H&R Blog

Funny Comment From M1

2010-01-03T12:42:00.001-08:00

M1 had a funny comment on the way home, while looking at my face in the rearview mirror. M1: "Daddy, your face looks like the Grinch." I laughed & said, "That's just my resting position when I'm not smiling. Your comment is awfully accurate, though."

BREWERS 2009!!!

2009-07-11T08:55:00.000-07:00

We were able to take in another Brewers weekend in July against the Dodgers (boo!). It was a great weekend with R's family. Here are pics from the weekend...

Here's M123 ready to roll to Milwaukee (word).

As in the past, we tailgated with the rest of R's family before the game. Here's the whole gang after the meal.

Here's Papa & Nana with the 2009 edition of grandchildren (we're expanding in 2010!).

The benefit to doing this every year is that you learn what you want to do to improve your experience, such as take the escalators (especially with all of the short legs). Here's M3 w/R (& Aunt C2 close behind) riding on the escalator. M3 loved the escalator (like his dad)!

Here's the 9.1 Clan before the game.

Here's the 9.2 Clan before the game.

M3 w/R, making friends with the Bachelorette Party group behind us (better than the Bachelor Party group in front and to the left of us). A definite change with the "atmosphere" of the Saturday night game.

Papa sported the Rally Cap early on.

Soon after, M1 followed Papa's lead.

M4 with Nana.

M4 playing "Got Your Nose" with M2.

M2: "My binoculars aren't working." (That's because they're backwards silly!)

Three generations: Nana, R, M1234.

Here's a pic of M1&2 sleeping after the game (in the hotel). Too cute/funny not to photograph!

All of that beauty sleep must have paid off because here's M2 the morning after (using one of the bed's dressings as a shawl). (Seriously, why do we get these kids toys!? They make anything into a toy!)

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The HnR clan took in a second game on Sunday (the Brewers lost).

M1, lookin' pretty tuckered out, but still raising a glass to the Brewers! (And yes, she was juiced!)

M3 was hungry for one thing only: FRUIT!
M3: "Don't bother Mom, I'll just use the serving spoon!"

Here we are just after tailgating before the game. As you can see on the kids' faces, they were overwhelmed with joy and energy (he said sarcastically)! The sun in the eyes didn't help either.

Someone was kind enough to take our picture while we walked to the stadium. Moments after this pic was taken one of the courtesy golf carts stopped and asked if we wanted a ride to the stadium (sh-yeah!!!). This was such a huge blessing! He drove us all the way around the stadium to the gate that was closest to our seats (somehow lessening our steps even more). The best part was that it got the kids jazzed. R sat in the front row with M3 on his lap. M3 LOVED this ride so much...almost too much (as you will see/read later in this post).

H with M4 before the game (cuddling with Mom...it's a win-win situation!).

H packed a separate, small backpack that each kid wore into the stadium (something we thought of last year) filled with snacks that they could eat during the game. Once their backpack was empty, they were done having treats/snacks. One treat that M2 liked was something that made her tongue blue. She was more than willing to share her new shade of tongue with the camera.

R & M1 sportin' the rally caps (to no avail).

The main reason why we take in a second game (a Sunday game) is because kids 18 and under are allowed to run the bases after the game FOR FREE! This is a great chance to spend more time in the stadium AND to get to view Miller Park from the field. Our seats look much worse from the bases than they actually are. We highly recommend taking in a Sunday Brewers game with kids because of this bonus feature alone!

Here we are working our way through the line. It's one of the longest lines in the world, but it is also one of the quickest (it helps that everyone is running at the end of the line!).

R went along with M3 (it was his first time running the bases at MP). It proved to be a good thing. Remember that golf cart ride before the game? Well, as we were starting to run the bases, the grounds crew started working on the field. Certain pieces of equipment look similar to a golf cart, so soon after touching 1st base M3 started to run towards the "car", thinking that he was going to take in another ride. R had to hold M3's hand the rest of the way around the bases so that he didn't take off again towards the groundskeeper's equipment.

Here's R holding M3's hand soon after his failed attempt to escape the base line.

...rounding 3rd...

Should we slide???

Here we are after running the bases ("DON'T STEP ON THE GRASS!"). M3 was pretty bummed that he was not allowed to ride in a "car" again.

M1&2 goofing around after the game while R changes some diapers before hitting the road.

You can't leave MP without having your pic taken with Bernie! (One of M2's favorite traditions I believe.)

Here's R with the "too tired and whiny to walk back to the van" clan. It's all good...sweaty, but good.

