Our Webb Page

Family Photo Shoot

2012-01-28T14:18:00.005-06:00

While we were in Utah, we had family pictures taken with AT's side of the family. Here are a few of my favorites:

Thanks again, WB!

Funny Faces

2012-01-20T13:41:00.005-06:00

Late one night, as AT and I were uploading pictures from our trip, we came across these pictures his sister took:

We literally laughed for ten minutes.

Only in St. Louis...

2012-01-12T13:25:00.000-06:00

do we bundle up like this

to play in this much snow.

Old Friends

2012-01-11T13:21:00.000-06:00

While in Utah, we were able to visit some of our old (and older) friends.

These ladies and their kids (and the husbands missing from the picture) are part of our St. Louis family, even though they now live in Utah. It was SO great to get to see them and to let our kids get to spend an afternoon playing! Love you ladies.

This is one of AT's favorite mission companions and his family. It was great to have some time to catch up with them as well. Its so much fun to watch our families grow.

My How They've Grown

2012-01-10T13:14:00.000-06:00

Every so often we attempt to sit all the nieces and nephews (on my side) on a couch and take their picture. It always proves eventful, but I love the results.

March 2008

October 2008

December 2011

Camero's Blessing Day

2012-01-07T12:49:00.000-06:00

While we were in Utah, we blessed Camero. It was a wonderful day and we were surrounded by family and friends.

Our family after the blessing (at the luncheon).

*Note: Not sure what is going on with me in this pic. I might be attempting a backbend...but everyone else looks great.*

My mom and step-dad with Camero. My mom made that beautiful blanket for him for his blessing day. I love it and so does he!

Dan's mom with Camero. She made his awesome outfit. It was perfect for the day - he looked even more like his daddy.

Me and my little man.

He's even cuter in real life.

Like Father, Like Son (Again)

2011-12-30T12:45:00.000-06:00

Too cute not to share.

Moments from Christmas

2011-12-28T12:28:00.001-06:00

The Christmas season was a busy one this year (they always seem to be). We spent part of ours in St. Louis and part in Utah. Here are a few pictures of our holiday:

The girls riding a camel at a nearby shrine. This is becoming a tradition - we love to get kettle corn to eat in the car while we look at the lights the shrine puts up each year.

Santa's first visit (in St. Louis).

Silly girls with Silly Hair Lalaloopsies

Christmas Eve at my mom's house.

Love this one!

Christmas morning (after church). Santa's second visit.

Beemer got Girly press on nails in her stocking. Her exact words when she found them were, "Oh, no, he did not!" Santa is so cool.

Audi with her new keyboard from Grandma and Grandpa. You can't see how big her smile is behind the box. You'll just have to trust me that it is as big as the box!

Audi in her happy place. (Note: the headphones put me in my happy place too!)

Seasons Greetings!

2011-12-14T13:55:00.007-06:00

We sincerely apologize for being so late in sending out our annual Arbor Day Newsletter. We thought we would, at least, get it out in time for Halloween. Alas, it was not to be. A Christmas/New Years letter will have to suffice. (Hey, at least its not Groundhogs Day.)

Ahenobarbus's focus for most of the year was preparing for and taking his PhD Comprehensive Exams, which he finished the end of November. We were all thrilled when he passed - now it's on to his dissertation. He also fit in a float (fishing) trip with the Young Men in our church, a few races (including a half marathon and a Tough Mudder) and some father-daughter camping trips. His release from the Bishopric this summer led to the regrowth of his beard, which he uses to intimidate his university students. He is now the High Priest Group Leader in our ward, which means he has earned the privileges of snoring in church, making “doctrinal” comments, flaunting his disregard for the norms of polite fashion, and of everyone discussing his beard.

Pulcheria spent most of her year feeling crummy while growing a placenta and fetus, but is now making up for lost time by enjoying extra cuddles with our sweet baby boy. She loves book club where she introduced them to The Hunger Games and where she was introduced to Half the Sky. She's especially pleased about being authorized to run again, although she really misses her neighborhood running buddies! She is still serving in the Relief Society Presidency in our church. She also finds Ahenobarbus's beard irresistible, especially when it tickles her nose.

Beemer turned seven and is mastering first grade. The highlights of her year include a limo ride with some classmates (earned via fundraising), camping with friends, swimming, and visits from family and friends. She's a big help on roadtrips (e.g., to Dubuque, IA and West Lafayette, IN), and loves making new friends. She reads everything she can get her hands on and especially enjoys reading to her brother and sister.

Audi is almost four. She started preschool this year and wishes she could see her teacher and friends every day instead of only twice a week. She loves to dress up, dance and sing! She attacks life with startling exuberance and quiets down only to sleep. Her indomitable enthusiasm occasionally resounds throughout the neighborhood.

Camero was born on September 16, 2011. He is a happy, kissable, cuddly, low-maintenance baby whom we all fell in love with immediately. Both girls adore their brother and compete for his biggest smiles! He sports his dad's haircut and hair color, yet, so far, refuses to grow a beard.

As this year comes to a close and we reflect on our many blessings, we hope that 2011 has brought growth in your lives and joy to your hearts and we send warmest ~~diapers~~ wishes from our family to yours for a Happy Holiday Season!

Santa's House

2011-12-07T16:19:00.000-06:00

Audi's preschool hosted their annual Santa's House last week. The kids all get to bring a parent and then we make crafts, eat snacks, sing songs and read books. Its a fun day for the kids, teachers and parents!

Audi and her teacher.

Of course, no visit to Santa's House would be complete without Santa! Audi was SO EXCITED to see him. She ran up and gave him a hug and a kiss. I am not sure I have ever seen her so excited. (I know, I know that's saying a lot.)

She was very specific about what she wanted.

Then Santa was kind enough to let Camero have a turn.

Thanks, Santa!

A Few Pictures

2011-12-06T16:15:00.000-06:00

A friend of ours recently offered to take some pictures of Camero.

Here are some of my favorites:

Naptime

2011-12-03T16:11:00.000-06:00

Buddies

2011-12-02T15:52:00.000-06:00

For Thanksgiving this year, we had special visitors come to stay for the weekend. It was great to catch up with old friends and make new ones. Our boys were born just 9 days apart and they finally got to meet!

These matching outfits were planned.

I love this picture - it looks like they are sharing secrets!

These outfits were coincidental! No, really.

Thanks for the visit, guys! It was the perfect way to spend Thanksgiving!

Family Resemblance?

2011-12-01T17:21:00.009-06:00

Like Father, Like Son (Almost)

2011-11-21T10:04:00.008-06:00

Saturday, Ahenobarbus completed the Tough Mudder with Team Gibb, before which he took advantage of the Tough Mudder offer for free mo-hawks/buzz cuts. It looked so cool, that the local paper took his picture and he made the front page of theirLocal section.

Once AT had this amazing cut, it was Camero's turn.

He was born with lots of hair, but it has been falling out in the front and the back was still long. Not wanting to see our son grow a mullet, or continue to deny his comb-over, we decided to pull out the trimmers.

Before we started the back looked like this:

He was patient, even though we could tell he thought it felt weird.

After we were finished:

It's hard to see in the pictures, but it looks MUCH better!

Such good-looking, semi-bald men!

She's 7!

2011-11-11T20:17:00.001-06:00

Beemer's birthday was last week.

We started the celebrations on her birthday with an ice cream cake,

and some presents.

Later in the week she had a "Girls Night Out" with her friends. They had pizza, watched a movie, and got pedicures. She said it was the best party ever!

(I liked it because it was easy and made her so happy!)

Happy Birthday Beemer!

Living Doll

2011-11-06T20:00:00.000-06:00

Its so much fun to have a baby brother.

The girls get to love him and feed him. He's just like a living doll!

He even fits in their cradles!

(Note: It was AT, not the girls who put him in the doll cradle.)

Big Sisters, Little Brother

2011-11-04T22:52:00.000-05:00

Enough said.

New Toy

2011-11-02T22:45:00.000-05:00

AT got a new toy off of Craig's List with some of his birthday money. He was nice enough to share it with the girls.

