How come February is the shortest month of the year yet always feels the longest?

So supposedly I haven't updated this blog in more than a month. You all could thank me for sparing you on what would have been some very boring and repetitive posts. Yes, life here is crazy with three small boys. But most of February was spent with me trying to patrol things from the couch. If that sounds like an oxymoron (what? You can't patrol while sitting on the couch) I can assure you that it indeed is impossible. But try I did. As that was all I could do for a while there. I imagine everybody knows thanks to Facebook, but just incase there are a few who have not heard or caught a glimpse of my tell-tale gut, we are indeed expecting baby #4 in the first days of October. Jack insist Baby is a girl and will only refer to him with female  pronouns, but as you can see, we're already taken to using male pronouns. It just seems to work around here. My nausea is gradually subsiding and my energy increasing and we are all ever thankful. 

Anyways. Here the boys are practicing writing. Jack spells his name "GAK" (he can only spell outloud, he's not yet forming legible letters on paper. But he sure tries!)

What's going on on the other side of the table...

 "It's a pepper tongue!"

We had some glorious weather on Friday and the boys soaked up as much as they could. Patrick is already insisting on going barefoot.... in the gravel.

Since our house is built on a hill my kitchen window is a convenient height for the boys to use as their own personal drive-thru window. Hi Isaiah!

A bit too chilly for no pants, Bud. This was all his doing. He took off his pants, brought me the jacket and hat and went straight for the door. Silly boy.

January

It went fast. Time flies when you have these three stooges to keep you busy.

 Patrick turned 3. 

 Isaiah still has a bruised forehead. 

 We got a ton of snow a few weeks ago. Even lost electricity for several hours. It's been slowly melting ever since.

 Blurry. But incase you can't tell, Isaiah is wearing a SWAT team costume whilst carrying a coffee mug.

But incase you fear he's grown up too fast, our little baby still needs to wear a bib when eating nutella toast.

Just a little 9 AM "nap". It's about as restful as most afternoon naps that take place around here.

wedding prep

Brenna's wedding was almost a month ago! And that also means I haven't posted for about a month. The big party was a smashing success and Brenna was a gorgeous bride. I don't have any photographic proof of this, unfortunately. I do, however, have these pre-wedding pics.

I must say, it's a lot of fun having a married sister, even if we're separated by half the U.S.

Dressed up

 The boys' beloved Uncle Chris got hitched to his lovely bride Kristen Saturday. Jack was the ring bearer, and I was told he performed his duty admiringly. I did not see this for myself as I was trying to hush up a screaming toddler in the back. I'm pretty bummed about this. Anyways, here's some proof that the boys were indeed dressed up and handsome for the event -

 

Hmm, a little blurry, let's try again.

Nevermind that.

The only shot I got of the wedding events. It's a good thing they relied on a professional photographer rather than me. The whole thing was lovely - ceremony, reception, bride, groom and all. And oh, the best man was mighty fine.

This is the kind of suit you're more likely to see the boys in around here (thanks Becky!)

 Daddy had some fun with the boys' new Christmas tinkertoys!

Dan, Isaiah and I are off to Chicago on Wednesday morning. I'm so excited I can hardly get any laundry done.

Christmas Tidings

Merry Christmas! 

Jack got in on the preparation of our traditional Christmas Eve boullabaise (seafood stew.)

We gave Jack a camera. Expect to see some of his photographs up on the blog sometime soon. I'm hoping to teach him how to post blog updates so I can retire.

I'm still recovering from Christmas so I'm too tired to summarize all the wonderful festivities. Maybe some more Christmas photos will appear on here over the next month or so. But isn't our little Isaiah growing up? He's starting to get that big boy look about him.

Here's Patrick modeling his "tiger teeth" (a straw.)

Toys Shmoys

There are presents aplenty under the Christmas tree. And we, especially the boys, are all excited to open them. But sometimes I wonder if we really should have gotten them all those new toys. They really have the most fun with the most random items -

Such as goggles.

And paint sticks. Yes, it is a sword... tucked into his underwear.

Decorating cookies is almost always more fun than playing with toys.

The boys watched Davey Crocket for the first time last week. Those are cardboard hatchets and that is a "coon" skin hat on Jack's noggin. They've been having a blast with all sorts of tools and weapons fashioned out of the cardboard boxes their gifts were shipped in. 

And blanket forts are a big hit these days -

But I suppose we'll still give them their Christmas presents. I'm almost positive their tinkertoys set will be used primarily as swords and daggers. 

O Tannenbaum

We drove out into the wilderness on Saturday (which is not very far away, considering we're in Idaho) and found ourselves a nice little tree. 

 It was very cold (seasonally appropriate) but snowless (not seasonally appropriate.)

 Dan abandoned tradition this year and picked a white pine. I think it's rather cute.

And here's my Christmas decorating. Not much going on but for the train tracks all over the ground. Just keeping it real, folks.