Oh the weather outside is frightful...

...so I thought perhaps we could all use a little pick-me-up from some adorable children!

Theodore loves his toes. I wish it were summer so we could let him hang around naked and he could play with them more--once we put clothes on him he seems to forget they are there.

Simon being pulled in the sled, at Grandma & Grandpa's farm, where we recently went to pick out a Christmas tree.

Simon and Daddy show off their rosy cheeks after working hard out in the cold. Simon is big fan of shoveling, and now that we have plenty of snow, he always asks on he way home from daycare if he can shovel when we get home!

Look at that! Our little boy is sitting. To be fair, shortly after I took this photo he toppled over backwards...but that was a few weeks ago already and he's gotten much more stable since then :).

Thanksgiving 2010

We are snowed in! Well, not technically...Andy is at church. In fact, he went to church last night also, in the midst of the blizzard conditions, and was the only pastor to make it in for the Saturday night service (he could walk/stomp 6 blocks through the snow, while the other pastors would have to dig out and drive on un-plowed roads to get there). When he returned last night he had to shovel his way to the back door just to get inside! The kids and I decided it was not worth the hassle of getting out and to church this morning, with all the snow and Simon and I coming down with some sort of minor ailment that has left us coughing and whiny. Right now a napping Theodore and Simon watching his daily "movie" means I have a few minutes to update the blog!

We enjoyed a long Thanksgiving weekend with the Kalizabems at Backbone State Park in Iowa. Simon and the older girls played together beautifully, with Emelia and Theodore occasionally joining in the fun, but more often entertaining the adults.

Katie reads to Abbie (5) and Izzie (3).

Here's the cabin--we went for a more deluxe version this time, as we had three more children between us than the last time we went to Backbone State Park! The cabin was great--lots of room, and very comfortable.

Abbie, Simon, and Izzie, resting and enjoying a snack after a long hike up a hill--these three were great hikers and loved being outside.

Family photo time--the Gubbins...Theodore is strapped in there, as evidenced by the dangling arms and legs.

...and the Kalizabems! (ditto on the dangling arms/legs as evidence of Emelia's presence!)