Long Hiatus

We've been a little busy and I'm about to get called away... but since I was downloading pictures from my old phone, I wanted to share a few recent ones for our devoted fans, if you are still hanging in there!

We struggle with everyday life. Sometimes the problems seem so huge they are immovable. Then you get a little help from a friend.

 Yes, there is a dog bigger than Arson.

 Beautiful lovebug. She's FOUR!

 Um. Beautiful... ladymanbug?

 It was fairy princess day in our household, okay? And little man was being a good sport about it. Nevermind that his sister put this on him and everything his sister does is 1000% awesome. So...

 Took a trip to the NC Museum of Science with Mara's friend Alexis. Alexis is older by 4 days. We were there 5 minutes and then a tornado warning forced us into the auditorium. Thankfully, didn't last long.

 Budding scientist.

 Dinosaur bones!

 We spent like 2.5 hours at the museum. Daddy and Isaac stayed home.

 

   

 Neon fish.

 Little man trying out his bike and helmet.

 Helmet may be a tidge big.

 The joy of receiving a present in the mail.

December update (sorry it's out of order). We went to Santa Train in Durham to meet Santa. I took better pics on my regular camera... these are all from my phone. Here's Isaac and fuzzy Daddy bundled up.

 Mara bundled up.

 Derica, Ian and Elam (and unborn Case) behind us on the train.

 Rudolf the red-nosed reindeer/camouflage leopard?

 Cherry, Mara, Claire and I took in Disney on Ice for Mara's birthday. Mara said "This is the best thing EVER!"

 We got a new member of our household. Meet minion.

 Snuggles galore.

 Common seating area.

 On Mara's ACTUAL birthday, I surprised her with a balloon at school. She knew I was bringing cookies and goody bags but the balloon was a surprise.

 Store bought cupcakes. With very bright icing...

 One of her gifts - the Robot. Whose name is... Robot.

 We spent Christmas up north. We got to visit with all my family except for Sean. Here are 3 of the currently 4 grandbabies.

 Only cell phone shot I had of the kids' Christmas Eve church outfits. There were two other girls at church wearing Mara's dress. It got sparkles EVERYWHERE but she looked so beautiful and was excited some other girls had the same dress. It snowed while we were at mass.

 Christmas morning excitement. Scale the mountain of presents.

 These legos have been one of her favorite toys.

 Isaac got a dirtbike. Just his size.

So that was a peek at the moments I capture via cell phone camera over the last couple of months. Sorry for the huge delay. We're readying our home for sale to prep for this next phase of our lives. I just finished painting the kids' bedrooms back to a neutral color and about cried... those were their first room colors! Kids have had roseola and one or two other things to be sent home from daycare and its not even February. Isaac's words are coming along and he actually strung 3 words together this evening - all done book. Mara looks taller and older every day. Our hearts don't seem capable of any more love, but they grow every day!

To be continued. Someday soon I hope!

Park time

Here are a few snapshots of us at our local park yesterday.

My kids love the swings and make the craziest faces.

 

 It's funny to hear Isaac hold his breath and make a little grunt when his tummy tickles from the motion.

  The faces say everything, don't they?

 Isaac signing more and then realizing his sister is having fun in the sand box...

 A little water goes a long way in the happiness of a child's day!

 

 Yes, Zack still has a high school shirt. Many of them, in fact.

 

 Isaac relishes the dirt, sand, grit. Anywhere. On his hands, hair, face, in his mouth. We usually find remnants in his diaper. Both direct and passed through the body. Haha.

 

 

 

 In all his brilliance, he deduced that of the play set that has 3 slides, a staircase and a rock wall, that THIS was the one to slide down. And he'd do it over and over again, not caring what was getting racked. Poor baby balls.

 Whatcha' doing big sister? That's now how the rock slide works.

 What are you looking at?

 

 Mara is spending more time on the "big kid" side of the park - the one that says ages 5-10. It scares me to watch her climb so high... and then it scares HER, but Daddy coaches her through it.

 The fam, watching Isaac go dirt diving.

 

 He also practiced walking down some hills, which he was very proud of! See his sly little grin?

 

 

 

 

 Oops.

 

Here's Mara typing:

,,lfikkfkooore
amara
jrutrujrjuritiitiiritiiir9559toojlhllk;glh[k;lgglfkplklkgkogjoektkrj

Oh, I have Isaac's stats from his 15 month visit. He was 29 inches tall (4%), 18 pounds 6 ounces ( less than 3%) and 46.5 cm head (31%). Mara is now 3 years and 9 months and clocking in at 30.5 pounds and 36.5 inches tall.

Gotta go because someone wants to claim the computer to watch a few cartoons. Happy Weekend!