They LOVED it!!

Happy Halloween!

2011-10-31T22:29:00.000-05:00

Pumpkin Time

2011-10-25T22:07:00.001-05:00

This year, we colored small pumpkins early in October. . .

and carved bigger ones later in the month.

The final products (with LOTS of help from Dad):

Happy Halloween!

One Month Old

2011-10-20T21:26:00.000-05:00

One month old and sportin' his Halloween jammies from Grammy.

I really don't understand his fascination with eating our son...

Beemer was SO excited to give him a bottle. She is the perfect "little mommy."

Grandma

2011-09-25T21:02:00.000-05:00

Grandma came to visit when Camero was born.

She did lots of snuggling, some cooking and errands, and generally made our lives easier

and a whole lot more fun!

Our New Camero

2011-09-18T21:37:00.000-05:00

Our newest addition joined our family on September 16, 2011.

He weighed 8 lbs 13 oz and was 20.75 inches long.

His first picture - he was just a few seconds old. Right after this picture was taken, he started to gasp as he cried. He ended up in the NICU, thanks to a pneumothorax.

The sad picture.

This is in the NICU. AT took this pic for me because I couldn't go see him yet. This was definitely the LOW point.

The happy picture - going home!!

At home

with LOTS of big sister lovin'!

First Day of Pre-School

2011-09-14T11:39:00.002-05:00

Audi had her first day of pre-school yesterday. She was so excited that "Beemer's old school and teacher" are now all hers. She had a great day and said the best parts were snack time and reading time! That's our girl!

(Don't you just love that pose?)

Catching up...

2011-09-07T13:01:00.026-05:00

I am finally reaching the last week of this pregnancy and have decided to make up with my computer and catch up on what we've been doing while I was feeling too crummy to blog.

So, the last nine months, we have:

had a fabulous Christmas;

survived a pretty crazy ice storm (this is the beautiful part of it);

made snow men (note the snow level in the background - this was a snow day here);

celebrated Audi's third birthday;

went to Disney on Ice while visiting friends and family in Utah (sadly this is the only pic I have of the trip);

spent a morning at the St. Louis Temple;

made new friends;

were silly;

had a birthday party for Audi's favorite baby, Triangle Head;

had a slumber party when cousins came to visit (again this is the only pic I have of their visit);

attended Beemer's Kindergarten completion program;

went camping;

spent as much time with friends as possible before they moved;

read in the sunlight (I LOVE this pic);

started first grade;

got spoiled by our families;

and now we think we are ready for this baby.

The Reason for My Absence

2011-05-18T20:46:00.003-05:00

He'll be arriving around the middle of September and we couldn't be more thrilled!

Disclaimer: I know the 3-D ultrasound pictures are not the most flattering, but the pose is priceless!

Merry Christmas!

2010-12-22T20:45:00.004-06:00

Seasons Greetings! Another year is rapidly closing and we find ourselves thinking of our wonderful family and friends (but not the bad ones) and wishing we could share a fireside and conversation with you. This year, technology will have to step in for most of you. So, please imagine yourself next to a warm fireplace while you sit back and read of our year's adventures.

Ahenobarbus continues to live his life “Groundhogs Day” style (cf. Bill Murray): wake; work; slack; work; attend meetings; go to bed; repeat. Between classes and bishopric-stuff, he squeezes in a few family-moments and the occasional hike. In his spare time (ha!), he likes to try out new recipes. This year he deep fried our turkey and refined the recipe for homemade protein bars. In July, he made international headlines as he revolutionized academics with a paper presented at a conference in Leeds, England. He cannot believe that you haven't heard of the importance of the Cypriot campaign on the Crusade of Frederick II. Really people... After his conference, he joined the girls in Utah where he and Pulcheria hiked Subway Canyon in Zion National Park.

Taking care of the girls and her calling in the Relief Society Presidency have kept Pulcheria busy, but enjoying life. One of the highlights of her year has been her morning runs with the neighborhood ladies. Well, kind of. What she really likes are the long talks afterward! Another highlight as been the opportunity to volunteer in Beemer's class and her school library once a week - she loves the shouts of “Beemer's Mom” whenever she enters the classroom. Pulcheria also looks forward to her monthly book club and has read some great books this year. Her favorites this year were The Help and The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society.

Beemer is now six years old and a kindergartener who enjoys school and reading. She kept the Tooth Fairy busy this summer, losing all four of her front teeth in three weeks. We've forbidden her from chewing rocks, anymore. She has become a great swimmer and her lessons were filled with zeal. Beemer has a passion for shoe-shopping, surpassing even the greediest likings of Big People, but she avoids grocery shopping at all costs. She is a gregarious girl and looks forward to any excuse to spend time with friends. She is also a blossoming practitioner of the visual arts. Her favorite milestone of the year was when she caught her first frog all by herself on a family hike.

Audi is an almost-three-year-old who wants to do everything that Beemer does. She is vocally anticipating preschool next year. As could be predicted, she loves – loves – to dress up and very often runs around in her princess dress and hat with numerous necklaces dangling from her neck (did we mention she's almost three?). She rarely leaves the house without her sunglasses and purse. Adri is also becoming quite the little dancer and is musically inclined. She loves to shake her hips and sing any song that comes to mind.

In between and around all of this, we managed to fit in explorations of numerous caves around Missouri. We went on camping expeditions in Michigan, Utah, Missouri and Illinois. We were also lucky enough to host some of you on visits to St. Louis and we are looking forward to more visits in 2011!

We hope this season beings you warmth and joy and that the new year will hold new joys and adventures.

With love to you and yours,

Ahenobarbus, Pulcheria, Beemer and Audi

Christmas is Coming.

2010-12-17T14:48:00.001-06:00

The tree is trimmed, the stockings are hung, the gifts are wrapped (ok-half the gifts are wrapped), the packages are shipped, the carols are being sung, and the cookies are baking. Now, if I can only get the Christmas letter written. Stay tuned . . .

A Tea Party

2010-12-15T22:32:00.000-06:00

One of my finds on "Black Friday" was a large collapsible table, which I used to distract the girls while I unloaded the rest of the car. It worked better than I expected and the girls asked to eat lunch on our new table - such excitement!

Ahenobarbus set it up and then we both got distracted with Audi. When we got back to the living room, we found lunch all set out for us. Beemer even set the table with my old ET Tea Set (yes, I am that OLD and that COOL) in my honor. She also unloaded almost everything in the fridge for us to eat. She even got us all drinks (notice AT's Rockstar). And the tablecloth - its a sheet, but the color was "just right." It was the perfect Day-After-Thanksgiving-Tea and a pretty good reason to clean out the fridge!

2010-12-14T14:21:00.000-06:00

This Thanksgiving Season, we "planted" a Thankful Tree in our living room. Each day we all added one leaf with something we were thankful for written on it. The girls really got into it and it helped us remember that Thanksgiving is about more than turkey and pie. It turned out so well that it might become a permanent part of our holiday celebrations!

Happy (Belated) Thanksgiving!

Beemer's Birthday (One Month Later)

2010-12-09T13:57:00.000-06:00

Last month, Beemer turned 6 and we celebrated all week long!

We started the celebration with a trip to Chuck E. Cheese with one of Beemer's best friends (unfortunately I forgot my camera). This is the two of them opening her gift before we left the house.

Audi got all dressed up to celebrate Bree's special day. When we skyped with the grandparents on Sunday, she kept us all entertained with her dances.

The pile of presents.

This is her newest stuffed BFF - she loves it because it sings to her and tells her stories!

On her birthday, we had some of our St. Louis "family" over for cake and icecream.

Happy Birthday Beemer!

Better Late Than Never...

2010-11-17T12:04:00.000-06:00

Our Halloween was super fun this year. We had a neighborhood party, Beemer's classroom party and parade, carved pumpkins and roasted the seeds and even fit in a bit of Trunk-or-Treating. Unfortunately, I only got a pictures of a few of those events.

Beemer designing her pumpkin while AT carves Audi's.

