Ski Camp!

We've been to ski camp!  

Almost every year we head up to Mt. Hood for a ski vacation with Gram and Gramp.  This year I hung back at the cabin with the girls and Grammy, but next year I am planning on making my return to the slopes.  We had a wonderful time and celebrated Emilee's 4th birthday while we were there.  Here is a little video montage of all the fun!  Thanks for the fun Grammy and Grampy!  I think we're already dreaming of next year. . .

Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring

Ethan performed this song in church today for the whole congregation!  He did such a great job and we were all very proud of him and all the hard work he puts into his piano.  Great job Ethan!    

a day to LOVE!

I love valentines day.  It's one of my favorite holidays.  Maybe because of the fun decor, or maybe just because it's fun to tell each other how much we love each other.  Anyhoo, here are some pictures from our traditional valentines feast. . .

the "Valentines Fairy" who eveyone knows is me, came and decorated the table and passed out the valentines.

 Daddy's plate included this huge platter of sugar cookies.  I must love him, for I surely loathe making sugar cookies.  These were fun because I did it with a friend, but still, sugar cookies. . .

 Emilee's best sweetheart delivered a valentine.

 Daddy got some new pictures for his office from his 3 valentines.

 The boys enjoyed all the sugar and pretended to be disgusted with all the love.  :)

 Heart shaped pizza, always!

 This is a happy daddy. . .

 and a loved mommy. . .

 

Happy Valentines Day!!!

Portraits

I haven't been in my portrait groove lately.  Every time I've tried to take pictures for their milestones I've felt like I've come up short lately.  Enter Jen!  I hired out the job.  And she did a fantastic job!  It's hard for me to believer she could capture such nice portraits in her living room.  So here are Heidi's 6 month portraits, and Emilee's 4 year portraits.  I asked her to get one of all three of us as well but kind of leave me "in the background" and she did exactly that.  Love them!

Heidi's Chirp

When Heidi is happy, she chirps!  Over, and over, and over again.  It's the cutest little sound around!

Kyle

Meet my newest nephew, Kyle Henry.  He is so cute.  He was born 6 weeks early and has spent the last three weeks in the hospital getting big and hunky.  He's up to about 5.5 pounds and doing very well.  We sure love this little guy and are so glad he stayed in his mommies tummy long enough to be as big and tough as he is.  I got to spend an hour at the hospital with him yesterday and even "fed" him.  That is, I held him while his food made it's way into his little tum tum and he hiccoughed like crazy.  We had a great time together.

Looking forward to more play dates!

It's been a slow week around here. . .

Not much new to report.  The boys are looking forward to an upcoming ski trip.  We know this because they've started wearing the helmets when doing vigorous activities, like playing Wii.

 Caught ya!  Aidan is sure we are going to save this picture for when he's on his mission and then look back and giggle about him.  I'm pretty sure he's right!

 Emilee will get a few more years of wear out of this one. . .

 And Daddy hurt his back.  Well, Daddy hurt his back Christmas day crouched under the tramp for 2 hours while we installed the safety net.  When he got up he was never the same.  And then, it kept hurting more and more.  Now he's really hurt.  Hoping for a better week for him!  Luckily, he brought an iPad home from work a week or so ago and the children are very content to lay on the floor and play games with him.  Look at Heidi's stretch back there!

Happy Valentines this week!  See you next week!

the Dirndl

When my parents returned from Austria this past October, they brought a special little treat for Emilee with them.  She enjoys wearing her dirndl whenever occasion arises, which to her is about every other Sunday.  She's as cute as a button, isn't she?  And the green in the skirt is just to die for.  We love it!

 Natural smiles are few and far between at this age, in front of a camera. . .

 Oh, there's one!

Thanks Grammy and Grampy for thinking of our girl while abroad!  We love it!

6 months old

Well, I failed at my once a week post, and am playing catch up!  I shall post just once this week, and it's all about Heidi!  (a little slow with the camera trigger finger this week)

This week Heidi went from just rolling to getting up on all fours.  She is building up she strength and will probably be crawling by March, that would be my prediction.

 Yesterday for her 1/2 birthday, Chandler chose a cake for FHE treats.  So, he and I made a little chocolate cake during the afternoon.

 And daddy let her taste the chocolate frosting.  Don't worry, I said "don't do it!" and did my obligatory discouragement.  But, he did it anyway, and that was fine because she didn't seem impressed.  This did surprise me a little as it was 1. chocolate and 2. the only other thing besides breast milk and rice cereal that she's ever tasted.

 Daddy's girl!

Heidi is such a sweet little bear.  I don't think there is a time that I pick her up that I don't have these strong feelings of "Please don't grow up!  Stay little forever!" and "Grow and be healthy!  Fly little bird!"  all at once. It's weird to feel so conflicted constantly with my emotions surrounding her.  About a month ago, I made a conscious choice that I would be happy about Heidi growing up.  I had to do it.  I decided to celebrate and love every stage she's in currently, and not constantly long for more time with my baby.  Surely they all grow up.  It's just hard to know probably the last time I'll get to yell at Gordon to stop feeding the baby inappropriate things, wake up 3x a night to feed someone, pretend to be asleep so Gordon will get the binky, constantly have barf on my shirt, and an excuse to have messy hair all day every day.  Yep, I love it.  All of it.  And I'm going to miss it.  But instead of worrying about how much I'm going to miss it, I'm going to just love it while I've got it.

Okay, I've waxed sentimental long enough, I am needed in the basement for a marble display put on by a 3 and 5 year old.  Gotta run!