Aren't they Amazing?

I am one lucky girl.

Uninspired

You know those weeks that kick your butt? This really wasn’t one of them, kids were good, no tragic events, yet I am still uninspired to write anything. It’s not like I haven’t had time. I have been just blah. I think maybe because I started a new job this week, working at the hospital. I am away from the kids and out of routine. Maybe because Thanksgiving holiday was right around the corner and it’s like how giddy you would get as a kid at having a snow day. Oh, and then there was the actual snow day we had. So here are the random pictures that were taken throughout the week. And i didn’t take a single one.

1st snow day of the year! The boys walked down to Town Square for coffee and chocolate milk.

The boys have been enjoying time with their Papa. He snapped some cute photos of the boys on an “adventure” in the woods.

When it’s too cold too go outside, what do you do with 2 roudy boys . . . BUILD A FORT!

Then if you read bedtime stories in it and let them sleep under their fort all night, you can consider yourself “Best Daddy in the World”

An attempt at family pictures – more to come later, maybe in your Christmas card!

We happen to live about 100 yards from the fire station. Though, you would think it was in our living room most days.       Our little guys are convinced they should be in the next academy training.  They use the couch for their station and my bed is their ladder truck since it has slots on the footboard to stand on and ride.

One day, maybe this will be his real station

Never knew love like this . . . Untill Now . . .

”Making a decision to have a child — it’s momentous. It is to decide forever to have your heart go walking around outside your body.” Elizabeth Stone

Isn’t it wonderful?

A piece of my childhood . . .

. . . gone today. I remember moving to Seattle the summer before 7th grade. And I remember his voice on the TV as I unpacked my room. Comfort. I remember jumping up and down 2 years later as he lead us through the Mariners most sensational season. Joy. From “My Oh My, Get out the rye bread and mustard Grandma, it’s grand salami time!, Fly Away, to “Swung on and Belted!” Dave Niehaus, catch phrases and all, IS the voice of summer in Seattle. Consistency. I remember watching the Mariners game during a rare Seattle earthquake and he kept on announcing. Solid. Dave Niehaus broadcast all but about 100 of the clubs’ 5,385 games since being hired by the Mariners in 1977. I am so very sad today that my boy’s won’t have the same Dave Niehaus announcing games for them. Someone said, “They’ll have their own.” But no one will be able to replace the voice of summer, the constant in an ever changing life.

Oliver's Birthday

Mr. Owl for Mr. O

I made Oliver’s 1st birthday cake. I just love owls and went with the theme on his invite.

Pretty cute huh?

We went to Pump It Up. An inflatable play area for kids. We had so much fun. More photos on Dave and Elise’s blog.

It was a wonderful day, the boys had so much fun.

Here is the evidence:

Art Class Finale

A couple weeks ago I posted some of the kids art class creations, here are the final 2 weeks.

Cam on the left, Carter on the right.

Carter on the left, Cam on the right.

And a photo of them in their track suits from Auntie Elise, just because.

Seattle and Gummies

The Boys first Monorail ride. I know, for those of us that grew up here, woohoo boring, but for kids that love anything train, plane and automobile this was a great adventure. We took the boys downtown to Westlake just to ride the Monorail. A rainy typical Seattle day, and they loved it!

So we bought the boys a little candy for their ride on the monorail and true to form, Camden saved one.

A pineapple Gummi Bear.

He walked with it for 30 minutes, cherished it and waited, couldn’t stand the thought of his favorite last piece of candy being eaten.

It’s there in his left hand.

My favorite line of the day, “Mom, I just want to smell it forever.”

Oh, the joys of being a kid, hanging onto to your one last piece of candy for the day.

Halloween

This year, we got to go to Microsoft’s Halloween party.

It was busy but I had two very awesome Superheroes to protect me.

Microsoft’s decor was to die for….haha.

Some attendees were less than impressed.

However, the next night, the “true” Halloween, was so great.

This year, the boys were very into dressing up, going door to door, and all the candy.

We started at my parents, had dinner and treat or treated around their neighborhood.

Then off to see Auntie Erin and Uncle Matt. The boys wanted to go to to MORE HOUSES!

So we went trick or treating in that neighborhood too.

We stopped one more time at Oliver’s Grandmas house to say Hi.

Then home to devour the loot.

Craftiness

Here’s me. I look kinda organized and put together right?

Well, this photo has been cropped. I cropped the messiness out. I was a mad mess of Halloween craftiness this year. Carter asked to be a super hero for Halloween. “With a Cape, a pink one, please Mama.”

So I bore my best smile, pretended to be organized and got to work.

By work, I mean, I procrastinated for 2 weeks, and was assembling his cape the night before.

In an effort to prove that I am not the put together, wonder woman of organization that some of my readers believe, I am showing you how I actually work.

Among the mess. yes, that is a Bernstein Bears book under the pile. I do have to entertain the kiddos while I work.

Almost there. Captain Carter’s Cape.

(I know, not pink. So sue me, I didn’t think pink was Super Hero enough.)

The end result.

A Super Hero costume, ironed and laid out, with the mess shoved on the floor.

His Eyes

Blue and full of wonder, I love Cam’s eyes.

Even when he’s being a little stinker his eyes light up.

The (Not so) Lonely Pumpkin

Last year, we carved pumpkins alone. We had just moved into our home in Tucson. We were alone. The 4 of us, but I still felt alone. A hundred of unpacked boxes in a huge house, no one to unpack them except me, a pumpkin purchased at the local “pumpkin patch” (which consisted of about 100 rinky dink pumpkins under a tent in the middle of the desert), pizza, and 2 boys who could care less about said pumpkins.

This year was a little different and a little the same.

Still some boxes left to unpack from our move the month before, 2 happy pumpkins to carve from a “real” pumpkin patch, pizza, still 2 boys that wanted to do anything but carve pumpkins.

The difference: Friends. The sweetest Baby O, Dave, Elise, Dan, Michelle, Kalia, Katie, Jason, Blake, Riley, My Parents, Erin, and the 4 of us.  I went camera happy. I am so thankful for these people that fill our lives and our small apartment. They ate the pizza and made me laugh. Not so lonely this year right?

Let the carving begin.

Cuddling too.

Busy people

Erin making her hubby a UW pumpkin.

Sweets.

and more sweets.

Smiles

and more smiles.

Mild amounts of torturing the kidlets.

Here, have some raw pumpkin, Oliver!

How bout a hat?!

The wonderful Mrs. Batwoman Pedwell

and her hubby Jason “the rock” Pedwell

A couple of the final pumpkins.

I feel full.