Photo Catch Up. Again.

Snuggly Bathy Baby

Love these Boys.

Sweet Nakey Baby.

Cheese!

Photographically lacking, but I love this picture.

This boy celebrated in style at preschool.

'Rasslin.

No big stories.

Just Sweet Swift Days Flying By.

The Party

There was singing and wishing...

And candle-blowing...

And finally eating!

Presents! 

And poor Eli was convinced that it was his birthday too, and kept asking this pitiful "Package... peeze?" 

and was so devastated that none were for him.

So we found him one.  

After all, the poor kid will be 3 in a few months, and has never had a birthday.

(We met him a stinking 3 days after his 2nd birthday!)

I think he was excited.

And tho it doesn't necessarily look like it in this picture, Isaac was happy for Eli to have a present too.

In fact, he was going to give him one of his own.

Such a good big brother.  :) 

F.I.V.E.

This week my oldest turned 5.  

Five!  

I have to stop and wonder how this happened.  

Please, children.  Stop growing up.  You are making me look old.

Anyway.  My Isaac:  He is Five.  

He wants to be a cowboy when he grows up. 

His favorite color is Red.

His favorite game is Angry Birds.

His favorite movie is Cars 2.

He calls his preschool/daycare the "Big Huge Class."  

When he was 4...

He lost 2 teeth.

He grew 3.5 inches.

He stayed a week at Grandma's, all by himself.

He played his first soccer games.

He became a big brother... twice!

Can't wait to see what 5 has for us!

What's a Liebster?

I have no idea.  (Actually, it's German for "dearest."  I did learn that much.)

Apparently it's an "Award" for small blogs (less than 200 followers), in honor of their incessant and often overlooked awesomeness.  At least that's what I'm telling myself.  Unfortunately, I don't think I actually won anything.  But I'll let you know if checks start arriving in the mail.

So I guess this is how it works.  I come up with 11 interesting things about myself.  Then answer the 11 questions the person who nominated me wrote.  Then come up with 11 questions to ask the next people.  Then nominate 11 new people, and let them know of their nomination.  (Apparently the Germans really like the number 11.)

Sounds like your basic chain letter to me, but it might be fun.  So let's go.

11 Things About Me:

1.  I am Awesome, and I recently won the Liebster Chain Letter Award.
2.  I have long toes.  When I was in high school, and detasseled in the summer, the other kids called me Monkey Toes.  That'll teach me to take off my shoes on the bus ride home.
3.  I detasseled for 3 or 4 summers. It was actually way more fun than you think. I also worked as a lifeguard (and had a good tan).  And later a nursing assistant.  I have never worked in fast food.  I have however, eaten fast food.
4.  I don't drink pop.  I gave it up my junior year of high school when I was being oh-so-healthy and running cross country, and that sort.  And... with very rare exception, I have not had pop since then.  I don't actually like it much anymore.
5. I've dreamed of adopting lots of babies ever since I was a fetus.
6. Lots of babies.
7.  Formerly, I ran a lot.  Currently, I aspire to run a lot again, but in reality, I mostly sit on the couch in my spare time.  You know, when I'm not sitting on the floor in the laundry room... folding laundry.
8.  I love Jen Hatmaker.  And Tom Davis.  And Harry Potter.  And I want to go to Summit 9 Orphan Care conference.  I'm kind of addicted to adoption.  Which has nothing at all to do with Harry Potter.  ...Except that he was an orphan, now that I think of it.
9.  I'm stronger than I look.  No really.  I'm like a beefcake.  A really tall... scrawny... beefcake.
10.  I hate winter, and I'd much prefer to live some place warmer. (How 'bout it, John?!)
11.  I wish I was a great and powerful photographer.  But... I'm actually a very lazy and mediocre photographer with a nice camera that I barely know how to use.


And Questions from Sara:
1.  If you could have one superpower, what would it be?
Mind-reading.  Hands down.  That is my favorite of my super powers.

2.  Favorite tv show:  Historically, I would say ER.  Especially in the earlier seasons, when it was more medical drama, less relationship drama.  More recently, I like crime dramas.  SVU, CSI, NCIS.  You know, those shows that are really just a jumble of letters.  (You didn't mean I need to pick just one, did you?)

3. Hobbies:  Enforcing timeouts.  Changing diapers.  Doing laundry and dishes.  Picking up toys.  Watching tv after kids' bedtime.  Occasionally, blogging.

