I miss my camera

My camera has been out of my hands for several weeks now.. getting cleaned and checked. I am going crazy. But I want to keep to my New Years resolutions and give a little update on the family. Kevin's final weekend of swimming is this weekend and our entire family is thrilled. I can't lie.. it is so hard being a coaches wife. For 4 months out of the year we pretty much don't have Kevin home.. the kids miss him and I miss the help with the kids. Now we can all look forward to the spring and the nice weather that will hopefully be here soon. Currently Jacob is in swim lessons at lifetime and he loves it so much.. it is so.. fun to watch him play around in the water and he really is very good in the water. Hopefully this summer I can get Bella in some lessons as well. I have no doubt she will love it just as much as Jacob does. Bella.. I totally can't believe she is going to be 2 in 1 short month. my little girl is growing up so fast. I just adore her so much and feel so so so blessed to have her in my life. She is certainly approaching the testing stage. She is trying to see what she can get away with. I just laugh at her fiestiness. Wonder who she got that from :) Jacob.. well, he continue to love school. I am so proud of how much he has learned this year. He is a smart little kid. I am so proud of my kids. I should be back very soon with some new pictures as my camera should be here any day! :)

What a great weekend!!!!

Snow days.. 2 in a row.. and then the weekend! That meant 4 days at home with my family! Oh.. it was so much fun. I really could do this everyday. The first day Kevin and I were crazy productive during nap time and cleaned out our closet.. we took 5 bags to goodwill!!! Yes.. we needed to clean out our closet so badly! And of course.. we played and played with the kids and had so much fun. Bella got to go outside for the first time in the snow.. she wasn't entirely sure about it, but it was fun. and luckily we got outside before it dropped to -8 degrees (brrr... ) we were outside when it was still 30. So yes, a great weekend.. not sure how I am going to survive a 5 day week. I just continue to be thanksful for job sharing. Here are some pics..

I love being a mommy! :) ... especially to my sweet little lady!

This blog post is dedicated to my Bella. Seeing I have been dreadfully terrible about posting to the blog, she is in much need of an update. I don't even know where to start... to me, she is just perfect.. those gorgeous big brown eyes.. adorable smile... and sweet yet firecracker personality! She is riot and has me laughing everyday. She is sneaky.. and I am certainly going to need to keep an eye on her over the years (wink wink) .. For Christmas she got a few babydolls and is constantly playing with them. She will feed them, put them to bed, hold and hug them.. it is so cute!! She is smart!! She is already peeing and pooping on the potty.. I really should start potty training her, but that would mean I would be admitting that she is no longer a baby and I am not ready for that yet. Maybe in the spring.. She isn't much into eating these days.. her favorite foods are chicken nuggets, pizzq, cheese and yogurt. There are many days she goes to be without eating a thing for dinner. That girl.. i need to get on her plan. She is tiny.. but oh so cute. She is exactly how she is suppose to be. She loves her brother and wants to do everything.. I mean everything he does!! It is so stinkin cute (most of the time). She loves cuddling her mom and dad.. and we certainly love it to. She is actually a good napper I can' t believe it.. I have a good sleeper!!! :) She will take 3 hour naps, which make me happy, because she naps while I am working, so I don't feel like I am missing all that much. All and all, she is just perfect.. and I really can't believe is growing into a toddler. Miss Bella.. I sure do love you!! :)

A new year...

I really just can't believe it is 2011. Why are the days going so fast.. just way way way too fast. As 2010 ended I realized I need to slow my life down.. teaching, photography, keeping up with the house while playing mommy to my favorite people in the world. I have made lots of new years resolutions that I really hope to keep for 2011.. so I am going to write them down here so you all can hold me accountable.

