some xmas photos at dads

Leave it to my dad to get the boys their first car. He got a great deal on it and couldn't pass it up. They are a little young for it but I have no doubt Lucas will know exactly what he is doing with it after a few times with it outside. They love to sit in it and pretend for now. We did hook the battery up and Lucas took off and I have never seen such a happy child. He was just glowing with joy it was so funny.
He was NOT happy with us when we shut it off. As you can imagine. It was either that or my Dad and Nancy would no longer have had a home to live in. And as I had mentioned in previous posts Lucas loves his music. He played the flute and nancy pulled out a harmonica and it was all over he fell in love with that thing. We are going to make a quick call to Santa for a last minute gift. Thank you Grandpa and Nana for a very fun Christmas!!!!!!!

take a look at the video on my video bar

check out my video bar
awesome!!!!!!!!!!!!

Slide show

The boys aunt Mary and Uncle Jim came for a visit and brought xmas gifts.
We had so much fun the entire weekend didnt want them to leave. My new sister in law is just beautiful and amazing she brought great energy to our weekend. Had a blast.

Some pictures of Jessie and Jake with Lucas (jackson was still napping) jess and jake are 2 of my favorite people in the world I love them both so much. They also have one of the best moms to have ever walked this earth love that girl

then we have some thanksgiving with my family who I just cannot get enough of. And Jackson posing with a santa hat. I am soooooo LUCKY

I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving!!!

Updates on the boys.

Lucas is obsessed with tools and fixing things(well he thinks he is fixing things)
He also likes to wrestle so be aware of that if you come visit us. He just wont stop. He just loves to hang out with the guys he loves to shovel snow , any kind of work he would rather pull Jackson in the sled than ride in it. He also loves to help me vacuum or any kind of cleaning or picking up. I doubt that will last long.

Jackson loves his letters and numbers and any sport he can shoot hoops dribble a basket ball punt a regular size foot ball kick a goal into the soccer net and throw a baseball in the air and hit it with a bat. (toy bat and ball not adult size)
Everyone that sees him is pretty shocked and amazed he will also sit and watch any sport

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Its been awhile

Been trying to post pictures and videos just havent had time.
I video taped the boys drawing some pictures and Jackson doing his
letters, numbers and shapes. he is a little smarty pants. I am
hoping Lucas starts talking soon. He may need speech therapy.
Another bug going around in the house so this is going to be short
Lucas is pretty sick again. He just had tubes put in then he got
yet another ear infection and now a high fever brought him in this
morning they just said its a virus but we have to watch his fever
special hello to my cousin kelly. Kelly email me if you can.
miss you

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Pumpkin Patch

We had a blast!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I wish i could have gotten pictures of all of it. Tom was doing his best with shooting videos and snapping photos. GOOD JOB DADDY. As you will see we didnt get one shot of him. Sorry Tom.
It was a fun day, the boys were running crazy for the entire visit to the P patch.
I would suppose most parents there were thinking i should call nanny 911 for a little help.

Lucas is doing great after his surgery.

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just a short video. we went to visit grandma garner and all 5 of us went to the park.
they love the parks as do most kids i would suppose
we usually end up at a park at least 4 or 5 times a week the boys NEVER get tired of it. Sometimes we go 2 times a day. We have some really nice parks in seymour very lucky there.

updates.
my left knee is healing up and no more surgeries for me YAHOOO I can get back to chasing the boys the way I am suppose to be. Instead of hoping around on one leg.
lucas is having surgery wed. He is tongue tied so they are clipping that and putting tubes in his ears. We are very optimistic that once we take care of that Lucas will
be talking. He tries so hard to say words. Then our family is ALL done with surgeries this year. Knock on wood that will be nine procedures this family has had this year. YIKES and what a year it was. Thank God they were all minor things and we all healed up great.

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Finger painting with chocolate pudding?? Are you kidding me????
who finger paints with chocolate pudding? you finger paint with finger paint you eat chocolate pudding. However this is the best way to eat chocolate pudding who needs a spoon!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Okay i know i am a bad mom. Life is too short :) have to let loose now and again.

