Koen's First PITT Basketball Game

Tonight Koen had an adventure with Daddy. They went to a PITT basketball game! Go Panthers!Koen really enjoyed the game. He did quite whiney as bedtime passed though, so Doug and Koen headed home around 8:15pm.It was a fun night for Doug and Koen, but Koen definitely showed that he still (despite a long nap this afternoon) needs lots of sleep and special events like this one take a lot out of him. We are so thankful that we get to introduce Koen to experiences like this (thank you to Doug's buddy who got him the free tickets!), but I guess tonight was a little exhausting! Oh well, there's always next year.

School Pictures Are In!

Koen brought home his school pictures today. So cute!! As a prelude to looking at the pictures, note that Koen was really upset that day because they went to play outside before their pictures were taken and the teachers made Koen put a hat on. He tried to protest, but they insisted. When he got home he recounted the whole thing to me saying his teachers didn't understand and so he obeyed and put the hat on. Poor guy. He said, "I just didn't want to mess up my hair before the pictures." So cute! Then today when he brought the pictures to me he said that the photographer was really silly to make him laugh and that he also combed Koen's hair even though Koen didn't want him to. Obviously, we need to help him relax about his hair next year. Perhaps I talked it up a little too much?

Ok, so here's the big reveal? Which is your favorite? Would love to know. I have to order some for us and the grandparents and I will have a tough time deciding between Image 1 and Image 3 (I'm "leaning" towards Image 3). Enjoy!

Morning with Huck

Hilary and I have been enjoying helping each other out about once a month by dropping off our toddler while our preschooler is busy at school. Today it was my turn to host Huxley. Tavin was looking forward to it so much. He remembered this morning that I said after his oatmeal Huxley would come over to play. When he woke up he said his word for oatmeal (untypable, it's mostly a guttural noise) and then he said, "Huck-Ha!" Huxley ended up arriving around 10am and he and Tavin spent the first hour playing together and around each other for about the first hour. Here are a few shots of one project they worked on...Then from 11am to 12:15pm we played upstairs. We did Legos, trains, rolled a ball back and forth and then Tav and Huck figured out about jumping on the crib mattress that slides under Koen's bed. They had a blast with their little mini jumps off of the mattress. Here's a shot of "wrestling" a little after one of the jumps. Such classic little boys!The boys ate lunch and then Hilary was here to pick up Huck. I couldn't believe how the morning flew. The little guys did very well together. They are both learning how to share and it can be tough for them to understand (and hard to explain), but they did very, very well. We look forward to the next time Huck can come and visit!

February Picnic Lunch with Old Friends

We had a nice morning (well, it was a little silly and loud when we were home) as we had plans to meet some friends at Arsenal Park in Lawrenceville around lunchtime. Beforehand, the boys and I ran an errand and they played at the Lawrenceville library. We haven't been to that cool, old library since the East Liberty library re-opened over a year ago. It was a fun change. They had lots of craft supplies out and Koen jumped right in. Tavin played with a little wagon for awhile and then joined his brother at the craft table. I enjoyed getting a few new books for the boys and the fact that they were so happy just coloring and cutting up paper.So when our friends let us know they were on the way to the park we packed up (visited the bathroom which was oh so cool for the boys as it's in the basement of the old building the library is in...boys!). We re-parked a block over and headed into the park with Krissy, Jonathan and Faith.Koen hasn't hung out with these friends in almost a year probably, but they were all fast friends. The three of them had a blast playing hide and seek and running all around the playground. It was such a nice change of pace for Koen to be running out his energy with peers.The kids were all so sweet and let Tavin be part of their games. They all pretended to hide from Tavin while he toddled around doing his own thing on the playground oblivious about being involved in the game, but loving being near brother and the big kids.While there we had a 40 degree, sunny and blue sky picnic. It was so pleasant. The boys ate so much food, had a blast with friends and Krissy and I actually got to chat for like an hour and a half. You can be sure we will be repeating this very same playdate many times this Spring. Thanks, Krissy, Jonathan and Faith. We're sorry so much time has passed, we won't let it happen again!

