When Company Comes to Call

***This entry got lost in the shuffle at some point and never got posted.  So...  a couple of years go by...  I think it's because the pictures aren't on my laptop.  That's my story and I'm sticking to it.***

I had some of my favorite girlies come to visit us for a long weekend recently. We had a blast, quite literally! ;)  OK, we let Dave join us. 

We took a trip to downtown Burlington (sans kiddos) where we wandered Church Street and saw a fun street performance of flaming hoop jumping. We wandered down to the lake and had a yummy lunch. We stopped at the Maple store and hooked Alonnie up with enough maple syrup to last a week or two. :D

Another night we watched the movie New in Town. It was predictable, but fun.

We also had lunch one day at Smuggler's Notch. Chef Boy R Dave prepared some of our food and briefly graced us with his presence.

I finally got to meet Lora's Carolyn.

Micah built us a sweat lodge (an igloo shaped sauna) that was fabulous! He did a great job. And after that, we came out and gorged ourselves on s'mores.

June - Tractor Tires and Sneetches

Is this a picture of the rare and elusive star-butted sneetch?

No.  Just a toe sucking baby.

Micah decided he'd like to have a tractor tire to workout with while training for the Spartan.  A helpful friend delivered this. 

The boys were excited.

Merrick is enjoying cereal, takes a bottle, and can sit up a bit.

Micah ran a 10K.

Chef Boy R Xav helps in the kitchen.

May - Maine and a birthday

Christian Friday School graduation was warm.  It seems like graduations are always hot and sticky.  It's *May*.  It shouldn't be that hot yet.  But it's always a joy to have time together with the Friday School families without worrying about classes and running araound.  I like to "do the chatting" with the other Moms.  This is a Mal's eye view of graduation.

Our Friday School trip this year was to Acadia National Forest in Maine.  We took an extra day to visit with Micah's college friends, Mat and Jen.  Mat wowed the boys with his model steam train.  That train turned out to be their favorite part of the whole trip!

We really enjoyed exploring the mud flats and tidal pools with our ranger guides.  It was a gorgeous day.

Merrick had his first bath in the tub.  He is just too big for the kitchen sink!

We were thinking he might end up being a redhead.

The boys signed a birthday card for Dave and I had to laugh when I saw what they wrote.  Completely unprompted and unassisted, Mal let Dave know that he loves him.  Xavier signed his name in "wizard writing" which just means curly letters.  He picked that up watching Disney's The Sword and the Stone.

Sharing this shot of Xav, just because he is adorable.

Yard clean up is still moving along.  Micah takes such great care of our home and yard.  I am so blessed to have this family.

Self Portraits and the Pox - April

Mal loves to get his hands on the camera.  I often transfer pictures to my computer and find a few shots he has taken of himself. 

All the boys had the pox this month, including Merrick.  They all took it pretty well.  The baby didn't even get sick.

Growing boy.  {{LOVE}}

Lego creations.

Third tooth gone!

March

Monkey and Monkey's Daddy had birthdays.  {love}  Mal is seven.  It's hard to believe.  He chose a confetti cake, but of course he wouldn't eat it.  He had a donut instead.

Merrick started enjoying his bath.

And tummy time.

We made a goody basket for the wonderful nurses who made our week long stay at the birthing center more bearable.  They are a fantastic group of ladies.

February

Let's see.  We celebrated Groundhog's Day.

We finally got some decent snow.

Merrick grew.

The boys made butter (and buttermilk).

Xav and I tried this easy "fudge" made from chocolate and mint chips with frosting.  It was quite good.

Mal was raptured.  Or Obi Wan Kenobied.

Xav Turns Five

Becoming a big brother right before your fifth birthday can be wonderful.  It can also mess up the week like crazy.  Merrick was born 5 days before Xav's big day, but spent an entire week in the hospital nursery.  The only time I went ANYWHERE that whole time was the few hours I spent with my family and my visiting mother for Xavier's party.  He, of course, chose chocolate cake.  He always chooses chocolate.  :)