i heart faces- paper!

My entry:

Paper....the i heart faces challenge! 

I love paper....my love of paper started with the letters from my grandfather with "fivers for fun" aka...$5. bill.  As I think about it I love books ( I want to write a children's book desperately), printed photos, stationery, the hand written note, magazines, card board boxes....paper is wonderful isn't it?  And so I share my paper moment with the boys.

 I have been waiting for the perfect challenge to enter this photo in of my cardboard-loving boys.  Last summer they tackled an ever-so-large box, where they played all day. ..all day... yep, all day!  Paper can just be so blissful! Of course, I speak for all of us. Notice the windows and the mailbox in their new paper home.  To further support the paper theme, the boys declared this box was made into a paper store where neighbors were subjected to their paper "sales".    I used picnik's "reverse process"to create this vintage feel....I just love that effect.


I am entering the photo up top....the one below is just for fun.  It was a hard choice because I love the glow on the boys in the box below (did I make the right choice? hmm).
Enjoy more great entries at i heart faces!




Just for fun....not my entry

Chipmunk captured

One of the major accomplishments of the Summer 2010....Chipmunk Captured!

This poor little guy was surrounded by these crazed boys, captured and shown to as many people as possible.  The boys were thrilled!  These 4 boys have a "den" in the pine trees called "The Den of the Brave Boys".  I made sure the chipmunk didn't have a tragic demise in their den and was peacefully released from what was sure to be chipmunk hell!

play!

PLAY it's Monday!...and we don't have to rush out of the house and go to school!  It is summer!  yahoo!

In the spirit of play and the i heart faces challenge, I am posting my boys at play this morning.  The ironic part is the box in which they are playing was from the recent BIG birthday present of a peg pergo yard car!  The box is now being played with and is currently "a paper store" with paper products for all to purchase!  Hope you find some time to play today!
P.S.  That is a little red mail box.  ;)

To: Judson, Drew and Jack

Dear Judson, Drew & Jack,

We miss you and cannot wait to introduce you to your sister! She is even cuter than in those pictures. I know that is hard to believe. You all will just love holding her little body and seeing how she loves being tickled and smiles. She is a snuggler just like all of you! I got to feed Tessa some cereal with a spoon and give her juice from a small metal cup. She hasn't had a bottle yet, but I think she will love one, because she likes to suck...her favorite thing is to suck on her thumb! Maybe she will like a nuk like Drew & Jack did. You are all the big brother now to Tessa! I can't wait for you to meet her!

It was a very, very long trip here, but everything went perfectly. Someday we will all come here so you can see what Tessa's home country is like. It is a beautiful country. There are mountains in the distance that I can see. Addis Ababa is a busy capitol city. It is very different than life at home. Most people here struggle for everything like food, clean water, clothes. It makes me so very grateful, but also sad that we can't do more. I want you to know that today I met some children your age at the care center that are waiting for their forever families! I bet some of those little boys will get to wear your shirts and play with the match box cars you sent...be sure to tell Nicholas and Cameron this too. There are families here right now that are all bringing home their children that are your age! You should see how happy they are to know their forever parents! I wish I could show you with photos, but we are not allowed to bring a camera into the care center....you know how much that is bothering me!!!

It is the middle of the night here and I should go back to bed. I love you and miss each one of you. Be good to Brianna and be sure to give her a thank-you and hugs for all she is doing.
Mommy and Daddy love you and miss you so much. We can't wait to bring Tessa home and all be together!
Love,
Mama

I hope you are enjoying your treasure hunt!

Snow days...

Snow Days! It has been a snowy couple of days. The boys enjoyed a full day home yesterday and a late start to school today. Here are some fun photos (with my new camera all ready for travel!) of the boys playing!

We leave for Ethiopia in exactly 2 weeks!!!!

Our clown, Bob

While there are many moments of frustration because we still haven't been assigned a court date for Tessa, there are also moments like these photos.  The boys outside with our silly doggy Bob, who is now almost 5 months old.  And then tonight we came home from dinner out to find Bob greeting us at the door with a Halloween basket stuck on his head!  Somehow he managed to loop the handle around his leg and really was stuck!  It was hysterical!  I love a good laugh and boy, did Bob give it to me bumping into things and trying to follow us!  Of course, I had to run and get our digital and video cameras to document the moment!  AFV here we come!!

Photo Contest!

