Happy Birthday Grandma Kay! from capture box on Vimeo.

Salamander Habitat

We caught a salamander on a hike the other day. Brian helped Eli make a habitat for him when we got home. Sadly, he escaped overnight...

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Sharing with the Neighbor Kids

Isaac and Erin are sweet neighborhood kids that have been making our backyard a common meeting place after school these days.

Untitled from capture box on Vimeo.

Scan of the Forest

Untitled from capture box on Vimeo.

Hiking in Hoosier National Forest

Waterfalls, caves, salamanders, crayfish, running kids, tired kids, ticks and peanut butter and jelly.... we had an adventurous time hiking Hoosier National Forest with Aaron and Marla and their nephew, Isaac.

Aaron found a salamander and we took it home for Eli.

Spring Delights!

Our saucer magnolia fully blooms once every couple years. Usually a frost will come after the buds come out and we end up only having about 1/2 the tree bloom, but this year we had two weeks of nice weather once they started to bloom. It was beautiful!!! Here are a few pictures of this lovely visual treat!

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Compost Surprise!

Brian was digging up some of our compost and found this huge night crawler! Eli was in worm heaven of course.

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A Special Visit!

Grandpa Dave and Grandma Kay visited with us for the weekend!

We took a hike at Bernheim Forest one afternoon. Grandpa was soooo patient with Eli who wanted to stop and look under EVERY rock and log for bugs.

No, Otto is not screaming here, he is giggling like crazy. Run, run, jump! Run, run, jump!

Havana Rumba!!! Mojito please! - (for Mama and Grandma, that is...)

Why is Otto so quiet....

What do I say....? The bag was on the table w/in reach of Otto (which he pulled up onto his highchair).... why not, right? I think he ate about three by the time I found him- eating them foil and all!

See Otto Bang!

We got this book from the library called Ride Otto Ride and Eli has really loved reading it (or really having me read it to him). This page happened to be his favorite. We read it over and over and over again. I just had to capture a few seconds of it to share.

Bang, bang, bang! from capture box on Vimeo.

Eli and Hina Dig for Worms

Notice the shovels at their feet.

Untitled from capture box on Vimeo.

Worms on the Window from capture box on Vimeo.

Get it Otto! from capture box on Vimeo.

My Own Cafe'

Painting a Cafe' from capture box on Vimeo.

Eli's New Favorite Game

Hide-n-seek for Mama and Otto from capture box on Vimeo.

Visiting the Nyes

We took a trip to Columbus, Ohio, to visit some good friends up there, Nick and Brittany. Eli and Otto had a lot of fun playing with their sweet little girls. Viola and Eli are only two weeks apart in age so they were pretty inseparable all three days. In fact, on one of our walks I asked Eli if I could hold his hand and he told me, "No Mama. I am holding VIOLA's hand." I felt replaced. We had a great time visiting them and also visiting the church that they planted up there in Columbus. We even got one night out together as adults!- the babysitter had 5 kids ages 3 and under- thankfully they all slept the whole time :).

Otto loved pushing the stroller around.

Otto and Charlotte

I love how Viola is so supportive here.

How to Dig for Worms from capture box on Vimeo.

We joked about how we must appear to be a walking daycare with all of our strollers and kids.

Walking Daycare from capture box on Vimeo.

Planting Seeds Together

This year I thought it would be fun to plant some flowers with Eli- starting them from seeds together. I got this simple tray with the dirt pucks in it- we just had to add water and seeds. It was a bit of work (72 plants is a lot to plant with a 3 yr old), but it was fun and memorable. Also, Eli and I have had a great time watching the different seeds sprout these past few days. I believe that it will be pretty rewarding for us both once we see some flowers this spring.

Planting Seeds with Eli from capture box on Vimeo.

How To from capture box on Vimeo.

Happy 60th Birthday Grandpa Gary!

Eli said he was pretending that he was holding the phone- that is why his hand is by his ear the whole time.

Happy 60th Birthday Grandpa Gary! from capture box on Vimeo.

Seeds!

Building with Papa

Target Practice

Poor Thomas got shot in the eye!

Play Time with Eli

Happy Otto

Otto loves to run around without clothes... I think I am constantly putting his clothes back on him. I am looking forward to summer when I don't have to worry about him getting cold anymore. Eli's comment at the end has to do with Otto's belly button- he plays with it so much that it has become an outie.

Ring Around the Rosie

I just love the way Otto is looking at Eli in this... he loves his big brother.

Zoo in the Winter

We went to the zoo the other day and were pleasantly surprised at how active and happy the animals seemed to see us. We had a great time visiting the orangutans - there was one named Bella that was especially interested in Brian. When we walked in she looked at Brian and grabbed her chin and stroked it like grabbing a beard. Then later Brian showed her his iphone and some special app and she then proceeded to try and kiss him through the window. Oh my.

Unfortunately, Bella had no interest in me.

Bella falling for Brian's iphone.

Awwwwww.....

I think she is trying to reach for Eli's digger here. That tricky window.

Okay, then this bird jumped down and started doing this dance in front of Brian..... Brian said it was his blue shirt. Hummmm.

Eli Finds a Spider

Arrrrrr!

Eli and Otto recently got a big surprise in the mail from Grandma Kay and Grandpa Dave. It has led to lots of pirate fighting and merry singing fun! Here is Eli sharing a song.... arrrrrr!!

Balloons!

Eli has had a fascination with balloons these days, so I decided to figure out how to make some balloon animals. It has been fun, but we have been flying through the balloons because Eli likes to pop them as much if not more than seeing them blown up and made into things.

Brian made this balloon hat and Eli put it on him.

Eli with his fancy balloon hat.

It is a giraffe... can you tell?

Otto Learning Words

Recently I have started working more with Otto helping him with saying/pronouncing words. He is starting to show more interest in learning them lately. Today he said his name for the first time clearly! This video is from a couple days ago, we were going over a picture book together. I am pretty sure that his favorite part is growling and making noises... which is super cute! even for this mama who really wants him to start saying more words.

Otto says his name!

Snowman!

We had Eli's friend, Dorothy, over the other day to build a snowman!!! It was a bit chilly, so we built it fast and then went in for some chocolate milk and Curious George.