I'm back!!  Ok, so I'm not the greatest at keeping up with this blog now that I am busy keeping up with 2 little ones while trying to keep up with all the other things that go along with settling into a new home!! For all of you readers who have stuck with me through my drought in posts, here are the updates from our house in the last couple of weeks:

***I am now a minivan mom! I never would have thought I would be so excited to post that, but I LOVE it!

***Evan can now ride his bike WITHOUT training wheels and is doing great at it!!

***The laundry room project I mentioned in my last post is still underway (taking a little longer than anticipated), but I can tell I'm going to LOVE the finished product!  Pics to come when it's done!

***Zoe is a climber.  Nothing is off limits to her anymore.  I left the playroom a few days ago for just a minute only to come back and find her sitting on the bar stool peeking over the kitchen counter with the biggest grin on her face.  It was like she was saying "Look at me Mom!"  *Sigh*  This little girl and her latest tricks are a big reason why I can't keep up with things like my blog these days!  But I wouldn't trade it for the world!

I think that's it for the *BIG* news at the Baker house....  Here are some pictures of the last couple of weeks!

The kids got this big cardboard house for Christmas and we just now got it out.  It was like Christmas morning all over again- I think I might do this with more of their gifts next year!

The big man riding his bike all by himself.  There wasn't much *learning* involved, he just took right off.  He must have been ready!

This girl has an obsession with getting herself stuck inside small spaces.  Several times I have tried to come to her rescue and she makes it very clear to me that she WANTS to be in there.  Crazy girl :)

Watching a little TV together.  Our kids don't watch much TV at all, so when they do it's a big treat :)

They LOVE baths together.  Does this momma's heart good to watch them giggle and play together.  Zoe LOVES to have water dumped on her head (which Evan has always HATED).  But he is more than happy to dump it onto her head.  And she keeps saying "More, More, More!" 

Just playing on her laptop! 

Ok, that's it for now!! Have a happy Thursday!!

And the long-awaited update with pictures!!

For all of you blog readers who have stuck with me through this busy season and my lack of posts, I apologize!  Things have been pretty crazy at our house.  I honestly don't know how working moms and moms of more than 2 kids do it!  We have officially closed on our old house, so we now only own 1 home which is a big relief and we are happy to be able to focus on some home improvement projects at our new house now.  Or I should say- I'm happy.  Not so sure about Drew (who will be doing most of the painting and home improvement projects)!  This weekend Drew and a friend are going to be building me some cabinetry and a bench in my laundry room.  I will be sure to post before and after pictures when they are all finished! My type-A personality just can't wait to have some organization in my laundry room/mud room!

 And here are some of the most recent pictures I've taken of the littles!

Zoe is famous for getting herself into trouble.  I quickly went to rescue her (after I took a pictures, of course) and she very clearly let me know that she did NOT want to be rescued.  She meant to get herself stuck in there and did it over and over again throughout the day.  Silly girl.

 Another one of newest tricks.  I tell ya- I can't turn my head for a minute.  And she has now become a master climber.  The couch, bar stools, and dining room table chairs are not off-limits for her anymore.... She keeps me on my toes for sure.

 But it's pretty hard to be mad at this sweet little face.  I just love her to pieces...

 Our kids have LOVED playing in the front yard and driveway on some of the nicer weather days we've had lately.  Playing in the driveway is a new thing for Evan since we lived on a busy road before and were never able to play in the front yard.  It's been so much fun!

 

Zoe LOVES watching Drew mow out her bedroom window...

 

Just another one of their favorite pastimes lately.  Zoe will climb in the wagon and say "HELP" to Evan.  And he is such a sweet boy for always running right over to her to pull her around.   Too cute.

 They both loved hunting for Easter eggs.  I think they had 3 egg hunts on Easter and loved every bit of it.  Zoe caught on real quickly and was so fun to watch. 

 My little Ethiopian princess in her Easter dress.   LOVE HER!

Checking out the contents of the eggs afterwards.  

We had a great time celebrating our Risen Savior this Easter season.  I pray you and your families did as well!

Referral-versary!!

April Fools Day will always hold a special place in our hearts...  One year ago on April Fools Day we received the phone call from our adoption agency that would change our lives forever....Sheila (our agency's director) called Drew at work to tell him she had our referral and he rushed home (without calling me first!) so we could open the email and see the pictures of our baby girl together.  I can still remember my confusion when I heard the garage door open in the middle of the afternoon and the look on Drew's face (and his red eyes that had been crying the whole ride home).  And oh the joy when he told me.  I will never forget opening up that email.  PURE JOY.  She was 5 months old and absolutely perfect. We instantly fell in love.   And she would soon be OURS.  These were the pictures we received that day. 

What a crazy ride the past year has been.  I couldn't feel more blessed to be able to call this little bundle my daughter. Happy referral-versary little Zoe!