Pictures o' Wes

Wes & Nathan hunting for some eggs in the backyard.








He found one.








And another one. Who is that taking video? :)











Riding his trike.









A new scooter, from Grammy & Aunt Jan. Here Wes is trying to ride it like the boy on the box it came in.

Big Easter Visit: Easter Day

What a great time we are having with the family visiting (Grammy & Aunt Jan have been here since Wed. night, Popeye & Nene have been here since Saturday).

activities complete:

• 2 egg hunts
• lots of good meals
• boys' Easter program
• lots of relaxing
• games
• got Grammy's car to start

We'll post pictures soon

Last summer pictures

I just found these pictures from last summer. We had meant to post them last June, so I dusted them off and here they are.

locked out & breaking in

Last week something potentially bad happened. We were leaving to go to the library to get some new books. Well, for some reason I walked out of the house without my keys. Amy did not take her keys because we were just going to the library (and she thought we might just leave the house unlocked). At step 20, I looked up and asked Amy "Do you have your keys?" "No"

That's when I knew it was bad. I had locked us out of our own house. We didn't have keys for the car or the house. So, I walked around to the back to check and see if we left a door unlocked. No, we're too safe for that :)

So, I set to try to break into my own home. After trying and trying to break in, I did it. It was a great feeling (?) to be able to break into my own home. At the same time, Amy was in the back trying to break in. Neither of us knew that the other was breaking in.

Right when I got in, Amy was getting in. So we both managed to break into our house at the same time :)

The next morning, Nathan was talking to Wes at breakfast telling him about how "daddy" was "awesome & strong" and was able to get in the house without a key. For Amy it was pretty amazing to listen to the boys talk about Mike in such a way. It also made me (Amy) think of how often I talk about our Heavenly Father that way...something to think about.

birthday party requirements

Amy asked Nathan today who he wanted to invite to his party. We had a few names we thought he would say. But he surprised us. His answer: people who can bring stuff I want. So his first priority was getting a good present. :)

The last couple weeks in pictures: part 1

Nathan enjoying his new cd player.








Wes climbing into the "closet attic" in the play room's closet. We cleaned it out to repack it and let the boys play up there in the between time.






Nathan playing with Lightning McQueen in the "closet attic"








Nathan and Wes helping Amy clean the bathroom.

Wes created a SuperWhy Superhero

The other day, Wes and I (daddy) played some SuperWhy games online. Nathan and I played Bob the Builder games. It had actually been a long time since we've done that together, so it was nice to play online games with them for a bit.

One of the SuperWhy games is to create a superhero. Here is a link to the one Wes created. Notice the color scheme.

Photo of the Week: New Tools

Here is Becca & Wes looking at some new tools. The boys have really used there tools around the house to help me (Mike) with a few projects.

Photo Friday: Building a truck

Saturday, before we left Ft. Wayne to come back home, we got to go to Lowe's to build a truck. It was so much fun. Becca, Nathan, Wes & Allison all got to build a truck. It was a great morning with family. These are two pictures of the boys working with their tools. Wes and Becca wore their aprons until we were inside McDonald's for lunch. :)

Thanks to Lowe's (and Uncle Paul) for letting the boys have some other kits to work on at home, as well as a hammer for each of them to keep!

Dentist & a Date with Daddy

Yesterday was a big day for Nathan. He had his second dentist appointment. But this one was different on many levels.

First, we told him only he could go back when they called his name. Just like Mike did when he went a couple weeks ago. He was going to be a big boy and do it on his own.

Second, it was a different dentist than the first time around.

Third, it was only Mike and Nathan who went to the appointment.

Fourth, Nathan did everything so well. He did not even hesitate when Holly called his name. He just got up and walked back with her like a big guy. (It was a little hard for me (Mike) to just stay out in the waiting room and watch him go back)

Fifth, he did awesome. Yes, he was timid, but he didn't cry. He let them look in his mouth and did everything he was supposed to do. This was a vast improvement!

Afterward, he and I got to go out to eat. He picked McDonald's. It was a great lunch, I think the first time he and I have gone on a "date with daddy" and it was so cool. I hope he enjoyed it as much as I did. Then we went to Rural King to look at the toys.

Part of me is ready for him to grow up, so we can do more things like this - but the other part of me doesn't want him to get any bigger. I like him just the way he is.

Photo Friday: Christmas w/ the great grandparents

This is the last picture we had taken with Grandma. It was on Christmas Day. (I really like it)

Photo of the Week: Wal-Mart Lunch

Lunch at Wal-Mart. We had one of their buckets from the deli. The boys loved the popcorn chicken!!

Updated Boys Wishlists

(last updated 12.22.07)

We decided to add this post to keep an ongoing tally of items that have been "snagged" by someone; therefore, need not stay on the list. But instead of going back and deleting that earlier post we are going to just update this post.

As far as we are aware, these are the items already gotten...

for Nathan,
- John Deere: bean combine
- play chainsaw
- elec toothbrush
- Veggietales Campfire Sing-a-long puzzle


for Wes,
- basketball
- tricycle
- John Deere: skidsteer
- elec toothbrush
- Praise Baby CDs (both of them)
- Spot on the Farm book

(if you have gotten an item off the boys' lists and would be so kind as to let us know, via phone, email, leaving a comment, or letter we will add said items to this list)

Photo Friday: Snow Day

First snow of the year for the boys. And they had to go to Ft. Wayne to get it. :)

They had a great time playing in the snow with Becca.

Photo Friday: Christmas trees

Wes' tree.

Nathan's tree.

Photo Friday: Grandma and the boys

this is a picture of grandma and the boys playing/watching pool the day after Thanksgiving. We love being there when the boys get to spend time with grandma and grandpa.

Boys Christmas Wish Lists

Nathan:
Play chainsaw (Dollar General has one)
Car carrier semi (Wal-Mart)
John Deere - skidsteer or at Target
John Deere - ADT or here
John Deere - combine - bean
John Deere - log skidder w/ semi preferred
Diego helicopter
electric toothbrush (cars)
100 piece puzzles - like this or this or this


Wes:
big basketball (like one of these, though it doesn't have to be this nice)
John Deere Toys - skidsteer
Semi
electric toothbrush (sesame street)
Spot books or videos (examples found here)
Cereal Bars
coloring books (really anything age appropriate would be great)
a tricycle
Praise Baby CD (Born to Worship or Praises & Smiles, we have the other two)

Photo Friday: Sticky's best friend

Sticky loves to visit grandpa and grandma!

Photo Friday: Wii

Nathan got to play a Nintendo Wii last week when the jr high had their game day. One of the students brought over a Wii and we had to test it out. Nathan really liked it.

Photo Friday: Firefighters

Nathan & Wes were firefighters this year for Halloween.

The funniest thing this year (and I wish I could have been home to see it) was that Nathan and Wes helped pass out candy. Nathan would open the door and Wes would hold the container and then they both would put candy in the bags. (let's just say the trick-or-treaters made out good at our house)

And there was one girl who walked into the house and started to play with the toys :)