it's been a while

as for updates around here, here's the latests in pictures...

justin has been working with Trader Joe's for two months now...

don't you love his cabana wear?!  seriously, he does look handsome in them, but then again i think he looks handsome in anything.  the job is going very well.  the schedule is the hardest part to get used to, which we knew would be the case, but it still has been tough at times.  but he is enjoying working with food and interacting with customers again.  it's so fun going in there and getting to see daddy!  what a blessing God has given us in this job.

this about sums up isaac...climbing, throwing, building, knocking down, wrestling, you name it...he's all boy!

still love this camera!!  isaac and i went out one morning early to water the plants and found dew and bugs everywhere.  it was a sweet time with him.

oh my baby girl...where have you gone?  elise is transforming into a little girl before our eyes.

she sings, she dances (and i mean dances...everywhere!  in the grocery store, at church, in target...everywhere!), she loves school, loves her brothers (most of the time)...she's so smart and observant, she remembers everything, she loves to color and create, her imagination is busting at the seams, she loves to help cook, i could go on and on.  what a gift to have her in our lives.

oh my izie boy!  you're a nut!!!  and i love you for it!  he truly is all boy...i am amazed at how children just lean towards interests and hobbies, without them ever being fostered.  he came down from a nap a week or so ago, and found justin watching football.  he jumped up and down, ran over to the chair, and asked, "i watch football dada?"  he was genuinely excited!  he spots every baseball or football game we drive by, every sports field we pass...not to mention every dog, bike, motorcycle, horse and plane too.  but the unique balance of boy rough and toughness balances out with a gentle, sweet, kind, caring side too.  he's the first to ask, "you ok mama?" if i hurt myself.  he loves taking things to people and helping.  and many times he's content to just snuggle in my arms.  someday, that won't be the case so i try to soak it up now :)

justin and i joke at what an outdoorsman he has become since we got married.  here's our heat source for the winter.  i feel like little house on the prairie as we tell people he has to split wood to get ready for winter.  i feel like i should be canning and preserving things...

after the hurricane, we found out it was a fallen tree that took out the power on our street.  fallen tree = more wood for us!  so the day before we left for vacation, he took two trips down there with his chain saw and came back with this...

it should be noted, he's getting the rest of it (which is still there) tomorrow :)  he takes such good care of our family and works so hard.  i couldn't ask for a better man!

her first day of school this year!  how did she grow up so quickly??!!

first day of school photo shoot!

i like taking pictures while they're eating...guess it's because they're actually sitting still...

reesey boy...he's moving, crawling, standing, laughing, teething, smiling, playing, eating...the best word to describe him is joyful.  i pray that word marks him for the rest of his life.  he finds joy in everything and rarely cries.  it's hard to remember what life was like before him.  what a treasure he is.

mama's gotten lazy with the third...he either gets a shower with one of us...or ends up bathing in the sink :)

playgroup the other day.  what a blessing to get together with so many wonderful moms and dear friends.  and what a blessing to have our children grow up together.

new way to have fun, learn, and pass the time...homemade water table (aka: the bathroom sink)