the harrison family adventures

project:52 {week53} BONUS!!

2010-12-31T06:00:00.000-08:00

brotherly love in christmas jammies.

project:52 {week52}

2010-12-24T06:00:00.000-08:00

is it time yet?

project:52 {week51}

2010-12-17T23:07:00.000-08:00

a sweet build.

project:52 {week50}

2010-12-10T06:00:00.000-08:00

my favorite lumberjacks.

project:52 {week49}

2010-12-03T06:00:00.000-08:00

bath. bubbles. beard.

project:52 {week48}

2010-11-26T06:00:00.000-08:00

our little indian.

project:52 {week47}

2010-11-19T06:00:00.000-08:00

a couple of turkeys with a turkey.

project:52 {week46}

2010-11-12T06:00:00.000-08:00

Noah is discontent behind bars while Luke is ever so happy...hmmm.

our little golfer

2010-11-08T21:54:00.000-08:00

We celebrated Luke's 3rd birthday with a golf-themed party. Luke chose the theme months ago and I enjoyed every minute working on the details for the event. We celebrated with family and friends and the weather was so perfect for early November that we held the whole party outside. John designed a mini golf course in the backyard and also set up a putting practice green. The kids loved the candy bar and the golf festivities. I loved seeing our little golfer in his element surrounded by those that love him!

Happy 3rd Birthday, Baby Boy!!

project:52 {week45}

2010-11-05T06:00:00.000-07:00

happy birthday to ME!!

project:52 {week44}

2010-10-29T06:00:00.000-07:00

Happy Halloween from Darth Vader and his little puppy.

project:52 {week43}

2010-10-22T06:00:00.000-07:00

a day on the farm.

project:52 {week42}

2010-10-15T06:00:00.000-07:00

Our little character.

project:52 {week41}

2010-10-08T06:00:00.000-07:00

Noah received his first preschool "homework" assignment this week. The assignment was to complete a poster all about him to share with the class. For his self-portrait he ran to get a mirror so he could draw an accurate picture of himself. What a smarty!

project:52 {week40}

2010-10-01T06:00:00.000-07:00

Guess who got a BIG boy bed? "I do", says Luke with enthusiasm! A spur of the moment decision one evening well past bedtime turned into the first night in a big boy bed for Luke. He's been so good about staying in his bed in the mornings and even at naptime he waits for us to go in and get him before he gets up. Well done, sweet Luke, well done!

dressed up in a nightmare

2010-09-25T16:13:00.000-07:00

"I'm getting dressed up in a nightmare!" -Noah

project:52 {week39}

2010-09-24T06:00:00.000-07:00

This boy loves bubbles. And boots.

project:52 {week38}

2010-09-17T06:00:00.000-07:00

My BIGGEST and smallest golfers enjoying a video of Daddy golfing!

project:52 {week37}

2010-09-10T06:00:00.000-07:00

During Gold Rush Days in Old Sac the boys had the opportunity to pan for gold. After they found lots of "gold" they cashed it in for "money" that they could use to buy goods at the local stores. They bought things like jewels from the jeweler, candy, marbles, and shells...it was a fun day for all!

project:52 {week36}

2010-09-03T06:00:00.000-07:00

Monday marked Noah's first day of preschool. He had a hard time holding his chalkboard AND his little brother's hand but he made it work! It warms my heart because I didn't even ask them to hold hands. Notice the football in the photo? That would be little brother's contribution.

project:52 {week35}

2010-08-27T06:00:00.000-07:00

While I was working on the computer processing some photos this week I overheard Noah and Luke gathering chairs and food for a "meeting" they were having at the trampoline right behind me. After the table was set I heard Noah say, "OK, now let's pray and thank God for our food." At that point I jumped up grabbing the camera in front of me and started shooting! Unfortunately, that caught Luke's attention and he quickly lost focus but I was able to capture Noah in this tender moment talking to his God.

