green cat and fuzzy bear prepare for the candy hunt

These pictures are for Mama Lou! I promise not to put any more pictures of the kids in costume! I'm getting sick of it myself. I guess though if you're reading this, you will see these first. Well, there are more to come. Sorry for the overkill! Poor Mark has no idea what's going on! Mitchell thinks he is a movie star! He actually asks us to take his picture! What's next? Autographs?!

We went trick or treating at Neil's friend's neighborhood block party. We were required to dress up so we went as "reigning cats and dogs". Mitchell was a great trick or treater and boldly walked up to each door and quietly said "trick n treet"!

Trunk or Treat!

These are pictures of the anual TRUNK or TREAT at church. It was the debut of the famous Green Cat costume. Mitchell chose to be a green cat this year for halloween. We really don't know where he got the idea, but there was no talking him out of it, so I went to work on making him a green cat costume. I was hesitant at first but finally embraced the green cat and the quirky creativeness behind it! Mark was a fuzzy bear wearing the traditional Roberts family 1st halloween cosutme. Mitchell loved pushing Mark in the stroller; we could hardly get him to let go and go get some candy. The Sawyers came into town and joined us for some candy and a mini tractor ride! Then we all went to Cheeburger Cheeburger for yummy hamburgers and shakes!


Mitchell, Sara Beth and Caroline
Rumor has it that Caroline coordinated Mitchell and Sara Beth's wedding one afternoon at church!

Lori, Brooklee, and Mark
Brooklee is Mark's first girlfriend! She was born 3 days before him in the same hospital!


Cole "The Tiger" & Mitchell "Green Cat" on the prowl!

Can you spot all the Sawyers in the picture? But wait, That's not Tom!!
I don't even know who it is!!

Pumpkin Patch!!

The Sawyers came to visit us and Phylesse suggested going to a pumpkin patch! What a great idea! We had a blast! My boys celebrated their 1st pumpkin patch visit and 1st hay ride. We played on the inflatable toys. Mitchell explored the far reaches of the patch by himself with Merry trailing him yelling, "Come back! Stop Rachel! My Daddy's comming!" (Merry claimed she couldn't say Mitchell, but she can!) The kids even found a stage and did a little performing! Sorry no pictures of the show, just some great video! What great kids and friends! The day the Sawyers went home Mitchell cried for the rest of the afternoon, "I want everybody! Where is everybody?"

fall break traditions

Craig and Laura and Camdyn came to visit us this year in early October! They have faithfully visited us each fall since we have lived in Alabama! The tradition started four years ago with a fall break trip to The Lake of the Ozarks in Missouri. We look forward to Fall '06 in a new location since we will all be living in the same town! The first trip was just the four of us and I was a few months pregnant. Next year there will be 4 adults and 4 children! Yikes! What a change in the atmosphere of the vacation! These pics are from Saturday night. We played at a park near our house and then went for a walk and waded in the stream! It was a great and relaxing night!

our first born

Our first son, Mitchell Edward Roberts, was born in April 03. He is very energetic and very creatively stubborn. He is his mommy son for sure. He can disobey so creatively and sweetly that you have to laugh instead of yell! He is a smarty pants! These are his pictures at birth; a few weeks old with Mamma Lou and Pappa Dew, my parents; near one year; and two years old.

We moved to Alabama when he was 6 weeks old, so he has developed a bit of a drawl. Many of his friends have two names: Jack Henry, Anna Kate, Ella Grace, Sara Beth. Some have single names: Cole, Harrison, Hutson, Wilson, Davis, Charlie. He goes to school 3 days a week and his friends there are Runa, Mary Francis, Emily, and Madison(who think he has a crush on). He wants you to know that his favorite game is a 4 foot long school bus puzzle, his favorite color is green, his favorite movie is Wiggles Dance Party, his favorite song is "Oh how I love Jesus", and his favorite food is broccoli (not really he is being silly).

We love him so very, very much!!

our second born

Our second son, Mark David Roberts, was born in March of this year. His birth caught us by surprise! He was born 9 weeks early! The short story is that after a few days and nights of pain, and Neil on call, I checked myself into Labor and Delivery on Sat at 6:00 am with Mitchell in tow. To Neil's beneift, he rushed to the hospital and I was only there by myself for about 15 minutes! Some friends came and picked up Mitchell. After 24 hours of medicine and misery to try to stop labor, Mark joined us in the afternoon on Easter Sunday! It was announced at church that morning that we were in the hospital, so several of our friends rushed over after church to check on us! Much to their surprise we were in labor! They were not too upset about us not letting them in!!

Mark stayed for 3 weeks in the NICU and progressed through all of the early obstacles easily! He weighed 3 lbs 14 oz at birth and came home weighing about 4 1/2 lbs. He was allowed to come home on Mitchell's birthday! The next day we were throwing Mitchell's party at a park near our house! Did we take our premie baby to the park for his big brother's party? Of course!

Mark is now a healthy 7 month old. He rolls over, smiles and babbles all day, and is working on sitting up. He is a good natured baby with a wide eyed adventurous gleam in his eye! He is also a good sleeper! Praise God!! These pics are of him about two weeks old in the ICU; the first time Mom Mom, Neil's mom, got to hold him; at about three months old; and yesterday at 7 months old finding his foot for the first time and trying to eat it!

Mark is a great baby, and we love him so so much!

my pic

my first entry

I have recently been encouraged to get a blog! I am really pumped and hope I can get it going and keep it going! We will start out with a fairly recent pic of the family. This was us in May '05. Mark was two months and Mitchell was 2 and one month. Neil and I are both, um, near the end of the 20's. We are residing in Birmingham, Alabama and are enjoying the south, yall!

P.S. I have no idea why there are two of the same pictures here!

P.S.S (11/1) I really should have given Tom Sawyer the credit for my blog! I wanted a web page; he talked me into a Blog! I really like it! I make a new entry every day to catch up on past things I have wanted to put on line! YEA!! I have even figured out the picture thing, but for the sake of documenting history, I will leave it!