A New Year

We took a trip to Kentucky for New Years to see family and friends...

but most of all to eat Aunt Karen's spaghetti (Pop Mayhugh's recipe, of course)!

In fact, for weeks after we returned Owen kept saying,

"I want to go to Aunt Karen's house and eat spaghetti!"

The first stop on our trip - Portland!

Thanks to Mary and Paul for opening their home 

so we could hang out with everyone for the day!

Alisa letting Ethan play with her phone

(I'm sure he spent at least an hour doing this - he was in heaven!)

So thankful for Margaret and Kord for letting us crash at their house, yet again

the boys with big brother Kord

playing with the frozen bird bath in Grandma's back yard

I have many memories running up and down this driveway as a child

and I loved watching the boys do the same

Ethan got a camera from Aunt Allie for Christmas this year

and spent hours taking hundreds of pictures on our trip

Here are a few of my favorites he took...

When we were stopped at the light across from the hospital 

where Ethan was born I told him that this is where he was born.

He immediately asked for his camera and took a picture of the building!

the lights on Grandma's tree

Here are a few he took right after he got the camera --

my favorite is the one of Allison changing Anna's diaper.

Owen helping mommy make homemade pizza

Yaya and Anna stayed with us one morning while Allison was at work.

Anna's was teething 

and loved it when I put this toy drill in her mouth and turned it on

Sine the holidays are always so busy, 

we decided to make gingerbread houses in January this year.

Thanks Ellen and Hudson, for letting us make a huge mess at your house!

the very best part of making gingerbread houses...

Owen has recently started being more cuddly with Ethan -- 
he'll go sit on Ethan's lap and ask if he will hold him.

He's also doing a lot of pretend play with the baby dolls --

putting them down for a nap and cuddling with them on the couch

But don't let that fool you --

he definitely has a crazy side!

Aunt Jenny, Uncle Kevin and Tristan came for a visit a few weeks ago

and the boys had tons of fun playing together and making lots of new memories.

Since Tristan and Owen are only a month apart in age,

they played really well together
(except for the shutting-the-fingers-in-the-door incidents)

Jenny and Kevin needed a little shut-eye after the overnight flight,

so we took the boys to the mall to run around for a while.

Owen and Tristan kept chasing each other and running all over the place,

then they would stop and make sure Ethan was still within sight

and would wait for him to catch up.

Owen and Tristan making faces at Ethan from the window display

Aunt Jenny got the boys matching hats --

 Cookie Monster, The Count and Big Bird

We've had a few nice days over the past few weeks --

on this day it was 70 degrees, so I had to bring Owen to the park

picnic in the front yard

24 hours later we were all bundled up and playing in the snow

Ethan had lots of fun sliding on the ice

making snow angels

Owen loved pulling Holden around in her sled