These are the precious moments that I adore capturing in my little boys' lives.

project:52 {week34}

2010-08-20T06:00:00.000-07:00

Noah has been dressing himself for quite a while now but just recently he has been more into dressing up. For weeks he would come out of his room in the morning and after naps wearing his train engineer overalls (from his Halloween costume last year!). When we would get ready to leave the house he was always good about changing into "going out of the house" clothes but would often ask if he could wear them again at naptime. Recently, he found one of his "church" shirts hanging in his closet and a tie from a few Easters back and now faithfully gets dressed each morning in them. This is the face (and outfit) I see each morning when I awake. The other day he told me that he was all dressed and ready to go to work. I'm curious to see what he comes up with next!

project:52 {week33}

2010-08-13T06:00:00.000-07:00

We've been busy over the past two weeks with swimming lessons. Noah loves the water and has exploded in his skills and love of swimming this summer. We are so proud of his efforts and look forward to many games of Marco Polo in the future!

little heart

2010-08-08T21:37:00.000-07:00

This morning as we were getting ready for church Luke came to me and pointing to the cross on the wall said, "Look Mama!" As I looked in the direction he was pointing I said, "Oh, do you see the cross?" Curious to know what he thought about it I asked, "What does the cross mean?" He proudly said, "It means Jesus loves me so much!" Not only is his vocabulary growing rapidly daily but his little heart is also growing open to Jesus. That's my sweet boy!

[ Luke attempting the "i love you" sign that his big brother flashes often.]

project:52 {week32}

2010-08-06T06:00:00.000-07:00

After a photo session with the boys I thanked them for being so well behaved and patient and asked them if they wanted a lollipop as a reward. Little Luke was so excited he could barely contain himself. My boys sure LOVE treats!! Just like their mommy.

project:52 {week31}

2010-07-30T06:00:00.000-07:00

We took a little weekend trip to visit Boppo TT (aka Grandma Carolyn, John's mom) and we were able to spend some time at the beach in Bodega Bay. It was VERY different from our beach time in Santa Barbara as we were all bundled up and no one went near the water. It was, however, a great day for flying kites and both boys enjoyed watching them soar.

project:52 {week30}

2010-07-23T06:00:00.000-07:00

We've been using marble jars for the past couple of months to reinforce good behavior and as a chore incentive. Noah was the first to fill his jar and he enjoyed frozen yogurt with mommy. Luke just recently filled his jar (after we decided that half full was more reasonable for our little 2 year old) and enjoyed golfing with daddy. He was SO excited!!

project:52 {week29}

2010-07-16T06:00:00.000-07:00

Our vacation to Santa Barbara was so relaxing and such a wonderful get-away! I have so many pictures to sort through but here are a couple of my faves from our time spent at the beach.

project:52 {week28}

2010-07-09T06:00:00.000-07:00

Happy Birthday America!

The boys enjoying a hometown parade in celebration of Independence Day!

project:52 {week27}

2010-07-02T21:43:00.000-07:00

Noah had the opportunity to attend Horse Camp one day this week. He had a wonderful time with all the fun activities including riding his horse Shadow, cleaning up after all the horses, playing with bunnies and chickens, riding the zip line, jumping on the trampoline, painting horses, planting seeds, making crafts, and frosting (and of course) eating delicious cupcakes.

project:52 {week26}

2010-06-25T06:00:00.000-07:00

We have a dirt box in our backyard. It is a magnet for ALL children...especially our own!

project:52 {week25}

2010-06-18T06:00:00.000-07:00

To celebrate Father's Day we took John to lunch and miniature golfing. It was the first time the boys had been mini golfing and they did great!

Happy Daddy's Day, Daddy!

project:52 {week24}

2010-06-11T06:00:00.000-07:00

While spending the weekend camping Daddy helped the boys build a mud pit on the beach. Luke thoroughly enjoyed his time in the pit and spent hours playing in it!

project:52 {week23}

2010-06-04T06:00:00.000-07:00

Take me out to the ballgame!

Noah and John went to a Giants baseball game this last week with some good friends of ours. They bundled up and enjoyed the entire evening game. It was a quick game with the Giants' pitcher staying in the whole time and pitching a one-hitter. Almost a perfect game!

project:52 {week22}

2010-05-28T06:00:00.000-07:00

Noah has been working hard (with Daddy) over the past few weeks practicing riding his bike without training wheels. He was determined to do it once he saw his older cousin accomplish the task not too long ago via YouTube (we wish you lived closer Laini-girl!). This week he finally did it! We were so surprised and excited to see his bravery and determination. Ever since he has discovered this new found freedom he asks (constantly!) to exercise it. One morning he was out at 6:30 AM with Daddy riding the streets of the neighborhood.