Here's our crew upon returning to the van after 2 Brewers' games in about 24 hours. Very tiring, but ultimately very fun (& the kids talk about it forever afterwards). This is our family timeshare/campsite.

M3: "Look how naughty I can be!"

R w/M4.

Summer Catch-up

2009-07-09T08:54:00.000-07:00

The fall of 2009 has been a typical fall (crazy busy). So in order to catch our blog up here are random shots from June 2009 through the start of the school year.

M4 has been growing quickly. Here he is loving quality time in the Bumbo chair. The attachable table makes for a great work-space. M4 really does well with having his picture taken. It is so funny how young kids catch on to the process of picture taking. Our camera has an orange warning light that lights up before the actual picture is taken. M4 quickly caught on to this and almost always puts a great smile on once he sees the orange light.

Now that we have a dining room we also have the piano in a spot where it can be accessed by the kids. Initially this was a great source of entertainment for the house. Here M3 is tickling the ivories and working the crowd. Pretty good posture!

The piano has a demo button that plays many songs that showcase all that it can do. The songs are always in the same order and the kids learned the various styles quickly. The first song is upbeat so they always start dancing as soon as it begins. The next song is a slow, ballad. M3 loves to sing like a little crooner (hence the expression on his face). It's really very funny to hear/watch in person.

M3: "No wait, I like that song."

More emotional crooning from our little lounge singer.

"Oh yeah...I'm cute!"

M3 was playing with one of the chairs in the living room. Somehow he became stuck in the space between the arm of the chair and the seat. Being the caring parent that I am I quickly got up &...got the camera. He wiggled his way out and learned through doing not to do it again.

M1 started taking piano lessons this summer from H. The home improvements tended to put practicing and teaching on hold until later.

"Ta-dah!"

M1 still had time to make a silly face for you.

We had a day in July where we played with the small pool outside and ended the afternoon/evening with a campfire dinner.

M2 LOVES cherries!

Short & Sweet

2009-07-05T07:04:00.000-07:00

M2: "Daddy, do you know what's on my swimsuit!? Winnie the Pooh!"
Daddy: "There's poo on your swimsuit?"
"Nooooo! Winnie the Pooh THE BEAR!"
And then, as she left the room she grumbled, "Dogs don't poop in pools...or on swimsuits."

Happy Papa's Day

2009-06-21T10:22:00.000-07:00

Papa sent this e-mail and I thought you may want to enjoy. It has been modified for our target, G-rated audience (you're welcome!).

Ok, you may have seen USDA’s “Top Five Tips for Father’s Day”:
• Visit a local farmer's market:.
• Explore a local forest or park.
• Plant your own garden.
• Cook a healthy meal with dad.
• Give dad a food thermometer to make sure food is safe..

Now let me give you Papa's “Top Five Tips for Father’s Day”:
· Visit a local bakery
· Explore a local bar
· Plant your *butt* on the couch
· Get dad a brat and a beer
· Give dad the remote and a pillow

Sorry that we won't be able to spend the day together Dad. You'll manage.

All McMeyer's On The Farm...

2009-06-20T11:31:00.000-07:00

We typically head to Great-Grandpa H's farm once during the summer. This year we met up with Gpa & Gma H, Aunt H and Uncle C. The kids were able to see a lot of baby geese, ducks, chickens and turkeys. The kids loved it (and the little birds weren't as 'fowl' as you would expect).

Gpa H had a large refrigerator box to keep all of the little birds. He cut out a few small openings that were just the right height for the kids to peek in on the birds. It was very entertaining. Here are some pics from the day...

Gma H helped give M2 the bird.

As you can see, I think it was worth it. A very happy girl!

M1 held a bird most of the time (& did a great job!).

M3 couldn't get enough of the bird box.

"Hey M2! Come here!"

"Look! There are so many birds!"

"They're so close!"

"Come here birds!"
...I think the birds have a different thing in mind.

M3 & M2 loving the bird box.

M1 with Gpa H.

M3 would get so excited when a bird would be close by, he could barely contain himself. (Too cute!)

Here are M2 & M1 showing Great-Gpa H one of the chicks.

This is just a neat generational shot of Great-Gpa H's hands and M2's hands holding the little chick.

M2, M1 & M3 giving us a great shot on the stairs.

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We brought the girls bikes to let them practice in an isolated setting. The only problem was the uneven gravel. Here Gpa H is helping M2 get her motor running.

Gpa H stopped to negotiate with M2 about the process of biking.