So here they are....
!-Update my family blog at least 3 times a month!!! That is where I would like to start, but really hope I do more than that!
2- create healthier eating habbits for my family.. now I have to say we aren't the worst.. but we certainly have room for improvement. I don't mind the occasional "kid food" but I really hope to get my kids to eat more than chicken nuggets and pizza (cough cough.. Bella)
3. start saving more.. Kevin and I are pretty good with our money, but we need to start saving more.
4. create our 2011 yearbook as 2011 passes us.. at the end of each month I would like to create the pages for it, not all in December.. lol
5.Get more involved in church.. this has been something we have been trying to do for a good year.. we keep hoping around trying different churches i hope to find one that feel right to us, we need to make this a priority as this is something that is so important to me.
and some things I want to do with my kids this year...
have a pajama party with them in sleeping bags on the floor... pull out my seamless paper and finger paint ... stay up late at night and catch lightening bugs... burry each other in the sand on the beach this summer and not worry about sand up the butt (wink wink)... do a service project with my kids, , slip and slide this summer outside with my kids, go sledding with my kids (even if it is freezing)... gosh I am sure I could list more.. I just want to continue creating wonderful memories with my children and be the best mommy I can be! :)
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Now on to the important stuff...
we had a snow day.. so at our house that means EVERYONE is home.! We live for these days and always have a blast.. so we decided to have a pajama day. I wish I got some pics of Bella.. but totally didn't take out my camera till nap time.. I got some fun ones of my little guy!

My little man turned 4

And as I always do I want to post a letter I wrote for him... my little guy. I sure do adore you in every way!

My Dearest Jacob,

So here we are again, another year has passed us by. In a few days you will be 4 years old. I tell you all the time how I want you to stay “little” forever and you tell me back “no mommy, I can’t, I want to be “big”. I know you can’t and it is so fun watching you grow into the fabulous kid you are today.. but sometimes I certainly wish time would slow down - just a bit.

This past year has been such a fun year for us. I have seen you grown from being a toddler to a little boy. You are certainly my pleaser and always want to make sure you are doing the right thing. You love to help your mom and dad and you are such a fabulous big brother. This year you go to preschool 4 days a week instead of 1 day a week and you even get to ride the school bus. You love it! On the first day of school it took everything to hold back the tears as I saw you walk onto the bus without a worry in the world. After all, mom and dad go to school everyday, why wouldn’t you be anything but excited.

At 4 you still need your cuddle time daily and you still tell me you love me everyday. You still sneak into our bedroom at night to snuggle with your mom and dad.. and I secretly am so glad you still do. You love your “special time” with mom and dad and enjoy the times when Bella naps and we can do “big boy” games.

I know I tell you this at least once a day.. but I have to say it here as well.. I am so proud of you! At 4 I am already amazed by your sense of right and wrong. I am proud of you for trying so hard to do your best, I am proud of you for being a great big brother, I am proud of you for just being you.

As you tell me at night before going to bed.. “I love you all the way up to heaven were Jesus is”.

I Love you,
Mommy
xxoo

o yesterday started the first day of the school year. It was sad to say goodbye to summer, but I am so happy I am working afternoons this year and think it is going to work wonderful for my family and kids. Today I dropped Bella off at 11:20, she ate and went to bed at 12:15 and didn't get up till I arrived to pick her up at 3:30. Not sure why she never sleeps like that for me, but I am glad I won't be missing too much of her day. And Jacob.. he starts preschool in a few weeks and will be at preschool at the same time I will be working M-TH. It just makes me smile how things work themselves out.

This morning I took Jacob and Bella down to the train in Lebanon. Of course they had a blast playing and laughing. They are so so so cute! Bella I just can't believe how busy she is. She is even busier than Jacob was. And Jacob.. he is just sweet as ever. He just got over mono, which wasn't fun.. but it is so wonderful to see him back to his normal self. I can't believe he is almost 4.

Here are some pictures of our fabulous morning...

off to the park!

Have I mentioned that I love the summer? I love going to the pool.. I love Kings Island.. I love the park.. I love lazy mornings... I love cuddle time.. I love family time... oh how I wish the summer could last forever! Late last week we took a trip to Sharon Woods to explore and play. We do this a lot in the summer.. mostly because mom can't stand being stuck in the house all day long and needs to be busy all the time (no wonder I have such busy children). Jacob had a blast pushing around Bella's Bity Baby in the stroller and Bella had fun playing in the creek. :)

Bella's first time fingerpainting!

So I was feeling brave last week and decided to give finger painting a try with the kids. OMG.. what a mess.. but oh so much fun! She loved it. But I am certainly glad we took it outside. (not sure dad was so much.. he had quite a bit of paint to spray down off of the porch.. oops! Sorry dad!)

