4 GARNER GUYS & A GAL

Wrapping Up, Part 4

2012-01-18T17:48:00.003-07:00

As evidenced below (in no particular order) we had an awesome Christmas together.

Snuggling in a new blanket from Grandma.

Ezra excited about jeans (not really but he's trying!)

Max is a great big bro!

Over 1,000 Lego figure stickers!

3 Christmas boys

Traditional Christmas Eve Pageant

Griffin's delighted with his new barn.

Christmas Eve jammies.

Ezra could hardly stand the excitement of getting his Sensei Wu lego guy.

A silly grin.

The telescope Max asked Santa for (or was is Ephraim that asked Santa for it? I'm not sure.)

Checking out the scope.

Griffin's 1st Christmas= A huge success!

Ezra asked Santa for a Samurai Castle. On Christmas morning he walked straight to our room and asked, "Did my samurai castle get here?"

Proof that I attended Christmas (and even wore my HoHoHo jammies).

Wrapping Up, Part 3

2012-01-18T15:46:00.002-07:00

On to the Christmas season!

We went from this:

(beautiful fall sunsets and weather)

to this:

A winter wonderland!

A few Christmas festivities:

Ezra topping the tree.

Christmas cookie baking extravaganza....

These sugar cookies were the first of several dozen cookies baked and consumed by us. Sugar cookies, cream wafers, ginger snaps, mint brownies, geology candy, cherry coconut...it was a sad, sad day when the freezer was finally empty.

Wrapping Up, Part 2

2012-01-17T15:55:00.003-07:00

September and October brought more visitors and fun!

Ephraim gave Griffin a baby blessing on October 4 at our home. We were happy to have my parents and sister and her boys join us for the occasion.

A snapshot Max took of Lindsay, Mason, and Calvin at our favorite park.

Griffin loved meeting Grandma Lillie and Grandpa Cory!

Wrapping Up, Part 1

2012-01-17T15:37:00.003-07:00

Wrapping up the highlights of 2011 will take a few posts but for now, here's part 1. Way back in August when Griffin was only a few weeks old, we had a great visit with Ephraim's parents. We were so happy we got to see both of them since Ephraim's dad is working in Mexico right now.

They toured Ephraim's work.

Big fun at the Nebraska State Fair with lots of exotic animals.

Tiny and yellow Griffin enjoyed lots of snuggling with Grandma while Grandpa entertained Max and Ezra with books and roughhousing. We can't wait to see them again!

Hamkey. It's What's For Dinner.

2011-12-06T12:27:00.007-07:00

In a creative effort to appease smoked-turkey-leg-loving boys and parents desiring leftover ham instead of leftover turkey, the hamkey was born. All the creation's components were delicious, as was our garlic bread stuffing and other traditional fix-ins. The hamkey may very well become a permanent Thanksgiving fixture at the Garner house.

We feel really grateful to be healthy, happy, and together in our new home at this holiday time of year.

New Home

2011-11-15T19:46:00.003-07:00

So, we weren't planning on buying a house right away but in August we stumbled upon this place and fell in love. We were sold as soon as we drove up the tree-lined driveway and saw the shiny, red door. We knew we wanted a wooded acreage but we were hoping to still live close to town and that's exactly what we got. We closed on the house at the end of September and so far, we've loved our new home. The boys love traipsing around the 2.5 acres and we love the privacy of not having close neighbors. We have plenty of space so come visit!!!

BOO!

2011-11-05T13:26:00.003-07:00

We have a few months of blogging to cover (such as Griffin's baby blessing, visitors, moving to our dream house, yadayadayada....) but for now, here's a Halloween recap. Our first Halloween in Nebraska was a huge success! We had a great party with friends and fun treats, trunk-or-treating at the church and trick-or-treating with our friends, the Andersons.

Sheriff Griffin

Ancient Ninja Spirit Max (if you know Max, you know he came up with that one all on his own) and Transformer Ezra. Also pictured: witches hat cookies, cupcakes, and pumpkin cake balls.

Witchy me and Thor

Max and Ezra love their friends! (Notice that Max decided to change to a Ninja Turtle...he totally takes after me with the multiple costumes.)

2/3 of our cute boys

Griffin's Growing Up!

2011-09-25T20:05:00.002-07:00

He's nearly 7 weeks now and since he's a decent sleeper at night and super cuddly, we have no complaints. Max is loving his nightly homework (here's hoping that lasts!) and Ezra is happiest when we leave him alone with his legos and action figures.

It was a big week around our house...

2011-08-20T18:49:00.002-07:00

Max started Kindergarten. Here he is posing in his school clothes.

Ezra was quite excited for it as well and actually seems quite content with having the house all to himself during the day.

Griffin is already 1 week old and is contemplating life's great mysteries.

He got to wear his awesome glowing suit for a couple of days which somehow cured him of jaundice.

And his brothers are already working hard to teach him all of their greatest tricks.

Introducing:

2011-08-12T17:11:00.003-07:00

Griffin Ephraim Garner

born August 11, 2011

8lbs even

20 in. long

(If you're not interested in the details, feel free to just peruse the pictures and skip the story at the end!)

He's here and he's ready for his close-up.

Proud big brother Ezra.

A big week for Max...starting kindergarten in 4 days and getting a new baby brother.

Camping out on the queen bed in my recovery room. The Catholics know how to do it right (I forgot to mention we were at a Catholic hospital). I sampled every item on their daily dessert cart and highly recommend the chocolate chip cookies.

Gory details:

I was pretty sure this baby wasn't going to come early. I didn't want to get my hopes up. Wednesday we went for a hike and then to a local baseball game and by the end of the night I felt sore and tired. I woke up a few times in the night with some pain but I still didn't think it was anything labor-related. Ephraim left for work Thursday morning about 6:30 and at that point I was having painful contractions every 10-15 minutes. I still wasn't convinced I was in labor. About an hour later I realized the pain was definitely getting worse and the contractions were 5 minutes apart. And then all of a sudden they were even closer and I realized this was probably serious. I called Ephraim to come home (which took 20 minutes) then we dropped the boys with a friend and sped to the hospital. I thought I could walk to the labor and delivery floor but alas, I couldn't and a really nice old lady at the front desk pushed me in a wheelchair. They checked me in and tried to ask me some insurance questions and I couldn't really answer. I got into the room at 9:23 and was hoping to get into the jacuzzi for a water birth but there was no time to fill the tub. The nurse told me I was in transition and I told her I was going to push. I think she told me to hold on but I said no. They yelled for my midwife to come in and she did and about 2 pushes later, baby Griffin was out, at 9:39. I was delighted to have such a short time in the labor room. Its amazing how great the recovery has been this time around; much better than with the epidural births I had before. I would definitely do a natural birth again. Hopefully there'll be time to fill the tub the next time around. Griffin is a mellow and chubby-cheeked little guy and we're completely delighted to have him in our family.

Quick Rendezvous in Nauvoo

2011-07-25T12:39:00.004-07:00

We took a short trip to meet up with my sis Lindsay and her family in Nauvoo. 3-day trips are about perfect for us, we decided. We were lucky to get to go the temple and see the Nauvoo pageant, complete with a pre-show pioneer fair. The boys loved the kids' pioneer games, seeing their cousins, and throwing rocks into the Mississippi river.

Max got to try the drums

Max really liked all the statues of Joseph Smith and wanted pictures with each of them

Posing with our ancestor, Israel Barlow

They were fascinated with the oxen

Before our wagon ride

We had to drag the boys away from the games

Max took this one of us at Carthage Jail

A hand-cart pull in honor of the pioneers, 2 strong dads and 4 delighted boys!

Summer So Far

2011-07-02T12:02:00.006-07:00

Here's what Max and Ezra have been up to recently:

(Lots of dressing up, silly poses, and visits to the awesome parks here in Lincoln)

In other news, we took the boys to the big ultrasound where they loved seeing their new brother already doing karate moves. Max had all kinds of funny questions for the ultrasound tech. such as, "What's all that meaty looking stuff??"

Here's me getting bigger and bigger...7 weeks to go!

The boys think they're hilarious dressed up in the baby gear.

We've found some awesome parks to play and hike in. The boys loved this suspension bridge and seeing the buffalo at this wildlife center.

The slip and slide is a hit with Max, Ezra, and Ginger.

We had a great time at a baseball game a few weeks ago. I think its genius that they have a playground inside the stadium because let's face it, 9 innings is long. Good thing funnel cakes are involved!

