Marcus

Here he is! This is the happiest baby on the planet! You can see how blue his eyes are and his 2 little teeth. He is usually this happy - honest! I can leave him sitting on the floor with a few toys for quite awhile and he is content and quiet. You can't miss the rolls! I love the dimples in his hands, his "thunder thighs," those cheeks and there is something about the rubber band wrists that just gets to me. Too cute if I say so myself. This is my kissable, huggable, squeezable baby boy!

Cora-dorable

Our little Cora-bella. Here is our little scientist. She is outside without pants or shoes - very typical. I'm just glad she actually has panties on! I love her cheesy grin. Her hair is usually messy and going whichever way it pleases (Eric says with her hair out of her eyes she's a totally different little girl!) yet right here its just about right for Cora. I see so much behind those eyes! I had a hard time finding a piture for Cora because she's just always all over but when I saw this one I knew I had the perfect picture to show my Cora-dorable!

Jodi Bug

Here is our "Jodi Bug." I just loved this picture because it captures her so well! She's got such a great smile and her eyes just help light up her little face. Pink. Not only the dress she's wearing, yes it must always be a dress, but the cup. We are color segragated in our house. Pink for Jodi, blue for Cora. I wonder what Marcus will use? Of course it wouldn't be Jodi without the curls as well. This is our Jodi Bug and we sure do love her!

I am so behind!

Hello again! Man are we excited to have the internet again. Anymore you feel like a fish out of water without the internet. (at least I did!)
Life is busy but we are all healthy and still happy.
Jodi is loving the fact that can get away with wearing a swimming suit 24/7, Cora loves the fact that we have a chain link fence she can climb up and hang off of, and Marcus loves sitting up and watching what is going on in his world - namely his crazy sisters!
Eric loves that school is done on Monday and that I might let him sleep in once or twice this summer, I love that school is almost done because then we'll see Daddy (with him coaching track, umpiring baseball games, and being in the Bishopric we haven't seen much of him of late) and then Mommy can have 5 minutes peace on occasion.

I owe lots of pictures and I'll get on that but time is precious and at the moment I'm needed elsewhere. We love you all! Happy Graduation to those who are due congratulations!

We're Alive

Hello All!
We've moved finally! Its official we are now in the "New House" as Jodi dubs it. The old house is the "White house."
I apologize but we're going offline for a little while to save a few dollars while we get settled. I wanted you all to know we are well and that things have just been a wee bit KrAz around these parts. I don't feel like I've sat down (besides nursing Marcus) for the past month. I'm ready for a slow summer but we'll see how it goes!
Hope you are all enjoying spring weather because I'm so glad I can send my kids OUTSIDE!
Lots of love!
We'll be back but I didn't want anyone to worry! :)

Just Us

Pockets are cool things!
We made these for Daddy for Valentine's Day
Oh, Mommy I got it on my hands! Gee how did that happen?
Cora made no such pretenses - Here I am and this is what I did, is there something wrong?
He looks like a boy - okay duh but I"ll explain myself. With jeans and his shirts he's not just "baby" he's all boy and that is something we've been waiting for around here. :) Aunt Katy he's wearing the shoes but you just can't see them.

The House

See how happy we are for a new house?
This will be my sewing room - I can work on a project and actually leave in the middle without having clutter central in my living rom!
The "girls" room
The play room (Marcus will be in the master cuz I don't want to have to walk down the hall in the middle of the night)
The 3 season room off the back of the house

The dining room
The family room - the fireplace will not be purple for long!
Looking from the entry way into the living room
From the living room towards the entry way
kitchen

Its a hallway - wonder whats down there? :)

This is our new house and here are the before pix - we should have some after pictures for you in about a month. Lets see what kind of magic we can preform!

Pack it up and Move it out!

Hooray, hooray! We got it! We bought a house in a nice neighborhood that we can grow into as well as work on and boy are we excited! I'm debating on whether to put numbers on the blog but I'll do it anyway cuz I'm so happy with the house we found.
This house we found has 2 stories and a basement, a fenced backyard with a shed, 2 car garage, 4 bedrooms, a fireplace and a 3 season room off the back of the house. Three years ago it sold for 168K and we're buying it for 98K. When things are on sale you stock up right? :) We will start the fixing up process tonight becasue the biggest problem is that there is no carpet. Previous owners had pets and I"ll just tell ya a major scrubbing and new carpet is necessary! The smell is basically the problem and a few minor things we can fix up as we save up. We won't know what to do with all the space but I will not complain about that! When we get pixtures we'll have to get them up here. Before and afters are always fun to see.
Just whistle while you work will be our theme for the next few weeks!