After further review, Gpa H decided to cut his losses and "guide" M2 into the ditch.
(Well, not really, but it looks like that...)

Meanwhile, Dad was trying a new, more aggressive approach to teaching M1 to ride the bike (J/K! He was holding the vise-grips because he just put the training wheels on M1's bike.)

You always need to be leery when you see a bunch of bikers along the side of the road.

=========================

Another event of the day was driving the Porsche roadster (late '70's?) that Gpa H had just obtained. The car was in good shape. Just be glad that through these pictures you can't smell the mouse that died somewhere in the car soon after the Porsche arrived on the farm.

Here is Uncle C about to take H in the roadster.

H & C up close.

Is THIS too close!?

And they're off!

"Bye, Mom," they said unenthusiastically.

M3 (the avid car lover) was ready to roll once H returned from her ride.

Later that evening, M3 had his turn in the car. He was overwhelmingly excited when he first got in the car, but I don't think it was quite what he thought it would be because he wasn't as excited as the ride occurred. Oh well...

M3 smiles before the ride.

Gma H says some parting words to her eldest grandson. M3 just wants to go!

M2 went next & loved her turn.

M1 went last. Contrary to the rumors, this is not what her face looked like after the ride.

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Another event of the day (yes! this is all in the same day!) was playing with the hose. Here are some action shots from the "water park".

M2: "Just a little closer (heh, heh)."

M3 was not in the mood to get wet (yeah, I know...'my son'). Here he is telling M2, "That's close enough!"

Eventually H took the hose. M1 & M2 were really cute. They would start close to the barn, hold hands, & run towards the hose. Their faces were priceless!

Gpa H fired up the kiddie portion of the water park, but M3 was still not very interested.

Aunt H arrived just in time to pick up some drying (but still wet) nieces. (A very cute shot.)

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The kids also had tractor rides with Gpa.

M3 LOOOOVED riding on the tractor with Gpa. The funniest thing about his ride was when they came back to the house. The wind was blowing M3's and Gpa's hair up the exact, same way. Ah, genetics!

M2 liked her tractor ride, but for some reason she failed to express her happiness with her face. She seems to be mesmerized by Gpa's chin. What a zoner!

Here M1 and Gpa re-tell the story of how they were robbed by a gang of cows (their name was "Thistle Herd Tomorrow").

Eventually, the day came to an end. We headed home the same day. The kids of course fell asleep on the way home. We brought M2 into the house. She then walked back to her room (shared with M1 & M3 at the time), and crawled into the closest bed (M3's) and promptly fell asleep. The funny part was that I didn't even notice her right away because when she's curled up she's about the same size as some of the gigantic stuffed animals.

As usual, a fun day on the farm was had by all.

Shotpourri

2009-06-19T23:21:00.000-07:00

These shots do not go together, but they're worth sharing.

M2 LOOOOOVES her little brother, M4! She loves to give him hugs & kisses, hold his hand (typically too tight), etc. She is all about "tough love" so you have to keep an eye out for M4's well being.

M3 loves to go up and down the stairs that go into the dining room. Here are some cute shots from his stair adventures.

M3 also is pretty strong, but not strong enough to lift and carry Marco down the stairs.

Kitchen Krew and Wardrobe Malfunction

2009-06-19T14:02:00.000-07:00

When we stopped renting rooms upstairs we took the cabinets from the lobby/kitchenette and added them to our kitchen. We more than doubled our cabinet/counter space by making the move. We quickly took joy in our new kitchen setup.

Here the kids helped Mom make some food (& Mom didn't lose her patience with kids climbing over her limited space now that she has so much more to work with).

M3 follows suit with his sisters and LOVES to help whenever given the chance. (What a patient Mommy!)

Later that day...M3 was trying to get ready for bed on his own. The shirt got stuck on his mongo melon.

"Hey Dad, I think my shirt is stuck."

"Cuz, see, when, I, try, to, pull, it...it, doesn't, want, to, come."

"Maybe if I pull REALLY hard, like this...?"

"Eh, forget it. I'll just deal with it. Is this too close!?"

Eventually M3's shirt found its way off. Here is M3 bringing the diaper bag over so we can change his pants (sporting the new shirt-less look).

You might be able to see that M3 worked up quite a sweat during his wardrobe malfunction.

Room for Improvement

2009-06-17T09:20:00.000-07:00

We stopped renting rooms upstairs as of June (WAHOO-SKIPPY!!!). Once school ended we kicked into gear the transition of taking over the whole house. It has been a process that has moved slower than hoped, but nonetheless, it's happening!