AT and Audi's pumpkins.

Mine and Beemer's pumpkins.

The kids at the neighborhood party. It was SO much fun and a great excuse to wear our costumes.

The girls and me. I was dressed up as Velma so we all matched, but you can't really tell that in this picture.

My super-adorable girls. They both loved their costumes and we so excited that they went "together." Happy Late Halloween Everyone!

Visitors!!

2010-11-15T14:06:00.018-06:00

The middle of October, Ahenobarbus' mom and sister came for a visit. They surprised the girls. Beemer was so excited when she saw them, she started to cry! We had a fabulous visit. Autumn is my favorite time of year in Saint Louis and it is the perfect time to visit. For those of you who haven't been to visit yet (Ahem!) or those who want to come again, please pay close attention to all St. Louis has to offer:

We have the best welcoming committee in the world!

(Beemer running into Grandma's arms!)

Lots of cuddle opportunities with the cutest girls you can imagine!

Visits to the Arch.

Breathtaking photo ops at the Missouri Botanical Gardens.

(All of the fabulous pictures in this post are courtesy of Ahenobarbus' sister, Kat, as are the new ones on the blog. The ones that are only ok are mine.)

Hiking.

Races.

(This was Beemer's first Fun Run.)

Swimming lessons.

(Ok -these aren't that exciting if you aren't a Grandma.)

Neighborhood Halloween Parties!

And what trip would be complete without a family nap?

Thanks for coming guys. We loved every minute of it!

Sleeping?

2010-10-12T11:00:00.002-05:00

When I left the girls' room at bedtime, Beemer was wearing her pjs, was tucked in, and was sleeping with her macaw and monkey. When I checked on her when I went to bed, I found this:

Whatever it takes.

The Joy of Cake

2010-10-06T12:44:00.004-05:00

Beemer really wanted to make Ahenobarbus' birthday cake this year.

So, she did.

I stayed close in case she needed me (and poured the hot liquid), but she did all of the measuring and mixing.

The cake was delicious. Great job Beemer!

Happy Birthday Ahenobarbus!

There was one funny note - you put the frosting on this cake when it is still warm. Beemer didn't realize the difference and so, once the frosting was on, she went right ahead and put the candles on too. I came back a few minutes later to find all of the candles tipping over because the bottom half had melted into the cake. You can see the short stubby candles in the picture above. They worked great for AT to blow out and we didn't notice much wax in the cake.

Great Balls of Fire

2010-09-27T20:03:00.008-05:00

While AT and I have attended a fabulous hot air balloon festival in Panguitch, UT (thanks to The Rock and Desertbound), we had yet to attend the annual one in St. Louis until last weekend. So, we loaded up the kids, met up with good friends, and braved the crowds.

The two above pictures are my favorites of the evening (well, of the balloons) and it took a LOT of bad pictures to get these two.

Invitation: Those with good cameras and much talent (you know who you are) are welcome to come next year!

Our family for the evening (we had our friends' little boy with us for the weekend). I like to believe Beemer is looking at a balloon.

THIS is my favorite picture of the night and I think it really speaks for itself!

The girls' favorite balloon, although the Energizer Bunny was a close second.

This was a night full of wrong turns, no cell phone coverage, traffic and about 4.5 miles of walking with 6 kids under 6. However, it was also one of laughter, friends, food, beauty and fun. It was an adventures that I will treasure for a long time to come.

Who's ready for next year?

The Little Gym

2010-09-25T14:14:00.008-05:00

A couple of weeks ago, Audi was invited to a "Bring a Friend" class at The Little Gym.

The girls had a really good time and played together well.

Can you believe these two are only two weeks apart and Audi is the older one?

LOVE that grin!

Paper Bag Princess

2010-09-18T20:58:00.000-05:00

Apparently, it's genetic.

(Please disregard the mess in the background - I was cleaning when inspiration struck.)

Craft Night

2010-09-15T20:43:00.001-05:00

After we got home from our camping trip, unpacked and showered we were all ready to spend the evening relaxing. So, we ordered a pizza and pulled out the crafts. Beemer had requested these owls from Oriental Trading Company awhile ago when I was ordering a bunch of other things. They were simple to put together and afterward we decorated the dining room with them.

Beemer was intent on following the directions exactly (even when placing the stickers) and was proud when they looked "just like the picture."

Audi was less exact, but just as proud of her abstract works of art.

Mine and Beemer's owls.

Ahenobarbus' and Audi's owls.

Can you guess whose is whose?

Johnson's Shut-Ins

2010-09-14T20:24:00.000-05:00

As a part of the month-long celebration that is Ahenobarbus' birthday, we took the girls to Johnson's Shut-ins on Labor Day. Ahenobarbus posted a few pics last week and gave an excellent description of "shut-ins." So, rather than repeat, please click here to read his description. I do, however, have some great pictures to share!

Even the camping was good. The bugs were out in force, but it was a beautiful night. We had the campground almost to ourselves and we got to break-in our new tent! It was a super way to start off the birthday festivities! Happy Birth-month hon!

Bye Bye Birdie

2010-09-11T22:11:00.001-05:00

What do you do when a bird flies into the large picture window in the living room?

If you are Ahenobarbus, you run outside to check on the bird. And if you find that it is still alive (but perhaps not for long), you gingerly pick it up, hand it off to your five year old and take pictures!

Beemer gently cradling the bird. She also whispered quietly to it as she held it.

Beemer showing the bird to Audi, who only got to pet it carefully.

After a few minutes, Beemer (and Ahenobarbus) carefully set the bird down in a protected corner of the yard. When we returned later that morning, the bird was gone. Beemer was sure felt better and flew home to it's family.

Cavin'

2010-09-09T17:42:00.001-05:00

Okay, so maybe that depends on your definition of "caving." But we did spend time in a cave with a tour guide and nice sturdy handrails - which is the only kind of caving to do with Audi along.

We went to Onodaga State Park and toured the Onodaga cave (there are two caves to tour at the park).

Beemer in her "favorite room in any cave - ever!"

She was enchanted throughout the tour.

Audi and me - right before she started stating loudly, "Mom, we better hurry. I'm afraid of heights" as we walked down a steep ramp. Nevermind that we were underground, or that Beemer taught her the phrase. She was determined.

At one point, the tour guide asked for Beemer's help. She got to hold the flashlight and lead the group!

My favorite room - the Lilypad room.

This cave was the best I have been in. The formations were breathtaking and the history fascinating, and the 57 degrees (when it was almost 100 outside) didn't hurt!

It was a great way to spend a Saturday!

Posin' at the Zoo

2010-09-07T16:52:00.000-05:00

I'm not sure why the zoo elicited these poses, but they were too cute to not share!

Chillin'

2010-09-04T17:07:00.000-05:00

Audi really missed Beemer the first few days of school and she was really upset that she didn't get to ride the bus too. But I think she's starting to get used to some time to herself. Yesterday, I left her watching TV to fold laundry. When I came back, this is what I found...

First Day of Kindergarten

2010-09-03T16:20:00.000-05:00

After a summer of waiting, Beemer has finally started Kindergarten. As you can see, she looked adorable and was SO excited! She has a great teacher and loves school. The first day was no big deal for her. Her favorite part? Riding the bus!

Beemer and her friend who lives around the corner (they are lucky enough to be in the same class and ride the bus together).

This picture may seem a bit odd, but I wanted to make sure I included one of all of the ladies from my neighborhood that were there that day. Only two of us had kids getting on the bus - but the other three came to support us (it was a bittersweet day). Having them unexpectedly show up at the bus stop was evidence of the amazing women they are and it made Beemer feel special to have her friends there.

Posing for one picture before getting on the bus. (It was kind of funny that all five kids at our stop posed for their parents before getting on the bus.)

And off she goes...

What We Did on Our Summer Vacation

2010-09-01T14:44:00.015-05:00

Although blogging was not on the agenda, we did have lots of fun this summer.

In May, (I know, it wasn't technically summer yet) I got to attend one my favorite parts of Beemer's pre-school days: the Mother's Day program. Her class sang and danced for their moms and then served us refreshments!

