our little gymnasts

Not that I feel we need to continue this sport nessecarily throughout life (unless they like it) but I figured that taking some gymnastics this summer would be a ton of fun for Jake and Brock. I still remember doing gymnastics as a child...the smell of the gym, the cool stuff we got to do...and now I know why my mom took us. A break. Holt is still by my side, but it sure is nice to only have one and get to crack up laughing at the other two down below.
At first both were very hesitant about it all. We are in week 4 and we are JUST now REALLY liking it. Brock took to it a lot quicker than Jake, but Brock was and still is also in his own little world out there. Sometimes I wonder what is going on in that little brain of his.
Jake kicked a screamed the first couple of weeks, even would just sit and watch the whole class, but I wanted to stick it out for a least a month and I can so glad I did. He now loves it. He listens to to teacher really well, and seems to be doing all the exercises with lots of ease. Makes me so happy!!
Brock has been a little charmer. He loves to sit right next to the teacher. He doesn't listen so well. And if anything involves a ball he is THERE! But, he too is getting really good at it all with time. I love watching the both of them and seeing their different and awesome personalities and watching them excel in their own ways. So cool how God creates such distinct personalities in each of us.
So...here are some pics...iPhone, of course and a couple videos. Sorry for the crappy quality and the tininess....but they are pics, non the less.

Jake in the innertube:

Brock on the bars:

Brock schmoozing with the teacher:

Where's Brock?? He's all over the place!


Jake workin' it:

dinner time

Lately we are getting older (obviously). We are also getting more fun to have dinner as a family with. We have heard from so many people and read so many statistics which point to the cause of ill-behaving children having to do with not having dinner together as a family at the dinner table. Well, man...if that is one of the steps to sweet boys, then sign us up. Now that we are finally having fun and not having to just survive at dinner time to MAKE them eat or having to feed them ourselves. WOW...so this is what the light at the end of the tunnel is going to possibly look like someday :-)

holt is baptized

Praise the Lord! Earlier this month we get to stand up as a family of 5 and baptize our sweet Holt. It was so sweet and perfect. Total chaos in controlling Brock and entertaining Jake while Holt got doused. But great. Tina, Nick, Sam and Clay were all able to make it. It is so sweet to have a little crew there in support. Thank you all! It was also so fun to get to explain to Jake, who is really starting to get the concept of it all, what we were going and doing. He began telling us by the end of the night how he wants to tell people about Jesus and how Holt was getting baptized so that he would know and love Jesus someday. Baby steps for us all...but amazing ones that I am so thankful for!

seaside...destin...whatever...

it all runs together to me...but we did get to make a trip to Destin/Seaside a couple months ago. I got to photograph my old roomie, Ashley's, sweet wedding, so we decided to make a family trip out of it. We also invited Sitte and Mimi along for the ride...and seriously...we could not have done it without them. THANK YOU BOTH! I know that by the end of our trip we were all wanting to ring eachother's necks...but who wouldn't?? :-)

Joe and I got to relax a little....the "grandma's" totally woke up with our minions every morning. SAVIORS.
Then we spent a ton of time playing, kite flying (Holt sleeping) and running around on the beach. It was an awesome condo situation within a tiny complex right on the water, so if any of you need a good recommendation for that, let us know. It was perfect.
So here are some pics from the trip. Enjoy.

Then the boys let got of the kite: and Joe had to SPRINT to catch it:
Brock was so upset:
But, Joe and Jake rescued it and brought it back:

And everynight...they fell asleep laying on eachother....I only wish I was able to catch it...this will just have to do:
AMAZING trip. We are so excited to see the possibility of family trips in the near future. I cannot wait to see what the next adventure might be that we take the boys on!!

our minions who don't sleep

It's gotten a little interesting around here lately with the sleeping. I think something is in our water, because neither Jake nor Brock like to sleep. Forget Jake taking any more naps. Brock still needs them, but if I try and put Jake in his room, for some quiet time, while Brock naps in his there is no napping going on. Only mom yelling for 2 hours straight to get back into their rooms, the pitter-patter of feet back to their rooms followed by giggling in the hallway about 5 mins later...and repeat.

Yes, as I sit here typing this now...it sure is cute...but wow...my blood pressure goes through the room during those two precious hours of the day that are slowly slipping away from me.
Then to top it all off...night time has become interesting too. Turns out Jake doesn't need sleep AT ALL...and would much rather creep out of his room into Brock's and then both of them make their way onto the stairs, where 90% of the nights now, we find them asleep together.
NOW THIS, I find insanely cute. I know that this is what they will always have a memory of. What kid doesn't have the memory of listing to their parent's and their parent's friends late into the night from the top of the stairs or down the hallway?? I love it. Seriously.
It is also quite humorous at times sticking around in the hallway to watch their "escape tactics". Sometimes Jake bails out Brock. But now that Brock can open his own door we will see him crack it, and his little hand will appear repeatedly dropping toys out into the hallway for when he KNOWS it is safe to come out. OMG...these boys CRACK US UP! What awesome boys we have been blessed with!!

our little 6 month old

Look at me!! I'm 6 months...and counting...
This kid has got to be the easiest little munchkin on earth. Literally NOTHING fazes him. He loves his brothers already wrestling with him. In fact, I think it drives him nuts not being able to move the way he wants yet to wrestle back. He still LOVES to laugh. I was able to catch a little on video for yall to enjoy. This is not his all out laugh, but this was just me looking away and then looking back at him and he was laughing at it so hard. He has this cute little laugh when he is not all out laughing...it cracks me up. He talks like crazy. He loves to growl and let you know that he is still there. He has 2 teeth on the bottom and I see a couple trying to come in up top now too! He just started pushing up onto his knees and hands yesterday...I was so pumped for him. He is coming right along...it is flying by...too bad this is my favorite stage.

brock-isms

A few new things from Brock land:

1. He is sleeping without a rail totally in a big boy bed. We have been doing that for a couple of months now.
2. He is starting to wear underwear. WOOHOO!! We are almost there!
3. He has been talking up a storm. He is literally now able to verbalize everything he is thinking. It is so cute!
Just this morning I had one of my first, of I am sure many, Brock-isms:
Brock: "mommy, wanna go outside with me?"
Me: "Brock, can we go to the pool after nap times? It's so hot right now"
Brock: "It's hot outside, mama?"
Me: "yes, very hot"
Brock: "We blow on it??"
Me: CRACKING UP LAUGHING "that sure does make sense, doesn't it Brock?"

I love it...why not, we like to "blow on out food when it's hot"...so smart, so smart.

what was he thinking here?!?

So I know Jake is going to KILL me one day, but I had to put it all into one place for the purposes of turning this blog into a diary for each boy in the near future...not sure why this happened...but this is what I did stumble upon in the back yard the other afternoon.

summertime...

so far this is what we have done a lot of to keep the boys entertained during the day, lots of shirt-less-ness. we are gearing up for fun things like the pool, summer camps, gymnastics and play dates...praise the lord!