The Search...

We all search for various things though out our lives, whether it be the perfect pair of shoes, just the right garage sale bargain, a favorite recipe or in our case a great deal on a house. I LOVE a good deal! Right now is the time to buy a house in our area (and many other areas I think) and so there are a lot of houses on the market. I want the most bang for my buck, hence THE SEARCH. We thought we'd found the house right after Christmas but that didn't go through so we kept looking. Yesterday we looked at several and we think we've finally found something that, if it works out - we got a deal! Has the search really ended? We don't know. Does this house get us excited - you bet. Mind you these deals we find require sweat equity and we're not afraid of that. To quote Dave Ramsey - "Live like no one else so later you can live like no one else!" I hope we're making the right kind of financial sacrifices to ensure our children despise debt and have financial peace in their lives. It makes such a difference! We'll keep you posted!

Kiddie Kandids

First lessons
uhhh...so far we like this little guy
Marcus lines up against his Chan cousins
Future gymnast?
Ballerina - no question! This girl likes the "fancy" stuff

Hello everyone! I've had a busy month. Life in general keeps me on my toes. I tell ya 3 kids is quite the job and so my vacation in January was quite nice. I got to spend a week in WA state with Eric's family and it was just Marcus and I. Eric got to hold down the fort at home and he did a good job! He was very glad to have me back and let's say there is a new appreciation there.

We are all doing great. We're about to put our house up for sale and are trying to keep an eye out for a good deal we can buy. We are ready for a bit more space - my sanity is crying out for just another bedroom and another closet or two at least!

We hope you are all well.

xoxoxoxo Happy Valentines to you to!

Baby Smiles

Hello everyone - I owe all you readers a post and I failed to put up my "Christmas Letter...Post" so I apologize but I hope this darling video will make up for it. Somehow 3 munchkins keeps me on my toes and doesn't give me much time to sit and blog anymore. We love you all and hope winter is warm and cozy where ever you are!

Marcus is 7 weeks old already!

Home Alone

Have any of you seen the movie Home Alone? I had a moment last night... So in the movie the bad guys are trying to get in the house and one of them goes to the front steps, which Kevin has "iced" over, and once he steps onto that first step he finds himself flat on his back. I did the same thing in reverse and I've got the bruises to prove it. I stepped on our top step and found myself landing 4 steps down before you could say "banana peel." Man my tail bone is sore! I've even got bruises on my elbows and the palms of my hands! I can tell you the stunt guys were not needed for that bit in Home Alone - just some oblivious soul with shoes that have no traction. I can find them such a person! ha ha and ouch!

So Big So Fast

His first Sunday - boy church clothes are so fun!
Look at those cheeks!
Peacefully sleeping - until Cora discovers where "Baby Mawkin" is!
Here are a few pictures of our Marcus. I can't believe how fast he's filled out. This boy likes to eat! Newborn clothes are getting tight!

Baby Love

Eric loves this picture!
this one too!
Daddy and his boy catching some zzzz's. It was great having Eric home to help for a whole week. I know he saw a whole new side of life (namely his girls!)
I like the blanket - start 'em young!

Marcus Boyce

He's here! Hooray for our beautiful new baby boy! He came on November 22, at 3:05 a.m. He weighed in at 8 lbs 6 oz and 21 in long. He is healthy and we are so thankful he came to us! What a thing to be thankful for on Thanksgiving. Mommy is doing well. Labor went well, only 9 hours. Yeah, "only" 9 hours. We were only at the hospital for 5 hours though. All natural -- again. Daddy is doing well too in case anyone was wondering! He is no longer the lone man in the wilderness.

One more week...PLEASE!

I've got one week left until said "due date" for baby boy Haffner and I'm ready, as are my swollen ankles and numb fingers. I'm ready to feel like I can bend over and pick something up off of the floor without feeling like a giraffe getting a drink of water! Picture that if you dare! I'm very excited to meet this little guy and see just what he looks like. The combination of Eric and I could mean dark, blonde, and even a possibility of a red head. Bald is always an option as well. :) I'm excited to see how the girls react to a little baby.