Beemer and me

Beemer and her teacher

Beemer and her best friend in preschool!

I had to include this picture of my favorite Mother's Day gift - my own Zen Garden. Beemer painted the objects and glued them all in with the help of our next door neighbor.

I love it!

June started off with Beemer loosing her first tooth... and then her second later the same day!

And then her third ten days later...

And then her fourth a few days after that!

(They are starting to grow back.)

In July, we went to Utah to visit our families (well, the girls and I went to Utah while Ahenobarbus went to Leeds, England and joined us afterward). We had a fantastic trip! We watched movies, played miniature golf, spent lots of time with family, went to the zoo,

played in the river and had tin foil dinners, camped, ate amazing food, danced

struck a pose (or two), played with cousins,

and spent hours and hours playing in the sprinklers/pool!

Oh, and Ahenobarbus and I also got the chance to hike Subway Canyon in Zion National Park - it was inspiring to say the least!

It was tough to leave all of that fun. And when we got back to St. Louis, it took a few weeks to get back into the swing of things.

But we did fit in one day to pick blackberries and make freezer jam.

One short week later, Beemer started Kindergarten. But that is another post...

Charity

2010-05-22T15:33:00.002-05:00

I'm speaking in church tomorrow. It is a last minute assignment on charity. So, I have been scrambling since yesterday to pull together a talk. Here's Ahenobarbus' suggestion for the introduction:

Charity: The Final Frontier. These are the journeys of the LDS RS Sisters.

Our life-long mission:

To welcome new souls;

To seek out long-lost children;

To boldly bake cookies for whom no one has baked before.

Helpful, isn't he?

Summertime!

2010-05-05T20:54:00.001-05:00

We've had some fun days outside the last few weeks!

Beemer loves her scooter! And Audi likes her bike...

but she LOVES her M&Ms!!

Wahoo for warm days and playing outside all afternoon!

Easter #3

2010-05-03T20:49:00.001-05:00

Right as we started our Easter Egg Hunt, Dan discovered a flood in the front yard...

and the entire street!

After we all filled our tubs and pots and pans with water (it was a main that broke), we all went outside to watch our good friend get some fishing in!

Easter #2

2010-05-02T20:40:00.001-05:00

While our friends and family in Utah were having their Easter Egg hunts in the snow, we had to make sure our chocolate wasn't in the sun too long! Here are the girls hunting their eggs, courtesy of the Easter Jodie, again!

Easter #1

2010-05-01T20:28:00.001-05:00

Easter morning the girls woke up stylin'

in new PJs from Aunt Jodie!

They found their goodies from the Easter Bunny.

Beemer was SO excited about this mermaid toy!

Adri's was all about the chocolate!!

New towels, too! Thank you Easter Bunny!

Posin'

2010-04-30T10:14:00.002-05:00

Beemer's birthday gift for Audi.

Months Later...

2010-04-29T20:09:00.010-05:00

Here are Audi's birthday pics - almost three months later (but I did get them taken in Feb!)

Enjoy!

In Your Easter Bonnet

2010-04-01T12:17:00.000-05:00

Adorable girls, adorable dresses!

The Haircut

2010-03-30T13:36:00.004-05:00

Beemer has been blessed with very thick hair. It swings when she walks and shines in the sun. However, it also snarles very easily. I condition and detangle it after every bath, and she still cries when I comb it out (I don't blame her). So, I decided it was time to give her another haircut.

This is right before we started the haircut. We discussed how short to cut it and compromised with the just under her chin (the length of her bangs now that she is growing them out).

However, once the length was off her hair, it bounced up to just above her chin - just where she wanted it. This is right after I finished.

And this is after we styled it - which with this cut means I brushed it and flipped some back for the picture =). She LOVES it. She asked if I thought people would think she's a teenager! And me, I like it more than I thought I would. I just can't believe how grown-up she looks!

Dad is SO cool!

2010-03-10T14:47:00.005-06:00

Saturday, while Ahenobarbus worked, I built the girls a fort/tent. I used the back of the couch and two chairs. It was okay for running through and playing Barbies in.

But then...

We decided to have a movie night and the girls wanted to watch the movie from their fort. So some rearrangement was necessary to be able to see the tv.

Enter Dad...

He built a MUCH cooler and MUCH more stable tent with direct TV access.

The girls loved watching their movie all set up with pillows and their favorite blankets! After the movie, Beemer talked us into letting her sleep in the tent.

When we got up on Sunday this is what we found. TV, snacks, blanket, pillows, doll, and monkey: what more could a girl want?

Visitors and Sausages

2010-03-02T10:43:00.002-06:00

Last Wednesday, my mom and step-dad, Steve, flew in to surprise Beemer for Grandparents' Day (at her school). She was SO surprised! She cried and couldn't talk when she first answered the door when they arrived! We had a great visit and spent five days playing hard. We managed to make it to the Science Center, Grandparents' Day, the Zoo, the Art Museum, and the Botanical Gardens. We also fit in time to swim in the hotel pool, attend church and have a birthday party for Audi (pictures of all of this coming soon)! But I think the story of the weekend happened Saturday morning.

We went to breakfast at IHOP before heading to the gardens. Beemer ordered a breakfast with eggs, bacon, sausage and pancakes and proceeded to eat the entire thing without really pausing. At one point, the waitress came to check on our table. We all said we were okay, then Beemer piped up, "And by the way, these sausages are DELICIOUS! They are fantastico!" We all laughed at her exuberance and then continued eating. The next thing we knew, the chef was standing at our table with two more sausages for Beemer and told her they were "on the house." She was thrilled. She even said they were good enough to eat without ketchup, a high complement, eh Kat?

And the Winner is. . .

2010-02-18T08:56:00.000-06:00

A few weeks ago, Beemer asked for a new "Fashion" Barbie while we were at the store. In the time honored tradition of mothers everywhere, I said, "Not today sweetie." She agreed patiently. When we got home she asked if she could buy the Barbie with her own money. Beemer is very careful with her money. She is saving it for a trip to Utah (whichever trip happens to be coming). Her offer to use it told me how much she wanted the Barbie. So, I agreed.

We went back a few days later, money in hand to buy the Barbie. Inside the box was a "pink ticket" to register online for an "instant win game." Not being a fan of these 'games' personally (perhaps because I never win anything), I have never entered Beemer in one. But for some reason I decided I would that day. So, we sat down together and she filled out the information on the computer and entered her "ticket." Moments later, the computer declared her a winner! Beemer liked the idea of being a winner that day, but I don't think she realized what it meant until this week when her prize came in the mail!

She won --

A Barbie Dream Bathroom! She was SO excited!!

Her favorite part is the pink and purple toilet. It was a fun, unexpected perk to our day! In her words, it was "the best day EVER!"

Valentine Kisses and Sweet Wishes

2010-02-14T20:37:00.002-06:00

This week the girls and I made Valentine's cookies.

Beemer really worked hard frosting and sprinkling.

Audi worked hard eating them as fast as should could. (She did take a break to dance every few minutes!)

See that adorable apron that Beemer's grandma made her for Christmas? She LOVES it!

I asked to take Audi's picture while she was covered with frosting. She looked at the camera and blew a kiss right as I took the picture. So, here are Valentine kisses from our home to yours!

Snow Day

2010-02-12T21:09:00.000-06:00

Last week we got fourish inches of snow which meant that we had a snow day. (I know this seems laughable in comparison to the feet that the East coast got. But for St. Louis, this is a decent storm). So, I bundled up the girls and we headed outside to play in the snow before it was gone. It felt a little weird to me to "play" in three inches of snow and two inches of mud underneath, but Beemer was so excited to get outside in it!

This sled is great for pulling the kids - and it deflates afterward so I can store it easily for the 362 days each year we don't use it.

Audi thought the first time around was great fun! She giggled the entire time.

The second time around wasn't so successful. The worst part was when she tried to brush off her face with her snow-encrusted glove!

