Raising Boys...

Both of these were taken here at the bluff this morning.  Did I mention that I despise anything slimy that slithers on its belly?

Seattle Snapshots...

Eight...

I absolutely adore this boy!  It's hard to believe it has been eight years since God brought him into our lives, but they have definitely been the best eight years of my life.  Happy Birthday, my sweet boy!

Everyday Moments...

P.S.  For several reasons, I am excited that summer vacation is only two weeks away, but at the very top of the list is more time with Owen.  And I think his little brothers are ready to get some extra play time in with him, too!  Maybe then his appearances on the blog will be a little more frequent.  :)

"Lab"...

Bet you never would have guessed we went to visit Daddy at work today:

Hatched...

It's an exciting day at the bluff, folks!  We have been watching this robin's nest for a few weeks now and today we woke up to two baby birds.  After checking again a few hours later, there were three!  It is such a treat to get to enjoy God's amazing creation and see it in action with my boys.  Today, I am thankful for little blessings and funny looking*, but adorable, baby birds.  And robin's egg blue!

*Inititially, I referred to these little guys as "ugly, but adorable."  However, when I read it to Silas he exclaimed, "They aren't ugly!" as though he was personally insulted.  So we agreed that it would be acceptable to call them "funny looking, but adorable."  :)

Everybody Needs a Brother...

Fancy...

Alli and Jason watched our boys for us while we went on our anniversary date tonight.  The following conversation occurred on the way home after we picked up the boys:

Owen:  Oliver and I were being all fancy!
Me: What do you mean by fancy?
Owen:  Well, like, Oliver spilled a little juice on himself and he took a shower!  And I got a little dirt on my hands and I washed them!

Nine...

When we got married nine years ago today, I'm not sure I pictured a trip to TjMaxx, Bed Bath & Beyond, and Rue 21 as our big anniversary celebration.  But honestly, I wouldn't have it any other way.  I maybe could do without the embarrassment of my husband picking up a selfie stick and totally conspicuously taking a photo of us in public, but at least now we have something to document the evening.  We have definitely had some great times and some struggles, but I wouldn't in a million years trade the richness that comes from commitment for newlywed bliss.  I am so thankful for what God has taught us in these nine years and for the depth of our relationship.  Is it perfect?  No.  Am I incredibly thankful that I get to walk through life with this man?  Absolutely.  I am more thankful now than I was when we first got married that we get to do this life together.  And I can only imagine what we will have learned and what marriage will mean to us when we reach 25, 30, 50 years.  I love you, Babe!  I am so blessed to be your wife!

Top Secret...

"Mom! Want to see something AWESOME?"

Work, not Play...

On the Menu...

Silas:  What's for dinner tonight?
Me:  Taco Salad
Silas:  I kind of wanted tacos.
Me: You might be able to have it as a taco.  We'll see.
Silas:  Do we have taco buns?

Everyday Moments...

Sniff...

Ezra stops to smell the flowers quite often, and it always looks like this.  Everyone smells lilacs with their mouth open, right?

Namesake...

All Kinds of Dirty...

I don't think I've ever mentioned on the blog that our sweet baby LOVES to eat dirt.  And by eat, I mean consume large quantities.  He doesn't just put some in his mouth and spit it out.  No, he eats bite after bite after bite.  It's really quite annoying.  I'll be glad when he outgrows this stage.  Today when we brought him in to eat dinner, I decided to snap a picture of the dirt remnants on his face before we wiped him up to feed him:

We then wiped him up and served him his dinner, after which he was once again covered, this time with food.  But I thought it was worth documenting...
     a.  because it's cute
     b.  because the dirt and messes never end