We're so proud of you, Noah!

project:52 {week21}

2010-05-21T06:00:00.000-07:00

Our littlest man is becoming more like daddy...

obsessed with golf in every way!

project:52 {week20}

2010-05-14T15:10:00.001-07:00

Luke and Great-Grandma BJ enjoying a game of "This little piggy..." on Mother's Day.

on the bench

2010-05-12T09:27:00.000-07:00

Luke has had a hard time watching his big brother play tball while he sits on the sidelines. He would much rather spend his time playing catch or hitting balls pitched to him. During practice days he usually gets to do just that but during game days he doesn't understand why mommy and daddy want to watch the game. Most game days you will hear him saying, "Hit the ball?" or "Throw a couple grounders?" or "Play catch?". He's a boy through and through and we love his enthusiasm for sports.

Don't worry Monkey, you'll have your chance!

project:52 {week19}

2010-05-07T13:41:00.000-07:00

We've been so busy lately that we took a morning and claimed it as lazy. Here's my monkey just lounging around. I just can't get enough of his eyes!

project:52 {week18}

2010-04-30T06:00:00.000-07:00

We visited Raley Field this week for the first "Mommy & Me" day and the boys had a blast hitting balls, running the bases, playing in the dugouts, and sitting in the stands. It was so cool to step out onto a big time baseball field. The boys were so small in comparison to the field and I enjoyed capturing every minute of adventure that I could. I love this image because of the wonder and anticipation that it holds. Let's play ball boys!!

project:52 {week17}

2010-04-23T06:00:00.000-07:00

Last weekend we spent a morning in old town and treated the boys to a ride on the train. Although Noah was in heaven, Luke was a bit more unsure about it. He spent most of his time cuddling with mommy or daddy and just taking it all in. It's little moments like these that remind us to slow down and enjoy life together wherever we are.

project:52 {week16}

2010-04-17T06:00:00.000-07:00

"PIZZA!!"

The boys and I made pizza last weekend for dinner. They loved helping and the pizza was gobbled up by everyone. With the rapid growth of these boys we may need more than one pizza next time.

project:52 {week15}

2010-04-09T06:00:00.000-07:00

Happy Easter!

Believe it or not, this image of our family on easter sunday was captured with a tripod, self-timer, and ONE take! The smiles on my boys just warm my heart.

fly on the wall

2010-04-07T09:14:00.000-07:00

If you were a fly on the wall in our home this morning this is what you would have heard...

Noah: "Luke, what are you eating?"
Mommy: "What does he have in his mouth?"
Noah: "A tire."
Mommy: "Luke, we do not eat tires."
Luke: "Eat it for breakfast!"
Mommy: "No! We do not eat tires for breakfast!"

project:52 {week14}

2010-04-02T06:00:00.000-07:00

The boys and I attended the mom's group egg hunt this week. Although it was quite difficult capturing each of them individually hunting for eggs as they were running in opposite directions of the park I was able to capture a nice hand-holding, basket toting, smile attempting image of the day. I love my boys!

project:52 {week13}

2010-03-26T06:00:00.000-07:00

A good friend made Noah a super hero cape for his birthday and I immediately planned on taking him out to get some 4 year old shots wearing it. I also decided that with all my ideas for his 4 year old session I needed to split it up into different days to avoid turning him into a camera avoiding grump-a-saurus who would be telling me where to put my camera if I wasn't careful! On this day, we had fun running, hiding and playing in the tall grass and with his sidekick (aka little brother) in tow Noah was ready to use his super powers to save the day!

project:52 {week12}

2010-03-19T06:00:00.000-07:00

Noah started tball this week. He's a great slugger and enjoys hanging out with his teammates and coach. Go Iguanas!

the beauty of friendship

2010-03-17T20:30:00.000-07:00

At a recent birthday celebration for a dear friend of mine all her guests were blessed with these gorgeous roses as a thank you for our friendship. I was caught off guard when she turned the focus of her celebration away from herself and onto her guests. I had never been a part of anything like that before and I have to say that I was a bit uncomfortable being in the spotlight as she spoke kind words about each of her guests individually. I was deeply touched by her words of affirmation and am always amazed at her selflessness. As I have enjoyed watching this rose bloom and open up each day this week it has encouraged me to think beyond myself and to express gratitude for my family and friends as my own birthday approaches. After all, the best gifts are truly the people that touch my life daily and encourage me to be a better person.