Happy Father's Day to Ephraim! The boys picked out water guns, a nerf football and a few other treasures for their favorite dad.

And finally, Ezra's beloved frog, Poopoo Guy. He occasionally finds him out in our yard and works him over. Yesterday he spent over an hour hopping after him, carrying him in his pocket, making him a home in a cooler, the dog dish, and various other places. We finally persuaded Ezra to let Poopoo Guy go home to his family. Ezra is the epitome of a boy (just look at his sweaty, messy, delighted face!)

Howdy from Cornhusker Country!

2011-05-08T18:55:00.007-07:00

After a 6,000-mile trek from Texas to Nebraska to Utah then back to Nebraska to Ohio to Virginia then back to Ohio then back to Nebraska, we're happy to be settled in our new home. We loved getting to visit with so many family members along the way and wish our camera hadn't had a broken lens for most of the trip. A bunch of out of order, blurry pictures from Ephraim's phone and borrowed pictures from other people's blogs will have to suffice!

After our egg hunt and egg dying:

We celebrated the boys' birthdays all along our trip- 3 parties in 3 states! On Max's actual birthday we partied at an indoor playground here in town and then went to Cici's.

The delighted 5-year old. "Can you believe I'm a whole hand???"

Thor helmet

Lego Ninjago

The mustache Ezra won at Cici's...it matched perfectly!

We had a great time in Virginia seeing Ephraim's parents, Hayley, Adam, Ellie, and Seth. The wienie roast was a hit!

The boys had a ball playing outside.

They mastered the marshmallow guns.

Another great birthday celebration! Ezra is 3!

These boys are obsessed with Star Wars.

Proof of our trip to Utah...I really dropped the ball in the picture-taking department! We had a fantastic time with my family and Max still talks about the Star Wars cake Aunt Jamie made him.

Max is enthralled with museums. He had 2 things at the Smithsonian he insisted on seeing: Amelia Earhart's airplane and the Real C3P0. Mission accomplished!

We were lucky enough to get to meet up with my sister Lindsay and her family in DC for a fun day of exploring.

To Max and Ezra's adoring grandparents: I promise to update more frequently! Sorry to have kept you all waiting!

Another year, another ball

2011-01-25T13:42:00.001-07:00

Here we are before this year's ball. Many thanks to Charlotte for pictures and babysitting!

Christmas Time

2011-01-11T09:25:00.007-07:00

We had a great Christmas, kicked off with our traditional Ruth's Chris steak dinner date. Thank you, Mom and Dad! Here's a shot Max took of us on our way to Austin to eat:

I tried to get some festive Christmas pictures of the boys. Ezra had to be bribed with something chocolatey, half of which is still on his face.

Max is always happy to pose.

We celebrated Christmas Eve with our friends the Durrs. Max and Caroline made a great Mary and Joseph in the nativity and Jack and Ezra were cute shepherds.

The boys are officially obsessed with Star Wars. This 'Bobba Fett' costume is the only thing Max wanted for Christmas. Ezra is sporting his new 'Cad Bane' suit (he's a bad guy on the new Star Wars cartoon, for those of you out of the Star Wars loop). The blue face is a little intense huh?

And now for the crown jewel of Christmas morning: Jedi robes and electronic lightsabers. Thanks to a super crafty friend Georgia, I managed to sew these with only a few minor issues. As you can see, the boys were overjoyed.

Here are the handsome Christmas boys. They get progressively more and more silly as we take more pictures. Thank you for the suits, Grandma and Grandpa Garner!

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!!! Next on the Garner Family agenda: new job, new city, new house....stay tuned!

A Gobbling Good Time

2010-12-14T08:13:00.003-07:00

We had a delicious Thanksgiving this year in Texas. Ephraim smoked our turkey and as evidenced by the delighted turkey-leg-eaters pictured below, it was huge hit.

Our spread...(yes, those are paper plates)

Me posing with Ephraim's masterpiece.

On a side note, Ezra is trying to assert his independence which generally ends in major messes. Here he is cooking himself breakfast (notice his resourcefulness in cutting open the package). Not really sure what we're going to do with this little guy. More child-proofing of the house is in order.

My Trick-or-Treaters

2010-11-02T23:20:00.002-07:00

Max reprised his classic chicken costume from 2 years ago and Ezra finally settled on a knight after being wishy-washy about costumes all day. They loved trick-or-treating with Grandpa Cory and cousins and they especially enjoyed their Halloween loot.

Everything's Bigger in Texas

2010-10-16T18:36:00.005-07:00

Especially the

STATE FAIR OF TEXAS.

We headed up to Dallas last weekend and had a fabulous, jam-packed day of Texan fun.

{Fried food, carnival rides, free samples out the wazoo, free admission to an awesome kid's museum, petting zoo extravaganza, kid-sized pretend farm}

The boys and Big Tex, the famous State Fair icon (Max really didn't like him when he started talking)

Brotherly love

2 Thumbs Up for the chocolate milk!

Ode to the deep fryer...here we see Ephraim with chicken fried bacon, turkey leg, and fried frito pie. Not pictured but also sampled: fried smores, frozen chocolate dipped cheesecake, and the world famous corny dog and jalapeno cheese corny dog. Believe it or not, we skipped a few things: fried butter, fried pizza, fried pb&j, and fried beer.

The boys loved digging for dinosaur fossils and playing dress-up at the museum on the fairgrounds.

There was an elaborate kiddie farm where the boys planted, harvested, and sold their produce, fed their animals and drove their tractors.

Not too shabby for our first-ever State Fair!

Visitors!!!

2010-09-20T20:27:00.005-07:00

My sister Jamie, her husband Rich and their 4 kids (along with my Mom) came from Utah to visit back in August. We had a fabulous time with them. Thanks for trekking all the way to Texas you guys! We did so many fun things but here's a short recap:

Logan and Ezra modeled their coordinating Buzz Lightyear jammies, all the rage this season.

Ezra cuddling with Grandma Lillie

A great day at the beach at Padre Island!

We explored the cool Texas Rangers Museum in Waco, complete with a dress-up section and a tribute to Chuck Norris.

Ezra is currently addicted to puzzles so he loved assembling this pistol at the museum... over and over and over again. Notice the look of intense focus..

The big hit with everybody was Rock Band. We had a rockin family home evening.

We had a great week together! Who wants to come visit next???

Way back in the summer...

2010-09-09T22:31:00.003-07:00

Right after the 4th of July we took a day-trip to one of our favorite barbecue-and-swimming- spots, Llano. This was back when Ginger the puppy was still tiny. Now she's not. She's huge. And getting more huge every week.

Other July highlights: Max had 8 root canals and 8 crowns put on (yes, I said 8) and my sister and her family and my mom came to visit. We love visitors!!! Pictures to come.

3 Things to Share

2010-07-15T02:59:00.007-07:00

1. Max insisted on getting all dressed up for his friend Caroline's tea party birthday (side note: Caroline claims they will be getting married and having 4 kids)

Not entirely sure what's going on with his pose

2. We had a great vacation to Sea World and South Padre Island

3. After 5 years of begging, Ephraim got his way. We got a dog. This is Ginger. So far, so good.

Cap'n Crunch and Kissing Goats

2010-07-05T20:45:00.004-07:00

Way back around Memorial Day, Ephraim's parents paid us a visit. We picked blackberries and ate cobbler, ate barbecue, ate at Elvis' favorite Texas drive-in, ate yummy Mexican....anyone sensing a theme here? We need some less-fattening hobbies. Anyway, we had a great time and can't wait to see Grandma and Grandpa again!

After picking berries and digging new potatoes, we checked out the goats, donkeys, and horses at the berry farm. Grandma kissed the baby goats and of course, Ezra had to kiss them too.

On June 1 Ephraim was promoted to Captain. It was really nice having his parents here for the occasion. We only wish the ceremony could've been held in the air conditioned building versus the blazing hot parking lot. Grandma and Grandpa told Max he has to call Ephraim 'Captain Dad' now but instead, he's taken to calling him Cap'n Crunch. I suppose that's a little catchier. Thanks for coming to visit Grandma and Grandpa!!! Come back soon!

The Story of 2010

2010-05-29T19:17:00.004-07:00

Does anyone else realize we're nearly half-way through this year? Wow. Crazy how slowly time went last year without my husband and how quickly its going now. Here's a quick recap of some events I've been meaning to blog about for a while now:

January: For Ephraim's 30 days of leave, we headed to Virginia for his dad's promotion to full Colonel at the Pentagon. It was great to have all of Ephraim's family together, minus Elder Jacob in El Salvador. Sorry we spread the 24-hour-flu to 13/21 of the family.

