Salzman Family News

Greta Brielle ~ Eleven Months Old

2012-01-29T12:41:00.002-07:00

This can't be...is our baby girl almost a year old already?

Greta is a happy baby, crawling all over the place, standing up whenever she can find something to pull herself up and lean against (the couch, the TV - to mess with the buttons, her changing table, the sides of her play pen & crib, our glass doors - to peer outside, etc....) Gary predicts she'll be walking by her 1st birthday. Greta loves to play Peek-a-Boo with her blankie, loves playing "How big is baby...? Soooo... BIG!" and enjoys responding to the song, "If You're Happy & You Know It...Clap Your Hands." Not for lack of attention from her adoring fan club, she gives herself much applause - and she deserves it. She has an acute awareness of what she's not supposed to get into...and gives us a coy smile as she crawls speedily toward these things. Meals have become much easier as Baby eats many of the same things we do, cut up into tiny bite sizes. She is still especially fond of peas and cheese. Macaroni & cheese is a new favorite as well, just recently introduced into her diet. Muffins were also a big hit for Baby. She finally admitted that she's capable of holding her own bottle too, which has freed up my hands greatly during our busy days. ☺ I still insist on our evening ritual of rocking Greta with her bottle, after her bath and before bedtime. Before that, she loves being included in story time with her brothers, most often read by Daddy. Greta also has an interest in singing along to music, even my attempts at lullabye tunes at bedtime. Her sweet little humming accompanies me.

These adorable froggy pajamas pictured below are among my favorite pair to put on Greta -- they were picked out by Papa Schueler on one of Grammy Schueler's many shopping sprees for the grandkids. I'm just going to take this opportunity to mention how much I appreciate pajamas with zippers for babies! From the early, newborn days of frequent diaper changes in the wee hours, to our current challenge of trying to hurriedly dress a very active baby, writhing to escape diaper time to get on to her busy life -- Zippers are the way to go - as opposed to the snaps on jammies. Yet most baby pajamas we have are of the snap variety. It's nothing short of frustration, trying to align those snaps in the middle of the night, while trying to wrestle a baby, who wants to lay on her tummy, back into her pajamas in low light while fighting exhaustion. There. I said my part. Zippers rule.

Mr. Bear is shrinking! Or maybe I'll have to admit that our baby girl is growing up, and all too quickly leaving babyhood for toddler land. *sigh*

It has become more challenging to get a photo of Greta that is not blurry. She's always on the go.... Here are some of the attempts to take her 11-month picture. They were just too cute to ignore. She's a happy and wiggly little girl. ☺

So much love....

Come on, Mom - let's wrap up this photo shoot so I can play!

This is fun, but I've got things to do....

Watching the movie "Up" with her brothers....

With all our children, we are so blessed.

This blog appears to have become a monthly blurb announcing only Greta's latest monthly landmark. Somehow, someday...I hope to "catch up" and post some of the many other things going on in our busy lives. Greta is not a very consistent napper, and our drop-off/pick-up school schedule with the boys keeps me on the run. But I have not stopped taking photos or noting special events for the boys and the rest of us. It's on my list of things to do to update more fully someday soon....

Greta Brielle ~ Ten Months Old

2011-12-28T16:05:00.000-07:00

Baby's 1st Christmas! What an absolute joy to have our baby Greta here this Christmas! The boys have loved sharing this special time of year with their new baby sister - we all have, of course.

Greta is growing and blossoming each day - such a dear baby. The other morning, she woke up before dawn and was sitting in bed with Gary and me when out of nowhere, she said, "What." With the tone of "what are you looking at?" She enjoyed our reaction, and joined in our laughter. She has also started taking delight in making loud noises. We were in Barnes & Noble just before Christmas and (as my Dad watched the kids in the play center while I finished up some Christmas shopping), I mistook the coffee grinder for Greta's squawking/growling sounds. She wants to be heard. ☺ She is a happy little soul. She adores her lovable big brothers and still loves to kick and play like a little kangaroo. Her crawling skills are coming along nicely. She can cover ground quickly, which keeps us all on our toes. She loves to eat all kinds of foods, and unfortunately mistook puppy poop for a tasty treat just yesterday. As embarrassed as I am to admit it, it's true. Our new pup had an undiscovered accident in the house, and Greta was the first to find it. Ugh. The combination of her speedy crawling, along with her willingness to try new foods, was a bad mix in this situation. But there seems to be no harm done. After eating dog poop, she can never claim any vegetable as "gross," so we have some leverage now in getting her to eat her greens. Greta has also started clicking her tongue and loves to clap her hands, which she does often - after responding to "How big is Greta? ....So....BIG!" She'll keep doing her new trick, as long as she keeps getting the resounding applause we're all prone to give her. We are having such fun!

We wish you all a very Merry Christmas!!

Greta Meets Our New Puppy, Lucy

2011-12-23T16:34:00.000-07:00

Introducing....

2011-12-23T15:31:00.002-07:00

LUCY! Our new black lab puppy!

We've been missing our yellow lab, Abi - who passed away in September at the age of 12. We thought it would take us awhile to feel ready for a new dog, but on December 4th, we brought home this six-week old pup. Our newest baby.

I love this photo above. Greta is clearly not used to me using the flash on my cell/camera, but I had to use it so Lucy would show up.

Greta was thoroughly amused when she met Lucy, face-to-face.

I'll try to post a video clip of this moment next....

Lucy is a sweet girl.

She appears to be right at home here.

These photos are of when we introduced Lucy to the little boy I watch on weekday mornings.

Gordon had listed "a dog" on all of letters to Santa.

Lucy was an early Christmas present...for us all.

We love our little Lucy.

Greta Brielle ~ Nine Months Old

2011-11-28T09:51:00.000-07:00

Greta is such a darling baby! She is able to get around quickly on her own now, scooting from here to there with her caterpillar crawl. She favors her left hand, as she has some eczema that gets tender from time to time. This is why she has a sock on her hand in these photos. Doc said to put hydro cortisone and Triple Cream on her eczema at night. Greta loves peas! She also delights in enjoying finger foods - she's an independent little lady. Cheese, Cheeri-Os, shucked peas, fruit bites, etc are among her favorites. She is a little chatterbox - loves to verbalize her thoughts and make fun noises. "Dat" is a common word in her vocabulary. She continues to adore books, music, and going on adventures - anywhere outside of our normal routine. Greta enjoyed portions of her 1st movie in a theater with our family. We took in the matinee of "Cars 2" at the nearby discount theater. Greta got so excited by the size of the screen, the lights, and booming volume, she stood on my lap squealing with joy. For this reason, I felt compelled to exit the theater for awhile to allow other viewers a less interrupted movie experience, but we popped in and out and she enjoyed both the inside of the theater and the lobby equally. Daddy and the boys saw the whole movie - I caught the beginning and end of it, and Greta was enthralled by the whole outing.

