This is the reason

This sweet boy, sleeping in my lap, is the main reason this blog hasn't been updated in days. This sweet boy, the one with cream cheese still on his face, a bruised eyelid, and a mystery scratch close to his eye, keeps me busy. It's not that I don't sit down at the computer, I do, but I usually forget why I'm there. This sweet boy, the one full of mischief and energy, cuddles and kisses, is the reason.

Chillin' on his birthday

Wednesday was my little man's birthday. He is now two. Because he has older siblings with busy schedules, we didn't have time to celebrate until later. I needed a picture of him on his birthday, though, so here he is, unaware that it's a special day, and staying up way too late.

Why quiet means trouble

Not a particularly bad mess, but still a mess. Someday I'll learn to jump up and run when it is quiet.

Playing catch up again

I've managed to take pictures each day, but getting them posted daily is proving to be more difficult. My computer memory is woefully inadequate and running iPhoto zaps every bit of it. More memory for this computer, and a new computer altogether, are hopefully coming in the not-to-distant future, but for now I'll put up with this slow moving one.

January 8- Photo compliments of Michael, age 5. It's not a particularly flattering photo of either Elizabeth or me, but Michael was very proud of it, so here it is.

 On Sunday we got the first snowfall of the season. We usually get one or two snowfalls that stick each year. We were luck last year and got 9". This weekend we got about 5" It had been raining all morning, and when it finally started to turn to snow, the kids were very excited! Snowdays are very special in Texas!

Jan 9-Lizzie out in the back yard just after it started showing hard.

Rebekah in her favorite spot...in front of the camera:)

Daniel was quite excited, too. He was too little last year to remember the snow.

What a difference two days makes! This is the view from my front door on Sunday!

Jan 10- Ellie is such a sweet, playful cat. We are really enjoying her. Plus, when it's nearly midnight and I realize that I hadn't taken a picture yet...she's always up:)

The view from my front door tonight

Michael is five!

 Here are yesterday's pictures. It was Michael's birthday and he turned five. It was also the beginning of birthday season at my house. He is the first of four January birthdays. Next is Daniel on the 12th, Elizabeth on the 16th, and then Matthew on the 31st. I should have lots of great pictures of him, but I don't. What I do have is a picture of his cake, which he helped decorate...hence all of the Lightning McQueens, and picture of him blowing out his candles...after he took so long making a wish that the 5 candle fell over and started melting all over the cake, and a hilarious picture of Daniel. He looooves ear buds and iPods. LOVES them. Here he had his sister's iPod and his own ear buds. Yes, he has his own because he has destroyed those of his siblings, and they no longer want to let him use them. We used some of his Christmas money (thanks Grandpa) to buy him his own buds. He hasn't bitten the covers off yet:)

Cars! Not quite like the cake from Target, but close!

What happened to my sweet baby boy? I can't look at this picture without cracking up, though!

Epiphany

View from the carpool line. By the time Daniel finishes 6th grade I will have been picking up kids in this carpool line for 17 years.

Playing catch up

 Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes. Matthew and McKinzie were teaching Daniel. It technically was still New Years Eve here, but it was Jan 1 somewhere not too far away!

Jan 2- Elizabeth ice skating for the first time. She did really well!

Jan 3-Eating Chinese food. The waitress tied the kids' chopsticks together so they could use them easier. They had fun, even Rebekah, who really, really does not like Chinese food.