Cloud Family: January 26, 2016!

Over six months have flown by and I am starting to understand that life truly flies by. Why do we spend so much time worrying about it?? I believe this so much more these days! James 4:13-15 Come now, you who say, "Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, and spend a year there and engage in business and make a profit." 14Yet you do not know what your life will be like tomorrow. You are just a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes away.15Instead, you ought to say, "If the Lord wills, we will live and also do this or that." That's just it! Life is just a vapor.

These boys bring us so much joy (and some sleepless nights and tears, but mostly joy) that we are trying to enjoy every moment. I recently stopped working and have enjoyed settling into a routine with these energetic boys - James is THREE and thinks he is hilarious (and he is!) There are many days that he wants to be called a different name (such as a ninjago character like Kai or Skillful Jay, or a superhero like Hulk or Batman). He is very creative and loves building garages, towers and "tournament of elements" (Ninjago reference) with magnatiles or legos. He also loves helping mom and dad cook, coloring, playing with friends, dancing, jumping on our bed, creating "traps" (typically a pile of pillows and perhaps shoes or blocks, that we simply cannot get through). He is very conversational and often sits across from us asking "How was your day? What is your favorite super hero? So what do you want to talk about?" James and I even went on a date recently to the Melting pot for chocolate fondue and had such a sweet time. He is in preschool two mornings a week and I really miss him, but know it is good for him to have time away from mom and with friends. James definitely prefers to have mom read to him, take him to the potty, tuck him in, etc... so I know it's good but it is a new phase of life and I can't believe how quickly it's gone!

When James is at school, I enjoy having a few hours with just Graeme! Graeme is 16 months now and is developing his own little personality. He loves playing with James and loves to "hiya" with a plastic golf club or tackle mom, dad or James. He also loves to jump on the couch with James, zoom cars, build with Megablocks, dance, color and watch "Yo Gabba Gabba". He is much happier now that he can communicate more with us. He can say a few words now like "trash truck" "MOM!" "Jamesy" "Hi!" "Bye" "quack quack" "bus" but he mostly just points and grunts when he wants something, which can be frustrating for all of us. We love his sweet smile, especially when he has a sneaky look and comes running full speed to knock one of us down! He is sleeping great now and we are all so thankful to have more rest.

Since it has been SO long since my last update, you can just scroll through these... I really want to keep up with the weekly updates for Graeme and had a few more remaining before he turned one in September so I know it is A LOT of photos!

WEEK 45 (July 25- 31)

Dad returns from Scotland and Ireland!

Play dates with the Hunolts and Roberts

A trip to Storyville with Landon (mom's first adventure with THREE boys in the car!)

Lots of swimming in the river

WEEKS 46-47

Lots of outdoor play time in the river and with friends!

James is a little dare devil already!

Meeting Kelly Ann Martindale!

WEEK 48

Graeme starts taking a few steps

Landon, Rebekah and Charles move to Annapolis so lots of silliness ensues!

Mom helps Annalise move into UNCW for 2 days = boys weekend!

"Take our picture!"

Outdoor concerts at Quiet Waters park become a favorite activity!

Baseball date with dad to the Rockies game!

Mom trying hard to relax at the beach in NC

Boys silliness at home!

WEEKS 49-50

Enjoying the last few days of summer with swimming, golf, friends, froyo and the zoo!

The most exciting night EVER - SIX fire trucks/engines (James will correct you if it's not a TRUCK) right outside our door!

One night getaway with Brandon in St. Michaels!

Touch a Truck day- we got to "drive" a trash truck!

WEEK 50

The Brownlees move away to Texas!

James goes kayaking for the first time

Graeme starts deciding 5 am is when we should start the day, and he is not always happy... trying lots of ways to get him to be quiet or go back to bed

Lots of visits to fire stations (we always drive by them and sometimes stop in!)

Outdoor movie with James and lots of little buddies

Daniel Hunolt's christening

Early morning walk with Graeme to get out of the house

WEEKS 51-52

James gets bunk beds! The boys start to share a room (the 5 am wake ups seem to not affect James!)

More play dates and swimming in the river - both boys LOVE to swim!

Mom and dad spent a day on the river with Graeme celebrating Chris Anderson's birthday

Boys playing together!

