Valentine

I don't know if you can be more anti-valentine than I have been the majority of my life. I can run through many conversations with my sister or my mom trying to convince me of the joy behind this holiday of "love". In fact, I giggled this morning when I saw my friend Emily from high school dub today "single awareness day" on facebook.

My lack of enthusiasm for valentine's day was something Josh and I were extremely compatible on.

But, like with all the other holidays I find that the significance greatly changes once you have kids. Particularly toddlers. Toddlers have a joy and enthusiasm about EVERY THING that is SO contagious.

After recently declaring to Josh I could only think of three Valentine's day that held any real significance to me, I still found that I truly was looking forward to Valentine's day this year. Another friend from high school, Andria, said it best on her facebook page today. She wrote "...I love that I can't even fathom how much God loves me! I love that He has put amazing people in my life who love me. I love that He has me love on people around me. I love that it's all through God's grace." Yes, couple that with the joy of a child and you are able to truly love valentine's day!

Valentine's day was celebrated with a family meal together over the weekend. Week days are too difficult for us all to eat together. They say the way to a man's heart is through is stomach. Well it is the same for toddler boys too. I found my way to my guys hearts with chocolate waffles from scratch drizzled in a homemade raspberry sauce.Liam and Brandon continue to astound me, and not just because they keep changing how I feel about holidays! Brandon has, perhaps, the best smile ever. He will cure my mood instantly when he gives me his wide open loving smile.

Liam, he is my little thinker. He is excited about EVERY THING. And, I truly know he has an engineer for a father when I find that he is building "bridges" for this trains like this:

Maybe someday Liam will be building real bridges at this rate.

It is 9:18pm on valentine's nights. Josh, who is still jet-lagged, and our boys are all fast asleep. And, even with the early end, it was still a fabulous Valentine's day.

Snowmagedon

Snow Day.

Snow-pocalypse.

Snowmagedon.

No matter how we spin it, it is still just snow.

Granted, 9 inches of snow is quite a bit for our neck of the woods. Regardless, in the Seattle area this much snow preempts all regularly scheduled programming to keep you "up-to-date" on how much snow has fallen, where it is falling, and just how bad those roads are.

Pretty sure 90% of the population in this area heeded the warnings and just stayed home today.

And, what a beautiful day to stay home.

Even though Josh & I grew up in the VERY wet Willamette Valley of Oregon, and then proceeded to move to the dreary/rainy Seattle, we are totally over rain. We have learned we will take freezing cold and sunny, or just snowy days, over the rain any winter day.

I suppose snow days are made even better when you get to spend them as a family. Particularly when every thing is still so new and exciting to Liam. Today's adventure: Josh pulling Liam around on his snowboard.

Liam thought it was awesome. Although, he equally enjoyed his lesson in making snow angels from Mom. Not so much the angel part, but just the randomness of throwing himself in the snow.

Ahhh... gotta love sons.

The added bonus of Josh being home on a snow day: I got to go for a walk with just myself and our camera while the boys napped and Josh worked from home.

Brandon is going to be three months old in a few days. Hard to believe. He isn't so much into the snow, and paranoid Mom pretty much prefers her baby in a nice dry WARM house.

Liam took this picture with my camera tonight. Not bad for a 2 year old.

Ah, got to love Brandon's totally kissable cheeks. Not sure which one of us kisses them more. The boy should be germ proof at the rate we are going though.

Guess the only thing left to say is, thank you largest snow storm this area has seen in years. I know you'll be gone in a matter of days, but I sure do love the beauty, brightness, and joy you bring for the few days you are here!

Snow 2012

Without fail we typically get one good blast of snow each winter. Without fail Josh is usually overseas when it happens. Until this year!

Brandon is still too little to enjoy family time in the snow with us, but Liam is at the ripe age of total snow enjoyment!Yay for family time in the snow!

Quiet Time

I think most people keep flowers or candles as their table centerpiece.

We keep Brandon.

At 3:30am our alarm went off this morning. I'm the morning person of our marriage. So, when Josh needs to be up at a time he is more accustomed to going to bed at - I get up too. The added bonus is quiet time to visit with each other.

Today we were remembering where we were last year at this time. A year ago Brandon wasn't even on our radar. God laughed at our planning and instead grew our family. We both find it hard to imagine a life without Brandon's constant grunting and his big open smile.

We also reflected on Liam. How amazing it is to watch him grow! Every day we are amazed at what Liam retains. He reminds us of events that happened 3 months ago, sometimes giggling because he still finds them funny.

And, one of the best parts has been watching the boys bond.

Brandon's first smile: For Liam.

Brandon's first time rolling over: Pretty sure it was to see what Liam was doing.

Brandon's first giggling sound: For Liam.

Yes, quiet time to reflect together is sometimes hard to come by... but when we get it, boy is it awe inspiring.

Ethan

Dear Ethan -

I met your Mom in the fall of 1996. It seems almost like a life time ago... 16 years later, your Mom still has a special spot in my heart.

I am so sorry that you are now 5 and I haven't yet met you. I was at your baby shower, and I still remember how excited your Mom was at your upcoming birth! I pray someday we will get to meet, that you and my son Liam can play together, and all seven of us can go to church together to worship the Lord!

In the meantime here is what you asked for, pictures of Liam playing with the toys you shared with him.

And Ethan, I'm happy to report that your Thomas trains will get LOTS of use as Brandon is in the "wings" waiting for his turn to play with the trains!

Thank you SO much for sending them to us!

love, Brenda

Christmas 2011

It is Christmas Day once again, and I could post thousands of pictures of Liam opening every one's presents today...

Regardless of how many pictures I posted the Christmas reflexion would be the same: Christmas is truly for kids. The joy on Liam's face coupled by the cheers of "YAY!" every time he opened something was just AWESOME!

It took us quite awhile to open presents as we had to stop and play with every gift before we could move on.

Josh and I had a lot of fun watching Liam play with his new flash light...

And enjoy his new "kid size" table and chairs.

Brandon's first Christmas was low key. He slept. He watched Liam. He ate. And, then he slept some more.

Cappy patiently waited for some attention from his favorite "little person" and his Christmas treat.

But, what I'll remember most this Christmas is how blessed I felt watching Liam, Brandon and Josh.

Merry Christmas to all our family and friends!