Halloween

 Arrrrggg... what a silly pirate!

 What a pretty parrot!

 The back of Evie's costume.

 Fun times at church.

An important lesson was learned this halloween.... getting a good picture of the two kids together is absolutely impossible.  A special thank you to Aunt Sarah who came up with the idea and made both of the kids costumes.  They were absolutely adorable.  Pictures don't do justice to the parrot costume!  Ben and Evie say, "We love you Aunt Sarah!  Thank You!"

The End of an Era...

RIP: Mitchell's Tail

Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde

Life with a toddler

 One moment...

...and the next.

The clock is ticking...

Out of the generosity of others can come burdens.  Good ones...but taxing nonetheless.  This is the situation we were pleasantly in this week.  (Remember we just moved in last week). This week we were blessed with some perennials (Plants that come up each year, regardless of how terrible we treat them - mostly).  A trunk full of plants to be more accurate. As they were given to us, our beloved friend said 'just get them in the ground before it freezes and then sort it all out in spring' - mindful of the crazy timing of getting settled at the house and the looming changing of the season.  Sounded easy to me - 'just get them in the ground'.  Or it did until what I heard was translated (differently) by my beloved wife. When I heard 'get them in the ground' I imagined dig a hole insert 5 boxes of roots into the ground and cover.  Seems simple enough. (Isn't it amazing in marriage how we can hear the same thing differently?!).  So Sunni, interpreted ('correctly', mind you) that the plants should be laid out in a planned landscape design and then in the spring we could slightly alter their location based on actual height, diameter etc.  Remember we started with 'just get them in the ground'...

So all was fine, until we heard the weather report.  Yesterday it was in the mid 70s.  We had a picnic lunch at the park and then the kids and Sunni went to the Zoo. Gorgeous. Enter a weather warning of a drop in temperature of 30 degrees and the potential for snow this weekend. But before the snow was coming a couple inches of rain...The Clock was ticking. I got home from the office a bit later than expected and the rain clouds were quickly moving toward us.  THIS is when I heard the Spousal interpretation of 'just get them in the ground'.  With 1) a toddler still napping - to be up at any moment 2) an infant in a bouncy seat on the front porch - relatively content, for the moment 3) rain clouds literally above us AND 4) a variety of neighbors driving by to see the 'New Crazies' out landscaping...We did it.

I took some pictures last night (notice the night vision feature on my cell phone - that is because it was dark...not dusk...but DARK).

And then this morning...a sense of wonder, celebration and joyous laughter as I looked at what Chaos and Blessing can produce.  (Thanks Sunni for your gift of interpretation - although mine would have allowed for some mindless TV watching)

Oh the stories...

 Picnic lunch at the park.  Amazing weather today.  70s with a breeze...probably the last of fall.

 AFTER playing at the park, Mommy decides to brave the zoo.
(Her nomination for Coolest Mom ever is in the mail!)

 Funny Story that will come back to haunt him someday:
Benj thinks it is SUPER cool to emulate Daddy.  So when he got to wear boxer briefs (yes, with a diaper) as pajamas he was SO COOL!  Best Line of the moment: 'Look Mommy, they have a pocket'  - I'll explain it to him later.

Staying out past her bedtime, trying to get shopping done...a picture is worth 'at least' a thousand words.

Today's view(s)...

 '...on a three hour tour'

'chEEEze' (Benj)...'seriously?!' (Evie)

Today's View...

Yesterday was Monday.  (AKA Family Day, at the Cooper household).  This is typically a day of daddy play, since other days tend to be filled with the joys and perils of ministry.  Benj offered some very wise words... 'Daddy don't talk - You're making Mommy crazy'.  (out of the mouths of babes).
All that said, enjoy the view from today...

 Morning time can be rough: Wake. Eat. Potty. zzzzzzzzz

 short lived nap

 Check out my thighs....(edible)

Benj interacting with the 'Babysitter'

(Parent of the Year...here we come :))

Precious Moments, indeed
(parental thought: I should have wiped his face after breakfast)

In one week...

 Our First load in the van...Benj was eager to help.

 Cheezy Smile

 Unpacking toys one at a time.

 Always helpful...In all reality, her sleep IS VERY helpful!

It's OFFICIAL, Evie is legally a Cooper!  Such a kind judge.

  The first 'family picture in front of the fireplace' picture!

 Just the two of us...

 She's touching me...

 'Who me?!'

 Based on that smile you would never guess that he was in Time Out.

 The joys of a sucker!

CHEEZE (take two)

Yes, Evie should be sleeping.

Yesterday's View...

Today's view...

Similar to days before...(different outfits at least?)

Scenes from the New-To-Us house...

 The beginnings of a Living Room

 a 3 MONTH OLD! (Yes, it seems MUCH longer...)

 You're so vain...

 Unpacking is HARD work...

 'GQ' checking out his new house

No, we did not ask him to pose.  Yes, he is 'too cool' for us.

Smiles-a-plenty...