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slide show

just some pictures of the boys hanging out with friends and family. I have had yet another knee surgery so daddy has been taking care of the boys and he thought it would be funny to take pictures of breakfast time with coke and m&ms for breakfast
very funny..... anyone have any halloween ideas for the boys.. i just dont know what to do this year.
Want to say happy birthday to.
some friends and family
happy birthday to
Grandpa Garner
Ian
Julia
Kimberly
Tava

Hello to my cousin Kim and my aunt Mary 2 people i wish i could see again soon

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boys 18 month photos

Getting photos of the boys together is nearly impossible when in a open room with equipment everywhere. Lucas wasnt happy with any of us since we werent allowing him to grab all the wires and lights, so no pictures of him smiling. Its easier to just chase them with a camera in the back yard or the park and snap whatever we can.
We want to try to attempt again with their Packers jerseys in a couple months hopefully that one will go a bit more smooth.

Playing in the rain again

not real exciting but something to post

It was a nice warm day out and all the sudden it just started pouring out and the boys were having so much fun so I just let them play. No lightening just rain. I had just gotten them dressed and ready to start the day.. figures.. soaked within seconds hee.. it was fun.. and jackson was just screaming its raining its raining.. he is starting to talk pretty WELL (sorry cindy :) You will have to crack that whip with me on these things i dont pay attention :) Lucas will catch up in no time.

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Clean water for Ethiopia

The September Campaign Trailer - www.borninseptember.org from charity: water on Vimeo.

Hey everyone

The boys are doing great. I want to get more videos out here but when they see the video camera they quit whatever they are doing to get at the camera.

The boys are both teething again so some of the pictures they just dont look so happy but they are really hurting.

I want to say a special Happy Birthday to my Aunt Mary.

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HAS IT REALLY BEEN A YEAR!!!

Oh my gosh I cannot believe it.. a year has gone by since we brought our little guys home. Yet it seems like I have known them all my life. That's just the way it is when you have kids. I put together a slide show of some pictures of our little boys homeland. I cannot wait to go back again. I miss it so much. There are also some pictures of our trip home with the first few days back here with them.
the first song is Ethiopian children singing a Ethiopian folk song. The second song doesn't 100% fit our situation since we did have a kid you will understand when you hear the beginning of the lyrics I just thought it was such a cute song i had to put it on.
Happy Gotcha day boys!!!!!! We love you and we thank God everyday for blessing us with each of you.

PS If you want to see some really cool pictures of Ethiopia and our trip click on the blog to the right that says OUR GIRLS, OUR LIFE. She is a wonderful photographer and traveled with us. Its really really awesome.

Make photo slide shows at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Just wanted to let my family and friends know I plan on putting in a order for some Tshirts and bracelets from whereislove.org if anyone is interested let me know I will put the order in with mine. I know a few of you have asked me about it so I thought i would just send one big order in. My family is really excited about this organization and what they are doing. Just an amazing group of people. Please keep them all in your prayers.

Thanks everyone.


OH MY GOSH and the big news of the week is.....

This week marks the 1 year anniversary of heading to that beautiful country of Ethiopia and bringing our beautiful boys home. I hope to put a collage of pictures together over the past year. I pray with all my heart that all of you are blessed with the same overwhelming joy that we feel every single day having those 2 little stinkers running around here.

okay gotta run before i get too mushy here...

happy labor day everyone!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The zoo

The day was okay. Its not the biggest zoo just a little zoo near our home. Most the animals are either old and tired or just looked plain depressed. Several of the animals weren't even out this day. However we did have fun. A rooster chased Tom
and just kept chasing him. Jackson was laughing so hard he could hardly breath and I am not kidding it was hysterical. Poor Tom was really kind of scared. If he sees this he will kill me. But he hid behind me and the boys in the stroller. The rooster wanted nothing to do with me or the kids it wanted Tom and it wanted him with vengeance. It didn't like him at all it was really upset about something. Maybe his cologne i don't know. I would have given anything to have photos or that on video it was so funny.
The boys did have a blast once we let them run around in an picnic area then they were all smiles.
Next year we might attempt a bigger zoo.
I know the pictures aren't real exciting but thought I would post them anyway.

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Check out this blog and website if you have time

This is a very special non profit organization that I am very excited about.
just wanted to post it for everyone to check out if you have time.

http://whereloveisethiopia.blogspot.com
http://www.whereloveis.org

Love this song

Posting a video that I just thought was awesome. I loved this song so much but had never seen the video. Had to put it out here. Its awesome.
My friend Heather found the video never even thought to look for it.
Thanks heather if you read this.

