Matching Skirts

Where's Your. . . ?

"Where's your dress, Cora?"

"Where's your foot?"

"Where's your nose, Cora?"
(I asked her about her eye too, but that picture didn't turn out.)

"Cora, go get your baby."

"Give the baby a love."
Well, she did give the baby a love right before she stuck the baby's head in her mouth.

3 Clean Monkeys

Chore Time

Homeschooling a 2nd grader and a Kindergartener keeps me quite busy, as one might think. Add a nearly 17 month old toddler to this mix and, well. . . it can be quite chaotic. And while we usually have a lot of fun doing it, I decided we needed a little bit of orderliness in our life at home. So I came up with this chore chart, thanks to a friend's idea that she talked about in her blog. The boys are still getting into the habit of remembering to look at it and move their "done chores", but it has proved helpful to my personal sanity, regardless.

End of Visit Portrait

Her Morning Milk

Cora has a morning ritual. Nearly every morning she pulls the drawer open to choose a cup for her milk, hands it to me to fill it milk, and sits down to drink it. I don't know that anyone has ever been so tickled about drinking milk.

5 Years Old!

I can hardly believe it. And he designed his own birthday cake. I offered fully decorated diggers and whatnot, yet this is what he wanted. So it's what I made. and now look at how he's grown. . .

About 6 hours old being held by his hero brother and Daddy

Snug as a bug in a rug during a trip to the park, about 3 months old

Almost 17 months old as a ringbearer in Aunt Cara and Uncle Thaddeus' wedding

Just turned 2 and decided to "tattoo" himself

3rd birthday celebration

4th birthday party--the first with friends

Look What Grandpa H. Did Now!!

Aren't they fantastic!? Tuesday morning they arrived while we were out on a walk. Grandpa H. got right to work. Shortly after we returned, I got ready to go to the grocery store, planning to take Cora along and leave the boys with Grandma. Get this. Grandma willingly and happily kept her at home as well!! Perhaps you don't understand. I went grocery shopping all by myself. Alone. It was glorious. But I digress. Our new back steps are lovely. Pretty soon the back porch area will look like it belongs on a new house. Well, close anyway.

My New Carrot Peeler

Out and In

On the last day of July, Cora actually pulled Bradford's second top tooth out. Kind of a fluke, yet true. And it happen to be on the very same day her top tooth broke through the gum. (The other one followed a day or two later.)


This is her today--so you can actually *see* the teeth. Had I taken it back in July, she would've looked like the same two-toothed wonder that she's been since she was 9 months old.

Finally. . .

the rest of our Illinois trip. Saturday afternoon we spent with relatives. We all had a wonderful time with Uncle Dale, Kathy and Michael, and Aunt Judy. Scott and the boys and Grandma and Grandpa went with Uncle Dale, Kathy and Michael and chatted until late. I put Cora to bed and enjoyed my quiet, alone time. Above are a few pictures that McCance snapped. I wish he would've been more picture happy that afternoon.

History

We didn't make it to New Salem this summer like I had planned in the back of my mind, so we did a mini-tour of Lincoln, IL. Since Grandma and Grandpa H. live there it was easy. We started with watching the train. Absolutely nothing to do with Abraham Lincoln, but Bradford has a thing about trains, especially passenger trains, so it was very exciting--and free!

Right by the train depot is the spot where Abraham Lincoln christened the town of Lincoln with a watermelon.



Then we drove to visit the Postville Courthouse where Mr. Lincoln went to court several times. It happened to be closed on Mondays, but we saw the outside and will go back another time for the inside. (It was featured in a photo of a Lincoln book we had from the library, so it was impressive for the boys to see the real thing.)

Getting Wet

We went to Fusion for a swim break while visiting my parents. It is a fun place, especially for the kids since they don't actually swim yet. And since it's inside I was happy to forget sunscreen! Scott's parents got out the sprinkler and put it on double duty--watering the grass and cooling/entertaining the grandsons. (Cora was napping.) Good wet fun!

5+4+3+2=Wonderful Chaos

These photos are in no particular order. There's no long story to tell. Just the theme as titled above. I love these people!

This is Monkey Boy #1, known more commonly as Ryan,
climbing his mommy Stephanie's back.
This is her second climber, so you can tell she thinks nothing of it.

Sweet Lexi, Aunt Stephanie, and Bradford enjoying a book.

Ryan ready to cycle on those country roads

This is Monkey Boy #2, known more commonly as Anakin.
This is probably a rare photo. The boy was actually standing still
long enough to look at the photographer!

Ryan and Anakin doing the bonding and playing that boy cousins do.

This is as quiet as a moment will get when you have up to
14 family members in a house at once.

Sweaty Boy McCance after being outside sits by Lexi as she sorts markers.
These two seemed to have so much fun together this time.
McCance really enjoyed being the oldest in a duo for once.

Cora joins in craft time with Grandma Carole and the big kids.

Grandma Carole always has some special crafts waiting for her grandkids.
It's so fun to watch them work in their own special ways.

These three will be always in a picture while they watch a Sesame video--
even when they are 15! It's become a tradition.
Ryan isn't interested, but look at that face! Precious boy.

This might be the highlight of spending time with Uncle Evan. Truly.

I think this might be Uncle Evan's favorite part of getting together also.
Look at those blue eyes smiling under the pile of children!

Believe it or not they are quiet once in awhile. When they're reading or watching a video.

Lexi took the lead in making music with Bradford and McCance.
She sang a lovely song as well.

Papa Terry with the three littlest. Ryan looking a bit unsure,
Cora with her usual pensive look, and Anakin, forever smiling.

My girly girl posing with Aunt Cara.
Stephanie said when Lexi fit into this dress it came to or below her knees.
Cora might be giving Lexi clothes in a year or so!

See a family resemblance? This is Anakin, pre-haircut and Cora, sans clip.
They got really close and gave each other a love, then Cora had enough and pushed him away.

Another favorite. Anakin making noise while trapped on Papa Terry's lap.
And Cora just looks on, trying to figure out what the ruckus is about.

Anakin cheesing for the camera with McCance's rainboots on.
He was a hoot trying to walk in these boots.
(Actually the boy doesn't know how to walk. He only knows how to run.)

With Grandma Carole. Forgive the clip in Anakin's hair. This was before his haircut.
Cara sweetly put off the haircut so I could see him with his long hair.
Now I get it. You can't see his handsome eyes when the hair hangs in the face.
Again, notice Cora checking him out.