The first room to receive attention was the former lobby (now our dining room). H has been putting a lot of work into making this room beautiful. The first big thing to happen was having our dining set delivered. Here's M2 finishing her breakfast at the new table (probably a few hours after starting).

M1 and M2 LOVE to help Mom. Here they are cleaning the heat register.

Of course, the problem with getting the camera out is that "natural" pictures are quickly tainted by "personality" pictures. They continue to get closer...

...so close that M1 tries to clean Daddy/the camera.

M2 of course tried to follow suit and had to be restrained. Little boogers...

This picture doesn't do the room justice, but here is the finished dining room. Lots of pictures of extended family on the wall. Great job, H! We love our dining room!

Little Daddy

2009-06-16T21:05:00.000-07:00

M3 is a pretty loving kid and he displays great tendencies with babies. Here M3 shows us how to care for a baby doll...

M3: "Hi Mommy! I think the baby has some stinky pants."

"What do you think, Marco? Does the baby stink?"

"Well, let's fix this problem."

"Lay the baby down and crank his legs up...like this!"

"Good job, baby! You're all done and smellin' fresh!"

"Now we can relax with fresh pants...and even lay on the dog. Excuse me, Marco."

"What!?"

"Mommy! Do you wanna smell the baby!?"

Fun Outside (FINALLY!!!)

2009-06-15T09:59:00.000-07:00

The 'skeeters' are awful as usual this summer, so time outside is not as often as we all would desire. Dad was able to take M234 outside while Mom was running errands with M1. M1 joined us once she came back home with Mom.

M2 wanted to hang from the "dingle" or "dangle" bars (as she calls them). Here is her step-by-step process to achieve the goal.

First, kneel on the swing.

Second, stretch and reach for the dingle/dangle bars. (You gotta want it!)

Third, pull yourself up and achieve a full grip on both dingle/dangle bars.

Next, lift your feet and let your hands do the work.

Finally, stick the landing and give a shout out!

The optional bonus is to come to the peanut gallery for a beautiful close-up and sign autographs.

M2 ended up trying to teach M1 the new trick on the swing set.

Meanwhile, to stage left...
M3 loves his cozy coupe. In and out, in and out. Well for some reason today did not go well as you will see.

M3 enters his car like any other day.

Soon after, he backs into...er, I mean, the swing set crashes into his back bumper. M3 does not take the event in stride.

M3 gets out to check the damage.

He then decided to flee the scene and push-start his car.

Eventually, M3 worked his way over to Dad to show the frustration often associated with driving. It's ok, buddy.

Random Shots/Captions

2009-06-12T09:53:00.000-07:00

Daddy is truly a small-town kid (easily amused). He made Mom take pics of M4 while being changed into pajamas. M4 & Mom hope Dad remembers to check for snaps on the shirt next time before trying to take them off.

M4 is a trooper and a cutie!

Here is the finished product.

One morning Dad went to get the girls who were playing in their room. M1 informed Dad that she had to put a pillow down to separate her space from M2's space because they were not able to play well with each other. Dad got a big kick out of this b/c his sisters (Aunt C1 and Aunt C2) had a similar setup in their room (only involving masking tape).

Daddy took another pic because the girls looked too nice in the first pic. Here are their grumpy, mean faces. (M2 is still smirking...stinker).

M2 tends to have the common problem of putting shoes on the wrong feet. Well, this time she was caught putting her shoes on the correct feet, but the wrinkle is that they don't match. What a stinker!

Close-up for added appreciation.

End of the School Year Carpet Picnic!

2009-06-09T09:12:00.000-07:00

After the last day of school, we had a fun carpet picnic in the living room with some intense "Wheel of Fortune". These are just some funny shots from our little posers.

M2 poses during her supper.

M1 gets bossy.

M2: "Hey Mom! Take a picture of me doing this!"

M2...Wazzuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuup!!!

Two beauties.

H&R take their annual anniversary pic...2 weeks after the fact.

M3 tackles Mom and thinks it's pretty funny.

The only problem with rough-housing on the floor while holding the camera is that you can accidentally end up with a random shot like this one of the ceiling fan. Papa would be so proud.

Mom reciprocated M3's tackle with some tickle revenge.

We were having so much fun on the floor that M1 started laughing uncontrollably. She laughed so much for so long that she ended up coughing and not feeling too well.

Here is M1, not in a good mood, recovering from her laughing/coughing spell.

She got over it eventually.

