Mornings around here...

look like this...

Smoothies, horsey rides, and John's perpetual attempts to exercise are what it's all about in the Wiebe household these days :)

What Saturdays look like around here...

...John on the couch with the computer watching film and the boys playing right.next.to.him.  When my boys grow up and leave the house, these are the sorts of pictures that will help me remember what life was like with little ones.  And what cherished memories they will be.

Every day after work...

...John takes the boys to the high school baseball fields.  And every day, before they can leave the house, Henry has to put on his complete Dodger uniform: Matt Kemp Jersey (3 sizes too big), baseball pants (3 sizes too big), his "up socks" (these actually fit him), his cleats (4 sizes too big), and his Dodger hat.  He cannot go to the baseball field in any other outfit!

John says that when they get to the field Henry has to pitch to him from the mound while John stands in the batters box at home plate.  Obviously Henry can't throw the ball that far, but he always tries.  Henry also likes it when Uncle David brings the girls to play at the field.  He told me that he likes it when they come because they can be the infielders :)  This reminds me of a story Sharon told me of one of John's early birthday parties.  All John wanted for his birthday party was to have his cousins over to play baseball with him.  There is even video documenting his older cousin Kristen's role as pitcher.  Like father like son...

John has to push the boys in the stroller and pull the wagon with their gear in it...

A car wash...

John and I had planned to build a car wash out of PVC pipe for Henry's birthday.  We sort of never got around to it.  BUT, it was finally built this weekend and it was a big hit!  My dad built Ben, Denise, and I one of these when we were little and I remember having so much fun with it (although it seems as though it only made an impression on me because Denise and Ben don't remember playing with it at all!)

**Is it just me, or does Henry not look completely grown up in these pictures?!

A backyard campout...

John and Henry camped out in the backyard last weekend.  To say Henry was excited about this would be a big understatement! 

They had to set up the tent in the dark because they went to the high school rivalry baseball game in Wasco, but they managed all right.  Henry loved carrying around the flashlight!...

Henry got a new CARS2 sleeping bag for his birthday that he was excited about putting to use.  He liked to point to all of the characters on his sleeping bag and then name them.  The funniest thing about the sleeping bag was that Henry had no clue how to use it.  He kept trying to lay on the tent floor and cover himself up with both layers.  When I told him he needed to get in the sleeping bag he pulled it over his head and thought that was how he was supposed to sleep.  Apparently, the last few times we've been camping we haven't used sleeping bags....

We made s'mores under the broiler and used m&m's instead of chocolate bars...

And here are the boys all sealed up in the tent for the night.  They actually slept out there until morning, but John said it did take Henry a long time to fall asleep.  He eventually had to abandon his sleeping bag and crawl in with daddy :)

The cutest thing about this whole experience though was Henry's enthusiasm.  Before they even started setting up, John was working in the yard, so I went in and fed the boys dinner.  After I prayed for our food I started dishing up the plates, when I went to hand Henry his, I realized that his head was still bowed and his eyes were closed and he was adding to my prayer, "And thank you God, for our campout.  Amen."  It was so sweet.  

Mornings...

This is usually what mornings look like around here...

Boys in PJ's, Dodger highlights on the screen, Smoothies in hand.  Good times.

A trip to tennis practice...

Basketball season ended last night and tennis practice started today. The boys and I set out to visit daddy at his first practice of the season. I even let Henry ride his tricycle all the way to the courts while I pushed Charlie in the stroller (this was good exercise for Henry and a good exercise in patience for me...we went VERY slowly :) Henry pedaled his tricycle the entire way, only getting off to walk his trike through the crosswalks. I was pretty proud of him.

This was my view the entire walk...

Charlie managed to stay content in the stroller despite our super slow pace...

Once we got to the courts, this was Henry's face after he learned that daddy did not have any extra tennis rackets for him to play with...

I love Charlie's chubby hands clutching the tennis ball...

After Henry got over the fact that he couldn't play with a tennis racket, he was fairly content riding his tricycle around the unused tennis court...


Charlie and I sat on the ground and watched Henry ride...



Check out his new skill...

Once practice was over, John gave his racket to Henry and let him play for awhile...


Good times. Although, I'm pretty sure we won't be taking the tricycle to the courts with us again soon :)

Henry loves his daddy...

Now that the weather's warmed up a bit we are spending more time playing outside. Everyday after his nap, Henry wants to play outside in the front yard so that he can see his daddy walking home from work. It's so much easier for me if he plays in the backyard (since I don't have to keep tabs on how close he is to the road) but he is adamant that we play in the front so that he can see John. "I want to see MY DADDY!" he cries when I suggest that we play in the backyard. So, of course, how can I refuse?

Here he is waiting for his daddy...

And once daddy gets home, it's all about playing baseball and football. Lately he's been obsessed with his new bases (and sliding into those bases) and cones...



Good times.

Dad and the boys...

John got the complete Dodgers 1988 World Series DVD collection for Christmas, so he's been watching it with the boys. Henry keeps asking which player is Matt Kemp. We have to explain to Henry that dad is reliving the Dodgers glory years and these games are actually really old, but still interesting and exciting to watch, even though the outcome of the game is already known. So anyways, we're spending lots of time watching sports reruns around here.

But, if you want to feel really good about yourself, check out our messy family room...

I used to think I was tidy and organized...after seeing this picture, I think I must have been lying to myself :)

Love this picture...

The end.

The boys' Christmas present...

This year for Christmas we decided to get the boys a swing set. It's as much a gift for me as it is for them :) It fits in our yard perfectly and is already seeing lots of use. Last year John and I decided that gifts of time, talents, and treasures would be the theme for our gift giving. This swingset encompasses all 3 of those things. Yeah!


I'm really proud of John, as he assembled the swing set almost entirely by himself! Building things isn't necessarily his life's passion, and finding free time during the month of December is next to impossible, so the fact that he built this swing set for his boys really says a lot about the kind of dad he is. When Henry was playing on the swing set for the first time he said, "Thanks daddy, this is perfect. I love it!" I don't think you could pay John enough money to build this again during the month of December, but I can guarantee you that Henry's words would be enough to make him do it all over again :)

My boys...

First Day of School...

Here's last year's picture.

A first..

John took Henry to his first baseball game with just the two of them. Oh boy was Henry excited! John said Henry thought he was in the starting lineup...he wanted to bring in ALL of his baseball gear (bats, balls, gloves, etc.). John limited him to one wiffle ball and his glove. This will be the first of MANY baseball outings with dad. I'm not sure who is more excited about this, dad or son. It won't be long and John will be taking 2 little boys with him to baseball games...oh my!

Notice Henry's attire...Dodger hat, baseball shirt, and sports shoes...his clothes have to match the sport he is watching or playing. Pretty particular this boy of ours :)