but that still leaves me with one empty page! So, since I have about an album a year for the boys, I thought I would have them draw a picture every year that I can slide in the last page of the book, and have it so we can see it when we look at their book for that year! Genius! Here is Noah hard at work on his page…he was VERY excited to use my special scrapbooking paper;)

All snuggled up for our morning project...

The finished project! Do you see my long, green hair? I think we need to flip that around… :)

A little journaling included from Mom & Dad...

Oh my...

It's been a while since I've blogged! I'll play a little catch up, but mostly try and be better about taking pictures and documenting life! I am loving the ages of my boys and spending so much time with them.

We've been trying to teach Jakey how to help out a little more as Noah is doing a great job helping out and Jakey is still struggling. So Jakey's been learning to help out more and is taking on more responsibility. Here he is hard at work!

And here he resting after doing that hard work. I love my new ruffle pillows in the background!


Here is Noah…he kind of thinks he's the bomb. I see him here and I picture him as a teenager…oh my little boys!

A Good Morning...

My Jakey is very busy. In fact, he's so busy, that I often dread/avoid taking him more then one place in a day. One store, one errand, you get the picture. I had a doctor's appointment this morning he had to go and sit quietly through while I had an ultrasound. (for a breast lump...nothing serious, everything looked good, and definitely NOT a pregnancy;) He did so well so I decided that in the 1.5 hours left before we had to get Noah we would just stay down by his school and the hospital and run errands. So we went to Target, and not to look at toys. Jakey was very pleasant the whole time and looking at things and talking with me. I may have gotten him a slurp that helped…

Since he did so well and we still had more time to kill, we went to Nordstrom Rack where he again did great while I looked around. That is a store I avoid like the plague with kids. I think I've taken my kids with me one other time. I need to focus while I'm there! :)

We still had a little more time, so where did we go? Costco! I had a return to make. And again Jakey was a perfect little angel. This is not his "normal," so this was a big deal. From 8:30-noon Jakey was running errands with me with no problems, perfect obedience, and told me he had a good morning out of the blue. Something got into that boy and I like it. Maybe it's because he's almost 3. Yes, my baby is almost 3.

An old lady...

It's official…I'm not an old lady. I'm 25 today. I'm a little sad that I'm 25! That's 1/4 of a century! But I'm also excited for all this year will bring with it. But it's been a great year! When I look at all I've done in my life by age 25, I have a lot to be proud of! So this post will be bragging about some of the things I've accomplished in 25 years. ;)

-I found the love of my life

-graduated Salutatorian from high school (in that order;)

-married the love of my life

-graduated from George Fox with my Elementary Education Degree

-managed to do that while giving birth and raising two beautiful boys

-balanced working with raising a family

-have a successful career and positive reputation in the community

-subbing, being NCVBC's club director, running Clackamas Jr. Volleyball for 4 years, taking over Cavalier Volleyball Camp at age 20, and coaching at the club level for 5 years and the high school freshman for 3 years…and being undefeated:) I manage just over 700 players between them all and over 120 coaches. wow.

-influencing and changing lives with all the youth I've worked with over the last few years

-teaching my boys what's really important in this life

-financially stable

-having such a great support group of friends from church

SO many other things that I have to be thankful for, but it's been amazing to see how the Lord has really provided for us in every season and stage of our lives. We've been through so much in our life already, but have seen how God has provided for us with so many different opportunities because of things he's worked out. I am so thankful for this life that I have, and really excited for the next 25! Here's to growing old with the ones I love.

Too Much?

We just woke up for the day, another fabulous morning of sleeping in. I think my boys are better, yesterday I didn't give them any medicine, and they are just coughing today, but all the other symptoms, including fevers, are gone now for 36 hours…yay! So today on the menu we have: the gym, a playdate at the barn with new baby animals that were born and lots of room to play and run, Costco, and a volleyball team dinner tonight. After hibernating for so long in our house doing nothing, I'm wondering if it's going to be too much for our first day of outings? But I'm tired of saying no and canceling things…should I just go for it? I'll let you know how it goes!

Bonding…

I found these pictures on our camera…Andrew took them out for some father-son bonding and did two of his favorite things: golf and pizza! Here are some pictures of their day together:

Wow…they look so old to me here...

The boys are so lucky to have a dad that spends so much time with them!

New Hampshire

Pops with the boys…

We had a fabulous week in New Hampshire enjoying all of Andrew's family. Two of his three brothers were there, Auntie Karen, Jillian, Titi Nellie, and Mom Mom all came down to see us! Since we missed Christmas this year it was great to get to spend time with everyone still. The boys were in heaven with lots of attention! Here are some pictures from our week there.

Jakey and Mom Mom

Building the snowman...

Fresh snow...

I love Jakey's face...

Me and Noah working on the head...

Jakey working on the snowman with Grammy...

They live in such a beautiful area...

We got to celebrate Luke's birthday with him!

Cindy & Luke...

Two goof balls...

Noah loved playing in all the old snow that they had still on the ground…that boy could have fun doing anything!

Not so sure about going in the deep snow...

Me and Titi…what a surprise to have her come visit from NYC!

Jillian and Jakey!

Sisters & Brothers...