Sam's Baptismal Birthday

Today, February 15, is the 2nd anniversary of Sam's baptism. We got out his baptismal candle and lit it, then talked about the day he was baptized. Our good friend and pastor Amy McNelly was the one who did the ceremony and poured the water over Sam's head. Joel and Nina Shoop are his godparents and they joined us in Pullman for the service.

I like celebrating our kids' baptismal birthdays. Their baptisms were important to me (and hopefully to them), and I think it's wonderful to celebrate their affirmation of God's love for them.

Here's my sweet boy the day BEFORE his baptism in 2009

And here he is today with his baptismal candle lit

Valentine's Day

Here are just a few snapshots of Valentine's Day at our house. It's amazing how much we celebrate things these days, especially with two little excited people at our house.

Cookies decorated by chefs Samuel and Maya

Pretty pink frosting and M&Ms

Roses from Aaron . . . so pretty!

Red jell-o jigglers to go with our homemade pizza

Festive napkins add that final touch!

Parker turns ONE!

February 7 was Parker's first birthday. It's hard to believe it's been a whole year since he was born. We celebrated his special day with a birthday party on Saturday, February 5. Both sets of his grandparents were in attendance plus our family.

Focused

Parker chose the spool for "long life" when given the choice.

Cute family.

Cousins.

Sweet boy.

Time for cake.

Playing at our house the next day.

Laughing.

Adorable.

Inside and Outside

In the beautiful Pacific Northwest, we enjoy being outdoors ALL year long. A few weeks ago, Aaron took Maya and Sam on a lovely hike up toward the mountains. Maya walked 5 miles on her own.

Later they came home and enjoyed hot cocoa with their mama. What a cozy February day!

Stopping for a rest while hiking.

Lunchtime!

Cocoa mix is in--now for the hot water!

Hooray for a fun NW day.

Adventures in Colorado

Sam and I spent a few fun days in Colorado in January. One of the highlights of our trip was spending some time with the Dolenc family. If you read our blog regularly, you've seen their faces during our trip to the Oregon coast a year and a half ago. Sam and Marin were just babies then . . . now they are both busy 2-year olds (closing in on 3). 

We had a great time together.

Marin was Sam's special buddy.

All three kids played together well. Who's missing? Maya.

Lucie missed her buddy Maya. Next time!

The happy mamas.

Ice skating on the pond in the Dolencs' backyard.