ali: so much to bake!... and welcome landon scott

as amy has been baking all week (peppernuts for me, cutout cookies for our church group to decorate and 5 texas sheetcakes for our congregation to celebrate zac's finalization), alice has wanted in on the action. the step stool has given her access! so you see her mixing the chocolate for the sheetcakes, rolling peppernuts with 'uncles' andrew and cory and breaking lettuce with mama for a salad. what a fun one. also, congrats to landon scott hickinbotham born friday... zac says he's ready to take shots on the future goalkeeper... or steamroller him in football... what do you think?

celebrating 'gotcha day' and a birthday...

friday (dec 3) we took an oath in a florida court (from mansfield) that we would take care of zac... or at least until he's 18 says the judge. we agreed and celebrate! unfortunately in the celebratory photo, zac seems to be the one least impressed. amy and i celebrated with an over the rhine concert sans kids that night (thanks mom and dad). other pics here are a weekend birthday party for cousin brooklyn with dora and lots of other hillman cousins. you see ali dressed up for church, learning to pick noses under nana's watch, hop on balloons with brooklyn and uncle stan and great-grandma getting some zac time. happy birthday brook and, well, zac, we're glad you're in the fold officially, bud.

On to holidays...

lots to be thankful for in november 2010. in fact, way too much. but i'll keep it simple here mostly through images. we went tree shopping on thanksgivin eve and did a pizza/christmas decorating night after amy finished 'school'. amy mostly loved the christmas music. then the next day it was a day at home of amy doing her first official 'family thanksgiving cooking'. ali tried to help but got the wrong turkey in the roaster! but we were all full after it was all done: juicy turkey, cranberry sauce, homemade mashed taters, snicker salad, pumpkin bread and stuffing with a nap for dessert. amen.

Wedding weekend in the Poconos...

yep... went to streamside camp in the poconos in pennsylvania near new jersey for a wedding... congrats to the bride/groom who were great incorporating all their family and friends for a real weekend of fun, including ali's favorite... a steve mckee squaredance! she desperately wanted to learn all of the sachet-ing, and reel-ing and right hand stars. she made so many people laugh with her excitement. zac will get in there soon enough, he tells the mama. as for the ceremony, ali was super sweet in her dada's arms and loved the pie-pop. by the time of the 2nd centerpiece fire, ali was on the floor exhausted from the fun.

Mommy not home + both children's diapers not enough + recent donation of Browns' clothes sitting by changing table = what you see

Actually, first shots are of Zac at 2 months... he says, 'Yeah, we see you!' in 2nd photo. Fourth pic is what Zac responded when i asked him about the Steelers (are babies ingrained with this when wearing rival uniforms? bad zac... kind of.) Then daddy takes pics of his sweet, yet incredibly goofy children in their NFL sunday get-up. Lastly, Alice Ruthann and Zachariah enjoy a parent-approved sweet moment cuddling.