Edventure with Grandma and Grandpa!

** Posts until Brett gets home will likely be filled with tons of pictures so that he can see everything that is going on while he is in the desert.  We love you honey!!! **

I've been wanting to take the boys to a children's museum in Columbia called Edventure.  Now that Gavin is older and, with my parents being in town, I knew I'd have reinforcement to chase the boys so we packed up and went this past Tuesday.  The museum was great for everyone, even Andrew! 

Gavin was deathly afraid of Eddie, the world's largest boy (according to Edventure).

World of Work

The next two photos are of the boys learning to "crawl" if there was a fire.  The tunnel was pitch black and I couldn't believe both boys were find with crawling through!

Body Works

Mission Imagination

Snow!

Random Pictures

Andrew hanging out in my parents' hotel room at Pope AFB

Doesn't he look old?!

Andrew walking the train tracks with Grandpa.

Gavin's poor beautiful face!  He tripped outside and his nose caught his fall. 

Coloring with Grandpa

I have been leaving Gavin's bedroom door open at night and around 4:30 in the morning he comes to my room to sleep with me.  With Brett being gone it's a huge welcome! I just have to be careful and not let it become a habit.

Gavin praying before he eats.  So cute!

With my boys ... Make-up'd and not so much

Gambler gals at Leigh's baby shower!

Update

I can happily report that after a few days travel, Brett is safely in Iraq.  I only say "happily" because, now that he is there, the countdown begins to when he comes home! 

 **  If you'd like to send Brett a care package, please contact me and I will send you his address.  No cookies, please!  **

The boys and I have been crazy busy since Brett has left.  We are throwing ourselves into almost every activity that we can in order to make the time go by more quickly and it's working!  Like I say to everyone who asks how we're doing, we are so busy Monday through Friday that it doesn't phase us but I think it will be the weekends that will be the hardest.  Luckily this coming weekend is jam packed with fun activities!!!

These are a few wives from the squadron who got together to scrapbook ... I know.  I told you guys I'm throwing myself into every possible activity! 

My MOPS (Mother's of Preschoolers) group made diaper cakes for Sumter's Pregnancy Crisis Center.  After completing parenting classes, these cakes are given to graduates at their baby showers.  My table's cake is on the far left. 

Here are the boys playing with the playtable that Gram and Gramp made.  In this picture, you can see that I took the chalkboard off and the boys are playing with their Thomas trainset and there is tons of storage underneath.  Perfect! 

Thank you for checking in on us!

And so it begins ...

As most of you well know, Brett left last night to serve in the desert for the next four months.  This is his fourth deployment to the desert since the war began and our second deployment together and, let me tell you, saying goodbye does not get any easier!  The boys got to stay up way past their bedtime so that we could drive Brett to base and see him off.  

We are so proud of you and can't wait for you to get home.  We love you!!!

In other, less notable news, here are a few things that have happened since my last post:

Brett is very particular about his hair and with his favorite stylist unable to travel with him to the desert, he decided to shave everything off!  We decided to make it a family affair only Gavin didn't want any part of the activity.  Andrew, of course, was all over the place, wanting to get into everything.

Brett trying to coerce Gavin to help him shave his head.

Gavin having no part in it.  I don't blame him!

Gavin and Andrew spent most of the time in our closet so they wouldn't get in our way or walk all over the hair that fell to the ground.  While Brett was finishing up, I took pictures of the boys and made Gavin pose for pictures.  Too cute!

Pictures from a shopping trip to Walmart to get a few last supplies for Brett ...

Brett's teeny tiny head.  His hair usually makes his head look so much bigger!

This is how Francis IV & V rang in the new year.  Party animals!!!

One of these days, Andrew is going to give me a heart attack.  He climbs all over everything.  He always has a bruise or a scratch on his face. He runs through the house so fast that he trips over his feet and lands face down, only to get right back up and run again ...  Can I keep him in a bubble?

One day I found Andrew climbing up our slide and rather than slide down, he jumped off the side!  He landed on his face, then climbed right back up and did it over again - all while laughing hysterically.       

He is only eleven months old!  What else does he have in store for me?!

Brett and I laugh everytime Andrew eats.  I have never seen a baby eat as much as he does!  The boy loves his food and went especially crazy over Gavin's pasta so we decided to take pictures of him eating.  Yes, this is what we do in our freetime!

So cute.

Our new neighbors have a two year old boy, Logan.  He and his family came over for dinner the other night and the boys sat on the kitchen bench which reminded me of Gavin and Ryan!  Gavin even stole the camera and took a picture of Logan for you all.

Every night I say, "Gavin, night night time.  Let's brush your teeth!" and he runs straight to the bathroom.  He loves to brush and floss!

Andrew still fits perfectly into our kitchen sink! 

We went to Chick Fil-A for lunch and Andrew and I sat by the indoor playground while we watched Gavin play with the big kids!

Gavin is getting so big.  Can I stop time???

Pictures of the boys playing at home :