Video Update: Thursday

Once a week, or maybe or twice a month, we're going to start doing video updates. This is what the kiddos and I are up to today...nothing terribly earth-shattering. :)

Click here to see it.

I think I am much better at writing than filmmaking, lol. We'll try to do another this weekend with Craig.

BTW, I tried uploading the vid to Blogger and it was taking like over an hour! Since I already had a You Tube account, I thought I would just use that. Took like 15 minutes to load onto You Tube. Another reason to convert this blog to Wordpress.

Spring is near!

Sorry it has been so long since I've posted (especially for those of you who are not on Facebook, where I post info/pics regularly). It's just about Spring, right? We have quite a bit going on, most specifically preparing for our first plane trip as a family to Philadelphia in early April…eeeek!

Traveling with little kiddos=High possibility of stress hormones going out of control.

I've been talking to all of our friends who have traveled with little ones, taking in all the advice that I can. I'm trying not get all dramatic about it. I'm grateful that at least I do not have to do a continental flight (one of my friends has in-laws in India). We're making preparations, making sure we have all the things the boys will need to stay occupied. Wish us luck!

So, the main goal of the Philly trip is to see my Grandpa so he can meet his millionth great-grands, lol. We've talked to him a few times over iChat on my mom's computer and he really wants to see Gabe and Zach in person. Gabe already met Craig's Grandma in 2010, so it's nice that he will get to meet another of his great-grandparents. Unfortunately, I never got to meet mine, so I am happy he will have pics and maybe some memories of it (poor Zach won't remember a thing).

This year other trips will include some small vacations, possibly another trip to see Craig's grandma, and maybe other family in Washington State. Haven't solidified plans yet, though. I hope all of you are doing well and enjoying life the best way you know how. We don't talk to many of you much, but we love you all! :)

Here some recent pics of the boys and us:

Finger painting

Me!

Zach+dad

Gabe's new earphones for the trip

Horsing around already!

Our Christmas Tree

This is actually our first Christmas tree. We weren't very interested in having a tree before we had kids. When Gabe was younger, the house we were in was very small didn't really accomodate a tree well. Made an already cramped living room more cramped. Right now we just have lights and the tree topper. We plan on taking Gabe to pick out some ornaments.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Ok, I pressed "enter" before I could finish my post! Anyway, here is what I cooked up. Hope everyone's holiday was good!

Brussels sprouts+garlic stir-fry

Turkey in the Crockpot. Meat fell off the bone.

Chocolate Hazelnut tart

Potato+parsnip w/carmelized onions

and blue cheese

Zach pic, NaBloPoMo

I took this pic of Zach last week and I thought he looked so much like Craig.

You're probably wondering, what the heck is NoBloPoMo? National Blog Posting Month. I am participating in this with my other blog. Basically, the goal is to post one post a day for the month of November. It's only day 6, but I haven't missed a day. Check in now and again throughout the month and leave a comment.

The letter "K" is rescued

The letter K was missing.

Gabe has an alphabet puzzle and at some point we couldn't find the letter K. We thought maybe it got lost in the move last year, but I distinctly remember marveling, when we packed it up, that none of the letters had gotten lost.

But the letter K was M.I.A.

So after all these months, about two weeks ago, Craig decided to check underneath the fridge and lo and behold…

Gabe was very happy to have the letter K back. He pretends to lose and find it again, too. I asked him today what words begin with letter K and he said, "Kite and kick."

Um...just stuff

It's been a while! Here is a link to the latest article I had published in Portland Family Magazine about unschooling. Had some friends over last night who are vegetarian, so I made a vegetable pot pie (a recipe I got from another friend who made it for us right after Zach was born). It was very tasty!

Gabe is going to a birthday party this coming weekend where the theme is, of course, Halloween. He is going to be a pirate. Zach will be a pumpkin (if he tolerates being in the costume). Two years ago, I was Lt. Uhura from Star Trek for Halloween, but this year I just bought some cat ears that blink.

I'll just post a few new photos of the boys.

At the LegoLand party at the

Children's Museum.

With his friend Ariella at the

Children's Museum.

Counting fish.

Big bro, little bro.