Nine Month M.O.N.S.T.E.R.

WOW I did not even realize how easy these last nine months were until this week when a certain someone learned to crawl and wasted NO time in creating havoc. Do not underestimate this sweet little munchkin. He can cover your entire house in ashes from a fire extinguisher in 10 seconds flat. He can find every electrical outlet in the house in about 2 minutes. He can dump dog water 20 times a day and clean it up for you by crawling through it. He looks at you with the bluest sweetest eyes, chubby cheeks, crooked smile, and YOU WILL NOT BE ABLE TO RESIST KISSING HIS CHEEKS. Love this kid and am loving this spunky personality developing before our eyes. Here's to baby proofing the house pronto!!

This is how he sits up...everytime... he stands on his head and then rocks back to sit up.

If this guy is giving him tips... we could be in trouble:)

5 People 12 Times & naked bike ride

We went up north last weekend for Trent and Teri's wedding. Sadly we were so busy celebrating that we didn't get a family picture at the wedding. The day after the wedding we headed into San Fran to eat at Fisherman's Wharf.

As we are unloading the car Vander says " What in the world is going on?" I look up and in front of us is 100 men riding their bikes in the nude? Try explaining that one to a 4 year old.

5.4.3.2.1.0

That is the age of our boys. Pretty wild that two best friends who happen to be brothers would both have 3 boys and those boys would grow up buddies.

What is even more crazy is that when our families get together it is not that chaotic. Everyone has someone. Our oldest get along wonderfully. They both have easy going, sweet personalities. They could play for hours with little adult supervision, cracking each other up.

Our middle boys are both passionate, strong willed yet super sweet boys. They do everything whole heartedly. This wave picture is so them. The older two playing it kind of safe while Hudson and Luke go after it running straight for the waves. When they are happy, they are HAPPY.

Shortly after this picture they both got taken out by a wave. When they are not in a good mood there is no faking that they are.

Love our passionate boys!!!

Both our number 3's are easy going, go with the flow boys. They will sit back and watch all the action going on with the older boys.

Nate and Dan were throwing the frisbee on the beach and Raluca and I were actually sitting in chairs watching our tribes play together. Thankful for these cousins that my boys get to see so often and grow up together.

8 months

Logan turned 8 months a few days ago and his baby-ness is disappearing before our eyes. He has grown up so much these past few weeks. He got his first tooth, ditched his infant car seat, says da-da and ma-ma( yeah it was dada first), does push ups, gives high fives, rocks on all fours preparing to crawl, and takes a bottle. This sweet little baby has blessed us all these last 8 months and we are still just giddy to have him be a part of our family.

Whittier Race day!

We had such a fun morning at the Whittier Police open house. They had a fun race for the kids, which was my boys first experience with a race.

Picture slideshow generated with Smilebox

Vander felt so bad knocking the girl down, but she stopped RIGHT in front of him!!

50 baskets

It's not even 9 am and Vander has made 50 baskets. Yes he loves basketball but he has an ulterior motive, infinity blade. There is a game on Dan's ipad that Vander played a few times and became quite obsessed with. He loves picking out his armor, deciding what weapon he is going to use, what helmet he will complete his outfit with and then he finds the bad guys and politely says to them" wanna dance big fellow?" I chuckled as I heard him say this. The battle last about 10 seconds and the game is over. Here is the thing, I don't want Vander playing a ton of video games, I don't want that to be what he is thinking and talking about all the time. So we don't let him play very often but that does not keep him from asking 20 times an hour if he can go to battle. My dad was over the other day as Vander was campaigning for us to let him play on the ipad. My dad had a great idea, he told Vander " sure you can play once after you make 10 baskets" Vander was STOKED!!! He ran outside took 15 minutes and actually made more then 10 because his count kept going 1.2.3.4...... 2.3.4...3.4.5..... he was so excited about getting to play once that he kept losing tract of his count. He ran in the house, played his 15 seconds of game, put it down and said " can I play once more if I make 10 more?" So basically he owes my dad if he ends up going pro and having a Kyle Korver shot because at this rate he is willing to make a couple hundred shots a day just for a few chances to battle in infinity blade.

