Our week in Oregon for Thanksgiving 2011

We had a wonderful trip up to Oregon for Thanksgiving. These are some of my favorite pics from our trip.

The Boys with their Great Grandma and Grandpa Steinkamp

Lots of hugs with cousins

The boys with their Great Grandma and Grandpa Giles

This one is one of my favorites. Totally worth the rainy 2 hr drive. Completely Priceless.

Caleb and Lucas, you bring us so much joy and happiness.

Don't ya just love the family portraits. We'll look back and laugh years from now as we remember  our 2011 Thanksgiving :) Love how Caleb is holding Lucas' hand.
                                   
                           This picture is another favorite. Totally priceless. Lucas giving Grandma smiles.
                           
                                             Lucas met his Godparents for the first time.

Lucas and his Godmother, Mary. (I love this one too! So sweet)

The cousins coloring.

                                                 How Grandpa and Lucas spent Thanksgiving

Looking back, I won't remember every minute of our 24 hour round trip drive with a toddler and infant, but I will remember those quiet moments in the car while both boys slept and I had alone time with my hubby and we held hands and smiled, because for the moment, everything was calm. I'll look back and probably laugh at the crazy times in the car when both boys were fussing and Dave didn't feel good and I was tired and all we wanted was to arrive! The lack of sleep due to a toddler who doesn't sleep well while traveling was hard, but worth it the moment Lucas met his Great Grandparents for the very first time. The stressful times where all I wanted was my own bed and not a fussy toddler at 3am? Worth it for the giggles and happy sounds I heard from the kitchen one morning while Caleb baked with Grandma and Daddy. It was worth the massive amounts of laundry, and packing, and cleaning before and after the trip because I got to watch Lucas snoozing on Grandpa all day on Thanksgiving. Yes, there are always moments when we travel that cause stress, but they are all worth it. Caleb had such a great time with Grandma and Grandpa all week. Hanging out, playing, acting silly, discovering new toys (toys his Daddy played with when he was a little boy), and it always makes me a little sad that we don't live closer to family. Caleb had so much fun with his cousins and as I watched them together I smiled and wished he was able to see them more and play with them more than just a few times a year. I'm glad we make the effort to be there with our family in Oregon for holidays, for camping trips, and for special family events.  All the stressful, happy, crazy, sad, fun, and wonderful moments are what make family. And I am so thankful for family.

Deliberate Parenting

This is a special post today. In honor of Thanksgiving and all I have to be grateful for, I'd like to share a friend's blog. I have the privilege of knowing her and her two daughters and I have learned so many wonderful things from her. Through her quiet actions, she has given me courage to stand strong in my own beliefs even if they go against society's norm. I am grateful for her friendship and for the many friendships I have in my life. She has a wonderful blog and asked me to guest blog in it. I was touched! I have linked to her blog below and there you will find some wonderful thoughts on parenting as well as my guest post on swaddling.
I hope everyone has a wonderful Thanksgiving with family and friends!
Enjoy! http://www.deliberateparenting.net/

Happy Friday

Yes, I know it is Tuesday but I never got to do my happy Friday post! Packing, cleaning, tending the babes, repeat...all day. And then driving to Oregon for a week of fun with family. So I will have plenty of pics of our trip coming soon :)

A not so happy Birthday

Happy Birthday to my wonderful hubs :)

                                     you continue to amaze me, everyday. i'll love you always.

Dave, you are such an amazing husband and father. We are so blessed to have you in our lives.

Unfortunately, this is probably not going to go down as the best birthday in history. Caleb woke up last night with a fever, and it is lingering. He is all out of sorts. Seems to be viral since the Dr. checked his ears and throat this morning. Not sure what it is, and just hoping whatever it is, it doesn't spread to Lucas. What a bummer birthday present right? We'll make it up to you though Dave! All my wonderful birthday plans went right to the dust this am when Caleb refused to let go of my leg....a fancy dinner, nice dessert, yummy breakfast....eh. not so much. We love you still.

a busy bee

trying so hard to do two things at once.

I don't know why, but the leg lifts are just cracking me up!

Life these days

(This is a video of Lucas sleeping, I know kinda strange! But I just get so sentimental over his little sleep noises. I want to look back and remember those sweet baby sounds he makes.)

                                                Lucas likes to hold his hands while he sleeps.

Caleb likes to be squished right in my arm. Sometimes, many, many times a day. (Sometimes I don't mind so much, and then the other times...well. Personal space is a word he doesn't understand yet...)

I'm thinking the teeth have something to do with all this extra comfort he is needing right now...(at least I hope...hand in his mouth, another clue)

 Auntie Jenny took guitar lessons and had a child sized guitar. Wish we still had it! Caleb loves playing the guitar with dad.

Lucas' new trick....lifting up the legs (and sometimes letting out some toots)

Who knew paper ads could be so entertaining to a two year old. So much to see, and say, on each page!

They really do love each other I tell ya!

As for Dave and I, this time of year gets a little stressful for Dave at work. Reviews, projects, end of the year crunch time. But you'd never know. Somehow he always has it all together. I am the one with all the lose screws :) As for me, I've really been enjoying my new bible study group I joined a few weeks ago. I haven't had something faith filled other than Sunday at church (and getting much out of that with two little boys is difficult these days) since I did my year of service. It is something I look forward to each week and feel so refreshed and renewed from. I'm so grateful for Dave's support in this. He watches the boys and encourages me to go (even gets excited for me, kinda sweet). It is so nice to have something to look forward to and to have a faith filled support group. While I am so thankful for the MOMS Club and that area of support with the boys, I am realizing how much I missed having a faith filled support group to learn and grow with. I feel so blessed to know and be a part of both groups of amazing women outside my Lil family of boys (whom I so adore and am so blessed with)  I'm probably going back to work after the holidays, just a few hours a week again. And I'm looking forward to that too (kinda). I have mixed feelings, but for now I am content with my Tuesday night bible study group :) What a great group of faith filled women I have met!

Forever Brothers

"I hold him" Caleb says. So I oblige....Lucas usually doesn't mind, and it seriously makes Caleb so happy to hold his little brother.

                                                                    kisses for "Lu"

I have no idea where this pose came from

some smiles from Lucas

I must say, what a pair.

Love these two