THE WIGGLES

I tried downloading a wiggles song to go along with the slide show and just couldn't they are all locked up tight. The boys are HUGE wiggle fans. Since the wiggles were in green bay we just couldn't pass up taking them. Since they are a little young we were nervous that it just wouldn't work. Lucas sat on daddy's lap most the time in complete awe and confusion as to how these guys were right in front of him. Jackson screamed, laughed, danced, and sang the entire show. We had so much fun i am so glad we went. It was such a fun show and it was so much fun seeing all those happy kids. Until it was over. Then there was a cry fest you have never seen in your life. We went with one of my best friends Missy and her little boy Jake who is also my little buddy.

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Visit to the Lake

The boys liked riding on the boat. But LOVED the lake. They did not want to leave. Its such a pretty lake the water is crystal clear i love it up there. A eagle flew right over our heads too the boys were having too much fun to even notice it. It came really close. There are more photos i will try to get in here later

the boys playing in the rain

The boys in their Batman PJs

Zac bought the boys Batman jammies. I will get some more exciting videos out here soon we have just been real busy. Summer will do that to ya thats for sure.

They love these PJs

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Grandma Bernice

My heart is broken to have to update our Blog with this news.
Our Grandma Bernice passed away this past weekend.
We have lost an amazing, loving and gentle friend. The boys adored
her so much. Our lives will not be the same without her.
Grandma Bernice will always and forever be in our hearts.

We will always love you.

Photo and video editing at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Jackson going for a ride.

Not the most exciting video, but Jackson wanted to do this all day, they had been doing this for awhile before I noticed and got the camera he was laughing hysterically until I got out there with the camera (like always)

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Up north for a day this weekend

Lucas really loves his grandpa. Where ever grandpa is Lucas will be right there.
I wish i could have gotten the entire walk on video it was sooooooo cute. Lucas would never walk next to me like that. He always takes off but with grandpa he wants to be his buddy. They had gone for a pretty long walk before I had even
seen them to get it on tape.

Hope everyone had a great weekend. Our family is having the best summer
together ever. I never dreamed life could be so wonderful. They are just so much fun.

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Pictures for dial up folks

Cowboys

First i want to warn you this video may be too long i wanted to shorten it up
but then i couldnt get the songs on it i wanted. So if you want to skip thru it a little bit, totally understandable. Nothing exciting just the boys playing with their
cowboy hats outside.




Oh and check out the video bar if you can. cool video my cousin Kim sent me.

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Temper tantrums

I am going to give the credit to this idea to my friend Dawn ‎Mcgowan.
Now before you watch the video it appears i am being a mean mom.
Lucas is throwing a tantrum because i wont let him have the video camera
and Jackson's tantrum is because i wont let him stand on the table.
They aren't always this crabby but now and again they throw HUGE fits if they don't
get what they want. So I had to take out the camera to show one of the many sides of these 2 wonderful boys : )

oh and make sure to watch the very end of this video it will give you nightmares!!!
But i had to add it because it was the scariest thing i could find and these temper tantrums are pretty darn scary!!!!!!

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Lucas

Lucas dances allllll the time to every kind of music imaginable!! But as soon as we pull out the video camera he stops well we finally caught a couple of his dance moves. Notice in the second video how he just means business and throws his sippie so he can concentrate on his dance moves.

PS in the second video ignore the outfit we dont dress up too much around here hee hee. also the house is covered in cardboard, duct tape, blankets anything you can think of to child proof.

The boys want to give a special shout out to their Grandma Bernice.
We LOVE YOU SOOOOOOO MUCH GRANDMA BERNICE!!! You mean everything to all of us.

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Something i put together during their nap today

moving video down so the video bar to the right shows up when you play
the videos

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Lucas and the lawn mower

Lucas loves mowing the lawn or any yard work there is. If grandpa or daddy are working in the yard he is right there. He takes it very serious if any of us laugh or think its "cute" he shoots us a look you wouldnt believe. Jackson helps here and there but he would rather play catch or kick the ball around. So most of this video is of Luke. We did go up north some of the pictures/video is of up north I will do
a seperate video of their first memorial weekend up north. I have some stories about that too. Wanted to get this in because it is a true passion of Lucas.