M1's 4K Graduation

2009-06-09T07:59:00.000-07:00

M1 concluded her first year of 4-year-old Kindergarten with a very cute Graduation ceremony (much shorter and more comfortable than the many ceremonies R has sat through). Here are some pics from the big day.

M2: Got your Grad face on? This is what 'focused' looks like (although the picture isn't).

M1 was able to lead the class into the room, holding Mrs. S's hand (Megan's teacher). Obviously, M1 was excited!

Mrs. S stopped so that M1 could pose for Mom in the front row (Thank You!).

M3 wanted M1 as soon as he saw her standing at the front of the room.

M1 with her 4K class at the start of the ceremony.

Despite some last-minute objections (just kidding), M1 receives her certificate from Mrs. S.

M1: "Hey Mom! I gradiated!" (She doesn't speak this way; this is just a joke for R).

Mrs. S poses with M1 and her classmates after receiving their certificates. Notice how much smarter they look??? Yeah, me neither.

Mom & M2 pose with our little graduate.

M1 gets caught up in the moment and shares the love with M3.

M2, Dad, & M4 pose with M1 after the ceremony.

Of course, the best part about completing 4K is the cupcake you get after the ceremony! Sah-weet!

Mrs. B (the teacher's aide in M1's room) poses with M1. Thanks to Mrs. B for helping M1 in 4K!

Mrs. S sat next to M1 for the post-ceremony group pic. Thanks to Mrs. S for being M1's teacher!

Who is taking this shot?

2009-06-07T07:55:00.000-07:00

I'm not sure, but it looks like either H or M4 is taking this pic. You be the judge...

It's All Relative

2009-06-06T07:08:00.000-07:00

H&R had a college friend's wedding to attend/play for in the Twin Cities. The kids were not invited, so we had to line-up childcare off-site. Praise God we have family nearby in Hudson...and we're on speaking terms...and they were willing to watch M123 (M4 stayed with his lunch ticket [Mom])! M123 stayed with Cousin D, his wife, L, and their 3 kids (yes, that totals 6...bless you Cousin D&L!) Friday afternoon which turned into night because the rehearsal dinner went much longer than we had anticipated. H&R stayed at Cousin D&L's house on Friday night (after dealing with awful traffic/construction in the Cities), woke-up Saturday morning and took the kids to Uncle F & Aunt J's house (also, thankfully, close-by). H&R & M4 were at the wedding/reception/dinner for most of Saturday, so M123 were able to spend the bulk of the day with Uncle F, Aunt J, Cousin S and her 2 daughters (Cousins S & M). The kids had a great day, Uncle F/Aunt J and Cousin S survived, and H&R (along with M4...who was very good) had a good time at the wedding. Here are some pics from the weekend.

H with her old roommate/friend, the new Mrs. SBC

Mrs. SBC takes some time to talk to M4.

Mrs. SBC holding M4.

Meanwhile, back at the ranch (on Sunday)...

L --> R: Cousin M, M2, Cousin S, M1

As you can see, M2 & M1 tend to 'check-out' when watching a movie. Cousin M still wanted to share a story with M2. She'll learn...

Most of the kids are playing a game, but M2 seems to think she's auditioning for a revival of "Flashdance."

It was a VERY full weekend, but we all had a great time.

Random Shots & Captions

2009-06-04T06:44:00.000-07:00

M3: "See Dad, if you're holding a truck you can make any shoes 'manly'...even princess dress-up shoes."

Do you ever have issues changing the diaper of a fussy, fidgety child? Try the "onesie straight jacket" to occupy your little terror. M3 was kicking and hitting while I was changing his pants. To remove the 'hitting' portion of that equation I wrapped his arms up between his onesie and his shirt. He didn't like it, but it worked AND he calmed down (probably in disbelief). Of course, I had to take a picture!

We were actually able to have a book club before bed. Obviously, it was M3's turn.

How cute is that kid!?

M4 is growing, growing, growing! He loves the Jumparoo (as have his older siblings...and his parents). He can easily spend a good hour jumping, jumping, jumping. However, as displayed in this picture, M4 stops jumping when the Brewers are on (attaboy!).

M3: "Just a little bit closer, Mommy. I...can...almost...reach.

So What Are You Saying Kid?

2009-05-30T08:02:00.001-07:00

Daddy got home late from work one night & Mommy had a story to share about M1.

M1 had been learning nursery rhymes at school and she had a coloring project to finish at home. It was a picture of "the Old Woman's shoe." M1 showed Mommy her completed project. M1 explained how all 6 members of our family could be seen in the windows of the shoe. Mom & Dad were in the same window. M1 pointed out that her drawing of Mommy is smiling but Daddy is not smiling "because he is usually crabby."

