Berries!

We took off to Fordyce Farm for some good, ol' fashion berry pickin'. If you haven't been over there, let me say it's a beautiful place to hang out and load up on yummy stuff! They have mostly blueberries and strawberries, but also cucumbers, squash and blackberries. We came out of there with an insane amount of stuff for $7. They are also a homeschooling family and their kids are usually in charge of the farm store and help you check in and out. Take Sunnyview Road out to the country about a mile, they're on the left (it's not the 1st u-pick place, though, it's the one quite a bit farther out. You'll see their sign).

Mmmmmm...Daisies!

Another shnoz full of flowers.

There are so many flowers at this place! The butterflies flock by the dozen. This guy was nearly as big as my hand!

Mommy put this one in sepia because it makes Kai look like our Great Grandma Bonnie. She went to live with Jesus just before everyone found out I was on my way. I'd like to think maybe we met up somewhere in the middle of here and heaven.
NOTE FROM MOM: Notice the completely empty bucket, even though we'd been picking for half an hour. I asked my (blue tinged) children where all the berries went and they would shrug their little shoulders innocently.

Comments, Comments, Where For Art Thou Comments?

Ok, I should have explained this long ago, but better late than never, right? When I post new pictures, some of the old ones slide off and go into the "Archives" (they're just down there in that right hand column, see them? They say the months?) Well, when the "Archives" get full, I'm laminating all the posts and having them bound into a book, along with ALL THE COMMENTS THAT WERE LEFT FOR THE KIDS. I will keep adding to this book as they grow and the "Archives" fill. This book will hold THE memories from my children's childhood. THE documentation of everything. The day we finally kick our children out...I mean the day they majestically soar from the nest, Micah and I will present this book to them with both tears and joy.
Their story has begun and will end with the folks who are reading this right now. It begins with 2 brothers and will continue through the (attempted) adoption of Rayna, then the eventual addition of more siblings and journeys across the globe to pick them up. It will hold the smells of summer and the taste of tears. The elation of victories won and the hardship of lessons learned. It will be held in the chubby fists of my Grandchildren who love to hear the stories and see the pictures of their Mommy or Daddy who used to be small just like them. It will be perused with smiles at family get-togethers. It will invoke chuckles and shakes of the head as Micah and I age and need to remember. All of their hardships, achievements and joys are being documented in this book and it will immortalize YOU for my children and their children after them. Why do I tell you this? BECAUSE YOU NEED TO LEAVE SOME STINKIN' COMMENTS!! (Regular commenters such as Nana and Andee excluded - thank all 2 of you)
Now, your comments don't need to be profound for the kids to know that you took the time to check in on them, and you'll be in their book forever! Just click the "Comments" tab at the bottom of the picture, jot a quick note, and sign your name. Select "Sign in as other". Then, type in the letters you see for the anti-span thingie and click "Login and Publish". Voila! Now, we don't have any comments from some really important people in the kids' lives (I'm looking your direction; Papa & Goga, Uncle Shawn & Auntie Julie, Uncle Chad, Auntie Cynaera, Papa Davis & Gramma Anna, the Clark/Boles household, Great Auntie Ruby & Great Uncle Denny, Uncle Donovan & Aunt Vicky, Grandpa Ed & Family, Grandpa Don & Grandma Cyndi...I won't name any names, though :) I could just scrapbook for my kids, but I put this online because I want their book to hold the thoughts, notes and wishes of the people who are important to them. That's you. Because nobody else will have had the patience or desire to read this incredibly long and ranting post.

Adventures at the Farm

We've just spent the last several days farm-sitting for our friends who were in North Dakota. We had run of the place and full chicken/bunny/goat privileges. Mommy went a little bit nuts. She made a hay playpen in the front room, and brought in bunnies, Harley the Billy Goat and her favorite chicken. It was really fun!

We helped out with all the farm type chores and really enjoyed ourselves.

Malachi and I made sure the baby bunnies had food, water and plenty of escorts around the premises.

I'm sure that they had as much fun as we did!

On Friday the sweltering weather forced us to the coast to play in the cool water. Mommy snapped pictures of us as we saw the waves. Here's Malachi:

My first impression,

...and Rayna...

..."butt" before we knew it, she was having a wonderful time in the water. We stayed all afternoon.

On Saturday there was a big parade downtown. They had some really neat floats and we all got pelted with loads of candy!

It was over 100 degrees out and Rayna made sure I had adequate protection from the hot sun...

...there! No sunburns for me!

Sunday was Malachi's birthday, so we had a little party for him over there. He got this cool Batman car from Nana!
Our trip was fun, but as we were in the car headed back home, I told Mommy, "I really miss my house and my Brier Rabbit." There's no place like home.

3 Little Monkeys

A Note from Mommy:
"Globally Delayed". Right. I always forget the diagnoses. The boys don't think she can't. So she does. They encourage her. So she tries. They don't underestimate her. So she succeeds. This kid's going to surprise a whole lot of people. I'm so proud of you, Rayna!

Somebunny to Love Me

A Note From Mommy: Everyone in the house is sick, except for Daddy (keep your fingers crossed). It's hit Malachi the hardest and he's been pretty cranky. Yesterday afternoon, all he wanted was to, "way outside wif my Brier-wabbit". He got settled with blankie and pillow and Brier bounded over excitedly. Her bunny antics distracted him for a while as she jumped back and forth over his head. Then she burrowed in beside him. They snuggled up and rested together for quite a while. Malachi was finally quiet and I could get some stuff done. Thanks, Brier.

Wabbit Kisses.

GONE FISHIN'

Daddy and Mommy took us fishin' today! We were after Rainbow Trout and found a farm of them in Sandy, about an hour from our house (turned out to be way more then an hour though, by the time my parents got thoroughly lost - twice.).

