Halloween 2011

Preschool Pics

I had my friend Mindy Smith come and take our preschool pics. I L.O.V.E. every single picture. She seriously caught all of their personalities. I'll show ya my kids...

I seriously can't believe how fast my sweet Eli is growing up. He looks so big in these pictures, kinda makes me sad :(

Mason is even looking at the "grouchy ladybug" couldn't be a more perfect book for him! haha! I love how blue his eyes look...I wish I could figure out photoshop so I could get my pics of his eyes that blue!!

Eli's 4th birthday

I'm playing major catchup on my poor neglected blog.
Here are my favorite pics from Eli's birthday.
He chose to have a superhero party and have his friends come
in their favorite costumes. Eli is captain america and Mason
was Iron Man. He got lots of fun presents and enjoyed having
so many people come. So thanks to all who came!! :)

lucky aunt

How lucky am I? I got a new niece and a new nephew this summer. I also got to take their pictures!!





This is my brother's first baby. It's been so fun watching them become parents! I'm in love with Paxton's hair! They both are such beautiful babies...gives me some serious baby hunger! But, until Mason can sleep through the night that ain't happening! lol

18 months!!

18 things we love about Mason at 18 months:
1- His infatuation with water!
2- How much he loves his brother who he refers to as Alli
3- The cute nicknames for his cousins Tyler (Taw-taw) and Camden (nack nack)
4- That he is a total momma’s boy.
5- How excited he gets when dadda gets home.
6- How much he loves books (esp. Brown Bear) but sometimes gets too rough with them
7- How he says a lot of words but my favorites are: ball, dino, juce, flowee
8- His obsession with animals especially the cow across the road and the neighbor’s horsies.
9- How he growls at things especially if it’s a pic of an animal
10- His cute 12 teeth
11- His temper, it’s not all that cute sometimes but it reminds me of my dad.
12- His white blonde hair and big blue eyes!
13- How he says spiderman with a growl!
14- That he loves playing ball.
15- How he gobbles up fruit.
16- That he pretends to call his dadda and jabbers in the phone.
17- How excited he gets to see his grandma’s and grandpa.
18- His infatuation with pictures. He could stare at pics all day!!
We love you Maser Roo!!

dyeing eggs

Egg hunts

We went to the Easter egg hunt at the Dinosaur museum this year. The kids loved looking for the eggs, it was a really fun hunt.

Then we went to the egg hunt at the city park. I was really disapointed because none of the kids got any eggs, why do parents think they have to find eggs for their kids? It takes all the fun out of it!! But the boys had a blast playing at the park with their cousins, plus the weather was absolutely beautiful!!

Mason just enjoyed tasting everyone's treats.

newer pics

Well my old camera I'd had for at least 8 years had finally seen it's better days. The lighting was weird with it and I couldn't do anything to fix it. I want to have good pictures of my boys to remember forever so I talked Will into getting me a new camera (since it was on sale and I got a sweet discount) for my birthday and I'm sure the rest of the holidays this year. :) I took a photography class from an amazing photographer. She taught us how to take it out of the automatic settings. I learned so much, but I still need a lot of practice!! She lined us up a model to practice on and it was so fun to practice with her guidance! I thougth I'd share a few of my "practice" pictures hehe!


(the model)


I love the green in this pic (hello spring!)

She looks like she's on top of the world



I tried having a mini photo shoot with my boys but Eli just wouldn't cooperate. This is what he does in pictures now..ugh!
Mason didn't love it but at least I got some cute ones.
isn't my "baby" getting so big??

St. Paddy's Day Fun

All of them ate green eggs and ham! Eli asks
every morningif we can have green eggs again! hehe!

A small way to help

I follow this blog called I am Momma, hear me roar. She is doing a really cool pattern giveaway to people who donate to humanitarian aid for Japan. I thought I'd share this because it's a great way to help and the pattern is super CUTE!!

http://iammommahearmeroar.blogspot.com/2011/03/wake-up-wednesday_16.html

2 boys = never a dull moment!

Maybe it's the weather? Ever notice how when the weather changes the kids get extra rambunctious and naughty? Yesterday was no exception. I had to email some plans to be printed for Will and the boys were "playing" in Eli's room (or so I thought). They went into the bathroom and got into the baby oil. Eli poured half the container on his and Mason's hair! When I checked on them (seriously this happened in 30 seconds!) Eli said he was just doing their hair. Ugh notice the greased monkey look? hehe. So anyone have any suggestions on getting oil out of their shirts, towels, bathroom rug and everywhere else they touched?!

Moab

On a whim we decided we needed a vacation. The boys were getting restless being stuck inside all day and I was getting sick of cleaning them up from all the mud when it actually was warm enough for them to go outside. We decided we needed to go somewhere warmer where they could be outside, but not too far away since we only could go for a weekend. We chose Moab and we had so much fun! The boys did pretty well traveling. The first day we went to Arches. We put the boys in backpacks and hiked all over. The loved it! The next day we walked around town with the stroller, I had to laugh because most of the town doesn't open for 2 more weeks when the tourists come. I had forgotten how small, hippie-ish, and touristy Moab is. Our hotel had a nice pool that was as warm as bath water. We loved being able to swim and be the only people in the pool! We came home the scenic route back to Grand Junction. We played in the mall until closing time and headed home when the boys were sure to sleep! They were exhausted as you can see in the pictures. Mason kept leaning back in the backpack I was worried he'd fall out but luckily he never did! :-)

The boys!

Family Vacation


The sights

snowman

Eli has been begging me all winter about making a snowman. Finally we had the perfect snowman building weather. We went to my mom's and made one with Eli's cousins. It was fun. What is it about being 5-10 you think you have to pose like a punk?! Oh well, they are still cute!

My dad

My Dad
© Leah Hendrie
If I could write a story
It would be the greatest ever told
Of a kind and loving father
Who had a heart of gold

If could write a million pages
But still be unable to say, just how
Much I love and miss him
Every single day

I will remember all he taught me
I'm hurt but won't be sad
‘cuz he'll send me down the answers
And he'll always be MY DAD!!!


Yesterday would have been my daddy's 67th birthday. I miss him so much. I found this poem and it truly fits him. He did have a heart of gold, never judged others, forgave easily, was patient, hardworking, loving, and so fun! Happy Birthday daddy-o.

the boys

I thought I'd do an update on my boys since they seem to be growing and changing so fast!

Eli is my little comedian. He loves having books read to him. He loves telling stories and he comes up with some great ones some times. He is really into superheros. He has imaginary friends. He has hist first best friend. He was literally sad when he didn't see him for a week while his family was in Disneyland. He wrote his name for the first time a couple weeks ago, it was bittersweet. I'm loving the stages he's going through right now but it seems like he's growing up so fast!

Now my sweet Mason. All I can say is he is like a different kid now that he has tubes. He averages about 12 hours of sleep at night but still wakes up about 2 or 3 times, but we're working on that. He jabbers like crazy but can say: momma, dadda, shuz (shoe), hat, light, dogdog, Eli, juce and ba ba (for the bathtub), he LOVES the bath and scares me nightly because he has no fear in there. He lays down, sticks his face in the water, tries to blow bubbles, and tries to walk around in there. He loves being outside and will sporadically bring me his shoes that's when I know he wants to go out. So now if it were a little warmer we'd be set!

They are becoming really good friends. I love the days I can put them in the bonus room and let them play while I do my cleaning or scrapbook or whatever and they just play and have fun together. They keep me busy but I sure do love them!!