So thoughtful

Tonight at dinner Theron smashed his bread up nice and flat. He gave it to Trav and said, "Here dad, this is for you. Happy Birthday."

Trav said, "Oh, thank you. I'm going to save this for later."
To which Theron replied, "Dad, there are letters on the bread that say 'you have to eat the birthday present now'."

Who wouldn't want this scrumptious birthday treat?
Especially from this boy? Mmm.

Christmas card funny

We got so many great Christmas greetings from all of you this year. Yes, I know it is the middle of January. If I seem to be living in the past it's only because we got a straggler Christmas letter yesterday (and that's ok). There was a line in this one that won funniest line of the year (actually it's two).

Here it is:

• "Alisa has her hands full with all the kids and the house. She says that her days seem to be nothing but feeding, changing and laundry--I told her I knew she was exaggerating because she also does the dishes, keeps the house clean and breaks up fighting boys."

Congratulations to Aaron and Alisa for making me laugh this week.

Better When We're Together

I can't seem to get enough of my four boys these days.

Trav and I laugh a lot together. I'm exhausted by the end of the day but when we lay down to sleep I don't want the conversation to end. I look forward to a phone call from him mid-day and of course when the king returns home each night the whole castle is in party mode.

Isaac is leading me through an exciting trail of firsts. Isaac has his first loose tooth. Somehow I find that all of his concerns about the tooth fairy's visit melt my heart.

Theron gives the best hugs and I think he secretly hopes that my arms will get stuck to him when I am hugging him, as has happened on several occasions. He doesn't fight or try to squirm away like Isaac, he just giggles uncontrollably and hugs me back. Sometimes I really don't want to let go.

When my sister Allee was a baby I remember hugging her and wanting to squeeze her so tight because she was so cute. I remember that feeling every time I see Charlie. I eat up every moment I have to spend with him. His smiles, squeals, and sqooshy funny faces keep me feeling young as I roll around with him on the floor trying over and over to get him to perform.

I was asked yesterday what I do in my spare time...I try to fill it up with more and more of this. I love these boys.



We intended this photo to be sent out to all of you along with a Christmas greeting but...time slipped away from me too quickly. If you follow our blog you know all about us. If not...then start.

Charlie's first Birthday

Charlie's first birthday was yesterday the 8th of January, 2008. Here are a few highlights. First, the glance...

...the touch and taste...

...the plunge...

...caught...

...the gift...

We just can't get enough of Charlie around here. He is so sweet, so cute, so playful, so fast, so quiet, so sneaky, so loved, so everything. Happy Birthday Charlie boy!

Our Christmas Story

Our Christmas story goes something like this...

“And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes and laid him in the manger, while her father held her headdress on;”

“And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherd said to himself, Let me go down even unto Bethlehem and see this thing which has come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto me.”

“And he came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe...

“...being chucked on the floor so Mary could sit in the manger.”

"Behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem....and they presented unto him organic truffles, mint hot cocoa, and some gift wrapped in gold paper."

"And when they were come into the house they saw the child with Mary his mother and thought, Wow, it's a little crazy in this place."

"And the shepherd returned glorifying and praising God as he drug his sheep back to the field."

"And they all lived happily ever after except for the sheep who had skinned knees and a sore belly."

Shepherd's Dinner

I was first introduced to this Christmas tradition when I went home for Christmas with Trav before we were married. We all wore these head dresses and ate our meal on the dinning room floor. It was a meal of potatoes, carrots, meat, berries, nuts, and sweet potatoes (and probably more) all cooked in individual sacks of parchment paper. Judy's post is much more interesting and includes a recipe. I have really come to enjoy this tradition.

Several days after we returned home, Theron came running up the basement steps with all of our pirate bandannas from the dress up bin requesting that we have another Shepherd's dinner. The feast wasn't quite the same but attire was pretty close. We thought about the Shepherd's dinner we had before Christmas and were all feeling a little closer to the crew we left behind in Chicago.

Feeling Lost

We got home from Chicago late on Sunday night. We were just settling in when I heard, "OH, MY GOSH!!!!" I ran into the bathroom where I thought for sure Travis was looking at a big black hairy tarantula who had been living in our home while we were gone. Nope! It had just occurred to him that we left our computer in Chicago. It would be pointless to try to describe how desperate and hopeless we have been feeling. I can't even effectively blog (no pictures). Amazingly life goes on. We hope that before too long we will have so many exciting pictures to post and holiday happenings to report on.