MONTANA SNOW FUN

We cant' go to Montana this time of year and not play in the snow! We went up to a park near where my mom and live and let the kids go sledding...

Papa also brought his snow shoes...

It was a good thing, because the snow was so deep, that until I put snow shoes on, I kept taking steps and disappearing up to my thighs (kind of scary with Anne in the Baby Bjorn).

As much snow as their was, it was actually quite warm (in the 40's)...Anne started getting mad at being so bundled up, so she went in the car with Nanny

The kids and Evan had a blast going down the hills.

I came upon Heather laying in the snow with her eyes closed, catching snowflakes with her tongue...

Ewan got pretty tired climbing back up the hill each time...he would cry all the way up the hill and then ride back down, cry all the way up and ride back down...

It was fun to have one last snow adventure...but I sure am ready for spring!

CHILDREN'S MUSEUM, BOZEMAN MT

We took the kids to the Children's museum when we were in Montana...

Uncle Ben reads to Sheena

Ilima and Jonathan

Cameron had so much fun playing with old computer parts and pretending to build a Computer

WE'RE BACK!

We spent our spring break in Montana visiting my family...It was a whirlwind trip, but we had so much fun getting to play with cousins, grandparents, aunts, uncles and Nanny's dog Lexie...

Aaron and Ilima's little boy, Jonathan...he was too shy to let me smooch on him as much as I wanted. It took great self control to keep my lips off his little cheeks.

I love this picture of Aaron and Ilima's little girl, Sheena saying the blessing on the food...

Eating lunch at Aunt Holly's restaurant.

Twirling with Papa in the kitchen...

My mom will kill me for putting this picture up on my blog...too bad! I love it! My poor mom is like the Energizer Bunny, going, going all the time, and when she finally does sit down, she zonks!

Papa and Anne

Ewan and Heather with Jonathan

Anne fell asleep in Aunt Holly's arms.

We decided Heather looks a lot like Uncle Ben, what do you think?

The kids had a BLAST playing with all of our old toys my mom dug out. My old Barbies were a hit. Check out the naked dude in the blue chair. Can you guess who he is? Yup. Micheal Jackson. There is something TRULY disturbing about children playing with a naked Micheal Jackson doll...

Decorating Bunny cupcakes at Aaron and Ilimas.

Heather tried on Papa's glasses and looked up so adoringly...so glad I caught this moment...

ANNIE THE POOH

Our little butter ball is Five months old...here are some recent highlights in the life of a five month old... Her adoring brothers and sister have starting calling her Annie the Pooh...

BABY FOOD! She is still getting the hang of it. I LOVE pictures of babies with food all over their faces. I guess it's one of those things that's only cute for brief window of time in your life :)

Let the drool begin...wont' be long until those teeth appear...

On here five month birthday...

I can't stop nibbling on her. She is just delicious!

A PERFECT PRAYER...

Feeling distressed about his recent challenges, Cameron cried in my arms last night. He keenly feels the chasm between who he wants to be and how he sometimes behaves. I offered to pray with him and he said he wanted to say it. This was his simple prayer.

"Dear Heavenly Father,
Sometimes I fallow Satan's way. Help me to fallow Jesus."

I tried to help him understand that he is just a child who is learning and God is no more disappointed in him for his challenges than we are with Anne for not being able to talk yet. But I loved that prayer, not for him, for me. Isn't it the essence of where all our hearts should be? "Sometimes I make mistakes. Please Father, help me be better."

THINGS I LOVE ABOUT MY VALENTINES

On February 14, 1998, Evan gave me a Valentines card. We weren't even officially dating yet. He just said in the card that he hoped I got "everything I deserved in life." Well, I don't know what I deserve, exactly, but I know that I have had 11 wonderful years of kindness, acceptance, patience, laughter, hard working dedication, support, understanding, forgiveness, and love with him by my side...and he has given me the best gift of my life...my children. I know that this is the man God prepared for me. I know that in his mercy, God sent me this gentle soul of a man to balance me out. I fall more and more in love with him each year as I grow to truly appreciate what an extraordinary man he is and what a perfect match for me!

My sweet, sweet Cameron. How I love this child. Being his mom has been one of the great growing experiences of my life. I have learned so much about how God loves his children through their challenges and triumphs as I have loved him through his. He is so much fun, he really is. He LOVES to make me laugh. He has has had a rough few months, but is doing SO much better. He rushed off the bus yesterday yelling "Chocolate! Chocolate! Chocolate!" threw his back pack on the kitchen table, pulled out his valentines from school, and called his brother and sister to come share his candy with him.

I will always think of Ewan as a Healer of my Heart. He was born in the same hospital room as our little Connor almost exactly one year later. He was the most cuddly baby ever. He just melted into my arms and put my broken heart back together. He continues to be my daily supplier of hugs and kisses. No one tells me they love me more than my Ewan. "I wub you, Mom." Ewan is always willing to share and give of himself. I really treasure the one on one time I have with Ewan because he just eats it up and relishes every minute.

Heather is such a joy to our family. She has an inner light and confidence and spunk and joy that lights up the world around her. She has such a nurturing little soul and showers her dolls and stuffed animals with motherly love and tenderness. Heady LOVES to laugh. She finds humor in all kinds of things...even getting in trouble! I grew up with all brothers and all boys cousins most of my life...boys have always been my lot in life until Heather came along. What FUN little girls are! I hope Heady and I have the kind of relationship that my mom and I have.

COULD YOU JUST DIE! Is this a cute baby or WHAT?! Life since Anne was born had been so crazy and hectic and overwhelming, but Anne has not been the source of the chaos, she has been a quiet source of peace in my life. She is so content and sweet and just looks into my eyes and coos and babbles and tries to tell me who she is...I have sensed a quiet peacefulness from Anne ever since her ultrasound. What a blessing she is. I have had trouble breast feeding in the past. I am SO glad that it is working out with Anne, because the quiet moments with her in my arms, her little noises and wiggles, her tiny fingers grasping my shirt, milk dribbling down her fat little cheeks...bliss...joy...peace...

Anne

Anne got this little chair for Christmas from Santa. She feels like such a big girl when she gets to sit up and see all the action! We finally figured out she was ready to use it when we had her laying on our laps and she was trying to do sit ups to see what was going on.

Anne loves to suck her pointer finger. When we put her to bed, we can hear her slurping really loud as she sucks on it.

She is the most content, easy going baby ever. She has such beautiful big blue eyes, she reminds us a lot of Ewan at this age...