June 2013

This month things picked up for our family.

So the AC died in our caravan at the end of March. We stuck it out for a couple of months but were so so excited to upgrade to this beauty! Working AC, working stereo, and automatic doors. Total heaven!

We got it the night before a 2 day drive to the beach!!!

The boys and I joined my family and grandmother for a week on St. George Island.

Despite the longest drive in the world we had a blast!

Toddler headphones and travel DVD players saved our lives.

So did these books with tiny super hero figures.

The books were sort of the best idea ever, until...

we hit any bump in the road and those figures avalanched to the floor.

Then they were the most annoying things ever!

Poor Laura climbed through the car retrieving little toys like 500 billion times.

And this is a picture of the rest of the car...

Yes, you counted correctly.

4 toddler boys. 2 moms in the front seat.

We were probably a little crazy to attempt this, but they actually did really well! 

Sleeping toddlers are probably the best sight on a road trip!

We love the beach!

This boy played his heart out from breakfast till bath time.

Beach sleeping is just so refreshing...

It's been so long since all of us siblings spent so much time together. We had so much fun!

The sweetest brothers.

Andrew, Daniel, and Adam (L to R)

And the whole family! Matt wasn't able to get away from work on such short notice... 

He missed out and we missed him terribly!

Laura, Thomson and Caleb (C is holding the sucker)

I don't have a picture, but all 4 little boys were super heros all week long.

They were adorable.

My sweet G.

Silly J. 

So full of attitude.

30 weeks.

Can't wait to meet baby girl!

I love my parents! 

I love J, but sometimes he's a little intense. He loves to watch movies and will actually sit through them.

So once we discovered he would let us eat in peace by watching Hook on my mom's computer, we were set! He is a super picky eater and survived the week on cereal. 

He watched Hook like 12 times off in a corner of the living room. What a funny guy.

This boy loved the beach. And the waves. 

Then we made the long journey home. It was such a wonderful wonderful vacation. 

I really hope we're able to do it again next year so Matt can be a part of it!

G is still in a major love affair with policemen. The hat goes everywhere.

He found that watch at my mom's house.

Then he wanted me to take this picture of him. 

Looking like a fierce policeman.

Oh, and he never wears a shirt. Ever.
He wears one when we go somewhere but once we get to any friend's house or back home the first thing he does is lose his shirt...

J's hair.

It's sort of taking on it's own personality...

This is probably my favorite picture in a while.

I think it captures both of them so perfectly!

And I love that they're both wearing belts.

I love my boys. I love that they love to snuggle.

And I'm ready to have this baby!

Hair.

So big news on the house front.

We got a contract!

Just a week after we got back from the beach things finally started to move with the house. 

Such an answer to prayer!

It was bitter sweet to pack up the house. Our first home. 

The trees that we planted. The rooms we painted. 

The doors that welcomed our first 2 babies.

We had a lot of fun making memories and building our family in this house!

May 2013

This is one of my favorite sights. 

The boys love it when Matt reads to them and Matt loves to read.

It's a win win!

Baby Girl at 25 weeks...

When it rains for a week straight...

We eventually go for an umbrella adventure.

J loves to take pictures now...

G really enjoyed helping me make a big batch of burritos for the freezer.

It's extra cute when he just wears undies.

We got 35 burritos out of our cooking extravaganza!

J and his lounging.

Both of these pictures were in the same afternoon...

We love goggles.

My favorite silly face.

He has eyebrow skills.

His eyes...

They own me.

 We enjoyed a morning of strawberry picking!

G was so proud of his lego McDonalds. So awesome!

He is obviously very familiar with the drive through. 

He gives me away...

April 2013

Raise your hand if you like to mop.

I LOVE a freshly mopped house. 

The smell is delightful as are the shiny floors in the sunlight.

I know, I might have issues.

We also found out that we were adding a sweet little girl to our family!

We were so very thankful and thrilled... Of course for a healthy report but also for the pink!

Graham has been saying all along that our baby had to be a girl. Glad we didn't have to give him disappointing news. He is busy planning what a police girl can wear...

 Lots and lots of park time.

Boys love sticks.

Matt had a conference in Charleston so we were happy to tag along!

Spring allergies are particularly bad for G. 

We were hoping to miss them on the east coast... we were wrong. 

Thankfully it rained several times so we could play outside and enjoy the mild weather!

And when it rains for 2 days straight - little boys must explore puddles. 

With boots. With backpacks.

Doesn't everyone wear glasses while eating TCBY?

We had so much fun filling up nana and granddaddy's days!

G of course loved the water. Matt had the best time pushing him into some waves!

And thankfully J was more cheerful about the beach this year.

He still had to wear his flip flops at all times but it was a big improvement!

This little one. I love him and his sweet curls so much!

Vacation is so exhausting.

Sometimes even eating lunch is just too much work.

March 2013

Oh real camera...

I promise I still love you.

Seems as though I'm only take pictures with my phone these days...

This kid. He is just so funny! I love seeing his little personality...

He is a professional lounger. 

He can get comfortable with a pillow and blanket faster than you can turn on a movie for him.

I promise he got settled all by himself in this picture!

One cold rainy day the boys hijacked the laundry baskets.

They became boats.

Then the boats wanted to watch Little Einsteins.

Our Target also has underground covered parking...

So we go a lot. It's the easiest thing to do on a rainy day.

Oh how I love this sweet boy!

He so rarely falls asleep during the day anymore.

February 2013

February - just another cold snuggly month in our lives...

G enjoyed many a "nap nest"

These are his two favorite loveys...

We found a puffy sticker bucket. 

Who puts stickers on paper anyway?

Please notice the toy hand.

With a death grip on his two favorite policemen figures.

On this day we napped at opposite ends of the couch. It was sweet.

I love G's hair...

They love reading the playmobil "magazines" (booklets that come in the box).

J's first solo castle.

I loved watching his process.

And I'm sure he loved that G wasn't bossing his every move.

Nap nest.

Toy hand.

On this day, February 12, 2013.

G decided on his own to give up his bink. 

Binks are for babies. Big boys get to enjoy big boy toys.

So here he is, the next morning, enjoying his playmobil swat team police van.

We knew that he was old enough to not have his bink (and knew we needed to get rid of it). But since he's not just a year or anything, we didn't want to just take them away. As with everything in life, G has his own plan. We tried potty training so many times and he would refuse. When he was ready it was a piece of cake. So we kept talking up big boy toys and letting him know that as soon as he wanted, he could just "try" to sleep without it...we weren't going to pressure him. What do you know, he decided at dinner and it was a done deal. We told him he could just ask for it if he changed his mind... 

I mean, it took him like 3 hours to go to sleep and he said that "lovey missed his bink friend" a few times - but no tears and not once did he ask for it back. We were so shocked and proud of him!

The only downside - the naps in the nap nest pretty much ended... 

Sometimes he'd fall asleep, but not as often.

We got another big snow.

The boys had a blast "sledding" down the front yard in their snow suits!

Always in costume...