school days...

james going up to receive his principal's award.  

sweet boy. i told him to get a sweater on and he put on a sweater, and he put on his sport coat.  so sweet!!!  i love that he loves his sport coat!

nora also getting her award...

she wanted to wear her school sweatshirt to show school spirit!

our first "snow".  i hate when the grass still shows through.  we have had three snows now like this.  i wish it would just SNOW.  or not.  but we can't do anything with this...  but it is sweet how chris just LOVES it.  every time it snows he gets so excited to see it!

j reading to his brother!!!

still happy under all the layers!!!

and then he wore this to school.  i had realized his pants all had holes in them, so i let him wear sweatpants on friday, and bought him new ones over the weekend.  again, i told him to get a sweatshirt to go with his pants, since it was WICKED cold, and then sent him off to school.  he got dressed and put on his jacket before i saw him.  when i picked him up, the teacher commented on his sport coat.  sweet boy!!!  

this is how i find the baby.  too big too fast!

love when they play together.  we recently were donating some toys, and poor c thought i was donating his tool box he got for Christmas.  like full-on panic attack!  sweet thing.  he has loved playing with it!!!  

how i find them most mornings.  snuggled and happy!  i love it, because i get to sleep in until 6:30am this way!!  yes, i did use "sleep in" and "6:30am" in the same sentence!  whatever it takes!!!

back to real life...

sadie in the car on the way back from boston.  not looking so comfy, but not wanting to miss a thing!

brothers!

look what santa brought!  they were quite excited.  chris helped daddy build it, but he lost a few screws.  but was excited to be daddy's helper!

sadie's new best friend...

my minion loving boy... petting a ferret at a petco visit!

a guinea pig.

turtles.  his favorite of the day!

although, he loved seeing the fish!!!  

this boy is jus so sweet... with all his loveys in bed with him!  he doesn't always have enough room, due to the amount of animals in bed with him!

it was a joy to celebrate his birthday.  he kept asking for people to sing to him!!!

so, i went to a make and take the other night where we made cleaning products.  it was SO MUCH FUN!  i had done some of it before, but it was fun to do it as a group and use tried and true recipes.  i am always hesitant to try a new one, in case it doesn't work out.  but the leaders had done them all before!!!  and they are so cheap!!!  love that!

family fun!

with auntie sarah!

playing a new game at the beach!!

see the similarities??

ohio state won...  some excited boys!

a tired little boy...  vacation wore him out!

leaving the beach.  such a fun vacation...

in our cabana!

babies...

coloring while waiting for the plane!

all the cousins!

on the airplane.  he's so cute!

nothing like chipotle in the airport!

and then snow...  we got diverted to manchester.  and got off the plane.  we drove to boston faster than the plane!

leaving the airport.  tired kids, but with smiles!

some of the girls...

new games...

the bag game.  

you have to pick up the bag with only your mouth.  and you can't touch the floor.  

after each round, an inch is cut off the bag.  so much fun!!!

new year's eve.  

d with some kids.  

margaux!  

brandon.  

sweet cousins...

out for a walk.  

in jammies.  

seeing the sites!

three years ago, i was in labor with my sweet baby christopher.  it's hard to imagine that.  what a joy he is...  he says "i've been looking for you" when you walk in a room.  or, "you're so beautiful" if you tell him he's handsome.  (only if you are a girl.  he tells boys they are handsome!)  and is so stinking smart.  the other day, i realized he knew all his colors.  and he thinks he can do everything the big kids can do.  don't let him catch you calling him one of the "little kids".  so grown up.  so sweet.  and so much fun!!!

trying to get warm...

sitting with the baby in the pool...

his little "booster" seat.  

have seat, will travel!!!  (thanks, lt, for the great gift!)

walking with my boy.  christopher and me.

a pop-pop and his boy

sisters...

a boy and his mom-mom.

(each kid got to do a special sleep over at the hotel!)

entertaining the littles...

how we roll at the beach!

t did a good job of putting c to sleep!

that boy and his pop-pop again!

how to lay out at the beach...  when they will only bring you so many chairs!!!

it's the warmest day since we got back from florida.  it's 40*.  so, i am trying to stay warm and dreaming of florida.  and the whole family being together!