A...B...C...CHEESE

So they USED to have these amazing and tasty alphabet crackers at Costco.  My kids started spelling their names with them one night and these pix were the result of their fun...

Dribblers

Marlowe laughing.

 Not really.  She's crying or yelling.  Still cute though.

 Joe coached Buster's basketball team again this year.  They chose to be called the Decepticons.  Busters cousins, Miles, Maddie and Connor were also on his team so that was fun.

 Marlowe is very expressive when she speaks.  It's ultra-cute.

Besties!

 Marlowe is Abby's girl.  So glad they are sisters.

 Coach Joe.

Buster was number eleven.  GOOOO DECEPTICONS!

Portraits at the Park - Jan. 2011

I Try

I tried my darndest to get a good pic of the kids at the park last January.  This is all I got.

Apparently, Abby had to take a call during this one.  Sterling looks a bit uncomfortable/awkward.  Marlowe's shirt is bunched up around her neck.  Ace and Buster look gooood.

 Weird angle.  Buster has giant feet.  Marlowe's making a strange face.  Look over here, Ace.  And Sterling.  Abby and Buster win!

 This is actually probably the best one though far from perfect.  That's why I have never ever claimed to be a professional photographer.

 Sterling was trying to help with Marlowe but it didn't quite work out.  Come on, Ace, seriously?

 Last try before Marlowe had had enough, haha.  Oh well, such is my life.  Love these little ones more than anything!

Goin' Boardin', Yo

Man, sorry about these weird titles.  Joe took Abby and Buster snowboarding this winter and they both had the time of their lives.  These are some pix I took of them getting ready and the general chaos of our home.

Okay, these pictures didn't really capture the chaos at all but trust me, it exists.

Oh What Can You Do On Christmas Day?

We have a cute little book with that same title. ^ I've read it to my kids 473 times!

So, on Christmas Day, after opening all of our delightful presents, we went over to Grammy and Papa's house for a yummy breakfast.  Isn't that so sweet of them to do?  Yes.

This is how Marlowe ate her pancakes.

 Ace got all sticky.

 Sterling struck a pose.

 Abby had bangs.

 Buster wasn't sure where to sit(?).  Oh no, he was done eating and was already playing outside.

 Then, Jason and Lindsey Howell came down to spend a couple of days of their Christmas break with us.  Including the occurance (my spell check says occurance is not a word!) ((oh well)) of their SECOND anniversary!  Aren't they adorable!?  They insisted that I join them at Lindsey's favorite restaurant in the SG, The Painted Pony.  I felt like a third wheel but that didn't stop me from enjoying their company and the food immensely.  Jason was a kind and generous man to spend his anniversary in our guest room.

 I should have just gone to bed or gotten in the shower instead of taking pics of myself in this state of disarray!  haha  But I must document that I was actually around.  I guess I'm the only one that ever pulls out the camera.

Christmas 2010

We enjoyed a wonderful Christmas this year, at home.  Honestly, I'm writing this on a Tuesday in September of 2011 and I can hardly remember what we did last Christmas!  Isn't that terrible?!  I have the memory of a toad.  If it weren't for pictures like these, it would all just be a big blur!  Ugh.  What I wouldn't give for better memory cells!  But, obviously we celebrated well and received many thoughtful and wonderful gifts from our loved ones.  The kids acted out the nativity very creatively, I do remember that!  It was a very well produced show with many props(a huge mess).  

I think this was when I got this new camera that stretches heads at the very tops of pictures!

 The stockings were hung by the chimney with care...
Oh, I do remember Abby and I made a new stocking and we had lots of fun doing it.  We only were able to complete the one, on the very end, but have big plans to make two more so each child has a homemade stocking from Mommy.  The first one is Buster's.  I got a little carried away with the length, it's like, 4 feet long or something ridiculous like that.  But of course, Buster looooves having the biggest, longest stocking.  Then the one in the middle is Sterling's...now.  It started out as Abby's and was the first one I ever made.  Until Abby got to pick out her own material, the one at the very end, made to hang the wrong way, oops.  Oh well.  It's kinda charming, right??

 The cute boys with tired eyes.  

 The children delving into their stockings.

 Sterling and his awethum remote control car!

 Abby and Buster with their Ripsticks!  Boy have these things gotten a lot of use.  They've gotten really good at riding them.  I'm very impressed with their skills.  I tried to ride one once and almost died.

 We love fun games!

 I can't believe I didn't take a picture of the Christmas tree with presents around it!?  Hello?  I'm not the best picture taker...

Hope everyone reading this had a blessed Christmas last year!  Hopefully you can remember it better than me!