Trucks

The boys are getting really good at picking up their toys lately, good thing since we have a surplus now!! Riley likes all of their trucks on display :)

Evan's Xmas Favorite

I know- I need to get some Christmas pics (and more consistent posts!) up very soon. Here are a few of Evan, I love the looks he is giving and his perfect hair day :) His favorite Xmas present by far is the animal ball poppers from Auntie Bev and Uncle Terry. And I have to admit- the adults have enjoyed them too- I still laugh every time I pop a ball out and it flys across the room. I also love that the babes run after the balls for what seems like forever and get some energy out!

G and G Waind are here!

We are excited to have the 'grents here for a week to help us celebrate our first Christmas back in Portland! The boys love having more adults around because they are showered with more love :) Here's a pic of them with the boys and then the trips getting lunch fed by grandma!! Mom enjoyed the break, especially since I am battling another cold- ugh!

Peacock Lane

We have known about this Portland Neighborhood tradition for years but this was the first time have checked it out. I'm glad we did- it was fun! It was a little cold but we were only outside walking for about 30 minutes. Brody kept complaining about not wanting his picture taken but he was good and posed each time for Grandma Chari :) G and G Waind got in on Friday and they have been lovin up on the boys ever since. We are ready for Christmas and more family time :)

Mini-B

Evan looked so much like little Brody today I could t get over it! It was a paci-needed kind of day but less crying than yesterday for Jess so that's good news! (We have had an emotional trio this week- can we say almost 2??!??!!)

Playing Nice

Evan, Riley and Payton with their current favorite activity- lego's!! When we find something that is a favorite we make sure to put it in the closet when they are done playing so it's not always accessible- it helps keep the interest longer too. You can find their favorite things in the closet right next to- those things that drive me crazy and those things that cause a fight every time they are out :) Yes, I am a smart mama! haha

Ickies and Kissies

Do you wonder why the germs and illnesses spread like wildfires around here? Ha! We have a bunch of lovers that like to show affection :) Between the kisses, shared paci's and sippies and the close quarters- I automatically know that when one gets taken out the others won't be far behind. Including Mom- like I can resist kisses from these sweeties, especially when they aren't feeling well.

PJ spent a lot of time like this when he was running a temp this week:

Today was a rough day- I am wondering if the boys are getting molars or something because they were INSANE!!! Actually it was just Evan and Payton that were miserable today (not sick miserable, but cranky temper tantrum miserable!) I am glad all are sleeping now- this mama needs a break.

Photo Book

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Santa!!

This is actually the first year we have take. The boys, even Brody, to sit on Santa's lap! I was quite skeptical and had pretty low expectations- but they did great!! Santa was prepared with an XL chair and was as friendly as can be!! Brody said he wanted a snowboard from Santa (not prepared with that!!) and that his brothers would like an iPad (also not in our budget- yikes!!). Jess and I had fun with boys and took them out for dinner as well- a nice change for a Thursday afternoon/evening :) I have more pics but here is one I caught on my phone.

What day is it??

I can't believe it's only Tuesday- I feel like it should be at least Thursday for the week I have had so far! My days are a blur these days but somehow I am making it through. Jess took the boys out for a little lunch date yesterday and she reports that they behaved very well! Ben's back is still out :( and I didn't get much sleep last night because Brody was up sick multiple times :( I let him sleep with me since Ben has been camped out on the floor (better for his back I guess) and didn't get much sleep between the cleaning of pukey messes and the echoes of the Waind-boys snoring all around me! My 7am meeting came to quick, that's for sure!

Evening Chaos

5-7pm in our house is pretty crazy, I can't wait for the day that is no longer the norm! We usually have to stripping clothing (this makes the trips very happy) and just succumb to the insanity and let it be. Our next house will definitely have a finished basement in order to house this brood. Tonight's big drama was the babes wanting the lights off in the playroom and Brody wanting them on. I tried to distract them by getting them to take a picture (because they love that so much-ha!) and because Brody didn't want to cooperate that meant no one wanted to. They all want to be and do everything like Brody- especially Evan. He is mini-B through and through. This work week looks MUCH better so I am hoping to catch up on blogging and so much more. Lets hope I am successful :)

Tuckered Out!!

