Yard Art...

We finally decided to be those good parents everyone always tries to pretend we are and get Evan a swingset. It was partially for Christmas, but mostly because the time (and price) was right. He loves it...although the weather has been a little uncooperative on the weekends when he wants to play on it. These photos are actually from late December--just took me a while to upload. Mommy's a lazy blogger... :) :) :) :)

Please click on any photo to make the slideshow larger or to control the speed...

Merry Christmas!!!!!

Not much to say other than we've had a wonderful Christmas and Evan is WORN OUT!!!

Here is a photo slideshow from the day... Please click on it to make the photos larger and to control the speed.

Merry Christmas!

Lazy headbanger...

Title says it all...Evan insisted that Daddy get his guitar out. Then he proceeded to sit down to rock out. I thought I raised him better than that. :) Here's video anyhoo...


Lazy headbanger... from Rena on Vimeo.

"I'm gonna build a waccoon!!!"

No one prepared me for how seriously funny kids are. Evan has reached the point where his inherent weirdness is a source of consistent hilarity.



Today he got his blocks out because he was "gonna build a waccoon." Waccoon, of course, meaning "raccoon." Why, on earth, would anyone decide to build a raccoon out of blocks? He was insistent, though. And of course I took pictures of the block "raccoon."


He was so proud. And so were we.

Jesus, Mary, Joseph...and all the crew!

Despite my gentle but firm requests to "leave Baby Jesus alone," I came in last night to find this:


Needless to say, I may not be artistic but I did take greater care than this to arrange the Nativity Scene. Apparently Evan took the liberty of redecorating while I was in at the computer frantically searching for airfare to Missouri.

For some reason, spying the updated look of Bethlehem made me laugh hysterically. Was it holiday stress? My perpetual "laugh or cry" mentality? Or just the fact that this new configuration resembled something strangely akin to a college fraternity party, with way too many co-eds crammed into the stable... Perhaps we'll never know.

All I know is that one of my major sources of the Christmas spirit this year is about three feet tall with beautiful blue eyes, blond hair, and the ability to melt my heart when he says, "I lub you, Mama..."

Grandpa Tim comes to town...

These photos are actually almost (gasp) a month old. Tim came through town in mid-November...and Evan thought it was great fun to have Grandpa Tim come to play. Here are a few pics of them horsing around...

Chef Evan Boyardee...

Excuse the flurry of posts...but I'm trying to get caught up!

Evan has been obsessed with "helping" lately...a skill that is, of course, developmentally on target (yay!) and, in many cases--well--helpful! So I'm trying to indoctrinate the boy into the fine art of cooking. Because my people...well...we don't starve. :)


Here are a couple of photos from his most recent pizza-making effort. He LOVED making the crust and spreading the sauce. He ate most of the mushrooms before they made it onto the pizza...but that's just how it works, sometimes. Please also note that he INSISTS on having a towel over one shoulder (like Daddy) before he can cook...

I love having him cook with me. He's so proud of himself: "Mama...I COOKIN'!" I can't wait to make many more things with my little sous chef...