time

My kids are growing faster than I can journal. I keep a small notebook on my kitchen counter for writing the funny things they say, but too often that's the only place I write memories from these times. I used to roll my eyes in smugness when friends would say how busy they were with one or two kids. {I taught a class of 13 three-year-olds at the time, and if I could keep up with THEM, then certainly mothering one or two kids couldn't be that difficult. Little did I know...} Parenthood is a LOT harder than showing up for 8 hours Monday through Friday and having holidays off. :)

So here is a post for my bambinos. My effort to keep from forgetting this moment in our life together.
They have such personality, and keep our house full of laughter and creativity.

Marnie has blossomed into a little girl. It literally happened overnight. I put her in her crib one night as a 19-month-old baby, and awoke the next morning to find a 20-month-old child. She talks like crazy (a gift from me, no doubt), is completely potty trained (and has 3 of her baby dolls trained too), and she reads books to ME. She's even told me this morning, "Mom, go-go Bubba up school now." She's pretty sure that she's running this house, and she does it so well that I hate to tell her different.

Britt's schedule has been full: play-dates, preschool, narrowing down his list of potential Halloween costumes, drawing superheroes for hours on end, playing Star Wars games on Daddy's computer, and getting into more mischief than I have energy to discuss (let's just say it involves a missing hamster). He's a four-year-old boy; that's for sure.

Speaking of mischief, I recently opened the front door to find Griz all tangled up in our decorative spider webs with a guilty expression. Guess he wants to be a spider for Halloween...

This Fall's big project: nearly completed

We've talked about it for a few years, and thanks to a very tempting tax rebate offer, we're finally installing a wood-burning stove. I can't wait for the cozy winter evenings with a crackling fire and a cup of egg nog...
We couldn't have done any of this brick work without my dad. For a long time, he worked as a mason at my grandpa's masonry business. Those years of experience came in very handy for us! :)
The empty corner in our living room before...

Making sure the brick stayed straight.

Grandpa helping Britt install the last brick on the wall.

After 2 days of measuring, brick cutting, and cementing, here's the finished corner!


Now we just need to have Justin's dad over to help install the stovepipe/chimney and we can add this little beauty to the corner. {CAN'T WAIT!} :)

I fell in love again:

with Justin.
with live music.
with Arizona.
and with the gorgeous faces of my little ones who we missed so much.

Justin thinks of the best birthday gifts. This year he gave me tickets to 2 (TWO!) incredible concerts. Over the course of 8 days, we had 2 (TWO!) nights away [during which our parents were awesome and took on our 2 kids and puppy].
I wish I could have snuck in my big, fancy camera (the pictures would have been way better...) but here are my favorite pics from the shows.

Owen Pallett

The National

The National, again

Sufjan Stevens

{And, as much as i loved that era of my life, I also fell in love with the fact that I didn't have to hide in the restroom with my breast pump between bands.} :)

Just in case you care, here are a few videos from the shows. Not mine, but that's only because I hate waiting for 3 hours to upload a 4 minute video. :)

glimpses of October

Britt found some pets I didn't like very much...

...and one pet I thought was gorgeous. :)

Granny got the kids an early Halloween prize, and they've played with it nonstop! {I should have taken a picture of them in their spooky blankets that Grandma T got them too. These kids aren't spoiled at all, huh?} :)

Happy kids at bedtime.

Part of fire prevention festivities...the kids got to sit inside a real helicopter! Britt was thrilled, while Marnie refused to let go of her mother and get inside. :)

Chocolate pudding monster!!


Marnie and I tagged along on Britt's field trip to the local pumpkin patch. The kids had a great time wandering the corn maze and trying to find a pumpkin they could fit their strings around.



that armadillo shirt is one of Britt's most prized possessions. if only we could find a fruit bat shirt...

Little Miss Mimic

Marnie is the biggest copycat I've ever met. Sometimes it drives me nuts (like when I turn off a light and she begs me to turn it back on just so she can turn it off too), sometimes it's awesome (like when she pees in the potty because that's what "Bubba" does), and sometimes it's just adorable (like when I leave my make up unattended for 20 seconds while I open the front door for the puppy).




She had to include Daddy and Britt too...

A few things from last week...

Old pet met new pet... they got along quite well. :)

New pet learned a trick. Watch for him in the circus one day...

The kids sat still (AND smiled) for approximately 3 seconds, and I was there with my camera! It's a pre-Festivus miracle!

Marnie got out of a lot of various punishments because she does this face when she gets caught. (She didn't escape EVERY time out though...)

Little Miss Trouble decided it would be fun to join me in the shower one morning. One second I was washing my face and the next thing I knew, there was a fully clothed child standing behind me! A little bit creepy...