Cora will, I hope, be very happy to have a "bebe" around because she gets so excited anytime we see a baby anywhere. Balls and babies are what excite our sweet Cora, while Jodi would prefer to be "fancy" or wear a cap backwards and announce, "I'm a boy." What fabulous little personalities wrapped up in my two little girls.

We'll keep you posted on what happens with us. Pray for a baby before Thanksgiving. I want to enjoy my turkey without a kicking, pushing, all consuming baby in my belly. I'll let someone else hold him on their lap while I eat my turkey and stuffing! There will be no posted pictures up until we have pictures of baby boy to add. I consider my figure too much for words and a picuture is worth a 1000 so I'll spare any jealousy. haha

Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Halloween!

Hello out there! We had a fun halloween letting the girls beg from house to house. They really enjoyed it. Jodi asked me while I was uploading pictures if we could go trick-or-treating. (Last year she said "trick-or-treat" to every new door we stopped at for about 2 weeks!) Now Cora is a candy kid - we'll have to be careful with this one. She wants a piece in each hand and while her mouth is full she's asking for more. She cries when I have to take it form her to open a wrapper! If I'd let her I think she would practically inhale as much of her candy as she could. Sounds a bit like her daddy - he's never been good at saving treats! Check out the Halloween album.

Run Run Run as Fast as You Can!

This year Eric has been the official assitant coach for the HS cross country team, (last year he was "unofficial".)
They have had a great season (they have their Semi-State meet this Saturday) and Eric has had a lot of fun with it. He started a website for the team and I thought I'd post it so anyone who wants to can see what is happening with Concord Cross Country. http://highschool.concord.k12.in.us/crosscountry/concordcrosscountry.htm

"Mae-men"

This is what Cora says when we finish saying our family prayers! I love it! I think it is soo cute. She folds her arms with Jodi and they each get defensive about whose turn it is to say prayers that night. Cora is getting to be a pretty good copy cat and can repeat at least the syllables of what we have her say. Jodi didn't talk (in words we could understand at least) until well after 2 so this if fun to hear somebody so little say so many words. I love that both girls are learning how to pray and learning how important it is in our family. Children are capable of learning so much. What a responsibility we parents have!

The Boyces Work?

The title is a little play on words. In my family growing up a holiday was just a day when my dad didn't have to go out on the tractor or go to work anywhere and it meant he could get work done at home! We sure learned the meaning of the word! However, I have my Dad to thank for teaching us how to have fun while working. Not enough people take the time to actually teach their children to work let alone that it can be fun to do together.

Over Labor Day weekend we commissioned the "Boyce Girls" (and parents) to help us get stuff done around our house. We sure labored on labor day - a good solid 8 hours - but man we got a LOT done. We took out 4 trees, Renae got the roots out for one of them; painted 9 window frames and a porch; mulched and pulled weeds around the whole house, and put in hostas in the front. General beauty and fix up. Thanks ladies for all your help! Here are some pictures of the exhausting day.

Go Cougars!

We haven't paid proper homage to BYU football this season so here you go. (Even though the dumb MWC won't allow normal fans viewing opportunity!!!) These outfits are soo cute on the girls and the age difference was just perfect!
This is about as cheerleader as I want them to get.
She's standing at the top of our slide. At least she didn't jump off.
Sticks as pompoms - I think they are quite resourceful!

Picture's of People

Jodi and the camel. We got to see the camel getting her treat for the day. Jodi loved it!

Helping wash dishes. She LOVES water and the sink!
Feeding the Koi at the zoo.
Sleeping Babes and Betsy. Sorry Nana we had to put this on-its too cute of all of you sleeping.
Eric's boot - its off now and he's running a little.
The train ride on our zoo trip.

New Look

I felt like changing things up a bit so here is the new look. A little less green and a bit simpler. I should be cleaning my house or working on my Sunday School lesson for church tomorrow but this is how I felt like spending my time.

