Cookie Time

Since Leo was born we've had a home health nurse come visit. She's been there to help with lots of different things. We had our last visit today, and she thought she'd help Leo make cookies. He loved it!







Thanks for everything you did for us Melissa!

Happy 1/2 BIrthday!

Leo Beo! You are 3 1/2 years old! Guess what you go to do for your 1/2 birthday... You went to the dentist and have your teeth cleaned. Good news... no cavities. You did cry a little bit, but were super excited to get a Buzz Lightyear toothbrush. In honor of the dentist, I didn't make you a 1/2 birthday cake. But I took some pictures of you and your brother in your new "house" with the new shingles!

Can't wait to see what you learn in the next 6 months! Love you!

Christmas PJs

Every year my mom gets the kids Christmas pajamas and gives them to the kids at Thanksgiving. This year we were all together so we tried to get a picture of all 6 kids. Tried is the key word...

A Visit From Santa

Santa stopped by my parents house on Christmas! Gavin, Katelynn, Adri & Finely thought it was great. My boys, however, were VERY scared. Eli cried the entire time and Leo wouldn't go near him unless I was right there.





He brought each of the kids a pencil from the North Pole and a little gift. It was really cool!

Christmas Morning (For Real)

We spent Christmas Eve at my parents house and woke up on Christmas morning with my sister's family. My brother was at his wife's family, but they joined us later in the day. The kids were so patient about opening gifts. The waited until 9 before they started peeking in the stockings. It was so funny.



We missed Christmas at my mom's last year because of the snow and the spinal headaches, so I was so glad to be there. Leo had fun checking out what everyone got, and Eli...well, Eli had fun with everyone's new toothbrush. Oh Eli!



Christmas morning was so fun. The rest of the day my sister and I made hair bows and flowers for her little girl and our niece. It was fun, minus burning my finger about a billion times...

Leo & Katelynn

Leo and Katelynn are best buds. Leo loves when they come to Grandma and Grandpa's house. They were having a blast reading to each other on Christmas Eve.

Birthday Party {#3}

Eli had his 3rd (and FINAL) birthday party this morning. It was supposed
to be last night (see previous post), but we switched it to this morning. Unfortunately, my brother wasn't able to come, but we were going to see him at Christmas, so it was ok. :)

Everyone came around 9:00 and we opened presents, played and ate lunch. Eli was the party pooper and fell asleep at 11:45. Oh well, it's his birthday, and he'll sleep if he wants to!





The older kids weren't too into presents... They wanted to watch Toy Story 3 instead. Oh
well.



Eli had a great party and got lots of great things. You may wonder why I did 3 parties: not everyone could be here at the same time (8 kids under 6 years old = CrAzY me!), I like to host things, I like to punish myself?.

Christmas "Morning"

My motto as a teacher is "I'm nothing if I'm not flexible". I get how things can go crazy at school and I have no control. At home, it's a different story...I like control. I like it a LOT. But some things happened that were out of my control, so I decided to be flexible.

We were supposed to have Eli's birthday party with my side of the family tonight, but Leo was doing worse than he had been all week. So, I decided to move the party to the next morning. It was really hard for me because I was excited to see my sister and her family, my brother and his family and my parents. I knew I had to though, because it was better for Leo. So we moved our Christmas.

We decided to open our family gifts that night. I made our traditional lasagna for dinner, and Santa came a little early. Justin told Leo that Santa had thought they were so good that he came early to our house. ;)

We'd decided not spend a lot this year on gifts. The boys have so much and really don't need anything! They each got to open 4 gifts. Eli got a John Deere flashlight, clothes, a farm set and a puppy (that knows his name!). Leo got Toy Story 3, Buzz Lightyear, a Leapster and a Toy Story game for the Leapster. My mom had gotten the boys some gifts that were buy one get one free, so "Santa" gave the boys a backhoe and a skid-loader.

The boys were so excited to open gifts and then play with each others. :) Oh well.







Even though it wasn't what I had planned, it was better. We were able to enjoy it without rushing, watch Leo's new movie, let Leo rest, and be together as a family. It was a great Christmas "Morning".

Birthday Party {#2}

Eli had his 2nd party tonight. We had Justin's family over for dinner and opened presents. We (and I mean Erica) got pizzas from Papa Murphy's for us to eat. It was a hit!

I used the same cake I had the night before (Shh... don't tell!). We just ate cupcakes that I decorated with an E and a number 1.



Eli got this awesome shirt from Uncle Mike, Auntie Erica, Jaina & Jackson. It is a line from one of Justin's favorite movies. But isn't it so true? It says, "I'm really really ridiculously good looking." :)



He also got his own dump truck! Woo Hoo! One less toy that they will fight over!



Eli loved the cupcakes again and made a great mess. Leo was feeling a little under the weather, so there aren't a lot of pictures, I had him on my hip most of the night.

We had a fun night! Thanks so much!

