Packed up and ready to go!

The past week I have been bursting with excitement for our trip to Tunkhannock, PA to spend the Thanksgiving week with my family. Thanksgiving is by far my favorite holiday because it is a mini BeVard family reunion, plus lot of great food and relaxing in PA.

This will be Aaron's first car trip, so we will see how he does on the 5 hour drive. If all goes well we might start braving longer trips to Atlanta to visit Brett's brother and our sister-in-law. Car trips seem to be the only logical way to travel now that we see how much stuff you have to pack when you have two babies!

2 portable baby cribs
clothes for 5 days for all 4 of us
portable high chair for Peter
snow suites (it snowed there last night!)
Food/bottles/sippy cups/formula/etc.
toys
etc. etc. etc. I feel like we are moving!!!

Anyway, we will be off-line while we are gone, so we leave you with the latest videos of the boys.

First is Peter playing "Mommy say" (our version of "Simon Says"):


Then Aaron Cooing and smiling for the camera:


Enjoy and we will catch up with some other blogs, plus everything from the Thanksgiving trip when we get back!

Hope everyone has a great holiday and safe travels!!!

Out Little Drummer Boy...

Our Friends the Merrills bought Peter an A-B-C drum... I think he likes it:



I would have taped longer but it was getting boring.

Small Group Game Night

Catch up blog from November 13, 2008

Every Thursday evening Brett and I host a young adult’s small group at our house. Usually this group meets to have a group discussion and bible study, but sometimes we are burnt out from life and need a game night!

Two Thursdays ago was just such an occasion.

We decided to play our favorite card game – Smack! Which was new to a few of our group members, but they caught on quick… maybe too quick!

Andy Spray managed to finish the evening having won 2 rounds, all the while saying, “I don’t even know how to play cards,” in an innocent voice.

The ever competitive, Sarah Merrill also won a round, and was a little excited about her accomplishment…

It was a fun night, and a nice break from study and a hectic week!

Veggie Tales!

Catch up blog from November 8, 2008

A couple weeks ago my friend Heather Witherspoon invited Peter and me to go to a Veggie Tales show with her daughter, Morgan and her.

The concert was out in Woodbridge at a huge church, which had a line wrapped around the building for people there to see the Veggie Tales!

We were a little early so we got the kids each a Larry the Cucumber toy before settling into our seats.

Once we got into the theater and found our seats (right up front!) it was time for the show to start.

Peter loved the music and clapping along with the audience, but was a little young to follow the story and pay attention in between the songs.

We did make it to the first intermission before he really started squirming and was done sitting and watching the show.

It was a fun day and I loved spending a little time with just Peter.

When we headed home Peter held on to his Larry Boy and fell fast asleep in his car seat (dreaming about the signing vegetables I am sure!).

Thanks to Heather and Morgan for the invite!

Dog for a weekend...

Catch up blog from November 7-10, 2008.

A few weeks ago our friends Sarah and Mike Merrill went out of town for the weekend, so I got to babysit their dog, Emma, while they were away!

I was VERY excited to dog-sit because Brett was going to be out of town and Emma is a good guard dog. Plus, Peter thinks Emma is about the most fun playmate ever!

Except of course when Emma tried to take Peter's "Love Machine Bunny"

Aaron got TONS of kisses from Emma during the weekend, and turns out he loves dogs too...

New Job for Brett!!!

For the past 3 months Brett has been putting feelers out to look for a new job, and has even gone on a couple interviews. Nothing was panning out, but then my mom found an opening at her company, Noblis.

Brett applied, but we quickly received a phone call that they had already interviewed and selected a candidate for the position. HOWEVER, they said they were very impressed with his resume and would keep his resume.

Fast forward to October and they finally called to interview him for a new position that opened up. On October 10, Brett went in for a 4 hour interview and left feeling excited about the company.

Then the waiting game started.

One week later we got a call saying that they loved him, but they didn't have funding for the position and had to wait before giving him an offer (which would probably take 2 weeks).

3 weeks passed.

Finally we get a call from their HR department saying that they planned on giving him an offer by the end of the week. Since I had an inside person, I called my mom and told her the good news. That is when she told me that she had heard they wanted to interview him again. What? We were confussed, but it turned out mom was right.

The next day they called to schedule a second interview with Brett the following Monday (this past Monday, November 17).

