Back, Books, Boys, Beer, Brothers...

    We have had a lot going on the past couple of weeks and it has been a lot of fun! I had my last chiropractor visit last Friday and my back is feeling much better. I am still not completely healed, but I feel like it will just take a little time to be back to normal. I am so thankful that it is feeling better though, it was pretty rough for awhile there.
    That same day, we had the Ashtons over for dinner. It has been so fun to see Arden and Owen playing together. They really do interact now and play really well together (even though sometimes it's hard to share toys!). I just made pizzas and salad for dinner. After we all ate together the little boys went to bed and Arden and Owen just played and watched Nemo (our current favorite movie) while Zach and Anna and William and I played a fun, new game that they brought over called Dominion. We had a great time playing and hanging out, and even though the boys stayed up WAY too late, they had a blast too! (Including dumping out a 1000 piece puzzle all over the living room, along with many other things as well!)

    Last Thursday night we had the Quinns over for dinner. We just ate and visited with them for awhile. Arden loves seeing Anna and David and gets really excited when they're here. William had to have a Skype deacon's meeting in the middle of them being here, but we just hung out and played with Arden until he was done with that. I made a haircut appointment with Anna that night, that I am really looking forward to next week! I'm ready for a change! Anyway, it is always fun to hang out with them, I just wish we could do it more often! They are some busy people!

    On Friday night I went to my first book club! Patti Kaiser from our church has put together a book club and invited me to join. We read The History of Love by Nicole Krauss beforehand and got together to talk about it. The book was pretty good, but it was even more fun to discuss it with friends. I have never participated in a book club before, but I love to read, and it was fun to hear other's thoughts on the book and to have different things pointed out that I had either not paid much attention to or forgotten after reading. It was a good mix of women and I thought it went really well for the first time, especially considering only one person had ever been in a book club before.
    While I was at book club, William had a cookout/beer tasting/babysitting party. Most of the husbands from the book club plus several co-workers plus a few other friends all came over to our house with their kids (if they had them) to hang out and cookout. I was a little nervous leaving my clean house in the hands of all the craziness, but they had a blast and it wasn't too destroyed by the time I got home. As I was leaving, I said "Just make sure you don't ignore Porter!" That poor baby....he was surrounded by all the kids as I was leaving..no telling where he got poked or prodded! But everyone survived and I'm pretty sure a good time was had by all!

    Saturday evening we went to our little neighbor, Sophia's, 3rd birthday party. We went to a pizza place for dinner and then to her grandparents' house for cake. Arden LOVES Sophia "Phia" and "Phia Mommy" (Natalie), so he was thrilled to go to her party. Ever since then, he's been planning his own party. I can't tell you how many things he's said "Can I have that at my party, please?!" I mean, everything from cows and horses and tigers to diggers and trucks to balloons and bubbles. The kid apparently thinks that he can pretty much have anything he wants for a birthday party! I just hope he's not too disappointed come June when he just gets a normal birthday party! After Sophia's party I babysat for the Ashtons so that they could go out for Zach's birthday. It was fun to get to spend time with Owen (Caelum was already in bed) for a little while one on one. He's such a sweet kid and I am so happy that he and Arden are such good friends.

Phia's Party

Sweet Buddies

William left last night for a business trip to San Diego. He took the train/bus, and it was pretty exciting for Arden to watch "Daddy go Bye Bye on the big Choo Choo Train." We took him to the train station last night, so we've been home alone today, except for spending the morning at the Ashtons. We will join him in San Diego on Wednesday when the conference is over just for a little change of scenery and a little excitement. We are going to stay the night and go to the zoo on Thursday, which Arden is really looking forward to!

The "Big Brothers" holding the "Little Brothers"....I think with both families, we're going to have to start saying older and younger because the younger ones are going to outweigh the older ones soon! 

    Anyway, as you can see we are keeping busy around here and are enjoying spending time with our friends. I've missed having people over and hanging out in that setting, but I'm glad we're getting back into doing that now that things have settled down as far as home life with an infant and toddler goes! I hope you have a Happy Valentine's Day! We'll be celebrating on Wednesday in San Diego at Ghirardelli's Ice Cream Shop!! Yum!
    Now for the real reason that you visit my blog...some recent pictures....

 Isn't he just delicious?

Brown Eyed Boy

 One of his favorite spots...the kitchen sink, washing the dishes...let's hope that sticks!

Another latest obsession...the phone..."talking" and playing on it

Brothers

Just playing around...he loves toys!

 "You like my motorcycle?"

 Ready to "take Bah-yee walk"

 She's still the baby girl...poor Molly Bear, doesn't get near enough attention!

Baby Brother