Pumpkin Art

Nora has been busy creating. She has loved decorating pumpkins this halloween season. Stickers, paint and markers are a safe alternative for kids while the adults are carving and this activity has surprisingly kept her busy for hours at a time- and pumpkin after pumpkin. Here is a line-up of her creations along with a great photo that my photographer friend, Liz took at a gathering that they hosted.

Three Months!

I had a hard time getting good photos for this month's shot. I had a cranky baby, a camera that wasn't working properly (time to get a new one!) and a toddler who kept insisting that she, or one of her stuffed animals, also be in the picture. Here's what we came up with. He's getting so big- and cuter than ever!

MIT Halloween for kids

They held a halloween party for MIT grad students with kids. We tried to get Nora to nap for two hours before going so that she wouldn't be crabby but had no success. She fell asleep on the way and we only made it for the last hour while they were cleaning up. Nora didn't care. She managed to avoid napping and sample her first cotton candy! Wells was adorable as always.

Artist

Nora looks especially artistic when she is working on crafts in her little beret. She was so focused on stickering up her pumpkin that she didn't even notice me taking pictures of her. Artistic genius at work!

Bakin' Brownies

Is two and a half old enough to safely consume raw egg? Nora loves to hop up and 'help' whenever I am cooking or baking anything. Usually that means that she becomes the official taste tester of each stage of the recipe- yummy or not. She has been known to down large quantities of straight flour, as long as it is left within her reach. She was really into it this time. Gee I wonder why.

Tis the Season...

For pumpkin carving! We have these really cool friends whose kids are the same ages as ours- a perfect match. As it turns out, their little boy and Nora play really well together since they are both very gentle souls. We had fun with the first round of pumpkin carving for the 2008 halloween season.

I could Bearly stand it!

The local zoo is tiny and run-down but Nora never tires of it. I like the fact that we can see everything in just over an hour. They just added a new bear display! This bear seemed more interested in Nora and Wells than they were in him. He kept coming back to stare at them. Could it be that he viewed them as tasty mid-morning morsels? I'd have to agree with him there. They certainly are delicious.

More Blessing Pictures

Baby Blessing

We blessed and named our sweet boy at church on Sunday. The day was nearly perfect (except for the surprise ward split) and we got some great pictures from a good friend. Thanks again, Ellen! I sure love this little guy. He looked so sweet and pure all in white. We hope you have the best possible life, Wells!

Good-Bye Arlington Ward

It is with a tear in my eye that we say good-bye to a wonderful chapter in our lives. Our town has been transferred from one ward, or church congregation, that meets in Arlington, to another that meets in Lynnfield. We have enjoyed the almost three and a half years that we spent in the Arlington ward, and will never forget some of the great friends, and great traditions that we leave behind. I had my camera Sunday at church because of our baby's blessing (more on that later) so I was able to catch possibly the last time that Nora enjoyed the rustic rock wall outside of the church building. We sure loved this place!

Apple Picking

It seems like everyone around here is apple picking lately. It really is a great activity- for adults, and kids... if you don't mind paying about $1 an apple. Nevertheless, it is a New England autumn time tradition, and one that we didn't want to miss out on. A little tricky with a toddler and baby in tow, we managed to have a great time, and come away with some pretty delicious loot!

Two Really Cute Kids

I'm so in love with these two, sometimes I think my heart will explode! Sorry I keep posting home pictures, I just think the two of them are so cute, I pull out the camera all the time when we're just hanging out- and always forget to bring it whenever we go anywhere, which is still rare these days. I think the newborn diapers took the camera spot in my bag.

Bedtime Stories

Eight years ago, when I started dating Josh, I thought that he would make a great dad.
Now I know that I was right. These kids are LUCKY.

Nora's Chore Chart

We've been working with Nora on some basics of good behavior and cooperation. Here are some pictures from a chart that we put together for her. We got the great idea from some friends of ours. Each time Nora does one of these things well, she gets a sticker in that catagory. When she has ten in each row, Daddy takes her out for ice cream! Talk about sweet rewards... Nora's 'chores' in order include, getting dressed (actually, letting me dress her without waging a battle), eating a good dinner (with no tantrums), helping to put her toys away, and staying reverent during prayer. We'll update later on if it works!