After I got her back on her feet, she decided to play on the slide for awhile. She did get back onto the sled for another ride before we went inside and told Beemer that it was "good, fun."

The Incident

2010-02-11T20:49:00.002-06:00

Last Sunday, Audi and Beemer were playing downstairs when I heard tears. A few moments later Audi came to find me with a goose egg beneath her left eye. She had somehow hit herself right below the eye with a metal basket (rounded corners). I cuddled and kissed her then sent her back to playing when she was ready.

Then Monday morning, she woke up with this:

Poor thing! Her first black eye before she's two! (Sorry about the quality of the picture, it was difficult to get her to hold still.)

Gifts to Remember

2010-02-08T19:54:00.005-06:00

We've received some memorable gifts at our house the last two months. The first came from Santa. But a little back story is required.

Beemer is a marketer's DREAM. She is constantly telling me we need the things she has seen advertised. She has even run to find my phone after hearing "Call Now!" Last fall she developed an appreciation for the "Touch and Brush" - a toothpaste dispenser that dispenses the "perfect" amount of toothpaste, thus saving you from the fight to get the last of the toothpaste out of the tube. It is also supposed to reduce the "toothpaste mess" in every bathroom.

At first I just smiled at Beemer's insistence that we needed this item. But the weeks went on and her requests continued, along with her ability to quote the commercial. (Opposed to the other requests that are forgotten the minute the commercial is over.) Then, one night as she was brushing her teeth, she dropped the toothpaste cap behind the toilet. She couldn't reach it with toothpaste on her toothbrush without getting toothpaste everywhere, so she called Ahenobarbus for assistance. As he reached the doorway to the bathroom, Beemer stated, as she pointed to the cap, "That, that right there is why we need a Touch and Brush." After AT and I stopped laughing, we agreed that Santa needed to bring one to our home.

Christmas morning, Beemer was THRILLED when she opened her very own Touch and Brush. She hugged it and jumped around. It was touching and hilarious all at the same time. We are just glad she is so easy to please. The Touch and Brush is now installed in our bathroom and happily dispensing toothpaste. Beemer is thrilled, as you can see.

On a side note: I have cleaned up more toothpaste in the last month than ever before.

The second gift was my favorite birthday gift. On the morning of my birthday, we were all cuddling in my bed enjoying a few more moments of warmth and peace before the day began when Beemer asked AT if I had any presents. I had asked for money for my birthday so that I could get my netbook, but it wasn't here yet. As we explained this to Beemer, she was NOT okay with my not having gifts to open on my birthday! (I mentioned in a previous post that she was very concerned about the milestones that came with my birthday this year.)

So, she thought for a minute or two and then left our room singing "I'll give you something of mine" quietly to herself. Five minutes later she called AT to show him what she had found. He agreed that it was a great gift and helped her to wrap it for me.

When I unwrapped the gift later that day, I found a copy of this book:

She said she picked it because the cover is yellow (my favorite color) - it's a dark cream, you can't really tell in the picture. When AT asked her if I could keep my new book on her bookshelf. Beemer said no - the book was mine now, so it should go on the bookshelves in my room. So, that is where it went.

What Beemer didn't know is that the book was already mine. Many of the books in their room are mine, but I keep all the children's books together. This book was given to me years ago by my mom on Easter. But that wasn't the point on my birthday. I was so touched my my five year old making sure that I had a gift, putting such thought into it, making sure it would be something I would like, and selflessly giving me something of hers to fill what she saw as a void. What a great birthday!

When my mom gave me the book she wrote inside the cover. I will now be adding this story to the inside of the cover so that I will always remember the details of the second time I received that book.

Alive and Well

2010-02-01T14:48:00.001-06:00

Yes, we really are. Unfortunately my camera cord is not (it got ran over by the office chair), so the downloading of all pictures came to an abrupt stop for a few weeks. I kept thinking that I would get a new cord and put off posting until I did so. That hasn't happened. So here is a picture-less update from the last month.

- We all went to Utah for Christmas and spent some much needed time with family and friends. While there, we visited two hot springs--SO relaxing-- and tried to get our fill of "winter" sports involving snow and ice - sledding, skating, fort building, snow ball fights, etc. Also, one day of our trip Audi started using full sentences kind of out of the blue - she is so adorable.

-AT started back at school. He is really busy between his own research and classes as well as the sections he is teaching and his Bishopric duties. But the girls and I love the time we do get to spend with him!

- Beemer is also back at school and "thrilled" about it because she missed her classmates "so much more than expected" over the break (her words).

- Celebrated my birthday the middle of January. Beemer made sure that I had a cake and presents and that she, AT and Audi took me to lunch (It was the first time she was so concerned about the milestones that make up a birthday - she was so sweet about the whole thing). It was a great day! Also, I pooled all of my birthday money to get a netbook so that I can get online while the girls are playing. Hopefully, this will allow more posts and solve my picture problem because I can just transfer the SD card!

-Spring is coming to St. Louis. The geese have begun their return migration and the bunnies are once again out and about. I LOVE that spring starts in January/February here. I am ready for the cold to end. Maybe it will start to feel like spring by the end of February.

I think that is all of the major things. For all of you patient readers out there - you know who you are- I'll see what I can do about getting some pictures up later this week!

Seasons Greetings

2009-12-21T23:17:00.005-06:00

Might as well start with the big news, first: AT got his MA in May! He still sporadically prances around in his Masters of the Universe underoos, chanting “I have the power!” Really, it's not as disturbing as the police make it out to be. His euphoria was short-lived, however, as he was forced to recognize that he still has another gazillion years before earning a PhD. It was, perhaps, a method of self-medication, then, that he and Pulcheria took up a running regime in March that continues to the present. They even completed a 5K race together on Thanksgiving morning. Those who've known AT for a while know what a reversal this is (i.e., running, even when not being chased by vicious animals). Additionally, AT is also running an effective campaign to bring back Mormon beards as the preferred fashion. The bishop's second counselor may not have much pull, but at least he can sit on the stand. With a beard. Hmm. Perhaps he needs a campaign manager. Volunteers, anyone?

Pulcheria made monumental strides to beef up her already impressive resume this year. She is now a de facto certified chef, party planner, decorator, nurse, administrative assistant, chauffeur, educator, judge, maid/laundress, hostess, tour guide, editor, and manager – just to name a few of her positions. But in all seriousness, she still feels spoiled to be able to stay home with the girls, and be a guinea pig for AT's culinary experiments: bread, mustard, cranberry sauce, brownies, etc. Pulcheria has continued to stave off potential child-withdrawal at church, by serving in the Nursery. On a related note, she has become a world-authority on symptoms of the common cold. She also recently joined a new book club and was thrilled to find one in St. Louis that is completely her style!

Beemer is a smart and quite precocious five year old. In September she started her second year of pre-school and she loves everything about it, especially her classmates and teacher. Beemer also likes to play dress-up with her sister, read books to anyone who will listen, and do about anything outside (she proudly states that she is a “bug-holding girl”). She loved catching fireflies and toads with Grandma and Grandpa in May. One of the highlights of her year was finding a monarch butterfly chrysalis in our backyard, watching the butterfly hatch, and setting it free the next day. She is always singing around our home and is an excellent hostess when we have visitors. For some reason yet to be explained, she has started asking when she will get her own pair of underoos.

Audi will be two in February. She took her first steps in March and then decided it wasn't all that and waited to try again until May. However, immediately after she decided that walking was the thing to do, she started climbing – everything! She is a passionate climber (furniture, not rocks, yet) and isn't frightened by much. She tries hard to keep up with Beemer and loves to do everything her sister does! Audi is very musically inclined, and will stop and dance whenever she hears music and sings molto rubato in church whether she knows the words or not! Those who
have witnessed her in action know that she is an active girl with a fun personality who keeps us all laughing!

As a family this year, we have settled more into life in St. Louis and taken better advantage of all of the things to do here! We have made new friendships and strengthened old ones. We are grateful to be together and share our lives each day and we are looking forward to the new
experiences that 2010 will offer.

Happy Holidays!

We did it!

