Our Latest News

Ray calls it our next adventure together. We have found out that he has bladder cancer and it was quite a blow to receive days before Christmas. Ray has asked me to set up a website for him so he can keep folks up-to-date with the news regarding his health and our attempt to blot out the cancer through much much prayer. :) We did get some good news today, but I'll let you read it on his site, rather than type it all again here.

www.raymoore.blogspot.com

PS. I'm going to do much better about keeping this site current. I'm sorry I've been such a bum.

Santa Christmas Photos

We all had a lovely Christmas, despite the news of Ray's upcoming surgery. It was wonderful to be around all kinds of family and to enjoy rich time together. Even the dogs had fun!

We are only now wrapping up the holiday festivities with a last Christmas get-together this evening. I can't even believe how fast it's all gone by and the fact that 2010 is almost here. Incredible.

Here are a few photos from meeting Santa, and I'm sure to post to real information on our family situation soon. Until then, Merry Christmas!

Danny's Christmas Song

Danny was in a small Christmas song at church. He loved it (barring stage-fright the first night). He sang, "I'm going to wrap up myself for Christmas" and was dressed as a present(to give to Jesus). It was darling. He's always trying so hard to find his own groove -- outside of his older brother -- and I think he was really proud of this endeavor. Below is a quick video I caught on his last performance of three. :)

The Snow of the Decade

I was informed by a dear friend today that I have not been good about posting. If there's anyone who still checks in, I'm so sorry!

We have gotten so settled in life together as a family that I sometimes wonder if we're interesting enough to check in on! The truth is that life remains ever-dramatic here and we covet your prayers. But our sweet boys are daily a joy. We've had so much fun this Christmas season. They LOVE the snow. I wish I were more of a homemaker and made gingerbread men and iced them with the boys, but they've been doing such joyful holiday events at school and I've throughly enjoyed seeing the creations they bring home and hearing about all they are learning. Matt already thinks he's knows more than anyone else, and I laugh to myself wondering what he thinks first grade has to offer!! Danny remains a boy of vast emotions and I'm now quite sure that it's part of his biological make up to be so dramatic. He reminds me of that little rhyme that my mother used to quote to me:

There was a little girl

who had a little curl

right in the middle of her forehead

and when she was good

she was very, very good

but when she was bad,

she was horrid.

We've moved into our new home and LOVE it. I tell Ray, it's my dream home. I want to live here forever and watch grandchildren playing here! We're settled in for Christmas and have almost all of our shopping done (an Internet miracle!). I must ask you -- how was Christmas shopping ever accomplished with mothers and children pre-World Wide Web? I can't imagine. Grocery shopping alone with two boys makes me cringe.

*sigh* I babble. Below are some photos, and *hopefully* and uploaded video of the kids playing if the deepest snow I've seen since *I* was a little girl! It was Shelley's first snow and the boys' second, so LOTS of happiness around here -- AND lots of tired, tired boys come bedtime! Anyway, here are the pictures, and below are some more with Santa ay my mom's work.

Below is the video. It's not fascinating,

but it's fun to see just how deep the snow was

for our little boys and nearly 10-month old puppy.

Merry Christmas!!!

An Adorable Retelling of Losing His First Tooth

Losing the first tooth from Kelli and Ray on Vimeo.

Matt Lost His Tooth!

It was his first tooth to come out and I wasn't here. Our adorable boy was apparently in quite hysterics trying to eat his dinner with a tooth just barely attached so Ray took him aside and reached in with a tissue and lifted it out, as though it were just resting there. Matt's tears stopped abruptly with shock and curiosity and then he burst into laughter!!! I WISH I could have been there to see it. But as my wise mother pointed out, it was probably quite a bonding father-son moment. :) He's so proud of that gaping hole and was eager for a snapshot while he was still in his pjs this morning. They have some fun activity they do with the kindergarten kids who lose their teeth and Matt can't wait to go to school tomorrow. *I* can't wait to hear all about it!!

Happy Halloween!!!

So FYI, we're moving in three weeks. We've boxed nearly everything. I have a garage full of boxed, and labelled boxes stacked four high all around the room. I've got dishes left to pack, but I've almost convinced myself to pack the plates and glasses and eat off paper ones until we move. It's just not very environmentally friendly, so I've not convinced myself so far.

Aren't these pictures from the new house just awesome?

Latino Festival 2009

We had a great time at the Latino Festival this year. It's getting bigger and better every year. I think the boys love all the activity, the bright colors, the yummy yummy food, and this year -- the face painting. The music is crazy-loud, but it brings together all our Guate-American family friends from the Roanoke/Salem area and THAT is worth any temporary deafness!! :)

In other news: we're moving in mid-November!! I'll post about that soon. Loads of excitement at the Moore place these days!!

Happy Birthday Matt and Danny!!!

Today Matt celebrated his 6th birthday (even though it's really Monday) and Danny celebrated turning 5, (which was yesterday). We had a big party at Check E. Cheese's and it was crazy, but waaaay fun. Here are a few snapshots to sort of commemorate the big day!!

Here are Matt and Danny blowing at candles on their cake!!

Here is Matt and me pre-party, ready for the event!!

Here's Danny with his super good friend, Ashley (showing pepperoni in his mouth).

We got oodles of tickets!!

And the boys each got a cool inflatable crown!!

And here they are with Chuck E Cheese

(I don't think Danny wanted his picture taken *laughs*)

They had the best time with their school friends and enjoyed the playtime with their buddies almost as much as the very cool presents that they spent the rest of the day (and most likely weeks and months to come) playing with!! Feliz Cumpleanos, mis ninos!!

Ikenberry Apple Orchard: Our First Field Trip!

My Little Gal Pals

My girls have really been a world of fun for me lately. This morning Shelley woke me up at 5:45 :( and I didn't want the rest of the family woken so early, so I snuck both dogs out into the garage to get them breakfast. Away they flew, jumping on each other and pouncing, running super-fast in circles around the garage! Hilarious! I mean if you have to be up that early on a Sunday, then this was the way to do it!!

Mocha steals away most of the time to her bat-cave, AKA our closet. Shelley follows me around endlessly through the house, and I've even tripped over her as she eagerly got under my feet in the kitchen! They are so different, and so compatible. I love, love, love these girls!