Once we finally got there, it was a beautiful walk to find the pond we wanted to conquer.

Daddy took Malachi's treasured cup of worms and skewered one. I thought my brother would freak out on Daddy for being too rough with his worms. He sees them as pets because Mom buys them for him at the Wal-Mart bait counter if he's a good boy while she's grocery shopping. He always takes them home and plays with them all afternoon. Then he wakes up in the morning and can't figure why they leave. Anyhow...

Then I held the net and Kai held the pole and we waited.
And waited. We looked at our parents. They were smiling and nodding encouragingly. We glanced at each other speculatively. "Let's go fishing, boys!" they said, "It'll be great fun!" they said. What do I see? Kai holding a pole and me holding a net. Fish? Not so much. Wait...Kai caught one!

Wow! A 16 incher! Malachi loved his fish. He put it in the bucket with water and noted it's beautiful colors.
Then, when we were all done (we caught 9 altogether) we went to have them cleaned and packed up for the journey home to our BBQ. Malachi was appalled as the lady cleaned his "sleeping" fish. He cried. Daddy and Mommy told my brother that this was how all fish dinners began, but he wouldn't be comforted. Even when we got home and cooked them up, the kid who loves all kinds of seafood just wanted crackers. To everyone reading this: Please, never tell Malachi what's in a "hangerbur".

Roo

We got our favorite girl for the weekend! She's getting so big! For 2 months out of the year, Rayna and Malachi are the same age - having two 2-year-olds around is actually pretty handy. They do my bidding because I'm older, see? It's neat being the oldest.

Mommy put this hat on Ray when we decided to go outside and enjoy the sunshine. It was a nice thought and made a cute picture, but that's about all. About .5 seconds after mommy snapped this picture, she was running for the door with us, hat ripped off and thrown on the floor. Poor hat never had a chance. Only made it as far as the hallway.

"The babies" are always willing to lend a hand with all of my projects. Note from Mom: Just something interesting I've noticed: Solomon always refers to Malachi as "my brother" until Rayna shows up, then they are collectively referred to as, "the babies". It's like Malachi gets demoted or something. They all play together and don't seem to exclude eachother - I can't figure out this shift in Solomon's perception of his brother. Anyone have any ideas/similar experiences? Leave a comment!

Playdates with Lizards

Today we got a surprise! Uncle Chad and "Uncle" Clint brought over their new Leopard Geckos for us to play with (Clint has "God Uncle" status because he and Uncle Chad have been buds since grade school and he's known us since in-utero)! This is me with Cratos.

Malachi and LuAnne bonded instantly.

We had such a great time, we hated to say good-bye! Poor Daddy will probably be bombarded with pleas for one of Cratos and Luanne's babies.

Thank God for America!!

Our 4th of July weekend was really fun! We went to see Over the Hedge with Daddy, Mama, Papa and Goga!

We also got to do fireworks!

!WOW!

Malachi really liked all the colors! And we got to stay up really, really late!

As it got more and more past our bedtime, it got cooler and cooler outside. I zipped my coat up further,

Goga wrapped Kai up tight in a nice warm blankie,

...and Papa, ever the trend setter, donned a beautiful blankie-turned-kilt. What? He's Scottish - can't ya tell, Lads?
Now, lets just all of us say a quick prayer that a bonny breeze doesn't pipe up and start blowing that kilt hither and tither, ay?

Fortress of Solitude

A Note From Mommy: OK. The cabinet was in need of a complete overhaul. Inside and out. Most the stuff inside were arts and crafts supplies for the boy's preschool activities. I began dragging stuff out and sorting through. I looked over to see Malachi crawling into the space I just created. He shut the door and laughed. How adorable! Then I remembered a post I read on OwlHaven's blog (her family adopted from Ethiopia, just like we're going to and they enjoy having a large, Christ-centered family which we're also planning). I decided that I could put the craft supplies in the hall closet. Then I called my husband...

Micah said, "You want me to do what, now?"
"Bust out the shelving!"
"Why would I bust out perfectly good shelving?"
"Because I want to make the boys a fort!"
He shakes his head and gets the hammer.
"Oh! Micah! Get your saw, too!"
"What do I need the saw for?!?"
"Duuh...Windows!"
"Oh. How silly of me. Windows - of course..."
I love my husband.

Finished product! This is the inside, decorated with their favorite "Supers". Most of their play has involved Super Heroes of late, so I thought we'd go for a "hero hideout". Nana grabbed us some carpet remnants from her house for us. I found Daddy's Superman shirt, copied the insignia onto the door and painted it. Add some Super Heroes from around the house and...Voila - The Fortress of Solitude. It turned out comfortable and homey. A place a guy can hang up his cape and mask for a while and enjoy some seclusion under the silverware drawer :)

Cupboard fulla babies!
My links aren't working right, so if you want to visit OwlHaven, go to: www.owlhaven.blogspot.com - her Think Pink story is in the June archive and her finished product, Pretty in Pink, is on the July page. Thanks for the inspiration, Mary!

Flower Children

Mommy grabbed me and stuck me in the daisies this afternoon. I really like the daisies. They got nice and big this summer!

...and Malachi in the daisies. Mommy and her camera, I'm tellin' ya. Lately we just can't get away from the "mamarazzi".

Malachi's almost 3!

We had Malachi's birthday pictures done! I can't believe he's going to be 3! It doesn't seem that long ago that he'd cry and squeal and kick his little legs...oh, wait, that was just this morning...

...just kidding! My brother and I really love eachother. Mommy and Daddy always say how glad they are for having us so close together. Life's never boring - that's for sure!

And here's us fishin'. This was a fun one to do - my favorite!