The Pressure For a Good Picture

Phew! We got everyone dressed and out into the greenbelt behind my folks' house inbetween rain showers on Sunday and got ONE decent family photo for this year.

BEHOLD.

{Andrew is now 6 and Ethan is 2.5}

And it all started when I found those adorable argyle ties at a craft show.



COMING SOON....our 2011 family newsletter!

Less talk, more pictures

We are just loving life these days! Besides being in a new house, the perfect Arizona winter weather, the boys being at wonderful ages to really enjoy the festivities, my nephew being born, my grandmother being in town...we are feeling extraordinarily blessed!!

So rather than yack about it, here are some of my favorite pictures from this holiday season so far.

Andrew telling Santa what he wants for Christmas at my friend Chrissy's annual Santa party.



Our family at the party.



The hubs and me, headed out for his company Christmas dinner. It was a fantastic, and much-needed, night out.



My mom and I fulfilling our new goal: to cook and bake together more often!




The boys decorating their gingerbread train on a rainy day (before it collapsed and we ate it).



The JOY pillow I scored at our church women's ministry Christmas party. Yes, I actually took this right off the host's couch. She insisted. Joy is, after all, my WORD for 2011.



My mom and grandmother toasting with the monogrammed wine glasses I got them. Andrew joined in, too.



We're just loving every moment of this holiday season!

More to come....

We sprung!

SPRING HAS ARRIVED!!

Breakfast by my folks' pool {during my mom's Spring Break from teaching}...



Impromptu picnics at the park...{my dad happened to be working nearby and came to join us...and took these pictures}





Ethan's first trip to the petting zoo...



Sticky, messy, delicious snow cones...



Breaking out the short-sleeve pajamas {hand-me-downs from a sweet friend}...



Ethan's first Easter egg hunt party...





And wearing skirts!



What are you doing to celebrate???

Merry Christmas!!!

This is us this year. Drew and me at 32, Andrew at 4 and Ethan at 6 months. This was at Ethan's baby dedication in November.



So Merry Christmas!!

This is just a quick family update so you know our latest and greatest!

Drew is in his second year at Baker Commodities and enjoys his job very much. He only has a 30-minute commute and never brings his work home with him. It's a blessing when you enjoy your work! He still serves as an elder at our church and enjoys his video games, reading, watching football, keeping up with politics and playing with the boys. Drew and I are both planning to start running in 2010 and hope to encourage each other in our efforts!

Us in November.



And Drew and the boys recently.



My year has largely been occupied with Ethan. We call him our redemption baby because he came home from the hospital on May 13, a year to the day that I miscarried in '08. God is good! Ethan Ryan was 8 lbs. 6 oz. and 21" long and his birth was remarkably "easy."



He's still measuring very tall but because he's so active, he's never been as chubby as Andrew was. He is an incredibly easy-going and cheerful baby and brings so much joy into our lives.



Ethan adores his big brother! He just cut his first tooth, is crawling and cruising and loves to chew on everything! He's a "morning person," and brings a smile to my face every morning when we wake up next to each other! We just can't imagine our lives without him.

At our visit with Santa at my friend Chrissy's house.



I'm still serving at church on the women's ministry team, the prayer team and the teaching team. I'm taking a break to do some studies of my own and will do my "How to Study the Bible" class again in the fall. I just hit 100 sales in my Etsy shop and hope to get it fully stocked in time for Valentine's Day. Drew's sister, Sarah, moved out after six years into a nearby home of her own and her former room is now my craft room/guest room. I'm looking forward to doing a lot of crafting in 2010!





I love hosting events (like Christmas dinner for the family, pictured below) and have a big Peter Pan-themed Valentine's Day tea party in the works! I want to really embrace my "Domestic Goddess side" in 2010!



Andrew is a typical 4-year-old and still obsessed with all things Thomas the Train. He loves to play in his sand box, trips to "Popcorn Target," doing artwork at his easel, watching videos and crafting with me. He loves hearing and telling stories, singing and dancing and wrestling with Drew. He always makes me smile and he loves making his baby brother laugh.



We enjoyed getting together with Drew's family the week of Thanksgiving and took all the kiddos to the Phoenix Zoo.



Our family also took a trip on the Verde Canyon Railway in November. Andrew even got a birthday cake on the train and the entire train car sang to him! It was marvelous!







Here's the boys at our neighborhod's annual Christmas party. We take this picture in the snow every year!



Here's us at our nephew's Cardinal's birthday party!



Drew and I feel incredibly blessed this year and have so much to be thankful for. Besides our home and our boys, we are blessed with loving families, wonderful friends, a terrific church home and so many other things. To God be the glory!

May you embrace the peace and love that only Jesus can bring during this Christmas season. Wishing you a prosperous and joyful 2010!

Lastly, Drew and I are both on Facebook so that's the best way to keep up with us and to see our latest pictures.

E-mail me if you need our address or phone numbers--please keep in touch!
tabandrew@hotmail.com

Baby shower re-cap!!

My baby shower was held on Saturday and, yes, I'm just now getting around to posting pictures!

Hosted by my sister-in-law, Sarah, and my dear friend, Chrissy, at Chrissy's house.

The mother-to-be at 35 weeks, feeling a little "ooky," but trying to be festive! The prizes for the games are behind me. Chrissy looooves her some cellophane and ribbon!!



Sarah and I. This is my hubby's sis', the one that lives with us. She did a lot of the shower legwork and planning.



Blue punch!! Yes, my top matched. I'm that good.



Lunch catered by "On the Border" Mexican.



Balloons and gifts. With Andrew, we didn't know if we were having a boy or a girl so I love all the BLUE this time!!



Game #1: Guess how many mints are in the jar. The winner won the jar (which looks kinda like a baby bottle!).



The favors (mints in a cellophane bag with an umbrella-shaped tape measure) and the "E" I painted for Ethan.



Our hostess, Chrissy, and her daughter Tuesday, whom I use to take care of part-time.



Game #2: Pass The Baby. You pass the doll along with the music playing and when it ends, the person holding the doll is out.



It got kind of heated!



Game #3: Guess the Mommy's belly width. I'm like, "We're going to measure WHAT?!"



Figuring out the winner.



On to presents!!! Super-fun toys.



Blue blanket knitted by 13-year-old Abby.



Adorable frog outfit. Who says boy clothes aren't fun???



Onesie with "E" Chrissy made. Our expressions say it all!! So tiny, so precious!



Custom Ethan onesie.



Custom sling my mom's co-worker made with the fabric I chose. Should come in handy!



Gift sent from my aunt and grandmother in Florida. Diapers, natural bath products and more.



My mom got me a "Mommy gift" of sleepy time room spray and lotion, plus these lovely pajamas for after the birth. I have to look nice for all those visitors, right? :) She's so thoughtful.



Me with the cake and flowers.



The most beautiful cake I've ever seen!!! Everyone raved about it! Oh, and it tasted amazing, too!!



My baby daddy. Drew, the man who got me knocked up on the first try!



Andrew got presents to open, too!! A Thomas pillow from his Great Aunt Sharon.





Me and my mom, a.k.a. Nana Pat



Back home after the shower. Andrew spotted these and had to try one out. He's already regressing and Ethan isn't even here yet!! The funny thing is, he never used a pacifier as a baby--which probably makes them that much more irresistible!



It was a lovely party and we are so grateful for all the generous gifts--and I feel much better, having it behind us and everything washed and organized now! :)

Thanks for looking...