Pip-i-e and Lov-i-e

For those of you who know Levi well, know his two most favorite things..."Pipie and Lovie" and he always keeps them close. Normally they aren't suppose to be outside, but we had just gotten home from the store. He decided he wanted to go for another car ride...

Easter

Levi loves his "Gunship" as he calls it, thanks again for the Easter Basket Grandpa & Grandma!


Ethan checking out his treats from the Egg Hunt we did for the boys in the morning before church.


Caleb doing another Egg Hunt at Grandpa & Grandma's house with all of his cousins.


As always the kids had lots of fun together, sure is great having lots of cousins to play with!

Catching frogs...

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Enemy

Last night while the boys were getting ready for bed, we were picking out outfits for them to wear to school today...they always want to wear comfy pants, however they keep ripping holes in the knees. So I told Ethan he was going to have to wear jeans to school, his response "Jeans are fine, just NOT a button down shirt...they are my worst enemy!" Gotta love it! :)

These two sure have fun together...

Best place for 3 brothers to be...

snuggled on ONE Beanbag watching a movie!

Hotel Waterpark and Pistons Game

We sure had a great weekend...on Friday afternoon we headed to Detroit. We got to the hotel and did lots of swimming!! Then we went back to our room, ordered pizza, and got ready for the Pistons Game! The game didn't start until 8pm so by the time we got to the Palace Caleb and Ethan were tired. Levi, who took a nap on the ride to Detroit was wide awake. He was so excited...clapping, cheering, and saying "look" about everything! It didn't take the boys long to "wake up" once the players came out, the music jamming, and the fire, flames, and large "booms". Ethan actually was quite nervous about the (huge) flames, so he snuggled close to Kevin but after awhile seemed to enjoy it. All three boys really got into the game and loved cheering for the Pistons! They also enjoyed the "shows" that were put on (between timeouts, halftime, etc). Caleb was so excited with the Pistons last shot...putting them at 101! He thought that was super cool! After the game we got to go down on the court and the boys were able to take 1 shot, it was pretty exciting for them! From there we headed back to the hotel to sleep and then woke up to donuts and more swimming!!

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Cheetah...

My mom (the boys Grandma Choo Choo) has always sang this song to them...

"Rock a bye a baby, ________ is a lady. ________ is a gentlemen. And ________ is a coffee can!"

(You fill in the blanks with which ever name you want.)

A couple weeks ago we are all riding in the car and we were saying what animals we would choose to be. Caleb said a "Monkey", Ethan said a "Grizzly Bear", and Kevin said a "Moose" (to make us all laugh). So after giving Kevin a hard time, we continued to talk about other animals that would be a good choice. Cheetah came up because it is fast and so from that Kevin turned it around that I wanted to be a Cheetah...which made for even more laughs from the boys! So now Levi has made up his own song and it goes something like this...

"Rock a bye a baby, Mommy is a Cheetah!"

Lovely. He sings this ALL the time...around the house, in the van, at the store, etc. And for the record I said I didn't know what animal I would choose, that I would want to be some sort of fish...like a Dolphin. Oh well, it sure makes for LOTS and LOTS of laughs around the Hart home!

7 Birthdays...7 Parties!!

Caleb was such a monkey, so for his 1st Birthday party we had a jungle theme. He wasn't quite walking yet on his own, but busier than ever! We can't even begin to describe all the JOY he brought to us the day he was born...so every Birthday we truly love to celebrate HIM and the precious gift God gave us!


"Choo...Choo" yes that best describes Caleb at 2!! He LOVED trains, especially Thomas the Train! He knew the names of all the different trains, which we found to be quite amazing. So you guessed it, we had train party!


Big brother at 3 and ready for fun!! We had a Chicken Little Birthday party and boy did we have fun...from the Pinata to shaking our tail feathers, oh and we can't forget him getting the battery operated Jeep!


By 4 his new love was CARS movie...Caleb and Ethan would run around pretending to be race cars...stopping by us to "change a tire" or "get gas". We had so many "races" to Caleb's bed each night at bedtime! We watched that movie too many times to count!


The big 5...in preschool, has two younger brothers now, got a new bike, and Aunt Kate flew in to be a part of the celebration! Caleb was so into Space...so Space party it was, we even had planets hanging from our living room ceiling!