Meeting Taylor Radford

Graeme loving the moon bounce at Penelope and Madison O'Neil's birthday party!

Last day playing with the Hannons before they move back to NY

silly smoothie drinking!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY GRAEME!

September 13!

Phew! No more weekly updates! So since Graeme's birthday.... here's what has been filling our days!

SEPTEMBER

Working in the garden with Great papa

Lots of dates with Landon - this is at Chick filA!

Fun with mom at the county fair

A Jeep ride with Uncle Jordan

Family driving range date (This day we let James decide what we were going to do! He chose to go to Arnold Farms and play in the sand box and ride rides, go to the driving range and Chick Fil A for lunch. THEN the beach with mimi and poppy and Landon! Lucky boy!)

Ice cream date with buddy Joshua Scheidt

Graeme standing and becoming more adventurous on his own

Play time at mimis while mom is at work

Fire Station open house!

Such sweet buddies, the Burleighs and Wagners. We are SO thankful to have friends in our same crazy phase of life.

OCTOBER

Craft day at Home Depot - building a fire truck!

Mom and boys trip to Missouri to visit the Fitzwaters!

The very next day, mom left for a long weekend in Texas with Lauren Shirlen and a boys weekend ensued!

Dad even took them to a fire station!

I got to visit Lauren Brownlee in Texas too!

Texas State fair and the beach boys with Lauren!

Loving fall days with these boys.....

Visiting Aunt Shannon and Avery

Happy 30th Caroline!

Riding "the dad crab", a favorite activity

Graeme LOVES the slide

Play time with the younger boys while James is in school

Working on his golf game

Watching trash trucks together

A date with Aunt Annalise!

Surprise " Hiskey Honor" night October 24!

Playing in the leaves with my buddy

The coolest pumpkin there ever was. (James is into TMNT in October. Quickly surpassed by Superheroes and Ninjago)

Getting to see Jill at Adam and Brittany Wishart's baby shower!

HALLOWEEN 2015

The cutest Batman and Robin you've ever seen

NOVEMBER

Play date with Rex

Grandma, Aunt Amanda, Ari and Lucas come to visit!!!

JAMES TURNS THREE!!! He asks for a Ninja turtle "party", just with the Hiskeys so we indulge in Leonardo pancakes (he wanted pancakes, bacon and fruit for his bday dinner!) and a cake!

Playing at the beach with Ethan Lyons in November!!

A little jam session at the Gormans

May you always love each other sweet boys!

Vincent in town for Thanksgiving!

Thanksgiving at Livingstone! We are SO thankful for family

DECEMBER

Decorating the tree

Indoor gym play time!

Meeting Santa with mom! This is one of my favorite December moments with James. He loved meeting Santa and asked him a lot of questions, like "How is Rudolph doing?" and "What is your favorite superhero?" We met him at a lunch at a fire station (and naturally he asked to see the engines), but I told him that our lunch was going to be a hot dog, chips, cookie and a drink as it said on the sign. He was dismayed that the "cookies" were animal crackers. He took them back up to the counter and said "These are not cookies. Do you need the recipe? My mom knows it."

Saturday night Ninja style

Jax's birthday party at Rollie Pollies!

PJ day at Mops followed by a date to the Amish Market and weirdly warm December weather

Meeting santa again!

Breakfast date with the Hunolts

A night out with our dear friends!

Gingerbread house making with mimi

Pool day

We love the park!

Christmas jammies!!!!

Christmas eve

Merry Christmas!

What a joyful (and exhausting day!)

The day after Christmas Windish gathering

The military bowl parade

JANUARY

Mom takes on six kids in one day. So much fun and energy!

Pizza party!

We are swapping play time with the Lyons every week so moms get some breaks.. this was our day with Ethan and Noah! (And added in another buddy, Briggs!)

Mustaches?

I took James on a date for chocolate fondue at the Melting Pot. He got "fancied up" and told me I looked like a princess. He even took my coat and laid it on the other side of our table. Such a sweet little boy!

Graeme eats SO much these days!

Epic light saber battle

Lucas Hunolt and James!

The face James makes when he cannot wear his Ninjago shirt.

One day we were over at the Burleighs and I went inside for probably 30 seconds to get coffee and came out to this. Can't take my eyes off this one for a minute.