Birthday Party {#1}

I took Eli's birthday off to spend with him because I don't remember much of the day he was actually born. Turned out to be an interesting day! Leo was sick with double ear infection and sinus infection, I went in and got the "blue light special" because I had Upper Respiratory Infection. Oh what a day!



Grandpa Randy, Grandma Jan and Sabrina came over to help celebrate on his actual birthday. We ate, opened presents and gave Eli a cupcake.

I saw Eli's cake on the side of box and decided to try and do it. It didn't turn out 1/2 bad. If you notice in the cake the number 1 looks a little funny. I found sparklers in a store and thought it was so cool for a candle. Oops... didn't read that you couldn't do it inside. Sabrina helped me make the cake. Thanks, SMS!



I made the banner again for Eli's birthday. I love how well it matched everything.



Sabrina and Eli have had a special bond since he was born. I was out of it most of the day, so Sabrina came to the hospital and took care of E and Leo for us. Then when we got home, she came and stayed with us when I was having all of my spinal headaches. We joked that she was his 2nd mommy. :)



We gave Eli a Cozy Coupe for his birthday. I imagine there will be several fights over this car. There already have been! Maybe Leo can push Eli in it? Nah, that'd be too easy! Leo gave Eli a skid-loader. Eli loves to follow it!





Unlike his brother, Eli LOVED the cupcake. He started in and didn't stop until it was gone. It was so funny. He kept saying, "Yum". That's my boy!






Even though the day didn't go as I planned (seems everything with this boy goes that way...) it was still a great day. I can't believe my baby is 1!

Eli {1 Year}

Happy 1st Birthday my love!



Mr. Eli what are you doing now that you are 1?

~You crawl like a speed demon! You are super fast and get into EVERYTHING! We keep all of the doors shut because you like to put things in the toilet!

~You love to walk around the furniture. It's opened a whole new world for you, and from what we can see you LOVE it!

~You no longer use a bottle! You are so big!

~You love to sleep...right next to me and your daddy.

~You have 5 teeth and love to chew on my shoulder.

~You wear 12 to 18 month clothes and size 3 diapers.

~You weigh 20 lbs. You've lost weight because you are so active and were sick for so long with ear infections.




~You are 30 1/4 inches tall.

~You like to copy your brother with everything you do.

~You can say "kick, cup, momma, daddy" You have your own word for Leo and Katelynn (your cousin) and Kayla.

~You are terrified of the tunnel we have in the basement. We put it in front of the steps to block you from trying to go up!

~You love to climb stairs.

~You play a game where you shake your head "no" at everyone and then once in while you'll do "yes".

~You love to walk with the lion we have. You giggle the entire time.

~You love to eat, eat, eat. It was funny to give you blueberries. :)

~You aren't very cooperative when it comes to taking pictures.

~You are so loved by so many people.

~I love you Eli, and can't wait to see what the next year brings!

My Mommy's Curls

My mommy gave me me something...



Can you tell what is?



Besides her good looks and brains, I got her curls!

Message From Santa

I found this cool site where the boys got to receive messages from Santa. Leo loved it! Eli didn't really care. :)

Leo's message from Santa.

Eli's message from Santa

Cousins & Christmas Clothes

Grandma Jackie wanted the 4 kids together in a picture for her Christmas card. Um, not an easy task. A 6 year old, 3 year old, 11 month old and 8 month old are not too easy to take a picture of!

The babies weren't so into the pictures.






Then the bigger ones wouldn't smile or look at the camera.





Here is the final picture. We got it!

Leo's 1st Christmas Concert

Leo had his first Christmas concert tonight. Oh be still my heart!

The boys were a site in their Christmas outfits. I love that they are still little enough to let me dress them. :)


Eli might not let me dress him much longer...



Leo's always been a good sport about his clothes...




We talked to Leo about smiling on stage and giving everyone a "Christmas smile". When he walked up there he flashed this big smile at me. I melted into a puddle. I started crying and couldn't stop.

Where did my little Leo baby go? How did he get so big? I can barely remember him crawling like Eli. It just goes so fast.

My heart was so proud as he sang songs and did the actions. I pray that we can raise him (and his brother) to know the true meaning of Christmas.

Enjoy the show!

Breakfast with Santa

Our community hosted breakfast with Santa this morning. Leo was a little nervous about going. He repeatedly told me he was not going to sit on Santa's lap.

"I'll stand by him, but I won't sit on his lap. And I'm going to tell him thank you for my big dump truck and my E-Y. 'Cause I got them for Christmas from him last year."

We had donuts, juice, made a reindeer craft, listened to a few books, and got in line to see Santa.




As you can tell from the picture, neither boy was a big fan. Maybe next year.

Leo did ask for Toy Story: 3. Guess we'll see how that turns out!

Christmas Ties!

Leo was so excited about the boys having Christmas ties. Here are my sweeties in their Christmas ties!