Jess sent me this pic yesterday saying that the boys were resting after a scavenger hunt outside. Yes, we have the best nanny. Ever. Ben has been unable to lift the boys since last Saturday (he needs a new back :( ). Jess has been there for us all week- poor girl has had to keep up with my crazy work schedule! She brought me a latte at 6:15am yesterday morning so I could be out the door by 6:30 for work! Sadly I wasn't home until 10pm. I am waiting patiently to hear a sign of waking babies (yes, they are still my babies) so I can snuggle my boys! I know after a few minutes of that I can expect my big boy to come running out yelling "Moommmmmyyyy!!!, you're home from work!!!" We will find Zeke and I will try and get as many details out about his day yesterday before leaving for work again. Looking forward to some weekend snuggles with everyone :) and a less eventful week next week!

Zeke!!!

Zeke is back!!! He has been busy this week and Brody is having so much fun with him, so is Mom :) We have a few more options this year than we did last year in our family shoe box (aka FEMA trailer). Speaking of the FEMA trailer- we have been reminiscing about our past year a lot lately. Although it was the hardest year we still have really great memories of all of the time we were able to spend with our families- it's definitely a year that will never be forgotten. We won't be alone this year- Ben's parents will be here for Christmas which will be great. It's rather fitting since they also spent our 1st Christmas in Portland with us in 2005! And my Mom will be out in January for the boys' 2nd bday.... I can't believe they will be TWO!!!!!

Looks like....

Uncle Tyson! These pictures remind me of my brother when he was a little guy. Not because I remember exactly (he is 16 months older than me) but from the pictures I have seen of him. I always thought he looked like a porcelain doll- and so does PJ. If only I had his perfect eyelashes and naturally rosy cheeks!

Picture Perfect

Most times Brody's hair only looks its best in-person and ends up looking a bit messy and "homely" in pictures. Not this day, he was having a great hair day!!

Such a looker!! I couldn't quit snapping pictures ;) Love you, Brody!!

Saturday at OMSI

We packed up the crew Saturday afternoon and headed over to OMSI, Brody has been there before but it was the first time for the babes. They all had a great time upstairs in the children's science center.

 Evan and Riley started by weighing some bones

 Brody gathered his flock in the Eagle's nest, they were fine until he scared them with the stuffed bird- they scattered quickly out of the nest!

 Can you tell they all like to hoard objects to ensure they get as many as possible to themselves?

 Payton concentrated hard on standing all of the people up. There was a cute little girl at the table at first but PJ's excessive drooling scared them away real quick! Oh well, he doesn't need to be a ladies man just yet ;)

 Brody liked this magnetic geometric shapes and has added them to his Christmas wishlist!

 Evan didn't realize he was in a giant sandbox for a few minutes

 Ev and Ri are 2 peas in a pod- they have a love hate relationship about that....mostly love though!

 Here comes P!

 Just kidding- back in the sandbox

 They eventually got the hang of it all

 Brody shared so nicely with all the kids he encountered at every stop- he is such a sweetie

Riley, hoarding again!

There was more fun stops followed by a walk through the "grossology" exhibit where the boys walked through a giant nose, climbed up a ladder into a mouth and shot down a slide to walk through the rest of the intestine. The favorite of the exhibit was the farting machine- they laughed and laughed, especially Brody. No pictures when we were in the exhibit because it was busy and not as kid-friendly as upstairs- we were all hands on deck and not able to stop for pictures :) We hope to make it back at some point during the week when the most popular spots (the water area and goop play/sculpture stations) are not jam packed. It's easy to get one spot to open up amongst the crowds but waiting for 3 or 4 was difficult! I would have also been ok dealing with one we kid post-water station but I wasn't prepared for all the boys to get drenched in the process. Yes, we have to make sacrifices at times due to us being outnumbered at this age, but I don't think they mind and we try to be as "normal" as possible with their activities but can't always win. It was a good time- we will be back.