Marathoners in the Making

Yesterday was the 114th Boston Marathon. Here are the little runners pacing themselves on the coarse at mile 19 ahead of the whole pack (if you squint you can see the little yellow 19 mile marker on the right side of the street).

Go Daniel!

Go James!

The Turning of a Page

I recently closed out a decade of my life. It is crazy to reflect on everything that has happened in the last 10 years. Just to name a few...

Served a mission

Graduated from college

Married

Went from bike to minivan as a mode of transportation

Working on growing my third child

Ran four marathons

Lived in four states and one other country

Got my first cavity

I just found out about the cavity. I'm kind of bummed about that. My once unblemished mouth is unblemished no more.

Wow! What a ride.

The Lone Ranger

He's somewhere on the Texas prairie.

"Howdy Ma'm"

"I'm goin ta get me a 'coon."

"Snake!"

Built Upon the Sand

It is going to be a sad day when we actually finish the drainage system we are putting in to prevent the floods from raging in. But at least the house will be cleaner and the laundry pile smaller...hopefully.

Black and Blue

We are recovering from a couple of recent accidents. James has the remnants of a black eye. This happened after a not-so-graceful fall.

Daniel's accident on the other hand was quite the acrobatic act. He managed to construct a 4 ft high balance beam by balancing a wood plank between the back of the couch and a chair. Unfortunately he did not test the structural integrity of the beam before he attempted his walk across. Maybe stitches were in order. That will be two facial scars in 4 years. At least he still has all his teeth...a bruised one at that.


You should see their speckled legs.

Roll Out The Red Carpet

Dear James,

Happy Birthday little bug!

Mother nature gave you the best birthday present ever...850 weather...so we did what any other sun starved people would do...spent the day at the beach.

After we got home, I plopped you and your brother in the tub. After throwing all the sandy gear in the washing machine, I walked back up the stairs to where you were, only to find I was climbing up a waterfall. You had dumped gallons of water out of the tub. So much water that it was running down the stairs and leaking through the ceiling on the first floor.

I was a little upset. I pulled you out of the tub and dressed you. As I was putting on your shirt, you kept saying

"Shirt, shirt, shirt!"

But you aren't so good at pronouncing the "r's". And then I had to laugh because secretly I wanted to say the same thing.

Today while we were driving home from the beach, you fell asleep. You had drool dripping from your chin to your car seat shoulder strap. Daniel was rattling off a story about you and him in a train, and I sat there enjoying the moment. I wish I could bottle this time up and put it on the shelf to open later. I love that you are my little boy. I love to tickle you. I love to play hide-and-seek with you. I love your sunshine. I love that you need me. I need you.

I hope all your birthday wishes come true.

love,

Mom

Happy Easter

About 20 seconds after Daniel sat up to the table and analyzed the Easter feast in front of him, he asked

"Mom, can I have some nachos?"

Are you kidding me! Who would pass up a spread like this? He settled in with some fresh rolls with butter and honeycomb, while Christian and I enjoyed the halibut we sold our right hands for.

No one asked for a substitute when it was time to eat the cake.