Next the Garner Family Reunion continued in Georgia where we had a blast staying at a beach house on Tybee Island and touring Savannah. Great food and great sites!

We also had some family photos taken. Thanks Sara!!!

Also in January: Max entered the Sunbeams class at church. He came downstairs one day and told me he was going on a mission that day, complete with a tie and a Book of Mormon tucked in his waistband.

February: Freakish Texas snow storm on the same day as Ephraim's PRK corrective eye surgery (which was a huge success!)

We had a great time at a train museum in Temple.

April: We celebrated Jessie (sister of our sister-in-law) and Tony's wedding with a crawfish boil. Thanks for inviting us Sara and Alex! We had a great time. Ezra was fearless at grabbing the crawfish and the boys loved seeing Jensen and Kiki!

May: My mom, Aunt Diane, and Aunt Carolyn all came to town. We had a great time at the beach, eating great barbecue, and braving the famous Round Rock Texas Donut (as big as your head).

My mom was also in town for Mother's Day. We had a great day (notice the beautiful chocolate-dipped berries!). I was spoiled with a DQ ice cream cake, a Wii Fit, and a nice nap. My mom also cheered me on at a 5K I ran and visited our favorite children's museum with us.

More May: Ephraim completed all the requirements for his Expert Infantryman Badge, which entails a pretty rigorous week of events. We're so proud of his hard work. He was one of seven who passed everything on the first attempt. We love our soldier!

Its been a great 2010. Now I'm pledging to be a better blogger.

The Top Three Best Things About Texas

2010-04-14T20:18:00.009-07:00

I love Texas. Here's why:

1. warm weather

2. amazing barbecue

3. bluebonnets

Combine those three and you have one perfect day.

Sweet Berry Farm

2010-04-13T08:00:00.003-07:00

We had a great time picking our own strawberries the other day at a farm in Marble Falls. The boys loved feeding grass to the horses, donkeys, and goats and Ephraim is more determined than ever to have the goat farm he's been dreaming of for years. We had a lot of fun and now we have loads of jam.

Max is 4

2010-04-13T07:27:00.003-07:00

Max officially turned 4 on April 7. Crazy, I know. Max is a fantastic little guy and we sure love him. He has an incredible imagination and is so much fun to be with. He's always saying hilarious things ("For crying out loud!" "That's so not cool!" and other gems) and he's friendly to everyone he meets. I've had so much fun teaching him preschool at home this year and I'm not sure I'm ready to let my little buddy go in the fall...(our school district has full-day Pre-K for 4 year olds...with a bus and everything!) He's growing up, whether I like it or not. For his birthday breakfast he chose (drumroll please....) leftover mac and cheese. He even wanted it cold. What the birthday boy wants, the birthday boy gets I suppose, even if it makes his mom gag. We had a great afternoon at the park having a picnic and playing on the scooters Grandma and Grandpa Garner gave them.

Here are the boys dying eggs and after their egg hunt. They're both newly obsessed with making silly faces in pictures. We had a wonderful Easter and General Conference weekend together.

Birthday Season Continues

2010-04-04T20:09:00.004-07:00

On Friday, Max had a GI Joe birthday party with 11 of his closest friends. As you can imagine, with 13 preschoolers we had some crazy moments but we had a great time. The kids made treat bags, played some games like pin the helmet on the GI Joe, throw the soldiers in the bucket, and some GI Joe inspired relay races. The big hit of the party was the cake, decorated by the resident GI Joe authority at our house, Ephraim. Who knew cake decorating was in his repertoire? It was a painstaking process but it turned out well, I think. Some of you may remember it as the groom's cake at our wedding.

Ezra is 2!!!

2010-03-29T20:05:00.004-07:00

In an effort to get started on blogging the last 3 months of our lives, here's a re-cap of Ezra's 2nd Birthday. Its hard for me to believe he's not a baby anymore. We celebrated all weekend with a special breakfast, a camp-out (which the boys LOVED), and a fantastic dinosaur cake that Ezra didn't stop growling at. He loves his new playdough and bubble gun. Ezra is hilarious, mischievous, and adorable and we sure love him. We also hope he quickly outgrows his fascination with dumping things on the carpet...such as gallons of milk, boxes of cereal, and huge containers of bubbles. (P.S. I'm happy to finally know how to make collages that you can click on to make bigger!)

1-12 CAV Ball

2010-02-23T08:59:00.002-07:00

After 3 months, we're still thrilled to have Ephraim home!! Last week we went to his battalion's ball. Thanks to all my friends who helped with wardrobe, hair and makeup! It's always fun to see everyone in their stetsons and spurs and we had a great night out.

With our friends, the Mitchells

Thanks to our babysitter for taking some photos before we left!

A shot of my shoes for Katie.

A genteel hat tip.

Here we are after getting home from a long night of awards, speeches, and watching people drink themselves silly.

Its the most wonderful time of the year

2009-12-26T19:49:00.007-07:00

We've had a fantastic December and hope everyone else has too. Its been so nice to have a lot of time to spend together. Lindsay, Russell, Calvin, and Mason came to visit from Ohio. We took them to the 1st Cav Museum on post (AKA Little Boy Heaven). The boys couldn't get enough of the tanks and helicopters. Lindsay and Russell watched the boys overnight so we could continue our Christmas Steak Dinner Tradition. We had a great get-a-way to Austin, thanks for making it possible, Lindz and Russ! Christmas was wonderful and we hope everyone enjoyed it as much as we did.

3 Cute boys by a tank.

Not sure if Ezra's pointing his sword, gun, arrow or other weapon of choice. Whatever it is, you can be sure he learned it from Max.

The boys didn't want to miss a thing.

Our pre-dinner photo shoot. Another fantastic Christmas Steak dinner, thank you Ruth's Chris!

Winking Ezra and Grinning Mason.

Thanks for coming to visit Roberts Family!!

Miracle of miracles, it snowed here (sort of) on Christmas Eve.

Here's Ezra saying "EYE!" after snow got in it. He wasn't pleased.

Here are the boys in their costumes for the Christmas Eve Pageant. With only 4 people (and only 3 who can say their lines) we each had lots of parts but we had a great time.

The boys posing by the treats and note they left Santa (as you can see, Max is sampling them.)

Hurray for Buzz Lightyear Jammies from Grandma Lillie and Grandpa Cory! We love them!

The Christmas Morning Scene.

If you've never heard Ezra's horse impression, you're missing out. He squealed with delight when he saw his horse.

The 2 buckaroos.

Max's new castle. His favorite part is putting people in the dungeon.

Ezra got the hang of his remote control train and had a great time. All three boys were busy playing all day long.

Homecoming

2009-12-09T07:03:00.002-07:00

Well, Ephraim came home! When the 1st CAV soldiers come home they have a ceremony at the parade grounds with horses and everything. While we were waiting for the soldiers to arrive from the airfield, they let the kids go up and pet the horses. Ezra would have nothing to do with them. He just stared with this look on his face:

The soldiers pulled up on white buses and got into formation behind the buses and then the buses drove away, revealing the soldiers Extreme Makeover style. Then, they marched up and stood at attention for a really quick speech

Then the families were told to charge the field......

and we found him. Hurray!!!

So glad to have him back!

Sunday Morning Thoughts

2009-11-15T09:06:00.009-07:00

Max has been practicing his letters so he helped me make this sign for Ephraim's homecoming. I can't describe how surreal it is that this deployment is actually coming to an end. Its hard to focus on anything besides the fact that in a few weeks I'll have my husband back.

In the 11 months since Ephraim left for Iraq, I've felt so much support and love from family and friends. I really need to say thank you. Thank you for sacrificing to come visit us, for opening your homes to us, for prayers, letters, calls, emails, boxes of treats, and blog comments letting us know that you're thinking about us. Thank you to everyone who listened when I needed to vent about my kids, my calling, or my dirty house or just when I was feeling lonely.

I also have to express gratitude to my Heavenly Father and my Savior Jesus Christ. I've felt the hand of the Lord in my life and seen His tender mercies. I'm grateful for the influence of the Spirit that's brought me peace and motivation. I'm grateful Ephraim has been protected.

This last year has taught me that I can do hard things. I can't do everything or please everyone but I can do my best and that's enough.