Mommy thought that was very funny & couldn't wait to share with Daddy.

The next morning, Daddy asked M1 if he could see her coloring. He asked leading questions about the smiling faces. M1 said "you're smiling, Daddy." Daddy brought up what Mommy said the night before. M1 smiled and changed the subject (Daddy, see what else I've colored?).

Stinker...

Funny Facebook Status

2009-05-29T19:01:00.001-07:00

Daddy needs to recharge his DPS (Daddy's Patience & Sanity) device before the voice instructs him to "turn off of cliff & arrive at destination: wit's end."

Fun at home

2009-05-28T08:37:00.000-07:00

We have a grand time at home and occasionally I get the chance to capture it.....these were from my mobile phone!

More Random Shots

2009-05-28T08:19:00.001-07:00

Cousin B be Turnin' 1!

2009-05-16T09:03:00.000-07:00

We were able to gather with Daddy's side of the family for Cousin B's birthday extravaganza at Aunt C1/Uncle D's place in May. It was a great party!

Cousin B starts to break in his new drum.

When everyone was over the previous week at our house for M4's dedication, Cousin B took a big interest in one of our toys. It is a car toy that makes lots of noise. We decided Cousin B would enjoy having the toy for himself (because M3 is too big for it and M4 is too little), so we gave it to Cousin B as a gift. Aunt C1 is "overjoyed" to now have the world's best toy for volume.

Cousin B: "Dude! Sweet, a cell phone! Now all the ladies can reach me more easily!"

"Man! This gift opening is tiring!"

"You know what Mom & Dad? I'm tired and this present is bigger than me. Can you help me out?"

"Dad, this chair totally rocks!!"

"Hey, what are you gonna do with that cake!? Can you bring it just a little closer?"

"What do you mean I have to share this with everyone else?!?!?!?! Get your paws off of my cake!"

M2 stretches her lips before consuming some b-day cake. At least, I think that's what she's doing.

Here's M1 being silly (I know, what a shocker!).

Cousin B: "Dear Cousin M3, please may I have a drum stick?"

"DUDE! I'm serious! Let me have a stick...or else!!"

"Ugh, finally! When are these people leaving!?"

Papa shows Cousin B what a "Flying Mater" is. Cousin B calls for help.

"Hello, Officer? I have a situation in my house. My parents invited these loud and crazy people over. They gave me some nice presents, but they're still here! Do you know how soon you can get them out of here!?"

"You mean I'm related to these people and I'm gonna have to deal with them the rest of my life?! Ugggghhhhh!"

M4 with Great Grandma J

Here is M2 about to teach Cousin B a simple lesson in physics (at least, it looks like she is about to shove Cousin B off of the foot rest).

M2 & M4 pose before we head home.

M4: "Yea! Let's go home!"

M4 Dedication

2009-05-10T08:27:00.000-07:00

M4 was dedicated to the Lord on Mother's Day 2009. It was a great day to celebrate life and God's bountiful provisions. Thanks to all who were able to attend!

Pastor T reads through M4's birth stats, name meaning & Bible verses while the family waits on stage.

Pastor T prays for M4 while M3 reminds us all why nap time is non-negotiable.

Everyone was able to hear/see M1 sing with the Children's Choir for a special song. M1 obviously knows how to work the camera.

Great-grandparents, grandparents, aunts, uncles and the cousin were able to make M4's special ceremony/day.

Once we got back to our house for a meal and fellowship, M3 was able to ''share'' his toys with Cousin B. They were also able to compare foreheads and show off the "pipes".

M2 decided to doll herself up for the special day (thankfully after church) by putting on her own lip gloss. As you can see, it goes on very easily!

"What do you mean it's too much!?"

As has been the trend of recent gatherings, M3 has learned quickly that Papa is not good at saying 'no' to his grandchildren. Here is M3 "helping" Papa finish off his delicious dessert. (Of course, smiling for the camera.)

M3 getting one of Papa's last bites. Notice that M3, while taking the penultimate bite, is already eying up the last morsel on Papa's plate.

M3: "Papa ran out of his dessert much too quickly. What is a growing boy to do? Is there another person I can "help"???"

NANA! She can't say no either.

"Nana!! Stop laughing and let me "help" you! ...Marco is ready to 'help' M3 if needed.

M3 has a 3M Moment

2009-05-09T06:53:00.000-07:00

I can't remember the exact story, but somehow M3 ended up with his jacket on backwards. Of course we zipped him up and took pics.