We absolutely adore our little darling!

Greta Brielle ~ Eight Months Old

2011-10-28T22:00:00.000-06:00

These months are flying by so quickly! It's hard to believe we're 2/3 through Greta's first year already.

Greta is such a joy in our lives. She is a chatterbox and she loves to roll around and explore her surroundings. Though I'd still say she qualifies as a good sleeper, she's been a little bit more wakeful in recent weeks. It could be teething, or just that she's practicing (or maybe obsessing over) her rolling and crawling skills in her sleep. She has said "Dada" and can often be heard chanting "Ga-gen, ga-gen, ga-gen...," which we think sounds a bit like Gordon. We're pleased that the hard /g/ sound is among her first sounds. Very fitting in our family. Greta enjoys her growing list of baby foods that are being introduced to her, and rarely does she not like them. The only one I can recall from this past week that made her pucker and wince was an odd combination of spinach, pears, and rutabagas. I can't say that I'd want to eat that either. She loves pears! Gordon and Grayson absolutely adore their baby sister, and she thinks they are the cat's meow as well. She's a busy little lady, and likes to be outside - either going for walks in her stroller, swinging at the park, or just resting in the backyard in her high chair, watching her big brothers play. She also loves rides in the car, especially if we're heading to the mountains. While there, she loves to go for hikes and enjoy the fresh mountain air. Her very first Halloween is coming up in three days and I will post pictures of her and her brothers in their costumes, so stay tuned. ☺

I have so much catching up to do on this blog. Life has really taken a busy turn in recent months, but it's on my list to get up to date in documenting some of the special moments in our family from the past few months here on this little blog - my online memory book.

Bedtime Stories

2011-10-15T00:15:00.000-06:00

Greta ~ Seven Months Old

2011-09-28T23:36:00.000-06:00

I found it difficult to choose just one representation of Greta at 7 months...so here are a bunch of photos.

Taking a little break to ponder her next happy pose.

For some reason, Greta just had a ball with this photo session, more so than ever!

So HAPPY! She can hardly contain her joy! ♥

"Hey, who turned out the lights?!" (Bet you haven't heard that one-liner in awhile?!)

Who doesn't have an occasional wardrobe malfunction?

Oh, how we are enjoying this precious baby girl! Greta is rolling all over the place, and showing interest in pulling her knees up beneath her - likely to be taking off crawling in the near future. She is a vocal baby and loves to sing little melodies and chatter frequently. She still loves to kick and dance! So far, she's tried sweet potatoes, peas, green beans, peaches, applesauce, and pears. Pears are her favorite, so far. Sleeping through the night is still a much appreciated gift that she gives us most nights, though daytime naps are short and sweet, and not always guaranteed -- so Mommy finds herself behind on chores lately.

These months are soaring by too quickly! We are loving every moment.

Kicking Donkey

2011-09-15T19:55:00.001-06:00

Though she seems to clam up a little for the camera, here's a glimpse of the very frequent kicking activity that Greta so loves!

Grayson Loves Chocolate!

2011-09-04T23:03:00.000-06:00

At the cabins for Labor Day weekend, Uncle Joey brought up a variety pack of doughnuts to share. Gary went to get himself a creme-filled pastry with chocolate frosting.... Hmmm?!

Someone had found himself alone with the doughnuts and licked the chocolate frosting off the tops of several of them.

He wasn't in trouble -- we were quite amused. Little Grayson was sheepish as he admitted his role in the vanishing chocolate topping.

We adore our little chocolate bandit.

Beautiful Sweater from Great Aunt Karen Schueler

2011-09-02T22:44:00.000-06:00

Greta received this beautiful sweater from her great aunt Karen Schueler, along with a gorgeous hat and knit booties. So precious!

Grayson's First Day of Preschool (2nd Year)

2011-08-31T17:01:00.000-06:00

Western Idaho Fair 2011

2011-08-31T10:36:00.000-06:00

We got busted...having some family fun at the Fair.

Grayson's mean face is hilarious (and a little creepy!)

Mrs. G's blue ribbon pie!

Greta's 1st Fair experience -- here, she appears to have caught on to the exceptional people-watching opportunities all around us -- uff da!

Roller coaster for the little ones

Look who won themselves some goldfish! (And guess who gets to clean the aquarium?!)

This is the game where the boys won their new pets -- and the gracious gentleman who fixed the game so he could unload some goldfish on us. ☺

Greta -- Six Months Old

2011-08-28T00:35:00.009-06:00

Wasn't it just last week we were taking our baby home from the hospital? Honestly, I can't believe it's been six months already. Every day with Greta is such an incredible blessing. She officially rolled over on August 7th and hasn't really stopped since; she'll be all over the place soon. Her first tooth broke through just this past weekend, August 20th - after several weeks of drooling, gnawing on everything in sight, and occasional bouts of fussiness, which caught our attention, as she's usually so happy. She is a vocal baby, loves to babble, squeal, and make funny noises. She also loves to touch and study things. Gary and I have noticed that while we feed her, she drifts off to sleep and tickles us with her little hand, opening and closing her fingers. She also does that to her bed sheets at night - I think she likes the sound it makes. She has so much character! Auntie Jen got her to really giggle while we were in Portland earlier this month. It was her first belly laugh - music to our ears, of course.

Look how much she's grown and changed in these past six months....

I may be a bit biased, but isn't she just so precious?! ☺

Such a happy & sweet baby!
We love you so very much, Greta!

Gordon's First Day of 1st Grade

2011-08-24T16:51:00.000-06:00

Oregon - Day 7: Heading Home

2011-08-06T21:58:00.007-06:00

After packing up and checking out of our hotel on Saturday, we met Jen & Tony for brunch at a Denny's near downtown.

In spite of having to say good-bye for now, we had a nice time, laughing and relishing this time with Jen & Tony before embarking on the long drive home.

Thank you so much, to Jen & Tony for the wonderful meals and hospitality, and for arranging your schedules as much as you could in order to spend time with us!

We thoroughly enjoyed our time in Portland!

Oregon - Day 6: The Portland Zoo

2011-08-05T20:48:00.020-06:00

Friday morning - just waiting for Auntie Nenny to get off of work (she took the afternoon off). So we lounged around in our hotel room and watched some cartoons on cable TV, which we don't have at home. Right here, I think it was Sponge Bob Square Pants that was on.

