Happy 9 years to my loving husband.  I was going through some pictures the other day and found these gems....

Working the snack bar at FBC Fort Smith

Ian's 1st birthday party

Homecoming Dance

My senior prom

SBU Chorale

 Honeymoon

 Love you Tim.  Thankful for lots of memories.  Let's keep making more.

Christmas Day

Madelyn and Theo LOVED Christmas morning this year.  Madelyn knew what was happening (for the most part).  We've been telling her why we celebrate Christmas.  She's been learning this in Sunday School too because she knows all the answers to my questions. Good job Edgewood Kids!  Thanks for teaching this to our kids.

Theo still isn't sure about the whole thing, but enjoyed having more toys to throw around.  He's still feeling a bit yucky too so he wasn't totally himself.

That night we went over to Grandma Izzy and Grandpa Tom's for dinner along with all their kids and friends Kaleb and Tamara.  We are blessed by having them in our life.

Theodore: 19 Months

Theo,

19 months old!  Closer to 2 than you are to 1.  You are growing so fast baby boy.

-You weigh about 23 lbs and are getting longer.

-Still loving to cuddle and suck that left thumb.  We're trying to teach you to suck it only when you're sleeping.  If you stick it in your mouth, we say "thumb thumb" and you take it out.  It doesn't stay out for long...but you're slowly learning.

-You were sick this month with a double ear infection and bronchiolitis (baby bronchitis).  You probably had the ear infection for about 3 weeks.  Never tugging at your ear, but were sniffly and coughing..  Mommy took you into urgent care and sure enough, another ear infection.  Then about a week and a half later, daddy took you back in and you still had the ear infection and developed bronchiolitis.  We're praying you get to feeling better soon little buddy.

-Loving on sissy all the time.  Especially zooming cars around the house and playing with your monkey toy.   You also love racing her up the stairs.  And you normally win.

-You celebrated your 2nd Thanksgiving and Christmas.  We got you a train table for Christmas and you are loving it!

-Still throwing toys and food.  It's getting a little better.

-You're not so sure about people you don't really know yet.  You're very attached to mom and dad especially when we drop you off at the nursery.  Once we leave, you're fine (at least that's what they tell us).  You'll get to where you remember we always come back.

-Walking everywhere and loving your freedom. 

-You're saying mama, dadda, sissy, gigi, mimi, tickle and gibber gabbering all the time.  Your vocab will explode one day just like sissies.  Then we're really in trouble.

-Your favorite food is still bananas.  You also enjoy ritz crackers, cheese, veggie straws, pizza, mac and cheese and peaches.  Still only drinking water and milk.

-Napping in the afternoon typically between 1-3:30pm.  Going down at night around 7pm, sometimes earlier and waking up around 8:15am.  If you get up earlier, you sit there and talk to your doggie.

-You and sis sure do love making a huge mess with all your toys.  But we love it and wouldn't change a thing!

-Wearing mostly size 18 month clothes and size 5 diaper.  Size 5 and 6 shoe.

Love you Theo boy.

-Mommy and Daddy

Merry Christmas!

Happy Birthday Jesus!

Merry Christmas!

-Tim, Megan, Madelyn and Theo

Christmas Cookies

While Theo and Tim took gifts to the post office about a week ago, Madelyn and I made some Christmas cookies!  Her favorite part was eating the sprinkles and frosting.  Can't blame her.  She loves to help anywhere, but especially in the kitchen.  She'll grab her stool and stand right next to you.  Next year, baby boy will be right beside her.  Probably making a mess.  That kid.  Love him.

We also took the kids out to the mall one morning.  They love the new play place and seeing all the people.  Both are people watchers like us.  The Mariner Moose was there too!  

I'm not a fan of escalators so Tim is trying to get Madelyn used to them.  They rode up and down the one at Nordstrom and Sears several times.  Free entertainment.  

-Megan

Snow!

A couple days ago was our first snow of the year!  We got the kids and ourselves decked out in coats, gloves and boots then headed out to play. Theo lasted maybe 2 minutes until he was ready to go in. Theo and I stayed inside playing in the warm, comfy house while Madelyn and Tim stayed outside for about an hour and 1/2 making a snowman. But I think Tim used Madelyn as an excuse to play in the snow :).  I know she loved it too! When they finished, it was time for some yummy and warm hot chocolate!

