Easter

I love long weekends.. I love any extra time I can get with my family... I love my husband... I love my kids... I love my family! The kids had such a fun day. I really just adore every bit of my kids ages right now. They both understand what is going on.. Jacob really really understands. Jacob, I just love that he not only understands that no Easter morning he is going to get something from theEaster Bunny.. but that Easter is all about Jesus. On the way home from church Jacob said.. "mommy.. when is was dark out, Jesus died, but when it got light out he came alive again." Pretty powerful coming from a little boy who is not quite 4 1/2. Then later on, when we were on our way home from my parent's house.. Jacob said "mommy, I just said my prayers".. I said, well, that is wonderful Jacob, let me hear.. He continued by saying his prayers thanking God for the visit to his grandparents house, for his mom and dad and sister Bella and for the Easter Bunny. Then he continued by saying. ok mom.. your turn. So I started to say something outloud and he said.. no mom.. fold your hands .. lol. Well.. I then explained that since I was driving that may be a little hard. He said ok.. you don't have to, but close your eyes. I said.. well, Jacob, I may run the car off the road if I do that. He giggled and said.... oooookkkkkk.. you don't have to. How can I not just love that little boy so much for his sweet heart.

Bella.. oh, she was in Heaven. This her first Easter really having any idea of what is going one. She just loved eating Candy.. pretty much all day long. She is my junk food addict. But really she was in such a fabulous mood.. running all over nana's house, playing with Uncle Jeff, and giving me hugs. She is becoming more and more cuddely.. and I love it so much.

Here are a few pictures from our wonderful day.

Happy 2nd Birthday Beautiful Bella

My Dearest Bella,
Happy Birthday my dearest Bella. Two years ago today you entered into my life and changed it forever. You are perfect in every way.. your adorable grin that is so big and full of emotion, your sweet baby curls that hang from your sandy blond hair, your big brown eyes that are framed by your gorgeous long lashes, and your walk that is full of confidence and spunk. You have really started to show your personality and you have your dad and I in hysterics daily. You have such a spunky side to you and sometimes even sassy. However, you also have the most sensitive and cuddley side that we love as well.

Mommy can not believe that you are already two years old. This year has been full of so much fun. You took your first tumbelbees class, which you love. Next week we get to start the 2 year old class! You love your brother.. you especially love to boss your brother around as well as copy his every move. You love playing outside. You LOVE your baths.. just love them! Especially when we make it a bubble bath. You love to run around naked. You love reading your books before bed. Your favorite toys by far are all your baby dolls. You play with them non-stop during the day and they are all called "baby". You still love your bunny and must have that every night and naptime to go to sleep. You love your daddy and I can tell you are going to be quite the daddy's girl as you both adore each other. You love coming into bed with mom and dad at night, but not to sleep.. just to play and kick around (eventually we have to take you back to your room because you won't sleep). You love to jump around.. or I guess I can call it a gallop. You seriously are just so fun and full of spunk!

I love every single bit of you.. I love your happy side, your silly side your spunky side and your sassy side. As I tell you every night.. I am so.. proud of you, I love playing with you, you are such a good girl, and I love you sooo .. much! I am so excited for what our world together has in store for us. Thank you so much for all the happiness you have filled my heart with.

I love you Bella,
Mommy :)
xxoo

Swim Lessons!

About a month ago Jacob started swim lessons. I figured he was 4, he should probably have some formal swim lesson.. although.. he has always loved the water and done really well in it. I just wanted to make sure this summer he could really swim and have fun! Anyway.. he has done really really well. Since we are on spring break this year, Daddy was able to watch, which Jacob was so excited about!

March.. what a great month!

March.. we welcome you with open arms. Daddy is now home after school everyday! We couldn't be happier. The weather has teased us a bit, but at least we have had wonderfully warm days (and some down right cold ones as well). Jacob ran his very first race, which was so much fun to watch. He was so proud and we were so proud of him! Bella, she is so full of personality and is really beginning to talk more and more. I think she likes it so she can boss everyone around. (wink wink). Both kids just adore coloring. Jacob is really into making books and is starting to ask me how to spell words. I can't believe how big he is getting. But gosh.. I am so proud of the great kid he has become. On days when I feel a little bit down as a mommy, I look at my kids and thing, gosh, I had to do something right, they are such great kids! God is good.. I couldn't ask for much more. Here are some pics.. these really just warm my heart!












ok.. well.. these uploaded in such random order, but you get the point.. lol!

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...