After Jen & Tony picked us up at our hotel, they took us out for a yummy lunch downtown - then we caught the MAX to the Portland Zoo for the afternoon.

Who needs a bunch of souvenirs from the gift shop? The boys were elated by the free zoo maps we were given as we entered.

Jen & Tony - It was so fun to have a couple days to spend with them in Portland!

Sea otters and sea anemones

Tide pool creatures

seals (I think?)

Drowsy polar bear

Whistling at some animals to get their attention

So much to see!

Big orangutan

Again with the maps!

Seriously, Grayson slept holding his map for the next several nights...and still treasures it, nearly a month later at home.

Greta was sleepy and slept in her Sleepy Wrap throughout most of the tour.

She woke up smiling.

After catching the train back to a stop near their apartment, we walked there and relaxed while relishing the delicious aroma of Tony's cooking in the kitchen.

Tony, whipping up some fabulous beef burritos.

Time got away from us, however - and Tony's band had a scheduled concert that evening that he and Jen had to get to. So he bundled up a big batch of burritos for us to take with us. Gary and I had really wanted to see Tony's band perform, but Gary had to work late at KGW and Greta has hit an age where only Mommy can get her to sleep at night. So in spite of Jen's gracious offer to babysit, we had to pass on a night out. But we thoroughly enjoyed these scrumptious burritos to go!

The boys and I devoured our dinner at the Hilton, and Gary truly appreciated the wonderful meal when he joined us, after his day at the station.

Another fun day was had - and we enjoyed relaxing in our hotel - our final night of vacation.

Oregon Trip - Day 5: Portland

2011-08-04T19:53:00.004-06:00

On Thursday we packed up and said farewell to our camping haven at Nehalem Bay State Park and headed for Portland...but not before stopping for a delicious brunch at Camp 18 in Elsie, Oregon. Sorry - didn't get any fun photos of all the chainsaw vs. wood artistic renditions of bears & Bigfoot this year. Even without visuals, a meal at Camp 18 is worth mentioning. It was delicious -- again!

We arrived in Portland and spent much of late Thursday afternoon and evening with Jen & Tony at their apartment downtown. Chef extraordinaire - Tony didn't disappoint, making delicious homemade pizzas for us to enjoy.

This video captures Greta's first real belly laugh, which was instigated by Auntie Nenny! She had her giggling like crazy, as you can see and hear in this clip:

(Mom/Grammy - I hope you could view this video, as I know you've been wanting to see it!)

Gary spent part of Thursday and most of Friday following & observing management at KGW who hold similar job titles to his recent new position as managing editor at KTVB. He walked from nearby KGW (the sister TV station to KTVB) to join us for the wonderful pizza dinner, and then we all ventured back to our hotel, where we got the kids ready for bed, hung out with Tony & Jen, and enjoyed watching some "Shark Week" on cable. We always seem to hit "Shark Week" at some point during our trips to the Oregon Coast. ☺

Oregon Coast - Day 4: Relaxing on the Beach

2011-08-03T21:53:00.029-06:00

Our final, full day of camping on the coast was one of relaxing & playing on the beach.

Camping at Nehalem Bay State Park was once again a rewarding experience.

Gary and the boys ventured out into the waves a bit while I kept Greta in some shade up on our beach blanket. While in the water, the guys found a live starfish that washed up in toward shore.

Our little base camp on the beach for the day

The whole four days, four nights of camping went amazingly well with little Greta. She is such a mellow baby - a true 'happy camper.' We weren't sure how it might all go, but we were pretty confident that she'd handle it well, as she does with almost any circumstance.

Such a little sweetheart.

We can't complain much about these precious little boys either - we're very blessed, indeed.

I love these photos, above & below.

Time to fly the kite.

Gordon was very persistent...and successful with the kite.

Greta isn't seen in many of the photos as she was with me behind the camera, tucked into the Sleepy Wrap, napping for much of our beach time.

I just LOVE my guys!

Clouds were rolling in and we were starting to get hungry...so it was time to pack up and head back to our campsite.

Grayson found an abandoned kids' magazine on the beach and enjoyed it for the next several days.

Back at camp, Grayson befriended this beloved little caterpillar.

We enjoyed the last of Gary's famous camping burritos, grilled to perfection for dinner that night, and relaxed around the campfire with our friends, the Rostis - along with some tasty s'mores.
Another wonderful day. ☺

Oregon Coast - Day 3: Tillamook, Kelly's Marina, & Beach

2011-08-02T17:31:00.002-06:00

After Cape Mears, we made a brief stop at Tillamook Cheese Factory for a few quick cheese samples...

...and of course, ICE CREAM!

We had friends from Boise who were also in Tillamook County, some were camped just two sites away from us, and all of us had agreed to meet up for dinner at Kelly's Marina for fresh crab and oysters.

The boys had fun playing with their friends, three other little boys about their age...and Greta was all smiles, just hanging out with the big people.

Since we'd had a later lunch, we weren't starving - so we just had one Dungeness crab and a dozen cooked oysters ~ and they were delicious! My hands were occupied with feeding Greta, so Gary took on the task of carving all the scrumptious meat out of the crab and oysters for us all to enjoy.

Yummy!

Grayson enjoyed looking at all the sea creatures in the nearby tanks, especially the starfish.

There were all kinds of sea creatures to see.

This is the same marina where we camped our last two nights last year. It too is becoming a traditional stop on our trips to the coast.

Once back at our campsite, we decided to take an evening stroll down to the beach.

The perfect end to another perfect day at the coast.

Oregon Coast - Day 3: Cape Mears Lighthouse

2011-08-02T16:38:00.017-06:00

After lunch we enjoyed a scenic drive along the bay and out to the Pacific, where we visited Cape Mears Lighthouse.

Looking out over the ocean....

The lighthouse

Beautiful morning glories

Below, one of Gary's lovely photos

I love daisies!

And I love this guy ~ Handsome!

We took a little hike through the forest to see "The Octopus Tree." I took a couple photos of it, but they didn't really capture the size and intrigue of it, plus the light was working against me. You'll have to go see it with your own eyes - it's pretty cool. ☺

Another great adventure, among several on this fun-filled day!

Oregon Coast - Day 3: Lunch!

2011-08-02T14:55:00.007-06:00

We hit a lot of the same stops that we did on our coastal trip last year - including Pacific Seafood in Bay City. Delicious lunch and an opportunity to see oysters being shucked and bottled for sale in grocery markets. Unlike last year, we timed it right to where we were able to see a ship load of fresh oysters come in, go through the cleaning assembly line, and be put into bottles and labeled for sale. Cool!

