Return of the ExerSaucer

It's back.
The ExerSaucer has made an other hit at the Schoepp household. After seeing little Joshy Balfour in his exersaucer I decided to see if Eli could handle it.... he's still a bit young, and doesn't last long...but he likes it! And mama likes it too.

Les Boys

Here are a few recent shots of the boys.
Things here are going pretty smoothly...we're just waiting for the next developmental whatever to disturb our toddler at 2am or irritate our 3 month old...hmmm..maybe teething for Eli? Who knows. Not that I'm a pessimist, but if I've learned on thing from the last 22 months with James, it's that when things are going smooth - don't get used to it!
Other than my bad/realistic attitude, things here are great. The weather is good, the flowers are blooming, I've racked up a lot of km's on the double stroller. James is saying new words everyday. Today's word/phrase is 'big weed'...only it sounds more like "ig eeeed". Yesterday's was 'lawn-mower', only "mo-more". Eli is smiling a lot more too and gurgling - which makes this job A LOT more fun!

Keats

We were able to get up to Keats for a couple days over Easter. It was very exciting to get away....but while we were there we thought a lot about how it would be nice to be home. And when we eventually got home it sure felt good to have a well insulated roof over our heads, and to not to have to worry about who's going to put wood on the fire at 2am. I don't think I've ever appreciated my glider the way I did our first night home from Keats.
Enough complaining. We had a good time overall. It's always great to be able to get up to Keats, regardless if your 2-year old is puking, your 3-month old is too cold to sleep, and if it's snowing....in March. Once James got healthy he had an AWESOME time throwing rocks and sticks in the ocean, looking at all the boats, picking up sticks on our walks, and playing with the classy cabin toys. Eli got hauled around the island in the 'metro wrap'. I had to show him around. It was his first time to Keats. We went to Salmon Rock twice, Bonfire Rock, took a tour of the camp, and almost made it to Sandy Beach. I wanted to take him to Highest Peak, but that's when it started snowing. Jed demolished the deck on the 'new' cabin next door, went for a dip in the ocean, smoked 3 cigars, and drank a bit of scotch. My parents were up as well. Poor nanny was in the wrong place at the wrong time when James decided he didn't want to digest his dinner. She did a lot of laundry. My dad was happy to get the deck off the cabin and to have a big fire (to rid of the deck and some other things from Jacks....)
Here are a few pics of the trip:
The beautiful view from the deck...sometime around 8pm:

Eli enjoying a bath in the sink:

The snow's a little hard to see in the picture, but it was really coming down! Puzzled and perplexed Papa.

An other bath in the sink:

Fairview toys:

James, enjoying some breakfast. The rest of us, praying we don't see it again.

This kid was pretty fussy the whole time we were there....unless we were outside. Made for a lot of time in the metro wrap. He loved the hikes - and being able to look out and see where we were going. (What a chubster!!)

The boys taking care of the deck:

Demolition can be exhausting:

I still can't believe he went in. He's pretty proud of himself.

Happy Easter

Today was an awesome day. Great breakfast, good church service, tastey dinner, and some nice weather for an apres-dinner walk. It's fun getting more into holidays as a family. I don't think we would have had Easter treats for breakfast if it was just the two of us....then again, maybe.
Here's the breakfast table:

The boys getting ready for church (don't James' hands look huge?):

Our sweet, precious Eli:

and again:

Mommy and her little preppy man:

Ahhhh...Sunday

I think Sunday is my favorite day of the week. We don't have to be anywhere till 10:30 (church), so there's no rushing in the morning and Jed's around so showering is an option. I get an hour to myself while the kids are in the nursary. We have small group at our place (which includes lunch), so chances are I don't have to prepare anything and I get to hang out with friends and have some good food and good discussion. We try to not do much so it's just an overall relaxing day. We need that! Everyone needs that.
Daddy and Eli, ready for church:

Eli and his bud Madison. She's got 5 weeks on him, but that won't be much as they get older.

Mama and James, having fun with the camera:

Buddies

My friend Julie-Ann and I have started watching eachother's kids a little bit. This has worked out really well! I've been going to the gym, and she's worked (well we've each only done it once, but it's been great). And it gives James a chance to hang with his favorite bud: Aksel! I think it's James' favorite word. He goes through all his important people every once in a while, "daddy, mama, nanny, baby, bapa, aksel" repeat, repeat, repeat. Sometimes the only thing that'll get him to settle at night is reassuring him that we'll get to see Aksel tomorrow. Here are a few shots of the four kids at my place. It was a tiring 3 hours! I emptied my dish drain, and entertained. Not a productive morning, but a fun one (in an exhausting sort of fun way).
Here they're not really playing at all together. This is when I emptied the dish drain, and made macaroni.

Aksel:

Sister Siena:

Eli, all alone. He doesn't have much in common with the bigger kids....yet.

Eli's Baptism

We didn't actually get any pictures of him being baptised, but here are some of the boys that morning - before leaving for church:




And here are some family shots after church:
James was having a rough nap so Jed brought him into our bed. He's still asleep and that's why we were able to get a shot of the whole family.