Stars Wars...Caleb LOVES, LOVES Stars Wars (still does) but this was the year it all began! So of course there would be no other theme for a 6th Birthday! Caleb and Ethan greeted all the guest in their Storm Trooper outfits, what a fun day we had!


And now this past weekend we had a sk8ing good time at his 7th Birthday! Yes he went with Skateboarding/Xtreme sports theme and some of the gifts he got went along with that theme...Skateboard, Snowboard, and Hockey Rollerblades! Oh the fun to be a boy and 7! As always the kids got to smash a pinata and eat lots of candy! We sure had a great day celebrating Caleb's Birthday with family!



We are so thankful for Caleb and the special boy that he is!! He is such a fun kid, always ready to laugh! He has such a kind heart and really looks out for others. He's a thinker, and has lots of good questions. He really enjoys school, and we are so proud of all the things he is learning. He is such a people person and loves being with friends! He truly adores being outside...from playing in the snow to catching frogs in the backyard. He keeps us on the go with Soccer games, but we love the joy and excitement he has with playing it! We always say Caleb has a quiet faith, but when you talk one on one with him his love for Jesus is so evident! One of the ways he lets his light shine is his caring heart for others. We are so honored to be Caleb's parents and a part of his life! We praise God for him and all the love and joy he brings into our home! He is truly a gift from God!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY K-MAN!! We love you and keep letting your light shine for Jesus! We look forward to all the Birthdays to come!! Wonder what your theme will be next year? :)

Kindergarten

The other day we got Kindergarten info for Ethan in the mail, so I say to Ethan...

"Levi and Mommy are really going to miss you next year when you're gone at school all day, are you going to miss us?"

"No, I like school and I have fun there, but just because I don't miss you doesn't mean I don't love you."

Thoughts about our boys....

Kevin has been playing indoor soccer one night week, however the games are usually after 9pm...so the boys and I haven't been able to go to a game. However this week the game was at 8:15pm, so the boys and I went for a little while. The boys (actually I should say Caleb and Ethan, Levi fell asleep on the way there and continued to sleep in my arms the entire time) loved watching their dad in action! Kevin even scored a goal while we were there!

A gal watching the game with us thought it was really neat how Kevin and his 2 brothers are playing soccer together...which got me thinking...I hope that someday too Caleb, Ethan, and Levi will live somewhat close to each other and be able to play soccer together. There is just something special about the relationship with brothers...I pray that our boys are forming strong friendships with each other now, that they will carry on into adulthood. Kevin and I are constantly telling the boys to look out for each other, stick up for your brother, share with one another, teach and help each other, but most of all love each other! We want the boys to know that friends come and go in life, but your brother(s) will always be there.

Okay so we are on the ride home and the boys are singing "we will, we will rock you...got mud on your face, be disgrace..." and from that they are talking about farting..."cutting the cheese". I couldn't help but laugh and smile, because they are good buddies and they are teaching each other things (most the time it seems like silly things-jokes Caleb learns at school)...and they are proud of each other(the joy Caleb and Ethan had for Levi when it was his Birthday was overflowing)...they are looking out for each other(Ethan tackled a classmate of Caleb's and when I asked why he did that, he said because I thought he was hurting Caleb)and the list goes on...

We sure love our boys...so thankful for them and that they have each other! We pray that they will always cherish the fact that they are brothers. It's a cheesy quote, but I like it "There is no buddy like a brother".

Trying day...

The other night we are eating supper and it is Kevin's turn to tell us about his day. So he says, "Well I had a trying day at work today.." Caleb right away responds with "There is no try, there is only DO!" We sure love you K-man!!

Cousins...

Our boys have been blessed with lots of (Hart) cousins!! Which make Birthday parties, camping in Ludington, hanging out at Grandpa & Grandma's house, and the list goes on SO much fun!! The kids play great together and share lots of laughs!! This past fall we took this picture of all 10 cousins together...

...BUT it's outdated!! Today, Kevin's brother and our sister-in-law...aka Uncle Brian and Aunt Lindsay are on their way to Ethiopia to bring home their two boys!! We are definitely lifting them up in prayer, as well as their four girls back home. What a special journey this has been and continues to be for them. We pray that God wraps His loving arms around each of them!