The second interview went great as well, and Brett was even more excited and had loved all the people he was meeting. That evening we get a call, they love him and want to make an offer which should be received on Tuesday.

Tuesday comes and goes... nothing.

Wednesday I talked to my mom and find out that the person who would be deciding Brett's salary was out with the flu.

That evening we get a call that the offer would come the next day.

Then last night, on his way home, Brett finally gets the call!

He got the job and will be working as a Senior Staffer in the development department.

Not only will this mean a small bump in salary for us, but also much better benefits, and a 15 minute commute (you really can't get better than that in this area!)

Brett's only concern was that in the beginning he might have to work long hours, but then I reminded him that he currently commutes over 2 hours a day, so even with an extra 2 hours of work a day it wouldn't change how much he is home!!!

I am so proud of Brett and cannot wait for the new job to start! What an exciting way to go into the Holiday season!!!

This MAY seem wrong...

...But I think Aaron is totally cute when he cries!

Not to say that I would rather see him cry than smile, but he just has this face that melts me and when he gets ready to cry he always looks like he is trying to be tough and hold back.

The other day I caught the cute-ness on camera:

And lets face it... Brett looks pretty stinking cute too :)

The trouble with big brothers...

Last week Brett was playing with the boys, while I took pictures.

I don't really remember why he did it, but Brett was being silly and decided it would be funny to place one of Peter's toys on top of Aaron's head.

It was all fun and games, until the following took place...

We were terrified that Aaron was going to have a black eye or worse, and I even called my cousin Shellie to see if she thought I should take him to the ER, but he was fine after about 2 minutes of crying.

Love Machine...

People always ask me what kind of toys Peter likes the most and the answer is very easy... anything that makes noise, but especially anything that makes music.

Case in point his Valentine's Day bunny that plays "Love Machine" when you squeeze his hand. Peter could be having a full blown temper tantrum and seconds after I pull that bunny out he is back to his happy go lucky self.

Whether he is dancing with daddy:


Or jamming by himself:

He just cannot get enough "Love Machine."

However Mommy and Daddy cannot get the song out of their heads, so it might be time for a new dancing stuffed animal for Christmas!

The Bumbo chair

The day that Aaron's doctor told us that Aaron needs to sit up more we pulled out Peter's old Bumbo chair.

The Bumbo is a baby chair that helps babies, whom can not yet sit up on their own, sit up straight without falling over. It is perfect for feeding time, and having baby practice holding their head up.

Now that Aaron's little head is pretty strong we have been putting him in it for 10-15 minutes at a time a few times a day, usually at meal times so he can be part of family meals and get in the habit of sitting at the table (he starts on solids in Dec!).

For the most part Aaron loves his chair, however sometimes he doesn't feel like sitting up and he will start to cry.

On One occasion I had the camera and told Brett that Aaron wasn't happy, so could he please pick him up.

Being the literal person that Brett is, he did pick him up.

And comforted Aaron WHILE Aaron was still seated in the Bumbo seat.

It was one of the cutest things I have ever seen Brett do with the kids.

But, not quite as cute as when Aaron falls asleep in the Bumbo and I am forced to take an obscene number of pictures...

Doctor's appointments for the boys!

Over the past two weeks both babies had doctor's appointments for regular check ups, and the dreaded... SHOTS!

Aaron measured in at 11 pounds, 1 ounce (50%), with a length of 24 and a half inches (50%), and a head circumference of 15 inches (25%). He was lucky in the shot department and didn't have to get anything for his 3 month appointment, but at 4 months has a couple.

The only slightly alarming news was that the doctor said he always sleeps on the right side of his head which is causing some flattening. If this continues, Aaron will have to wear a helmet to sleep to ensure his head rounds out. However we have been doing our best to sit him up as much as possible, and face him the opposite direction when he is sleeping, so we aren't worried.

Peter's appointment was on Monday and he measured at 21 pounds, 12 ounces (12%), with a length of 32 inches (75%), and a head circumference of 18 and a fourth inches (25%). I was pretty excited about the height being such a high percentage, until Brett told me that he was tall as a baby too. I still have hope that our boys will tower over us though!

New "tricks" for Peter...

I caught the following video this moring of Peter's latest words and his new "trick" of blowing a kiss...

Sarah's craft fair

Catch up blog from November 6, 2008

Last Thursday, my friend (Aaron's God mother), Sarah Merrill held her first craft fair. The fair took place at her work, Sibley Memorial Hospital, and is an annual fair they hold for employees to sell things that they make in their free time.

