Happy Valentine's Day!!!

Happy Valentine's Day 2012!  Here are this year's Valentine's from the boys.  They read, "From the bottom of my heart... to the tips of my toes...I love you!"

 1/3 of my Valentines

 Eli's first sledding adventure!  The snow was melting quickly, so we headed over to my mom's so she could watch Henry while Eli and I headed outside.  Eli was all giggles!

 He even carried the sled back up the hill!  Oh yeah!

 Henry trying to get to us.  He really wasn't upset, just curious. 

 Home made oreo's for my Valentines.  Really sweet, but overall pretty good.

 Lastly, Anthony and I decided to wait and go out the night after Valentine's day.  (which was really nice because the restaurants and movie theaters weren't busy at all)  So I could make a special treat for us all, a heart shaped pizza...It was SO yummy too!



Who Needs Toys?

Who needs toys when you have a BIG BOX?  Not my boys! :)  We've enjoyed playing with this large box for a couple of months now, the boys used it as a playhouse, decorated it with crayons and markers, hid their toys in it, etc.  Unfortunately cardboard boxes and two boys aren't meant for life-long fun and the box was begining to show some age.  So Anthony and I let the boys turn it on it's side the last couple of days before it ended up in the burn pile.  Eli and Henry LOVED it, they used it to climb on, slide down and send their cars and trucks down it as a ramp.  Just another way we've been beating these winter blues.  :)

When Anthony crawled inside to hide from the boys I couldn't help but tip him back and trap him in.  Let's just say he didn't find it as funny as Eli and I did.  Especially when we were tossing plastic balls on him.  The fun was over when Eli found a real baseball and tossed it in on daddy's head.  Whoops. 

 Such a good sport.

Quilted with Love

I have always wanted to make a quilt, at least one in my lifetime.  So when we decided to move Eli to a big bed, I decided to check of something from my bucket list.  The boys have both recieved so many baby blankets and quilts from family that I knew my opportunity to make something would come in the form of a full size quilt.  I wanted the quilt to be colorful and boyish, but some thing that could grow with Eli (and Henry) for quite a few years.  The only real print in the quilt are tires, so I think that my fabric selection will work.  I just so happen to know a few people who are wonderful quilters, which has made the process much easier.  It's pretty ambitious of me to make a queen size quilt as the first quilt I've ever attempted, but I seem to be doing okay so far. 

Here are just a few of my finished quilt blocks

 These are all of my finished blocks layed out and ready to be pieced together.

 Eli loves to watch me sew.  Here he is last weekend as I finished sewing my blocks together to make my top.  Currently I'm working on my border, then it's off to be quilted!  I can't wait to show you all the finished product & tuck my sweet boys in, under this quilt made with love.



Grandma Time

We are so blessed to have both of the boys' grandma's so close!  They are spoiled so much with love.  With my mom just a few minutes away, she stops in to say "Hi" once or twice a week & the boys eat it up! 

Sweet Baby Henry

I won't be able to call him a true baby for much longer, as his first birthday is quickly approaching, but here are a few pictures of my sweet baby Henry at 10 months.

 Enjoying some yummy banana's :)

Fun Day with Baby Drew!

For the first day of February, we were having GORGEOUS weather!  The boys and I loaded up and went to town to play at the park.  Danielle Hecktor and her sweet new baby Drew joined us for some fresh air and then Imos!  Yumm!  As you can see we had lots of fun, especially at the swings!  If there is one thing I'd like to have for the boys at our house it would be some swings...they enjoy them so much!

 Andrew Gregory Hecktor (oh, and his mommy too!)

Who's Who?

I don't usually think our boys look much alike.  But sometimes Henry will shoot me a look that reminds me so much of Eli.  When you pair those expressions with hand-me-down clothes, I can see the resemblence!  So, can you tell who is who?

 

(the pictures taken next to the penguin are Eli)

Snoozing Schneiders

Late in January Eli, Henry and I met up with Jennifer and Ava Schneider for a much-needed trip to the Magic House.  It was a drury, wet day...perfect for indoor play!  We had a great time, unfortunately I couldn't take pictures, play with the kids, carry a diaper bag and so on.  So I decided to live in the moment  and not snap any pictures.  But I couldn't resist the opportunity to catch our little two year-olds sleeping off the great time they had :)   

Eli Joseph

Ava Catherine

Check out the kids 1 year ago for our January trip to the Magic House :)

Magic House 2011 via our blog

Magic House 2011 via Jennifer's Blog

Mr. Smarty Pants

The last few months Eli has really perfected his knowlegde of his letters, both uppercase and lowercase.  So he's found other ways to explore letters...his favorite past-time.  Here he is matching his puzzle letters to the "Chicka-Chicka-Boom-Boom" letters. (an alphabet book)

 On this day Eli would tell me which letter comes next so that I could finger paint them. 

 We find Eli spelling his name with his puzzle letters as well as his blocks.  He also assigns each of us our letters each night, "M for Mama", "D for Dada" and "H for Henry".

My personal favorite...Eli holds up the corresponding letter when it's called on Wheel of Fortune each night.  I'm not kidding, we do this EVERY night, Eli thought of this little activity himself & can't get enough.  I just love how engrossed in letters he is.  It definitely makes my life easier, there are always letters and numbers to distract him.  In the car he already reads the letters on road signs, billboards, throughout Walmart, etc.  It's so much fun for the teacher in me! :)

 My mini Picasso...