"Sure I'll smile for a picture!"

"What's so funny, Daddy?"

M3 misunderstanding the phrase "Packer Backer"

Picture Potpourri

2009-05-03T00:00:00.001-07:00

M3: That's hilarious!
M4: Seriously, I don't get it...

Oh yeah, I'm cute.

Marco: Is THIS too close?

M4 smiling at Daddy

Who are these people? They're so weird!

Is THIS too close? -OR- Message from the Big Head!

First you make this face...

And then you smell something nasty!

Check out the pipes! All natural!

Ooo, excuse me!

Hi!

Say CHEEESSEEE!!!

It's been a while...how 'bout some pics?

2009-05-03T00:00:00.000-07:00

Nothing major, just some more recent pics of the kids. Hope you enjoy!

M3 has a big kid bed (and a very cool one at that!). We tried it a few nights and quickly realized that M3 wakes up a few times in the middle of the night. We will pursue this change more aggressively once the summer roles around and he gets his own room upstairs.

M3 put his new hat on all by himself and of course smiled very well for the camera. What a cutie, even if he is "juiced". We also thought he should cross the arms for better street cred. word.

M4 is really starting to show some personality (esp. smiling!). Of course, his best smiles occur when there isn't a camera in his face. But hey, we'll keep trying!

Here M4 is showing us that, despite no teeth, he is ready for the dentist.

It's never too early to start working on your clarinet embouchure!

M3 shows off his rudiment chops(ticks); he's faster than our camera! Typical boy; 'the world is my drum.' Happy when he gets to hit stuff.

Easter Family Pic

2009-04-19T01:00:00.000-07:00

Alright everybody, say "Happy Easter I'm too tired let me do what I want to please!"

"Wow, dude. I am SOOO good to go."
M4 was very content after a feeding (in the parking lot...this wasn't while the car was moving) and we felt the need to take a picture.

Easter "Hop"penings (HA! What a funny bunny!)

2009-04-19T00:08:00.000-07:00

We had an Easter Eggs-travaganza on Saturday at Aunt C1 and Uncle D's house. As usual, Aunt C1 went overboard (but the M&Ms had a blast).

L -> R: Aunt C2 holding M4, M1, M2, Aunt C1 holding Cousin B, M3

Cousin B wants all the ladies out there to know that he is "available" (despite the fact that he still lives with his parents). He does like to hit the bottle though...

Do you ever get the feeling that you're being watched!?

I know it's hard to tell, but look closely at this picture. M2 is literally going head-over-heels with the egg hunt (you could also say that she is performing an impromptu somersault).

What kind of birds does Aunt C1 have around here?

M2 & M1 smile during the hunt.

Ok, Papa, just follow me...

M1, M2, Nana, & M3 smiling after the hunt.

Check out our loot!!

Please can I play with the bubbles!?

Is THIS too close?

Nothing celebrates the resurrection of Jesus like WATERBALLOONS! (uh, what!?)

What do you mean we've had too much sugar and not enough sleep!?!?!?!

Meanwhile, M4 was in the house smiling at who ever would look.

Marco celebrated Easter with...a camo bib!?
Marco, what do you think?
"Seriously, take this stupid bib off!"

Locks of Love

2009-03-12T00:00:00.000-07:00

M1 donated her hair to Locks of Love (LoL) on Wednesday (3/11/09) at a ceremony at school. Her hair was then styled that evening at an appointment with H and M2. H had her hair cut, too. Here are some before and after pics of 3/11's happenings.

Each LoL participant decorated a tagboard heart with names of family and friends who have dealt with cancer. Take a look to see if you're on the heart (family members). H helped with the design, but M1 signed it. This is M1 with her heart right when she arrived at school.

Two volunteers from local beauty shops helped pony-tail the hair of all of the participants before the ceremony.

Here is M1 after getting her hair pony tailed.

M1 in the gym, next to her heart (taped to the edge of the stage).

This might be hard to see, but M1 is smiling, sitting on the bleachers. She is looking around the standing girl in the black shirt. Two other girls in M1's class also participated in the program. M1 is sitting next to one of her classmates and the classmate's mom (a teacher at school).

This is a shot of all of the participants. There were a record number of 35 participants, ranging in age from 5 to adult.

This is a shot of all who came to watch. The entire elementary is sitting on the gym floor and the JH/HS students who were able to watch are standing/sitting towards the back. I couldn't believe how many were there. It was awfully loud! Thankfully there aren't too many events in the elementary that allow for all of the students to scream like they did for this ceremony.

