Oldie but Goodie

Brian made this video when he was in the Navy, floating on a very large dumpster with a lot of time on his hands. I find it to be proof that our kids are the cutest kids that have ever graced the earth! Thanks Grandma (Maryann) for digging through your emails to find it!

BEN!

This might be the first time he said his name. He usually refers to himself as, "my."

Interesting Birds

Busy working on the computer.

(Ben's hands just kill me, so cute!)

Lily was so busy coloring that she could not be bothered to move while I vacuumed under her chair.

He wants this ensemble on every day. Buzz costume, Superman cape, helmet and drum sticks. Keep your distance.

Happy New Year

The kids have been so snuggly! Hopefully this is a sign of a more peaceful year (less sibling turf wars) in our house.

We had a very quiet New Years Eve. We played games, watched UP (Amazing!) and ate snacks. After the kids went to bed, Matt and I had a ping pong tournament until I got tired of losing and proceeded to whip him in backgammon. We had to force ourselves to stay awake until 12:05. Side note: it was ten years ago that night that we got engaged! It seems strange that we have been together for a third of our lives, yet we feel very thankful to have each other. I still feel butterflies in my stomach when Matt comes home! (sorry, you can barf now)

Matt's birthday:

My Grandma used to make angel food cake with cherries in and on it for everyone's birthday and we all loved it. The first time I made it was for Lily's first birthday and I baked a fork inside. This time I forgot to put the cherry chunks inside. I'm cursed. Felt a little sad that I couldn't call her this time to share my cake foibles with her.

Lily & Ben decorated the top

Happy birthday Daddy!

Happy New Year!

Special Delivery

How do you get a two year old to eat?

Upcoming Olympics

I thought of a new olympic event. Removing a bike helmet from a sleeping two year old without waking him. (It's a working title). How does one even fall asleep in a bike helmet?! That alone takes skill. I can hear the announcers now, "ooh, she goes for the snap. OH and he rolls over", "He's really been keeping her on her toes lately, Al, what with the taking random objects to bed and all", "Seriously, how is she supposed to practice when he rolls over onto a fire hat, a book and a bag of cars?", "Maybe that's why he dresses in so many layers."

Not sure yet if it will be a winter or summer event.

Happenins

Walt Disney threw up on our table

After taking the Fall off to make sure her fracture healed, Lily started ballet again. She was so happy!

Ben goes to the play area in the gym while I swim. He loves to play with their toys and his friends. (when Ava's not there, he say's. "where my Ava"?) He usually runs to me when I come to get him, but Friday, he was on the other side of a shelf working hard building at tower. We sat and worked on it together for awhile and he figured out why it kept falling. (smaller block on the bottom). He was so proud of himself. :)

Mystery Solved

I was finding some interesting, yet mysterious photos on my phone. I wondered, did I take these accidentally? (similar to butt-dialing, yet more difficult) Low and behold, the mystery solved itself.

Little pink toenails. Clue #1

Finally, the self portrait was the smoking gun.

The frightening thing is that our 4 year old can go through our phones (or computers) figuring things out on her own. What would we have done with an Iphone when we were four??

The Fog Rolls In

Heading out to the airport the other night to pick up a friend:

This reminds me of the snowy nights in Chicago. Thinking of all the poor souls in the rest of the country freezing right now. Sorry guys!

Christmas morning '09

Matt and I woke up first on Christmas morning. Then Ben. Then Matt and Ben went into Lily's room and sat on her bed and talked and talked and eventually had to wake her up. Lily was so excited about the presents that she bought for us at her school's secret Santa shop. I sent 3 gifts so that she could buy one for Ben. She came home with 4 and nothing for Ben. She had a present for Grandma and a huge present for Papa. Oh man, best present EVER! Papa got a huge camo hat. He wears it every time we Skype now. It's just the gift that keeps on giving! Anyway, Lily was more excited about giving us her presents than opening her own. (I got sparkly striped Christmas socks and I love them! Matt got gloves "because Daddy didn't have and glubs") See below:

Sand Sledding

Feliz Navidad

Two Belles!

lovely presents.....and fairies

Let's try this again

lovely presents.....and fairies

Quite possibly the weirdest Christmas video ever.

Fun w/ Rubber Band

I love how something so simple is so hilarious to him. :)

I'm a MAN!

Trying to get caught up on videos. Here's one of Ben when Grandma and Papa were here. See earlier post: http://table-4-four.blogspot.com/2009/12/guest-writer.html

Christmas '09

I was terrible about taking pictures this Christmas! I guess I was too busy enjoying everything. We had a wonderful day and didn't get out of our pajamas. The kids make everything so magical and I love it! We are just so very very blessed.

Ben, those are for Santa!!

I live in a house full of engineers.

Rockin' out with the Albertson's

Lumenaria

Maybe this is just a Midwest thing, but Matt and I miss the lighted paths on Christmas Eve. Our local churches would sell paper bags, candles and sand. (Yes, they'd sell sand. Not every locale has such an abundant supply). Matt remembers setting them along the path to his house and doing the same for others. I've put in my own hours working on the luminaria at the funeral home, so I decided to recreate the tradition, minus the pain of frozen fingers.

Found some sand

Lily thought it was great!

Though every time I come home during the holidays, I can't help but sing "Roxanne!"

Watching for Santa

Little Man

More of Ben at the park. It's interesting how cautious he is sometimes. Other times, he runs straight off a slide, but he was very careful on the big swings. He was so proud of himself, holding on tight.

At Chipotle on Christmas Eve Eve. Matt was off doing some secret stuff (picking up my engagement ring that he had taken the jeweler to be fixed, best present!) and I was trying to capture the beauty of my Festivus Margarita. Look at the Oompa Loompa in the background stealing the thunder with his bizzaro eyebrows!

On our way to give baby Otto a present on his first Christmas Eve, Ben passed out....like this.