4 Years Old!

Yesterday, we celebrated Eli's birth and the wonderful addition he makes to our family!  I love his personality, the fire and fierce determination he displays.  It comes with a temper but also with a wonderful smile!

He continues to be a very natural athlete and loves to play baseball and football in our yard.  Elijah and Zach also spend hours each day playing pretend with animals, trains, cars and sport guys.

Happy 4th Birthday Eli!  We love you!!

I know it is off focus, but I love his pure delight over my simple cupcakes!

Homeschool Co-op

This year we have joined a homeschool co-op to provide some different class options as well as a social outlet for the boys.  The co-op offers a pre-K class for Eli, and Zach is enrolled in a geography/culture class as well as an art and gym class.

Fall Sports

This fall Eli is playing soccer and Zach chose to play flag football.  Saturday was the start of their games.  Here are some pictures from the day.

Pulling the flag!

Summer catch up

The Nelsons came to visit us in the beginning of August.  We spent our long weekend together at the boardwalk, beach and playing a lot of baseball (something new and different for us!)

Eli and Joel

Ice cream on the boardwalk

Then, at the end of the month we went to the Casler's for a fun weekend of trains and.... baseball!  While everyone enjoyed the train ride through Lancaster county, Eli especially loved it!  He was the perfect age and he has always been interested in trains, the combination created one excited almost-four-year-old.  It was really fun to enjoy the experience with him.

"All Aboard!"

There is a picture on Krista's camera of
Steve in this same pose.

Eli clutched his ticket the whole ride, afraid he might lose it like in Polar Express.

It begins!

Yesterday, our lot was empty.  Today, they are plotting out the house location, grading and I don't know what else.  This blog could very easily become a step-by-step chronology of the house building process but I will try to spare you.  The exciting thing right now is that it Has BEGUN!!

Reassurance

Over lunch today, the boys were discussing their favorite football teams and players.  Zach asked me why I didn't like Tom Brady.  Trying to be diplomatic, but also establish a few character development points, I tactfully explained that I didn't like how he treated women.  Zach would not let me get away with that vague of an answer and he pressed me to explain further.  So, I added that Brady only dates a lot of really, really beautiful women and that he doesn't plan on marrying any of them.

While Zach tried to process this, Eli chimes in, "Don't worry mom.  You're not very pretty and you kind of look like a boy!"

Awesome.

Something about Spaghetti

It seems that all of our blog-worthy-dinner-
moments happen over spaghetti.  Perhaps I should serve it more often because these were two of tonight's gems:

Eli (praying): "Dear Heavenly Father.  Daddy is going to the shelter tonight.  We have spaghetti tonight and spoons and forks.  Amen!"

A little later during the meal, Steve made a rude noise at the table and immediately said, "Excuse me."

I gave him 'the look' to which he responded, "Why are you looking at me all disappointed?"

Zach answered him, "She does that when you do stuff that she's already told you not to do." 

Broncos birthday

We have maintained the unorthodox tradition of celebrating Zach's birth on his half birthday, and yesterday he turned 6 1/2!  He has grown up so much this past spring.  He is reading extremely well and independently spends time each day reading books that I would have said were too difficult for him.  He also had a great baseball season this spring.  He is hitting the ball well and also beginning to field the ball.  In fact during one game he got 5 outs during the 3 inning game!

But the biggest, most alarming, sign of his advancing age was the day that he looked in the mirror after a shower and told me that he wanted his hair "cool".  When I asked what he meant by "cool" he replied, "You know....sticking up".  So this week at the barber he was shown how to make the front bit of hair spike.

Zach asked for a kid's cookbook for his birthday
and then insisted on making lunch for us!

Eli also prepared his sandwich today!

Free at last!

Last week we enjoyed a vacation at the beach.  While the weather was not ideal for swimming, or some days even sitting on the beach, we all managed to have a wonderful time.  Steve was more free from responsibilities than he has been in a long time.  His Mississippi trips (yes, that is plural) are behind him and his workload has lightened considerably, in fact while we were away he only spent a couple of hours during the whole week working.  The rest of the time was spent with the mere responsibility of being a 'dad'.  Towards that end he played a great deal of baseball with Zach and Eli.  I can see that in a few more years all three boys will ignore me for the greater fun of playing with daddy!  I cannot begin to compete.  (Plus, that will leave me on the beach. Alone. Reading.)

Really, for our whole family, the week marked the end of a crazy, stressful year.  While mainly it was Steve who has needed the relaxation for the first time in 14 months,  it was also significant for me with the 'return' of Steve and with my sister's wedding being behind us.  But, I feel certain (In fact, I think it's guaranteed) that the next few months will produce a different kind of stress as we prepare to build our new house this summer/fall.  I am looking forward to the process but I am also taking the time to enjoy the decreased tension and more relaxed pace of right now.