I'm overwhelmed with how much I love these boys. Even on the craziest days, I'm so happy to be their mother. I'm grateful they're healthy, happy, and that they love each other. The other day Max hugged Ezra and said "Best brothers forever!"

We're so proud of Ephraim and all those that serve our country. Even from a distance, Ephraim has been a wonderful dad and husband. We're thrilled to have our little family together again soon!!

And to thank everybody who made it through this lengthy and mushy post, here are some bonus pictures of the boys. Ephraim sent them an inflatable super suit with big muscles. Enjoy!

Toy Story Tribute

2009-11-03T06:51:00.004-07:00

Yes, I'm biased but I thought Max and Ezra made a pretty cute Buzz and Woody. Ezra got the hang of trick-or-treating really quick and wanted to eat each treat immediately. They both had a blast emptying their loot and I had a good time confiscating the good stuff.

Carving Action

2009-10-30T09:50:00.002-07:00

The boys and I enjoyed carving scary faces on our pumpkins. I'm more excited about the toasted seeds myself. I thought the boys would love the squishy pumpkin guts but Max informed me they don't like getting dirty (I don't buy that one).

Virginia

2009-10-19T19:00:00.013-07:00

The boys and I had a fantastic time visiting Ephraim's family in Virginia (the 35 pictures below are evidence). The boys loved every minute with Grandpa and Grandma, Aunt Hayley, Uncle Adam, Uncle Jake, cousin Ellie, and all the dogs. The trampoline, the Smithsonian Zoo, and the beach area in Grandma and Grandpa's neighborhood were also big hits. We were so glad we had the chance to celebrate cousin Ellie's first birthday and spend time with Uncle Jake before he headed off to El Salvador on his mission. Thanks for a great vacation! Can't wait to see you guys again!

P.S. I was blessed on the drive home with angelic boys. In a 10-hour stretch we only had to stop once. The whole trip was a miracle straight from heaven.

P.P.S. 5 (ish) more weeks until Ephraim comes home!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Exodus Interruption to Introduce.......

2009-10-11T09:13:00.003-07:00

Our new camera. After 4 years of marriage and 5 broken digital cameras, we decided to invest in something we would love and take really, really good care of. We love our new Canon Rebel and the boys love having their own cameras to play with (actually, they have multiple play cameras now). Ephraim wanted proof that the camera's working great so, here's a slew of pictures for you, my love.

Washington DC Exodus: Part One

2009-10-03T15:06:00.006-07:00

I loaded up the boys and spent most of September trekking across the country to visit Ephraim's family outside DC in Virginia. I was a little nervous about doing this solo but miraculously, the boys were angels in the car. I guess with enough snacks and movies, anything is possible.

We made our way across Texas and Louisiana then stayed the night in Mississippi. Anyone ever stayed in a hotel alone with two crazy boys? I thought by requesting an "accessible" room on-line I'd be getting a ground floor room that would be more convenient. Instead, we were still up a few floors and the "accessible" part really meant that everything was lower, therefore at toddler level. So, my brilliant idea backfired. The boys got into everything and drove me slightly crazy but we survived (and the room did too, somehow...)

Next we drove to visit Ephraim's brother Alex, his wife Sara and son Jensen in Alabama. The boys loved playing at their house and antagonizing their sweet Shitzu Kiki. It was so nice to see them. Thanks for having us, Alex and Sara!

We forged ahead to Savannah, Georgia to Ephraim's brother Philip and his wife Paula's house. The boys had a blast with their cute cousins Isabella and William. We had a great time at the beach at Tybee Island and as always, enjoyed Paula's fantastic cooking. Homemade pralines and cream ice cream is to die for.

We survived our next day of driving up to Grandma and Grandpa Garner's house in Virginia and were excited to spend a few weeks with them. Look for details to come in Exodus: Part Two.

Max and cute cousin Jensen

Izzie and squishy-faced Ezra

Izzie and Ezra at Tybee Island

Don't be fooled by the boys' expressions, they LOVED the beach as much as I did.

In case you were wondering....

2009-08-22T21:43:00.004-07:00

....we had an awesome summer. Brace yourselves for the re-cap!

Our 6-week-long trek West began when my dear friend Corley and her cute boy Asher flew in to help me drive over to Arizona. We enjoyed the Riverwalk and Alamo in San Antonio and had great time watching the 3 crazy boys roughhouse together. The pool was a big hit. Not only did Corley volunteer to help me on a really long car ride but she even mowed my lawn while she was here. I couldn't ask for better friends. Thanks again Core!!! Come back soon!

The next stop for us was my sister Lindsay's house in Arizona. We celebrated the 4th of July together (here's a shot of me and Ezra looking patriotic) and tried to beat the heat at lots of fun pools and with lots of yummy treats (Ezra's ice cream melted a little too fast for him I guess, hence the goatee). We got to meet cute baby Mason and go to his blessing. Thanks for having us, Lindsay and Russell!

My mom was kind enough to make the drive from Arizona to Utah with us. Had she known how much vomit was going to be involved, she might've thought twice about it. Here's hoping Ezra grows out of his carsick phase soon. Anyway, we made it to Utah to my parent's house and we were lucky enough to get to spend time with lots of grandparents, cousins, and friends.

We went for a hike and picnic at Silver Lake up Cottonwood Canyon. The boys loved it and I can't wait to send them on Father/Son Campouts with their dad.

These two crazy guys had a blast in Grandma and Grandpa's backyard and got to share lots of chocolate donuts with Grandpa.

My sister Jamie invited us to Lagoon with her family and it was a hit. Max couldn't get enough of the kiddie rides and Ezra loved the waterpark.

The dollar I spent for these crazy teeth was easily the best dollar I've ever spent.

We toured the gorgeous Oquirrh Mountain Temple (we're posed by the painting my brother did for the Open House) and also headed to Thanksgiving Pointe's farm where Max discovered he LOVES to ride ponies. Any chance you'll settle for a pony instead of a dog, Ephraim???

After almost a month in Utah, we headed back home to Texas, this time accompanied by my great friend, Katie. Like I said, I really couldn't ask for better friends. So, thanks again for taking time out of your busy summer to be with us, Katie! Katie got the royal tour of Texas. We went to our favorite museum in Waco where they had a cool DaVinci exhibit, ate great barbecue, visited the sights in San Antonio, explored the state capital, watched the famous Congress Bridge bats (1.5 million of them go out every night), and even took an improptu trip to Corpus Christi beach.

The boys would've played in the sand and water forever. Katie couldn't get over how much they enjoyed being dirty.

Our last special treat was a scrumptious breakfast at Mimi's Cafe. I'm pretty impressed with Max's photography skills on this one. Thank you for coming and having so much fun with us, Katie!

And that wraps up the summer I guess. We're pretty thrilled that Fall is around the corner and that December is getting closer and closer!

How We've Spent Our Summer So Far..By Max and Ezra

2009-06-20T19:06:00.004-07:00

We've been swordfighting,

building boats (Max insists on being Nephi and Mom has to be the mean brothers),

napping (notice how GIGANTIC Ezra is getting!)

jogging (when Mom feels up to pushing 70 lbs of boys in the heat),

riding the spaceship,

lots and lots of swimming,

and general mischief and mess-making.

Happy Summer!!!

I Won!

2009-06-09T13:43:00.002-07:00

Thanks for the votes! I won the quiet book- what a great Anniversary present! We were married 4 years ago today in the Jordan River Temple. Although we've only spent one anniversary together, we're already planning our celebration next year (rest assured it will include steak).

Spending time apart has added a unique dimension to our marriage that I'm grateful for. I can't say I'm grateful we're not together, but I am thankful for the experience of realizing how much we love and need each other. As cheesy as it might sound, I really have learned to be thankful for every single moment we have together. We're half-way through this deployment and we can't wait for our family to be together again.

Calling all family, friends, and anyone else who cares about my sanity at church...

2009-06-06T12:20:00.003-07:00

Hi. This is me shamelessly requesting you click here (you'll have to scroll down) and vote for me to win a quiet book give-a-way my crafty friend Anna is doing. If you've been to church with us, you know how much I'd love to have a quiet book as a new trick up my sleeve. Thanks for humoring me by voting! Let me know if I can ever return the favor.

A Random Week

2009-05-22T12:53:00.003-07:00

Well, I'm not winning Mother of the Year anytime soon but the boys and I sure have fun together. Tonight for dinner we had key lime pie ice cream cones followed by cheetos.

