The Grass Is Always Greener ...

... when you follow the appropriate steps!





We have a man with a green thumb on our hands! We are excited about the improvement of our lawn. The yard was in dire shape when we first moved in. We were told by neighbors that it had been neglected for years. We were also told it takes about three years to turn a yard around. But that didn't discourage Mike. He went to work this fall seeding, aerating, and watering. And boy is our lawn a beauty now! I think it looks a lot nicer than it used to! There are still a few problem areas that we will tackle next fall, but overall it looks great.

Mike and I used to cringe every time we pulled in the driveway because the yard looked so bad. We're so glad all of his hard work has paid off. The grass grew in nice and thick, and it's a beautiful vibrant green. (Wish I had a 'before' picture to share.) As for the backyard, well, that's a different story! That will be our focus next year!

So who says it takes three years to turn a yard around? Try three months! Mike did an awesome job. Yes, he is available for hire ... ;)

p.s. We got a new front door too :)

Our Boys!

Aren't our boys fun! We love Aaron and Grant so much. Aaron is constantly hugging his little brother (and sitting on him - we're working on that.) I'm sure Aaron can't wait until they can play together one day. They keep me laughing everyday. Thank goodness - we can all use some comic relief to our sometimes crazy, tiring, and stressful days.



Lastly, here's a picture of Aaron riding the Skuut - a cool, pedal-less bike he got for his birthday. The bike is designed to help children learn balance, steering, and coordination without the pedaling getting in the way. It's supposed to eliminate the need for a bike with training wheels. Aaron has gotten really good at gliding, and he seems to be comfortable riding it. His Daddy is definitely grooming him to be a cyclist. Start 'em young, right?

Oregon

Here are some pics from our wonderful time in Oregon. The flight to Oregon was ... interesting. The flight home was a little less dramatic since Aaron actually got a seat on both flights (they were less crowded.) We were happy to go and see so many of our dear friends. We had so much fun and are grateful we were able to celebrate Aaron's second birthday with the same friends who were there when he was born. We had a great reunion! We are grateful to the Schreiner's for their generosity and love and for making our trip possible!

Little (Big) Grant's Stats

Grant had his four-month checkup today. Here are his stats:

Weight: 18.6 pounds ~ 95th percentile
Height: 26 1/4 inches ~ 75th-90th percentile
Head: 42.4 cm ~ 50th percentile

I mentioned to the pediatrician that Aaron is a good big brother, other than the occasional sitting on top of Grant. The doctor said that Aaron's probably just trying to get his fill - that if Grant continues this pattern of growth that Aaron will want to be as polite as possible to Grant. :)

We've got a big boy on our hands! :)

Sweet Little Aaron! Fun little Grant!

These little stories are not to brag, but merely to record cute anecdotes about our sons for our own remembrance, and also so family and friends can get a glimpse into their personalities.

Today we witnessed Aaron's sweetness and thoughtfulness shine through. The four of us were hanging out in the family room, and I was talking about putting Grant on the floor - but I didn't mention anything about a blanket. Without being asked, Aaron ran into another room to collect a blanket. He brought it back into the family room and spread it out (with Dad's help) on the floor. Then he pointed to the blanket and said, "Baby, baby!" He brought the blanket back so Grant could hang out on the floor with him! Isn't that sweet?

Grant is quite the happy little guy himself. He is giggling and smiling a lot. He loves any form of attention. Today he rolled from his back to his stomach and back to his back a couple of times. I think he desperately wants to crawl to catch up with his big bro. All in good time, right?

p.s. Will post pics soon!

The Weekend, Continued

We had a wonderful time with family and friends over the weekend. (The fun of watching TV was only a small part of the experience.) :) On Friday night we met up with Mike's parents and their house guest to celebrate Mike's birthday. We dined at Outback Steakhouse - yummy! We had a really nice time. Then the next day a friend and I went to Potomac Mills to shop, and Dianne (Mike's Mom) and Aaron enjoyed a day at the fair. Mike's birthday celebration continued that night with some delicious cake and ice cream with Mike's parents; Nick, Martha, and Madelyn; and Nick, Amy, Alison, and Andrew.


Fun at Outback Steakhouse




Mike turning a year older (and better)...

Sunday we went to Annandale to stay with my parents. David, Traci, and Leah were there and the kids had fun playing with the toy train. The next day they experienced the real thing at Burke Lake. We headed out there so Aaron and Leah could ride the train. Aaron rode once with my parents and once with me. So fun! The boys and I stayed a few days with my parents while Mike and his friend Nick headed on a backpacking trip.

All in all, a wonderful, fun weekend. We are so glad we could spend time with both sides of the family. Thanks so much to the Stathis' and the Mathis' for hosting all of us. We appreciate how kind and helpful everyone is with the children. Oh how we love living near family! We love them all so much. Thanks again!

Aaron giving his cousin love (picture grabbed from Traci's blog)



Fun on the train ride

Babies Go Back to School

One of Mike's former PT instructors asked if we'd bring the kids in so her students could observe them & guess their ages based on their motor skills. Some of our friends were also asked to bring their babies in for "evaluation." It was a lot of fun. I really enjoyed being in academia again. I could say it even reinforced my love of learning!

The boys did great for the crowd! And, as you can see, Aaron has taken Grant under his wing!