4.  What vegetable to you dislike and refuse to eat?
Um... mostly I like veggies just fine.  I'm not really a picky eater, especially if I don't have to cook it. I don't like brussel sprouts, tho.  They kind of taste like dirt.

5. If you could have only one dessert for the rest of your life what would it be?
Something chocolate, served with ice cream and pecans on top.  Also, cheesecake.  Also, cookie dough.  Also, kisses with almonds.  Also, chocolate covered caramels.  Also...

6.  Funny Fact about me:
I love dessert.  Is that funny?

7.  If you were stuck on a desert island, what 3 objects (not people) would you want with you?
      1.  A boat.  2.  An oar, or better yet, a motor.  3.  A glass of iced tea.  And a map.

8.  Favorite Summer Activity:  Anything that does not involve bundling up to go outside, freezing to death if you forgo the obligatory and aforementioned bundling, or driving over treacherous and icy roads.  Which, given the fact that it's summer, means: basically everything.

9. Early Bird or Night Owl?  Night owl at heart.  Early(ish) Bird by practice.  Only by force.

10.If you could travel anywhere, where would you go?  For missions:  Africa.  Specifically, Eastern Congo.  For pleasure:  Italy.  And basically the rest of Europe.

11.  Favorite Childhood Toy:
My baby brother.  Seriously.  Best. Dolly. Ever.
I fed him chocolate milk in his bottle and he loved me the best.  :)

Who am I tagging?  Well... Most everyone I know of has already been tagged.
So... 10Pounds of Fun.
and Incredible Family.
and Riggalicious Reflections.
If you want to play along, have at it.  :)

I almost forgot!  In case you decide to go ahead and play, here are your questions:

1.  What are you reading right now?
2.  What is your favorite movie quote of all time?
3.  If you could re-live any year/time period of your life, knowing what you know now, and have a total do-over, what would it be?
4.  If you could re-live any year/time period of your life, and have it be just the same, what would it be?
5.  What countries have you been to?
6.  What's your favorite blog?  (As if I need more blogs to follow!)
7.  If you could live anywhere, where would you live?
8.  What's your favorite meal?
9.  If you have a bad cold, and you know your nose is going to be blown a lot, what brand of tissues would you like to use?
10.  What is your secret talent?
11.  What would be your dream job?

Raya's New Hair.

Raya and I had a hair marathon this past weekend.

She loves shaking her hair and making the beads click.

Here's the back.

She's the cutest baby on the block!  

(Ok, she totally was anyway.  But I love the yarn twists!)  :)

And I hope they last a while, because boy howdy, did it take a while to put in!

The Rest of the Story

Isaac survived his first visit from the tooth fairy.

He got a whole dollar!  

It pays big to lose your first tooth!

And a few days later he got another visit from the very busy Tooth Fairy.

Despite his good fortune at her first visit, he again insisted that his tooth needed to go in the trash and not under his pillow, because he didn't want her to find him.

I admit the idea of someone visiting me in the night and coming near enough my bed to deposit things under my pillow is just a tad creepy.  

Anyway.  She cheaped out this time and gave him a quarter.

Since she never gets a tooth in return, you know.

He didn't mind.

When I Grow Up

*I'm going to leave you hanging on the whole Evil Tooth Fairy Issue just a bit longer to post this more pressing bit of Boyhood Wonder.  I promise you, tho.  No toothless boys were injured in any Tooth Fairy Incidents at our house.*

Up until recently, when you asked Isaac what he wants to do when he grows up, he would say that he wanted to be a fireman.
Just the other day, after that exact reply, I proclaimed how cool that would be to be a fireman.
 That firemen are brave and strong, and they rescue people from burning buildings.  Real Heroes, you know?
But after that description, he says, "Wait.  I don't want to do that."  So I said, "No? What would you like to be then?"
He thinks for a minute, and replies, "I want to be.... a horse."

He has since amended that again.  Here are his new hopes and dreams:


(The Colonel is my youngest brother.)

Not one to be left out, Eli need to sit on the counter and take just such an interview.
Here's Take 1.


That did not go to well.  So we Tried again.  (For real, he had just moments ago demanded his own interview.)


(Master Chief is my other little brother.  We don't know what he does either.  Lol.)