Getting to Know My Valentine

Meet Tux, the newest Maxwell! This cute kitty was one of my Valentine's Day presents from Ben this year. The first night we had him he was pretty timid and didn't come out from under the couch for quite a while (until I moved the couch and pulled him out from under it, actually). By the second night he was warming up quite nicely, but still a little shy. Muffin was quite wary as well. Ben said it looked like Muffin was trying to decide if he was supposed to eat Tux or not. :) By now, though, Tux and Muffin are starting to play a little and Tux has found great friends in Noah, Hope and Eden. Tux will go right up to them and try to play. I knew that Noah would be great with him, but I was a little concerned about Hope. I didn't know if she would squeeze the love right out of him or not, but she is surprisingly gentle. He loves to snuggle and I am so enjoying watching his feisty personality come out from hiding. I know that Muffin will love having a new friend too as he has seemed a little lonely since Sassy disappeared. Anyway, welcome Tux! We love you already!

Here Hope is generously sharing daddy doggy, mommy doggy and baby doggy with Tux.

Look ALike?

These are pics of Hope and Eden about the same age wearing the same shirt. Do you think they look alike?

Cruisin'

What is the first thing you do when you wake up? Occasionally, this is what happens at our house.

Laundry baskets become creative vehicles of play,shrieking laughter and stuffed animals are strewn about. Check out how many Noah has. I think he is getting ready to try to put them in the basket with his sisters. 

Also, notice Hope giving Eden a kiss...a rare moment, indeed.

Pajamas...messy hair...messy house...lots of fun.

What Happened Here?

Here's what happened. We were all sitting down to dinner...everyone was clean and Ben was giving small bites of spaghetti to Eden on a little spoon. Soon Hope required my attention in the restroom to clean up a mess that I am not going to talk about....*sigh* :) and I ended up giving her a quick bath while everyone was finishing dinner. After she was clean I went back into the kitchen and this is what I saw.

My response: What. Happened. Here. Of course I quickly realized that I should be grateful that she was eating as it is nearly impossible to get Hope to eat anything. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that Eden will continue to have the same appetite as a child that she does as a baby. We are really only beginning to introduce "grown-up" food to her so she's never had anything likes this before. 

I'm thinking she likes it.

Remembering What Matters

 

Lately I've been distracted with the insignificant things in life.

I'm trying to fix that by focusing on what really matters...



A New Year

This new year is going to be full of beginnings and endings, and hopefully, they will all be happy ones!

The first, my sister and her family moved to Texas for employment opportunities. She is expecting her third child. She has girl and boy twins so she doesn't care which this baby is, but I think its a girl. :) She is due in August and I'm crossing my fingers that we'll get to take a family vacation to go see her family and my dad.  I miss those babies something bad, and Hope and Noah miss their Aunt Shush, even little Eden sometimes acts as if she is looking for Faith and Elijah, her little buddies.

Ben will be getting his BS in Psychology in May, and perhaps starting a graduate program in the Fall, probably at the U. Last month he was promoted at work, it is a great opportunity for Ben and our family. The fact that he is employed right now is wonderful, I know many families are struggling with unemployment, so I am grateful that he has work, even if it's not in the career field he'd like, this is wonderful until he finishes Grad School.

My mom will be retiring April 1st and I'm so excited for her. My mommy dearest has always been my best friend and we've been blessed to have lived with her the past few years. She and my babies have an awesome relationship and I'm so thankful that they've had the opportunity to have that connection. Not to mention that she and Ben have formed a great friendship. After my mom retires she will be off to visit her dad for a while and start to make her rounds to visit her grand kids (we are all spread across the country).

Ben and I will be renting this house from my mom and getting it ready to sell so that she can enjoy her retirement and not worry with all the home improvement projects we'll be doing this year. I will try to get before and after shots of all the stuff we'll be doing around the house. That should be interesting. :)

Now that Eden is here, and will be turning 1 in March, I feel like our little family is complete, (at least for the next several years) and I'm so excited to start the next chapter: Hope and Eden starting school and other activities and watching Noah continue his journey of becoming the incredible person he is and just settling into our little family.

Sorry no pics this time, we got a new camera and until the new software is uploaded you'll just have to wait! ;)

He's 9

Who is this kid and what did he do with my baby?