random

The boys have been helping us do the laundry a lot lately. They're getting quite good at it! They can't resist the urge to climb in the dryer every once in a while though.

Griz wanted to wear Brent's coat and hat, he looked so funny.   Got some video (which I can't upload) but here is a pic of it.

Then he took off the coat and Griz took this picture of me (with a little help hefting the camera by daddy)

These pictures weren't the best of quality but I still think they're funny and cute and not worth deleting.

Super Heroes

This year for Halloween our boys were Spider Man and Captain America.  Thanks to the whole world talking about Halloween as early as September my Chico started pestering me (in September) to buy him a Spiderman Costume. We caved and did it. As often as his suit wasn't hidden he wanted to wear it.  I was doing a photo shoot of the cousins and he came upstairs with his suit on so I had to grab a few pictures of him performing his web (posing) action.

After getting the suit for Chico, Griz needed to be a super hero as well. Captain America is a favorite super hero in our household and I saw one for sale at Kohls and next thing you know we have two super heroes running around the house.  There was some sibling rivalry over the suit for a few days and we were worried Spiderman had lost it's appeal. Thankfully the interest returned and all was right in the world.
As a side note as of today (Nov. 28th) Griz continues to wear his costume as often as we let him. Sometimes he pretends to shoot webs, guess he doesn't realize the different heroes have different powers. :)  They often hum the Avenger's theme music as they play in their costumes, then just today Griz told me "Ah nee mah hm-hm" (I need my hm-hm). I started laughing at him because it sounded so funny. I had no idea what he was talking about until he finally found the suit and brought it to me and said it again "Ah nee mah hm-hm". I started putting it on him and he started humming the Avengers theme music, "hmm-hm-hm-hmm-hmm-hmm" and it finally clicked. "Hm-hm" means his avengers suit! This kid is a total crack up, we were telling my parents this story and we looked over at him while we were telling it and he had a big old grin on his face. He loves the fact that we think he's funny.
Here are pictures of him throughout the last month as he plays in his costume:




I really can't adequately describe how often he wants to wear his suit. He looks so dang cute in it we just have to pull out the camera again and again when he wears it.

Which finally leads me to posting about Trick or Treating on Halloween with the boys. It was SUCH a warm day, didn't need a jacket that night at all. My sister Emily came and joined us this year dressed up as Hermione. Chico was VERY insistent that I dress up too so my mom and I threw together a Cat Woman costume last minute (like literally it took like 15 minutes and we did it an hour before trick or treating). Brent lucked-out in not having to dress up because he got home right when it was time to leave.  If I could have had my way he would have worn a superman t-shirt underneath a partially unbuttoned shirt and undone tie. Woulda been hot, guess there is always next year. ;)
Anyways! Back to the kids. They really enjoyed taking candy from our neighbors.  Chico was especially skilled at taking more pieces than he was supposed to when the adults weren't paying attention.




I got made fun of for the trick or treating sacks I supplied for my children. Yeah I guess they are a bit tacky.


After hitting a bunch of houses we stopped at our neighbors house because they had a little neighborhood party in their driveway going on, we stopped and socialized there for a bit. It was a lot of fun. When we have a house someday, I'd like to do something like that. It was really fun to be able to chat with the neighbors whilst eating food and sitting around the fire.
Well the kids got a lot of candy which we ate too quickly and Chico has already commenced in planning what he wants to be next year. He has had at least 5 different ideas already. :)

Our 4 year old

So I posted pictures of Griz a week or two ago and I am now finally getting to Chico's. I don't know what took me so long, I think I was disapointed in myself for not getting his "true" smile in the pictures. But as Brent and I were talking last night I realized or was reminded that there are a lot of different ways Chico smiles and I love every single one of them.  We love this boy so much, his constant desire for learning about dinosaurs, animals and the world is so much fun to watch.  I want to be like Chico when I grow up. :)

Remodeling for my grandparents

This last summer there was a bit of a flood in my grandparent's basement. The insurance was willing to pay a handyman to fix it and we knew just the man for the job.

No, not Griz, though he and Chico each took their turns painting the inside of a closet door. They did a great job. Chico covered almost the entire area of the door alternating between the roller and the paintbrush.  He even added some decorations by sticking some of his fruit snacks onto the wet paint. I wish I had gotten pictures of him doing it. I didn't pull out the camera until Griz was doing it though and he was so cute and having so much fun in the process.



Chico was having fun doing his climbing on the stairs. Had to get in as much climbing as he could before the furniture got moved back in.

Brent did a fabulous job on the remodel.  It was so beautiful when he finished, I was sorely tempted to ask grandma if we could move her stuff somewhere else so I could make it a photography studio. But it's her one room in the basement we haven't taken over yet and I just knew it wouldn't fly, so I didn't even ask. :)

Best Friends

 I took my boys out to take some pictures of them back in September. Woulda been nice to have another adult along but it it went well enough I guess.  

These boys are best buds.  These next three pictures are a fun sequence that I think really captures what they are like together.

And I took some portraits too...

Love these boys.

a couple more of our family pictures

I wanted to post a few more pictures from the day we did our family photos. They didn't make the final editing cut, but I love the background in this one. The boys sure loved climbing on that fence! It was so dusty up there it was all we could do to keep the dust off our pants!

A classic pose for our family.

We tried this location after doing that other spot but the boys were DONE. This one is okay but I like the other location better so it didn't make the cut. Still a pretty picture, Brent may yet do something with it. :)

My Hubby and Me

Forgot to post this picture from when we did family pictures. My handsome hubby...I am so grateful for him. He serves our family so much, whether it's by doing the dishes, taking out the trash, scrubbing the bathroom, playing with the kids, or studying hard at school, he continually amazes me with his energy and stamina.  I hope I can keep up with him someday. :)  I am so lucky to have such a wonderful man as my husband, and I get the added bonus that he is so good looking! Grateful every day that the Lord brought us together. It truly is a miracle.

my 2 year old looking all grown up

I was taking some "school pics" of my nieces and nephews back in September and I had Griz jump onto the stool for a few pictures.  I hate the shirt he is wearing, shoulda combed his hair better  but oh well. These pictures are so him! Everyone talks about how much he looks like Brent but there is a two year old picture of me where if you cover up the long hair and switch the eyes from blue to brown you'd have Grizzly Bear. Though I agree, he does look like Brent too. :)

Am I sure he's only 2???

Such a sweetheart.

This one kills me...

Watch out ladies, with these big brown eyes you don't stand a chance.