Anticipating Spring

Things have started looking more and more like spring around here, so this past weekend we got our booties in gear and joined in by building some raised beds for our back yard. Thanks to a couple trips to Home Depot, a determined husband... and two helpful little dudes, we were able to finish what we set out to do.

It started out like this... yikes. (Yes, those are bags of leaves from last fall and our Christmas tree in the background. Don't judge us.)

But then Daddy got to work.

 

And these guys helped. And by helped I mean they encouraged Daddy by giving him one of these smiles while posing casually by a woodpile.

And then... we were done! Remember those bags of leaves and the Christmas tree? They were repurposed and thrown in the bottom of all the raised beds. It's called being "green"... or cheap.

And after all that was done, we still had time for this...

And this...

And this :)

The Hundred Acre Wood

When we first moved into our house Grammy and Grampy came up to visit and help us get settled in. And while they were up they also did some exploring in our neighborhood. And on a walk one day Grammy found a forest... just a couple blocks from our house! I suppose I shouldn't be surprised since we live in Oregon... it just seemed a little surprising to find it in the middle of a neighborhood. The forest is pretty untouched, other than a little bridge across a sometimes-stream. Grammy and Noah named it the "Hundred Acre Wood" just like the forest in Winnie the Pooh... and it has become of of our favorite places to go.

We have been getting antsy to see some blue sky and sunshine with all the rain, and today was that day! So we packed up our little red wagon, threw the boy's bears inside and headed out to the forest. 

I'm so glad that we had a camera... I don't want to forget our trips to the forest!

Last spring Levi was too little to be doing this... so much changes in a year!

Levi refused to hold Drew's other hand. He needed to hold "Noey's" hand because he "Wuves him so much." to which Noah responded "Yeah, I love you too because I am your big brother."  *swoon*

I love these three adventurers!

Of course we needed to stop along the way and get some rocks.

And then share some rocks...

And then show off his collection.

 

One thing that is so fun about our forest is that on the other side of it is a duck pond. It's always fun when they come out to say hi.

And then hilarious to watch the boys greet them... by waving :)

 

Oh my heart. It is so full!

Our mornings...

I feel like I need to document our mornings because these boys are growing up so quick and I don't want to forget the sweet moments that we shared... even the ones that are before the sun is up :)

Our mornings usually start between five and six and and they always include milk, cereal and snuggles. The boys usually stumble happily out of their room and walk over to the couch and snuggle up to where Drew or I am sitting and then say, "can I have some milk and see-yol (cereal)?" We grab what they asked for and then we get to sit on the couch with them and read library books or our Bibles (the boys love looking at the pictures they have in their Bibles), we talk about what we will be doing that day, and sometimes just sit quietly and watch for the "sun to wake up". And sometimes... depending on whether or not I have had my coffee... we will watch a show. I have such good memories of watching Curious George with Noah and Levi when Levi was just just a tiny peanut who was just a few weeks old.

Sometimes I feel sorry for myself that I have to get up so early, but lately I feel like these little moments in the morning that we have with the boys has been such a gift. Our days can be so full that if the boys didn't get up that early we would miss out on the moments that really matter and the moments I know I will miss once they're off to college and beyond. One day we will get to sleep in, and one day we will probably have to go in their room and wake them up... but I'm glad that day isn't now. I'm glad these boys still need us, and snuggles... and I really want to soak every moment up.

 

Conversation around the dinner table

This afternoon while Noah and I were waiting for Levi to get up from his nap we were sitting on the couch reading a book. It was about all different kinds of jobs and why they are important (I think it was our 3rd time reading it today...). Halfway through the book I paused and asked Noah what he wanted to be when he grew up, thinking that he would say one of the professions from the book. He thought for a second and then the conversation went like this:

Noah: Well... what is my Daddy?

Me: Daddy is a pastor.

Noah: What is a Pastor?

Me: A pastor is someone who knows and loves Jesus and wants to tell other people how much they are loved and forgiven by God. They also read their Bibles and teach other people what the Bible says so that they can know Jesus, too.

Noah: Oh.. well I think I will be that!

