Oh hi, I'm Becca. Nice to meet you.

I know, it's been forever right? My last post was about the holidays, and here it is June 4th! We updated our computer, and apparently Apple doesn't think iPhoto is needed anymore, so my thousands (Chris would tell you millions) of pictures are just kind of hanging out somewhere on our computer. I need to get that all figured out, but in the meantime I have two photo-dump posts so I can play catch up.

The boys are growing like weeds and eating us out of house and home! (I'm nervous for the teenage years, what happens if they have friends over and there are like ten stinky, hungry boys here?!) Bennett just ran up the street to our neighbor friends house by himself for the very first time, we signed him up for pre-k next year and he's just about reading without help! Buck turned two(!) a few weeks ago, he's starting to talk in sentences and recognize letters and he could move piles of dirt around in the backyard all day long.

This is what we were up to in January and February...

We had a family portrait done by mylittlebuffalo on Etsy:

(So cute right?)

This past winter was crazy in the snow department. We had a few really big snow storms.

This was the last and biggest storm, we just kept getting more and more snow each day, then on the last day we got freezing rain on top of it all. 

We all were going stir crazy being in the house so we tried to get outside a couple times a day. Why is  it that it takes 20 minutes to prepare them to go out in the snow, then they only want to actually play outside for two minutes? 

This was Buck's first time out in the snow, and he didn't understand what the point of gloves was, he would yank them off immediately after getting outside.

He decided that snow was pretty much the worst thing ever:

Three smiles and a stink-face:

The boys decided that going in Buck's crib is the best thing ever.

They still ask me to put them in it a few times a week:

It's always to rough house and Buck pretty much ends up sitting on Bennett every time. 

They love it and I love it because they are contained and it's a great way to get energy out!
The little elves gave us a puppet show:
(yes, they are still wearing their elf pjs even in June!)

Dressing up is always a fun time to be had.

Iron Man and Thor:

(Bennett had his fake glasses on, then Buck went in search of the Mr. Potato Head glasses for the picture!)

Oh yes, Valentines Day...man that seems like a long time ago:

(This is the best picture we could manage to send to my mom...the only way I could get Buck to stay still was to pull up the stool and give him a snack. Obviously it was too much to ask him to look at the camera as he shoved his face full of goldfish.)

Bennett made me a valentine:
(which I can't bear to take down yet)

When we were stuck inside for what felt like an eternity, I got creative with fort making:

and lots of cozy clothes were worn:

Buck passed out holding his bowl of macaroni:

It seems like it was a pretty drastic change to warmer days once it stopped snowing.
I love seeing these brothers together. They love each other and watching their friendship grow has definitely been my favorite part of having two boys.
Balloons:

Indoor picnics:

Now that the sun is out most days, we've had lots of playground time.
It's funny because Bennett has always been cautious and Buck will do anything, that boy has no fears:
(lord help me)

This is what happened when I tried to get a picture of all three of my boys on the wall...impossible.
The little stinker ran away and of course Bennett went to go catch him:

and if you haven't noticed our new family member in many of these pictures, I introduce you to Coon...a permanent extension of Buck's hand:

We've had a few sets of my late grandpa's deer antlers and finally got around to mounting them.
Chris learned how to mount them himself and we knew we wanted to make them look funky and modern to fit in with our house decor so we used some Pendleton wool for the fabric covering and our friend Jordan cut the plaque out of plywood.
We couldn't be happier with the way they turned out:

Okay so like I said, I have another post full of pictures and I just need to add words. That shouldn't take me 3 months, but you never know. I'm horrible.
I actually almost forgot how to do this whole blog post thing but I made it!
Woohoo!

Now you know we're alive at least.

Ready for a photo dump?
I know no better way to catch up on what we've been doing since our trip in September. This all feels like forever ago, the holidays really went by so quickly this year, and now it's almost March?!
Where has time gone?

We had "Friendsgiving" with all of our close friends:

Getting everyone to sit was interesting:
(yes Bennett was dancing for the picture…that kid doesn't know what 'sit still' means)

The first Chrismassy thing we did was our annual trip to Zoo Lights with our friends The Hartmanns:

The zoo train wasn't running this year, so they created a new 'light tunnel' to make up for it.
It was pretty awesome:

Buck just wanted to touch all the lights:

Getting our Christmas tree:

Found the perfect one:

Decorating it:

The boys in a box admiring the tree:

Outside lights:

I love the coziness of having Christmas decorations up and the tree lights on instead of lamps, but isn't it funny how quickly we grow tired of it?

While at my mom's group before Christmas, the kids came and sang us Silent Night,
hand motions and all.
See Bennett in the front/left?

Our first snow of the year.
Buck was pretty excited:

Chris had two weeks off so we took a few trips to the library:

And Chris fashioned an obstacle course one day during nap time:

We went on the Polar Express in Hood River with my whole family, how cute are the boys' elf pjs:
(I hope they never grow out of them)

Santa with the cousins:

Their first ever visit to see Santa:
(and his reindeer too!)

This Santa looked so much like Will Ferrel, it was kind of crazy:

Our Christmas Card:
(Paperless Post is really the best)

Christmas Eve service at The Schnitz:

Buck and the sea of presents at my sister's house:

Photobooth fun:

Craziness always ensues at Chris' family Christmas with all the kids being so close in age.
This year Buck had to stand on all of the presents:

Wrapping gifts with Ember's help:

Gifts all set out for Christmas morning:

The best picture I got of these guys on Christmas morning:
(I don't think these two have ever sat still at the same time)

Checking out his new puzzle:

Testing out our new things before breakfast:

My mom found a Fisher Price parking garage in great condition,
I'm not sure which one of us likes it more:

We had a New Years party with our friends and I put together a photobooth to document the occasion:

The kids weren't too interested in the Photo photobooth:

And we proved that we are photobooth-challenged:

Case in point:
(at least he's got the cuteness factor going for him)

Happy New Year:


…a very, very belated one!