Pranksters

These are some of the boys' latest tricks.

Caleb has been running and jumping and trying to side-click his heels. It is pretty funny to watch.

I have no idea if he knows how much his mama loves to do this as well (crazy I know, but I once saw this in a musical and have loved it ever since!). One of Eli's favorite places to play is the table in the living room. Most often he just crawls up to it and pulls on it or most recently, up on it to a standing position. The other day, however, he decided to attempt to climb over it. He did not quite succeed and the last picture is right before he broke down crying out of frustration. He did give it quite the effort!

"Look Mom, only one hand!"

We recently borrowed a high chair from one of my friends whose son has outgrown it (thank you Robyn, Eric and Ethan!). The high chair is for Eli as Caleb still needs to use the booster-chair we bought for him. But look who wound up using it? I bet if Eli started using bottles Caleb would have to check them out too.
Caleb helped me make breakfast the other day. We made the resurrection rolls I posted about earlier. He is such a good helper! He did great rolling the marshmallows in the butter and then sugar/cinnamon mixture. The rolls were actually pretty yummy (though terrible for you!) and a really neat way to illustrate our Savior's death and resurrection, although I don't know that it all made sense to Caleb.

Here's how they look out of the oven.

"I've gotten up, and I can't get down!"

Spiderman, Spiderman

And just for my own future reference, an awesome list of replacements with vegan cooking.

A visit with Mamaw

Mamaw and Uncle Russ came over this past week to celebrate Uncle Russ' 39th birthday. What a fun time we had! Daddy grilled out steaks and they were yummy! Caleb spent most of the night playing catch and chase and "the claw" with Uncle Russ. Eli managed to let Mamaw hold him for a few minutes, that is until he began to scratch at her face
(an attempt to get her glasses I think!).

Neat Easter Idea

Don't these seem like a neat and fun thing to do with your kids for Easter? And they sound so easy! Caleb's preschool is going to make them next week and the teachers asked me how they could do it so Caleb could participate (due to his allergies), and to my pleasant surprise it appears as if the only alteration needed will be to use dairy-free butter!!! How fun for him! I'm so glad he will be able to participate as he loves, loves to cook! Who knew crescent rolls were milk and egg free? We might make them for ourselves this next week.

Farmville friends

We recently had a visit from our very close and wonderful friends from our old home in Farmville, NC- Hunter, Melissa and Bailey. It is hard to believe, but when we moved from NC Bailey was just a few days old. She is now almost 5 and such a little lady! She is one of the most mannerly children I have ever been around and so cute to boot! We had a great visit with them and are looking forward to hopefully visiting them soon for the Farmville Dogwood Festival.Caleb and BaileyBailey is very photogenic, my boys- not so much at the present!Such a cutie!Eli at Panera Bread

Jeremy and Caleb enjoying their Panera Bread fare (by the way, when you have
a child with food allergies, a fruit cup is always a good thing!)

My mom kept Caleb and Bailey to allow us adults (and Eli) a visit to Opryland Hotel. It was a great night!

Sometimes.....

you're just all tuckered out. This was after enjoying a late lunch at Cracker Barrell- just the four of us. Jeremy and I were completely amazed at how well both boys behaved (well, Caleb particularly). We kept Caleb entertained with food and Eli seemed to love just watching and observing the people around us.What's for dinner? Eli has finally started eating more consistently. He obviously prefers vegetables over fruits as he makes the most hilarious face when offered fruits. I remember when Caleb would do this exact same thing and I thought it was just as funny then! I call it "smoking the spoon." Sometimes your older brother tries to make you look silly by putting a hat on your head.

Brothers

The other day I tried to take some pictures of Caleb and Eli together as I had looked back on pictures taken when Eli was a newborn and I couldn't help but think how quickly the time had passed. I had no idea what a gag reel the pictures would turn out to be! They were a perfect and literal description of what transpires between these two!Lots and lots of love!

Too much love sometimes that you just have to try
and make an escape....

"What Mom? You're trying to take a picture of us?"
"You want me to use this block to get his attention?"

Oh, okay, here's a smile- no make that 2 smiles!

Now, please, may I have some peace?

Must.Get.Away.Now.

Seriously, more pictures?

"Love you Eli", "Love you Caleb"

That's my brother!

Cousins

We recently enjoyed a visit at my mom's with my brother, his wife and their two boys Radnor and Ace. Radnor and Caleb are just 3 months apart so it is always interesting to see what they will be into when they get together. They are both the type to get into anything and everything and they have some of the most hilarious antics. Radnor does a wonderful Pants On the Ground solo as well as This Land is Your Land. While taking a break from supervising them, we were able to enjoy watching Eli crawl around and snuggle with sweet little Ace. Rad is quite the big brother and quite the loving cousin.

This little guy will just melt your heart.

Wonder of wonders that my kids look like they are BOTH on some kind of illegal substance.

There were many outtakes in trying to pose 4 boys ages 3, 8 months, 2 1/2 months and 3! Although Rad sort of does have a "Gap" type pose going on here.

My sister and her two boys came down from KY just the other day to attend the Vandy-UT basketball game. As there were only 3 tickets and my brother Luke was going, one of the twins had to stay with Grandmama. Ethan was kind enough to let his brother Clark go, which is a decision he no doubt later regretted as Grandmama stayed at our house after his mom and Clark left so they could hang out with Caleb. Caleb was perfectly beside himself over the visit of his cousins, so much so that he couldn't even take his nap after I told him they were coming. He chased poor Ethan all over the house and wouldn't let him 2 inches away from him. He did settle down a little when I put a movie on, but the boy thinks the world of his older cousins. I'm sure they would say he has a most interesting way of showing it, however, as he most often will jump on them, hit them and just basically pester them to death. Thanks guys for being such good sports- you truly are baby celebrities!

A moment's peace for Ethan.