sportin' the green

2010-03-17T19:56:00.001-07:00

The weather was gorgeous today so I took the boys out for a little impromptu session in honor of St. Patrick's day. Although we didn't do much to celebrate this day we were sure to be wearing green to avoid being pinched. Noah and Luke had a great time exploring the trail and just being boys as we enjoyed the sunshine.

project:52 {week11}

2010-03-12T18:00:00.000-08:00

Their first temporary (and hopefully ONLY!) tatoos.

reads

2010-03-10T21:02:00.000-08:00

Here are just a few of the books on my plate/nightstand! I have actually finished Breaking Dawn (and LOVED it!) but all the other books are in the works and I've been enjoying each one of them.

project:52 {week10}

2010-03-05T14:25:00.000-08:00

The boys love it when Daddy comes home. They usually run to the garage door and wait for him to park the car before they run out to greet him. They have frequently requested "putting" (the only golf skills that can be practiced indoors) with Daddy as the featured activity while I prepare dinner. But, just recently they have been asking Daddy to play the guitar with them. This evening I found all three of my boys on our bed playing happily with their instruments of choice: Daddy on the guitar, Noah on the ukelele, and Luke on the (modified) recorder. I love the sound of that!

green eggs and ham

2010-03-02T20:31:00.000-08:00

In celebration of Dr. Seuss' birthday today we read a few of our favorite books written by him and had green eggs and ham (bacon) for dinner. The boys were VERY excited and gobbled up three servings of green eggs each!

Happy Birthday, Dr. Seuss!

promise

2010-02-26T21:32:00.000-08:00

There's just something about real rainbows that I love. The excitement of a glimmer of beauty in the midst of a storm brings joy to my heart. The promise that God is in control and that His plan is perfect is comforting especially in the midst of the storms of life.

project:52 {week9}

2010-02-26T10:47:00.000-08:00

With the little bit of sunshine this week I took the boys out to snap a few sunshine shots. I wanted to practice different angles with the sun and try to get some sun rays peeking out from behind them. My little man was very cooperative and actually (for once!) wanted me to take pictures of him. This is my favorite image from the day!

a boy and a bucket

2010-02-22T14:40:00.000-08:00

The boys and I have been enjoying being home today participating in all sorts of playing. We've played trains, hide and go seek, talked to Auntie Krissy on the phone (for real!), made a countdown calender to her visit, danced, colored beautiful masterpieces, and played with blocks and buckets! Luke was possibly the most creative one of all with the bucket...

project:52 {week8}

2010-02-19T06:00:00.000-08:00

In honor of Valentine's Day I had a mini session with the boys and my new festive backdrop. They did a pretty good job of listening and I was actually happy to hear them arguing over who was going to be in the picture! (You see, most of the time they are running from me and my camera or showing my camera how great the back of their heads look.) We got some fun shots and this one stood out to me the most. They decided that they wanted to wear their rain boots for the last few photos and this pose was actually Noah's idea. I caught Luke taking a peek at his big brother just to make sure he was doing it the right way. Can't you just feel the love?

project:52 {week7}

2010-02-12T23:28:00.000-08:00

This past week my (first) baby, Noah, turned 4 and we celebrated with his choice of a train party. The best part of this day for me was witnessing Noah pour out love (with hugs, kisses, and kind words) to friends and family as he obviously enjoyed his day and felt loved himself. Happy Birthday, Big Guy!

project:52 {week6}

2010-02-05T21:25:00.000-08:00

Noah's new haircut and attitude to go with it!

project:52 {week5}

2010-01-29T20:57:00.000-08:00

Noah decided he wanted to have a camp-out in his room the other night and wanted us to move his mattress into the tent so he could sleep under the (glow-in-the-dark) stars. He ended up sleeping in the tent on his mattress for 3 days (naps) and nights surrounded by cars, books, and toys. Luke was also very excited about the set up and I found them playing "camping" together often throughout the week. Brothers make the best playmates!

project:52 {week4}

2010-01-22T16:17:00.000-08:00

Luke loves eating. He would eat all day long if we let him. But even more than eating Luke loves being active. In fact, the position you see him in below is the one we see him in more often than not. On this particular day he was enjoying a snack and saying, "Hello!" in his best 2 year old voice (replace the L sound with a W sound-I couldn't figure out how it should be spelled)!

