Who are these children and what have they done with my babies?

Why there's not been much blogging

Need I say more?!

Mini-Ansel

Amelia took this picture and I love it!!!!!

Oh summer... we miss you.

We miss summer! School is back and we are getting into our routine... but haven't been blogging much. So I thought I'd offer some cute pictures from this summer until we get back and going again!

Aunt Betty

Tom lost his Aunt Betty this weekend - somewhat suddenly. She was his beloved aunt and stand-in grandmother after his grandparents died. Amelia got to meet her a few times and above is a great picture of them when Amelia was only 9 months old. Amelia has been pretty cute about it and last night during prayers at bedtime said, "Thank you for Aunt Betty who had to go to heaven today." Admittedly this was a bit prompted by me as I sent her up to do bedtime with Tom. Tonight, however, as I was starting her prayers she interrupted me and said, "And THANK YOU FOR AUNT BETTY." Then Tom came up and she told him what she said and he gave her a big and she told him to stop squishing her hand. But then she said, "What was Aunt Betty like, Daddy?" We told her that she is lucky because she now has another angel looking after her and to make her feel safe if she's ever scared.

The lesson for us this weekend we think is that both Tom and I have been incredibly lucky to have people from generations above us in our lives for so long. They got to see us grow up, find a spouse, and have children. Not many people can say that. But it also makes it a little bit extra sad because we each have lived our entire lives with them and we both grew accustomed to them always being there. It's a bit like losing a parent. It's hard when you don't feel like you got a chance to say good-bye.

"Jolly old st. nicholas..."

This picture makes me smile so much! This toy plays the song "Jolly Old St. Nicholas" while those cats on it move around. It was a gift to my grandmother from two of my cousins and she kept it in her living room. Last summer every time we went to her apartment Amelia would run over and play with it. After she died I asked if I could bring it home for her. At some point this winter it made its way out into the garage and when I re-discovered it this summer I brought it out for the kids and they love it. Zoë is obsessed with it but angry she can't turn it on herself; Amelia likes to be possessive of it and not share it with her sister... Nonetheless, I am so happy when I see them playing with it because it reminds me of my grandmother and I know she'd have loved to see them playing like this.

Oy they are so big...

Zoë loves corn on the cob... she will eat the entire ear all by herself.

"Thanks for this back to school outfit, Grammie!"

I swear to you that my grandpa Jones used to make this exact same face...

They are so big...

...butt still very silly...

Zzzzzzz.

Family naptime...

And Amelia goes to the ocean for the first time!

Sleeping beauty...

Amelia sleeping in utero...

Amelia sleeping a few weeks ago... cool and creepy at the same time, right?!