Blog catch up - September

The best toys are still empty boxes

Talk like a pirate day at Krispy Kreme.  Jeff can be super creative with costuming when free doughnuts are involved.  Simon cracks us up with his "Arrgh. maybes!" 

Bye, bye crib...Loving the big boy bed

Happy 4th birthday blueberry girl!

Blog catch up - month by month - August

(this series by request - JMJ!- I needed the kick in the pants)

First day of school- Madeline is in first grade this year! 

Sara is in her second year of preschool and Simon joined her for his first year

I have exactly 7 1/2 hours to myself per week

except for the days that I sub, or volunteer at school....

Summer so far...

Double cousins on the cabin couch...

These are my cousins kids and our kids; age range eight to two.  The bunch in the middle are separated by just a few months and they all played together wonderfully. 

Simon as a real live action doll- the girls love to dress him up and 

as you can tell, he doesn't mind a bit. 

Breakfast in bed on Daddy day.. the munchkins three thought this was super cool. 

Lots of swim lessons at UT this summer.  Madeline and Sara have both come so far!!  

Madeline's crowing achievement last summer was being lowered by one lifeguard off the diving board into another lifeguards arms in the water.  No hesitation this year!  

She even jumped off the high dive- 14 feet ish? 

Blueberry picking over the 4th of July... Farm...

to mouth.

Frozen for the winter months- 

I want that big one in the middle and no one will have to know. 

11,000 Adoptions!!!

Our adoption agency celebrated 11,000 adoptions today!  They e-mailed all of us last week and asked that we send in pictures of our kids with an 11,000 sign to celebrate and place in their scrapbook.  Guess whose daddy is an engineer???

Visit their website for an amazing glimpse into GOTCHA day!

Birthdays ; recent and really not so recent...

Our happy little dude turned two on the first of January.

Since he's a Chinese Southerner, it only seemed appropriate that his birthday cake be a red velvet.  This is my grandmother's recipe, and my first attempt at it.  I was nervous to try it out, because this is one of those childhood memories that is very vivid in my mind.  I remember hers being so moist and luscious, I never expected to be able to replicate it in the least.  It was EXACTLY as I remembered and I was so glad to carry on the tradition of it.  And I know many of you are not fans of red dye #40, so know that Wilton carries a "Christmas Red" that is red of a different number.  But, for once a year, caution to the wind eh? 

I love this look Simon is giving Sara- it's like 

"Hey girl, I 'm two, I think I can rip a package without help now.. really!"

 Madeline celebrating her 6th birthday at home with sweet little girls

The labor behind the cupcake.  Don't let the height fool you, they are quite accomplished.