project:52 {week3}

2010-01-15T06:00:00.000-08:00

Our home has become party central! Daddy got Guitar Hero for Christmas (from Noah & Luke...it was their idea, kind of.) and the boys ask if we can play every night after dinner. Because no party is a party without loud music John makes sure that our house is rockin'. The boys fight over who gets the "real" guitar (seen in the picture below) or the "air" guitar (a blow up guitar) and they enjoy playing along. The coveted guitar is, of course, the "real" one. Luke won the battle the other night and was caught rockin' out with Daddy. I especially like the way he holds the guitar...he definitely has a style all his own!

snowshoeing

2010-01-09T22:01:00.001-08:00

After five years we finally found the time and energy to pack up the old snowshoes and hit the road towards Tahoe. One of our favorite hikes is to Echo Lake just outside of Lake Tahoe. This was not only the first time the boys had been snowshoeing (sledding, for them) but it was also the first time either of them had been to the snow!

The boys enjoyed the one mile "tow" (see first picture below) out to the lake. The sled was a perfect place for them to see the sights and enjoy some lunch on the way. Once we arrived at the lake (not fully frozen over yet) John and Noah built a snowman together. Noah enjoyed throwing snowballs at mommy and daddy and would have stayed at the lake forever had we let him. Luke was not too excited about the coldness of the snow and was pretty much over it by the time we reached the lake. He spent his time complaining (crying!) about it off and on (mostly on!) until we were back at the car an hour later.

Overall, it was good to be back in the shoes again enjoying God's beautiful creation!

project:52 {week2}

2010-01-08T20:11:00.000-08:00

Both of our boys are blanket boys. Luke prefers the corner of the blanket and his thumb and Noah favors the tags. When Noah was just a toddler we would often sew the tags back on when they fell off. In the past three years, Noah has worn down one of the tags so it is just strings hanging on but the favorite tag has persevered. This week, it fell off! And our big (almost) four year old decided that he was OK without it. As of today, the tag continues to keep a mighty distance from the "bydoe" (Noah's name for his blanket) as our little man is growing up.

kids say the funniest things

2010-01-04T15:26:00.000-08:00

Noah has been cracking us up lately. He has come up with the funniest comments and stories that always keep us entertained. Here are some of our favorites:

*We've been talking a lot about his upcoming birthday and discussing the type of party he wants and who he wants to invite. Today he said, "Guess who I'm gonna invite to my birthday party? He says, 'Ho Ho Ho' and brings gifts. It's SANTA!!"

*After a particularly tasty dinner one night he says, "Daddy, I've been to Yum-town!"

*After we returned from our trip to Chicago last fall we were driving in the car when he said, "Hey guys, I see the Serious Tower!" (We had driven by and pointed out the formerly named Sears Tower when we were in Chicago.)

*He had watched Charlie Brown's Christmas a few times before Christmas and last night was heard saying, "Luke, I think you have pantophobia." (We think he meant to say panphobia-the fear of everything.)

*After being sent to his room for a "cool down" he came out dressed with his super hero mask and mittens (see photo below) and boldly stated, "There's no business like snow business!"

our masked funnyman!

project:52 {week1}

2010-01-01T19:57:00.000-08:00

Every week in 2010 I will be posting a photograph that captures the milestones of our family for that specific week. This is a way for me to challenge myself to grow in my photography skills and to document life before it passes me by.

I had a hard time deciding where to post this project (here on our family blog or on my photography blog) and I came to the conclusion that I should post it on both being that the focus of my photographs will be our family. So, for those of you that follow both of my blogs you get the joy of seeing project:52 twice. Lucky you!

The first milestone I've already posted here but since it's week 1 I just had to post it again. It actually happened on new year's day! Our little 3 (almost 4) year old decided that he wanted to write his name all by himself. Here's Noah and his accomplishment:

what's in a name?

2010-01-01T15:13:00.000-08:00

Noah surprised us the other day when he said that he wanted to write his name. He has been able to spell his name and Luke's name for months but had not shown much of an interest in writing his name. It didn't take much instruction and he wrote it ALL BY HIMSELF!! Not only did he write his own name but he also wrote Luke's name. Way to go buddy!

a new year

2010-01-01T14:27:00.000-08:00

The busyness and other priorities of life have taken this blog captive for the past six (or so) months. But, it's a new year which brings new beginnings. We are going to give this blog a little more love and attention that has been lacking in the past. Mostly, to share the moments of life that bless us, crack us up, or are important to us. Here's to a new year and new beginnings!

