Sunday Morning Photo Shoot

Will, looking quite suave, or rather after washing with Suave.
They really do like each other.

Just handsome

I love my Giggies

Explanation for this picture--they are 4 and 3. This is the natural pose, a smile takes coaching. This, unfortunately, just happens.

Josh was at Bishopric meeting leaving us on our own for the group shot. Some people take great pictures like this. I am not one of those people.

Will gave specific directions as he took this picture:

"Mommy, you move your leg back and forth (I did) and Isaac, you make a silly face and talk to me. Now talk to me louder! (he did)"

We even let Isaac take a turn behind the camera

Giggies Turned 3! (One Month Ago...oops)

Let them eat cake!
What to get Giggies for his birthday? hmm..."Oh, I know! another train set!" I keep waiting for the time that he just hands it back to me and tells me that this is getting ridiculous.

The goods

Will, unsure that he is willing to concede that it is indeed, Isaac's birthday, and not his.

Happy Birthday, sweet Giggies. You are sweet, funny, and what I love the most about you (Will too, come to think of it) is that you are not afraid to let your crazy show :) It's a problem we've got in this house, and now I'm just ready to accept it. Watch out for the Brown family, their crazy is showing!

What a Stinker!

This morning Will and Isaac were sitting at the table for breakfast, and Will had a blanket wrapped around him, so Isaac thought he needed one too. Isaac, started whining, "blanket, blanket, BLANKET!"
Will said, "No, no, Isaac. You need to ask daddy nicely for a blanket, and if he says 'no', then...ask mommy."

Any takers?

Since the end of November, I've been dealing with a pretty annoying knee "injury". This prevented me from doing too much running between then and now, but over the last few days, I seem to have found my groove again. I am SO thankful. It is a pity to not be able to run around the Wisconsin parks and trails in the 3 months that we have beautiful weather of the whole year, so I could not be happier with this development.
I've been waking up at 5:00am and going to the gym for the last month, and I love this schedule. I have learned something about myself--I suppose I knew this about myself before, just didn't realize how much it really did permeate all aspects of my life--and that is that I hate when I don't get to do things on my terms. One of those things is waking up in the morning. I got so sick of waking up to the boys already bickering or fighting, or jumping on me, and said "Enough!" That is why I started waking up so early, and now I really just like it. I am such a better mom for it-at least for the first hour or two of the day-you know the two hours when I am at the gym and my kids are not in sight-I am a FANTASTIC mom then :)
I title this any "takers", because maybe, just maybe, there are other moms out there looking for an exercise buddy, or a chance to do something on their own terms, and wouldn't mind joining me for my 5:00 (ish) runs in the park? If you do, let me know. I know that you won't regret it.