Adventures in Breadmaking

I like to make bread. Its better for us without all those preservatives and I know how much wheat is or isn't in the bread. I feel accomplished, like Susie Homemaker, when I get my bread out of the oven.
The other day I was trying to be efficient. I needed to make my bread but had garage sales to hit and grocery shopping to do and I didn't want to wait around for my bread to rise. Time is precious. Well I mixed up the dough and let it rise while we got ready to go. Then I toted the bowl with us. Cars seem to get warm quickly and I figured it would do the trick to help it rise faster. I am a genius! Okay garage sales done, stop at home and put the bread in the pans. Done. Now off to the grocery store. This time I put the pans in the back window to get optimal heat from the sun. Well for some reason grocery shopping with 2 toddlers is not a quick trip. Between switching who's riding, who I can trust sitting near the eggs, and who wants to help push we finally made it back out to the car. I saw my bread in the back window and it was beautiful! It was big and rounded over the pans and...
...oops it was really rounded over the pans, spilling over the pans, flowing over the pans spreading out in a doughy mass taking over the back window. I couldn't help but laugh. I wonder how many people walked past and saw my "science experiment" and then as I was driving home I wonder how many people noticed the crazy lady in front of them with bread dough all over her back window! I laughed all the way home!
But hey how is that for trying to be efficient? It really works if you need dough to rise quickly - just find a hot car and snap you're dough will rise!

Toilet Turtle

I've just got to share this little tidbit with anyone who cares. Jodi -who is mostly potty trained thank goodness- has this funny little thing she does on occasion. There isn't really a turtle in our toilet by the way.

In our lives we spend an ample amount of our lives using "the facilities" and Jodi as a toddler loves to sit and sing, perhaps play with a toy car or rubber duck, look out the window, etc. My favorite antic is when she grabs the toilet seat from behind her, leans it against her back, leans forward and says to me, "Look Mommy I'm a turtle!" It never fails to amuse me and I just wanted to share that little window into Jodi and her adorable personality.

Holes in my ears

After 25 years I got to pierce my ears!
(My mother is slightly disappointed - none of my sisters or my mom have pierced ears - we weren't allowed. She's kidding with her little comments and its funny to me but apparently I'm becoming a "wild child." I threatened to take all my sisters with me. Maybe its this 3rd baby.)
I was worried it would hurt more than I thought it would but it took a whole of 2 minutes and $8 and the deed was done. Now I just have to wait until they heal and I can start wearing "cutesy" ear rings. We'll see how long that lasts before I just wear the same pair every day. :) "Low maintenance Lesley"

We're Still Alive!

Hello out there...
Our computer is on the fritz and we've had some company so I'm terribly sorry I haven't updated everyone on us. :)
Here is a list for you!
1. Eric has a walking cast on his foot. He sprained his ankle really bad at a Cross Country camp running downhill. (His lazy pregnant wife is so happy to do all the work now!) No really he's been quite the trooper with the thing on in the muggy heat. Timing is rough cuz school starts while he's supposed to be on crutches but what fun is wearing 2 shoes every day when you can get away with only wearing one?
2. Jodi saw the movie "Madagascar" and now sings the song "I like to move it move it" ALL the time. Can anyone shed light on where her "groove" comes from?
3. Nana and Bapa Haffner came to visit. The weather was nice and we got to do lots of fun things with Nana while Bapa went to a phtography workshop in upstate NY. (Photo album of the zoo and other fun excursions will have to wait)
4. ITS A BOY! Eric can officially relax - as long as the ultrasound is right. We are excited to add some blue to our twirling, dramatic, giggley household of pink. This bundle is supposed to join us around Thankgiving (I hope before!).
That is us in a quick nutshell. Hope all is well for everyone. We'll enjoy our last week of summer - school starts Aug 16. xoxoxo

This is just a quick note to let everyone know I've linked photo albums to the blog. Its easier than posting all the pictures and its a more compact, viewer friendly format. We have such cute kids I felt the need to post more pictures for all our loved ones to see.

Birthday Fireworks

We had a fun opportunity to go up to Diamond Lake in Michigan and visit some friends. The lake was shooting off fireworks on Sat June 30 and so they invited us to come up. How fun it was to be out on their boat and see the fireworks. They felt like they were coming right at us and exploding right over our heads! The girls loved it! Cora kept pointing and grunting and after Jodi got over the "scary" part she would tell us the colors lighting up the sky. Looking at their faces was so fun. To see the way a child's eyes light up with a new experience is such a fun part of being a parent! (I need to remember these moments when the "other" moments of parenting come up!)
Happy Birthday America! We love our country! How blessed we are to live in such a place! God Bless America!