2009-06-08T10:42:00.000-07:00

Make a Smilebox scrapbook

family camp

2008-11-10T21:56:00.000-08:00

This summer we attended family camp at Mission Springs in the Santa Cruz mountains. It was so much fun catching up with old friends and introducing our boys to one of our favorite places. Here are some highlights of our week long adventure!

fun times at the beach!

John and Noah built their own boat to race: Noah's Ark 2.0

Noah, Emma, and Josh found a banana slug friend!

4th of July fun!

We enjoyed spending time with the Wesselman family that also attended family camp!

father's day

2008-07-13T21:22:00.000-07:00

John with the boys

John with Dad and boys

Christina with Dad and brother Scott

After our bbq lunch John and his dad went golfing at Rancho Murieta. When they returned we had dinner and spent some time outside before the boys headed for bed.

luke's dedication

2008-07-13T20:57:00.001-07:00

Sweet Luke & Luke with Pastor Ted

our family

brothers

more family

We had Luke dedicated on Father's Day at First Covenant Church. What a day to celebrate! Noah was dedicated on Mother's Day the year he was born and now Luke and John get to share a special bond. We had a bbq lunch with family after the service to celebrate Luke's dedication and father's day.

traintown

2008-06-20T21:56:00.000-07:00

Last weekend, we all made the trek to Sonoma to celebrate Leif's 5th and Laini's 3rd birthdays at Traintown. Noah and Luke enjoyed taking in the train sights and braving some "firsts". Among them were a train ride and carousel ride. We love our sweet Leif and Laini and enjoyed being there to wish them happy days!

The birthday girl & boy!

carousel ride & train peeking

The whole gang of Harrisons

train ride

swimming lessons

2008-06-20T20:27:00.000-07:00

Noah just finished two weeks of swimming lessons and he was a champ! He loved being in the water and especially loved holding onto the side of the pool all by himself. He took lessons with his buddy Elijah and they were pretty cute practicing kicks, blowing bubbles, paddling, and even putting their heads under the water. The last day of class was "Happy, Happy, Fun Day!" with games and a chance to go down the water slide. Noah went with mommy first and then all by himself! It's so much fun to watch him become such a brave boy!

from the mouth of a babe

2008-06-04T15:28:00.001-07:00

Noah's verbal communication has been exploding lately! He is

constantly humoring us with all sorts of "Noahisms."

One of his favorite jokes goes as follows:

Noah: "Papa Tom push yellow button!"

Mama: "What?"

Noah: "Hahaha!"

A conversation I had with him as we were riding in the car yesterday:

Mama: "Hey Bud, what's your name?"

Noah: "Nawnee" (Noah)

Mama: "What's Mama's name?"

Noah: "Mama"

Mama: "What's Daddy's name?"

Noah: "SUPERMAN!"

Some of our favorite word translations:

Boppo=Grandma

Oompa=Grandpa

Ook/Uke=Luke

Daddng=Daddy (John loves to hear this one shouted loudly with an emphasis on the "ng"!)

boobies=blueberries

bydoe=blanket (There's the geen (green) bydoe, Boppo bydoe (the one Boppo gave him), and the boo (blue) bydoe. All of these bydoes are the same, yet distinctly different to Noah.)

The geen bydoe has been a favorite for a while now and when we needed to wash it this morning he was reluctant. I told him that it was dirty and yucky so we needed to put it in the washing machine. He held on tight to it, gave it one last cuddle, and then promptly tossed it in the wash and walked away. I was amazed that it didn't take a battle to wash as usual. I was so proud of him!

camping

2008-06-02T23:55:00.001-07:00

This past weekend we went to Scott's Flat Lake for a short camping trip. We enjoyed the beautiful weather and spending time relaxing with family. It was Luke's first camping trip and he was a champ. Noah had his first s'more and boat ride. He was cautious about getting on the boat but had a great time once he was on it. He went fishing on the boat with Daddy and "Oopma" (Grandpa Whit).

buddies

2008-05-24T15:02:00.000-07:00

Noah and Mason were born only about 2 weeks apart and have been buddies (because of their mommies) ever since birth. Here are some pics of them as they have grown.

Mason (2 weeks old) & Noah (3 days old)

2 months old

6 months old

17 months

2 years old

brothers

2008-05-16T20:29:00.001-07:00

Noah

Luke

One of the best things about having two boys is getting to use all of the cute baby clothes again. Here's a shot of Noah (2 months old) and Luke (5 months old) wearing my favorite jungle jammies.

does anyone still visit this blog?