5 People- Easter 2011

I wanted to take an Easter picture of the boys before Easter because being boys there is a strong chance that after church tomorrow at least one of them will have spilled, ripped, or drooled on their shirt.

Happy Easter! He is Risen!!!

Vander learns to ride a bike and save souls

I remember my dad teaching me to ride a bike. I remember his short shorts and him running next to me and me begging him not to let go. I remember falling, I remember begging to quit. I remember not being able to keep the handle bars straight and my hands going side to side causing the bike to turn from right to left. These are my memories of learning to ride a bike. Here is Vander's story of learning to ride his bike:

Dan takes the training wheels off one night after dinner at my parents:

Dan takes Vander into the street, Vander gets nervous and says he thinks he will ride his scooter instead. Dan says if he rides his bike without the training wheels he can have dessert. Vander agrees.

Off he goes riding by himself.

Proud Dad!

He did something else this week that made me even prouder. We were sitting at the the table eating a bowl of cereal. Vander says" mom do you know what my verse is at school right now?" Mom- No hun what is it?

Van- Its the same one as last week John 3:16" For God so loved that world that he gave His only son that whoever should believe in Him shall not perish but have life that lasts foreverlasting"

(I smile in my head not correcting his version of everlasting life)

Mom- That's great sweetheart

Van- I am always going to remember this one. I think when I go to kindergarten there might be some kids who don't know that. I 'll remember it so I can tell them.

Love that kid and he is constantly reminding me of what is truly important!!

Brothers

Life with three boys is wild. I'm exhausted at the end of every day. But I also lay in bed every night and Dan and I just grin, pinching ourselves as we talk about the things our boys said and did throughout the day.We are so thankful for these boys and the joy that they bring to our lives. The older two spend a good part of their day making Logan laugh. They dance for him, sing to him, Vander imitates America's Funniest Home Video's for him. That makes my heart happy. I'm sure that there will be a phase when they don't want the younger ones hanging around but for now I will enjoy them wanting to be together ALL the time. I love that Hudson calls Vander Bro Bo, he never calls him Vander, I'm not sure where it came from but Vander is Hudson's bro bo. Hudson did this to himself in about 2 minutes and when he was done with his face he started on Vander's before he got caught. Luckily it all came off pretty easy!

Logan 6 months

How are you already 6 months, I feel gypped! Your contagious smile I could look at all day. The way you like to put your cheek up against mine and just stay like that for as long as I will hold you makes my heart happy. Vander loves to do silly things to make you laugh and Hudson comes running to check on you any time he hears you make a peep. You are loved little one! I feel so blessed that you are mine, I think the good Lord knew I would have my hands full chasing your older brothers so He was gracious to me, giving me the perfect baby. I am thankful for the half year that you have been with us so far, we have LOVED every minute. I hope you always stay this sweet!

Welcome to the Family Teri

We have a tradition in our family at wedding showers of surrounding the bride and lifting her up in prayer as she embarks on the journey of spending the rest of her life as a MRS. This has always been one of my favorite parts of showers. As we gathered around Teri, my sister opened us in prayer. She couldn't get through her first sentence without choking up. She thanked the Lord for providing the perfect bride for our brother. I couldn't agree more. The Lord provided the perfect helpmate for our brother. We are so thrilled and feel so blessed that he also picked someone who we love so much. Teri loves my brother and it is evident, but even more importantly Teri loves Jesus and it is evident. I choked up as my cousin Kristin closed us in prayer as she prayed that Trent and Teri Hardeman would be known as a family that has fun, loves each other, and that follows after Jesus hard!!

Teri we love you dearly and had such a wonderful time celebrating you!

Here's a slideshow of the day:)