Get more body in your hair!

We put up the Christmas tree today (it's a fake one...don't hate),

and since then, Gracie's been a busy girl. What kind of a toddler would she be if she didn't examine every light and bobble?!

I'm trying to put a stop to her crawling under the tree, but she's gotten away with it a couple of times. The static electricity conducted by the tree skirt and the dry, fake pine needles is giving her hair quite a root-boost (before and after pics below - though they're not very good).

We've been to the zoo, zoo, zoo...

We just spent an awesome morning at the zoo with good friends. I imagined I would come home worn out, ready to cage the kids for their naps (kidding). What a nice surprise to feel refreshed instead. It was BEAUTIFUL weather. Gracie was mostly content in her stroller. Jonah was thrilled to have time with his friend, Lester. And I got to visit with a good friend. Win!

Jonah kept making faces at Valentina. He was determined to make her laugh...

Angelina's a sucker for "peek-a-boo"...

I turned around and saw the boys holding hands. I guess they missed each other! We haven't seen The Animal Family in a while...

Nuffin

This afternoon, Jonah poked the storm screen in my bedroom window out of it's frame...

Jonah: Hey look, Mama! I can crawl outside!

Me: Jonah! What are you doing?!

Jonah: Nuffin!

Me: Go straight outside and push the screen back in.

*Jonah races to the outside of my bedroom window as fast as he can*

Jonah: Hey look, Mama! I can see you!

Me: Yeah, Jonah. Fix the screen, please.

Jonah: Mama? You sure look beautiful.

Me: Just fix the screen, Buddy.

hut, hut, HIKE!

Football season is upon us, and Jonah is learning to love it...

He's been asking to play catch with Daddy, and is learning to keep his eye on the ball...

...a skill that goes against one's natural instincts, if you think about it...

Funny thing, Daddy and Jonah were so focused on their football lesson, I don't think they noticed Miss Priss shadowing their every move...
hut, hut, HIKE

Go long, Daddy!

and...she...could...go...all...the...waaaaaaaaay

Daddy's Birthday Cuddle

Daddy's birthday was a lazy, low-key kind of day. We did our best to let him sleep late (a VERY hard thing for Jonah to do). We hollered, "Happy Birthdaaaaaay!" when Daddy did wake up around 8:30. We sneaked out to have his car washed (upholstery, and all) and then gave him our homemade cards and the "fancy" socks that Jonah picked out. (It was either socks, or a Bakugan. I managed to sway Jonah toward the socks). We had dinner with Meemaw and Papaw, then carrot cake cupcakes with cream cheese frosting.

The only part of the day that got photographed, though, was Gracie and Daddy, cuddling and sharing their breakfast cereal.

Sore Throats + Stuffy Noses =

Speechless

This morning, Jonah woke up with laryngitis.

My son, whom many identify by his VOLUME, has been reduced to a pathetic croaking.

He is devastated.

At one point he wailed, "I sound like a stupid garage doooooooooor".

How do you not feel sorry for the kid?

Daddy's Lens, Part 2

Michael was snapping pictures of this quiet moment...

...when Lucy decided to enter the picture...

Mischief Managed

Every time I turn around these days, Gracie is either....

a.) Spilling every plastic bowl we own out of the pantry and blindly tossing them over her shoulder
b.) Emptying a box of Q-tips or tissues by the fist full
c.) Unrolling the toilet paper and SHREDDING IT
d.) Pulling Jonah's nightlight out of the wall so she can mouth the plug
e.) Sprinting toward, escaping through, or already out the dog door
f.) Climbing the kitchen table to stand on top and touch the low-hanging light fixture

When I put her down for a nap, I feel like whispering, "mischief managed" to her bedroom door.

Expressions

Jonah has always had an expressive face. Almost like rubber.
I love those eyes.
I have to capture these silly moments before he gets too cool to let me share them!

Through Daddy's Lens

Michael picked up the camera last Sunday and I fell in love with several of the pics he got...