Snowy Day at Home with Gramma

After a high of 60 yesterday (and a sighting of blooming crocuses!), we woke up to blustery winds and snow this morning. Koen (and Doug) were so excited! To start off our wintry day Doug and Koen made their signature Saturday morning. But when Tavin and I came down to join them we were surprised with breakfast in the dining room. Koen had set the table and even helped light the candles (with Daddy's help and oversight). He was so proud of himself. Apparently, this was all his idea. It was so sweet. It was actually one of the most delightful mealtimes we've had as a family in days. Not to mention Gramma is still here and we enjoyed having her a part of our special family breakfast too.Since Doug had to leave for work, I was in charge of getting outdoors with Koen and enjoy the snow. I've gotten so spoiled with this mild winter that I don't have that thick NH conditioned for playtime in the snow. But I was a good sport and suited up with my little snow bug and we enjoyed about an hour outdoors shoveling and making a snowman.Before lunch the boys got to open some little gifts my mom brought.Tav got his very own little broom and dust pan. He was so excited! Super cute.Koen got a new card game called, "Blink." I was so proud of him because he wasn't upset it wasn't a toy or something big. He got right into figuring out how to play. I was so impressed at how quickly he picked it up. It is quite a simple game (although I find it a blast!), but still, we haven't played a lot of games and it is so fun to see him really enjoy it and catch on so quickly.We probably played the game a dozen times or more before the end of the day. Doug got home in time to tuck Koen in tonight, but not before Koen taught him the game and they played a few rounds. Thanks, Gramma. This is going to be a fun new pastime!

P is for Perfect Pancakes at Preschool

At Koen's preschool, they do a letter of the week. This week was "P" and Doug and I were scheduled to come in and help make "Perfect Pancakes." I had a doctor's appointment early this morning (for baby of course) and then I walked over to meet Doug and Koen who were already at work with the class. This is after Doug got to play with them at the start of school though. Apparently he built a super tall marble works that they all shared in the construction of and then played with it as a group. Doug is such a charmer! Here he is helping the kids make the batter (they all got to line up and put something in). I had post-it noted all the ingredients so the recipe was obvious.Koen's little classmates are so sweet and adorable. Koen loved us being there and I love how at this age they are still all about getting hugs and kisses and attention from parents even in front of their peers.Here's the cooking station. I put the batter in the skillet and then each child got to choose their topping and put it on if they wanted to. All the kids did a great job (and no one touched the skillet thank goodness!).The yummy pancakes cooking. Most kids opted for chocolate chips, but we also had blueberries and plain with syrup offered.Here's the class setting up for their breakfast snack.And digging in! I was so impressed that no one complained about anything and they all seemed to really enjoy their healthy whole wheat pancakes.Doug and I have already been invited back and I think we might take the teacher up on it. It was a really fun morning and we could tell it meant a lot to Koen to have his parents there.

Spring-Like February Days

The last few days have been so nice and mild (well, actually the whole winter has been an anomaly and I love it!). Last night, with the temp almost 50, Doug took the boys on the bikes to the playground while I finished up dinner.Today we were heading out to Mellon playground, but had plans to do a few errands first. One of those errands was a big deal to Koen. By doing his daily and weekly duties listed on his job chart (and a few other tasks, such as shoveling the sweet neighbors stairs), he had filled his piggy bank and he was allowed to spend $10 on himself today. He was such a big boy about it. First, we had some fun with math and learning about coins counting it all up...
Then we had a big chat on the way to Target about things you can afford and how some things he may want would be too expensive and he could choose to save more or get something less expensive. We also talked about how Mommy had to OK the purchase. And of course, the big rule, if there is any whining and complaining, we are leaving without buying anything and will have to wait for another day. Well, I'm happy to report he actually did an awesome job. He was patient, perused and picked a fantastic few things. He decided on a pair of binoculars and a strong shovel for when we go to the beach in Florida in March. Very good choices. Things that are totally different than what he has (so happy it wasn't junky or loud!). Here he is at Mellon Park after our errands trying out his binoculars. He loved it!Tavin had fun at the playground too. Here he is pretending to serve me lunch at a restaurant. So precious!Koen's friend, Greta, actually showed up at the playground and they had a fantastic time being silly, rowdy and running around. Tavin sank back and did his own thing or followed the big kids, it was sweet. I felt a little bad for him. But he was happy to be outside and Gramma followed him around for some extra company quite a bit. Well, that's about it for now. Still keeping it simple and loving being outside the last few days!

