Halloween

This Halloween was rather strange... I didn't trick or treat, and we didn't carve pumpkins. However, I did finish my Elf costume! William, Nicholas, and I all were Lord of the Rings characters!

The pictures were taken on Dad's camera, and they wound up with Grandma (since Dad is staying at Grandma and Papa's house during the week while he's commuting until we move), and she edited them and put them on facebook. Of course, these aren't all the pictures, but let's just call it a teaser, shall we? Someday I would like to do a true photoshoot. :)

Frodo, smoking the Longbottom Leaf of Hobbit fame as he stares, ponderously, into the distance. (Note that the Ring of Power is around his neck!)

< Frodo, in a very epic pose. :)Nicholas wore his Easter outfit from last year (I was the one who pointed out that the vest was quite the Hobbit style!), a cloak made by Mom, and the Ring of Power (from Ben's Lord of the Rings Risk game) around a chain.

Strider, a Ranger from the North

Elendil, king of Gondor and Arnor

Aragorn, son of Arathorn

< Aragorn, prepared to charge into battle. William saved up his money to buy a real (albeit unsharpened) sword- a replica's of Aragorn from when he was still known as the Ranger from the North (in other words, not the sword of Narsil). It is a very nice sword. William wore a "chainmaille" shirt found at Goodwill, a fake leather tunic made by Mom, jeans, Mom's boots, and a homemade cloak. He stole my Evenstar for the costume, and I also made him "The Ring of Barahir" (aka Aragorn's ring).

^The only picture of my cotume you'll get to see for awhile! I made the costume (jewelry included!) entirely by myself. Well, Mom helped me figure out the sewing pattern and she sewed the collar on. But other than that!

Okay, so Ben was just too funny. He sat there with the thing of candy, and would randomly start talking or moving. We got several screams!

Three our four people read the "Mean Ogre" sign. They read it aloud, and as they were finishing, Ben cried indignantly, "I'm not mean!"

The funniest incident was probably with a few teen girls. I didn't get to see this one, but from what he said...

The two girls walked forward and read the signs.

"Should I grab some candy?" (in a tone of surpressed horror)

"I don't know, its probably a person tricking us."

"I dunno, it doesn't look real."

"You get the candy."
"I don't want to."

"Is it real?"

"Let's throw a rock at it and see."

As you can imagine, Ben was rather concerned that they would chuck a rock at his head. Instead, they threw a bag of candy at him and then ran away without getting the bag or the candy from Ben. !!!

Marcus was originally going to be King Theoden (or at least, a king with a sword and all, us Tolkien geeks named him Theoden), but he wouldn't wear the costume. So he was a firefighter instead.

Adelynn was the most darling little pink bunny rabbit EVER!

Little Marcus is 2!

Baby Marcus is no longer a baby- he is even starting to potty train! (and just barely 2...) He is fasinated with balls, cars, and trains. When Mom bought the shirt he is wearing in the picture, he stook stock still and stared. "Do you like it, Markie?" Mom asked. Immediantly he ran forward, grabbed it, and cried, "Ba Ba Ba Ba Ba Ba!!!" (Ball ball ball ball ball!!)
He loves to ask what things are, and repeat what you say. (in other words, he is finally talking) As I was pulling up pictures to choose what should go on the blog, he climbed into my lap and said, "Me-me! Me-me!" (Me) and "Ba! Ba!" (ball!). Then he needed to see pictures of everyone else: "Daddyyyyyy! Daddy!" "Ad-uh-enn" (Adelynn), etc. He is so cute!

He LOVED the basketball net. In the past he would make you lift him up to the real basketball net outside. The downside of that is that, once to started, he would never let you stop. Now he can play basketball all day long without straining people's arms. :)

CAKE!!! When he saw this picture, Mark started rubbing his stomach and then energetically jabbing his finger at the computer monitor. I think he likes cake. :)

Blowing out the candles... we had to do it twice, because he blew it out as Dad was in the middle of lighting it.

Precious

Guess what? Marcus learned to smile for the camera! (I bribed him. If he smiled for a picture, I let him hold the camera and look at the picture of himself- he loved that!)

Unfortunately, he would reach for the camera too quickly. In this picture, he is less than four inches away from the lense!

I'm very speedy, you know. I can stick my face in the camera only moments before the flash goes off.

The little model. If the camera is out, there she is!

Fascinating! I can stick my finger on the lenses, and Shaylynn gets upset!

Go away

Playing with the volleyball that he's never allowed to touch!

Posing

Hello.

Awww...

Marcus' First Words

Sorry about the lack of updates, everyone! For about two weeks, Marcus has been saying his first word: "Light". He is fascinated with lights, and light switches, and is forever craning his little neck upwards! He pointed at the sunset this evening and told me "La-la- laaaaah- light". His says the "t" really funnily. Marcus also says "out" for outside. He got tired of dragging us to the door to tell us that he wanted out. He also says "Adelynn"- her whole name, though he has yet to apply it. He will say it, though, which is more than other words! Adelynn is just too proud.
Will post later. Sorry that I haven't had many pictures. Last week was review week, which was busy and I only got in half of my studying. This week will be exam week. So...

Marcus Photo Shoot

By yours truly. Mom wanted pictures of Marcus before we cut his hair! (Some one at Walmart thought he was a girl... :-) ) Anyway, this little terror moves WAY TOO MUCH, so, this is what I managed. None of them have been touched up yet. Grandma will probably do that real soon. He is so cute!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Mark with Dad's hat. The only time he actually smiled smiled.

This does not look like him.
Always going after that camera

Marcus' B-Day @ Grandma's

These are pictures of Marcus' birthday party at Grandma and Grandpa Archibald's. I don't feel like adding lots of commentary; I think I'll let the pictures speak for themselves. The first four pictures were taken by Grandma. And yes, Marcus always sticks out his tongue like that when he is happy. It's funny :) He is so cute like that.

Marcus' First Birthday

Marcus is ONE! I can't believe it. He isn't such a tiny baby anymore- he is turning into a big boy! He is so sweet, and as usual, so fast that he is almost always a blur. (And, as usual, I took far too many pictures).

What is that?

I think I'll investigate

Nah... I think I'll go back to Mommy

Why are you showing it to me, Dad?

Ohh... now that looks interesting. Much more than my old blanket.

I'm not sure what this is- but that little red thing spins around and around so fast, like so. Isn't it simply wonderful?

I adore my pedal

Whoa. So this is what is does.

I love it!!!

I think that I'll help Daddy adjust the seat.

Thank you, Mom and Dad!!!

Tah- dah! The cake. It sure looks yummy, even if the decorating didn't turn out the best.

Hey, I am a baby! I am supposed to touch the icing. It is my job!

I'm waiting!!!

Well... it looks yummy.

You know what? I love this!

Hi, Shaylynn. Aren't I cute?

Wait... Are you taking a picture of me? How dare you! I'm not moving fast enough to just be a big blur! How dare you, Shaylynn!

What do you mean, I'm messy? You should see me when I am eating Oreos, or baked beans!

Mommy! Mommy! Mommy!

What a perfect way to end my first birthday.