Boom!

Look at baby Boom posing in the leaves!

Getting some rough love from Osten . . .

and big sis!

For once, Marci was merely an innocent bystander!

Forever Plaid

A rare shot of the busy foursome clad in their new Christmas jammies courtesy of Grammi and FaFa!

Gobble, Gobble

I think these are the cutest little turkeys I've ever seen!

'Tis the Season

It's hard to believe that Christmas is just around the corner! We took advantage of the late afternoon light and snapped a few holiday shots in our neighborhood.

Both kids were all smiles for the first few shots, so we decided to push our luck at a second location.

Believe it or not, this is the only decent shot that we got at the marina! There's just something about Christmas pictures and tears that seem to go hand-in-hand.

Getting a Boost

After multiple recent requests from Osten, I picked up a booster seat for him yesterday. He was all excited to drag it in the house and put it together tonight.

We tested it out in the kitchen before installing it in the car.

All set for a test-drive . . . (and just a little proud and excited)!

Little sister on board (with a ball in her mouth), and we're ready to go! At Osten's request, we called all three grandparents to share the exciting news as we made a few laps around the neighborhood. Exciting stuff . . . our little guy is really growing up! And he is definitely keeping score and apparently rounding up. As he proudly announced to Gramma Sue, "I'm almost five!"

Margaritaville

Who knew we have a couple of parrot heads??!! Here they are hanging the with band at a recent oyster roast we attended.

Cutting a rug to "Wasted Away Again in Margaritaville"!

Trying to get Daddy in on the action.

Really getting down!! (We made our exit shortly after they started tackling each other and rolling in the grass.)

All About the Gear

We took the kids to their first oyster roast last weekend, and we were all excited to see if they were oyster fans. Turns out, they are all about the gear and had no interest in a taste test.

Getting a closer look. They both loved wearing a glove and throwing the empty oyster shells into a bucket under the table.

Tried as we may, we just couldn't entice them to take a bite. Maybe next time . . .

Anything Goes

There is lots of creative play occurring in our house these days, and consequently, Daddy and I are surrounded by cheap entertainment as we proudly observe the day's activities unfold. This morning after breakfast, the kids decided to pull out their sleeping bags and have a book picnic. A variety of their other toys were in attendance, too.

PJs are optional and the lack thereof might even be more fun!

Me and My Girl

Daddy got a few shots of Marci and me at a recent oyster roast. I get the feeling Marci wasn't exactly thrilled by the photo opp . . .

. . . but she donned her new, goofy grin and made the best of it!

I'm not sure why she likes to squint her eyes so much these days, but this seems to be her new look (at least for the camera).

And that's a wrap! She's outta here!!

Treed

Look what Osten discovered on our cul-de-sac!

He has officially begun to climb trees. Be still my weak heart . . .

A rare pose for Mommy with her ever-present camera!

Stickwagon

There's a new favorite game in our house, and it' s been coined, "Stickwagon" by Osten. Even Wrigley likes it!

I haven't had the opportunity to find out for sure, but I think the neighbors are fans as well since it involves removing sticks from their yard.

Once the sticks are removed, they are gathered and sorted. The keepers (as determined by Osten because apparently Marci has questionable taste when it comes to sticks) are closely inspected and removed of any Spanish moss that may be clinging to them.

Only the best of the lot get to ride in the wagon.

Stickwagon (cont'd)

Like I was saying, Wrigley is a huge fan of stickwagon. It's basically the one activity that doesn't involve the kids trying to ride her like a horse, pull on her tail or rough her up.

The moss-removal process is serious!

The attire for stickwagon can be tricky depending upon the weather, but I guess it's better to bring along two coats than no coats!

A full stickwagon is a happy stickwagon!

Creativity Abounds

The creativity has been free-flowing lately in our house, and dressup is usually a big part of most activities.

Props, like this sword, seem to be crowd-pleasers, too.

Sharing even comes into play during these games, much to Mommy and Daddy's delight!

As the creativity abounds, so do the oppportunities for some classic childhood photos. Like this one! (Show us some shoulder, matey!)