Pajama Day at Preschool

Koen has been looking forward to this day at preschool since Christmas when he received his new Thomas pajamas from Gramma and Grampa. At Koen's preschool they do a letter of the week and this week was "P", so hence the "P"ajamas. Koen thought it was really funny that he was wearing his hat, mittens, coat and shoes with his PJ's. Here's the only pic I could catch of him.Wednesdays Koen gets picked up by some neighbors. Tavin and I always see "Brah-Bah" off at the door. Tavin would love to just follow on behind him and be his shadow all day long. Don't worry, Tav. You'll have your chance. But for now, you get to stay with me and how I love Wednesdays with Tav!On this Wednesday, we enjoyed sharing it with Gramma. She played with Tavin a lot this morning while I got a little organization project done (cleaning out the closet and organizing maternity cloths) and got ready for the day. Then the three of us headed out on a brisk walk on this nice, mild day. We stopped at Whole Foods for a few groceries and then headed to the library.After our nice outing we headed home for lunch, a little more play and then a happy reception for brother. Tavin loves Koen so much. It is so great to see. Siblings are truly a blessing, it's so fun watching that first-hand. Well, it was a simple day, but it is so nice having mom here, the nice weather and a quiet morning.

The Drama Is Over!!!

I'm not sure if you remember the depressing and frustrating post that came after the last hearing date we had on December 6th, but this post will have an entirely different tone. Today was the date for the rescheduled hearing for the person who broke in to our home in late September. I was again subpoenaed and despite a call to the District Attorney was mandated to attend due to the fact I was the only victim that saw the defendant face-to-face in the act of the crime. I'm not sure if you recall, but my big prayer request after the last hearing date was that the Lord would use the time between the two hearing dates to allow this defendant to please plead guilty (since he had already confessed to all 6 felony charges, but at the last hearing date had said he would plead innocent anyways) meaning both that he would receive rehabilitation away from our neighborhood and that I would not need to testify in front of him. My other prayer request was that I wouldn't have to go or wouldn't have to see him. Well, the Lord completely and specifically answered my prayers. That is exactly what happened. When I called the DA in early 2012, he said he needed me to come to the courthouse, but he allowed me to stay in the protected victim and witness waiting area even when the hearing was called into the courtroom. He would only call me in to testify if the defendant were to plead innocent and the judge would need to hear my testimony. Doug went to represent us as the judge, DA, defendant and his family and lawyer all discussed the situation. The defendant did plead guilty and apologized to the victims. Although his mom and lawyer tried to make light of his crimes by saying he had a rough few weeks running with the wrong crowd, etc. when the victims spoke about what he did (particularly when Doug stood up and mentioned my face-to-face encounter with Koen in the background), the judge quickly ruled for the defendant to have the suggested "treatment." We were so thankful for this decision as it is quite obvious that this man/boy has an inconsistent home life and no real male role models to look up to, it seems that getting him out of his element could definitely be the best thing for him. We are praying that the rehabilitation center will be a new start for him and he will graduate from high school and go on to build a new life for himself and obviously, we are praying that along the way he would meet the Lord and find true purpose and accountability in His example.

Thank you all so much for your prayers and encouraging texts and emails today. The Lord was my Shield and Defender, preserving me from another difficult encounter. And we are so thankful to finally close the door on this incident.

First Remote Control Cars!!!!!

