Ellie Young Author

Every year the kids write their own hardback book complete with your own illustrations.  Ellie's first one was "Ellie Is A Rock Star" 

5th grade friends

A few of Max's friends...him and Cameron



His closest friend, Tyler

5th Grade Gradutuation

I couldn't catch a picture of graduation ceremony, but here are some from in the class afterward.  We're so proud of what a great student he is.  Straight A's again and consistently motivated to do his very best in school.  Great kid - we love him mucho mucho mucho!

He and we LOVE his teacher Mrs. Paradis.  He's grown by leaps and bounds under her wing.  Phenomenal person and teacher...she is a tender merciful blessing from God to us.  She was a huge part of our "village" in raising him.  We will miss her, but hopefully Ellie and Cohen will have her!  I love that Max wanted to hold Cohen in the picture...he is probably the sweetest person in the house to his little brother.  I hope they will continue to be close.  Cohen adores him.

Cupboard Play

Cohen's new favorite place to play - inside the cupboards.

Look at how fast he's unloading it, haha!

Cohen Food Sampling

It was sample day at Natural Foods Warehouse today.  Cohen was in heaven!  This guy'll eat anything.

That's the face of pure bliss

Tractor Rides by Cohen

Its tractor riding season again...this time Cohen's doing the driving.  I love how serious he's taking it...he's watching his lines, ha!

Chilling in my manger

I left the Ellie and Cohen playing and when I came back, here's where they were...

She lined a box with a blanket, put him in it and he laid there for a while chilling while she read to him.  He's her doll.  We feel sorry for him sometimes, but mostly he loves it.

Beach Vacay - Parents Only

A surprise last minute getaway to Florida compliments of Shane's travel.  A one hour meeting in Miami = an almost all-inclusive two day stay at Deerfield Beach in between Ft. Lauderdale and Boca.  We left for the airport at 5:30 am and were on the beach by 10 am.  This man knows how to make me giddy!   

2 grown ups + 0 kids = pure relaxation

Top floor beachfront view - I need to go with him every time!



Guinea Pigs

This is what happens when my husband takes the kids to the pet store to kill some time.

Meet Snowball and Patches.  Cohen's new favorite entertainment.  They're super fun, though, really.  And they're better than the mice he came home with first...which we had for a few weeks, then decided to upgrade.  Mice are cute running on their wheel and burrowed sleeping together, but other than that, they're horrible pets.  Live and learn.

Smile!

"Hi Max, will you smile for the camera?"

"Come on, please?"

"I'll give you a dollar..."

He's no fool.

Bath Hair

What happens when you let a 9 month old do your hair.... 

Piano boys

My boys practicing piano - so cute!

Sweet Max

My friend from dance has a special needs son.  She needed someone to watch him for one of her performances and I offered.  Max overheard and asked if he could go with me.  I explained what the boy would be like and he thought it would be a good idea for him to bring his "Chef Macaroni" puppet to show him.  Since Matthew was sleeping the first half, he rehearsed his routine with the dog first.   He's become such a sweet boy who's very socially aware and quite empathetic.

School Songs

Here's Ellie's kindergarten music performance at school. I was super sick and forgot or else I may have had her wear a cute dress like most of the other girls...sigh, oh well. She pulls off what she calls "sweating pants" quite well though!  She has a little downs syndrome boy in her class, Brycen.  Her and her best friend Madison were put in charge of helping him - it was so sweet.

Irish Eyes

A little St. Patrick's Day photo op at the park.  His hair is like baby duck down and you can kind of tell in this one.  He definitely looks more like my side of the family than Max and Ellie right now.



Father Daughter Dance

A little birdie caught some pictures at Ellie's first Father/Daughter Dance.  She was soooooo excited!  He got her a real corsage and they even had professional pictures.  Lucky girl!



Grocery Shopping

Grocery shopping with mom on a beautiful spring day.  Little guy is getting so big!  He is such a happy, sweet kid.  He lights up our life every day.

Cousins Visit

Here are the pics from when Jaymee and Shelby's fam was here for New Year's.  I don't think my kids ever have more fun than with their cousins!

Dates

We take the kids on dates as much as we can.  Here's Ellie on one with Shane.  Max isn't as easy to convince to take a pic.  Especially next to a weird grass reindeer.

Merry Christmas 2011

My parents and Brandi came for Christmas.  We had a wonderful time enjoying Cohen's "first" Christmas. Ellie's is at a "magical" Christmas age and Max is at an "all-knowing", yet grateful, Christmas age.