William & Hobbes?

William has recently caught the drawing bug.  He is always wanting more paper to draw on.  A few weeks ago he brought home a picture he had drawn of Calvin and Hobbes.  I was then informed that he would be making a book of Calvin and Hobbes.  He set to work and over the next few days drew several pages.  We put them into page protectors and into a binder to make his book.  Here are a few of my favorites:

 This is the first picture William brought home from school: Calvin, Hobbes, and a snow goon.

Calvin and Hobbes (with a red scarf around his neck)

Snow Goons

It is so fun to see what he comes up with.  He would much rather be given a blank notebook to draw in than a coloring book.  I think he'd draw all afternoon if I let him (and it will be great for our trip this summer!)

Dear Elise and Rachelle,

Here is the moment you've long been waiting for: THE watch.

At the company Rich works for they celebrate your 5 year anniversary by giving you a travel voucher and a gold watch.  Rich was due to get his watch several months ago but finally got it this week!  He was pretty happy about it.  Congrats Rich!  You earned it!

on your first birthday

It always amazes me that in one year a boy can change so much.  Just one year ago we were in the hospital with our brand new {tiny} baby.

 May 18, 2009... Alexander Robert just a few minutes old

And now you {Alex} think you are one of the big kids!  If I really admit it to myself, you really are almost there.  

Your new trick.  When we ask "Where did it go?" you put your hands out as if to say "I don't know"

In honor of your birthday {and so that I don't forget} here are some things about you on your 1st birthday:
*You love to eat.  You are willing to try just about anything you can get your hands on.  You especially love Cheerios, yogurt melts {freeze dried yogurt... dad says they're your drugs}, and fresh fruit.
*You love to explore.
*You are the best sleeper we've ever had.  You put yourself to sleep and usually sleep all night.
*You like to have your back scratched or the back of your head rubbed when you're sleepy.
*You are such a smiley baby and so good natured.
*You want to do anything and everything that your brothers do.
*After your naps you love your brothers to come in the bedroom to have a dance party.
*You love music!  You dance to the beat and try to lead the music at church.
*You know that you are cute!

Since Dad has meetings tonight we decided to have your party yesterday.  You got lots of help opening your presents.  I had to convince your brothers to let you help as well.  I think your favorite gift was the stacking cups {you love to knock things down}.

James helped me make some rainbow chip cupcakes with homemade cream cheese frosting.  Yum!  William found all the blocks to spell your name.

You were a little too interested in the fire atop your cupcake, so I guess it's a good thing that your brothers blew out the candle before you got the chance.

And you loved digging into the cupcake.  You turned it upside down so you didn't get too much frosting everywhere... but you sure thought that cake was delicious!  However, you weren't so fond of the cake once it got into your eyes. 

Happy Birthday little Alexander!  

We sure love you and can't wait to see what the next year will bring!

7 year itch?

Not a chance.

{Homecoming 2001}

Rich and I met in September 2001 (on my birthday).  It took him 7 months to get me to date him.  Seven years later we are still going strong.  Happy Anniversary!

Happy Mother's Day

Maybe I'll get around to posting an abridged version of the talk that I gave today (thanks Elise for helping me with it!).  But until I do that here are three wonderful Mother's Day posts.

Motherhood
For Mother's Day
Sweet Fragrance

Happy Mother's Day!

first haircut

Alexander recently had his first haircut.  I don't know what it is about first haircuts... but I always put them off.  Not only are they super squirmy at that age but it seems that after that first cut they lose some of their baby-ness.  This boy was long overdue for a cut.

Before

And just so you can really tell how long it was: 

 

After

What a handsome little guy.  He's getting too big, too fast!!!  I can't believe in a few short weeks he'll be one!

Father/Son campout

This past weekend Rich took the two older boys on the Stake Father/Son campout.  We were all so glad that it didn't get rained out again this year!  Because I wasn't there, there are no pictures of William having adventures in the creek or James swinging a hatchet or the boys from our ward {my boys included} getting into a rumble with some other boys.  But these pictures will have to do.

Rich said that they were really obedient and even let him get up to give his talk at the fireside that evening without any trouble.  {I should really have him get on here and fill in all the details of the weekend!}  The boys just can't stop talking about it!  I'm grateful for a husband who happily takes our boys on fun adventures like this!

{Growing up in a family of all girls we never got to do anything special when it was Father/Son time... because no one was gone.  But now I do because I have all boys!  So what did I do while the men-folk were away?  Several ladies from our ward enjoyed a girl's night out while some of the young women watched the little ones.  We had a blast.  The only way the night could have been better is if the Thunder had pulled off a win in game 6!}