These are some of the winning photos from the Monroe Arts Center Annual Photo Contest!

Drew won 1st place and a cash award, which he promptly spent on a Wii game!!  ;)

This photo is called "This Little Piggy".  I love seeing all those sweet toes together.  

This photo was taken by my "Little Sister" Maddi and is called "Midnight Beauty".  It won 2nd place and a cash award!!  I am not sure if she has already spent it.

Juddy won a ribbon for this photo "Drew Jumps In" in the Reflection category.  He was bummed that he didn't walk away with any $$$....but then I reminded him that I didn't either.  ;)  I am so excited that the kids had fun using my camera and hopefully are excited about photography!

Back to school

Back to School!  All the boys had their first day of school today.  It was different for each of them.  Judson was excited to see his friends, but sad that summer over.  He immediately ran off to the playground to find his buddies and they started playing soccer.

Drew felt really nervous.  Last night he said he didn't want to go and I could feel his anxiety over the unknown that is kindergarten.  This morning he didn't want to leave his room, but then did after deciding to call the neighbors to see if they boys could ride with them.  Drew was excited to go to school with his friends.  So, we all went together to the school and that helped Drew a lot.  Drew played on the playground and when the bell rang grabbed his bag and found me.  We found his teacher and lined him up.  He looked scared and tearful.  I felt the same way.  I gave him a kiss and said, "Have a really fun day!".  I had to exit quickly after so he wouldn't see my tears.  Plus, it was time to get Jack to his first day of school ever at Monroe Preschool (2 mornings a week).  He has wanted to go to school for a long time.  Last year he would have a fit when we would drop off Drew and leave.  He was so excited and went into the room and started to play right away.  He barely needed to say good-bye to me, but I insisted. ;)   He had a great day.  

Juddy and Drew both had great days at school too!  Juddy was thrilled to have friends in his class and said he really likes his teacher, Mr. Barnard.  I was concerned about Drew's day, but his teacher Mrs. Mahlkuck said he had a great day!  Drew was so cute at dinner tonight.  He said, "Mom, you want to hear a secret? ....School is AWESOME!".    What a relief!!!!    YEHHHHH!!!!!

Snow Day!

Today was one of those beloved snow days....no school and lots of snow fun!  The boys and I had a great time sledding with our neighbors in our backyard!

Changing Seasons

One week it is autumn in our yard playing in the leaves....the next it is catching snowflakes on our tongues!

First Day of School

This year Judson is in Ms. Skattum's 1st grade class at Northside Elementary.  Drew is in the 4-K program at Monroe Preschool with Mrs. Minogue.  What big boys I have.  They are both excited to be back at school.  Drew loves that his best friend Charlie is in his class.  Juddy is equally excited that his friends, Lily and Logan are in his class!

Boys will be boys!

I have to share these photos of Drew and his best buddy, Charlie from last Friday. I was inside checking on them and noticed they weren't by the play area or babsketball hoop...oh,oh, I had a feeling.
I went to look down by the stream and saw them- so I ran back in for my camera! They were pretty much having a ball in the mudd. Their feet and shoes suctioned into it. After I got a round of pictures I helped them out. They did ask to go back in for another shot...why not!

3 boys in a tub!

Here we have 3 boys in a tub! I love this shot where I am standing on the top of the tub and inticing them to look at the camera by pouring water on them. They all love bath time!

Lazy weekend day...

Today Juddy had his last day of "dribbling dinosaurs". He walked away feeling quite proud after getting 8 shots in the basket!
Another milestone for Drew too, as he drove the go-kart up and down the driveway and learned how to work the gas and brake. He did so well and felt like such a big boy...which he is.





This silver pendant arrived yesterday and I love it. It is "Born in my...heart" and on the back "my sweet girl". I love it! I will wear it and think of bringing our daughter home. I have been busy working on our dossier (documents to send to Ethiopia) and know each time I get to check something off my list that we are that much closer!

Andy is on-call this weekend, but hasn't been called away, which is great! Jack Jack is recovering from double ear infections and is on his 3rd antibiotic in the last 3 weeks. We just had a sleepless night the other night. Those nights are rough, but the day after is the real struggle! I think he has the same sort of chronic ear infections that Juddy had as a little guy...I suspect tubes are in Jack's future. Juddy and Jack are alike in so many ways both physcially and personality!
That's today...March 29, 2008~