The last few days have been full! I took on quite a project of painting my bedroom and that has sucked up basically all my usual downtime, so sorry for the lack of blog posts! The boys have been up to a lot the last few days. Including that last night Doug and Koen went to a fun Father Son event up at North Way Wexford. But perhaps, even more exciting was that they met Lisa for dinner beforehand. She hadn't seen Koen since Christmas and so she of course brought along Christmas gifts for he and Tavin. She loves to spoil these guys (they have totally stolen her heart!). Koen opened the very special present last night, but he hid them under a blanket this morning so that Tavin could see the surprise. Here they are - Koen is hyping it up and Tavin is just loving the excitement...And here's the reveal. Koen's is the top one, which is made for his age, so it can handle just about anything (including it can go in water and mud!). Tavin's is the Ford pickup truck on the bottom, made for 2+ years (Lisa is so on the ball!). He was thrilled it was a pickup truck as he has been crazy about them since he rode in Uncle Phil's last Fall.Here he is trying to get it to work pre-batteries. The boys did very well as a groggy Daddy tried to get the batteries in and get the cars up and running (pre-coffee!).We were so impressed that Tavin figured out the buttons right away. Sorry there aren't pictures of Koen with his awesome vehicle. I'm not sure it would've been possible to get him and the car in the same frame. Koen has also really figured out how to make his move and he loves how it can tackle any obstacle!Here's a video of Tavin using his pickup truck with brother trying to be helpful...

Well, Lisa. You've done it again. They love the special gifts. Thanks for thinking of them and thanks for a great Saturday distraction. They played with them for hours today!

Picture Day Practice

Today was picture day at nursery school for Koen. I ironed his cute little shirt and he was so proud to get it all buttoned up himself. After breakfast, we fixed his hair with some gel. It looked adorable! Tavin didn't want to be left out, so we pretended to comb and gel his hair too. He was so proud of himself. Since Koen's ride was running a little late, I decided to take the opportunity to grab my own pictures of my sweet, handsome boys. Here's our own little photo shoot. A great picture of the boys' personalities, but I sure hope the photographer at nursery school had better luck getting a portrait of Koen! Here was my first attempt and then I asked, "Please, can you just smile?"Look at my Tavin Dale! Hilarious!You can just see how much the love each other (well, at least I can).Silly little guys.They wanted the photo shoot to be over. Koen grabbed a book from the table next to him (I should've moved those).Tav thought it was a great idea and grabbed his own.So cute even if not a real brother photo shoot. I love them so much! (And I love Koen's hair in this big boy, off the forehead style).Stay tuned (although I don't know how long it takes) for the real photo from school. I can't wait to see how it turns out!

Simple Valentine's Day

Doug started off the day sweetly with making me and the boys a yummy breakfast treat of pumpkin chocolate chip muffins. He's such a good man to always have these special days on his mind. I can already tell that Koen is learning these things from him and I love to see it.

After Daddy left after breakfast, Koen wanted to resume his painting project which at this point I have just left set up in the kitchen (poor Doug had to eat his dinner last night amidst paint fumes from what he worked on that night...oops!).To ensure we didn't have another kaniption (sp?) fit from Tavin I psyched him up about using markers and construction paper (I'm not quite ready to let him go at painting in the kitchen!!). He was thrilled with the idea. Especially since I said he could make a Valentine's Day card for his buddy Huxley. Koen had made one for Delia earlier in the week, so this was a good job to get done anyways.The rest of the day was pretty normal. We played, we went to the library, went to Home Depot (I'm about to start a bold painting project...yikes!). But in the evening we had been invited to have dinner with our friends up the street. My friend, Audrey, knew that Doug was out and her husband was also out, so we decided to have a Mommy/kids Valentine's dinner and it was great! She is a fantastic cook and I loved the night off from cooking family dinner myself. The boys loved playing with Xavier's toys (and he is very good at sharing). Here are the Valentine's heart cookie bar cut-outs we brought with us...Well, Happy Belated Valentine's Day. I meant to post this brief post last night, but I've been feeling off the last few days. Might have something to do with the person growing inside me I guess. =)

Valentine's Day Is On The Way

Today at nursery school Koen had a Valentine's Day party with his friends. During naptime, his little buddy Delia dropped by to drop off homemade Valentine's cupcakes. When Doug got home from work we opened our card from Koen. It's adorable. He was so proud. They mailed them and everything from school (they learned about the post office in the process too!). And then tonight before dinner they got to open their cards that arrived from Gramma and Grampa. They were so excited about them it ended up being quite a distraction from dinner (my mistake), so we put them on display until after the meal. I love seeing their expressions as they open mail. Tavin was even into it this time. Enjoy, Gramma and Grampa. Thanks for thinking of them!By the way, the truck and Lightning McQueen cards were perfect picks. They both loved them. Tavin carried his card to bed. It's on display for him waiting until morning. =)