This one goes out to all our "Copeley" Friends

So, you know that game called Settlers of Catan? Well, Brandon and I came up w/ our own version of the game- Settlers of COPELEY. We lived in the Family Housing apts. at UVa (aka Copeley). In our version, you try to build apartments, complexes, the Longest Seymour Rd, The Largest Work Order, and move the "ROACH". ;) The cards you use to "build" (if you've played the original game you know what I'm talking about) are: off-white paint, cinderblocks, groundhogs, quarters (because of the laundry coin-op quarters were worth more than bills around Copeley), and the garden.


This is a pic. of one of two Brandon & Danielle "originals" (we made one for the Russons!) We have all the files that we could send ya- if anyone's interested. Or, maybe I could make you one (for a small fee!) ;) Spread the word to all our Copeley peeps!

Mommy, WOW! I'm a big kid now!

So, Ethan's lost his first tooth. He's pointing to the said tooth in this documenting photo.

I was thinking the other day, "Ethan's old enough to do some work around here". So, I skipped the small stuff like making the bed and went straight for mowing the backyard. I'm psyched about our new (to us) lawn mower that we got on Craigslist. We're "going green". Maybe next Sat. Ethan can finish laying the sprinkler pipe (that's what that mound is in the background).

Child labor, anyone? They were fighting over who could mow the lawn- never thought I'd see that day. And I probably will never see that day again.

He's on 2 Wheels. HOORAY!

Ethan this post's for you, big guy! ;)

Photography 101

It was so pretty outside the other day, the kids and I went out to play (and I brought the camera to capture the day).

It's spring here already-I guess. The trees are in bloom and the tulips have popped up. I'm having a wardrobe "Seasonal Identity" crisis living here. This is Hayley- sporting her "shouldn't I be wearing boots in Feb? but it's spring and I wanna wear a skirt" look. I think she pulls it off nicely! ;)

I love the colors in the pics- I didn't touch them w/ editing, it's just so green right now! ;)

He really didn't want me to take his picture, he was busy climbing the tree (he's a little monkey).

Soccer and Boxing

Ethan's playing soccer this "Winter". It was almost 80 degrees for his game yesterday. This is our little Goalie:

I should have cropped these pics before, but I kinda like how tiny he looks (cause he really is the shortest on the team)!

Soccer Stud ;)

We got the generic Wii (it was only 20 bucks) and it has boxing on it. The kids thought it was hilarious to box eachother and that it was okay to "virtually" beat eachother up.

Christmas in a nutshell

Playing in the snow at Grandma and Grandpa's house!

Meeting up w/ our friends from VA!

Mariah playing w/ her Uncle in the snow.

The girls playing the piano at Nana's house!

Christmas Highlights (Cont)

This is the Gingerbread Igloo that Brandon and I made this year. I like the "authentic" Igloo dweller- with his pirate eye patch and all! ;)

Shepherds and Mary at our annual Christmas Eve Shepherd's Dinner

The Whole Fam- by the way, those BabyBell cheeses make great teethers! Mariah gummed them all night!

Brandon tiling my parents bathroom for their Christmas present!

Let it Snow, let it snow, let it snow!

My mother-in-law sent us this cool packet of "Insta Snow". The kids loved playing in it- they are feeling nostalgic for a white Christmas, so we improvised!

Staging a "white-out" blizzard! (she was wearing flip-flops and look how green the grass is!) And my funny atempt to throw snow on myself, smile, and click the button to capture the "AZ snowfall". Selsun Blue, anyone? ;)