Though the menu has changed a little in its appearance, we ordered much the same as we did last year.

I had the delicious oyster stew again, this time with a side salad topped with bay shrimp.
Check out the size of that oyster in my stew! It was scrumptious.

The boys split a grilled cheese stuffed with crab meat and shrimp inside.

They both loved every bite.

Gary had such fond memories of his bread bowl with clam chowder from last year, he opted to enjoy the same lunch again this year. We're creatures of habit, I guess.

We loved knowing of great places to visit again this year, and Pacific Seafood (The Fish Peddler) was among them.

Oregon Coast - Day 3: Tide Pool!

2011-08-02T11:31:00.024-06:00

We had such a great time at the tide pool last year, we decided to go again this year. Although with a baby in tow, we didn't get to the pool as early as we'd planned, so the tide wasn't quite as low as it was last year - but we still saw many creatures and had a super time!

Before arriving at the tide pool, we made a quick stop at the Nehalem Bay General Store for a pair of water shoes for Gordon - his flip flops just weren't going to cut it for this outing. Gary snapped this picture on their way back out to the Tahoe - so cute!

Here we are, heading down the trail to the tide pool - picking blackberries along the way.

Our time on the coast last year was a little bit later in August, so the blackberries this year weren't quite as ripe as they had been last year - but we still managed to find a good handful each of delicious blackberries to snack on.

There were so many beautiful flowers in bloom this year.

Daddy snapped this picture of Mommy & a very smiley baby girl!

Here comes the choo-choo train!

After climbing down the rocks, we began our search for tide pool treasures.

Starfish, anemones, and other creatures were seen out on these rocks where Gary carried the boys in turn. (No pictures this year - I forgot to send my camera out with them).

There were crabs of plenty under almost every overturned rock.

Gordy is becoming quite the expert in picking up these pinchy little critters.

Grayson still prefers to just look at the crabs.

It was so fun to have our little princess in my arms this year! Last year I was in our 1st trimester of pregnancy during our coastal adventure.

Gary grabbed this cool shot of a crab, right up close.

After spending a couple of hours finding sea glass, cool rocks, sea shells, and creatures - our tummies were telling us it was time for lunch.

Oregon Coast - Monday on the Beach

2011-08-01T00:31:00.001-06:00

Our first full day at the coast was relaxing. After breakfast, we set out for the beach.

We played,

enjoyed a beautiful day,

looked for treasures,

and smiled a lot.

Yes, many happy faces.

After some beach time, we had a little bite to eat in Manzanita - some Mexican food. Then we came back to the camper and had some quiet time. The guys watched a movie while Mommy & Greta took a little nap.

Later, we decided to head back into Manzanita for dinner - we'd noticed a nice little pizza place that was only open later in the day. On our way into town, we stopped to see this Coast Guard helicopter. Nehalem Bay State Park provided educational opportunities such as this each evening.

Marzano's Pizza is a popular dinner spot, and so we were put on a half hour waiting list, which was fine -- it gave us some time to walk down to the beach and enjoy the evening sun.

What a beautiful evening!

This was such an enjoyable evening, one I'll always remember.

Our table was ready when we returned to Marzano's - and boy, did we have an incredible dinner! We ordered two scrumptious pizzas and had a wonderful time together.

Oregon Coast - Getting There

2011-07-31T23:59:00.000-06:00

We left very early on Sunday morning and caught the sunrise just as we crossed the border into Oregon. With only brief stops for gas and a drive-through breakfast, we made it all the way to Multnomah Falls before really taking a break to get out and stretch and have lunch. Just like last year, it was a beautiful place to stop, take a little hike to the bridge below the falls, and have a bite to eat.

Gary took this shot of the boys peeking through the bridge.

Gorgeous.

Greta did so well on the drive to the coast. The only point where she got a bit fussy was when we hit bumper to bumper traffic in Portland, and we weren't moving - as she likes us to keep going. ☺

After the falls, we soaked our feet in the little stream heading back toward the parking lot.

After a total time of 12 hours, including all stops along the way, we arrived at Nehalem Bay State Park around 5:30 p.m. Gary and I agreed that it would be best if I took the kids to the beach right away so he could get our camp set up without delay...and so after a quick pit stop at the bathrooms, we headed to the beach, just a short walk away from our campsite.

On the way toward Greta's first view of the ocean!

The boys took off when they saw the beautiful sea in front of us!

Finding beach treasures right away!

Here's Greta's first glimpse of the ocean - on a very windy day.

Two happy campers and excellent travelers!

Also best friends. ♥

Back at camp, Gary had everything set up and was ready to start dinner - grilled burritos. Yum!

Such a happy baby!

After dinner, Gary took the boys back to the beach for awhile (and snapped this awesome photo) as I got Greta ready for bed.

Ahhhh! We were so happy to have arrived - after a very smooth and pleasant day of travel. So excited for the adventures ahead as we camp on the Oregon Coast....

Greta in Lavender - 5 months old

2011-07-29T15:06:00.000-06:00

Greta -- Five Months Old

2011-07-28T23:57:00.002-06:00

Our baby girl is growing so quickly! How blessed we are with this darling little princess! She is a very happy baby, she sleeps through the night, and is such a delightful little girl! She has started practicing eating with a spoon, rice cereal with sweet potatoes - and she likes it, the little bit that makes it to her tummy. We are gearing up to take her on her very first camping trip, as we leave for the Oregon coast this weekend. We are looking forward to a fun-filled family vacation!

♥ Oh, how we love our baby Greta! ♥

Summer Cool, In the Pool

2011-07-10T10:01:00.001-06:00

Hot July day -- time to cool off in the pool!

Gordy has been working on his snorkeling skills and can stay underwater for quite some time.

Daddy and the boys splashed in the water....

...while Mommy & Greta enjoyed some shade and watched the fun from the patio.

After cooling off, we enjoyed a summer evening & dinner on the patio.

Water logged toes.

LOVING SUMMERTIME!

Antique Car Parade

2011-07-09T16:38:00.002-06:00

Daddy was working the live van for the news at the antique car parade downtown, so we decided to head down there to visit him while enjoying a lovely summer evening, looking at souped up vintage cars.

Grayson & Gordy with the Statehouse reflecting its image on a newer building behind them.

We met up with Auntie Lassa downtown.

Watching cars, having some snacks.

Just a couple of the many old cars we saw....

Having fun with our snacks - Melissa & the boys

As usual, Greta was such a good baby.

Beautiful evening sun on our walk back to the Tahoe.

Cherry Crisp!

2011-07-08T16:09:00.001-06:00

Harvesting cherries in our backyard!