Our boys are quite excited to have the boy-girl ratio evened now...6 girl cousins and 6 boy cousins!! :) We are looking forward to meeting these two special boys next weekend! And I can't wait to take a new updated picture of ALL the Hart cousins!!

We Love You Hart Family!! Our thoughts and prayers are with you as you continue on this journey!!

2 year check-up...

Levi had his 2 year check-up today with our pediatrician. I always enjoy these appointments, I like to hear what Levi should be doing and things he will start doing...potty training, the next big event! It's always reassuring to hear that he is healthy and right on track. Levi sat so good and just listened to our doctor talk, it was quite cute. At then end of the appointment he had to get 2 shots and the H1N1 mist, which he was so good about. When we got home I looked back to see what Caleb and Ethan were at this age...

Levi: 33.9 lbs and 36.5 inches tall

Caleb: 30 lbs and 35 inches tall

Ethan: 28.8 lbs and 35 1/2 inches tall

And the winner in weight and height is Levi!! He is definitely the best eater of our boys! :) We always mark the boys height on our wall chart and when we did it the other night we couldn't believe how much Levi had grown in a year! He is definitely going to be a tall boy!! We praise God for Levi and that he is growing so strong and healthy!

The big two!!

Two years ago today God blessed us with a special baby boy...Levi Kevin Hart



Levi brings so much joy and laughter to our home. His sweet smile and dimple make it so hard to ever tell him no. His zest for life is contagious. The excitement he has when he sees you, just warms your heart. The hugs and kisses he gives are the best. The way he says our names or his favorite phrases are just precious. The towers he builds or tinker toy creations he makes are impressive. The love and fun he has with his brothers just makes us happy.



Happy Birthday Sweet Boy!! We love you and pray God's blessing on you today and always! We are excited to watch you grow and look forward to seeing God's plan for your life unfold!

Soon??

The days both boys are gone at school can be kinda l-o-n-g for poor little Levi. This morning while I am folding laundry he come to me and says...

"Daddy soon?"

"No, not for awhile"

"Papa soon?"

Oh buddy...

Ice Sculptures...

Today we went and checked out an Ice Sculpting Competition and the boys loved it! They liked seeing all the different tools the people would use...from a saw to a clothing iron! They also enjoyed figuring out what the different sculptures were going to be. We had a good time...cold, but fun!

Happy New Year!!

Christmas...

Wow! This past week was like a whirl-wind! We had something every night, and sometimes during the day. We were busy baking, wrapping, shopping, eating, opening presents, singing, laughing, going to programs, playing games, watching movies, and did I say eating!?! It sure was fun!! We really had a great Christmas celebrating Christ's birth with family and friends!

My sister Kate, brother Luke, and soon to be sister-in-law Kristen were all in town from California...it was SO nice to have my whole family together! We were able to spend a lot of time with them, which was great! The boys just love spending time with family, whether it's hugs from the grandparents, playing with cousins, or being silly with aunts and uncles they always have fun! We missed Kevin's sister Kim, our brother-in-law Tim, and their kids who were Florida this Christmas...enjoying the sunshine and warm weather for us!

Here are some pictures from this past week...

Program...

Caleb's school program was this past Tuesday night! The church was packed full of people watching the 1st through 5th graders perform. There were so many kids in it and they really did a good job! It was a fun night and Caleb had lots of special people there watching him...special thanks to all of you who came! It really meant a lot to Caleb having you there!

Naughty or Nice...

I've been wanting to post this all week...This past Sunday after church Kevin and I were busy in the kitchen making lunch. We were both "into" what we were doing and not paying much attention to Levi playing in the living room, by the Christmas Tree. However I came to stop and looked up at Levi when I heard him excitedly say "CHOO..CHOO..CHOO..CHOO". And what did I see, you guess it! Mr. Levi had opened up one of his presents!! I guess he really wanted the Thomas the train toy! :) It's funny, because he actually opened HIS present...but what a stinker with how quietly he did it!! We honestly didn't hear the ripping of the wrapping paper, but he was hiding behind the coffee table. The other great part was when I said to him "Uh-oh what do you have?" And he proceeds to say "Thank You, Thank YOU!!"

I'll let you decide if he is naughty...or nice, because he did say Thank You!!!

Kevin right away went and grabbed the camera and Levi proudly showed off his wrapping paper pieces!
The chocolate around his mouth also makes me think he got into the M&M's candy dish as well! :)

the program...

