Apple Butter

I grew up with Apple Butter and liked it. We had a jar and I opened it to see if it was as good as I remember it being and it was wonderful! One day I asked the boys if they wanted to try some "Special Butter" and they gobbled it right up. I haven't tried making it myself yet, but it's nice to know that it would be eaten when I finally try. There's something about the warm spices when the weather starts turning cold. Yum Yum.

Our life ...

Our life changed forever a couple weeks shy of 3 years ago. We found out we were expecting the middle of October 2007 and then on November 1 at 3:30 AM we listen to the message our adoption case worker had left 4 hours earlier. She let us know that she had a baby boy and would we pray asking if he's ours. 17 hours later we were in Detroit picking up our little, tiny baby boy - David.
3 years later and having a family of 5, there is never a dull moment and a list of things to do that isn't a mile long.

In our family, we like to crawl up the stairs but David and Evan certainly weren't climbing the stairs at 10 months. Yep, she can climb all the way to the top and so proud of herself with every step!
David got his truck from his birthmother when he was born and we've had Evan's since before they could drive them. I watch them riding them turning fast around corners and missing the corner of the piano by an inch - Little Speed Demons. They like to "fall off" on purpose by leaning over backwards off the seat to the floor. I wonder when and how they are outgrowing them. What is happening?

Several years ago I got some little plates and cups my grandmother was getting rid of and I remember these from when I was a little girl. I found them packed away in a box and thought they would be loved if out. I supposed right. I think all of them would have been dirtied if I didn't keep all but 4 put away. If you ask David who gave them to us he will say "Great Gramma Child" which hehad only heard once in passing. How glad I am for things that last forever. I also love the look David is giving Evan in the second picture.

Another thing that started when David was a little baby is standing looking out the windows. I use to stand and hold him and watch out the window at whatever we saw. Before the boys were tall enough to look out (once they could stand on their own), they would stand on any box around and just watch. They would even push the boxes around to get the best vantage point. People would comment on when they were passing by they'd see little eyes peering over the window sill. Emma cannot stand up on her own but she can climb on anything and hold on just to look out the windows. We have to really watch her. She's fallen off and climbs right back up.

There is a dip in the middle of our yard that catches the run off from the yards on up the hill and the other morning we looked out to see a stream between 5 - 10 feet going through. Shortly after I took this picture a group of 4 deer came and were playing, jumping, running in it.

David started crossing his fingers and does all sorts of tasks with them crossed. I'm not sure he's even aware they're crossed at times.

Another of Emma's go-to spots is the fireplace. David liked it, Evan liked it, and now she likes it. David and Evan will tell her "No, No, Emma" when she goes behind the guard.

This is a receiving blanket I crocheted around and I was just so proud of it, I had to show it off. The musical fabric matched the baby perfectly and the LOVE the stitch I did around it. It is called "Hugs and Kisses" and so easy. I'll post the directions later.

Evan likes to climb, hide, and be a stinker. I came into the family room and found he had taken all the books out and climbed in. What will I do?

I cannot imagine life without my beautiful children and I love them dearly. Yes, there are times I wish we lived closer to Grandparents, but really I cannot leave them for long.

ANIMALS!!!!!

The boys love animals and this month we got to go the Spence farm and Zoo!! It was beyond excitement.
We started talking about the Spence Farm a week before we went to help prepare the boys for what we were going to see and do. We got to see horses up close and personal which was wonderful. They could have stood and watched them all night.

David

Evan

Emma

Two weeks later, Robert took a day off and we went up to the Erie Zoo. We got to see Zebras, monkeys, giraffes, rhinoceroses, tigers, and more monkeys. If you ask them what they saw they'll tell you elephants, but we didn't. It isn't a big zoo, but David wants to go back up for his rewards.

Can you see the Tiger behind the glass? And of course at this point another child is more important than the tiger.

They really like the giraffes.

Our first trip to the Hospital.

The middle of September brought a trip that I knew was inevitable but wasn't sure when it would happen.

David and Evan were running and jumping in their beds which happens on an almost daily basis. Well Evan missed his mattress and cut his lip pretty bad (what I thought was pretty bad anyway). I wanted to make sure it wouldn't need stitches and our doctor recommended we go to the ER. 3 hours and 1 glove balloon turned turkey later the doctor said he didn't need stitches because he didn't bite completely though his lip. This is good information to know. He babied his lip for a couple days but it's understandable. (Sorry for the blurry picture - he's upset because I'm not letting him take the picture of himself.)

Our dormers...

So I finally am posting pictures of our dormers. It use to be a light blue and we like this darker blue so much better.