Fun to be 2

Snow Princess

A Rare Treasure

We seldom get an entire Saturday to just be at home together! It was amazing! We started this fabulous day with a yummy breakfast that Levi helped Daddy make.

Then we bundled up and took Anna for her first cross-country ski trip down to the park - it was a blizzard of snow out and we had a great time!I carried Anna on my front and Joel carried Levi on his back. It was a good work-out!

Once at the park, Levi protested the return trip... even though we were all frozen. It took him a few minutes on the swing by himself to finally call, "Daddy, I'm cold... I'm cold, Daddy."We ended the day by babysitting Cole & Cooper - it was a fun-filled, a bit chaotic evening!

Winter Has Arrived!

A beautiful snowfall arrived today! All morning, Levi kept jumping up on his little chair that he'd pulled under the kitchen window to see the snow. Each time he'd look back at me and ask if there was enough to go sledding, yet. Finally it covered the grass and we went out to play! Here is Levi's first snowman! He named it "Josslyn" after one of his little friends. Anna was so bundled up and cozy warm that she nearly fell asleep in my arms. What a pretty day! Oh, yes, and those leaves that you see all over the snowman.... there are about 6 inches of them under the snow... our amazing maple tree drops them so late! It actually still has 1/2 a tree full of yellow, snow-covered leaves! Raking them is usually our first "yard-work day" come March :)

Smoky Mountains!

We stayed in an amazing cabin in Pigeon Forge.

What a great family trip! The roads were very steep - these pics don't give nearly the same feel ... that feeling that the front of the van might just lift right off the ground and do backflips all the way down the mountain??? yeah, that feeling.

Nana & Papa with 3 grandkids! Sooo FUN!!!!

"What do you think, Levi?"

"I don't know, Austin. Those jets make me a little nervous. I've heard that if you just pinch your butt cheeks together like me, you'll be fine."

Happy Anna

so this pic was obviously not taken at night!

Big Boy, Levi drinking from a real glass!

Anna loving on her Aunt Kyndra!

Joel & Paula's hike up to Alum Cave Bluff... a little bit "smoky" to say the least.

Nothing better than a mountain view, and being surrounded by 3 hot (naked?) boys in a "hot bath tub" (as Levi called it)!!!!

"I think this is how you do it, Austin."

"Gross! She's your sister, Levi!"

"Yeah? Well she's YOUR cousin!"

About 6 months old...

It's fun to compare our very different kiddos - here are pictures of both of them at about 6 months old - Anna is a little bit younger than Levi was when this picture was taken of him. They are our treasures!

Lake Michigan - Aug.08

Fun with Nana & Papa!

Fun with Nana & Papa!

Poor Levi ... home with a fever - all he wanted to do was sleep on the couch all day long.

Fun times at home.

"Here's my tractor!"

I'm sooo hungry I could eat the high chair!

Yes! Yes! Yes! Food!!!

Doc. Appt.

Anna had her 4 month visit today - although she is nearly 5 months, now. She weighs 16 pounds & is 25 inches long! Big, CHUBBY girl :) We were given the go-ahead to give her some real food - and she LOVED it! She couldn't get the spoon into her mouth fast enough - using both of her little hands to help!

Food For Thought

George Washington Carver was as concerned with his students’ character development as their intellectual development.

His eight cardinal virtues for his students were:

• Be clean both inside and out.
• Neither look up to the rich or down on the poor.
• Lose, if need be, without squealing.
• Win without bragging.
• Always be considerate of women, children and older people.
• Be too brave to lie.
• Be too generous to cheat.
• Take your share of the world and let others take theirs.

Bath Fun!

CAMPING!

We had a super fun weekend with our friends the Oliphants. Jamie, Jason, Charlie & baby Nathan. We camped in Manistee National Forest & tried out our new, larger tent that can accomodate all 4 of us - and more! We really had pretty good weather, after the initial GIANT storm Friday night. Levi ended up waking up afraid and climbing in our bed sometime around 4 am.... at about 5:30 the fun was not quite so fun anymore as we were trying to sleep and Levi continued to make a game out of sleeping with Mommy & Daddy. Each time I'd be nearly sleeping, he'd tap my forehead and say with a great big grin, "Hi Mommy!" So back to his bed he went! Anna slept through the whole thing. Levi climbing the dunes...
Cuties !
Charlie at the playground - such a cutie pie!

This smile is what I love most about life :)

Little green haired babies :) Just kidding.... just the reflection of the green tarp above them!