Happy birthday Mark! Etc. & etc.

We've only had one working computer round these parts for the past 2+ weeks because our laptop's in for repairs. UGH. So every time I've needed to get online, someone else is already on. If you leave the computer chair for more than 5 seconds, Luke will immediately hop on and open pbskidsgo.org. Plus our internet has been patchy with all the big storms interfering with our service. 

Anyway, I'm behind.

 

  Mark had his 34th birthday on Saturday! He was on call and had to do rounds at the hospital and then work at the clinic, but he did get to open some presents before he left. He got a new putter and a driver for disc golf, which he's been playing a lot lately, The Death Gate Cycle book series, The Hunger Games blu-ray, clothes, garage-y type stuff, candy and a new gaming computer mouse. Plus he got a new zombie video game called DayZ that he has already logged SEVERAL hours on.

I had honestly had the most stressful crazy week I've had in a while, so I got him a store bought cheesecake instead of making him one. (gasp) Yeah, it turns out my recipe is better tasting. Oh well.

 Mark also spent a good chunk of his birthday installing our surround sound speakers (which he's been meaning to do ever since we moved here 3 years ago). He built and painted a shelf for one of the speakers and then spent a large amount of time drilling holes in the wall and ceiling and fishing speaker wire up into the attic, crawling around in the insulation, etc. He kept telling me, "You should be grateful you have such a handy husband!" Well, I am!!

Here's some pics of the kiddos lately:

 No summer rain would be complete without a romp in the gutter! I finally had to drag Luke back inside when he started laying down in it and lapping it up like a dog. He had runny diapers for a few days afterward...

 Beach umbrella/fort

 Madelyn has been using some of her baby pacifiers when she plays with her dolls, and Luke has taken a liking to them. It's so funny to see him sucking on one because he NEVER took one as a baby. (Neither did Madelyn. They just preferred to be held and nursed all day long.)

 Madelyn's bedtime reading material cracks me up. I told you she loves The Far Side!

She helped me make a huge batch of Coconut Lime Banana Bread yesterday. She's always loved cooking with me, but now she's old enough to actually be helpful instead of just getting in the way, haha.

 Luke has been very hard to put down for naps/bedtime lately because of one of his patented Let's Drive Mom Crazy techniques. He wakes up every time I put him down and wants me to hold him the whole time he sleeps, which I wouldn't mind so much if he wasn't so big and sweaty and if I didn't have so many naptime plans. Last night, he was still awake at midnight and so I had him lie down in our bed, and it took me about four tries to get him to stay down in his bed. By that time, it was 1:45am. 

Y A W N

 (playing with our awesome Imaginarium marble race)

I'm glad to have these two sweetie pies, though! Must go kiss some little boy cheeks!