friday funnies....it is friday isn't it....HA

one night before bed, i went in the boys room and elliott had his jeans laid out and a knife in his hand just going to town, sawing on them. I ask him, "baby, what are you doing?" his reply, "mom, have you seen hayden's jeans!" LOL....he wants to be like his big brother!

and yes, i call all my kids baby, i caught myself calling elliott baby one day so i thought i should explain that i don't think he is a baby that i just call all my children that because i love them and he said, "i know mom, i hear you tell hayden baby all time".....LOL...if it's okay with the BIGS, it's okay with them....LOL. they loved their big sibs (and michael) so much!!! it won't be long now and they will ALL BE HOME....for the first time.....ALL MY BABIES TOGETHER under MAMA'S roof!!!!!!

I'm counting down the days!!!!

a beautiful fall day at the farm.....

since it is officially still fall and we had a 70 degree day this week i think it is okay to share one of those, better late than never post.

both boys love nature and the outdoors so paul and i decided that we would go out to the farm and let the kids ride around in the arctic cat, what the boys didn't know is that they were going to get to drive the arctic cat. i wish i had a picture of tate's face when i stopped, got out and said okay you drive. his smile was priceless!!! they both did really well....AFTER they learned how to use the break...in the midst of learning we had ourselves a little wreck.....no one was hurt but elliott either jumped or flew out of the back as tate flattened a few trees. i'm so glad max and viv weren't riding at the time. it was a fun fun day, i can't remember the last time that i laughed so hard. here are some pictures of our day.










you can hear the laughter in these pictures.
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after our little wreck i got behind the wheel to get us out of the trees.
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trying to cover up the damage...lol
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the beauty of the farm
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elliott took all the fall foliage photos. i tell ya, the boys got talent! he has a great eye for the camera!

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now it's elliott's turn to drive.

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look at that grip tate has on vivi's arm. at first she was not so happy about being restrained. he was not going to let her get tossed around.
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then she decides to enjoy the ride.
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elliott holds on for dear life.

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thank you uncle george and aunt julie for letting us take the arctic cat to the farm.

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Many wonderful memories were made that day!

bigga fish...

we took the 4 kids fishing and they loved it. viv and max have fished before but this was the boys first time. it was a HIT!!!! i am going to do a complete post on it but i have this video that is so darn adorable that i had to share...even though it is sideways. i hate that i had my camera turned because i really caught a precious moment.

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(be sure and turn my music off on my sidebar)

blue skies

there has been very little material things that have impressed the boys....they really like their bedroom, they think it is "cool"(an english word they picked up quickly :-), but "things" don't seem to impress them much at all. BUT there is something that impresses them GREATLY and that is the BLUE SKY....believe it not, the blue sky, they ewwwww and ahhhhh over how blue the sky is....they say mom, it is BEAUTIFUL!!! i ask them if the sky was ever blue in china and their response was, very very little. i remember when i was there the sky was never blue, always gray, filled with smog....the things we take for granted. they have enjoyed the fall so much, we had a late fall as usual....up until about a week ago we still had beautiful and brilliant colors on the trees. they would ask to drive around just to see the beautiful colors. every time we got in the car to go anywhere they would both grab their cameras and snap snap away at all the beauty around them.

(this is one of elliott's photos)

first recital

tate has been taking piano for 7 weeks now and he is GOOD....REALLY GOOD! he wouldn't tell you that but i will :-). as a matter of fact, this boy is good at everything it does! tomorrow is the open house at the bank where paul works. tate's piano teacher, which is wonderful....so sweet and encouraging, has her students play each year. tate will be playing three pieces, one will be a duet with the teacher. i cannot believe how well he is playing after only 7 lessons. he has worked really hard. i am one proud mama!!!

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check out the mini tate...lol...when max saw what tate was wearing he went and changed his clothes so he could be just like his brother :-).
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gratitude

these are precious and priceless riches!!! thank you God for your favor, thank you for grace, thank you for this beautiful, incredible family that you have so richly blessed me with! i am so unworthly....i give you PRAISE!!!!

o christmas tree...o christmas tree....

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oh how i love thee :-)
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wordless wednesday