It's pronounced, "zucchini".

Remember our garden bed post a while ago? Well here is an update: Our zucchini's are huge, the carrots that the boys and I planted are just starting to pop up, and everything else looks healthy... I am hoping that it stays that way!

I feel like I have seen some birds start to notice our blueberries... but we own water guns and I'm pretty sure I could nail the birds from our bedroom window if I needed to. Back off birdies.

So here are some pictures that show what we started from... and where things are at now.

Our very first "zucchenises" (their word, not mine... no I did not correct them 

because I could barely keep a strait face). 

 The faces in this picture are priceless. 

Fathers Day 2014

We are so lucky that we get to celebrate Fathers day with one of the best Daddies that I have ever had the privilege to know... and I am so beyond lucky to get to call him my husband. Drew radiates God's love, patience, grace, and sacrifice for us daily. He treats us all so tenderly and that to me is a real man. One who can love his family fiercely... without exception.

Drew and Levi (Levi was 1 month)

Drew and Noah (Noah was almost 2)

Alright, so enough of the mushy stuff...

The boys and I went to Target to get something for Drew, and they chose a Batman lego set. On the way home from Target we had to make two other stops and at every single one Noah made it a point to tell someone that "Sunday is a day we are going to celebrate my Daddy... and we got him BATMAN LEGOS!!!"

The boys just knew Drew would love what they chose for him.. and he did. 

Happy Fathers Day husband!!! We love you!

The best of both worlds

My boys are complete opposites. Complete opposites. Which is why, I'm convinced, that they are such great friends. Noah has always been a contemplative, cautious-yet-brave, cooperative, sweet natured guy. Levi has been assertive, curious, confidant, and passionate. Noah loves building new lego creations and coloring pictures, and Levi loves being outside running around the backyard and getting dirty playing in the mud.

Yesterday we built something that both the boys could enjoy... well, actually-- all of us could enjoy! We got a picnic table for our backyard! Noah can sit and color outside... and now Levi can enjoy coloring because he can do it outside. It's the best of both worlds :)

Ready to work! Noah with his toolbox (thanks Uncle John!) 

and Levi with his... water gun? 

Focusing hard... 

Trying to copy what he saw his big brother do...

Levi using a real tool... with his water gun nearby incase he gets bored. 

So proud of these boys. They helped the whole time!

I love this picture. Two boys coloring outside, both in blue underwear. 

You can't stage this kind of cute. 

Working so hard to stay in the lines.

Coloring is one of Daddy's favorite things, too. I love how these two 

understand and enjoy each other so much. 

We are so blessed :) And I am grateful for simple things like picnic tables and coloring.

Easter 2014

Drew wrote a great blog over here about Easter. He is so wise, and it was so good for me to reflect on this Easter and be reminded of what the first Easter was really like.

I feel like every year as I grow in my faith I appreciate Easter more and more, and in turn, need more and more kleenex at our church service as I think about the cost that was paid for me on the cross. How death has been overcome, and how deep God's love is for people. I am so grateful to know, love, and serve such a good God.

Here are some of our highlights from Easter this year in pictures.

Our morning started with a surprise Easter egg hunt, because of this
note on our front door... 

Then Daddy made "Easter pancakes" which were empty tombs, and crosses. We know it's a little cheesy, but the boys thought it was awesome. 

Then we went on a hunt for Easter baskets hidden in the house...

And then we got to go to church and head over to Nana and Papa's house for another Easter egg hunt (Uncle Blake was really excited). 

We even got a cousin picture where everyone was looking at the camera! 

We are blessed. Far beyond what I ever could have imagined.

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.