This year, we got an earlier start at picking cherries so they were very fresh and we didn't encounter near as many worms in them.

The boys had a ball picking cherries.

I was surprised by how much time they invested in picking....

After washing our crop, it was time to start pitting all those cherries....

Again, I found myself with two very willing helpers.

They were so dedicated to this whole process.

And Grayson helped prepare our cherry crisp for the oven as well.

It was a long process, but so worth it.

Delicious Cherry Crisp!

Starting "Solid Foods"

2011-07-07T23:30:00.003-06:00

One of Greta's first times being spoon fed - rice cereal & sweet potatoes.

Grayson offered a helping hand.

She wasn't so sure about the taste at first....

But it grew on her.

And she was eager to keep trying it, and managed to get some of her food in her tummy, though much of it landed on her bib, face, hands, Bumbo....

It won't be long and she'll be eating all kinds of delicious foods!

So sweet!

Our New Shed Arrives

2011-07-06T17:11:00.003-06:00

After bidding on a locally built shed at the Placerville auction on the 4th of July, Gary and I worried some about just how we would get it home, over an hour drive away from Placerville. A very generous and friendly resident offered to deliver it to Boise for free, simply because he was grateful that we'd contributed to the fund raising auction for the volunteer fire & rescue team.

Gary tried to round up some strong friends to help maneuver the heavy, well-built shed off of the flat bed and into its place in our backyard, but it happened to be a workday and some guys were out of town. Anyway, it ended up being just Gary and my brother Dave (my Dad was on their cruise in Alaska).

The gentleman who hauled the shed down the mountain to us helped some, but had a bad back so couldn't do much. The boys, Greta, and I were hopeful onlookers and an impressed cheering squad.

A dolly, straps, and the wench from Gary's Jeep all helped in getting the shed moved into the yard.

Grayson lost interest for awhile and decided to hit the sandbox.

Gordy enjoyed watching the creative use of simple machines to get the job done.

Ultimately, Dave & Gary used good sense, their muscles, and the Jeep (paired with an old mattress) to settle the heavy shed into its new location in our back yard.

They also had to level the ground and blocks on which the shed would be placed.

Almost there....

Some fence posts were also helpful in rolling the shed into place.

Dave is a great guy to call on when you need some work done! He is such a motivated, hard-working person, plus he has such a great attitude and positive outlook - so fun to be around!

And...done!

After all that work, Dave even mustered up the energy to play soccer with the boys.

Great work, Gary & Dave!

Fireworks

2011-07-04T23:43:00.002-06:00

Heading down the Forest Service Road to see the fireworks in Placerville. This is our 6th year, enjoying this much-loved tradition for our family.

Ready to take in the show.

Baby Greta's 1st 4th of July. ☺

The Placerville fireworks never disappoint! For such a tiny little town, their show is spectacular!

The boys enjoy watching the show with Grammy & Papa!

Oooh, Wow!

It was another great fireworks display!

Another tradition -- cabin improvement projects. This year the guys extended the roof to cover the deck and put in a door to the upstairs of the little cabin.

Coming along nicely. We'll have this place all spiffied up fancy someday...! ☺

Zip Idaho!

2011-07-04T23:36:00.014-06:00

Although it may not always appear so, I'm a big fan of adventure - and used to be a bit of a thrill seeker in my pre-mom days. It's been awhile since I've been able to pencil in some whitewater rafting, rock climbing, rappelling, or skydiving -- so imagine my exhilaration when I won a certificate for a zip line adventure for two at Zip Idaho in Horseshoe Bend! This adventure was an added bonus to buying our Chevy Tahoe last summer at Edmark Superstore. I entered a contest on their facebook page just for fun...and I WON! Anyway - Gary and I were excited to cash in our prize on the 4th of July this year - now that I'm no longer pregnant and my parents were visiting and more than willing to hang out with the kiddos while we zipped.

It was an absolutely gorgeous day and the site for our zipping was 360 degrees of beautiful scenery, just northeast of Horseshoe Bend, Idaho.

Awaiting our turn, one of the other members of our zip party set off on the first stretch of our tour.

While waiting our turn, we took in the lovely sights around us.

Gary & I decided to take turns with the camera so we could get shots of each other. Here's Gary following me on our first zip, coming toward me.

Pictures don't do justice for how lovely the day and our views all around....

A unique date for us - a full day together! (Thanks a million, Mom & Dad!)

And there's me below - this was our 3rd tree-to-tree zip.

Gary, talented photographer that he is, snapped this cool shot of the hammock where one of the company's owners hangs out most days while waiting to help with the tree-to-land zip and oversee operations, I guess. What a career. He and his brother started up this business about four years ago on their great-grandfather's property in the mountains. Sweet idea!

Snack time: Kool-Aid and Peanut Butter Crackers

This was our first super fast and long zip line, voted our very favorite by both Gary and me. It's called Wild Turkey and is 1700 feet long. According to the website, riders reach speeds upwards of 40 mph on this one! What Gary and I enjoyed about it was the speed felt accelerated as we were whisked over the tree tops and the wind whipped our faces. This was an excellent ride! The second video I posted below was taken of this line.

Gary right after he landed back on the ground following Wild Turkey.

Beautiful.

After a little hike down and up the valley, we arrived at the departure point of our last zip line - Double Trouble. Two lines run parallel to each other and we get to zip simultaneously, side by side. (Video clip below)

We were part of a fun group! Minus our two expert guides, here we all are.

Watching other members of our group gear up for the final zip....

Again, Gary captured a great shot of the beauty around us.

For best audio, pause the music box to the right so you can hear the sound better on these videos. The first clip Gary shot as we zipped together on the 1800 foot long line, Double Trouble, our final zip line of the day. The second video I shot of Gary as he enjoyed Wild Turkey, out of sequence. Gary couldn't help but spin around while shooting the first video, so be prepared for possible dizziness. ☺ And in the second video, I wasn't able to zoom in with my camera for a closer look at Gary as he zipped along at a distance, so mostly you just hear the vibration in the cable - but if nothing else, it gives you an idea of how long and fast the ride is. ☺ If you follow the subtle clearing down and up the valley, you can see the pine trees at the top of the opposite ridge where the zip line begins.

Both Gary and I had experienced zip-lining before, but this was super fun...and wonderful that we got to share the awesome tour together. Again, so many thanks to Mom & Dad (and Melissa, Joey, Leah, and Dave) for taking such great care of our kids while we had so much fun!

For more information, or if you're interested in an entertaining activity just north of Boise, check out this link to Zip Idaho!

Jen & Tony Join Us @ the Cabins

2011-07-03T23:06:00.001-06:00

YAY! Jen & Tony have arrived! (They brought these awesome shades for the boys).

