How can it be?

How can it be?

Really, I've been asking myself that question daily.

How can it be?

It just seems like yesterday you made my dream come true.

How can it be?

Your eyes, your happy expression and your continuious love from the first moment we met and with each new day.

How can it be?

In a way I still feel like you should still look like this...

How can it be?

That you've grown into such a wonderful boy who brings us continued bliss...

How can it be...

That we were so lucky to be your parents.

How can it be?

That you're turning 6.

How can it be?

That we love you more and more each day.

Happy Birthday our darling Gabriel Joseph!

We love you yesterday, today and forever,

Your mom and dad

2011 Halloween

It seems time is slipping away from me and the time to blog gets shorter and shorter with each passing day. I'll still attempt to catch up on what's been new with us and how the boys have been spending their time the last few weeks.

Just as last year, the boys were super excited about Halloween.  We put out decorations in early October, read Halloween stories, went to see Spookley the Square Pumpkin (which is a great movie/book by the way) in the theater and we played some Halloween games with some friends.

Oh and we also went trick-or-treating... I'm not sure if it was the boy's costumes or what, but man did they score a ton (and I mean a ton) of candy.  Since we limit their sugar intake to one or two pieces of candy a week, Jarrett and I both have decided we need to find a good way to make most of the candy disappear.

Here's a few shots of the boys in their costumes... Beware... of the dark side...

Their power is strong.. they even convinced their dad to be their Imperial Walker.

Until next time,

Angie

Fall Break...

In October Gabriel had a 10-day break from school for Fall Break.  Given that most people do not get a Fall work break, we asked my parents and Grandpa Ray to come out to Phoenix for a visit (and to help us watch the boys while they were not in school).

Although they were here for 10 days, it was a very busy trip and I'm not sure who was more tired at the of their vacation.  I have a feeling, it might have been the grandparents. :-)

The boys loved having Grandma, Grandpa Chip and Grandpa Ray come to visit and they loved getting to go biking, playing baseball and soccer everyday.  Even though it was in the mid-90's everyday of their visit, for some reason they spent most of their time outside.  There were trips to the park, trips to the grass across the street, and literally hours upon hours of time spent in the garage.  There were so many games made up in the garage, the boys now consider it yet another one of their "play rooms".

I guess we were so busy that I failed to bring along my camera to most of the events, but I did manage to capture a few highlights of their great trip here...

There was a trip to the zoo...

 and some special caulking and organizing jobs in the garage...

 a trip to the Museum of Natural History

 many hours of playing ball in the garage...

 some baseball and soccer game watching...

 a trip to Jerome and the mining museum...

 some blowing of some dandelion flowers...

 brief glimpses of brotherly love...

 some posed pictures from the city of Jerome...

 some homemade Halloween wrapping paper projects...

 more "special projects" to be completed...

 and a few moments of just relaxing and enjoying each others company...

 and it wasn't just the boys that received a lot of attention... some lucky dog got so much attention, he was dog tired at the end of their trip too.

And as Gabriel and I dropped them off at the airport at the end of their trip, it was sad to see them go.  Gabriel sobbed the entire way and said, "Mom, they can't leave, I'll miss them too much."  I tried to reassure him that they'd be back soon.  Thankfully they are coming back for Christmas and we couldn't be happier.

Thanks Mom, Dad and Grandpa for all the help you gave us while the boys were on break.  Not only for the help with all of my "special projects" but for also wearing out the boys. 
Until next time,
Angie

PS:  I told you they have endless energy!!!! I think you believe me now. :-)

Scenic pictures

A few weeks ago we went to the Arizona Museum of Natural History and at the museum they have pictures of some of the most beautiful place in Arizona.  I told Jarrett I'd love to have some of these pictures on our walls and that we should someday go to the actual place where these photos were taken.  To remember what they look like, I took a couple pictures...


Isn't this beautiful?



And the colors in this picture are just amazing!

 And then there was this picture...

Guess who decided he wanted to be in the picture? I just love his cheesy yet surprised expression.

Until next time,

Angie

Backyard buddies...

Now that the weather has finally cooled off, the boys have been spending more time in the backyard playing.  When they are not throwing all of their balls over the back fence and into the neighbors yards, they've been using their imagination and playing all sorts of games.

Just recently I caught them in the act of trying to scale the pool fence or in their terms "practicing climbing a mountain". I watched for several minutes out the back door, taking pictures as evidence and then finally, when I decided that they were more gutsy than I thought they would be, I intervened.  When I asked them to not do that, they said, "Mom, what's wrong, we won't get hurt, we're trying to climb a mountain. We're practicing..." 

I have to give them credit, they are pretty good at using the resources they have...

Michael you stand up here, and I'll throw up the rope so you can tie it okay?

Like this Gabriel?

Okay Gabriel I'll get down so you can tie it...

Michael, I mean get all the way down so I can show you...

Gabriel, I think Mom is watching us...

No she's not Michael, Mom's in the house

Okay now let me bring this chair over here to help you... Yea Michael I'm holding the table so it doesn't turn over.

Oh I have an idea Gabriel...

you push me up and hold me against the fence, I'll try again to tie the rope...

Even better Gabriel, if I sit on top of the chair on top of the table then I'll really be able to climb over the fence.

I guess I'm not tall enough if I sit, I'll just have to stand on top of the chair on top of the table turned on its end.

And that's when I couldn't stand it anymore.  This is the point where Mom barges into their plan and ruins all of their fun.

Here's the evidence to proove it...

until next time,
Angie

Mammals...

Last night I was reading a book about bats to the boys. Within one of the first pages, the book shared that bats are mammals and before I could finish reading what mammals are, Gabriel interrupted me. 
"Mom, I know what mammals are.  We learned about them in school!"
A little surprised but excited to hear what he interpreted the word to mean, I asked, "Gabriel what is a mammal?"
He continued, "Mom, mammals are things that have hair on their body, and the mamas feed their baby milk.  People are mammals"
"Well Gabriel that is pretty good, you are correct."
Just as we were in the middle of our conversation about what mammals are, Dad just happened to return home from work.  As he walked into the living room, Gabriel noticed his presence.
"Mom", Gabriel said, "I know people are mammals but I don't know if Dad is. Mom, dad doesn't have any hair on his head.  Mom, he is a mammal?"
Unable to contain my laughter, I rose from the couch to get a Kleenex to wipe my tears and said, "Dad, Mammal, what ever you are... I'll let you answer this one."

Until next time,
Angie

Smile Please!

A few weeks ago, actually now almost a month ago, we got together with Jarrett's family to celebrate his birthday.  After going out for lunch we tried to get a picture of the kids.  Although the kids are 7, almost 6, 5, 4 and 3, you'd think with three photographers, continuous clicking of the camera, and requests for everyone to smile on the count of three, we'd get a good shot.  Unfortunately, here's a quick summary of how our impromptu photo shoot went...

There's one thing for sure..

each child has their very own...

distinct personality. 

But we wouldn't want...

them any other way.

Oh and by the way, after this picture, we gave up and let them go back to playing.

Until next time,
Angie