2008-05-06T21:10:00.000-07:00

So, blogging has not been our first priority lately and we can't promise that it will ever be our first priority but we do plan on posting as time allows. So, here's a quick recap of the past few months...

October 31st, 2007: Our little pumpkin arrives! Luke Thomas Harrison joined our family after a quick delivery at 1:50pm. He weighed 8 pounds, 1 ounce and measured 21 inches long.

November 5th, 2007: Luke has his first check-up with his pediatrician and is sent for an x-ray of his head to answer some questions about the swelling that hasn't gone down since he was born. The x-ray shows a skull fracture and Luke is scheduled for a ct scan the next day. The ct scan shows the size of the fracture and that there is bleeding on the brain. Basically, through the delivery process Luke's skull was fractured. It rarely happens in normal deliveries and is more common with forced deliveries (forceps, vacuum, etc.)...his delivery was very fast without the need for force.

Over the next few weeks we have several appointments with Luke's pediatrician, neurosurgeon, blood tests, another ct scan and eventually schedule surgery for the end of December. Two weeks before the scheduled surgery Luke gets a cold from Noah and we are ready to call to re-schedule the surgery when we get a call from the neurosurgeon's office...the surgeon is also sick and needs to reschedule. The new date for the surgery is January 18th.
Meanwhile, Thanksgiving & Christmas have come and gone. Here are some holiday pics:

January 18th, 2008: Luke has surgery. The surgeon & his team removed a portion of Luke's skull and shaped it as best they could while avoiding the small part of the fracture that had not yet healed.

Today Luke still has a little bump and a large scar to show for his adventure into this world. But (PRAISE GOD!) is neurologically normal and a thriving, happy, baby boy!

As for the rest of us...we are enjoying spring and looking forward to a fun summer with two energetic boys!

summary of summer

2007-10-15T14:02:00.000-07:00

The summer flew by and I can't believe that fall is already upon us. Here's a recap of our adventures this summer in pictures.

a visit to Grandma & Papa Harrison's

Noah & Daddy, and cousins Leif & Laini

a trip to the Sacramento Zoo

mastering light switches, our little monkey, and lovin' oatmeal

Noah's first camping trip (Wright's Beach)

flying a kite with Daddy, cuddling with Mama

Cooper gets a haircut, summer garden veggies, visit with friends Emma and Joshua

4th of July

belly button obsession

Rivercats baseball game with our Bible Study group

picnic in the park

it's a boy!

2007-06-24T16:29:00.000-07:00

We had our 20 week ultrasound this week and are pleased to announce that we are having another BOY!!! Here's a pic of our little one.

We look forward to watching Noah and his little brother grow up together!

birthday fun!

2007-06-24T16:04:00.000-07:00

We celebrated Leif's and Laini's birthdays with a party at their home. John played in a golf tournament that day (and took 4th place) so Noah and I ventured out together for a quick trip to Santa Rosa and back. Noah enjoyed playing with all his cousins and exploring the party territory and beyond (he ALMOST slipped out the side gate without being noticed).

Leif & Laini amidst the birthday madness.

cousins

Noah's first adventure in the sandbox (with Laini).

Who doesn't love a little ride on a tractor?

Another of Noah's favorites...the playhouse and a game of "peek-a-boo"!

happy daddy's day!

2007-06-17T15:11:00.001-07:00

We celebrated John/Daddy today by going to church, watching the U.S. Open, and having a BBQ dinner...just what "Daddy" wanted to do!

"Can I help Daddy?"

a new obsession

2007-05-23T10:56:00.000-07:00

Noah has had many obsessions in his short 15 months of life. Among them are opening and closing cabinets, turning the pages of books, daddy's golf clubs, and the most recent...opening and closing doors. Ever since he was tall enough (for only about a month now) to reach the door handles he has been obsessed with doors. One of his favorite things is playing "peek-a-boo" with the door. Here's a picture we took last night of his new obsession.

fun in the dirt

2007-05-23T10:42:00.000-07:00

This morning Noah and I went outside to water the vegetable garden. It was meant to be a quick watering (hence the pj's) and then back inside. Well, Noah had other plans...he usually stays on the path and walks around with John's golf clubs but this morning he was feeling a bit rambunctious. I found him climbing in the strawberry planter box trying to grab a juicy red strawberry, in Cooper's dog run throwing/dropping rocks against the fence, and the best/dirtiest of them all...playing in the freshly watered dirt. Oh, what little boys are made of!

happy mother's day!