2009-12-07T15:24:00.000-06:00

Ahenobarbus and I ran our first race Thanksgiving morning with some good friends, and despite a few unplanned changes in the race, it went well - for a first race. Originally, AT planned to run a 10K and I planned to run a 5K. But - due to flooding on the route, the 10K was cancelled and the 5K re-routed. So, we ran the 5K on a 5 foot path of dirt, gravel, mud and water and it was a there-and-back-again path so we also had two-way traffic. There were over 800 finishers in the race (many more than the organizers planned). All of these things were out of the organizers hands and it was a fun race, just a different challenge than we anticipated. =)

The result was a slower time for AT, as he had trouble passing anyone. He ran the 5K in about 24 minutes, but still had good energy left after the race. I think he could have knocked off three minutes or so. I am a much slower runner, so the pack wasn't as thick for me. Even with a small twist of an ankle, I actually met my goal for the race (under 35 minutes). The best part for me was, believe it or not, finishing last of the group we were with, because they all came back to finish the race with me. AT sprinted with me the last .02 miles and his encouragement helped me finish strong. It was a great "starting race" and so much fun to do together.

Beemer's Birthday!

2009-12-04T10:05:00.000-06:00

Beemer had school the morning of her birthday, so Audi surprised her with pink roses (Beemer's favorite) when we picked her up. Then we spent the day playing with her new toys from her friends.

After dinner we had some friends over for cake and ice cream. Beemer said it was the best day EVER and loved celebrating her birthday her entire "birthday week!" I still can't believe she's five!

Happy Birthday Beemer!

Beemer's Birthday Party

2009-12-03T14:38:00.010-06:00

Beemer's birthday was the first week of November (I know, I'm almost a month late). The Saturday before her birthday we had, at her request, a Monsters vs. Aliens birthday party.

All of the guests got alien antennae and got to make these cute space ships (I found the idea on-line).

The cake was an space ship complete with Gallaxhar - thanks to a fortunate Happy Meal acquisition.

We also played pin the eye on B.O.B. Ahenobarbus drew him and Beemer colored him. She worked really hard.

The finished product.

And here he is with his new eyeballs - the guests all colored their own!

Beemer got some really fun gifts, and her friends were so excited to give them to her!

It was an excellent party!

Halloween, Part 2

2009-11-12T14:22:00.001-06:00

Halloween night we all dressed up and headed to our friends' house. Their neighborhood is, as my sister put it, like a Walgreen's commercial. EVERYone is out on their porch giving out candy and the houses are all decked out. The best part of the night was when Beemer walked up on a porch lit by 4 black lights - her costume looked awesome! It's such a fun place to Trick-Or-Treat!

We did knock on a few doors in our neighborhood because Beemer was excited to show her costume to her friends. And we got some pretty good pictures.

Beemer and Ahenobarbus (for details on his costume, ask him).

Me and Beemer (Audi was still napping).

Beemer in full costume.

No - she is not in pain, that is her Creepie face.

Audi - the Princess Kitty

Couldn't resist posting this - look at those eyes!

This year's Jack-O-Lanterns

And what is Halloween without a picture of the kids in their Halloween pjs from Aunt Jodie!

Happy Halloween!

Halloween, Part 1

2009-11-11T11:58:00.006-06:00

Way back when we lived in Logan, Ahenobarbus happened upon the cartoon "Growing Up Creepie." The show is about a girl, Creepie, raised by bugs. Beemer instantly loved it and was sad when we moved and no longer got the channel it was on. Recently, we changed cable providers, and Beemer was once again able to watch Creepie. She LOVES her and the bugs. She has even perfected her illustrations of Creepie after hundreds of pictures! So, when she asked to be Creepie for Halloween, I wasn't shocked. I just wondered how I was going to sew a dress that curled like this one.

After some creative hair from Grandma and some tights from Ahenobarbus, we did get "exactly" the look Beemer wanted. She was so excited to show all of her friends at her school parade. I had warned her that Creepie isn't a show everyone watches (it's on Discovery Kids, so it isn't exactly prime time) and that not everyone would know who she was. She didn't care. She was just SO excited to be Creepie.

When we got to school, her teacher asked if she was a vampire and one of the other little girls in the class said, "No, she's Creepie" (in that VERY obvious tone of voice). I would have hugged her if I could have reached her. Beemer just beamed!

Audi waiting for the parade to begin.

Beemer and her best friend at school.

(Don't you just love that "Creepie" face?)

All of the kids singing Halloween songs.

A Nice Day for a Walk

2009-11-10T22:21:00.000-06:00

The first warm day after our trip to Utah (where it is "freakin' cold" according to Beemer), we took the girls on a fabulous hike. Here are some pictures from our adventure.

Caution: Reptile warning (Bec and Kat - divert your eyes)

I LOVE this action shot of my awesome hubby!

It was awesome weather and beautiful scenery. All in all one of my favorite things about fall!

Thoughts on Home

2009-10-21T15:21:00.005-05:00

My recent trip to Utah brought to mind and heart many thoughts and emotions about the word "home." Sometimes I use it to refer to Utah, other times to St. Louis. After much pondering, here is what I have come up with.

Ogden - my first home; my first family; my childhood memories; playmates (for me and my girls); fun; adopted families; mountains; Home.

Logan - my second home; my second family; dear friends (many still there, others across the country) ; college memories; 10 years of memories with AT; laughter; majestic beauty; open spaces; peace; Home.

St. Louis - my current home; new friends; new experiences; new everything - well, almost; fun; adventure; growth; Ahenobarbus; Beemer; Audi; Home.

While a part of my heart is in each of these locations, "Home," I've discovered, is where my husband and girls are. No matter where that is.

Growing Up

2009-09-26T10:10:00.008-05:00

At 19 months I took Beemer to get her picture taken in this adorable pink dress. The pictures turned out to be some of my favorites.

So, at 19 months, I decided it was Audi's turn. I was a little apprehensive because her one-year pictures didn't go smoothly, but we pulled out the dress and decided to give it a shot. It turned out I had nothing to worry about. She did GREAT and, as you can see, the pictures are adorable.

** Why 19 months you ask? It doesn't seem to be a real "milestone" month. The real reason is because, with both girls, I thought about getting pictures at 18 months, and it took me an entire month to get around to doing it!**

Things That Go

2009-09-13T16:54:00.008-05:00

Saturday morning, while Ahenobarbus mowed the lawn, I took the girls to a Parents-As-Teachers event - Things That Go. We saw some really cool vehicles. Everything from police cars with their lights on that you could climb in and out of, to the SWAT vehicle, to the Doritos truck giving out samples. Here are a few pictures from the day (sorry about the quality, I took them on my phone).

This one is just for Uncle Shane!

Yes, Audi was there - happily watching from her stroller.

Beemer's favorite - the driver also had dumdum suckers, which didn't hurt.

Back to School

2009-09-11T13:59:00.007-05:00

Today was Beemer's first day of preschool. She was really excited to go back to school. She missed her classmates over the summer.

Here she is, all ready to go!

After school.

This is her "How happy does school make you?" face. Her special treat for the day was getting to see her teacher from last year for just a minute. It made her day!

After I took Beemer's picture this morning, Audi walked over and posed - just like big sis, as usual. But she is REALLY cute, and I can't resist taking her picture. Beemer elicited this adorable smile.

A Castle Fit for a Princess (or Two)

2009-09-10T14:38:00.010-05:00

Last month, while perusing my Parenting magazine, Beemer found a Diapers.com ad with a picture of a large box turned into a castle. She immediately fell in love with the idea and requested a castle of her own. So, we tore out the page and she lovingly saved it dreaming of the day that a large enough box would arrive.

Then last week, we took some brownies to a new family in the neighborhood. They joked that they had nothing to offer us, but a large empty box. Beemer and I both got excited - it was perfect. So, we took it off their hands and began our project.

First, we (mostly me) cut out the top of the castle and the drawbridge. The next day while Audi was napping we painted the castle pink (with the leftover paint from the girls' room).

