The last picture dump of the year

The kids had been wanting to camp with daddy for a long time, so at the end of October they finally got their wish granted by camping outside of our land.  LB ended up coming back into the house to sleep on his bed.  When we asked the kids what their favorite part about camping was, Emma's response was:  "sleeping in the tent" and LB's response was:  "sleeping in my bed." :p

I had been wanting to refurbish our dinning table chairs for a while, but didn't want to spend too much money on them.  Lo and behold I found a huge roll of this fabric at a yard sale for $4.  I was able to refurbish all eight of our chairs, plus make the cover for one of our small side tables in our guest room.  Score!

LB likes playing with his tools, but somehow he got hold of one of daddy's tools as well, and one day while nursing Naamen, I heard him "fixing" something out in the hallway.  When I can out, I saw that he had dug a hold in the wall :'(  I just about died!

 One of Emma's school assignments one weekend this Fall was to bring Paws to the house and take care of him.  I'd say she did a great job at it.

 

I finally broke down one day at around Thanksgiving and gave Naamen a haircut that got rid of his head mullet that was always covering his eyes.  I took this picture and sent it to Byron to see.  His response:  "are you sure you've got the right kid?" :)

An early Christmas gift from Memma and Poppa -- a family outing to see the Nutcracker.   It was a hit, and both kids are already asking when we'll be going there again.

That glorious afternoon when all three of my children fell asleep in the car.

Setting up the Christmas tree.

Dunkin Doughnut treat with my kiddos to celebrate the beginning of Emma's Christmas break.

Emma loves to read to her brother, and brother loves to be read to.  I caught these two doing just that one morning over Christmas break that just melted my heart.

When we asked LB what he wanted for Christmas, one of his requests was that he wanted to go to "Green-bell" to see his cousins.  We had a wonderful day playing with them the Friday before Christmas.

This boy is just too cute.

We did a Nativity play this year on Christmas Eve at Memma and Poppa's house.  Emma was Mary, Ames was Joseph, and LB was the donkey that always tagged along side with them (he was supposed to be the innkeeper, but LB had other plans for himself).

It always startles me a bit the first time I see my babies pull up on their own.

Loving their gifts from Tia Alison.

Naamen's passport picture is just too much :)

Naamen is here!

We welcomed our newest addition into our family on Sunday, March 6th, 2016.  We fell in love with him almost immediately.  Naamen is as handsome as they come, with more hair than any newborn should ever have.  Even his shoulders and back are full of his dark, beautiful hair!

A few pics that share his first hours/days of his life -- 

I don't know if it's because he's my third, but unlike my first- and second-born, I looooove my newborn snuggles.

Daddy is also beside himself with this stud of a boy.

Unfortunately, Little Byron had a bad cough and fever right around the time Naamen was born (that later evolved into a double ear infection, and that in itself is a nightmare of a story, but we'll plan on forgetting all about that).  All that to say, only Emma was able to go to the hospital and meet her new little brother.  She was so proud.  She was shy around him.  Careful with him.  When we asked her what she wanted to tell her new little brother, without hesitation she said:  "I love you, Naamen."

Byron still had to work while I was at the hospital recovering, so I requested to have Emma come over and keep us company.  She was a fun little companion to me.  We ate snacks, visited, and watched some toons together.

Both Oma and Memma were able to come see us right after Naamen was born (need to find these pictures somewhere), but here is Oma and Naamen on his second day of life when she came to visit us at the hospital.

Emma was in the car on our way back home.  She could not take her eyes off her little brother.

From a bit of a distance (remember Byron's cold and fever?), Byron was able to meet his little brother.  His first words to him:  "tis mine?"

Our family.

Big brother and big sister absolutely love him.

Unfortunately, a bird decided to make a nest in our diaper wreath as soon as it went up.  This meant we could not keep it up too long.  But it was beautiful, wasn't it?  Courtesy of Memma and Poppa.

A month in review part 3 -- The Wedding + other

Just like with LB, we took Emma out for CFA breakfast on the day of her birthday.  She enjoyed taking a few of her coloring books she got at her birthday party the night before.

The kids have thoroughly been enjoying their gifts.  Its not unusual these days for the two of them to work on their coloring first thing in the morning and throughout the day.

Emma likes to have tea parties a lot, and has a happy participant at her table often.  How lucky those two are to have each other!  I normally mix some grape juice with water for their tea, and then serve them some crackers or fruit for their snack.  Always a hit!

 The Wedding!  Much anticipated family event.  And a huge hit!  Kids had  a lot of fun.  So much so, that LB fell and busted his nose.  We thought it may have gotten broken.  Thankfully at the reception (where it took place), there were a number of pediatricians and dentists (and pediatric dentist) who were able to look at him.  It kept us from taking him to the ER that night.  None of this was pictured.  But daddy Byron's shirt got covered in blood.

Joseph & Hardi with the Morris nieces and nephews.

Emma got to wear the same dress her big cousin McNeill wore at our wedding 8 years ago as a flour girl.  She got lots of compliments.

And we got to hang out with Ames!!!!

A few days after the wedding I took out our wedding album to show Emma our own wedding pictures.  When she saw McNeill in the dress she wore at her uncle's wedding, she asked:  "Mommy, is this Emma?"

Kids playing with the bubble machine they got for their birthday.  FUN!

Only six days after he fell at the wedding and busted his nose the first time, he somehow managed to run into the wall at the house while playing with big sister and bust it again.  I did get it pictured this time.  Byron and I are amazed how often he falls and injures himself.  In the words of Dr. James Dobson, it's a miracle boys grow up without killing themselves in the process.

Dinner at our new home normally ends with the kids in one of our laps.  LB likes to get himself comfortable... quite comfortable!  I guess when you live out in the country, lots of things are now allowed.

Behind with the blog -- a month in review part 1

This blog has been incredibly neglected over the past month.  It's not as if nothing has been going on.  We sold our beloved home, did work on both our previous and new home, lived like nomads for about a month, moved in with the in-laws for two weeks, moved into our new home almost three weeks ago.  

Much joy was sprinkled in between then.  Like getting our first ultrasound for our third baby, due March 8th, 2016.  We also welcomed our friends the Kelleys from "up North," and witnessed my BIL marry his bride last weekend.

And so the recap -- 

Emma is introduced to "tea parties" with her cousins.

Mommy and now-big-brother LB doing some after-nap snuggle time.

Move-in day!

Blessed with many helping hands.

CFA lunch to thank our moving crew.

My Byrons.

Still a slouch. 

Kelleys are in town!

Saying goodbye to our home.