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Have a nice memorial weekend everyone

I want to say a special thank you to some special people who
are brave and selfless and we will never be able to thank
them enough for all they do and have done for our country.

Mary Egesdal my sister in law who is now serving in Afghanistan
My uncle Danny Garner who served in Vietnam
My uncle John Needham who served in Vietnam. He is no longer with us
but his spirit always will be.
Zacs good friend Jeremy has both of his brothers serving in Iraq
Jason Busch
Josh Busch
My good friend Missys husband Pat who served in Iraq
Please keep all of them and the friends they lost in your prayers.
All of these people I have listed have lost friends, people they loved and cared about through all of this I just didnt want them to think we forgot and that we
remember this isnt just a 3 day weekend its so much more.

Take care everyone

Just some quick updates on the boys

Jackson is getting molars and not real happy about that. You can tell
he is hurting. Lucas has come out of his shell in a HUGE way. That kid
has more spunk than any child i have ever seen. I have a feeling he is
going to give me a run for my money. when he wants something the entire
house knows it. They love playing the the sandbox and going up a slide.
going down is okay but going up is the fun part for them. They love to
climb the ladder. Jacksons fav things are Dogs, (any animal really)
and playing catch and he actually plays catch he can throw, kick and catch a ball any ball.. its amazing.
Lucas loves food and music just like his big brother zac. He will dance to
anything and everything including the theme song to little house
on the prairie and the beginning of the dr phil show. ( just a quick note zac doesnt dance to little house on the prairie or dr phil he just loves music) wanted to clear that up :) My cousin Chris bought him a
Fridge dj its a little radio thing that plays music. That is one of his fav toys.
He will eat anything and everything. He loves to eat.
Both the boys fav food is for sure with out a doubt PIZZA!!
The only way I am going to survive this summer is if we put a fence in the backyard
all they want to do is head for the street. Playing outside isnt even really fun anymore they just want to run in the road. So our big dream is to put a fence up
everyone cross your fingers that we make it happen.

Hope everyone is having a great spring. I never see comments so i am not sure
if anyone is even reading these anymore. So if anyone has time to leave a comment
i would be soooo thrilled.

I added some pictures for people with dial up

Jacksons hair cut day and rasta hats

Okay I am retyping this and I added pictures.

The slide show is of Derek and Heather (Friends of the family) and their little girls Izzy and Derda. Derek cuts the boys hair and he is also Jacksons new best friend. Jackson made Derek sit by him at supper and wouldnt let him out of his sight. Jackson loved Derek but hates the clipper. So
Derek had his work cut out for him, and i am not kidding. As soon as we turned that thing on Jack went nuts. Heather and Derek are seriously 2 of the
nicest people and were so good with the boys and to put up with jackson and that clippers thing as long as they did GOD BLESS THEM BOTH!!!! The boys absolutely love
their girls too. They are the sweetest and prettiest little girls.
We decided to wait to do Lucas another day. But Derek thought it would be funny
to puff up Lukes little fro and give him a part. It was so funny!!!
there are some pictures of that too.

and to my total shock we told the boys to say good bye to the girls and Jackson
walked right up to both of them and gave them a kiss!!!.. now i have been trying to
get kisses from that little stinker for ever i have even tried bribes no one and i mean no one gets a kiss from jackson... whats up with that????

both the boys walked right up and tried to kiss them.. no one even told them to...
yikes.. sorry heather and derek i will have to make sure to watch those boys around your girls......

THank you so much Nana for setting that all up and feeding us
And thank you Derek for putting up with all the screaming hopefully
jackson will some day grow to love the clippers..and thank you heather
so much for all your help.. You guys are awesome!!!

There are a couple pictures of the boys in their Rasta hats their auntie Shari
made for them.. they LOVE those hats but i cant keep them still enough to get
their pictures with them... Our goal was to bring them somewhere for pictures
with the hats.. havent gotten in yet..



I put in a little reggae music to go with the rasta hats...:)

Last picture is of Jackson with his new hair cut

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While mommy was recovering from surgery Nana took some pictures the day she babysat.

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div>

Wow they are just growing so fast

First pictures are of Lucas and one of his really bad head bumps. He had a giant goose egg and the only way to keep the ice pack on him was to ace bandage it on.
next he is kissing his frog
the other 2 are of jackson outside eating a cracker.