Weekend Project

Since the weather forecast for this past weekend wasn't so hot (literally), we decided to stay home from the cottages and tackle a project Levi was very much looking forward to...a SAND BOX!

Before
Clearing the spot

Levi and his "dirt box"

First load of sand

Second load of sand

The peanut gallery

The finished product!

Backyard Boys

Some recent pictures of the boys...

Carrots & Raspberries

Reuben had his first taste of carrots this week...


...and he learned how to blow raspberries - not the cleanest combination!!

(Raspberries, blueberries - they're both fruit, right Levi?)

Spring, Glorious Spring!

Blue skies, sunshine and hopscotch - gotta love Spring!!

Levi got some new "just his size" gardening tools - he loves loading and dumping! (He gets the "tongue-out concentration" from his Mom.)

Fresh air does these boys good!

100th Post!!

Something Else...

Today when I asked Levi if Daddy made a sandwich for his lunch: "Yes, but I didn't help him because I was too busy dinkin' around."

In the van on the way to Grandpa's birthday party, when Daddy was singing with the kids song CD: "Daddy, they know the words!"

At the birthday party when Grandpa sarcastically told Mommy 'thank you' for something: "Say 'You're welcome', Mommy."

Levi's been good for some laughs lately, usually followed by Matt or I saying "he's something else!"

(Not So) Extreme Makeover

Yesterday, while Matt & Levi were at the outdoor show downtown, I rearranged Levi's room. I didn't tell him that I was going to do it, so I wasn't sure what sort of reaction he would have when he saw it. It wasn't a huge change, but to a 3-year-old who wasn't expecting it...well, you never know!

Before:

After:

Levi stood at his door and looked around, slowly walked in and checked everything out - all the while he was repeating

This is great!
Wow!
Thanks for changing my room, Mom!
This is great!
Cool

I think Levi just really likes the new nightstand - especially the drawer for all his "treasures". He was still talking about the room makeover at night when Matt put him to bed - he told Matt "Mom rearranged my room and I just love it!" I'm glad he's so easy to please - I just hope he stays that way!

Hello Old Friend!

This morning we had an old friend stop by -- or should I say waddle by...

I first noticed her when she was at the end of our driveway and then watched as she made her way up our driveway and front walk. I'm guessing she was checking whether we would be good hosts for her eggs again this year. After a while, she and her mate (who was keeping an eye on things from the neighbors' driveway) flew away to "go and get some eggs to lay in our barrel" -- at least that's what Levi thinks they are doing!

The pictures...

If there is anyone who still checks this blog, I'm guessing you're glad to see that I posted. But, I'm also guessing that you are probably disappointed my post didn't contain any pictures! So, here's the beginning of what you really want...the pictures.

My plan is to do a series of posts with pictures of what happened "last night" - the first of which was when Reuben joined our family:

Last Night

When Levi talks about something that happened in the past, he says "last night". For example, Levi says things like "last night we went to the cottage" (it was last summer) or "last night we played outside" (it was today, before lunch). My favorite is "remember, last night, when I stayed at Grandpa and Grandma's house and we went to the hospital to visit Mommy and Daddy and Reuben?" Oh yes, I remember - that was about 4 months ago...right around the last time I really updated this blog!

So, as Levi would say, here's are some highlights of what we did "last night":

• Reuben joined our family (Nov. 8)
• Matt was laid off from his job (Nov. 13)
• Thanksgiving day with O's family - especially thankful for family, friends and God's faithfulness!
• Matt turned another year older (Dec. 12)
• Snow, snow and more snow - welcome news since Matt took a job snowplowing!
• 1st Christmas as a family of four
• Happy New Year - wondering and optimistic about what God has in store for 2009
• Levi's 1st "date" - Bob the Builder LIVE with Mommy (Jan. 13)
• Reuben was baptized (Jan. 18)
• Levi turned 3 (Feb. 2)
• Reuben started smiling, laughing, cooing and rolling over (back to tummy) - in that order, but not all at the same time
• Matt found plenty to keep him busy with the "honey-do list" as well as construction projects for family and friends
• MOPS, church council/deacons, tax season, and two little boys (plus one big boy) keep Mommy busy (perhaps that's why there were no blog updates for 4 months??)
• Levi started potty training (Mar. 3)
• Matt accepted a new job and his first day was today (Mar. 18)!

It's been an interesting few months around here -- full of adjustments, to say the least!