Introducing...

A new little brother...

arriving in September!

"I was preparing for another sister after having three in a row"...Bo 8 years

March Birthday Boy....

This boy...

turned 8 on March 15

we celebrated a few days later with a hotdog/marshmallow roast 

he requested his mommy's cupcakes

he attended his party with a face full of poison oak

that he had gotten from turkey hunting

this was a big year...his first over night hunting trip with his Pop

no, he didn't kill one...but he did see and hear some

which was exciting for him.

We love you so much buddy!

You are such a helpful boy and a loving brother.

You love reading with a flashlight before you go to sleep at night.

You love re-enacting history...

You love my homemade pizza and hotwings...and cupcakes

You love Jesus!

Your learning to play the guitar...

You love Legos...

You love frogs and polliwogs and lizards and salamanders and white-faced bumble bees...

You love exploring the woods

and your become a great little fisherman.

We are so honored to be your mom and dad

We Love You!

 

 

Little Hands...Working Hard

The boys have spent a big part of their day splitting firewood

with an ax...loading it in their wagon....strapping it down...preparing to haul it.

Here is Almonzo Wilder and Laura...see he's holding the reins...not the steering wheel...
because this is a wagon...not a John Deere Gator...

What I Love About My Boys...

they bravely fight the battles...

they are always inventing something

or making something homemade for someone else...

they love to work alongside daddy...especially the youngest one

they almost always find a way to include their sisters unless the battle is far too fierce

Every Morning...

There is a battle raging in our yard 

and these boys are fighting in it.

Each morning I awaken to find these boys

outside with their new guns fighting the enemy in our yard...

They wake up some mornings before daylight...

quietly dress and tiptoe out so they can get some fighting in before chore time.

Civil War Play

Jeb:  Hey Mom, did the Civil War last four years?

Me:  Uh, I think so.

Jeb: I'm pretty sure it was four years mom.  And since it lasted four years, everyday for the next four years we are going to play Civil War.  We won't stop playing until I'm eleven.

.Civil War encampment...see the fire made from sticks and bright yellow leaves

our little soldier

showing off their rifles

My Little Yard Man...

This boy has been weed eating the yard since he was big enough to walk.

Any stick that was long enough...a plastic one for awhile...

And finally a homemade weed eater.

His Pop mows lawns and he can't wait to be a helper...

Thank You For The Legos...

We received a special treat a few weeks ago...

Aunt Tracy passed along some Legos that her son played with when he was a little boy.

I have two thankful boys who have been happily playing Legos everyday since...

Apparently we are just entering the wonderful world of Lego...

lego clubs, lego magazines, lego trading among all of the little boys...amazing

Happy Birthday, Sweet Boy

This sweet boy turns six today...

We started the day with a birthday treasure hunt...

Daddy left a trail of clues before leaving for work...

Oh what fun it was...

Big brother helped read the clues...

The last clue led to just what you had wished for...

A new bicycle!

Six Things I Love About You...

I love the way you always ask if you can help me with whatever I am cooking.

I love to watch you fix things.

I love that you still sit in my lap and give lots of hugs.

I love to watch you play with your little sisters.

I love to see your excitement when you recognize a word you know in new places.

I love smell the top of your head when we hug.

School Pictures 2011-2012

Bo...2nd Grade...7 1/2 years

Boo...Kindergarten...6 years

Oh My...How My Little Strawberry Picker Has Grown

When I Grow Up...

When I grow up I want to be an animal doctor that takes care of little animals.

I'll travel around and help people's little pets.

If it's a white face bumblebee, I'll charge 50.00...

but...if it is black faced, it'll be 100.00.

-Bo 7 years

My Boys=Joy

Here are a couple of pictures of what the boys have been doing...

daddy's tools...some scraps of wood...a little free time...and...lots of imagination

we have a fort for some army men

that little hand loves to set up his army men for battle after battle

and I love to listen to him narrate his battles:-)

and using daddy's tools...inspired this boy to want some of his own...

so he used some money he had earned...

to get some of his very own!

a new hammer and tape measure...for his tool belt

I love seeing him walk around wearing his tool belt looking for a loose board to fix:-)

The cashier wanted to know why he would want a hammer.

Well, because he's a little boy, right?

Camping Fun

While mommy and the girls were having some tea party fun, daddy and the boys were camping.

Here are some pictures of their trip.

life jackets...because daddy borrowed a canoe...to fish in the creek...

proud fishermen

The boys got to see lots of wildlife.  When they got home we heard all about a beaver splashing in the water and the trees it had been chewing.  They cleaned the fish and a snake swam over and ate the skins.  There were lots of wild ducks.  I wish they had taken their nature notebooks to draw some of the wildlife, but instead I've been hearing lots of stories...narration practice right?:-)