Auntie Lassa holding Baby Greta.

Getting Greta to smile.

Hard-working Dave, almost always fixing or building something.

Daddy & Greta - watching a doe and buck that lingered around our cabins for several minutes.

Auntie Nenny & Baby Greta

Uncle Tony & Baby Greta

Fun-filled family campfire on the patio! (Didn't get enough pictures of this). We had so many laughs! Also present were Mom, Tony, Melissa, Joey, Leah, Dave, Gary, Gordon & Greta, and me. (Dad, Jen, & Grayson below).

Dave, taking a break at last. So very talented, strumming and singing for us all.

We took in breakfast in Centerville on Saturday and Dad won a bid on a table saw at the silent auction. Some of us had breakfast on Sunday in Placerville, and Gary and I got allured by all the items at the auction, we opted to take in the auction that afternoon with Mom. We won the bid on a great shed for our yard in Boise. As usual, Mom picked up some fantastic bargains too. Greta was a trooper, hanging out with us - happy or sleeping the whole time.

Saying farewell to Jen & Tony.... The time always flies by too quickly.

Papa's Birthday Party at Kyoto

2011-06-29T22:29:00.000-06:00

In celebration of Dad/Papa's birthday, we went out for teppanyaki at Kyoto Japanese Steakhouse.

Entertaining & Delicious

Yum!

This is so fun & so tasty!

My yummy steak & shrimp

Leah, Joey, and Melissa

Melissa picked up a surprise Baskin Robbins cake!

Joey made us all laugh as he replicated the Japanese chef's chopping and clinking skills when he cut the cake. ☺

Even though we all wanted to treat him, Dad picked up the tab.
Thank you so much, Dad - and Happy Birthday!

Happy Birthday, Dad/Papa!

2011-06-28T23:05:00.000-06:00

Today we not only celebrate Greta being four months old, but also my Dad's birthday! I thought this photo (taken just last week) fit perfectly for this special occasion.

My parents are visiting from Minnesota for much of June and into July. Soon, I'll post many new photos and stories of our time together, much of it up in the mountains at our family cabins. As often happens, I'm behind and have much catching up to do on this blog, which more than anything, serves as my photo album/journal. ☺

Happy Birthday, Dad/Papa! We love you!

Greta Brielle -- Four Months Old

2011-06-28T22:45:00.006-06:00

Wow! Another month has flown by quickly, and our baby girl is growing so much! She's nearly rolling over now, is almost always smiling, she loves to chatter and coo, and she is an absolutely wonderful sleeper! For the past few weeks, she averages sleeping 8 to 9 hours consecutively each night. She loves music, having books read to her, kicking and playing on her play mat, riding in the car, being talked to and replying in return, being held and rocked, and still loves going for walks in her Sleepy Wrap. She loves her big brothers and her Mommy & Daddy, as well as anyone else who holds her and loves her. She is such a happy and sweet-tempered child ~ we are enjoying every moment! ♥

We are in awe of the miracle she is, and love seeing her grow and learn new things each day.
Oh, how we love her!

Happy 6th Birthday, Gordon!

2011-06-25T10:40:00.000-06:00

Our little sweetheart is SIX! It's become tradition that we spend Gordon's birthday in the mountains at our family cabins, and that's just what we did this year.

Gordon was up bright & early, ready to start celebrating his special day!

We are so proud of Gordon! He is a bright, sensitive, curious, comical, outgoing & friendly little man! I'm repeating myself, I'm sure - but he truly has a heart of gold. ♥

Gordon was very excited and appreciative to receive $50 from Grammy & Papa!

He also received many other great gifts from family members, including these Legos.

Grammy, Papa, Auntie Lassa, and Uncle Doe-Doe made sure Grayson had some presents to enjoy also.

This is Gordon's reaction when Daddy presented him with the remote-controlled helicopter he's been pining for.... ☺

Always a good sport, Gordon loved the not-so-sturdy Jeep cake I made for him.

Let's use our imagination and say this Jeep is climbing some major rocks in Moab! ☺ (With the support of two plastic forks on one side).

Happy Birthday, sweet Gordon!

We love you so very much, and thank God for you every single day! ♥

Happy Birthday, Gary!

2011-06-23T23:14:00.000-06:00

Happy Birthday...to my wonderful husband and beloved Daddy to our children!

Gordon & Grayson drew lovely pictures for Daddy's birthday.

Grayson went shopping with me and helped me pick out this gift from all of us -- a signed and numbered Ward Hooper print. It's #125 out of 125! I'm getting it matted and framed for him as well - just wanted to be sure this was a print that he liked before doing so. Turns out, he loves this design, and so do I! It's an autumn scene of Rainbow Bridge over the Payette River, which we cross on many adventures heading north. Including the drive that took us to our mountain top wedding at Brundage Ski Resort just outside of McCall almost eight years ago.

And here's little Greta. She watched Daddy open his presents from her Bumbo seat, which she just started sitting up in last week.

Happy Birthday, Gary/Daddy!
We love you!

The Boys' Jeep

2011-06-23T15:11:00.005-06:00

Gordy & Grayson have been saving their allowance and birthday card money for some special things: battery-powered driving toys. When Gary found this Jeep on Craig's list, they didn't hesitate to go look at & test drive this little treasure.

As you can see, they decided to pool their money and close the deal on their new vehicle together.

Checking under the hood and looking over their tool box.

Check this out:

Kodak Moments

2011-06-17T10:14:00.010-06:00

Here are some snapshots of the quiet moments as we kick off summer vacation....Greta loves to kick and play on her play mat.

It always warms my heart to see our boys enjoying time together.

Little Princess.

We enjoy our quiet moments -- though this week, they have been few & far between.
We've had something on the calendar for every day this week - a birthday party Monday afternoon, play dates with friends at various parks on Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday, and a nice long bike ride to the library on Wednesday.

Let the summer fun begin!

Evening in the Backyard

2011-06-05T19:24:00.000-06:00

We've been enjoying dinner outside on the patio, now that summer weather has arrived. It's wonderful to have daylight well into the evening. The boys have become interested in climbing the trees in our backyard.

Our little monkey, Grayson.

Gordon enjoying a nice, summer evening.

Hanging from tree branches - another monkey.

Little Greta loves her very 1st doll baby!

Video - Pine Tree Climbing

2011-06-05T00:21:00.000-06:00

Hello, Summer Vacation!

2011-06-03T22:08:00.000-06:00

After Gordon's graduation, Gary presented both boys with a celebratory balloon and Styrofoam glider, to acknowledge all their hard work and efforts during the school year.

