Archer's blessing

We are so grateful for all of Mark's family who made it out to be here for Archer's blessing. I am so proud of our little boy and Mark spoke such a beautiful blessing. The Bishop's wife was so thoughtful to record it for us using shorthand notes. I really appreciate that gift.

Ray, Russ, Odin, Ron, Mark and Ronan just about to join for the next photo.

We just couldn't quite pull the kids together though, both Odin and Ronan refused to go to their respective classes. I think it might have something to do with the consistently delayed bedtimes since time change. I mean, 10:00, come ON boys, go to sleep already!

And this concludes the pictures we actually have of Archer's blessing day at church. Anybody seen the baby? Where is Archer? Shouldn't we take a big family picture? Didn't happen.

But we got tons of pictures of Flat Stanley.

we have walls and a roof!

Thanks to Everyone who have helped us so far!

Some might debate how much help we got from uncle Matt Hackwell.

Odin, Allyson and Ronan keeping busy

Ron, Russell and Ray Pike and cousin in law Justin too.

Not to forget the little Pike boys,
they did their share too!

On-site entertainment from Ronan

Russ and Ray making us only a little nervous on the saws...

We only heard a "few" complaints from the old men....is it break time yet?

Mark!

Work complete for these weekend warriors!

Looking from the Master bedroom through the living room down to the boys' room.

Let it snow!!!

Last week we had a little bit of snow. Three trees snapped off half way up and fell down around our cabins. One fell just below our road over a power line and it did not get cleared for 2 days. That means no power and no travel. So we had to find things to do like build snow forts and stay inside. We survived.

of pillows and rolls. moOOom, ronan's doing it again!

"mom, ronan needs a drink" is the announcement that got my attention to this silly scene.

of course, i wondered how odin could know ronan needed a drink or even how ronan could accomplish that while laying face down under a couch cushion, his little legs kicking away. he was sucking on an old dinner roll from the night before which has thus far been the constitution of his breakfast. he didn't do anything else with his kix but dump them. his apple juice got poured from one cup to another, and i am pretty sure he begged for some chocolate, but odin got it.

so, this is the kind of activity that will actually keep the boys busy while i mess around on the computer. not the hilarious muppet movie playing on the big TV.

can you see a roll on the couch, crumbs on the pillows, toys and wet wipes strewn about, a monitor dangling from a hook, stacks of DVDs, a sweeper vacuum anticipating another much needed use. this is what our house normally looks like. i don't always remember to clean up 'behind the scene' sigh. young kids, tired mom.

archer is...

sucking his thumb...

smiling (the closest we could get on camera at this point)

12 pounds 8 ounces and 23.5 inches at 6 weeks

looking a lot like his mommy too

addition!....addition!

this is our old cabin from when we first moved up to camp four years ago. this is the 350ish sq ft cabin we lived in when odin was born.

currently being used as a very nice guest cabin (anyone want to visit?)

but is very soon to be added upon to become our new little 1100ish sq ft home!

a general idea of what we will have. we will add onto the original building off the south end, the picture window will become a walkthrough to the living room with the boys bedroom off to the right and our bedroom off to the left. the kitchen will be enlarged as well, more countertop, cabinets, a larger sink, fridge stove, dishwasher the works. very exciting-a good thing to come of the housing industry's current decline is that 'square footage is cheap' as my dad keeps saying.

so life is gonna get a bit easier for us here at the camp. we thank our heavenly father every day for the blessings of living here at my parents property, and now we have even greater cause to thank him and don and mere fowler for their generosity with this little home.

and we found renters for our house in louisiana, a setback from losing renters at the end of december lasted only one month! we have another family from the ward out in baker, la that needed a home just as our last renters moved out. again the lord blessed us with answers to our prayers.

"Oh Boy" from Ronan

He even knows when to use it. Cracks me up.

I have a few good takes of his new phrase but this one is my favorite because of the cheese. Those seven short seconds capture so much of who he is right now-a total ham, cute and amiable.