Happy 2nd Birthday to Eva!

I can't believe it was already 2 years ago that Eva was born. It doesn't seem like we've had her for that long. I'm still feeling the pain from her birth. :) This smile was when we were all singing happy birthday to her. She was loving the attention.

She's totally lovin' the fire. (of course, she wouldn't put her bread down either)

Blowin' out the candles.

Havin' a taste test first.

Ugggh. I'm so full! But it was totally worth it!

Our fun this week.

This is Eva's sacred blanket. I was in the other room for a minute and came back in to discover that Eva had gotten out of the tub, found her blanket, and climbed back in with it. She was so happy. I was going to take a picture of the water after the blanket had gotten completely submurged, but I was too embarrassed at how brown it became. She never lets me wash the dang thing, so I was kind of grateful she put it in there with her. At least it got washed...sort of. Of course, I had to get her out of the tub because it ended up making her more dirty than before she got in it. Then she freaked out because I wouldn't let her drag her "B" everwhere around the house soaking wet. I had to eventually hide it from her while it was drying because she kept trying to get back in the tub to get it.


This has got to be one of my favorite pictures ever. Too bad it turned out a little fuzzy. A couple things about this picture...I'm a bad mom and let them watch "educational" TV shows. hee hee hee. This is how I found the two of them the other day. She has clothes on under that soccar jersey, but she just loves that big shirt. It actually belongs to the neighbor girl who is eight, so it drowns her. She borrowed it for PJ's one night and that was it! She fell in love. She where's it around the house over her other clothes. She won't play dress-up with all the cute little tu-tu's she has, but she loves this dang thing. What's wrong with my girl? Then, the fact that she's using Gabe's belly as a pillow? She's a total nut. What's even funnier is that Gabe loves it! She sits on him when he's in his carseat and I hear him laughing his head off, not crying that she's on him. He loves to play with her hair too. It's so cute. They really love each other. They sat like this for quite some time that day.

These two pics are of them just chillin' together again. And, of course, it was while they were watching dora. Eva has really gotten into Dora the Explorer. Are any of your kids into her? I think she also has a major crush on Diego. Gabe just rolls over next to her and hangs out. How do you like all the folded laundry I didn't put away for two days? It just sat in the living room for two days until I was tired of refolding it because Gabe kept destroying the piles.


Doesn't she look so grown up? She's changed so much since Hans has been gone. It's crazy how much she's grown.

Hanging out with Cousins

I don't know if you can see this any larger than this. We were hanging out at Renee's house the other day and took some pictures. She sent them to my email and I'm not sure how to get the picture any bigger.

From Left to Right: Derek, Eva, Gabe, Hailey.

pics

ok some more pics

They were shy at first but then they warmed up to the camera.

They look kind of like american kids.

Here are some village kids, believe its an orphanage.

Last of the pics

The land that time forgot...Flying over this landscape I saw goats scattering as we flew overhead, children playing barefoot, boys splashing in a water hole. I can totally imagine the OT story of Jacob working 7 yrs for his uncle to marry Leah/Rebekkah, taking place right here in this time.

The reason I got to travel was a temporary gig as a note taker for the Commanding General's engagements - a great experience but glad its over so I can get back to my nice boring old routine.

more pics again

More pics

The trip was from Tikrit to Baqubah, these are the villages between.

My cool couple days travelling

I finally got to travel this week in a blackhawk. Here are some pics of the Iraqi countryside.

Update on the craziness of having kids

I couldn't find Eva a couple of weeks ago. It was quite and so I knew she was doing something she probably shouldn't be doing. I finally found her about 10 minutes and a heart attack later, in the dryer. She thought that was the coolest thing ever. She even tried to close the door while still in it. Whenever we go swimming, she'll climb in one of the available lockers and shut the door on herself. Then she'll peek her head out and say "peek-a-boo" and start to laugh histarically. At least we know she's not clausterfobic.

Gabe LOVES taking baths. He splashes Eva like crazy.


Eva didn't want me disturb them in the bath. She was saying "hey, no towel yet" when I took this picture.


Happy six months gabe! I'm pretty sure he's already crossed the 20 pound weight limit for the carseat. You can't tell by this picture, but his feet dangle off the end of it because he's so dang tall. Time for a new carseat.

The adventures of Gabe and Eva

Hi mom. I'm just chillin' and having fun in the johnny jumper.



Then comes Eva...Ok mom. I'm not sure about this. She's got that look in her eye.


Dude, this is SO not cool. Get this pink towel off my head. How could you let her do this to me mom?

Random picture updates

Eva has a new found love...her pink boots (thank you to the decarlos). She wanted to go outside and play dressed like this the other day. She has no diaper on either. Just a shirt and these boots. She walks all over the house in them, usually naked, just the boots.


Gabe loves his saucer.

This has got to be one of my favorite pictures of all time. This was from a retreat we went on last month. This little boy didn't want to walk back to the hotel room because he was tired, so I told him he could catch a ride with Eva. I thought Eva would throw a fit and not let him, but it turned out, she had no problem letting him sit on her lap. He hated it, but she wrapped her arms around him and wouldn't let him go. It was hilarious. It had myself and this little boy's mother histerically laughing.


She loves when her friends have birthday parties because that means "CAKE!" She was begging for it the second we showed up.