Tea Parties and Big Brothers

On one of the first truly warm days last spring, my babies had a tea party.

While he often enjoys pestering her and making her squeal with frustration, most of the time Eli adores his baby sister. 

The fact that Emma's big brother happily has tea parties with her makes my heart warm.  Of course, she happily plays StarWars with him as well.

Amen

I wish I did anything with any amount of consistency...

More than two years later:  Attempt three at keeping a blog simi-regularly.  I love looking back over our family pictures and fun times.  I enjoy remembering how I was feeling and what was important to me...there's just this whole thing of taking the time to sit down and do it.

 Ok.  Resolution for the last quarter of 2015:  Make a post at least twice a week.  Even a short one.  Surely I can manage that...yea, surely.

It's been a busy past few months... 

Our baby girl was born (pictures to follow).  We had an amazing, relaxing summer.  We've been so blessed.  Our little family feels complete.

Time to update the old blog. 

But first, as I read over my past posts, I can't help but think to myself, "Wow.  Maybe you should try this thing called proofreading..."

Sushi night

Last night between my prenatal check up and getting my rhogam shot we did one of our family's favorite things.

We went out to eat sushi! 

It seems every sushi restaurant has a "boat" pictured on the menu.  As Eli browses through the menu (yes, we have a 3 year old foodie), he never fails to ask...no, beg to get the big sushi boat.  We've always put him off with,  "We'll see...maybe some day we'll get the big boat, honey."  Last night he got his wish.  I've never seen such joy!

*Please excuse the blur.  The kid couldn't shovel it in fast enough!

He takes after his father.

I received a new camera for Christmas.  Eli is loving helping me learn more about it, but (being the boy that he is) he doesn't always want to pose for cute portrait style photos.  He wants to be a scorpion instead...

I was not the director of this shoot...I was only allowed to snap the picture when he told me to.

Like I said  he takes after his father.

We decorated for Christmas today.  Yes, I realize there is some controversy about decorating for Christmas before Thanksgiving, but...whatever.  Thanksgiving is tomorrow, I'm pregnant, and Mama's tired and cranky most of the time.  Therefore, she get to do what she wants when she wants.

My little boy was super excited.  (After being married to a holiday curmudgeon for 9 years, it's so nice to have someone to share my holiday excitement!)

We started our morning with hot cocoa,

Because drinking cocoa through a straw in dinosaur footie pajamas is the only way to truly prepare for a day of Christmas decorating.

Then we convinced Dad to get up and haul in the Christmas tree and tubs of assorted decor.  This took a little coaxing, but somehow three-year-olds are much more convincing than whiny wives...who knew?

Getting out old Christmas decorations is so much more magical when done with a preschooler!

*That's the curmudgeon in the back ground there. Eli even manages to suck him in to our holiday excitement.

My decorator knew exactly where each ornament should go...in a clump on the left side of the tree about three feet off the floor.  Our tree has never looked  more beautiful.

Particularly the angel on top.