Our snowman, "Ice" named by Madelyn, is still standing!  Must be one well built snowman!

-Megan

Lights of Christmas!

Last night, we went up to Warm Beach to see the Lights of Christmas!  Tim and I have both been up there on a retreat with the school where I work, but never when all the lights were up.  Wow, amazing!  We loved all the lights and activities.

We got there early and ate some dinner.  Danced with Frosty, ate some donuts, listened to music, saw ALL the lights, rode the train, drank some coffee and cider, saw Santa and MJ rode a pony.  The kids had a fantastic time.  Theo was in the stroller most of the time so we didn't have to chase after him.  Madelyn said her favorite part was riding a pony and the train.  Next year, we'll make sure and see Bruce the Spruce, the talking Christmas tree.  The line was really long and the kids were about ready to go home at that point.

I'm sure both kids will be into it next year! 

-Megan

MJ's 1st Christmas Program

Yesterday was our church Christmas program.  It was called a "Family Christmas" so it involved many groups from our church-Adult choir/orchestra, Youth praise band, Hispanic praise band, preschoolers, elementary kids and a couple family skits.

I thought it went well and enjoyed watching it!  It was Madelyn's 1st Program and she did a good job.  She stood still the whole time and attempted some motions...didn't really sing...but that will come! :)

 "Away in a Manger"

-Megan

Visit with Santa

We took the kids last month to see Santa.  I didn't know he came down from the North Pole to visit the malls before December, but sure enough, he was there the middle of November!  We took advantage of no lines and got the kids picture snapped with the big guy.

Madelyn wasn't so sure at first, but warmed up to him quickly.  Theo did pretty well.  He didn't start fussing until the very end.

Here's this year's Santa picture...

2013

 Last year...

2012

Year before that...

2011

-Megan

Thanksgiving

We spent Thanksgiving day this year putting lights on the outside and inside of the house, watching the Macy's parade and eating dinner with some of our WA family.  This included Auntie Heather and her brother John along with friends MaryAnn and Dave.  Heather and John fixed quite the spread.  Madelyn LOVED the cranberry sauce!  Theo boy hasn't been feeling very well.  I think it's teething; he has a runny nose, cough and congestion.  He didn't eat much, but sure enjoyed the hugs and cuddles.

Thanks Tee for spending your Thanksgiving evening with us!

-Megan

Theodore: 18 Months

Theodore Joseph,

Our little baby boy.  You are growing up way too fast.  Today you are 1 1/2 years old.

We love you so very much and cannot imagine life without you.

-We call you our little "tornado".  When we put you in the middle of some toys, the moment we turn around, everything you touch is thrown around the room.  

-You play hard, but sleep hard as well.  Thank you for this.

-You normally just take one nap a day between 1-3:30pm or longer.  Going down at night around 7pm and waking up around 8am.  

-Weighing in around 22 lbs. and about 30" tall

-You are in 18 month and 12-18 month clothes.

-Getting more into "reading" books.

-You love taking toys to sis and she kindly accepts.

-Getting better at not throwing food on the floor when eating.  Still enjoying bananas, pizza, grilled cheese, ritz, mac and cheese, spaghetti and goldfish.

-You almost have 12 teeth (including 4 molars).
 

-You still love your thumb.  We love when you toddle over to us, stick your thumb in and want to cuddle.

-You and Madelyn get along most of the time.  Zooming cars, building towers, reading, watching "Tiger", pretend sleeping and making a mess.

We LOVE you!

-Mommy and Daddy

Bubba & Sissy

First off, thank you for all the emails, messages and comments from my last post.  That's what Tim and I wanted by putting it out there.  We'd like to wait until Madelyn and Theo are a little older so they understand what's going on and can be involved in the process with us.  But talking about it makes it more "real" and we really do want to hear stories from others.  So if you know of one or have one yourself and haven't spoken up...go for it!   

Second, here are some recent pictures of the babies.  I know they're not "babies" anymore, but they still are to me :)

-Megan

Adoption Month

November is National Adoption month. 

