They're one!

We spent the week of Thanksgiving in Utah and the boys traded off being sick with some kind of stomach bug, so that in total, I was dealing with throw up and diarrhea for about a week straight. Not fun. Also, it made their birthday less than wonderful for them. Only Eli ate a birthday cupcake (and not very enthusiastically) and poor Owen who was the sicker of the two on that day, slept through most of the party. If it hadn't been for all the wonderful family who came to love and support us, I probably would have cried from disappointment that their special day was less than special.

Owen was finally feeling more like his jolly little self today (Eli's been feeling better for a few days now) so I thought I'd take a few pictures for the family and friends who didn't get to see their cute little smiles and fun personalities this past week.

photo courtesy 0f Marcus Richey

Owen and Eli turned one and completed their year of monthly photo shoots not a moment too soon because as you can see from the pictures below, they won't even sit still or look at the camera at the same time for this monthly shot. These boys are go go go. Plus, those hats were such a distraction . . .

I'm not sure you can tell, but Marcus is also wearing a party hat. It was a little snug, but he insisted on wearing it and being in the picture. When the camera comes out, he either wants to be in front of it or taking the picture--no sidelines for this kid! At least he is smiling, I'm not sure what Owen and Eli were thinking about or whether they were thinking at all . . . Ha!

A still slightly sick and grouchy Eli with his cupcake on his birthday.

A much happier Eli with is birthday toy, today.

He makes the best faces.

This is what poor Owen looked like on his birthday.

And this is what he looked like today.

Much better.

A disgusting tag team

Can there be three in a tag team? I don't even know, but in my story there are three little boys. Tim had both babies in the bath last night when Marcus came and stood outside the bathroom door and threw up on the floor. Not the "I'm sick," puke, but the "I put too much food in my mouth from dinner because I'm a 4-year-old boy and we do that" kind of puke. When someone pukes for this reason, then they have to clean it up themselves. That is what we call a consequence, Marcus.

Anyway, I was in the kitchen doing the dishes and Tim was supervising the babies in the bath and Marcus cleaning up the mess he'd made on the floor, when I heard Tim yell, "Katie, I need help." Maybe it was his tone that gave it away, but I immediately replied, "Did someone poop?" Yep, it was Eli. We almost made it to their first birthday before one of them pooped in the bathtub. Poop in the bathtub is disgusting. Both babies were quickly removed and the bath toys and tub were given a major scrubbing. Now, for those keeping record, we have already discussed two of the three boys in the disgusting tag team. What about the third? Well, not be left out, Owen decided to finish off the night by spitting up all down Tim's shirt just as we were putting them to bed for the night. Awesome.

It's November and I'm feeling thankful

11 months

Holy cow!! The next one of these will be when they turn a year old--excuse me while I pass out from shock that almost a year has gone by since these two entered our lives and rocked them forever. This picture is also for Daddy, in honor of his beloved team being in the World Series. Here's hoping they win the game tomorrow night. Life is always a little more pleasant when Tim's teams are winning :)

A spook-tacular Halloween

We made yummy mummies for our Halloween dinner. So easy and fun that I think I'm going to make this a tradition.

My friend and I co-hosted a Murder Mystery party. I was Eve L. Dedd, an aspiring horror film actress and Tim was Moore Bodies, a famous horror film movie director. It was so much fun to dress up and spend an evening with such great friends. Everyone looked so spooky, and the food and decor were awesome.

We ate: Dinner in a pumpkin

Spooky Spider Cake

Seven layer spider dip

Ladies fingers and decomposed salad.

The tables looked so great. We even had blood to drink (cranberry juice). When the dinner was over and the murderer discovered, we played Beatles Rock Band which I'd never played before, but totally loved. Where were my children? At a trunk-or-treat with Grandma and Grandpa and Auntie Kay. Not just a trunk-or-treat, though, a trunk-or-treat and a sleepover. Yep, Friday night was the very first night my little babes have spent away from me. It went well and we all had a good time, but were very happy to be reunited again on Saturday :)

My party wasn't the only Halloween party. Marcus's preschool had a little program/party. So fun even if Marcus didn't sing or move during the program. Oh well.

Aren't they all so cute in their costumes?

I don't think I need to tell you that these two were a party favorite. Cute cute.

Hope your Halloween was fun and spooky!

A trip to the pumpkin patch

Marcus's second field trip was to the Linder Farms pumpkin patch, and we had a wonderful time. Siblings were invited, so the brothers got to come and enjoy themselves even if that didn't include crawling around in the dirt and eating straw like they wanted to. Sorry, boys.

A lovely family photo. Can you see how the brothers are both looking at the pumpkins and wishing that a) those pumpkins could somehow be closer to their mouths and b)they could be in the dirt with the pumpkins.

This is Owen or as we refer to him "Big Owen." He isn't actually in preschool anymore, he's in kindergarten, but he has a brother in the younger class and since he's in afternoon kindergarten and his mom is the co-op president, Owen is around a lot. Marcus adores this kid. Idolizes him. And Owen could not be nicer. Most of Marcus's friends in our neighborhood are in kindergarten, so I'm not really surprised that Marcus would take to Owen so easily. Anyway, they are cute.

"Little Owen"

Eli really did enjoy the hay ride. He just did not enjoy his mother taking a picture of him while riding the hay ride.

This is the adorable Maggie. Her mom is from Albania and we have become good friends. They came with us to the pumpkin patch because Eleni said there was no way she was driving on the freeway :) Luckily, I was willing to drive on the freeway and she was willing to be awesome and hold Owen on the hay ride. Win win.

In honor of Halloween I am reading this . . .

I'm only halfway through, but I am definitely finding myself excessively diverted :)