Our Second Anniversary!

For two years in a row (wow!) we have been able to return to our honeymoon hotel, a beautiful, old - but updated - former mansion with beautiful, fragrant gardens just perfect for relaxing.

I didn't expect anything big this year since we've been really busy and have four kids and all, but Jake said we needed the time alone and found the babysitter (thanks, Danyelle!!). He had several gifts up his sleeve, including a very fascinating book we were able to read half of on our Kindles during the 23 hours away (The Underground Girls of Kabul: In Search of a Hidden Resistance in Afghanistan, by Jenny Nordberg). We also did the love language quiz for the first time together during a leisurely dinner at our favorite special occasion restaurant.

We've managed to take pictures at the entrance every year...

I love doing these things...

 

Check-out after our honeymoon. Next stop: our new apartment!

(We look SO YOUNG! I can't imagine how we would look if we had actually married when young, ha.)

 

 

Check-out after our first anniversary celebration, 2013
(Away from home with our feisty 7 week old for the first time. I look haggard for a reason!)

 

 

 Out to dinner for our 2nd anniversary, 2014

(Our first night ever away from the kids. I was so glad that they did very well!)

Christmas Time!

After Jake and I got back from our quick get-away anniversary, we planned to put up the Christmas decorations. "We" turned out to be us reading on the couch while the boys did the tree with just a little supervision. They did great!

 

When Sophia woke up, she was surprised!

 

That box of toys was put there by brothers with the idea of distracting Sophia from undoing the tree. Yeah, that didn't work!

 

 

 

Everybody "helping" Dad hang lights...

 

 

 

Joel wanted to take pictures in their Christmas pajamas, recent gifts from Grandma Thompson. Michael suggested that Jake and I really need the same style, so that we could join them. Uh... No thanks! :)

 

I won't show the pictures of the screaming baby... She was NOT in the mood, so this is the only real picture I got.

(What we call "baby candies" is all that let us get a couple pictures!)

 

What are those crazy brothers doing?! (I have no idea!)