One of those pictures...

You know, sometimes you take a picture that you're so pleased with you just have to share it? Well, this is one I took of the boys yesterday. I hadn't had a chance to get a picture of them in front of the tree yet and before we take it down this weekend, I wanted a picture of them together in front of the tree. Joshua tried telling me not to bother because I'd taken a picture of them in front of the tree last year. He finally agreed to let me do it, even though he didn't agree with me that he and Nathaniel have changed a lot since last year's picture. So here is the 2007 Brothers in front of the Christmas Tree photo:

And to prove that yes, they have changed since last year's picture, here it is:

Merry Christmas

Nathaniel's first haircut

Last week Nathaniel got his first haircut...I was sad to see his cute little curls go (his hair curled over his right ear...over his left ear it was pretty straight) and see him suddenly turn into a little boy in front of my eyes, but he looks cute anyway!

Here are a couple of before pictures...

And here are the during photos...

And here are the after shots...

He was really really good for his haircut...he sat and let Mela cut it with no fuss, no crying, nothing...just sat patiently. Such a change from Joshua's first haircut (and just about every haircut until he was 4) where he cried, and sobbed and turned red and gasped for air and shook. Here's a silly picture of Joshua that Daddy took while Nathaniel's hair was getting trimmed:

Nathaniel

Just some random Nathaniel moments from the past few weeks...and here's a video of him playing the piano...he pretends to dance and sing (he wouldn't sing while I was videoing)...and if you listen carefully at the end he says, "All done!"

Reading Time

Joshua loves to read...Nathaniel loves to be read to. Nathaniel will pick up a book, smile at you and (if you're sitting on the floor), turn around and back up to you and plop down in your lap. Now, once he smiles, you're lost and you know you have to read to him or he'll get rather irritated. One morning after I got him dressed and got Joshua ready for school, he grabbed a book and smiled at me. The only problem was, I was still in my pjs and needed to get ready, too. So, I roped big brother into reading duty. Joshua wasn't too sure about it at first (but, mommy, I can't read all the words...that's fine, Joshua, just tell him the names of the animals) and neither was Nathaniel. He wouldn't sit in Joshua's lap - he tried to sit next to him, but that just didn't work. This was the end result...

Gingerbread House

Last week we made a gingerbread house. Brian had got the kit at Costco or somewhere and we'd been waiting until closer to Christmas to do it. We ran out of time for it during Family Home Evening the night before, so did it Tuesday morning before Brian went to work.

Nathaniel didn't get to participate too much...much to his dismay.

Joshua had a blast decorating with the candy...you can almost still see the back of the house on the side he had total control over! He gets to do a graham cracker house in kindergarten tomorrow...that should be fun. Nathaniel is going to go play at a friend's house so I can go help in the classroom. I'm sure after a couple of hours of helping five year olds stick candy on houses the day before Christmas vacation will further cement my lack of desire to ever go back to teaching :)

EIGHT YEARS!!!!!!

Eight years ago today, Brian & I married Oakland Temple.

It's amazing how quickly the years have gone!!