Early morning cartoon-watching is a regular occurence around here.

Here's Max washing his sweet new Hummer we snagged from a neighbor's trash pile.

I was excited to finally get a good toothy grin photo of cute Ezra.

And finally, I've been meaning to post pictures of Max in his adorable birthday suit (not that birthday suit...) from Grandma and Grandpa. The second picture is the pose he gave me when I asked him to model his new suit. When he first tried it on and looked in the mirror he said (and this is a direct quote) "I look just like Joseph Smith". Not entirely sure where that one came from but I guess family home evening is paying off.

I Guess I'll Keep Them

2009-05-16T20:01:00.006-07:00

I had a whole post written about how these two have been driving me nuts all week but today they both woke up happy and convinced me I'll be able to cope with temporary-single-motherhood for another week. I should add that I really do love being a mom and I'm so thankful to have two beautiful, healthy, and hilarious little boys. We've been playing outside a lot. At least we were until I saw a black widow on the back porch. Now I need to call pest control before I can send the boys out without worrying about Ezra eating a poisonous spider. Anyway, Ezra likes Max's t-ball set more than Max does. He's very meticulous about placing the ball on the tee, whopping it with the bat then clapping for himself. Max and Ezra both love playing in the water but as you can see, our pool sprang a leak. Time to invest in a new kiddie pool. And might I point out that Ezra is even more Ephraim-esque then ever (if that's possible).

Rest and Relaxation (Supposedly)

2009-04-30T19:24:00.013-07:00

This is Ephraim. I suppose I'm doing the blogging this time before I head back to Iraq (or Irat as Max calls it). I've been home for two weeks of R&R (that's the supposed rest and relaxation) and it's been great to see Heather and the boys and spend some time with them. We got to do a lot of fun stuff and we managed to take a few pictures to prove it.

We spent a day in Waco, eating at a seafood place on the river and checking out Baylor's awesome Mayborn Museum. They have really cool hands-on kid exhibits that the boys loved.

Our next major adventure was an overnight trip up to Dallas to see a baseball game. The Orioles (my favorite team) were in town to play the Rangers so I told Heather that we had to go. And the Orioles decided to win a game and the boys even lasted through 10 innings without any major incidents. We also had the unique opportunity to see a working replica of Back to the Future's DeLorean outside a BBQ place in Arlington. Man those doors are cool.

The next day we went to the Fort Worth Zoo and saw lots of cool animals and lots of kids on field trips. The boys had a great time on the carousel.

Here are the promised birthday party photos, the Imagination Movers cake being the highlight. Although it became increasingly wobbly as the party wore on, it was a big hit. As was the pinata- no pun intended! Max had a great time with his friends and everyone loved the bubble wands.
We headed to San Antonio for a few days and stopped in the BBQ Capital of Texas, Lockhart. We ordered food from these two famous places then proceeded to have a head-to-head comparison. After mulling over every bite we decided they were pretty similar and we later found out they're owned by the same family. So much for the competition. In any case, that was one delicious lunch. Have we mentioned we love barbecue?
We always enjoy feeding the deer at Ft. Sam Houston. Max was really into it but Ezra didn't want to give up the carrots. Max and Ezra are both really funny these days. They have a great time together (for the most part) and sure keep us laughing. Our annual trip to Sea World was a hit this year. It even included a Nascar photo op especially for Grandma and Grandpa. Forget the killer whales or dolphins, the boys' favorite part was digging in the sand at the playground area.
It was a busy two weeks but we had an awesome time and we can't wait til we're together again.

3 Years Old

2009-04-07T05:59:00.003-07:00

Hard to believe 3 years ago I was in labor with this little guy. He's been the light of our lives ever since. Especially with this deployment, Max has been my constant little sidekick and a huge source of amusement with all the funny things he's saying these days. Ephraim will be home next week for his 2-week break (HURRAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!) so we're planning the birthday extravaganza for then. Max has very specific expectations for his birithday party (an Imagination Movers cake, bubbles, friends, a pinata, and dancing) so hopefully we can deliver. Happy Birthday Max!!!

Cake and Other Happenings

2009-03-30T19:34:00.004-07:00

Ezra was delighted to have his very own 3-tiered birthday cake. As you can tell, it wore him out but he sure ate a lot.

Ezra and one of our sister missionaries, Sister Clark, share a birthday so we celebrated together.

Here we are before church last Sunday. Max's new hobby is photography and he's getting pretty good at taking pictures of me and Ezra (as well as lots of pictures of walls, counters, and other really random objects found around the house at his eye-level).

Here's Max showing off his new watch and his new haircut.

Ezra with his new birthday wagon (thanks Grandma and Grandpa!) and one of his new birthday hats.

And finally, a very random shot of me posing in front of George W.'s hometown, Crawford, which isn't far from us. When my mom was here we explored this area and even got to eat at one of George W.'s favorite cafes (we tried the GIANT baked potatoes smothered in chicken fried steak, gravy, and cheese...that's another story). Isn't this the most classic Texas picture ever? Cactus, George W. paraphanalia, big truck in the background, and of course, the Texas flag painted on the side of a building. Welcome to Texas, my friends.

P.S. My door is always open to visitors if you'd like to sample the Texas-style baked potatoes for yourselves.

One Year Old (Tomorrow)

2009-03-25T21:08:00.009-07:00

I can't believe this beautiful, happy boy is already a

year old. He has been an incredible addition to our

family and we love him so much.

Happy Birthday Ezra!!!

Good-bye Mom, Hello Reality

2009-03-19T19:02:00.004-07:00

Well, after spending almost 6 glorious weeks with me in the warm winter weather, my mom had to go back to Utah last week. I really can't describe how wonderful it was to have her here.

I was spoiled with having someone else help keep up with Ezra at church, a magically tidy house, all of my laundry washed, dried, folded AND put away in the same day....I could go on and on. But really it was just nice to have a friend here with me. So, thanks a million Mom! The boys and I LOVED having you here.

Have a Holly Jolly Christmas....or TWO!

2009-03-04T21:22:00.004-07:00

We were lucky enough to have 2 Christmases this year. We're so grateful that Ephraim's parents came to visit in December before he left for Iraq. We had an awesome time with them. We ate some great food and had a wonderful mini-Christmas while they were here. Max and Ezra were spoiled with lots of great gifts and Ephraim and I were spoiled to have babysitters around so we could go on an amazing date. The boys had a ball playing with Grandma and Grandpa and we can't wait to see them again!

We love Grandma and Grandpa!!!

Max was thrilled with his toys and underwear.

Ezra had a great first Christmas.

The boys and I spent Christmas number 2 in Utah with my family and Ephraim spent it in Kuwait with lots of sand. Its always great to be with family and the boys loved getting to see their cousins. This year for our traditional Christmas Eve Nativity Pageant Max started out as a shepherd but insisted on changing into Buzz Lightyear. He followed the baby Jesus around and threatened to laserbeam anybody who messed with him. Most reverent pageant ever: NO. Most hilarious: DEFINITELY. We also got our fill of snow while in Utah and were happy to get back to the 60 degree Texas winter. Although I'm almost 3 months late, I hope everyone had wonderful Christmases like we did. We're really grateful for the Savior and for the love and support of all of our family and friends.

The Pageant Transformation

Festive Holiday photos.

A few snapshots of some cute cousins.

For all my Georgia pals

2009-02-25T02:46:00.002-07:00

Mary and I had the chance to get together for lunch and it was awesome to see each other after almost 5 years! Adelle is (as you can see) ADORABLE and it was so nice to catch up and re-live some Shendandoah memories. Here's hoping its not 5 years til we get together again.

Beach + Barbecue + Gorgeous Tulips from my faraway Valentine =

2009-02-16T20:41:00.005-07:00

One Fabulous Valentine's Weekend

Grandpa Cory and Grandpa Lillie took us to the beach for the weekend. Everybody had a great time but Ezra had the most fun of all. He would have happily splashed in the water and eaten sand all day long if I would have let him. Thanks for the great time, Grandma and Grandpa! We really appreciate you coming to visit!!! And thanks to my incredible husband for the beautiful flowers (and for knowing me well enough to NEVER give me a stuffed animal). We can't wait to celebrate with you next Valentine's.

2009-01-29T21:17:00.001-07:00

Yep, we're all missing Dad around here. I guess the Daddy Doll will have to suffice for now.

