how girls play

Evie and Noah are so different, like in the ways that they play. Terry says that even if we took away all of her toys, she would still find a way to make something talk to something else: she'll make her fingers talk to each other. And in fact, she does that with her toes sometimes.

Noah isn't into toys talking to each other. He more like narrates what's going on: trains, cars, marbles, whatever. Evie makes all of her toys face each other and they talk.

At Noah's birthday Evie was playing with the bucket of dragons they both got. When I cleaned them up, I realized she had each character facing another character. Yep, girls like face to face time.

So the other day when I was making dinner she brought up all her "cuddly" toys and did her girl play thing.

Then she pushed them over to me to trip on

The next day she got out all the dinosaurs.

he's awake

Noah took this photo of Samuel first thing in the morning after they got up. I like it.

Noah's 6th bday

Noah's big day began with the final MOPS of the year and also his preschool graduation. Here are his other MOPS classmates. Noah said he wanted to be a dentist. But since another girl had said the same thing right before him, I'm not sure if that's entirely true. But he seems to be sticking with it...a day later at least.

Daddy didn't have time for a cool card and since Noah asked if he got a birthday hat like Evie did, Terry made this this Noah crown. Nice ears buddy =)

There's Kellen

And Matt and his son Ethan and sister Kaylee, who Evie says is her best friend.

Tawnya, Kale and Kallie

Combined gift for Noah and Evie - bucket of dragons. How to Train Your Dragon dragons.

Shari and Jesse's lego car gift, which he loved.

Here's his favorite, a Hot Wheels zipline track. It's super sweet. The little cars have magnets in them and can climb the front door or the fridge.

Everyone liked it, especially the boys!

Action shot

hand me down

Samuel wore this outfit to church on Palm Sunday. It's one of baby Noah's old things.

So I dug out the only photo I have of Noah wearing it at the same age. Crazy similarities!

SIX

How is it possible that Noah was born SIX years ago? It just doesn't seem like it should be.

Six feels like such a big boy number. Perhaps b/c he'll no longer be a preschooler. We'll be doing kindergarten next year, starting those long years of education (as if he hasn't already been learning all the days of his life until now... haha).

Happy birthday to our first born!

Freshly born baby Noah. Noah thought this picture was Samuel =) The nose is different though. And the ears.

1 year old

1 year old size comparison at my college nursing graduation. We all look a lot younger!

2 year old shortly before our move to Gburg

2 year old size comparison. This is the day we packed up our SD lives for the move.

3 year old Noah adores his Daddy...

...and his orange sister

4 year old boy

4 year old size comparison. He was much too big for those swings!

Silly 5 year old

5 and 2

Today. 6 years old. Big and tall and skinny. And sweet and silly. And oh so serious.

bribery

What kind of kid will only eat all of his waffle dinner in exchange for a carrot? Can this really be called a bribe?

Evie ate all her waffle so she got a cookie... I always feel bad doing that.

Samuel had his 2 month shots today so he was a little glum.

You can see where Noah gets his silliness from...

naps

This photo of Noah was taken on May 8, 2009, when he was 3 years old. He was still taking naps back then and I would have to sometimes wake up him so he would be able to still sleep that night. Here's where the post was: http://terryandeva.blogspot.com/2008/05/noah-is-not-forgotten.html

And here is a Evie a day or two after she turned 3. She is just like he was then. If I don't wake her up, she'll sleep 2.5 hours and have a hard time getting to sleep that night.

My french braid is improving even more than it shows here.

And here she is passed out this afternoon. I was just struck by how similar Noah and Evie were at this age. And yet, not similar at all. Noah is all intense and shy and perfectionistic. Evie is fun and social. They are so different.

scary?

Noah and Evie have been making silly faces lately. They ask me, "Is this scary?"

I have to say Yes, but really, it's just silly and cute.

smiles and poops

I have had a hard time getting a shot of Samuel's smile on camera. Finally got some really great ones.

And this is pretty much what he looked like after he had the grossest poopy accident last night...he was smiling. I had just got done feeding him before we went to sleep and was changing his diaper on our bed. He was asleep so I thought it was safe not to put anything under him. Wrong assumption. Before I could get another diaper under him, he totally pooped on our bedspread. The worst part was that it slid down the bed into my pajama shorts. Yeah, worst accident ever. Even worse than when Evie squirted poo on me in the middle of the night and I woke with up it still on my face the next morning.

So here he is modeling his gummy cuteness.

loving reading

Since Samuel was born, I have enjoyed having more time on my hands to read. How would that work? Nursing. I'm guaranteed a half hour while he fills his belly.

I really enjoy reading. The only thing is that I get really into stories. I get sucked in and it's hard for me to stop. I end up reading more than that half hour...

Anyone got any good book suggestions??

I started reading the last HP book while I was labor. Ha ha. Actually my mom read it to me and I continued while in the hospital the next 4 days. I love HP.

Next I read Redeeming Love. I had never heard of it and a friend borrowed it to me. I loved it. I need to own this one.

The Oath was sitting on my shelf but I don't recall reading it or how I got it. It was okay. A little repetitive and I knew where the story was going. Yes, another person has a black stain on their shirt. I wonder what will happen next... Come on, there's a picture of it on the cover. Sarcasm aside, it was entertaining.

The Visitation was another on my shelf I hadn't read. It was pretty good - more real to life than dragons. About a false messiah. I could relate to the main character and it was neat to see his relationship with God.

Some friends borrowed Heaven is for Real to Terry and I read it in a few hours. I had been skeptical when I first saw an interview or article, but it was great. Honestly, it really touched me. I would like to own this one and read it again.

Finally, I just finished And the Shofar Blew, and it was wonderful.

Well, I was really annoyed while I was reading the book but after I finished, I've come to appreciate why it was the way it was. It was a total "downer" for most of the book, until the last chapter. The main character was a supreme jerk. I'm talking about a man worthy of expletives, if I used them. Just a jerk, and worse b/c he was a Christian. He was so terrible to his wife and son. But somehow, God taught me about His incredible love for us, specifically me.

The whole book was about how vile and foul he was. I kept thinking, "This man does not deserve redemption." It's true, he didn't deserve it. And that's the point. I don't deserve it. No one does. And yet, that's how loving God really is. I suck, but if I humble myself and accept Christ and what He did for me, I'm in. He forgives and gives grace. If He could love "Paul" and forgive him and show him grace, then He does to me too.

I know it's not real, but it was real to me. And God uses stories to teach me about Himself sometimes.

play set play time

Out with the old...

...in with the new.

Here's Grampa B helping to put together he and Gramma's birthday gift for Noah, Evie and someday Samuel. Talk about generous.

The kids love it. And today was a perfect day to finish this big project since it was like 85 degrees. The kids had a lot of fun mixed in with a few melt downs. We will be enjoying this gift for years to come.