Then after waiting a whole day (it felt like forever for Beemer) we painted some details on.

Beemer was very meticulous in her brick painting.

When all the paint was dry and the structure was reinforced with a whole lot of packing tape, Beemer tried it out -- and fell in LOVE! She thinks its the greatest castle in the world. Of course, Audi loves it too - she thinks we made it just for her!

The final product. My favorite parts are the mural Beemer colored on the inside wall (we're medievalists in this house, we don't build castles without a tapestry or two) and the peephole she insisted on painting on the drawbridge.

This was such a fun project to do with Beemer - she is becoming quite the little artist!

Side by Side

2009-09-08T11:46:00.003-05:00

I've gotten a lot of comments lately about my girls and how much they look alike. So, I thought I would post another side by side comparison. The picture on the left is Beemer at 18 months (please ignore her crazy, un-combed hair). The picture on the right is Audi at 18 months.

What do you think?

Beemer's Haircut

2009-09-06T13:29:00.007-05:00

Those of you who know Beemer know that this is NOT her first haircut, in fact it's closer to her sixth (she was blessed with thick hair that grows quickly). But this was a momentous cut because it is the first one I have ever done. Beemer held really still while I cut and AT snapped some pictures.

She says she likes this picture best.

The final product - which is even in real life, I swear. Beemer is very happy with her the new length and loves to swish is around! Today for church I tucker her bangs over to the side and realized that somehow my four year old now looked six!

We couldn't resist taking a picture of the pile of hair - I cut off about seven inches!

Visitors!

2009-09-05T22:16:00.001-05:00

Last week, one of my former staff members and now a very good friend brought her family to visit. We had a great time!! We fit in our obligatory trip to Spanky's Saturday night and then all went to church together on Sunday. (It was so great to have other adults to sit with in Sacrament meeting.) Our kids all got along great and we can't wait to get together again.

The adults

The kids (without Audi, who was sleeping)

The big girls spent Sunday afternoon swinging together and singing - it was adorable! Thanks for coming Sapps! Okay, everyone else, we are now taking reservations!

Sleeping (Bag) Beauty

2009-08-26T11:58:00.002-05:00

A few weeks ago Ahenobarbus and I decided to surprise the girls with a family slumber party. We watched a movie, had snacks, and slept in the basement in sleeping bags. (Kind of, I slept on the couch and Audi slept in her pack and play.) Beemer LOVED it. We have since repeated the event three times. The best part for her was sleeping in her sleeping bag, followed closely by a new adoration of Spiderman (the second movie we watched). She has asked to sleep in her sleeping bag almost every night since. She has slept in her bed in her bag - where she fell out thanks to the slipperiness of her bag, and she has slept an extra night downstairs with AT.

One night, after repeated requests to sleep in her bag (while AT and I desperately wanted to sleep in our bed), we decided to arrange a campout in the dining room for her. We spread a blanket over the table for a perfect tent - there was just enough room for her and her animals!

She slept all night and loved her tent!

The next morning this is what AT found when he entered the kitchen:

Sleeping (Bag) Beauty

Randomness

2009-07-21T12:40:00.014-05:00

There are a few things that I wanted to share, but most of them only have one or two pictures. So, in the interest of efficiency and keeping Ms. Anonomous entertained, here are some random pictures and stories in no particular order.

In June, we visited the Meramec Caverns. It was a fun trip, but we didn't get many pictures due to lighting issues.

Beemer and I in the "straw room."

Ahenobarbus and Audi

Beemer and I in front of the Organ. This was my favorite formation.

In June, we got A LOT of rain. So much, that a river formed in our backyard. Yes, that is running water.

And the neighbor's lake.

Beemer went to summer camp this year at her pre-school. She was in a drama/singing class. The last day of class all of the families were invited to attend their production of "Teddy Bear's Picnic." She did a fantastic job. It was really cute. This is the teddy bear and picnic basket she made for the play.

The "Helmet's of Salvation" we made for Family Home Evening one night. Dad's lessons are always so much fun!

I couldn't leave this one out. This is Audi right after I took the elastics out of her hair.

Beemer requested this one.

Audi just stopped taking her morning nap. Not because she wasn't sleeping during nap time, but because when she did take two naps, she didn't fall asleep at night until 8:30 or 9. It's been a hard transition for her. Sunday is the worst. It's all I can do to get her home and fed before she falls asleep. Most of the time, she's asleep before we get home and I have to wake her up for lunch. This particular Sunday, I woke her up and set her down on the couch to get her highchair ready. When I turned back around, all of 1 minute later, this is what I found. I just picked her up and laid her in her bed. When you are THIS tired, food can wait.

Beemer's love this summer is bugs. She has learned to catch her own fireflies and crickets. But her real love is potato bugs. She catches as many as she can find and makes them her pets for a few hours then lets them "go back to their families." Here she is with one of her numberless potato bugs this summer. She loves the way they feel when they crawl on her hand!

2009-07-09T20:12:00.004-05:00

Not long ago, Ahenobarbus and I pruned some branches from one of our trees. When we finished, we turned around to see Beemer carrying some of the larger branches away. She worked hard to balance them against the swingset and with a little help from daddy created this FABULOUS lean-to.

Which immediately became a castle...

fit for a princess!

All Good Things Must Come to An End

2009-06-28T22:47:00.001-05:00

Much too soon, our visit with Ahenobarbus' family came to an end. We had a TON of fun! Beyond the things already posted, we also fit in a family game night; some yard-saleing; two trips to Spanky's (if you don't know what Spanky's is - you'll just have to visit to try it, if you do, you're already jealous);

a stop in Wentzville (just for Kate);

some pictures with Grandma;

a Card's game (Becca was there too!);

a visit to the Arch;

(at the top)

(the view from the top)

cuddle time with Uncle Josh (Audi was pretty sick their last day here);

and a family nap.

While we really missed Ahenobarbus' brother and older sister and their families (we expect you all to visit VERY soon), we had a great trip and made some wonderful memories.

Love you all!

World Bird Sanctuary

2009-06-27T13:32:00.013-05:00

Another required stop for visitors is the World Bird Sanctuary, where Ahenobarbus volunteers. We chose a hot day to go, but had a lot of fun!

We found a "cute little tree frog" to pet and make friends with.

Ahenobarbus showed us his bird skills when he helped to train this barn owl (notice the yarn tether).

Then he introduced everyone to Twig (an Eastern Screech Owl), (He is one of my favorite birds at the sanctuary, he's just really cute!)

and Millennium, a peregrin falcon.

Then everyone else got to show off their recycling skills, as we all helped Lenore collect aluminum cans.

Beemer doing her part.

Mom - love that face!

Josh

Becca

Kate - another fabulous face.

Missouri Botanical Gardens

2009-06-26T10:03:00.000-05:00

One of my favorite discoveries of this last year (thanks Ashley and Mindy) is the Missouri Botanical Gardens. I LOVE to go and wander around. There are even some gardens that I can stand in and close my eyes and it feels (just a little bit) like I am back in the mountains!

So, now every visitor that comes has to visit the gardens with us! We took Ahenobarbus' family there on a beautiful Saturday morning we (by "we" I mean his sister, Kate) took tons of fabulous pictures. I picked a few of my favorites to share. If you want to see more, you'll just have to visit! I know one of two of you who will feel the draw to St. Louis increase as you see these and you should know that you and your cameras are welcome ANY time!

(Ok, so I took this last one, but the rest were all Kate. Isn't she fabulous?)

Road Trip!

2009-06-25T13:07:00.012-05:00

While Ahenobarbus' family was here, we took a road trip. Our first stop was in Hannibal, MO - the home of Mark Twain. We spent the morning touring his boyhood home and museum, had lunch in the park and then explored the cave named after him. (It's also the cave he used for inspiration for his books!)

That night we drove to Keokuk, IA and spent the evening swimming in the hotel pool - this is undoubtedly Beemer's favorite part of the trip. She REALLY wants to stay in another hotel so she can swim some more!

