Last Birthday Celebration til August...Happy Birthday, Joshua...

Joshua had his first kid's party.  Who would have thought that all I needed to do was hand out their new books!



The boys also enjoyed playing with the police cars that we put on top of the cupcakes!

Joshua was really excited to celebrate his birthday.  He has been such a great sport celebrating with the other boys on their birthdays.  Happy Birthday, Joshua.  We are really proud of you!  Just seems like yesterday that you were still in my belly!

We sang early to him and celebrated with our 'healthy' cinn. rolls!

Happy birthday to me..

Well, I turned 31 on Sat, the 14th of February.  Chris always works himself up trying to get the perfect gift. (Bless his heart)  The night before my birthday, he came home and said that he wanted to get me a bedframe.  (We have been sleeping on the floor on our king size mattress since this summer.)  We got online and found the perfect frame for a mere $1,400!!!!  It was a little out of our price range.  The next morning, after sleeping in!!!, Chris asked what I thought of this one (in the picture).  It was BETTER than the one we had seen the night before.  It was on craigslist in Chicago, handcrafted for $450.  We got it for $4oo and drove to Chicago the next day to pick it up!  The quilt was our Christmas present from my mom and goes perfectly with the frame.  I couldn't have asked for a better present!  Chris had prayed the night before my birthday that God would help him make my day special, needless to say, He provided!

I went from sleeping on the floor to almost needing a stool to get in bed, now 3 feet off the floor!  I am truly blessed...

Happy Birthdays... Again

Well we celebrated again this weekend with Chris' side of the family.  It was great to see everyone.  My kids are sure going to have a boring rest of the year!

One guess as to what Joshua's favorite gift was?  
He and Nick have been  sword fighting since this weekend!  Even Opa joined in on  the fun!  We have two more birthdays and then we have a break!  Chris is our only summer birthday...

Children...

During this time of the year, I am always reminded of my pregnancies and births.  I am so thankful for three wonderful, beautiful, healthy births and babies.  The births just seem to get better with each one!  I am also reminded in the midst of all of this craziness what a blessing and a gift children are to us.  The other night we had a friend over from church.  He was sharing with us everything he does and asking questions about Chris' work etc.  As he was leaving, he looked at me and said, "I've been meaning to ask you what you do.  Do you just stay at home most of the time?"  He wasn't trying to be mean, he was simply curious. (he is still single)  I just smiled and explained to him that this (our home and family) is what I do.  Ever since I can remember I just wanted to be a mom and a wife.  I am so thankful for being reminded of it.  I am also thankful that I had NO IDEA how involved that calling is!

We have so much to learn from little children...  Jesus leads by example, "let the little children come unto me..."

Birthday fun with Honey and P-pa

My parents came to visit for the two January birthdays.  Not only did everyone enjoy the celebrations but we even got a night out... dinner on the water, coffee and a movie!  Thanks mom and dad!!!





Benj turned 1 on the 29th.  He wasn't sure what to do with his 'cupcake'.  He didn't like getting his hands dirty (obviously different genes than his brothers) so eventually he just bent over and took a bite out of it.  He liked it, realized he could turn it over on the less sticky side and then he could enjoy it!

Nick turned 3 on the 25th and his birthday just seemed to go on forever, we celebrated the night before with friends, the night of with our small group and then again with Honey and P-pa.  He was so proud to be 3!  I've been prepping him that 3 year olds eat their crust and the skin on the apple, so far so good!  He wanted a dirt (worm) cake for his birthday so my mom and I came up with a semi- healthy version of it and put it in a dumptruck for him.  Quite honestly it wasn't very good.  Nick didn't seem to mind but Joshua's comment was something like, "I thought all cake was supposed to be good!"

Nick's favorite present that night was his new sleeping bag, which he has slept in every night since!

Homemade Pizza

 I have really not been satisfied with the pizzas around here, not to mention we are trying to cutback on ordering out... so this is what came about.  I was trying to copy the spinach calabrese from Aurelio's.  You will have to come and visit to let me know how it compares!  

Winter Fun

This is us staying enjoying are indoor options during the LONG winter.  My girlfriend and I like to go to the musuem together.  Between the two of us, we have 6 kids and our youngest boys are only one day apart!

The library has been another great place to visit.  The kids love to pick out books and videos.  They also have a great selection of puzzles for the kids.  I do have to keep an eye on Benjamin because he thinks that it is great fun to pull the books from the shelves... as many as he can get his little hands on!

quick update

I haven't forgotten about the blog, I just temporarily misplaced my camera.  It has been located but I still need to catch up on using it!  We have been very busy lately with just trying to get healthy.  Since Christmas we have all struggled with some kind of something- cold, flu, cough, etc.  We are on the mend and thankful that our God is our healer.  

Birthdays are approaching soon!  Between now and Feb. 19th Nick will turn 3, Benj will turn 1, I will turn 31 (not quite so exciting), and Joshua will turn 5.  Happy Birthday to us all!

Highlights: Benj is getting his 7th tooth and can stand up on his own... sometimes.  Nick is growing fast and cracking us up with what he comes up with.  Joshua read his first books, Sam, Mat and Dot.  (The Bob book series is great, Mat sat. etc.)  He is pretty proud of himself.  Reading truly is a gift.

Hope to have pictures up soon.  For now I draw on the strength and love of our Creator who is the same yesterday, today and forever.  Blessings to you.