Sunday, December 23, 2012

Ho, Ho, Ho

 

Christmas2012 026

Well, despite Ryan’s attempt to get out of pictures (he had to get his forehead glued after an accident Friday), we managed to catch all of the boys looking at the camera.  They can’t wait for Santa to get here, and Cheerio can’t wait to get the Santa suit off : )  Christmas is going to be a fun time this year!!!

Nicholas the Artist


IMG_1947
IMG_0066
Christmas2012 003
Nicholas loves drawing all kinds of birds, especially toucans, macaws, and parrots. He mostly does pictures on paper with crayons and markers but has also started exploring other media such as his breakfast plate or grammy’s iPad.

Thursday, November 1, 2012

Happy Halloween

 

Fall2012 035

Check out my awesome vampire boys.  We didn’t get Cheerio in the picture, but he was one too : )

 

Fall2012 037

We’re on our way to the Stake Halloween Carnival…the boys loved the games and we got a cool professional picture from the evening.

Fall2012 048

Ryan hanging out at Nicholas’ school waiting for the Halloween parade to start.

Fall2012 057

My spooky dinner…mummy dogs, jello molds, monster fingers, and my dessert was vampire brownies.  The boys loved it!!

Miscellaneous

 

Fall2012 019

Ryan and Cheerio looking for wild animals behind our house…we’ve had turkeys, deer, raccoons, squirrels, but luckily no skunks : )

Fall2012 025

This is what happens when you give two boys finger paint.  The paint goes on them and not the paper I gave them.

Fall2012 027

I think we have a Lego genius on our hands.  Nicholas put this vehicle together by himself after carefully following the instructions step by step.

Fall2012 030

Ryan couldn’t help getting into my rain boots the other day : )   That’s Ryan for you…into everything : )!!!

Monday, September 24, 2012

My Little Babies - A Father's Poem


I finally finished the poem I had wanted to write in Angola. I don't know anything about writing poetry, but it captures the feelings of my heart - so despite the poor mechanics, that's true poetry right?
 
My Little Babies
 
A glimpse into Heaven, the day so ever clear
The memory ne’er forgotten as I saw those little eyes.
My little babies I held you close and loved you dear
I wiped away your tears, I calmed your cries.
 
I trusted in the Lord above
Not knowing the path that lay before.
One day you’ll know something of a father’s love
I want to give you all I have and more.
 
You grew so quickly with hopes unfettered
As little boys you sprang forth from baby beginnings.
My little ones to my heart so tethered
With trains, planes and dinos as life’s first underpinnings.
 
With small hands growing and yearnings inside
You strapped on your backpacks and were off for schooling.
Your hunger for learning could not be denied
My babies were leaving, who was I fooling?
 
As you grew and matured so I had to let go
To trod your own paths with courage abreast.
I watched from the window with tears a flow
Asking, even praying, that you’d pass life’s test.
 
My little babies the moment we shared was so fleeting,
From the foibles of youth, honorable men you became.
I’ll never be comfortless knowing your two hearts are beating
Your hearts and mine are really one and the same.
 
Recalling Father Lehi as a blessing giver
Know my little babies you’ll always be
May thy peace be as a river
And thy righteousness as the waves of the sea.
 
 ~~
To my boys, Nicholas and Ryan – 9/23/2012
Love, Dad

Tuesday, August 28, 2012

First Day of Kindergarten

 

August2012 007

August2012 010

August2012 014

We can’t believe our Nicholas is in kindergarten!!  Where did the time go?  He did fantastic and is already asking when he’s going to get homework (yep, he’s his mama’s son, into school already : )

Choo Choo

 

 

August2012 004

Ryan loves trains and cars so we caught him showing off one of his favorite toys.  He’s such a sweet boy and what a cutie! : )

Sunday, August 5, 2012

Tuesday, July 24, 2012

Hello Cancun

 

For those tracking the Thompson’s, we finally left Angola and spent a week in Houston with my parents. Prior to heading back to CA, we diverted south for a week of sun and fun in Cancun. Last adventure before getting back to real life again…

2012 summer Cancun 218

2012 summer Cancun 229

2012 summer Cancun 234

2012 summer Cancun 239

2012 summer Cancun 241

2012 summer Cancun 244

2012 summer Cancun 245

2012 summer Cancun 264

2012 summer Cancun 274

2012 summer Cancun 278

Sunday, June 3, 2012

He’s Five!!!

 

We can’t believe it, but Nicholas turned five in May.  Where has the time gone, it was just yesterday that we brought him home from the hospital.  We had a dinosaur themed party for him with all our good friends here.

IMG_1639

Nicholas took the first swing at the pinata and all the kids got a turn trying to knock the candy out.

IMG_1642

Nicholas digging in the decapitated pinata body for the last bit of candy : )

IMG_1649

IMG_1651

 

We’re so happy to have Nicholas in our family.  He’s developed into such a sweet, obedient boy.  He loves school, watching “movies”, and playing with all of his friends here.  He makes us laugh with his latest wisdoms and is such a great brother to Ryan.  Happy 5th Nicholas….we love you!!!!

Cape Town

Mike and I took the boys to Cape Town last month so I could do a half marathon and show Nicholas where he spent some time growing up.

IMG_1591

IMG_1600

The boys loved playing at the beach and on the rocks at the beach in Camps Bay (where we lived when we were in Cape Town). 

IMG_1626

We went to Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens, a place we loved to go to when we lived here.  The boys chased guinea fowl and we enjoyed the beautiful views.

IMG_1633Ryan loved playing in the leaves at the gardens.  Poor guy has never seen a pile before since they don’t have fall here.

Peanut Butter Day

 

IMG_1587

My boys keep me on my toes and keep it fun.  After dinner one night, Mike decided to put peanut butter on everyone’s noses, including Cheerio.  Silly boys, but we have fun.

A Little Friend

 

IMG_1566

IMG_1568

IMG_1573

One afternoon I came into the kitchen and was about to throw away an empty kleenex box when I noticed something alive was in it.  Our gardener had a found a little bird and thought Nicholas would like to see it.  So the boys had fun building it a nest, although we let it go the next day and hoped no cats were around.

Happy Easter

 

IMG_1534

I’m pretty far behind on the blog, but I guess doing it now is better than never.  The boys loved dyeing Easter eggs in April.  Ryan slept through the egg hunt, but Nicholas enjoyed the challenge.

Friday, April 13, 2012

Botswana

 

We went to Chobe National Park in Botswana and the amount of animals there was incredible.  Nicholas did great on a 3-hour safari and even Ryan went out gaming for a little bit.  The boys loved it.  Crocodiles, hippos, elephants, lions, warthogs, etc…it was beautiful. 

 

IMG_1391

IMG_1404

IMG_1464

IMG_1478

IMG_1522

We had beautiful sunsets and the boys loved the private boat ride Dadda arranged for us.  What a great trip!!