This is M1 having her pony tails cut.

M1 holding her heart after the ceremony (with the short hair).

M1's "after" picture from behind.

M1 at home, giving her thumbs-up after getting to view herself in her mirror.

M1 at her hair appointment that evening.

WOW! What a little poser all freshly styled! Obviously, she LOVES her short hair!

After M1 & H had their hair cut, the 3 girls went out for a treat at a local restaurant. As you can see, M1 could sell just about anything if given the chance (especially attitude).

In case you missed it, M2 did come along for the 'girls' night out' and she is showing how silly she can be while eating an ice cream cone. Sometimes you just can't avoid the fact that she is her mother's daughter...ok, ok, she looks like me when she does this, I know.

M1 and H in a shot taken by H. They had a great time out on the town (on a school night!).

2009-03-11T00:00:00.002-07:00

Here are some random pics since M4's birth.

Eventually M3 realized that there was a new baby in the house and once that happened he couldn't stop hugging his new brother. In this pic M4 couldn't stop trying to eat off of M3's nose.

Our church's senior pastor's wife (a Viking fan) gave us a gift for M4's birth. One item was a super spiffy Packer hat that fit M3 perfectly! M3 loves his awesome hat!

M4 has slowly been adapting to sleeping in places other than someone's arms. This is his maiden ride in the swing. So far so good...

Grandma came up for a weekend to help with the munchkins while R was gone for something with work. I was still home to take this picture. As you can see, M3 is a little poser ("Where's the camera!?").

This is M4 at about 1 month of age. He's not too sure about having his picture taken.

H caught the best pout face as M4's patience was quickly gone.

Here is a pretty recent pic of M4. Aunt Rodie made the beautiful blanket that he is laying on. It is a super blanket because M4 loves to sleep in it.

Here are more pics since M4's birth...

2009-02-02T02:00:00.000-08:00

M4 in the hospital.

M4 w/Dr. M1.

First full family picture in the hospital.

Big sister M1 w/little brother M4.

M2 w/M4.

Happy girls and sad boys.

The whole gang (even Marco hiding behind M2).

M4 sleeping on Mom (his favorite place).

And then there were 4...

2009-02-02T01:00:00.000-08:00

We welcomed M4 to the world Tuesday, January 27, 2009, at 11:43 AM. 8 lbs, 12 oz, 20 3/4" long (a lot of that is just his toes).

He has 'finger toes' like his dad (poor boy).

He of course joins M1 (5), M2 (3), & M3 (16 mos). Mom and M4 are well.

Graphic details will be shared at a later date.

M4's Birth Story

2009-02-02T00:30:00.000-08:00

M4's entrance was unique (just like everybody else). He started "sneezing" (leaking) on January 6 (like M3), but it was a false alarm.M4 was due around 1/19/09, but he needed a deadline. On Thursday (1/22), H was 4+ cm & Dr. Kathy said we would induce M4 on 1/27/09 if he didn't come on his own. Nana (R's mom) came Monday night for the presumed inducement. H started having strong contractions around 5 AM (on 1/27). H & R (and M3) took off to the hospital (as planned). The cell rang on the way to the hospital. They called to let us know there were 2 other moms laboring, so "just hang-out at home and we'll call you around Noon to see if we're ready for you." I informed the hospital that we were already on our way. We dropped M3 off at a friend's house and checked into the hospital. The hospital did not call our Doc, so she was there for the presumed planned inducement. It all worked out. H was 6-7 cm around 8 AM; 8 cm 30 minutes later. She was in the tub (water birth) by 9 AM and M4 came at 11:43 AM. Nana brought M1 and M2 to the hospital around 9:30 AM. They were sitting on R's lap when M4 arrived. They did great!M1 was excited to see M4; M2 was more interested in the contents of the tub (very mesmerized). H was her usual awesome self when it came to the entire process. The nurse did not think H was that far along, so she was shocked when Doc said H was 6-7 cm.

Oh, and those 2 other laboring moms? Both were first time moms. One was sent home by her doctor and the other did not deliver until very late Tuesday night.

It was nice to have a child in the middle of the day.M1 was born at 8:41 PM; M2 was at 7:28 PM; M3 was at 2:19 AM. We were all home by Wednesday (1/28/09) afternoon.

We're Here (or there, depending on your perspective)!

2009-02-02T00:00:00.000-08:00

We are bloggin' like it's 199...oh whatever. Here's pics of kids and other stuff you might find worth using for wasting time.