The BIG 5

Our first born turned 5 on Christmas, how is that possible?  I avoided thinking about this for months leading up to his birthday.  He would turn a whole hand worth of years!  I feel the innocence of the preschool years slipping away and he is turning into a young boy.  Yet, he still loves to snuggle up for a good book and is always up for extra hugs.  He's a blend of sweet and sassy and his imagination keeps us entertained.  I have explained to Sam that no matter how old he is, he will always be my baby.  He doesn't grasp this, but it's true.  I remember the exact moment he came into this world and how our lives changed in an instant.  I hope I have taken enough photos to remember every little moment, because when I grow old and my memory fades these photographs are what I will have left to prove that he will always be one of my babies.

To celebrate this BIG 5 Sam chose to have a Gingerbread themed party with his friends.  We have been so blessed to find wonderful people to make us feel welcome here in Virginia and to help us celebrate with us.  We even had another party when all our family was visiting.  I think that fulfilled Sam's dreams of turning 5.

I made sure to capture Sam in a quick photo session.  I love this imaginative stage and hope he never loses that sense of adventure.  

I love those baby teeth and had to capture them.  By this time next year it is very likely they won't all be there :(

Christmas Rewind

We were beyond blessed to have family come to us for Christmas this year.  My parents, ALL of my siblings, and my nieces and nephews all came out to visit us over the holidays.  It was a FULL house, but a house full of love.  Of course we packed in some local touring, because everyone always wants to see something in DC.  On the flip side, we had lots of down time, play time, and time to catch up.

We counted down to the arrival of our guests for weeks and filled our time with lots of Christmas preparation of our own.  This year was the first year we cut down our own Christmas tree with the kids.  There is something magical about a real tree.  We even camped out under our Christmas tree lights one night.  So many memories were made and this time of year is made all the more special with the awe of children.  We all should try seeing through their eyes more, especially at Christmas.  More pictures of family here to follow.

Just Life

A catch up of some ordinary life the last few months.  We have wrapped up half of our school year and are learning so much together.  The boys experienced Chuck E. Cheese for the first time...what kid doesn't love that circus?  We've just been trying to live in the now.

Every Childhood Should Have a Merry-go-round

The title says it all.  It is difficult to find an old school merry-go-round that goes fast enough to make you sick to your stomach.  Every child should experience this wonderful spinning sensation.  We found a great one that goes fast.  Reminded me of one they use to have at a park in our hometown....but that merry-go-round was taken out years ago.  Children are so missing out these days.

Rewind to the Turkey

We opted to spend our Thanksgiving at home with our family of four.  I love to cook a big meal, and I do mean big.  We had a 20 pound turkey and a 12 pound ham, plus a handful of sides, bread, and of course a few desserts to choose from.  I didn't have to cook for days, as these left overs sustained us.  Sam enjoyed learning about the history of Thanksgiving and we celebrated in some traditional get-ups.  It was a relaxing day and the weather was beautiful.

Autumn Wonder

I was in awe on the spectacular autumn colors.  Living in the state of Washington we did not get to see such a drastic color change.  The fall I remember as a child is filled with lots of colorful leaves and piles to jump in.  The colors that we saw in Virginia this year were beautiful.  Every time we were driving down the road I was awe struck.  Hans probably thought I was joking, because I kept saying "Oh, wow, look at those colors".  I really was not joking, I was so in awe. Though we didn't get the chance to jump in a pile of leaves, we did plenty of exploring them.

Halloween is More Fun With Cousins

Hans brother's family stayed with us over Halloween and the it made the holiday that much more fun.  The boys couldn't get enough play time with these two cousins.  We had a great time visiting and touring around the area.  Being so far from family makes the time we do have together so special.  Our two little pirates hauled in plenty of loot from trick or treating.  Hans and I may have helped them consume some of this.

Let's Hike

If you know us well, you know we like to go for hikes.  I don't mean a stroll in the park, or a little trail through the woods.  I mean a strenuous workout that pays off with a glorious view at the top.  Two kids in tow...no problem.  Hans' brother and his family came to visit in October and were looking forward to experiencing the mountains of Virginia with them.  After this hike and four kids in tow, they may not visit for a while.  However, I think we all agreed that the view at the top was well worth it.

Camping Round Two

We had hoped to camp in Shenandoah National Park this weekend amongst the awesome fall colors.  Due to a certain shut down, all national parks were closed.  Our plan B was made on short notice and we ended up at this little shack of a campground, but it ended up being perfect.  Minus the poison ivy I was blessed with, there are no major complaints.  We pretty much had the whole place to ourselves.  Okay, one more complaint, it rained, no, I mean POURED, one of the nights.  It was fun and we look forward to doing more camping. 

To Think We Thought 30 Was Old!

We have now both hit this milestone.  For so long I have always thought 30 was old.  I now see it as just a new beginning, an entrance to another part of life.  We won't talk about the next big one...the 4-0.  I may think otherwise of that.  You can be sure I put the correct number of candles on this cake.  Hans needed the help of his two sidekicks to get all those flames put out.