To support her craft business, Old Towne Boutique, I packed up the kids and made the trip into the city to see her display.

Sarah's table included mugs with chocolate covered pretzel rods, hand made greeting cards, hand made jewelry, and home made coasters.

Lucky for all of us the kids were on their best behavior and were ogled over by all the ladies there. The other tables were also nice and included blankets, scarves, baby clothes, jewelry, photography prints, and much more. I walked away with some homemade honey and cranberry sauce.

Sarah ended her day making a lot more than she expected and had a lot of custom orders. Congrats to Sarah on a successful show!

Date night!

Catch up blog from November 5, 2008

Ever since having Aaron, getting out for dates is harder than when we only had one baby. Unless we have two people that can babysit, we usually either take Aaron with us, or we don't end up going out.

Lucky for us, we have a lot of friends who are couples and are dying to watch our kids! Case in point, last Wednesday night! Brett was leaving for the weekend on Thursday, so we wanted to have a special date night before we were apart for 4 days.

The stars must have been aligned in our favor because not only did we get an email coupon for one of our favorite romantic restaurants, Two Quail, but our friends Mike and Sarah Merrill were also able to babysit.

Two Quail was the restaurant where Brett and I shared our first Valentines Day and our first wedding anniversary, and we were able to get the same table (with private curtains) again for this evening.

Dinner was AMAZING - Brett got the catch of the day:

And I got the duck:

We both had a martini and best of all we had a really special evening without the kids.

Thanks again to Mike and Sarah for watching the boys!

Katelyn comes home!!!

Catch up blog from November 4, 2008

Election day was exciting for more than just electing our first black president - it was also the day my sister, Katelyn got home from her Outward Bound Leadership Course.

Her course had actually finished up the day before, and she had driven up to stay at my mom's house late on Monday night.

Tuesday morning she got up early to cast her vote in McLean before stopping by our house to visit with the kids and witness Peter's "new" skill - walking (she left a few weeks after he started).

It was great to see her, and Peter couldn't get enough of hugging her and sitting on her lap. He was also fascinated by her boyfriend Rich's newly grown out beard!


After about an hour, Katelyn and Rich had to go so that they could make it to State College, PA where Rich cast his vote.

We were so excited to have Katelyn back from the wilderness and look forward to spending more time with her in the coming weeks. To learn more about Katelyn's trip check out her blog.

McClure/Tahan Wedding Part 4 - The Reception

Catch up blog from November 1, 2008

Last wedding blog, but the most fun of them all! Once we got back to the hotel it was time for the reception, which started with a cocktail reception in the hotel lobby and then dinner in the ballroom.

In Lebanese tradition they had a belly dancer preforming during dinner as entertainment:


And like with most weddings, toasts from the father of the bride:


And the maid of honor, Summer Wynn, Georgia's oldest sister (it cuts off because our camera dies):


We don't have any other speeches because our camera died :(

We did however have an absolute blast, ate great food, and danced the night away.

McClure/Tahan Wedding Part 3 - The Ceremony

Catch up blog from November 1, 2008

Once we finally arrived at the Church, it was finally time for Georgia's wedding ceremony.

Although it was Georgia who had a lot riding on the day, it was me who was nervous.

Peter and Georgia had asked that I do a reading from the book of Ecclesiastes (only the hardest book in the Bible to say) and as I have mentioned in the past I am terrified of public speaking.

However after days of practicing to myself, in front of the kids, and to Brett I did it without stumbling on any words.

After my part it was time for the vows, which Brett caught on camera:


In addition to what we documented on film, Peter and Georgia also participated in traditions, some of which were "normal" and others which were unique to their church, including wearing crowns:

Carrying a picture of the Virgin Mary around the church:

An exchange of rings:

And a kiss uniting them as a married couple:

It was a beautiful wedding ceremony and we were so honored to be a part of it!

McClure/Tahan Wedding Part 2 - Limo ride to the ceremony!

Catch up blog from November 1, 2008

After all the girls were dressed and ready to go we headed downstairs for our limo ride to the wedding ceremony.

Once we were all settled and got on the road the girls popped a bottle of champaign for a toast to the bride. It was a fun last minute bonding session for the girls, who had all become really close in preperation for the wedding.