10 Months Old

2009-01-28T16:53:00.005-07:00

Our Ebby Boo is 10 months old now. I know you're all wondering- the nickname is from Max who originally said Baby Eh then Eh Baby then Ebby, now Ebby Boo. Ezra is getting to be quite a mischief maker and also quite a clingy momma's boy (can you blame him?). He loves food, wrestling with Max, and laughing while he does naughty things like climbing the stairs or splashing around in the toilet. Even though the last few weeks he's given me a real run for my money, with a face like that, I guess I'll keep him.

Long Over-Due Vacation Pics

2009-01-25T21:10:00.006-07:00

I thought I should try to post about Thanksgiving before Valentine's is here. We had a great trip to Utah and had a wonderful time seeing family there and in Idaho. The boys did great being in the car so long (thank you portable dvd player- perhaps the best purchase ever). We got to meet cousin Ellie, celebrate Hayley's birthday, go to cousin Ella's blessing, and play with a slew of other fun cousins. We ate incredible food and even got to drive past the Idaho Potato Museum. We have no complaints. On the way back we paused for some Four Corners shots and enjoyed passing through Albuquerque and seeing friends there. Ephraim even got to pose in front one of his three high schools. A great trip was had by all.

A big thank you to Elsha for the picture collage tips!

Maybe I'll get the Christmas photos posted before St. Patrick's Day.

Ferrying across the Tigris

2009-01-16T07:27:00.008-07:00

Ephraim and his platoon have been really busy in Iraq and he just sent me some cool photos. Here's a shot of him crossing the river on a ferry that was "quite questionable in its structural integrity". I was glad to hear that turned out okay. Its not every day you find yourself in the Fertile Crescent, right? At least he's getting some scenic photos.

He tells me great stories about how much the people, especially the kids, love the Americans and love practicing their English. They've spent a lot of time at schools and the next picture is him and one of his guys at a school. Max is always intrigued with photos of Dad with his big gun.

Ephraim- if you actually read through all these words, WE LOVE YOU!

In case there was any question about whether my son resembles his father...

2009-01-11T20:24:00.014-07:00

I like to believe that Ezra is the Lord's way of making sure I don't forget what my husband looks like while he's gone for a year.

5 Steps

2009-01-06T21:46:00.002-07:00

Ezra took 5 steps today. Ephraim doesn't believe me because I don't have it on film (he doesn't want to believe me because I won the bet about what day Ezra would walk). So, this isn't a video of him walking but it is a cute picture of him modeling the new kiddie-sized leather chair he and Max got. Videos to come.

Stay Tuned

2009-01-03T21:08:00.003-07:00

After a whirlwind of a month, we'll be jumping back on the blog bandwagon soon. For now, this shot of my two little crazies (clad in their Christmas charging rhino jammies) will have to suffice.

Happy Holidays!

Ode to the 40-oz Porterhouse (for two)

2008-12-10T10:43:00.005-07:00

We have a lot of great holiday pictures to post but I'll catch up next week after Ephraim has deployed. For now, a picture to illustrate Ephraim's amazing Christmas gift to me. Most of you know how much I love steak. Well, Ephraim planned a surprise evening out to Ruth's Chris Steakhouse which was hands-down the most incredible meal of my life. If you haven't eaten one of their deliciously-buttery-and-ridiciously-tender steaks, PLEASE make a point to eat there someday. You will thank me. And I have to thank my thoughtful husband for a great gift and my in-laws for taking care of the boys for us.

In response to the tags....

2008-11-07T21:15:00.005-07:00

Thanks to everyone who has recently tagged me. I'm honored that you're interested in more of my random quirks. However, I thought I'd mix things up a bit and share 6 random things about my amazing husband, Ephraim.

1. He has a ridiculously high pain tolerance (as in, walking around for YEARS with injuries)

2. He reads his Fundamentals of Applied Electromagnetics textbook for fun on a regular basis

3. He hasn't parted his hair since 5th grade

4. He'll eat anything if its pickled (this is a direct quote)

5. He would name a child Alora Dannon Garner if I let him (yes, from Willow)

6. He got promoted to first lieutenant this week. Hurray! The boys and I are very proud of him and his willingess to work so hard to support our family and serve his country.

Me putting on his new black bar.

Yes, it was a very sunny day and yes, Max is saluting.

During the ceremony.

A lobster, a Chicken, and 2 Hungry Parents

2008-11-05T12:37:00.006-07:00

That about summed up our ward trunk-or-treat. We had a great time even though Max was afraid of a Darth Vader he saw there. Max also went to a Halloween party dressed as a fireman so in honor of that we built him a sweet fire engine that he's had a blast playing with.

The Destructo Brothers

2008-10-29T19:00:00.004-07:00

Don't be fooled by their angelic appearance. Max and Ezra have become quite the mischievious pair. Ezra mainly sticks to the tearing, biting and ripping of important items while Max is the mastermind behind such recent exploits as the 5-lbs-of-sugar-dumping incident and last Tuesday's mirror-shattering incident.

While they are definitely getting into more trouble than ever, they're also tons of fun these days. Ezra is now 7 months old, crawling, pulling himself to standing, eating exciting new things and pretty much doing whatever he wants.

Max is OBSESSED with the Doodlebops and anything related to a rock band (a video of Max live in concert will soon be posted). He has a great imagination and also recently taught himself to do a somersault. We hooked Ezra's walker to Max's tractor and they have a great time caravaning around the kitchen. Max likes to use a laundry basket as the drive-thru window which he pulls up to and always orders 2 hot dogs and 2 ice creams. These boys are keeping us thoroughly entertained.

Date Night in Ft. Worth

2008-10-29T18:53:00.002-07:00

We look happy in the pictures but boy was that TCU game ugly. At least we had fun being together, enjoying a child-free evening thanks to the awesome Mitchells, and stopping for a late night snack at Taco Cabana...yum!

Here's to you, Christopher Columbus!

2008-10-29T18:40:00.006-07:00

In honor of Columbus Day we discovered a new place to hike. We found a great kid-friendly trail to a waterfall and we even saw a water snake. Max was in heaven with all the rocks and sticks and Ezra enjoyed the ride. October weather in Texas is fabulous!

The Grand Canyon State

2008-10-19T16:18:00.003-07:00

While Ephraim vacationed in the suffocatingly hot deserts of California, my mom offered to come visit and drive with me to Arizona to see Lindsay, Russell, and Calvin. We had a great time celebrating Lindz's birthday (only 12 more years til the big 4-0!), enjoying the pool (who knew it was still 102 in September??), getting pedicures (by very tiny Asian men), and other fun stuff (don't worry, I'll quit with the parentheses now). I have no pictures of Russell-apparently this is a testament to his dedication as a med student.

The boys and I also got a chance to see Corley, Jonathan, and cute Asher in Tucson. We visited her incredible family in Las Cruces before we headed back to Texas. Corley must be my best friend since she was willing to drive back with me and take full responsibility to entertain 3 boys under 3 packed like sardines into the back of our Saturn. Amazingly enough, we had a smooth trip back and my only regret (besides a speeding ticket in Austin) is that we didn't have more time together. Thanks for a great September Mom, Roberts, and Newburns!

I love you Mom!

The boys love you, too!

2 tired boys at our hotel in El Paso.

Lindz, Me and the fellas at the Mesa temple's cactus garden.

Mesa Temple

One of the favorite past-times.

Matching cousins. Can you believe they're all looking pleasant?

I love you Corley!

Here's adorable Asher- happy belated b-day!!!

2008-10-15T07:47:00.004-07:00

Before we catch up on the last month, here are Max and Ezra's new girl cousins- one on each side! Ellie and Ella were born within a month of each other and we can't wait to meet each of them in November! Congrats Hayley & Adam and Lyndy & Shawn! We love you!

Ella

Ellie

Brace yourselves for a slew of pictures...

2008-09-09T19:50:00.005-07:00

Generally Ephraim is the one who helps me whittle down my picture selection to an acceptable number to post. However, he's gone to Ft. Irwin, CA for a month preparing for his unit's December deployment to Iraq so I get to post whatever I want. Here's a recap of the last few weeks (consider yourself forewarned about the picture overload).

Our quest to eat as much barbecue as we can continues. It appears we're succeeding in our efforts to indoctrinate our children.

We finally got Max to pose doing his new sad face. It cracks us up.

We found him taking a nap in his coon skin cap. Needless to say, that was one sweaty head when he woke up.

I'm not sure what super hero wears a bra cape and boots made of Mr. Potato Head and a Cool-Whip container but Max was quite proud of this outift.

