Blue Bear's Adventure

When I was doing some scanning this morning, Blue Bear decided to go on an adventure seeing how the scanner worked. Greyson watched (and learned about the scanner) while praying that Blue Bear would be okay.  Blue Bear returned unscathed and told Greyson all about it. Later, when Greyson and Blue Bear were looking at the pictures, Greyson said, "Mom, when I get older and look at these pictures, I will miss Blue Bear." No worries, boy-o, I can't imagine a life without Blue Bear either.

Christmas 2011

I was so blessed to spend Christmas with my ENTIRE family over Christmas. It was a wonderful time. And isn't this a great looking bunch? Blessed indeed.

Merry Christmas 2011!

Merry Christmas, friends and family! Another year has gone by and another season of celebration has arrived. As a family, we are determined to focus our celebration on the birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ, above all else. The Christmas decorations, packages around our tree, and time we spend with loved ones are a grand celebration of His love and sacrifice for us. Jesus’ birth brought our salvation into human form to save us once and for all – what an incredible God we serve!

This time of year also seems to usher in the desire to review how the year has gone and how the Lord has blessed us.

In January, Madelyn started piano lessons, lost her first tooth and we enjoyed our first homemade snow fort (with the hip deep snowfall we got).

In February, we made birthday bags for the local food shelf for Valentines Day and saw Greyson’s preschool program where he sang and danced with a big voice and smile.

In March, Greyson got his second round of stitches in his forehead after a fall while Melissa turned 35 and accompanied Liz with her bridal entourage to New Orleans (what a Blast!).

In April, we started our seeds for the summer garden, watched tulips peek up at us through the snow, Madelyn lost her second tooth while Greyson got his third set of stitches in his chin, Ben went from shoulder length hair to a crew cut (and donated it to Pantene’s Beautiful Lengths), and we roadtripped to Oklahoma for Easter where we met our newest niece/cousin, Kate Elizabeth Pruitt.

In May, it was finally warming up outside, Madelyn finished 1st grade, and we went to Milwaukee to help prepare for my sister’s wedding.

In June, we started out right away with the beautiful wedding of my sister, Liz, and her new husband, Nick Schanz, followed by our annual trip south to Petit Jean where Greyson hiked to Cedar Falls for the first time. It was also a great month of gardens, tea parties, snorkeling in sprinklers, popsicles. We ended the month in Tampa with the Cobb Clan at a second reception for Liz and Nick where Madelyn fell in love with horses.

In July, we camped in the backyard, declared “God is Good!”, and Greyson shed his training wheels and started soccer lessons.

In August, we spent lots of time with Jean and Mickey while they spent the month at a nearby RV park, went to the Minnesota State Fair, Ben turned 35, and Madelyn turned 7.

In September, Madelyn started 2nd grade while Greyson started his last year of preschool, we planted an apple tree in our yard in honor of Greyson, Madelyn had her first horseback lesson, and we went to our first Minnesota Twins game.

In October, Greyson had a LEGO birthday party and for Halloween, Madelyn dressed as Lilo (from Lilo and Stitch) and Greyson dressed as Batman (again!).

In November, it was unusually warm this year and the leaves were beautiful. Liz and Nick came over for a weekend where the kids went bowling for the first time, and Ben and I celebrated our 13th Anniversary eating Japanese hibachi (yum!).

In December, Madelyn attended our annual outing to the Festival of Christmas with us (a annual choir and orchestra progam at a nearby college) and was mesmerized, we got some sledding in after the first snow and before it melted for a our BROWN Christmas, and are looking forward to the time with Melissa’s family for Christmas.

And just some notes about the kids that I don’t want to forget:  Greyson is still Calvin to his Hobbes, Blue Bear. He loves playing with Madelyn until inevitably she starts bossing him, but hates to be alone. He LOVES rock and roll.  Madelyn astounds us with her reading and writing. She definitely has a unique style that keeps us smiling and sighing. She LOVES classical and jazz music.

Now, if you have gotten through all of this, then you must love us! Thank you! And may God touch your heart and life in the coming year!

Halloween 2011's Best Pics

The birthday balloons didn't make it before sunrise this birthday, so they greeted the birthday boy as he came out of preschool.  It was a excited moment that was very sweet.

Another sweet moment when Greyson and I attended Madelyn's 2nd grade Halloween party and one of the boys was dressed as Robin.  He and Greyson got a kick out of being a matched pair.

Madelyn dressed as Lilo in coarse, long, black hair and two classmates.

Now with more classmates... all really nice girls - we are very blessed.

Nick, the clown.  I love him and his clownish ways.

Greyson chose a breakfast dinner for his birthday with "Dad's eggs". He only eats eggs cooked by Dad. I guess Dad is good for something in the kitchen. :P

Greyson showing me how old he is now.  This morning at breakfast he wanted to make sure that he was actually 5 *today*, unlike Saturday when we just pretended he was 5.  (And a post about the birthday "celebration" should be forthcoming too.)

This pillow pet T-Rex has been something Greyson has wanted for a LONG time.  Ben and I think it is really ugly but he was adamant that he wanted none other!  So, Aunt Steph and family got this for Grey's birthday.  It is loved greatly and has already bonded with Blue Bear too (although unpictured).  We do wonder slightly if this is Greyson's subconscious, yet chosen, replacement for his sweet lovey.  We'll see.

Here is the pillow function of said pillow pet.  You can also see the Hot Wheel tracks that are already spread out and will be at every opportunity from here on out.

POW! BANG! KA-BLAM!

Our light skinned, dark haired Hawaiian... who needs hula dancing lessons. She tried, but those hips don't know how to swivel yet. :)

As we start our trick-or-treat adventure.  The kids had buckets so full and heavy by the end that they asked to go home!

Wow, what a day!  Thank you, God, for little growing boys and the silly fun and community that comes with Halloween.  Blessings abound.

Bring on the tricks, we've got the treats

Halloween, we're ready! Our jack-o-lanterns line the walk, the candy in the bowl, and a boy who's ready to turn 5! Bring it on!

Traumatic with a great ending

I know what you are thinking.  How can I call a picture of such a beautiful girl traumatic?  Well, traumatic is the story of how we got here.  Today, Madelyn is off from school (along with the rest of Minnesota) and I decided to trim and layer her hair a little this morning.  Madelyn has been growing her hair out for a LONG time and it seems to never get any longer and lately it has been looking really fizzy and unhealthy, so I wanted to try and get the ends trimmed off.  Well, I have trimmed her hair before and I've done something like layering to Grey's hair before BUT.... it didn't go well this morning.  I got carried away and made a big mess of it and it was AWFUL!!!!  I was crying and apologizing profusely while Madelyn was at first shell-shocked and then bawling too.  I, then, called a friend that styles hair and when when I explained what was wrong and asked if she could fix it, she rescued us!  I took Madelyn and Greyson to her house, got a reassuring hug, and then stayed with her kids while she took Madelyn to her salon and fixed the mess that I made, painted her nails, made her smile, and loved on her too.  Thank you, God, for friends that will drop everything to help!  When they got back to the house, I loved the new look and was loving the twinkle I saw in her eyes too.  She is such a beautiful girl, but she showed me just how much when later when she commented, "Mom, I know that you didn't do it intentionally. It will be okay. I even like it."  She is my beauty inside and out....  I love you, Madelyn.