These were mailed out last week to family and I thought I would share it with you. Click here to view Levi's birth announcement.

2 big girls...2 tiny houses

The local library provided a wonderful craft for the young one's this week.  Little gingerbread houses made out of milk carton's and graham crackers.  Savannah was so excited because she would get to see her friend, Rachel.  So, after Mimi arrived to watch Noah, we headed to the library and jumped right in on all the fun!

Even Lily and Levi joined us!  They were such good babies!

Guess she didn't think we'd see her taking a bite from her "house supplies."  

So proud of their work...

And....here she is eating again!!!

Danielle giving Rachel some decorating tips...

Savannah's gingerbread house...completed! 

OK, we're done now...can we go to Chic-fil-A?  

And that's just what we did... Rachel even got to ride with us which was a special treat for both of them.  Such a fun morning with friends.  And Savannah's new house sits in our dining room ever so *sweetly*.

We did it!!!!

When Levi was born, I clearly remember saying..."I'll never go out with all 3 of them!"  Well....never say "never!"  Last week, a grocery run was a must and I had no choice but to load every body up and brave the doors of Wal Mart.  

While at home, thinking through the trip and knowing I could only fit 2 in the buggy, I suggested to Savannah that she might like to take her baby stroller.  With eyes as wide as saucers, she was excited to say the least! 20 minutes later, she had packed a diaper bag (complete with a felt pancake, "just in case the baby needs a snack mommy")and was ready for our excursion! Levi had just been fed, Noah finished a snack and had just been changed, Savannah had recently pottied....So, I hurried them out to the car while everyone was seemingly content. Maybe, just maybe, I've got an hour, I thought.  

Here we are...

 Noah is snacking...again.  This keeps him from rising out of his seat, turning around, and attempting to poke Levi's eye out.  (not kidding one bit!) Whatever works is what I say!  

 I wish I could have counted how many people stopped to comment on Savannah with her stroller.  She was truly a little mama.  When we reached the milk coolers, Savannah immediately started looking through her bag for the baby's bottle.  When she couldn't find it, she went into a 3 year old "mommy panic." "But Mommy," she says to me rather loudly, "my baby needs her milk!"  After some consoling and assuring that she would be ok until we got her home, we journeyed on! 

 Oh yes, the produce section.  Here is where Savannah was a little excited, and getting a little tired of waiting on mommy sort through mounds upon mounds of avocado's...so she thought it would be fun to roll an onion on the ground like a ball and then burst out with laughter while running after it. It's one of those moments where you don't even want to look around at who is watching you...because you just know they are giving you that "Control your child, PLEASE!!!" look.  
But, we made it to the checkout line and out the door.  She was so curious about the Salvation Army bell, so I gave her some change to drop in the bucket.  (Baby is still close by!)  

Off we go then to the car.  Crossing the parking lot was a little challenging since Savannah has 2 speeds...S-L-O-W M-O-T-I-O-N or RUN! Neither of which are good speeds, at least for a 3 year old, in a parking lot.  But, we made it!  We did it!  It will not be an every day occurrence with all 3, but I am no longer afraid of Wal- Mart.  

I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength!

A look at Levi James...4 weeks old.

This little guy is 4 weeks old today...and as I type this, I can hardly believe it's so.  Levi James is growing stronger every day.  He smiles so sweetly often showing us a little dimple on his right cheek that we like to think is a tiny fingerprint from his Creator.  His hair is showing signs of red more and more every day (although you won't see that in the pictures below...I do love a hat on babies!! AND it was cool out) Oh, and he slept 4.5 hours last night!!!!  (BIG mommy smile) Well, enough of my ramblings, see our little bundle for yourself.  *Notice his "little brother" onesie.  =)

Dear God, thanks for Levi!

More Paint... (AND glue!)

Craft time!!  If you've read some of our other craft posts, you'll remember that Savannah LOVES paint and glue!  So, for a fall craft, we first headed outside with our grocery bag to do some leaf collecting!  

We collected quite a few...


Then, it's back inside to create!  Since there are no photos of the next step, I'll let you in on the excitement!  I painted Savannah's arm and hand with brown paint...this would be the tree (she LOVED this), then placed it carefully on our paper which was prepared with "grass" (green paper cut to look blade-like and glued onto the blue paper).  The next step...choose some leaves and glue them onto the "branches" (fingers).  =)  Here we go...

 "Which glue should I use?  Hmmmmmmmm....."

 And the winner is.... (I knew it all along!...there's just something about pouring puddles of glue that kids love!)

I love her heavy concentration!
And the finished product...

I love how she wanted to glue some leaves on the grass because they had "fallen."  And I so love how Savannah's face lights up when I say, "Craft time!!"  

My New Normal

If you walked into my house on this particular day, and really any other day....you might find books stacked on the trunk in the living room (and yes, maybe even a rolled up dirty diaper!)

 ...pretend kitchen toys piled on the couch "so Noah won't get 'em"

Towels folded and placed on the arms of the chair (because that was the only "clear" spot!) Oh yes, and a wipe container placed on top of the chair (for convenient grabbing....AND so Noah doesn't pull them all out!!)  

You might find 2 children playing (sometimes happily, sometimes...not so much)

Our nest may be a bit of a mess, but we are taking each day as it comes and trying to savor the everyday memories of a "new normal."

Noah loves Nutella!

When Noah awakes from his midday slumber, the first thing he usually greets me with when entering his room is the "eat" sign...coupled with a great big grin.  I TRY to keep snacks healthy and it seems that I've gotten in a rut of offering the same snacks (grapes or bananas with raisins or crackers).  So, one day last week I surprised them with a different snack...and it actually IS healthy even though it doesn't appear that way when you look at Noah's face.  Mum-mum crackers (for babies/toddlers) with nutella spread on top!  DELICIOUS. But Nutella is good on anything in my opinion.  And I think this little guy would agree. 

Could't resist posting this sweet moment captured that same evening.  Daddy and Levi enjoying some r&r.