Does anyone besides me wonder how they both got so big?

Here's our calm child. He's 5 months old now.

The nakedness is due to an unfortunate blow-out but I thought he sure looked cute.

Ezra is not only adorable but also incredibly tough. He loves when Max wrestles with him.

Max's latest craze is being a pirate.

Apparently he got tired of cooking in the kitchen and decided to fly it around his room.

Max loves the chalkboard we made him.

We had the chance to head to San Antonio for a few days. We got to enjoy the beautiful temple there. We also had fun at Ft. Sam Houston feeding carrots to the tame deer in the Quadrangle park area.

Before I forget: HAPPY 38th ANNIVERSARY MOM AND DAD!!!! We love you and really appreciate the great examples you are to us!

Ezra!!!

2008-08-13T16:56:00.005-07:00

We've decided Ezra needs a little more attention
on the blog so today is his day.
He's 4 months old and loving life.

Barbecue and More

2008-08-10T18:06:00.002-07:00

Well, we've found our new favorite barbecue joint in the little town of Llano, TX. They had some amazing brisket and you get to pick what you want right off of the grill. It was amazing and well worth the 1.5 hour drive. Just take a look at the meat. Oh, I almost forgot to mention the ribs. They were amazing.

Here are two delighted meat eaters in front of Cooper's Old Time Pit Bar-B-Que.

Also in Llano, Max and I found a great place to swim in the river that runs through the middle of town. Max would have stayed there all day throwing rocks into the river but we had to go home eventually. Who would have guessed that Llano could be so exciting?

A Getaway to the Beach

2008-08-03T17:21:00.004-07:00

Ephraim was gone again for the last two weeks of July doing training in the field. As he was frying in the Texas heat (no air conditioning or showers...GROSS!) Lindsay, Russell, and Calvin came down and took me and the boys on a trip. We spent a few days in San Antonio then headed to South Padre Island for a great day at the beach. We had a fantastic time...thanks for the vacation Lindz and Russ!

Calvin and Max played in the water in the yard then enjoyed a light lunch on the veranda.

2 Bewildered Bug Boys at the San Antonio Zoo.

Me and Lindz at the Sunken Gardens. Merry Christmas to all!

Max (and Ezra too!) LOVED the beach.

Lindsay, Max, Russell, and Calvin.

The master castle-builders at work.

Me and the boys.

26 and Counting

2008-08-01T20:47:00.002-07:00

Ephraim got to celebrate his 26th birthday this year with a delicious dinner of steak and ribs. My sister Lindsay and her husband Russell and son Calvin came to visit and helped celebrate.

Ephraim went outside his norm with his cake choice this year. Usually he chooses the gooiest, most disgustingly-excessively-frosted buttercream cake he can find but this year he opted for Lyndy's famous apple cake (well, we think it should be famous). Its heavenly.

The biggest surprise of the evening came when we were a few notes into 'happy birthday' and a life-flight helicopter landed 10 feet from our yard. We felt bad our neighbor was injured (we're still not clear about the situation) but it sure made for an exciting end to the party.

Max was tagged....

2008-07-31T17:26:00.002-07:00

5 things about Max:
1. He is seriously quirky. For example, he always eats oatmeal with at least 2 spoons and enjoys eating yogurt with measuring spoons.
2. His current food obsession is marshmallow mateys. He's on track to someday beat Ephraim's record of 43 bowls in one day (set during a contest in the dorms his freshman year).
3. He's very protective of his little brother. No other kids are allowed to approach the car seat or they risk getting shoved.
4. His new phrase "my own" describes his personality these days. He's turning into a fiercely independent toddler.
5. Everything is an instrument to him. His stick horse is a guitar, anything he can hit is a drum, his drum sticks are now a violin and the other day he found a bra in a laundry basket and used it as a set of bongos. We love our Max man.

2008-07-15T08:42:00.003-07:00

We had a great Fourth of July Weekend. We played outside in the water and started a family tradition of having Independence Day Brownie Sundaes. We also went to the Waco Zoo and had a great time there.

It was a tight fit in the kiddie pool but lots of fun.

Here's Ezra looking very patriotic. These days he's working on rolling and giggling.

Mom and Max with the giraffes.

Max and a camouflaged sea creature. Can you spot it?

I guess the zoo made an impression on Max because the next day he'd set up his own in the kitchen cupboard.

3 Months Old

2008-06-29T20:02:00.002-07:00

Ezra's a quarter of the way through his first year and we think he's as cute as ever. Max is discovering that he likes to play with his brother and lately they've been looking at books together.

Max says: "Thanks for the box of fun things Grandma Lillie!!! I especially love the binoculars and the ninja turtle mask!"

The Get-Up

2008-06-22T20:02:00.002-07:00

We've had some requests for a shot of Ephraim in his get-up. For those of you wondering about the stetson, its a traditional part of the cav uniform (cav as in cavalry as in the big horse head on his unit patch). Giddy-up!

A little tummy time...

2008-06-22T19:58:00.000-07:00

Max got a new slide. Its been a big hit!

2008-06-22T19:22:00.005-07:00

Bowl-a-rama

2008-06-16T20:24:00.003-07:00

Monday was a holiday for us since Ephraim left on Wednesday for two weeks of gunnery. We spent the day together and Max had his first experience bowling. It was lots of fun but we should've quit after the first game. Now we know- 10 frames is plenty for a 2 year old.

The approach.

The roll.

Darn that 7-10 split.

Triumph!

Happy Halloween...and Father's Day

2008-06-16T20:06:00.004-07:00

These days, everyday is Halloween around here. Max has been really into dressing up in hats and the other day he wanted to wear his dragon suit. Far be it from me to stifle my toddler's creativity. Father's Day was a hit. Ephraim was spoiled with a delicious steak dinner and coconut cream pie and we were spoiled to have Ephraim home with us. This summer is full of in-field training time for Ephraim's unit so we're excited every time he has a spare moment to spend with us! He's an incredible dad and Max and Ezra (and I) adore him. Our boys also have great grandpas. Happy Father's Day to all!

Pirate Max

Dragon Max

3 crazy boys

2 Months Old

2008-05-30T13:06:00.004-07:00

Our little Z now weighs 12 lbs., loves to smile, and is slowly starting to sleep longer stretches at night. Here he is showing his smile, his blue eyes, and his birdy lips (complete with new Sunday outfit).

Memorial Day Weekend Fun

2008-05-30T12:58:00.002-07:00

We celebrated the holiday weekend by driving to our favorite barbecue place in Round Rock, Rudy's. Looking at the pictures you'd think we were trying to advertise for them (which we'd definitely be willing to do for free barbecue.) Brisket and creamed corn from Rudy's is a little piece of heaven. After the tasty meal Max did a little bull riding.

2008-05-15T12:09:00.004-07:00

Our posting is usually equivalent to a feast or famine so in the spirit of feasting, here's what we've been up to.

Ezra had a fever over the weekend and spent 3 days in the hospital. He's doing great now.

Max loved Ezra's mini-t.v. in the hospital. Perhaps we should install one over his crib.

I finally finished organizing my favorite spot in the house.

This is Ezra's blue jean debut and a silly smile.

Another smile.

Max teaching Ezra the ins and outs of zooming cars around.

Max's favorite popsicle spot in the yard.

2008-05-15T11:58:00.001-07:00

This experience left me with two questions. (1) Why the chin? and (2) How did his eye-hand coordination get so good that he didn't spill any on the carpet?

2008-05-08T15:27:00.006-07:00

My best-friend-from-Texas-in-6th-grade, Tecia tagged me over a month ago so I thought I'd answer these thought-provoking questions now that I have a moment!

you're feeling: happy that both boys are down for a nap

to your left: its a rare moment and I'm alone!

on your mind: the 3 billion projects I have to do around my house

last meal included: turkey sandwich and grapes

the weather: thunderstorm and tornado yesterday, hot today

something you have a collection of: purses

a smell that cheers you up: cologne

a smell that can ruin your mood: vomit (sorry if that's graphic)

how long since you last shaved: too long!

the current state of your hair: blow-dried but crazy

the largest item on your desk/workspace (not computer): the monitor

which section you head for first in a bookstore: juvenile fiction

something you're craving: steak

your general thoughts on the presidential race: I'm curious to see what's gonna happen

how many times have you been hospitalized this year: once

favorite place to go for a quiet moment: my new master bedroom

you've always secretly thought you'd be a good: professional namer- does that exist? I really like naming things like colors, ice cream flavors, essays, etc.

something that freaks you out a little: rodents

something you've eaten too much of lately: rainbow chip cupcakes

you have never: been in the same state as my husband on our anniversary..but so far things are looking good for this year!

