Playdate at the Ackerman's

In an effort to change up the quite mundane winter days at my house, the boys and I spent the day at Jen's house to play with Parker. Jen, bless her heart, also let me get out to a couple of errands w/out a toddler in tow. I came back to everyone dancing and pretending they were farm animals - I don't think Samuel missed me a bit....

Jude also got to play with a new batch of baby toys - always fun. In other news, I actually get out to a girls night out with Sarah tomorrow night - no boys!!! We plan on seeing a movie, but quite honestly, I could just sit in a quiet room and stare at the walls and be perfectly happy.

Samuel in His Element

Well, this afternoon I tried to capture Samuel in his favorite place - in the backyard, with the dog. As an added bonus, we are dog sitting Roscoe, so Samuel could not be happier.

It continues...

As well as all the meyhem below, I have discovered this morning that Samuel got into my scrapbooking stuff and helped himself to my scissors (please tell me he didn't cut anything important), unplugged our satellite and decided last night its funny to pee in his pants twice during the middle of the night. He literally told me this morning that its funny. Finally Colin gets a day off today and I might lock myself in a room, sit in a corner and start rocking back and forth, Rainman style. Will this season EVER end?

More Toddler Drama

As well as lining the hallway with pads, Samuel peed in the wastebasket in the bathroom and tore down some of his bedroom wall and trim. Wow. I didn't even give him sugar today.

Pads....

I had a blissfull hour of Samuel free time this afternoon. He spent some mysterious independent time with George in the back half of the house very quietly. Much to my dismay, I found these pads carefully lined up stuck to the hallway wall.

More Random Pics

Top left: Samuel is sooo bored this morning because he was denied cartoon watching privelidges (anytime he wakes up at night for no good reason, he does not watch any PBS Kids the next day - last night he was up three times. Ugh.) he decided to become a cowboy. He rode the horse around the living room. Top right: Samuel's long lost friend, Jonah, (from my friend Sarah's nannying days), and Samuel had a reuinion on Saturday night. They were actually having more fun than this picture lets on.
Bottom right: In my desperate attempt to get clothes put away in Jude's room, I placed him in a tote with a toy . I think I may have gotten about 5 minutes out of him before Samuel started piling blankets all over him to "put him to bed". Poor kid!

Here are a few recent pics of the boys. I still have yet to figure out this new camera, so my pics are often turning out grainy.

The top picture is of Samuel in the kitchen early in the morning play cooking.

Never Leave Your Boots Out

I made the mistake of leaving my boots by the couch yesterday....

Family Photo Shoot

Well, yesterday we did our annual family photo shoot (okay, this is only the second year, but I'm insisting on it being annual) and we actually did it the Pearl District. Don't ask how much money I paid my husband to show up there, but he did and I think I even saw him crack a smile once...

Anyway, I can't put the photos here because that might be pirating or something, but check out Mindy's phography blog http://mindystraussphoto.blogspot.com/ or her photography website mindystrauss.com. She is an AMAZING photographer as you can see and I can't believe we got the chance to have our pictures taken by her. Yay!!!

Two boys

As you can see from the photo, Jude is starting to get a personality. He has a temper (naturally, he's a red head), but he also has a very happy side. And it seems that he loves to watch anything interesting going on around him and becomes quickly bored when there is nothing to entertain him. In the other photo, Samuel had rummaged through his toy box and scrounged together this outfit that seemingly depressed him. Just kidding, but in all seriousness, he kind of looks like Napoleon Dynamite.

Colin spent his birthday today installing the hardwood floors in Jude's room, while listening to his new iPod Nano. It turns out that was a great gift! Samuel and I made a carrot cake from scratch, but by the time Colin sat down to eat, he was exhausted. Oh, I look forward to the day when our house is completly remodeled and we can hang out as a family all day.

Sarah and JudeToday

Just a quick pic as I run out the door of Sarah and Jude today - very cute!! Isn't he becoming the real charmer?!?

Sweet brothers

Did I ever tell you how much I love my brothers? Here is a picture from Joel's wedding a little over a year ago of John (far right) and Joel and I - so sweet.