Tim and I are very interested in doing this.  It took us a little longer than expected to conceive Madelyn.  During this process, we looked on adoption websites and what we saw broke our hearts.  All these kids that don't have parents and are being taken care of by the state.  That need to be shown love, discipline, mercy, patience, a family.  We've been praying about it and even after 2 kids, God is pointing us in the direction of adoption.  We don't know when or from what country, but God has laid it on both our hearts.

There have been a couple of recent events that have even more so encouraged us to do this. One is seeing so many kids in the Philippines who live in severe poverty. Another is after going to the PRC (Pregnancy Resource Center) gala last week and hearing stories and stats of how many girls are getting abortions. It's so sad.

Please be in prayer for us as we go on this journey.  Pray specifically for timing, country & finances.

If you have adopted, please tell us about your journey.  We'd love to hear about it.

 

 -Megan

Tim Timmons

Tomorrow at Edgewood is the Tim Timmons concert.  Come out, hear his story and music.  He'll be at the 9:30am & 11am services in the morning then a full concert at 6pm.  Here's a sneak peak...

-Megan

"Dress Up Day"

Happy "Dress Up Day"!!  That's what Madelyn decided to call Halloween.  Works for us!  Madelyn loved getting dressed up as a ballerina princess and Theo tolerated being cookie monster (recognize the costume, Suzanne? :)

We headed to the mall last night to trick-or-treat.  The stores handed out candy and we ate dinner while we were there.  When we got home, we took them down our street to hit up some houses.  

Madelyn enjoyed every bit of it.  We put her tap shoes on at first, but she kept slipping on the slick floors at the mall.  So we just stuck with wearing her boots.  She was more impressed with the stickers some of the stores handed out than the candy.  She put them on herself...and Theo. 

Cookie monster walked around for a little bit, but then got tired and just sat down in the middle of the mall.  Oh, how I love my little boy. 

Ballerina girl and Cookie Monster

-Megan

Pumpkin Patch

We ventured out with the kids yesterday to a local pumpkin patch.  We went in the morning so there was no one else there.  Both kids loved seeing all the pumpkins and having space to run around.  It was a little chilly so we didn't stay long, but did manage to get some cute pictures.

-Megan

Theodore: 17 Months

Theo Jo,

You are 17 Months.  Almost 1 1/2!!  But let's not think about that :)  We want to keep you a baby forever, little boy.

-A couple weeks ago, while mommy and daddy were out of the country, you had to go to urgent care.  Gigi was concerned with your breathing. She and Grandpa Tom took you to urgent care in Bellevue to see what was wrong.  You ended up with croup.  You're recovering well and hardly have a cough/congestion anymore.

-You are still in 18 month clothes.  Some 12 month pants.  Now in size 5 diapers.

-You're slowly getting better about putting things down gently when asked instead of throwing everything in sight.  You're our little baseball player.  Maybe a future Mariner? :)

-Still going down at night around 7pm and waking up about 8am.  Taking a morning nap when we're home in the morning between 10am-11am and afternoon nap between 1pm-3:30pm. 

-You are loving pizza these days.  Bananas also continue to be a favorite.  You're getting better about not throwing food on the floor.  You're starting to put it in your cup holder like sissy when you don't want something.

-You now have 10 teeth (including 2 molars) and several more popping through! 
 

-You love to be held and put your thumb in your mouth and hold us close.  We love this so much. 

-Continue to walk everywhere and climb on everything in sight.

-You're starting to sit down and "read" books.  We hope you have this love like your sister.

-You love, love, LOVE your sissy.  You mimic her every move and want to do everything she does.  You will hand her toys and graciously take something if she gives it to you.  

We love you so much Theo boy!

-Mommy and Daddy

Painting Pumpkins

Last weekend, Madelyn painted her first pumpkin!  She LOVED it and listened to our instructions very well.  Little brother just watched this year.  Next year, we'll get him in on the action. 

-Megan

Dance Class!

 Madelyn started dance classes a couple weeks ago.  She LOVES it!  She does tap for 15 min., then ballet for 15. min.  The studio has a play area right next to her class where Theo can play.  It's a win-win and gives me time to sit down and relax for a min :)

This is at her "trial class"

Now she's all decked on in her leotard/tights and tap shoes!

-Megan