Jacob's 3 1/2....

ok.. so a bit older than 3 1/2, but better late than never, right! I thought I would do so in a letter to him.. because I always want him to know how incredibly proud I am of him... beyond proud I should say.

My Dearest Jacob,
How to even start.. first off, I want you to know you make me so proud. Everything you do I love and adore and I thank God for you everyday of my life because without you and your sister (and dad of course), life just wouldn't be complete. It amazes me how fast these days of your toddler life are going by. It seems like just yesterday I was watching you take your first steps and teaching you how to put your shoes on.. now you are helping mother your little sister, Bella. 3 1/2 years old has proven to be full of laughs and many many smiles. You have developed quite the personality and are quite funny. Your facial expressions, the way you copy your mom and dad.. just to be funny, and the way you are quite sneaky and pretty good and figuring out how to get what you want. However, even as you grow and develop your own little personality you continue to be the sweet, sensitive little boy you have always been. You love your "cuddle time" with mom and will often ask for it. At night you always cuddle with your stuffed animals. You love to help mom and and dad whenever you can. Especially helping dad clean out mommy's messy car. You even helped dad this past week paint the dinning room.. oh man, were you in heaven! You are very particular about how things should be and if they aren't a certain way sometimes you get a little upset.. for instance.. you hate when you cracker is broken and won't eat it. You won't let us cut your sandwich unless you tell us to. When you color, which you are really great at.. you get a bit frustrated if you color out of the lines. You are doing tumbelbees right now and you just LOVE it! Your favorite part is jumping on the trampoline (who wouldn't blame you). Although you love Bella.. it is a bit hard at times to remember that you need to share with your sister, but most of the time you are the sweetest big brother around. I know you are going to hate this one day.. but you LOVE her babydoll and will often fight over it with her. But that is ok, because she often wants your cars. I always tell you that one day you will make a great daddy one day a LONG LONG LONG time from now (wink wink). You LOVE doing puzzles right now. You can do them all by yourself and you are so proud. I often catch you doing puzzles in your room when you are suppose to be sleeping. ;) Jacob.. I could go on and on, but really what it comes down to is I am so proud of you.. you are such a great kid and we love you very much. I can't wait to see what the rest of 3's bring for you!

I love you!
Mom :)

I am going to end this with an interview with Jacob..

What is your favorite color- Red
What is your favorite food- Cheeseburgers
What is your favorite thing to do with mommy? Play down in the basement and play with my cool trucks
what is your favorite thing to do with daddy? Play with trucks
What is your favorite thing to do with Bella? Share her stroller ;)
Who is your favorite friend? Isabella
What do you like to do with Isabella? Play with chalk
What are you excited about? Mommy and Daddy are home
What do you want to do today? Play with Isabella?
What is your favorite TV show? Mac and Ruby
What is your favorite Toy? Trains
Anything else you want to tell me? I like to play with Bella
What is your favorite things about being a big brother? Hugs... and hugs to daddy... hugs to mommy

It's Already July???

It is so hard to believe that it is already July. We are having a great time It has been so much fun all of us being home. We have hit the pool, Kings Island, Fireworks, cook outs, and many other games of puzzles, sidewalk chalk, and playgrounds.

Bella is getting so big, I can't believe she is 15 months old. She is such a little spunky, outgoing, happy little girl. She is always smiling and whenever we are out she says hi to everyone she sees. She is also such a little peanut, which is funny seeing how big she was when she was born. When we went to her 15 month check-up she was just short of 20lb leaving her at 8% in weight and around 30 inches leaving her between 50-75% in height. Man.. I will certainly take those percentiles. lol! She is beautiful and has her daddy's dark tan skin which makes us all jealous. She loves the pool and will go under water non-stop at the pool, just like her brother did at her age.

Jacob is turning into such a big kid and continues to be such a great kid. I am so proud of the sweet little boy he has become. He is so polite, and most of the time is so sweet to his sister. He is so excited about going to "Big" preschool this fall and is already talking about riding the bus. He loves playing with our neighbor Isabelle and especially likes going to "Nanna's pool" and Kings Island and ride the "rollercoaster". We started a star chart for him this summer for things like going to bed when asked and brushing his teeth, cleaning his room and basement. He has already earned the movie "Dora Pirate Adventure" movie.

Life is great with my kids and all of us being home.. sure wish we could do this year round. here are some pictures....