Randomites. :)

Our little server. She loves to bring either breakfast in bed (which usually consists of peanut butter crackers, sometimes vitamin C, and water) or a snack - cookies and water. :) Pretty cute. :)

She's got the whole "Heikoop serving with a tray" down pat. :)  

Shantel and I realized we were matching, so we got a picture. :)

We hardly ever get pictures together, so it's about time that we smiled for it.

Love this girl - and love this picture of her - pretty. :) 

During one of Erik's "issues" one night...

Erik playing with Laura in the playpen.

Love it when they do stuff together. :)

Bowling & Stratego

We went bowling with our kids, Amber and another friend Louscius. We all had great fun. Amber helped keep Laura nearby, as she loved to toddle off around the place. 

Katy -so glad to be bowling. Her and Erik loved it.

 

 

Last night,. James brought Caleb and Micah home after work for the night. After the kids were in bed, they played Stratego - mostly with James. :)  

 Teammates.

Caleb - winning probably. :)

A Smattering

Grabbed a bunch of pictures off James' phone, so they're not in order - just some random pictures of times I want to remember. :)

 Like on a date with James at the Brown Dog in Paris. :)

We split a Mars Bar Fritter and Apple Fritter - decadent.

 

We had Hudson and Reuben over for an afternoon, and the kids watched a bit of Curious George together - keeps them all in one place, and still. :) Though as I look at it...Hudson has scissors... oh well - James must have taken them away after he finished taking the picture - everyone survived.

Both Erik and Hudson needed a time-out...and though it's kinda sad... it was cute. Both boys in their corners. 

James had to an errand one night, and brought me back a treat on "one of those kind days".

This fall, with it getting dark so quickly, I felt closed in so quickly - the days felt looong. And that's kinda hard when you're with little ones who are needy for you all day. . He was so sweet to understand and give me a pick me up. :)

Bottles & Tea Parties

This is what I find almost every morning; a bottle emptied of it's milk, but replaced with a Fisher Price animal. It's sometimes a zebra, or a bear...a little excitement to begin my day.

Cute times I want to remember.

Katelyn made us a tea party in her room the other day.

Erik didn't want to be in the picture. :)

Playing with Erik's guitar during a singing and dancing time to "the Fehr Family".

Aren't those two pigtails just soo cute.

12 Months!

12 months! We did it. :)

Clapping to "If You're Happy and You Know It"... which kept her sitting still, and not throwing the puppy off the couch.

Laura's greatest:

-Goes down the stairs safely by herself.

-Started to "shrug" her shoulders

-Now Has 8 teeth

-Likes to walk backwards (and thinks it's hilarious)

-Learning to put toys away in a bin

This pictures shows off her sensitive side. :)

With her Birthday gifts! (minus a cute coat from Auntie Anne-Marie that I forgot....will get a picture of her in it for you to see, as it's super adorable!)

Baking & Musical Chairs

We've started our Christmas baking early this year - mostly because it fills up some of that crazy time between naptime and James' return. :) So far, it's been Fudge, Nanimo bars, Turtles and Chocolate Crinkle Cookies.

Playing Musical Chairs after supper.

The kids having a blast. James makes everything fun for them.

Erik won!

This safe spot kept Laura contained for a minutes while we all had a picnic lunch in the laundry room one afternoon.

Then the other two wanted to try it too. :) They fit, as it's an open top-loader washer - no agitator in the middle. ;)

A Graduate and a Christmas Banquet

Ben just had his graduation ceremony for receiving his Masters.

I couldn't go, but James joined a bunch of the family to cheer Ben on.

I watched online instead with the kids, and when he came out, I cried.

I was the only Heikoop (I'm pretty sure anyways) who cried, and I wasn't even at the ceremony. Good grief. Must be Fehr thing. :)  

 

Proud of this guy's hard work, and his wife Deanna, who has supported him in amazing ways. 

Saturday morning Bible time with Daddy. 

Fuzzy wuzzy Laura.

That night was the annual Christmas Camp Fundraising Banquet at our church. Shelly graciously offered to watch my kiddos so we could go.

 

 The food was wonderful, and a good time of visiting.

Ben and Deanna.

After the meal, we went upstairs and listened to a concert by Eric Bolton.

A good evening, with some discussions that challenged my thoughts. :)

Greg's 40th Pary

 

Stephanie put on a surprise party for her husband Greg's 40th. She got him out the door and at the paintballing place, before he figured out what was going on. :)

While a bunch of the guys were having paint wars, us girls got the food ready and decorated.

 

 James with his coffee.

 

 Diane and Vanessa - cute stuff.

The neat couple. :)

Double Birthday Fun!!

 James 29th birthday and Laura's 1st birthday!!

Last year's party was a bit different for me, as Anne-Marie hosted our good friends, Ronnie and Elizabeth, for supper and James went back and forth looking after me...five minutes after our friends left (around 9p.m.) and in between family members coming by to say Happy Birthday to James (and hearing I was in labor).... little Laura was born!

This year was lots more fun, as we gave James his "breakfast in the office" before leaving for work.

 My foursome.

 Then it was Laura's breakfast - crepes. Eating like a professional, cause she's one.

 

 

 After some playtime, I prepped for the "cupcake smash", while the kids played with birthday balloons. Then Laura got un-dressed, and we had a blast taking some fun one-year old pictures.

Before the cupcake got "smashed".

 She was thrilled to get into that cupcake. Walked right up to it, and went for it. 

 

 

 

 

 Yippee!

 At the end, I got the kids (who were cheering her on!) to come sit beside her - but at a safe distance. :) Doesn't look like she was happy to be interrupted.

 Two pigtails - love these days.

 Then bath time, and the other two wanted to get in on that too, which gave me enough time to clean up, and get a few decorations up. :)

Super simple, but that's enough for now. :)

 

 We had a cousin and her family over for supper. James works with Kevin quite a bit with his work, so it was nice to get to know them all more.

I made James a mocha cake for his birthday - not sure if I quite beat the Windmill version, but I tried. :) The kids had cupcakes :)

Our kids, and their three, had a great time playing together while we visited, and Rob and Mark stopped by for a few minutes too.

After they all left, the birthday duo opened up their gifts.

 Laura looking at her new dress set from Grandma Fehr.

Excited over her new bath book.

Katelyn was so sweet and passed on a few toys, that she didn't "need" anymore. :)  

James opening his gifts. A nice pen, restaurant gift card, briefcase/laptop case, and a cool orange tie. :) A fun day for all.