The next day we spent the day visiting Nauvoo and Carthage, IL. We had beautiful weather - no rain and not to hot. I think we almost got to see and do everything we wanted to. We were all exhausted by the time we got home that night, but it was a fabulous, if all too short, road trip. (For more information on Nauvoo and Carthage, please click here.

Macawlie

2009-06-24T08:30:00.001-05:00

The highlight of the zoo for Beemer was our visit to the Build-A-Bear shop. She got to pick out her own animal (she picked a Macaw, who would have guessed?) and watch it stuffed. When it came time to put the heart in, she asked Grandma to kiss it first. It was so sweet! Then she picked out clothes and glass slippers and named her - Macawlie. She also helped Audi pick out a cute Bunny, which Ahenobarbus named Rudolph.

The most memorable part of this story, though, came at the end of the week. When we took everyone back to the airport, Beemer had a hard time. She cried all the way home, repeating "Grandma" over and over. It was heart-wrenching. But as soon as we got home, she stopped crying, went to her bedroom to get Macawlie from her bed, hugged her tight and said, "When I hug Macawlie and close my eyes tight, its like Grandma is here with me, because she kissed the heart inside of her." It was so tender and sweet!

Playtime with the Stingrays

2009-06-23T20:16:00.006-05:00

The first week of June, Ahenobarbus' family came to visit (yes, I know how behind I am). We had a FABULOUS time and made tons of fun memories. We also have tons of pictures to post (I'm still sorting them, deciding what to post).

We started the visit with a trip to the St. Louis Zoo. This is a MUST for any and all visitors. We have a great zoo and its FREE!! The new attraction at the zoo is the Stingray exhibit. We all got to pet stingrays and Beemer even got to feed them! She LOVED it!

The Middle

2009-05-18T10:26:00.004-05:00

In the beginning, Audi walked with help, then she took a few (ok, two) steps on her own (in April) and decided that walking was too much work. Then, last week, she finally decided that maybe she could walk across the room.

(Jamie, thanks for the video editing!)

10 years

2009-05-17T13:06:00.003-05:00

May 15, 1999

Ten years ago, Ahenobarbus and I were married. It's amazing how time distorts itself, sometimes moving so slowly, sometimes feeling like no time has passed at all. I still feel so lucky to have found and married my best friend. He has made me laugh every day since we met and has helped me learn not to take life (or myself) so seriously. I treasure the fact that I can still see just how much he loves me in his eyes when he looks at me and how happy we are together. Our life together is an adventure and I can't think of anyone I would rather share the trip with!

I love you, honey!

Mother's Day

2009-05-16T12:27:00.013-05:00

As I am married to a medievalist, my Mother's Day is different than most. Every year, the International Congress on Medieval Studies is Mother's Day weekend. Not just the second weekend in May, no specifically Mother's Day weekend. If this is because the medievalists who plan the conference don't have mother's I have yet to decide. However, my dear husband is off to said conference each year and I have the weekend to remember why I love being a mom.

This year, my weekend began with Beemer's Mother's Day program at school. It was so sweet. The kids all got to sit on our laps while they sang us songs. Then we got to have our picture taken together, and were given our "gifts." The gifts consisted of a folder with a fabulous artistic rendering of me on the front.

I don't know if you can see it in the picture, but I have a "beautiful gold necklace" on.

Inside the folder were examples of Beemer's art and work throughout the year, but this is my favorite one by far. She got it mostly right and I did enjoy the fact that she thought I was 18. She thinks teenagers are SO cool.

My sister did this activity with Beemer over the phone and sent it to me this week. I couldn't not include it. She got a lot of things right on with this one too - although this time I seem to have aged quickly...

So, I spent the weekend playing with my girls. It was fabulous. I feel special to be able to honor Mother's Day in a unique way. It isn't a day off for me - Ahenobarbus does that other times of the year- it's a day to cherish my girls and remember why I love what I do.

Sunday evening, Ahenobarbus returned home - with roses.

Maybe because he knows Beemer loves flowers too, or maybe just because he is that kind of guy, Ahenobarbus brought Beemer a rose too!

It was a beautiful end to a wonderful weekend!

My Blue Dress

2009-05-14T08:42:00.011-05:00

After I posted the pictures of my girls in my blue dress, my mom decided I really did need to post some of me too. So, thanks to my sister's dilligent searching and my mom's (newly acquired and completely efficient) scanning, here they are.

So, which of my girls do you think looks more like me? And yes, they do both have more hair than I did.

He is SO cool!

2009-05-07T10:15:00.002-05:00

Last weekend, Ahenobarbus got the pleasure of holding Liberty for Camera Day at the World Bird Sanctuary. Basically, Camera Day is a day for photographers to get a chance to take pictures of the birds up close and personal, as well as in flight. Wildbound, you would have LOVED it!

Ahenobarbus and Liberty (isn't he beautiful).

Our favorite picture of the day! Isn't my hubby just the coolest?

Daddy and Dinner

2009-05-05T10:07:00.006-05:00

One night last week, I was cleaning up dinner when I heard hysterical laughter coming from the bedrooms. I grabbed the camera (of course) and ran down the hall to find this.

This is why Daddies are important, I would not have thought that leggings on Audi's head would be so much fun, but she thought it was pretty hilarious!

And I couldn't resist adding these last three pictures. These were taken right after dinner while she was waiting for me to clean her up. She was so tired, she zoned out a little. But I love the fact that you can tell just how much she liked her dinner!

Such a cutie -even with speghetti sauce up to her eyebrow!

My Blue Dress

2009-05-01T07:47:00.006-05:00

When I was about one, my Mom crocheted a beautiful blue dress and had my picture taken in it. Unfortunately, I don't have the pictures (they are in storage) to share. But I do want to share these pictures of my girls in the dress.

Beemer when she was about 1 and a half - I was a bit late getting this picture. (Don't mind the deer-in-the-headlights-look, at this age it was either this or completely cheesy smiles for her.)

Audi at one. Sitting in Aunt Jojo's rocking chair. The dress fits her perfectly now and I really want to show it off, but I am so protective of it. I'm still undecided about her wearing it to church. So, for now I'm contenting myself with just sharing pictures. Enjoy!

Look, Mom! I dressed myself!

2009-04-24T08:14:00.000-05:00

A sampling of Beemer's attire choices of late:

Can you guess which one she got to wear to school?

Baskets and Dresses

2009-04-21T22:19:00.002-05:00

Here are some pictures of Easter at our house (I know, it's a bit late).

The attempt at a posed picture (someday Audi will LOVE me for sharing this one with all of you).

The girls looked adorable. At Beemer's request (I'm sure that will end soon enough), they matched down to their shoes. And for this year, they both loved it!

The one who holds still. Isn't she just adorable?!

The one who won't hold still for a picture, but will sing to the pillows on the couch.

Easter Baskets!

Beemer loves this little fan (who would have thought?)

Peek-a-Boo! Happy Easter!

The Great Egg Hunt

2009-04-19T15:13:00.002-05:00

Here are the pictures from our Easter Egg Hunt this year (and the subsequent cataloging of the goodies). As you can see, the Easter Bunny stuck around to make sure all of the eggs were found. (You didn't know the Easter Bunny lives at our house, did you?)

In Your Easter Bonnet, With All the Frills Upon It

2009-04-15T10:45:00.001-05:00

Three years ago, Beemer was given this very cute Easter basket (which she has put to good use in many hunts), and she immediately insisted on wearing it on her head.

We thought it was sooo cute when she was one.

It's really cute when she's four, too!!

Easter PJs

2009-04-14T15:23:00.010-05:00

This year for Easter, my adorable sister sent my adorable girls adorable Easter PJs. So, we sat down to take some adorable pictures. Here is Beemer modeling her PJs (they were three pieces and she wanted to model both the pants and the shorts).

Then came Audi's turn. I sat her down next to Beemer, thinking I would get a few shots of them together and then some of Audi alone. Instead, this is what I got:

" LET ME GO!"

"Climb down as quickly as possible. Falling is okay, if it speeds up the process."

"Now, crawl to Mommy's lap before she tries to make me sit still again!"