Little Swimmy

One city-living privelege is that the library is just down the street. So we visit often. (Somehow we still manage to have overdue books.) On a recent trip, the children's librarian helped us find some new books. Little Swimmy was one of them.
We were inspired. Here's Eli's creation. (I added Swimmy with black a marker.)

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Another Lindsey birthday, another trip to The Cupcakery with my three favorite boys. I got a Gold Rush, Joel got Red Velvet, and Eli got Raspberry. Of course, he really just cared about the frosting. If you have ever tasted their buttercream frosting, you'd understand. Yum!




Hmm....my last post was about ice cream. It's definitely winter! Hurry up Spring, before I run out of treats, and clothes that fit!

Doin' My Part

Some time this afternoon, I need to go vote. Maybe that should inspire some intelligent writing about current issues (I even read an interesting NYT article that a friend forwarded) but I have a cause that's much more fun.

Ice Cream. Target ice cream. Archer Farms Peanut Butter Fudge ice cream, if you must know. It's heaven. You really have to try it. It tastes just like the kind you get at 31 Flavors with big chuncks of peanut butter. I just polished of the rest of the carton, and boy, is Joel gonna be bummed. Beckett, on the other hand, may be getting chocolate milk for dinner. But you probably didn't need to hear about that. My point is...ice cream has lots of calcium in it right?

I'm fighting osteoporosis, one scoop at a time. See, Eli is on board 100%.

From Snow to Spring

Yesterday there were six inches of snow in our yard. Today, it was 70 and sunny, so we went to the zoo.

I'd say the fresh air was wonderful, but we were, after all, at the zoo, and the smell of elephant poop in the warm air was actually pretty disgusting. Oh well. The sun and breeze felt amazing, and we were grateful for the spring break.

Brotherly Love

We keep pinching ourselves...Eli is SO kind and gentle to Beckett. Beckett loves to hear Eli's voice, and Eli loves to watch his reaction.

Adventures of Maple

I grew up with Uncle Mike & Auntie Kay, Mamops & Popops, Gramma & Grampa Popps, Grandma Emily & Grandpa Frank..to name a few. Family that's not family, but they're, well, family. They truly loved my sisters and I, and we knew it.

Eli and Beckett are surely blessed by the love of family. We have some "adopted" family too. I'm so grateful for the way they love our children, for their wisdom and experience, and for the wonderful fact that somehow, we might be a blessing to them too.

Nonna, Mike and Katie, Miss Alice, David and Mona- just to name a few. And boy, we're pretty excited the Maples. Grownups might call them Kim and Rusty, but Eli calls them Maple and Mr. Maple. Maple is fun, adventurous, affectionate, generous, kind, creative, and wise. Eli recounts their adventures often, recites her special emails to him, and prays for Maple.

Here's Eli and Maple at The Butterfly House...



at the Zoo, riding the train...

AND the Carousel...twice!

Making some yummy Christmas treats...

... playing in their yard

I think it's just the beginning of Adventures with Maple.

sweet baby beckett

His smiles are plentiful AND contagious! Here are some pics I took this afternoon. (And I finally freed hundreds of others trapped in our camera!)




That cute little spiral of hair...
Content to blow bubbles...
He's SO SWEET!!!