Claire

I thought I should let Claire make her blog debut:) It's my right since I did all the "hard work" right Jay? Kidding. Both Jamie and Claire did so good and are still doing well and will hopefully be settling in at home soon!

What a sweet little chunk! All that hair, 8.15 lbs and already a fat roll under her chin...you could have convinced me it wasn't a Blackwell. So very glad to FINALLY have this little angel here.

And here is the "hard work" I mentioned earlier:)

"My dad shaved this."

SNOWWW!!!!

I just love it, love it, love it!

ONE!?!

Sunday was Sophia's first birthday! I can not believe it! Walking, talking (if telling dad "no" counts) and already 1?
We celebrated the big 1 with an outside, over the top, holiday bash. It pulled together pefectly in the last minutes, Soph slept through the first hour of it but that wasn't her favorite part anyway, she woke up just in time for all the fun...it couldn't have happened without her:)

1. Hesitant at first, she needed a little help opening the first few presents. 2. Caught a glimpse of babies and got a little more interested. 3. Three babies! Is this heaven? 4. Not getting this one out of her hands, even to get it out of the box. She will just cuddle with the box for a while, she doesn't care. 5. More presents than this girl knew what to do with. 6. cleared away the present madness, sang to her, plopped a bright red cake in front of her and she still wouldn't losen her grasp on the babies:) 7. Ga decided to help her with the cake since she didn't have a hand to spare. Sometimes princess' have to be hand fed. 8. Decides to give it a try. 9. Even shared a little. 10. Good food, fires and gifts, lots of pretty stuff to look at and all her favorite people, a good way to turn one!

I have to say how lucky I am to have so many people surrounding me and my kids that love us and want to help us! My totally awesome big sisto hauled all of her kids to our house the day before the party to make this cake with me. It was our first, posssibly took way too long, but we are proud of the way it turned out:) One of my amazing sister-in-laws left work in the middle of the day to come assist Soph's photo shoot (hence the cell phone in one of the pics, we were all dancing to get her to laugh). Another amazing sister-in-law stuck out hours of shopping and a little tending to make the big event happen, even though she couldn't make it;) Codee's mom made tons of delicious food, as uasual and spoiled us all while she was here. Even my best friend helped from the other side of the world keeeping me company while I was haunched over the toilet friday night till 4 in the morning:) So loved, so lucky.

Oh Yeah!!!

Got my first taste of Christmas cheer last night!

Codee pumped up the Chritsmas jams!

Can't wait for the tree and to start putting presents under it!

November already!!

Am I too late? 1-2 weeks isn't that bad! Who can blog right as things happen anyway? October was great, I knew it would be. Aside from our little get-a-way wknd, we had a pumpkin party at our house. I am not that great of a host but i love doing it! Sophie got her two top teeth (that makes 4!) and took her first steps:) and of course...

HALLOWEEN

All the kids costumes were so great and original this year, i loved it!! We have such a bunch of goof balls!
Oh yeah and I know I am a huge dork. I just got an itch to dress up this year, not sure why, so I threw this not at all lame Dot Matrix costume together with some DI finds and a can of spray paint, oh and Eric's chest protector, I am not really THAT weird looking on my own:)

Now the big question...how soon can I start decorating for CHRISTMAS!!!!!!!!

Relaxing Wknd and a Beautiful Wedding!

I Have great kids!! I know that you are probably thinking that yours are pretty great, but mine are amazing!!! Yours too? Ok fine, but this is my place to brag :) The drive to Ca. and back went so well! We didn't really have a schedule so there was no hurry either way which was nice for a change. It usually feels like we are rushing through everything to get to what is happening next, to slow down and go at whatever pace we pleased, for once, was great. We let Soph nap when she needed and Jackson swim when he wanted. Jackson got dirty playing in the hot tub and sand at the Kirchhausen's house and at krizi's wedding and I didn't say a thing to him about it (it was hard for me). We ate whatever we pleased, whenever we pleased, paying no attention to a "regular food schedule." Walked to dinner in the rain one night and saw the slight (hour and a half) wedding delay as a photo op. We didn't have a care in the world... we pretended we didn't anyway:)

Everything on the big day was fantastical! It could not have been more perfect and fitting to Krizia. The relaxed feel of the whole occasion was just right for her, she was beautiful and absolutely on a cloud! Houman looked pretty happy as well;) The last minute ceremony was fitting, her dress had to have been made just for her, the kids were adorable (tears and all) and the cupcakes were delicious! The night was topped off with a campfire and s'mores on the beach, such a good idea! Everything, including our 9th grade talent show act, was perfect. Just Perfect!! And they rode off on their tandem bike and lived happily ever, ever after :)

I feel silly posting three pictures of just us but this is my tribute to my best friend:) I love her and she is the greatest! Which makes me the luckiest to have her as my best friend! I am so happy for her and hope for all the happiness in the world for her and her new husband. She deserves it. I can't wait to see her again...maybe in Australia (fingers crossed). And hope that she moves back soon! I love you Krizia!!

There Goes The Neighborhood

Looking for some "good guys" to harass?
Plotting their next crime?

Maybe just KILLIN' time?

I can't be quite sure what was going through their funny little minds but I think it was something pretty cool!
They invaded my house with as many weapons as they could round up, even had Sophie hostage at one point,
but Soph and I didn't mind one bit. It was the funniest thing I saw all day and Soph just sat and watched in amazement.