2007-05-13T18:40:00.000-07:00

We celebrated by going to church in the morning and hosting a brunch for family and friends in the early afternoon. It was a wonderful day filled with many blessings.

Cheers to moms!

Spring is Here

2007-04-28T13:23:00.000-07:00

We all know that with Spring comes "spring cleaning", and this year we decided to get a headstart and "get -er done". It all started when we had our annual trash pick up March 6th. We had plenty of dead plants in the yard due to this global warming problem..... oh ya, last winter killed nearly our entire yard with subzero temperatures. The funny thing is the weeds. They were the only vegetation that survived the winter. So the winter killed the yard, and I killed the rest.

We replaced the irrigation system that was insufficient and today we finally planted some plants. I don't know their names, but they don't drop leaves in the winter. This way, we have a yard that looks green year round.

Noah has been helping out where he can, but usually he just carries dad's golf club around. He was placing rocks in the wheel barrow while mom and dad placed weeds. The rocks are a part of the landscaping so dad went back and returned the rocks once he was finished, but his participation was much appreciated and hopes it continues through his adolescent years. We are already getting strawberries in the vegetable garden and Noah likes to pick them and eat them. Mocking birds are also coming to harvest our tasty, ripe strawberries. We haven't solved that problem yet, but shooting them is not an option. (..will take suggestions)

Yesterday, I installed a retractable screen on our front door. That job required cutting aluminum framing. We do not own a Miter Saw, so the box saw had to step in for the challenge and it was frustrating, but the job was completed and the result is satisfactory.

So I will admit, we are not exactly done. There are still plenty of more items on the "To Do" list but we are planning to relax the remainder of this weekend. Next weekend I may try to install the attic fan and the whole house fan, but I may need some assistance with that according to Christina.

happy birthday, cooper!

2007-04-18T20:04:00.000-07:00

Our Australian Shepherd, Cooper is 4 years old today. He spent his day catching frisbees, going for a walk, and enjoying his favorite treat...a greenie. Although he's not the baby of the house anymore we still love him and are blessed to have him. Happy Birthday, Cooper!

big brother

2007-04-10T19:03:00.000-07:00

That's right! Noah is gonna be a BIG BROTHER! Tina is 10 weeks pregnant, due November 2nd. We praise God for this blessing and ask for your prayers for a healthy pregnancy.

oh, how the time flies...

2007-04-09T14:41:00.000-07:00

So, as our disclaimer stated in the first post we may not be the BEST bloggers out there but we will sure TRY our best to post our favorite highlights. Here are some pictures showing our adventures in the past month or so...

In the beginning of March, we visited Grandma & Grandpa Harrison, and Uncle Mike & Auntie Angie, Leif & Laini in Santa Rosa.

Noah with his cousins Leif and Laini.

St. Patrick's Day

Noah showing Daddy his sign for "please" can I have the golf club?

Noah has recently discovered his chair...he takes a little "chill" time.

Tina celebrated her 32nd birthday at the end of March!

Noah with girlfriend Ruthie on their first (chaperoned) dinner date.

Noah with more girl-friends: Maiya and Julia

We had a picnic and playdate in the park with Maiya and Julia's mommies: Melanie and Laura (two of Tina's oldest friends).

Easter Sunday

Noah LOVED hunting for eggs...especially when he discovered that they were filled with cheerios and goldfish crackers! YUM-YUM!

Noah enjoyes the fruit/treats of his labor.

Noah with Great-Grandma BJ and Grandma Colleen.

magic pants

2007-02-23T17:05:00.000-08:00

Yesterday morning when I went in to get Noah up from his nap I noticed something different about his appearance. He was missing his pants! He is a genius about taking off his socks and tossing them over the side of his crib but hasn't ever been able to remove any other article of clothing (thank goodness!). Not only did he take off his pants but he threw them out of his "space" as well. Here are some pics of the happy boy when I discovered him and where the pants ended up...on the floor.

welcome

2007-02-21T10:11:00.000-08:00

Welcome to the Harrison Family adventures! We hope that this site serves as a way to stay connected to family and friends. We can't guarantee that we'll be the best bloggers around but we'll do what we can to update as often as possible. Life is an adventure and we are excited to share our little adventure with you!