2009 Willamette Old Fashioned Parade

My mom and I recently took the boys to watch the old fashioned parade in Willamette. We had a great time. Here are a few shots of us taking in the parade. Braden was mesmerized and Jackson was thrilled to see a real fire truck. Even better was the candy that all the floats were tossing to the kids. Jackson got a bag and filled it right up. It was a great morning of fun!

A Little Rock Band Anyone?

We have the makings of a rock band at our house. Jackson on guitar, Braden on drums...watch out for the next big thing! :)

A Budding Friendship

One of my fervent prayers for my boys is that they become lifelong friends. I pray that they will know and love Jesus together, and translate that into their relationship with each other. I am beginning to see glimpses of friendship, which only makes my prayers seem more pressing. I pray that God will guide them to Him and to each other.

Sword Fight With Great Grammy Dot

I absolutely love that my Grammy Dot got and started sword fighting with Jackson! How many kids get the chance to say they got to have a sword fight with their Great Grandma. We are so lucky to have Grammy Dot so close by and in our lives regularly!

Happy Fourth Birthday Jackson!

I can't believe that our sweet Jackson is already four years old! Time has flown by and he has turned into such a sweet little guy. He loves his brother and showers us with hugs and kisses constantly. He has a joyful, exuberant spirit and astounds us daily with his innocent wisdom. It has been a joy to see the world through his eyes for the last four years, and each new moment is a treasure. I can't wait for this year to unfold, and to watch our sweet boys become friends. What a wonderful blessing God has given us in our sweet Jackson!

Frosting birthday cupcakes with Grammy Claudia.

Extra icing on top.

And sprinkles of course!

Here they are.

Happy boy!

Happy Birthday to you...

Make a wish...

All in one breath like such a big boy!

Happy First Birthday Braden!

Here is the birthday cake pre-Braden....

At first Braden was timid and not sure it was okay to make such a mess.

But boy was this idea fun!

He went straight for the classic forehead hair rub which he employs on a regular basis.

A little lip licking ensued.

Still not sure he wasn't in trouble for making such a mess.

Mommy, do you still love me?

Feeling like he was done, trying to get all the frosting off his hands! Soon after this he was in the bathtub getting cleaned up!

Playtime While the Work Happens

While we spent time building the play fort the boys found many ways to occupy themselves. They are always so goofy and full of fun! Plus, they are so good natured and patient with us when we are balancing the building project with focusing on them!


If you look closely you will see that Braden thinks this basketball is tasty!

Swinging away.

Whipping the bushes...don't ask me why, but Jackson thought this was great fun!

Swinging in the hammock with Papa.

A Playfort for Our Dudes

This year we decided to pool our resources and build the boys a play structure for their birthdays. It was a collective project with lots of help from Grammy, Papa, Ashley, and Grammy Dotti. Even Great Grammy Dot pitched in by making homemade bread to go with community dinner. It took a little more than a month, but we finished just in time for the boys birthday party on the 4th of July. What imaginative fun we will all have in our new fort!

Lola, you are my friend!

Braden loves Lola. She makes him laugh, and one of his favorite things is to play ball with her. He trusts her so much, and she is such a good dog to let him stick his hand in her mouth without hesitation. A great friendship has been born!