Birthday Girl!

I'll post more later, but here are a few pictures from Autumn's first birthday...

Summer Captured

We had some really nice weather this summer... Nice enough that the boys could pitch a tent in the backyard and camp out a few times. Nice enough we could sleep with the windows open to hear them...

When I say the boys camped out, I have to include the boys next door...the 4 of them were quite the group all summer! It makes me glad that they have neighbors to play with.  When I was young, that's what you did... Now a days it's a hard thing to find.

The last day they camped out was August 12... It only made it in the 70's, but more importantly, it was the night of the Perseid meteor shower (I probably spelled that wrong, sorry). It would be much easier to watch it if you were already camped outside... 

I happened to get up with Autumn sometime after midnight, and after putting her back down, I headed outside to check on the boys.  They were just heading out of the tent, putting blankets on the ground so they could just lie and watch the sky.  We watched for awhile, and after a bit of time I saw one...and then a couple of us caught a flash....  I have seen meteor showers before, but it's always thrilling to see  a shooting star... 

I headed back to bed, tired, but glad that the boys got to see some.  I lay in bed with the window open, listening to silence, frogs, crickets, and then "WOOAAAHH!!!" "COOl!!!" Did you see that? "WOOAAAHH!!!!"

Sometimes my favorite memories have no pictures.

Andrew, Austin and Autumn with Takashi and Tai Chi

So I cheat and make s'mores in the oven...

Thirteen years

My heart is aching this morning as I pour over pictures of my beautiful baby boy.  

He was born in the wee hours of the morning, on a beautiful fall day in Minnesota.  

I remember sitting in the backseat with him as Randy drove us home, tears in my eyes, thinking that our lives will never be the same...

How true.

I can not imagine what life would be like without Andrew.  

He's always been full of a love of life... We joke that Drew doesn't know how to stop smiling... To which he smiles as says "I just can't help it!" 

He's an amazing big brother and loyal friend,

What a blessing to have someone like that in your life...

I'm sitting here in the wee hours, looking at these photos and part of me is so sad because I miss this cute, fun loving little boy... But part of me is also happy, because he has grown into a sweet, considerate, fun, and still full of a love of life, (gulp) teenager.  I'm so excited to see where he is going...

He has been such a blessing in our lives

it has never been the same...

We love you Andrew!

9 months!

Okay, a couple are actually 8 months, but since I'm behind once again :(  

This is my new favorite of the boys and her...

7 months!

6 months

Time is flying by.  Not sure how else to put it... 

I miss my tiny newborn, but I love what each day brings...

5 months

I have forgotten how fast these babies grow... 

It seems I have neglected to put up her monthly pictures, so I guess I will start! Sorry about that...

The last one is my favorite... She has learned how to grab her feet!

Piano Recital again...

okay, the last one wouldn't open.... trying again

Boys piano recital 2014

video test- Autumn 3 weeks

testing how to upload a video...

This is just a video of Autumn at three weeks.  So glad I took this, her little squeaks are so precious...

Click the word video below to view...

video

Big brothers

The boys will kill me when they find out I posted these pictures, but I just have to remember this.  Andrew and Austin are such good brothers! They have loved Autumn from the second they found out I was pregnant... And even though they hate it when I try to sneak a picture of them loving on her, I have managed to capture a few...

Spring is coming

I had to take the dog out this morning. Ugh. Just threw the snowboots on that are sitting by the front door, still in PJ pants and a sweatshirt.  He's so distracted by everything, if he would just concentrate and do his business I could go back inside...

I heard the geese, too, and finally looked up.  They were so high up, it was like a pencil line drawn in the sky... Over and over and over... And over...

I have never in my life seen so many geese, so high up, all in V formation... The line stretched as far as you could see in both direction, and just kept going as they flew north.  I ran inside to tell the kids to come look, and it still kept going... Thousands of geese.

It was amazing.

So glad I took the dog out.