A few shots of Emerson celebrating

Ignore the dates at the bottom of the pics: our camera is screwy. Emerson got a new pair of Thomas swim trunks from Grampa and Grandma Knapp- and ... he wore them to bed.
Opening his gift....
Eating some Charlotte Web cake...

And... he got a new haircut to boot.

Thanks for the prezzies!

Jackson awoke to a Thomas the Train set and spent 5 consecutive hours (and so much more since then) in the Island of Sodor-- pretending, imagining, and re-hashing epidsodes of Thomas and his friends:

In the evening, just a small get- together with family... and Salty the Deisel engine, and Thomas and more friends, and Mogley from the Jungle book, and Shrek, and Andrew Jackson, and Charlotte (and her web)

Just a few years ago.... a few worlds away....

Born Oct 26th 2004

Almost 1 yr...
2yrs

Yesterday was Jackson's 3rd Birthday. I can't believe what a real person he is; the way he eats sweet pickles like candy, his OCD with corners of rugs being folded down properly, instant recollection of chunks of movie lines, his love for speed and strength, his total amusement with Wallace and Gromit episdoes and his amazement for characters in teh Bible, like Gideon, Joseph and Moses.

Things Jackson has taught me in the last 3 years: A reinvented love for goldfish, POPS, and carrots. Appreciation for bark, butterflies, spiderwebs, stars, ladybugs and worms. A sense of total non-intimidation towards strangers and the likes of "odd folks"- a desire to connect with everyone in the world. "Jesus is with me". It's good to have a healthy dose of laughter, tickling, wrestling, and running in your day. Tantrums are ugly. We are cared for beyond what we could need. God is a fire.

What a treasure we've been handed. What a responsibility. What an avenue of joy poured into our lives.

punkin project

Here are the latest pics from the boys painting their pumpkins.

Colors and paint bring out some of the most interesting parts of their personalities. I've learned:

Jackson is sensational. He literally loves the sensation of paint on his body. He laughs at the idea of paint brushes. Why detract from the feel of cool wet color coating your arms? Color distinction is of no interest- just the collaboration of silky paint mixed and mushed together. See pumpkin for evidence.

Emerson, however is very keen on the mechanics of tools- and this being his first time painting -- was ultimately disinterested with the "feeling" of paint on his skin-- avoiding most uneccessary contact, he careful used his brush to transfer color. And also inviting the idea of color separation, was precise enough to move onto another section of the pumpkin before the lines blurred too much. See pumpkin.

I, however, dont' know WHY I chose to paint a clown like woman on my pumpkin-- perhaps b/c the flow of paint has been long dried up in my veins.... takes a little unclogging. I have hopes for greater depth with more practice (as seems to be the case in many of my creative ventures-- )

At the very least- a fun project.

punkins-

I dont' think they knew what to "do" with them. I think they thought 'punkin' meant some type of sport as our newly picked pumpkins were hurled around the house by the stems.

But we've started painting them today so - will post the results soon.

Out of space time boundaries

Sorry for absent postings:

Updates: Got my hair recklessly chopped: Garnetts were in for a visit, morning sickness seems to be back in the bag, Brian's patio project is really coming along - and Jack's b-day is tomorrow

Official News

We've been waiting for the 12 week mark to make our official declaration:

We will expect our 3rd child in early May!

PS- I know it's a little taboo to post a picture with the word "vagina" - but, hey... let's face the facts.

Then and Now....

Wedding: Oct 12, 2002

Happy 5 year anniversary to us!

Lying between the bread of then and now : 2 changes of address, 3 or 4 car trade-ins, 2 kids with one bun currently in the oven (due May 7th 2008), ZERO pets, 3 jobs, 1 trip abroad, a thousand or more miles traveled domestically, and the best friendship known to either of us.

Brian and I were talking about things we feel like we've gotten "good" at in the last 5 years: Brian - fixing and building things - thus the new garage, re-modeled bathrooms, patio- arbor project, back deck, fencing, and probably tons of other details I'm forgetting-

Me- baking. Breads, muffins, cupcakes, cakes, creme brulee', molten cakes, flourless cakes, pumpkin rolls, pies, etc...

However, the fruit of my labor is not as lasting... well, maybe it is- but doesn't look as sharp as a new patio when you wear it around your hips. :(

We're celebrating next weekend when Garnetts come to stay-

Annual Fall Celebration

Well there were several reasons to celebrate (the coming of fall the very least) Joe and Nikki and Baby Judah in town for the weekend, The Bears vs The Packers football game, Reuwer and Moore fam gettogethers, the Living Light Racine church kickoff, and the initiation of my very first pot of Butternut Squash soup that my mom's friend Jean slipped me-

Reese Noelle and Emerson Grant-- she's smiling her biggest most painful smile and he's signing "I love you" ???
Sheila, Linds, and Jackson

Left to Right (top row first): Dana, Megan, Nikki, Judah, Teresa, Mike *
Dana and Olivia, Nate-- Joey and Judah

Watching football.... Nate, Brian, Mike