is it everything you dreamed it would be?

Me: On the day of our wedding, is this what you thought it would look like 10 years later?

Chris: Absolutely.

To the guy who has given me everything that is important and works his tail off to keep it that way: I love you more now than I ever have before. 

Happy 10th Anniversary!

Elijah's Dedication and 1st Birthday Party

This past Sunday our lil' man Elijah Christopher was dedicated to the Lord at our church. You don't realize how big our family is until you see them all on one stage! We all have a lot of kids.... and more on the way! We are so blessed by our incredible friends and family and the support they have given us in raising our children to be more like Jesus. Thank you to everyone who came out to pray for Elijah!

 

 

 

After the dedication, we headed over to the cider mill to celebrate Elijah's 1st birthday. There was cider, donuts, and kids everywhere. We LOVED it! Elijah loved all his presents, his smash-cake (Thanks you Aunt Nina!) and all his cousins constantly around. Did I mention we are so blessed?

 

  

a heavy heart.

I woke up with some things heavy on my heart.

Some things I wanted to say to my kids.

They aren't easy things.... but they are important things.

my baby is growing up!

Happy 1st Birthday Elijah Christopher!

YOU LOVE: grapes, dancing, bikes, taking your socks off, cuddling with mama in the morning, laughing at Isaac in the car, wrestling, peek-a-boo, taunting Poppy's kitty, watermelon, playing with your hair while you drink your bottle, answering the phone saying "oh?", and animal crackers.

 

Happy Birthday Elijah (or Lie-G-Boo, as your sister calls you). We love you more than you will ever know and have so much fun watching you discover life each and every day. You are our wild-card, and we crack up when we see you take chances that the other 2 kids never did.  Pretty soon you won't be the baby anymore, and that makes your mom really sad. You are so loved!

has she really only been around for 3 years?

Today was Zoey's 3-year-old check-up and she is one heathly little girl!

20th percentile for her height. (3 feet tall exactly.)

20th percentile for her weight. (28.8 lbs.)

After the doctor was done with Zoey, she got out the Doppler so that she could hear the baby. I don't think any of my kids have been a part of that before. As soon as the doctor turned it on, Zoey asked what the baby was going to say... it was so cute. She loved hearing the heartbeat and ran in to tell daddy what it sounded like.

simplicity.

"...the simplicity that is in Christ."

2 Corinthians 11:3

Simplicity is the secret to seeing things clearly.

...when our natural power of sight is devoted and submitted in obedience to the Holy Spirit, it becomes the very power by which we perceive God’s will, and our entire life is kept in simplicity.

-Oswald Chambers

 

Read the entire entry for today's My Utmost here.

i totally have a crush on him.

This year Chris and I will have been married for 10 years.

We had big plans... plans I started making the 1st year we got married.

Then we found out we were having another baby this year.

Our plans changed.

Our life is like that.

 I love our life.

We ended up having a few days away.

It was some of the best days of my life.

Special thanks to my parents for loving on my kids so Chris and I could have some time together. It was the best anniversary gift we could have ever received!

 

Our Little Nugget

Isaac started his hockey season tonight with "Little Nuggets."

He loved it!

 

 

 

 

 

Elijah @ 11 months

• you have walking down
• you LOVE blueberries and corn
• you are never put off by obstacles of any kind
• you have the cutest laugh
• you love when people tickle your toes
• you can climb pretty much anything
• you have now mastered the "zoey-scream"
• you love dancing to music
• you can say "dada", "mama", "buba" and "done"
• your face lights up when you hear your daddy's voice
• you are one ACTIVE 11 month old!

Kaeden's Carnival

Today was cousin Kaeden's 3rd birthday party... and we were invited over for the carnival! Can I just say that I am so blessed to be related to Nate and April, they did an incredible job pulling off a birthday party everyone could enjoy! Happy Birthday Kaeden!

I didn't cry at all... take THAT pregnancy hormones!

So the day finally came... and everyone did exceptionally well.

I didn't cry, but I must have had some sort of crazy look on my face because Chris asked me if I was ok about a dozen times. When I picked him up, he told me he was happy he made a lot of new friends, but was sad they didn't go outside to play. I assured him he will have plenty of time for that. 

So here we are... parents of a Kindergartener... and so completely proud!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Kindergarten 2011

A stolen idea from Nina. I love it!

feeling a little left-out

"Mom, when can I go to Kindergarten?"

Uh-oh.... I think someone was feeling a little left-out hearing all the "Isaac's-going-to-Kindergarten" talk. We decided that a special breakfast was just the cure... a little time for her to talk about herself. She loved her hot chocolate and bagel, and didn't mind the undivided attention either. We love you Zo! Just a couple more years... yikes!

Me and Jedidah

My son starts Kindergarten tomorrow.

He is all packed and ready to go.

I love his new backpack more than he does.

I don't remember my 1st day of Kindergarten.

I do remember learning to tie my shoelaces that year, though.

We read about King Josiah tonight before bed.

He was 8-years-old when he became king.

His voice had not changed yet.

My son thought that was super cool.

An 8-year-old king.

I wonder what his mother, Jedidah, thought the night before he was crowned.

She probably made him go to bed at a decent hour too.

Why is it always hot at the zoo?

Zoey had a field trip with her Preschool class and was so excited the boys and I were going to tag along.