Morning, Noon and Night

About 15 mintues before we were leaving for church on Sunday, Josh brings Ethan into the house crying with a bloody, bruised chin and scraped-up arm. He apparently (we didn't see it) fell off our rock wall while doing some lawn mowing in the front yard.

About 30 mintues after we got home from church, Emma brings Ethan up from the basement with blood oozing from the top of his head. He apparently (we didn't see it) fell and hit his head on the wall. (There are disks with a nail in the center holding the insulation to the wall - we're supposing that's what it was.) He luckily slept through the whole process of getting taken to the hospital and getting three staples in his head.

About 60 mintues before bedtime, Ethan came in crying from outside holding his bum. He apparently (we didn't see it) slid off a rock and bruised and scratched his bum. (I'll spare you a picture.)

So that night, we put a stapled, bruised, bandaged, exhausted Ethan to bed. I think we better keep a closer eye on this kid.:)

Three's a charm!

Or a charming boy...Happy Birthday, Ethan! We had a little birthday/water party in our newly finished backyard (yippee!). Thanks Molly and kids for coming and helping us celebrate. He got a bubble mower lawn (yes, that's how you say it:)), a gravel pit and a "lator" (excavator). This boy was in heaven.

Things to remember from this year...

Ethan's first broken bone.
The way Ethan likes to fall asleep anywhere but in his bed (underneath the piano is his current favorite).
His growl face and voice (see left bottom picture for evidence).
Getting potty-trained!
His mischievous laugh.

We love you, Ethan!

The Birthday Party

Wow, this year has flown. Liam is the sweetest, cutest one-year-old. We had a family birthday party equipped with Puppy Cupcakes and presents. I have to admit, these cupcakes were a labor of love...and my camera ran out of batteries before I could take the traditional "cake-eating" photos. Just know that he liked them. Okay...now for the list.

Liam has been my BEST baby.
He is so mild-mannered.
His smile can melt my heart.
I LOVE his laugh.
He gets soooo excited when he sees dogs (hence, the puppy cupcakes).
I love how he walks like an orangutan.
He gives the sweetest hugs and super slobbery kisses.
He's a fabulous sleeper.
I love the way he looks to make sure I know he's doing something he's not supposed to.
He has beautiful brown eyes.
He loves his brother and sisters.
He can hold his own with Ethan.
He is a complete joy to have in the family.

We love you, Liam!

Liam is One!

Fist Hair Cut

Liam has hair like my girls, thin and blonde. My girls didn't get haircuts until they were at least 18 months. But Liam, at 11 months, had a nice mullet that needed to be chopped off. So Barber Daddy chopped it off and did a great job. (Thanks for taking the picture, Ashlyn.)Don't your babies always look so much older after they got their first haircut?

Liam - 10 months and Walking....Almost

The rest of Easter

What a cold Easter it was. Snow still on the ground, but we were determined to still have an Easter Egg hunt. I love sharing all these Holidays with my children. I just hope that through all the fun traditions my children remember the true meaning of the holiday - the resurrection of our Savior, Jesus Christ.

Easter Swimsuits and Sunglasses

I love this tradition. My mom and dad buy swimsuits for all the grand children for Easter. (I like to throw in the sunglasses.) Thanks Grandma and Grandpa!

Ouch!

My children get enormous goose eggs! This is the result of Emma trying to get back into time-out before I caught her, tripping and hitting her head on the stairs. Ouch!

Is there a mouse in the house?

Ethan is my muncher. Because of scenes like this, we have put an alarm on our pantry door. (Nope, I'm not kidding.)

Happy Birthday, Ashlyn!

My baby turned six this year! I can't believe how the time has flown. Ashlyn wanted a treasure hunt birthday party with a pinata at the end - so that's what she got. The kids had fun decorating their own treasure boxes, following the clues, beating the poor unicorn pinata, and eating cupcakes. It kind of amazes me how many kids were at the party - and that did not include any family. Here are some wonderful things about Ashlyn:

She is my BIG helper (even when she doesn't want to be.:))
She can make her brothers and sister laugh their heads off.
She loves her "skinny" jeans (and I'm not exactly sure why).
She's a great reader.
She is very creative.
She is my American Idol.
I love her big brown eyes.
She is a terrific soccer player.
She will talk your ear off at 9:00 PM at night.
She is a cuddle bug.
I love that she almost always finishes her dinner and will try new things.
She loves to make "her" recipe - bread, eggs, and water - bake at 350 for 10 minutes.
She loves to be the mom (even when she shouldn't be).
I couldn't ask for a better "Big Sister".

We love you, Ashlyn Ann Dahmer!

Happy Valentine's Day!

Cousins

Liam and his cousin Carter were born about 4 months apart. It's so fun having cousins close!

My two boys...

Ethan LOVES Liam...almost a bit too much at times. But I know they will be best buds their whole lives...and that just makes me smile.

The First Solids

These pictures almost make me gag just looking at them. (But on the inside, I'm really giggling.:))

Christmas, cont.

I love Christmas time. The sights, the smells, the decorations, the lights, the Christmas pjs, the visits from Santa, the snow, the nativities, Christmas carols...and the list continues. Here is a peek at our Christmas morning. It really has been fun having our own Christmas mornings with just our family and starting new family traditions. Then it's so fun to get together with extended family and eat and play the whole rest of the day.

Christmas Outfits

Wow, I have some cute kids.:) Here are the annual Christmas outfits. Sorry for the hands in your face Liam.:)

Merry Christmas!

The Photo Shoot

My sister Cassi is becoming quite the photographer. We had her update our family pictures, and she did an awesome job. Thanks, Cass!

New Moon

So, I'll admit that I am a fan of the Twilight series. Having said that, I think it's hilarious to go to the first showings of the movies with all the screaming and ooohhing and aaaaahhhing over the characters. It really is a riot.:) So here I am with my sisters and nieces at the New Moon showing. We had a blast and even made t-shirts for the contest before.

The Hair

My poor girls have never been blessed with a lot of hair, so when I got this cool pony tail extension to go with my costume, we had a blast trying it on. Here are a few shots of what my girls would look like with hair. It's amazing how real it looks on Ashlyn.:)