Right away, the boys went out to the back yard where Grayson gravitated toward the sandbox, and Gordon started practicing loop-to-loops with his glider.

Here's a little video clip of Gordon with his new glider.

Kindergarten Graduation 2011

2011-06-03T21:54:00.002-06:00

What a special day for our little Gordon! We are so proud of our Kindergarten graduate!
We were very blessed that Gordon had Miss Gibson for his teacher ~ she is wonderful!

Some family photos following the ceremony:

Walking home after his graduation - what a proud and happy little guy, newly promoted to 1st grade!

After graduation, we celebrated at one of our favorite local pizza parlors ~ Flying Pie!
Greta is all smiles for Daddy - and very proud of her big brothers!

Grayson enjoyed eating the crushed ice from his water cup.

Happy Little Graduate!

God bless you, Gordon ~ as you grow and learn new things every day, every year...! We couldn't be more proud of you - and we love you so very much! ♥

Greta - Three Months Old

2011-05-28T07:00:00.001-06:00

Oh, how fun it is to watch our babies grow...!
It's hard to believe ~ three months have gone by since the day Greta was born.
She is such a little bundle of absolute joy! In the past month, she has grown out of her 0-3 month clothing, and is now mostly in 3-6 months. She smiles a lot and loves to coo and mimic our voices when we talk to her. She seems to be bursting at the seams to say what's on her mind, and I'm certain that she'll have much to share before we know it...! Greta loves going for walks, riding in the Sleepy Wrap with Mommy and also enjoys her swing. She's starting to use her binky less and less, only occasionally when she's sleepy now. She also loves to study her hands and stare up at the toys that dangle from her play mat. (Birds, ladybugs, and a little mirror). I can often find her smiling at herself in the mirror - so cute! I'm sure it's a treat for her to see such a beautiful happy face looking back at her! Greta also loves her big brothers and enjoys being held by Mommy & Daddy too, of course. In the past few weeks, she has been sleeping for 5-6 hour stretches at night. Just last night, she slept from 8:00 p.m. to 2:00 a.m. and then back to sleep from about 2:15 to 5:15...and then slept further, from 5:40 to around 8:30. She's a good little sleeper.
Here she is with her teddy bear at three months old, below.

And here she is at two months old, below.

And below is a photo of Greta at just one month old.

The time is flying by so quickly, we are relishing every moment with our sweet baby girl. I think God knew that her Mommy would need a very sweet and mellow baby at the age of 40, busy with two big boys and a part-time childcare job. She is such a patient and pleasant little thing. Her brothers too, were very good babies - but Greta seems to be even more able to tune out all the noise and chaos of a busy household.
Oh, how we LOVE our baby Greta!

Happy Birthday, Mom/Grammy!

2011-05-24T00:01:00.003-06:00

We hope you have/had a wonderful birthday, Mom/Grammy!
We love you!!

Grayson's Preschool Spring Program

2011-05-23T22:29:00.004-06:00

Grayson's Preschool held its spring music program and graduation/promotion for students at a nearby retirement home. The 4 - 5 year olds graduated, while Grayson was among the 3 - 4 year olds who were promoted to their next year in preschool. After many lively and well-performed songs, the students were presented with their diplomas and given gift bags from their teachers.

Grayson has been inseparable from the little toy puppy that was in his gift bag, among other fun treats.

Below are a couple of video clips from Grayson's program.
(Pause the Music Box in order to better hear the audio).

Here, Grayson says his "part" for the performance.
His line is, "We had fun going to the Pumpkin Patch!"
The little girl following him says, "We loved the zoo."

One of the several songs they performed - "Zippity-Do-Da."
If you notice, Grayson gives me a big smile in the middle part. ☺

Grayson, we are so proud of you! Clearly, you took this program seriously, and you did a fantastic job!! We love you so much!

Gordon's Kindergarten Spring Music Program

2011-05-20T18:55:00.004-06:00

It was such a treat to see Gordon and his class, along with two other Kindergarten classes, perform in their special spring program on May 20th. They sang some very catchy tunes and really got into the groove, doing lots of motions and putting on a great show.
Gordon is the little guy in the orange striped shirt in the front row. (To his left is his best buddy, Clive, in the light blue, tie-dyed shirt).

Here are a couple of videos from the program.
(Pause the music box to better hear the audio).

This first clip features a song about the end of their school year.

In this clip, the kids sing and sign to "You Are My Sunshine."

Great job ~ to Gordon and all the Kindergartners! What a wonderful year it has been!
We are so proud of you, Gordon - and we love you so much!

Early Mother's Day Gifts

2011-05-07T13:19:00.006-06:00

As I always say, I'm the luckiest lady in the land!

The boys brought fresh flower bouquets to me from our backyard yesterday.

And baby Greta smiles more & more consistently each day!

I am definitely one lucky Mama!

Continued Celebration...Birthday Cake!

2011-05-05T12:25:00.001-06:00

Around here, we like to keep the party going.... So on Thursday evening, I made Grayson's other favorite dinner - spaghetti! Then we enjoyed more chocolate cake - in the form of Grayson's requested dinosaur cake!

Best Buddies Always

Four candles this year!

Such a little ham -- this little fella warms my heart so much!

There are not enough words to describe how much I adore our little Grayson!

Happy 4th Birthday, to our sweet little monkey ~ Grayson Elliott!
♥ Oh, how we LOVE, LOVE, LOVE you! ♥

Happy Birthday, Grayson!

2011-05-04T11:18:00.032-06:00

Look who's 4 years old already!!

Grayson was presented this special birthday hat when he woke up on Wednesday morning (made out of a cereal box, paper, markers, stickers, and tin foil).

He was excited to play with the remaining Toy Story stickers before being served his birthday breakfast.

Grayson brought chocolate cookies to share with his friends at preschool,...then that evening we continued celebrating with pizza dinner at the park.

Melissa joined us and brought a delicious salad and presents.

Joey and Leah also came to celebrate Grayson's big day, bearing gifts for our little fella.

Mommy & Daddy are so proud of our little Grayson - we can't believe it's been four years since he joined our family. What love, joy, and laughter he's added to our lives! My heart could burst with love; I am so very blessed!

Grayson was so grateful and happy to open some fun new gifts from all of his party friends!

Always by his side, wonderful big brother, Gordon!

Time for dessert - chocolate cupcakes!

Following dessert, we took a fun hike up "the mountain," as the boys call it. Camel's Back Park has a wonderful climbing hill with a fabulous view of our lovely city. (Sorry, no pictures of that portion of the party this time).

Grandma Myra & Grandpa Dave joined in the festivities with a musical card and gift for Grayson too.

