They're back...

(also titled "Eva's First Birthday Party - Take 1")

Tia and the girls are up visiting, and we were so excited to see them. We went to her mom's house on Saturday for Eva's birthday party. It didn't take long for the kids to start running around together, having fun.

This was one of Darius' birthday presents from the lovely ladies, it was a huge hit.


Here is the birthday girl, fresh from her beauty sleep (and looking more and more like her Daddy.)


The kids were full of giggles, as usual.


Taye shared his doll (well, Jesse anyway, certainly not Woody) with Olivia. She later returned the favor with one of her baby dolls. Taye liked to squeeze its belly and hear it say, "Dada!" At one point he brought it over to Luis and said, "This baby knows your name!"


After a while it was time for party hats:


and a yummy lunch:


and, I'm not exactly sure, but I think Olivia just figured out that Taye has cooties (or else she noticed a giant booger hanging out of Luis' nose - I'm not sure)...

After dinner, of course, came the dessert. There was so much delicious food to choose from. Eva was happy to sample most of it for us:


And after dessert, there were presents! They were for Eva, but try convincing the other kids of that:


We had fun, and can't wait for our other plans in the coming days...stay tuned!

(Very) Local Harvest

Our next door neighbor has blueberry and raspberry bushes which he shares with the entire neighborhood every year. Alex across the street called him "the blueberry man" for the longest time (and for all I know he still does). Every year he catches us outside and lets us know when they are ready, and will repeatedly ask through the weeks if we have been over to pick some. The boys love it, and have been over several times this week alone. Luis has started taking them while I cook lunch, and they bring back a yummy snack to compliment the meal.

So Cozy

Play-Doh

I have recently been inspired to craftiness once again, not for me this time, but for the boys. I believe I showed off my craft cabinet one time, but the truth is it has stood half empty for months. I didn't know what to put in the bottom drawers (you know, the ones the boys can actually reach and get into?) It finally dawned on me that I could put the boys' craft supplies in there (minus the paints, of course) where they could actually reach them to use them! Duh, I know. So anyway, I have been in an (mental) organizational frenzy since then trying to decide where to put everything, and how to contain it all neatly in drawers. I can't actually put anything in there yet since we are planning on emptying it so that our houseguests will have somewhere to store their clothes when they come in a few weeks, but I am planning how I will fill it when I can. :o)

The point of my story is that I have been putting out a lot more craft stuff lately, and it has been fun. The other day we brought out the Play-doh.

Here is Taye, hoarding the stash:


He wanted me to make him a "Mack" and nothing else. When I asked him if he wanted to make something he said, "No, I'm too little." Where the heck that came from I have no idea.


Now honestly, how cute is he?


Darius needed a little encouragement at first too. It came in the shape of a worm:



Feeling inspired, he got straight to work:


And voila! His masterpiece, a spider:

As for Taye's masterpiece?

Well, here it is:

Its Here!

OK, so it has been here for a while now, I just haven't updated in forever. Last week we came home from a party and saw this waiting in the living room:


The boys were both asleep already, but wasted no time getting started the next morning. I don't know who was more excited, them or me!

Homebodies, horsing around

Today we spent the day (mostly) at home. Luis had to go schedule his classes for September, and the boys and I desperately needed to go grocery shopping, but it was a mostly at home day. It feels like its been so long since we had one of those, and we made the best of it. It was one of those days where everything seemed to go right - the housework (almost) seemed to do itself, everyone was in a good mood, there was no shortage of fun ideas of games to play. It was a great day.

Darius caught my eye at one point, playing a recent favorite game. He loves the pillow pile, and who can blame him? I love it myself, but can't tell you how much I wish I could bury myself in it the way he does. It looks like the absolute coziest place ever.



So I snapped a few pictures, and considered myself done, but apparently I was wrong. I was back to doing dishes when I heard, "Mama, can I say 'cheese' again?"



Later on we got crafty and made rockets. Of course, they are Toy Story related. For those who don't know, this is from the part where a maniacal child, with no parental supervision, straps Buzz to a large explosive device - it really is such a wonderful children's film. :o)



Then, of course, there was Nana's camping mat, which has been just hours of fun since we got home. The boys took turns "wrapping" themselves in it and being presents for me and for each other. Every opening was so very exciting, with shrieks of, "Oh my goodness! I got a Taye! I love Tayes, thank you!" (Or Darius', as the case may be). Then, of course there were the hugs:


And when that got old, there was this game - peek a boo, I guess. Or maybe someone jumping out of a birthday cake (you know, to go with the presents?) Either way, it was fun.

Proof that Darius can make anything look cute...

I'm not such a fan of lizards, particularly the albino variety (sorry). But even I have to admit, he makes a cute prop.

And here's Olivia doing her part just as well.