BE IT KNOWN... that these are the last two pictures on my memory card. They were taken two days ago. I am officially up to date on my blog! Incredible!

The trees were so amazng when I took the kids to school the other day. I came home and took a few shots in the yard. The sun hadn't made it over our mountain yet, so you can't see the blue sky that highighted the snow that morning, but it's still lovely.

We went to the Oneida Branch building for some volleyball. Caleb really got into it. Caleb and I both started slow, but by the end we were going!

Lyd and Josh bury Isaac in toys.

Carrot face! He has a tendency to immediately bring up the back of his wrist to push in anything that might not have made it from the spoon all the way past his lips. He's so fast he doesn't even give me time to scrape it off with the spoon!

Ice skating and tunnel making in the front yard. Notice the orange barrel in the road. There has been great heaving and dipping, presumably in the spots where water and sewer lines cross the road. It got so bad this winter they put out barrels - perhaps just to remind the plows where to lift up. Everyone (Except the school bus, it seems) travels very slowly!

Sarah Taylor came over to play during a snow day.

Daddy carrying Isaac around while he talks on his cell.


Lyd always wants to hold, feed and carry Isaac. He doesn't usually feel the same way. So, I had my camera ready before putting him on her lap this time.

We went to the farm on our Monday off school in January. The boys were outside for almost 3 hours - and the temp. didn't get over 26. Crazy kids. They dug holes in the snow bank Grandpa made plowing the driveway.

The sun lowering over the hill was lovely.

I bundled up with Isaac and Lyd when it was time to go and spent just a few minutes checking out what the boys were doing. Isaac is snug as a bug!

Isn't this a sight every parent longs for? The boys poring over the Friend Magazine together. Beautiful!

This is a very special sweater. Lydia took the photo (which turned out better than the staged ones). My mother Camilla made this sweater from mohair yarn that she inherited from her mother Hazel. It has beads strung around the edges and is very cozy. I fastened the front with a pin from Scott's Grandma Alzina. So this was a bit of a Heritage Day.


Isaac bops around to the music of this sit and spin. Like Joshua, Isaac has the music in him. He is already displaying rhythm and physical response to music. Gotta love it!

This is my sorry ice rink this year. Oh, I have been so disappointed! Last year's was marvelous, but with the garage we did this year's on the front lawn, and it is very uneven. The finished skating area is less than 8x15 feet. It is still satisfying enough for the kids to go out and use it, but we can't invite anyone over for a game of hockey.


Lyd getting the mail.

For some reason the sight of a puffy German Pancake right out of the oven makes the kids want to take a picture.


Beginning the transition to a big kid

Still playing more than eating. Still 5 (6-oz) bottles each day

This little monkey put his knee up on the step. Now we are very careful to keep the door to th upstairs closed!

We are riding the "bus" to school.

Josh led us in a play for family home evening. He wrote out a little script and did up Lydia's bed as a stage. Caleb ran sound on the mini karaoke machine.

A friend brought us several 6 gallon pails for food storage. They came in this big box. It took up the whole floor, but the kids loved it. They turned it into a play pen for Isaac. Funny, but he didn't mind.

Working on the library shelf

The first of our once a month Friday nights with the Rains family. We made individual pizzas after sledding at Colgate. We had Sarah and Vinny Taylor and the Missionaries, too.

The boys are pretty good about stacking the wood in the basement. They can stack a wheelbarrow load while Daddy goes for the next one.


I was taking this picture of Isaac between my legs (a common sight), and Lydia wanted one, too.

This is a picture of Isaac last May. It is incredible to see how he has grown. I put it here as a comparison to the diaper picture below.


Isaac just beginning to pull up - and stay up - notice the beginning of the splits.


This child has grown A LOT in the last 8 months! Refer to the Ethiopian child at the top of the post.

Practicing on his toes