God blessed us all with a beautiful spring day on Grayson's birthday! Here, the lovely sunset reflects on our birthday boy's adorable little face.

So much love for this precious little boy!

Happy Birthday, sweet pumpkin, Grayson!!

Baby's 2 Month Well Check

2011-05-02T18:22:00.002-06:00

Greta's well child appointment today went well.
She now weighs in at 11 lbs, .5 oz (50%) and is 22-1/4 inches long (50%).
Her head circumference is 39-1/4 cm. (52%)
Immunizations went well, though when poked, she screamed angrily and her face got beet red. As soon as I held her she calmed down and shortly after fell asleep, bless her little heart.
We are so happy and blessed to have a healthy baby!

Greta - Two Months Old

2011-04-28T15:28:00.005-06:00

Greta is two months old already! We are loving every blessed moment....

What a difference one month makes. How tiny she looked at one month, below....

What a joy to watch our beautiful baby, growing and smiling more each day!

Photo Shoot - Greta, 2 Months Old

2011-04-27T23:31:00.016-06:00

Greta and I had such fun taking these pictures - well, I did anyway. She was a little tired and fussy when we started. (I got the cute pictures of her sleeping when she dozed off for awhile). But we managed to capture some really sweet moments in pictures. Then I had some fun editing the ones I like - adding frames and text, etc.... Our baby girl is growing and changing so quickly ~ we are loving each moment, and I wish I could record them all.

I love these photos of all three of our beloved kids!

Happy Easter!

2011-04-24T23:17:00.004-06:00

It was wonderful to have Grammy & Papa here for Easter again this year! After a special brunch and Easter worship service, the boys embarked on their egg hunt.

They found seven brightly colored eggs...but where are the other eleven?!

Hmmm? Where could they be?

The search continued....

...to no avail.

Finally, Mommy contacted "the Easter bunny," and he informed her that our yellow lab Abi had beat the boys to the punch and devoured most of the eggs while we were at church. Doggone it. Bad dog, Abi - bad dog! Oh well.

Here's our baby girl on her 1st Easter.

Couldn't be cuter!

We continued celebrating this very special day with a family dinner of ham, cheesy potatoes, salad, and corn -- followed by cherry Boston cream cake, all courtesy of Grammy, Papa, and Auntie Lassa ~ thank you so much! (That delicious ham provided a tasty ham & bean soup later in the week as well).

Shortly after our delightful dinner, it was time for Grammy & Papa to head to the airport to catch their flight home. Now we look forward to their next visit in June!

He is risen - He is risen, indeed!
Happy Easter!

Family Weekend at the Cabins

2011-04-23T22:46:00.009-06:00

Grammy & Papa were here for a four-day weekend to celebrate Easter and Grayson's birthday (a couple of weeks early, since they wouldn't be able to be here on May 4th). We headed up to the cabins Friday to Saturday for some fresh mountain air and relaxation.

This was Greta's very 1st trip to the cabins!

We enjoyed a lot of time outside in beautiful spring weather !

Melissa and her teacup chihuahua, Luna

Grammy & Papa

Gordy & Gary

Grayson

Papa enjoying the campfire

Good ol' Abi

Grayson & Papa by the campfire

I love Gordon's smile.

Grammy

While at the cabins, we decorated 18 Easter eggs on the patio.

Grayson loves to swing!

Gordy and Gary

We all enjoyed a nice long hike....

Gordy near Whale Rock

Little Mountain Boy

Gary & Grayson on Whale Rock

What a beautiful place!

We all enjoyed a thoroughly relaxing and enjoyable weekend in the mountains!

Sweet Baby Girl....

2011-04-19T22:18:00.000-06:00

Lazy Days

2011-04-06T19:25:00.005-06:00

Baby Greta, so sweet!

Gary traveled to Norman, Oklahoma for a story on the National Weather Service, and endured an early departure time on his travel day home. He was able to get that afternoon off, and a much-deserved nap ensued....

I love this picture of Gordon & his daddy.

Grayson played a little bit of wii on this lazy day.

Rascal's Rack

2011-04-03T18:47:00.002-06:00

Gordy and I took a few hours on Saturday to run down to Rascal's Rack, my favorite kids' store for gently used clothes and other items. As always, we found some great deals.

These Keen shoes typically sell at REI for around $40 or so. We got a bargain - only $10, and they're like brand new!

The shirt and pants together cost right around $6.

This awesome summer hat was only $1, and the shirt and shorts were around $4.50.

We are happy shoppers!

One Month Old

2011-03-28T17:26:00.001-06:00

My cousins gave me this sweet idea of taking photos of our baby with the same teddy bear each month to show how much she grows.... Thank you, Andrea & Emily!

Here is Greta Brielle on March 28th, exactly four weeks after she was born.

What a sweet addition she is to our little family.
We love her so...! ♥

Our Little Corner of the World

2011-03-26T17:05:00.000-06:00

Almost One Month Old

2011-03-25T16:56:00.000-06:00

These photos were taken when Greta was 3-1/2 weeks old....

I could stare at her in awe all day long...sometimes I do.

Cherishing every moment.

Getting to Know Greta

2011-03-24T22:35:00.001-06:00

I just love these photos of our kids together. The boys absolutely adore their baby sister.

Oh, how I love these kids!

I say it all the time, but we are so incredibly blessed.

Amazing Big Brothers

2011-03-21T22:22:00.000-06:00

These boys LOVE their baby sister...! ♥

And she adores her big brothers in return! ♥

Three Weeks Old

2011-03-21T18:46:00.000-06:00

Greta Brielle ~ three weeks old

Little Pranksters

2011-03-19T21:03:00.001-06:00

On this particular Saturday morning, Gary graciously offered to get up early with the boys, so I could sleep a little extra after getting up with Greta during the night. While the boys played, Gary dozed off on the couch....

Zzzzzz....

...making himself easy prey for our little pranksters.

My flash awakened him, along with the victorious giggles of two sneaky little boys.

I have a hunch that Gordy instigated this ploy; he's been on a roll with practical jokes as of late.

I know where Gordy gets his tendency toward pranks.

The apple doesn't fall far from the tree ~ like father, like son. ☺

Little Night Owl

2011-03-15T18:20:00.001-06:00

Once the boys are tucked into bed, Gary and I enjoy some quiet time with our little night owl.

She's starting to have more and more alert time between naps.

It's such a treat to see those big, bright blue eyes!

She's a mellow and calm little one.

And overall, she is sleeping well at night.

The few times I'm up with her during the night are sweet opportunities to enjoy quiet moments with our precious baby girl.