So this morning was Ethan's Preschool Program...he was SO excited for it!! It was suppose to be last week, but his school had a snow day that day. So he had to wait an extra week, and he was going crazy!! As Ethan's excitement grew for the program here are a few fun stories that happened....

My mom was watching Ethan and Levi, while I helped with Caleb's class last week. So while they're riding in the car, Ethan from the backseat says to my mom
"Aren't you just SO excited for my program Grandma??"

Last night we put the boys to bed and Caleb was talking to Ethan and after a few minutes Ethan says to Caleb "Please stop talking Caleb, I need to sleep...otherwise I will be yawning, instead of singing at my program tomorrow!!" Kevin and I just laughed and laughed!! On a side note, honestly they have the sweetest and funniest talks ever after we put those two to bed. I love to be in the kitchen listening to their "talks"...most nights we are able to get a good laugh! Even this morning Caleb says to me "did you hear what Ethan said to me last night about yawning, instead of singing...that is so funny mom!"

Ethan wanted to be Joseph, not a shepherd...and he definitely made that clear! So he would "check out" every Joseph we would see on Cards, Nativity scenes, Books, etc. He wanted to make sure his outfit would look like Joseph! (Special thanks to Great Papa for his cane!)

So here are a coupe pictures from his program...

Ethan and his fellow classmates did such a great job...it was a JOY to watch! Ethan you were a wonderful Joseph! We are so proud of you, keep letting your light shine for Jesus! We love you buddy!!

SNOW DAY #2...

This morning Caleb comes into the kitchen laughing with a dripping wet tissue..."Mom, did you know that you can throw this at the bathroom mirror and it will stick?!?"

Me..."Please don't!!"

So Caleb walks back to the bathroom and I hear him say..."I told you Ethan, she wouldn't like it!"

I am sure there is much more fun to come on this lovely SNOW DAY! :)

SNOW DAY...

Today was the first SNOW DAY of the school year! Caleb was just about to bundle up and head to the bus stop, when I thought we should check if his school was canceled...and sure enough it was! Hip-Hip-Horray! It's always fun to have a SNOW DAY!

The boys spent most of the day playing outside in the "s-NO-w"...as Levi calls it! They went out 3 different times to play, one of the times Levi and I joined them along with some neighbor friends. Levi wasn't so sure about the snow at first, but it didn't take him long to join in on the shoveling and other snow fun!

When the boys needed a "warm-up" we came inside, got Levi down for a nap, and Caleb, Ethan, & I made Christmas cookies! The boys have been asking everyday for the last week if we could make them and so today seemed like a good day. Here are some pictures of our fun SNOW DAY!

Our tree...

Over the weekend we went and cut down a Christmas tree, it almost didn't feel right because there was no snow! We had a good time searching for the "perfect tree" with the boys and my parents. We got a really big tree this year...the boys said it had to be taller than Kevin and it is! Caleb and Ethan really had fun and got into hanging the ornaments on the tree. Levi loves to point at all the ball ornaments and say "bubbles". The boys also collected trains and train tracks to put around the bottom of the tree. We sure are having fun enjoying the season already! Here are a some pictures of us getting and decorating our tree!

Outside...

We have really been enjoying the wonderful weather this month! The boys have been able to be outside a lot, which is good...they love to play with their neighborhood friends, skateboard, ride bikes, play by the creek, and the list goes on. Here are a few pictures of the boys playing Hockey with Kevin a couple of Sundays ago. Even little Levi likes to join in on the fun!

Notice Caleb's "high waters"...in the last month he has just gotten SO tall, yikes!!

When you ask Ethan what he wants to be when he grows up? His answer is always..."A Hockey Player!"

Levi is sporting a new hair-do...he looks so much older now!!

the Wii...

One of Ethan's most favorite things to do is play the Wii...yes our boys were lucky enough to get one last year for Christmas from their Papa and Grandma Fishy! And I must say it was a great gift, for the whole family! :) So yesterday Ethan, Levi, and I are downstairs playing the Wii and the boys decide to take a break and play trains. Well I thought I would take a minute to practice my hitting/swing. Ethan ALWAYS beats me in Wii Baseball and it's not by a little, were talking like 10 point difference. So I am "practicing" and all of the sudden Ethan walks up and says

"Let me show you how it's done!"