Zoo and more

riding the train

We took our last trip to the zoo before moving. Although, it's been so warm that we might be able to go again.  We had a beautiful day and the place all to ourselves.

Eli is super proud of holding on with just one hand

 Best part of the day was Eli's big smiles.

p.s. he's wearing all black because he's pretending to be a ninja.

And this is what happens when there's a random stage at the zoo and no one around.
 

I took these pictures for my friend Lydia.  She just had a baby boy and I was telling her of my constant challenge to keep the boys' rooms clean.  The problem isn't so much that they don't pick up, it's that their play involves a different piece from every single group of toys.

Clean room + naked boy in the morning:

by dinner time: 

Nana sent the kids clothes from India.  She was there for business and sent us pictures and a little info about the country each day and we did a little study on it during school.

  

The boys were not super excited about trying on the clothes and Eli decided that all would be fine as long as he had his eyes closed.  Alison, however, was ready to get decked out.

Ben and I celebrated our 12 year anniversary!  We mixed things up this year and ran a 5 mile race and then went to a 'hole-in-the-wall' Mediterranean place for dinner.  I laughed when we pulled into the parking lot, but it was SO yummy and I'm so thankful we did something different.

 We finished up school in our pj's, munching on peppernuts.  Thanks Grandma for the treat!

We're on Christmas break now and the boys are loving having all day to play.

A completely funny oxymoron; I told the boys to go clean up their rooms last night and I heard them start to sing.  Eli made up this little song, "Jesus loves you all day long", which sounds really sweet, but as he's singing it, he's whacking Colin and destroying his toys.