So... later on around the dinner table I ask Noah to tell Drew what he wanted to be when he grows up. He got a huge smile on his face and said, "A PASTOR!" of course Drew smiled. Then I asked Noah what pastors do, just because I was curious about what he had heard me say earlier. He said, "They are people who teach people how to be like Jesus!" And then Levi says, "Oh yeah... I know Jesus. I love him. He makes me happy and he gives me a heart... and Binky Bear!"

Oh these boys :) I love them so much. And it's nice to know that Drew now has a job description, "someone who teaches people how to be like Jesus." We are so blessed to have a Daddy in this house that models Jesus so well for us by loving us like crazy.

Bye bye B... hello Binky bear!

Today was a big day in the Petersen house. Levi decided it was time to turn in all  his "B's" for a bear instead. We were so excited for him! We hopped in the car this morning, drove to the mall and he and Noah each got to make their very own teddy bears. Noah named his bear "Dandy".  The most special part of the morning was that inside Levi's bear we put all THREE of his binky's. It was no the point of no return... no matter how sad Levi or Mommy got.  But on a happy note, Levi named his bear Binky Bear and I think this picture says it all:

I love this sweet smile so much!

The boys also got to put a heart in each of their bears...

and give them a "fluffy bath". 

I'm sure that Levi will have moments of being sad... but we are very proud of him!

Update: Levi went through all the classic withdrawal symptoms... denial, rage, and hysterics.  Nap time was rough and after he woke up his bear's head was soaking wet. We discovered later (after observing him with his bear) that he had been trying to bite his bears eye ball's off to get to one of his B's... yikes. We are praying this is a short transition for our sad and sensitive little guy. 

Update on the update:  Levi went to bed without crying, and woke up so happy this morning saying to Binky Bear, "I am so big, just like my daddy is so big. See? No B!"

snow... Snow... SNOW!

This winter has been kind of a tease so far. Lots of really pretty sunny days, where you think playing outside is fun idea, until you stick your head out the back door and feel how cold it is. I have been in denial of what season it is and have been spending lots of time dreaming about my garden for this summer. But then... it snowed! And oh boy did it snow!

We watched it starting to fall and we were hopeful.

and then this...

turned into THIS!

So the next morning we went outside to play!

Happy boys :)

I wish I would have gotten a video of all the giggles that happened.

It was so much fun watching the boys be so excited about the snow.

So we called up our cousins...

and asked them to come play, too!

We found a great hill to go sledding on...

and took off with the biggest smiles!

It was a really fun adventure for everyone...

even the big boys :)

Then it was a race to get back to a warm house!

I wish I had more pictures of our next adventure in the snow, but I don't. We had so much fun together playing in the snow that we thought why go home and stop hanging out? Nana and Papa were out of town, so we called and asked them if we could stay at their house. Of course Nana said "yes!" so we packed up a cooler full of food, tossed in lots of warm blankets and headed over to Nana and Papa's house. We got snowed in of course... but that was kind of the point. We had a wonderful time. It felt like we were in a cozy cabin in the woods. The boys played so well together and after they were all asleep for the night it was the grown ups turn to play! Talking, playing board games, and watching favorite TV shows by the fire will be such a fun memory for me. I am so grateful for family that are also wonderful friends... and that we could enjoy the snow by staying warm inside. While it looked like this outside:

  

Brrr!!

Come back again next year, snow!!

COUSINS!!!

We have been looking forward to having our cousins down to visit. And it finally happened!! We got to go pick up Uncle John, Aunt Anna, Aubrey, Bryant, Stuart, and Emmett at the airport! We didn't get to keep them forever (just yet...) but we did get them for a whole 2 weeks! And you better believe that we squeezed every moment that we could out of it :)

 

Airport Welcomes :)

Reunited, like they were never separated (melt my heart)

Doing some art projects...

I had to post Aubrey's picture that she made because it's my right to brag about my niece. She's amazingly artistic, and I love that about her!

Digging for treasure...

Nana and Papa had a "Panana Pajama Party" Which was a sleepover that Mommies and Daddies weren't allowed to be at... you guys had SO much fun!

And then there was our last night...

It was sad... but everyone made the most out of it.

I heard that Uncle Blake started the wrestling match...

But I think that there were quite a few guilty people (and little people) :)

It was SO fun being all together.

I can't wait until this becomes normal and just a part of our every week . Love you Andersons!!