We Have a Home!!!

2008-05-04T15:02:00.004-07:00

We're alive and well deep in the heart of Texas. It's been a crazy couple of weeks and we hope everyone enjoys all of the pictures. While still in Georgia we found a listing for a house that we thought was too good to be true. Well, we got to Texas and put in an offer on the house the next day and moved in a week later. The timing was perfect and we love our new house. Ephraim had to buy a lawn mower to take care of his grass and Heather is still fawning over her gigantic walk-in closet. After we unpack our boxes and get settled in we'll take some pictures. Until then here are a few shots of the house and some bonus pictures of Ezra. We can't believe he's almost 6 weeks old.

2008-05-04T14:29:00.004-07:00

Ephraim had some time off so we headed to San Antonio for some family fun. My sister Lindsay's in-laws very generously let us stay at their vacation rental home and we had a blast. In between eating fantastic Mexican and barbeque, we found a little time to go to Sea World, the Alamo and other great sites on the Riverwalk. We just happened to be in town for the annual fiesta which coincides with the Battle of the Flowers holiday. Little did we know how seriously Texans take their state holidays. Pretty much every single person in San Antonio was downtown for the weekend. Even with the crowds we had a great time.

Max pointing at Shamu's tank as we waited for the show to start. Its been nearly 19 years since I got to sit on Shamu for my 6th birthday!

Although he looks concerned, Ezra had a great day at Sea World.

Max loved the kiddie rides.

In case you're wondering, Ephraim is the one on the left.

We saw a 3-D pirate movie that Max liked until they started spraying water at us.

Don't forget the Alamo!

Max spent at least 30 minutes feeding the pigeons and he would have gladly done it all day.

2008-05-04T14:07:00.002-07:00

The Sunday before we left Georgia Ephraim blessed Ezra. We loved having Grandma Lillie and Grandpa Cory with us for the occasion. Max loved every minute with them and we can't thank them enough for all of their help. My mom came a few weeks before Ezra was born and my dad joined her a week before we moved. They graciously offered to drive our second car to Texas for us which was an incredible help. They watched the boys for us while our movers came and while we house hunted in Texas and pretty much, we couldn't have done it without them. So, here's to you, Mom and Dad! We love you!

The Lone Star State

2008-04-17T05:59:00.004-07:00

We're heading off to Texas today! Here's hoping the drive goes as smoothly as it can with our 2 little guys. Ephraim's worried he'll be ostracized in Texas since he doesn't have a big truck. I'm sure we can make peace with the locals by flying some Texas flags. My Georgia friends have allotted me a 2 week break before they expect some new posts so hopefully we'll have a place to live by then. Wish us luck!

Bonus Pictures

2008-04-11T13:55:00.003-07:00

To appease all of Ezra's adoring fans (e.g. his grandparents), here are a few bonus pictures of what the little guy has been up to.

The Best Two Years

2008-04-11T13:34:00.004-07:00

Well, Max's second birthday was on Monday. We can't believe he's already getting old on us. For starters we took him to his favorite restaurant, CiCi's Pizza for dinner.

Everybody got their own party hat. Even little Ezra.

Max was really into opening his presents and he loved all the stuff he got.

His favorite present of all was his music set that included a drum, maracas, a harmonica, and a tambourine. He now enjoys making all of us part of his band.

Ezra Van Garner

2008-03-29T19:32:00.004-07:00

For everyone that hasn't heard the news, he has a name. And to celebrate his new name we gave our blog a new name too. (Since it's not all about Max anymore. Although he'll still get his fair share of attention.) Anyway, Ezra is loving his new home and Heather is glad to be out of the hospital. Her only real complaint about her time in the hospital was that it was too hot (the air conditioning was on the fritz). But considering the Army paid for every penny of it, we can't complain too much. So, thank you, everyone, for financing our new child by paying your taxes.

Here are some more photos for everyone to enjoy.

We've decided that he looks exactly like Max did at this stage. We'll post a side by side comparison one of these days.

As you can see, Ezra is pretty laid back.

This is Ezra getting ready for his inaugural car ride.

And a shot of Max in the middle of one of his favorite activities.

He's Here!!! (But he doesn't have a name yet.)

2008-03-26T18:44:00.008-07:00

Well the newest little Garner boy was born at 5:51 this evening. We just went in for Heather's regular appointment and the doctor told her to go up to the delivery room and 6 hours later we became a family of four. He weighed 8 pounds 4 ounces and is 21 inches long. Which isn't bad considering he was 15 days early. We're all excited that he's here and we're working hard to figure out his name. I promised my Mom that he would have one by tomorrow morning. Hopefully we can follow through on that.

Here is the happy family. Max was thrilled to meet his little brother. He had a big grin on his face the whole time. However he really doesn't understand that his whole world is about to change. But so far the two of them get along great.

And here are the three Garner men. Max and I can't wait to have some fun with the new guy.

Airshow Outing

2008-03-16T14:33:00.004-07:00

Yesterday we went to the airshow and Max really enjoyed himself. He wanted to see and touch all of the planes and was especially intrigued by the golf carts that the workers were using to get around.

Max loved this miniature plane that kids could play in. In fact he loved it so much that he wouldn't come out and his dad had to go in after him.

This last picture is dedicated to Max's uncle Alex. Max and his Dad are sitting in a Stryker vehicle which is what Alex is cruising around in over in Iraq. I hope its more comfortable than it looks.

Its a bird! Its a plane! No....its Airborne Ephraim! (and other news)

2008-02-27T13:22:00.003-07:00

Ephraim spent the last 3 weeks learning how to fall without breaking his neck. He then put it into practice by jumping from a plane 5 times. Apparently the practice paid off. He graduated last weekend and gets to wear a new pin which his dad stabbed into his chest (Which of course put a smile on his Dad's face.)

As always, Max was glad to see his Grandparents. He already misses them.

For some unexplained reason Max has developed a passion for posing like the Statue of Liberty. We're patriotic and all but we think it's kind of strange.

And last but not least here's the still nameless Garner boy taking a nap. We hope he makes his debut soon since the doctors say he already weighs six pounds (with 6 weeks until his due date.)

Here's a good shot looking right up his little nose. Enjoy the view.

By the way, we're taking suggestions for a new blog name since it won't be just about Max anymore.

Beauty and the Belly

2008-02-18T09:12:00.005-07:00

Due to frequent requests, here is a picture of pregnant Heather. We even included a picture from exactly 2 years ago for comparison. We can't decide which belly is bigger. Any opinions?

February Update

2008-02-17T16:49:00.003-07:00

Max is making sure that everything is ready for his coming little brother. Here he is making sure that his old car seat still works. He decided that it does.

Max and his Dad at the Riverwalk way down yonder on the Chattahoochee River

And Max posing on the playground right behind our house.

Ranger School Graduation!!!

2008-01-25T19:19:00.000-07:00

Ephraim graduated from Ranger School today. This was momentous for two reasons: (1) it proves how tough he is (I have to brag- only about half of the people who start the course actually graduate) and (2) now he's home with us again! Its a win-win situation. The ceremony was held outside (on what felt like the coldest day of the whole winter so we froze) but it was worth it to see Ephraim get his new Ranger tab.

Swim Diaper Day

2008-01-11T19:36:00.001-07:00

This was all Max wanted to wear yesterday. Here he is posing with the new kitchen he got for Christmas. In other news, only 2 more weeks until Ranger School Graduation! It will be great to have a husband again.

Our Nation's Capitol...

2008-01-03T21:45:00.000-07:00

One of me and Ephraim's favorite Christmas presents was a Max-free day of sightseeing in Washington, D.C. We think its hilarious that we look photo-shopped into a lot of these pictures. Rest assured, we're actually there.

Lincoln Memorial

Washington Monument
I had no idea you could go to the top but it was really cool.

The beautiful new World War II Memorial

The National Christmas Tree
No offense to America but I thought the paper bows were a little disappointing.

Ephraim at the base of the Washington Monument looking down towards the WWII and Lincoln Memorials.

Here we are flanking the White House.

At the Smithsonian with Mr. Rogers' sweater and Seinfeld's puffy shirt.

Charles Lindburgh's Spirit of St. Louis at the National Air and Space Museum.

Looking towards the Capitol.