Yup, that's Ava 

Crazy kids running around with shirts on their heads 

Story Time! (otherwise known as Stack the Children) 

Elisabeth: "Wow, Jonah! Good job on the puzzle! I didn't know you could do that by yourself."
Jonah: "Yeah, I'm growing up so fast. "

Ava sure loved those pancakes this morning! 

In the car today...
Elisabeth: You look tired, Joe.
Jonah: I'm not tired, I'm just relaxing.

Out to dinner for Brooke's 30th birthday!  

Elisabeth, Jenny, Brooke, and Dorina went shopping down on NW 23rd while the guys watched all the kids! 

Last weekend we had some friends (the Schlanges and the Colburns) come for a visit. The guys went for a ride in Jon's Impala. 

Jonah this morning working on a project for his Gamma & Nana. 

How old are you, Ava? (oops--there's 3 fingers there!) 

Eating her castle tower and cake. 

Blowing out the candles...sort of. 

Happy 2nd Birthday Ava! 

Ava's Rellie Castle Cake for her birthday (made by yours truly)... 

Jonah's turn! He was so excited to have the bird land on his arm. 

Jenny with one Lorikeet (at one time she had three on her arm)... 

Ava feeding the Lorikeets a cup of juice from her hand. 

It's Ava's 2nd Birthday and we went to the zoo! (L to R: Micah, Jonah, Madison, Jack, & Janessa--Ava didn't want to be in the picture!) 

One more of lunch by the lake today. 

Another warm day in Portland and the kids and I had a picnic by the lake!  

Today after preschool, Jonah, Ava, and had a picnic on our back deck--it was about 72 degrees! So when we sat down I said, "Jonah, isn't it a beautiful day?"
Jonah took a deep breath and said, "Yeah. I like the fresh air!"

Rellie this morning playing with her babies in her new Cinderella dress Gamma bought her. 

Jonah's new name, according to Jonah: "Jonah Spider-Man Brawley"

Jonah and Ava playing "nap time" today. 

This morning I asked Jonah what he is going to buy me for my birthday next week.
"Do you want socks, Momma?"

Tonight I went out to dinner with my sis in-law, Heather. While we were there I got a call from Jon saying the car wash had broken and he needed me to pick the kids up at the station and take them home with me. So, I get to the station and Jonah is really bummed that he can't ride home with Daddy. He told me very loudly that he wasn't ever going to ride in my van again and that he wanted to ride home in Pop-Pop's truck (Jon has been driving Jerry's truck since the flat tire for his truck is on order).
Then, just a little ways down the road, Jonah says to me, "Momma, I'm reawwy sorry I said that to you. Will you forgive me?"
It was so sweet!
I mean, how fast can a mother's heart melt?

This morning we went out to breakfast and when we first arrived, there was a whole table full of firefighters eating together. We told Jonah that they were firemen, and he was staring at them in awe. Then as the firemen were leaving, one of them came over and gave Jonah and Ava each a sticker "badge" (so nice). After he left, we asked Jonah if he wanted to be a fireman when he grew up. This is what he said:
"No, I'm gonna be a driver."
Elisabeth: "What are you going to drive, Joe?"
Jonah: "I'm gonna drive a Chevy truck!"
We noticed most of the tables around us overheard it and were laughing, too. :0)

Jonah went to preschool today and when he walked in his teacher said, "There he is!"
Jonah responded, "Yeah, I grew up! "
Then, less than a minute later, he said, "Teacher Sharon I have Jesus in my heart so I can die now." :)

"Hey, mom! Look what I did!!"

The sweetie part of the chocolate cake. (cheesy, i know) 

A portrait of what could have been had Jon become a hockey player. . .

Jonah trying to make "blacked out" teeth...