He's Turned 6

His birthday breakfast. :) Complete with his raccoon. Katie thought it was perfect to add, which was true. :)

He had been waiting for months for this day, and finally it came.

How am I old enough to have a six year old... :) I know - those of you that have teenagers feel the same, and think that bein g... let me just feel that it's crazy to have a six year old boy for now. Teenagehood will be come just as fast. 

Excited about his cake. 

The snowboarder. I love doing simple cakes that are fun. :) The tree's are ice-cream cones with green icing, sprinkled with snow - icing sugar.

Happy Birthday to this guy. We picked up Hudson and Rueben after school, and then Amir came later, and Robert (our neighbor) joined us for a bit, and Brooklyn and Madison were staying the weekend while their parents were at a marriage retreat - so we had a paaarrrtttyy!

The "guy" guests. 

Laughing that he couldn't blow all the candles out.

Opening his gift from Auntie Anne-Marie. :) Paw Patrol toothbrush, toothpaste and stickers - he was pretty happy.

Katie was happy to read the cards to him. :)

Getting his very own remote control vehicle. He was pretty happy.

With his birthday haul.

Rachel was over for the evening as well, as she was watching Hudson and Roobs while Ben & Dee were at the marriage retreat too. Having another adult to help keep everything half sane was pretty awesome. :)

Pinata time - they were pretty excited. James had them line up, and they had to bounce on the zebra and hit the pinata with the broom... they had fun.

Amir was the one who cracked it...

...but Erik had to finish it off.

My two girls finally calm together... Love how they both have their arms around their dolls while watching Peppa Pig.

A fun day for my Erik.

Turning 32

Turning 32 was kinda a surprise, as for some strange reason, I thought I was 32 all year! But after having an animated discussion with James about my age, and reaching for my phone to calculate the dates (while he chuckled that I really couldn't remember), I realized I was really going to be 32. Hooray for another year. I like playfully tease and remind James a few weeks before Jan. 5th, to remind him that's it going to be my birthday... because that's what good supportive wives do - help their husbands remember big events. And he always does his best to make it a special day - starting with breakfast in bed, and ending it with ice-cream cake. :) After he left for work, Katie took over to make lunch later on. She was so excited to make this lunch all birthday like - making place cards and fancy straws, and doing the waffles, cheese, carrots and oranges - and then I helped with the perogies. :) 

The sign made by Katie - so sweet. She gets right into birthdays. 

The day was a bit crazy, but when James came home it was much more manageable. :) 

We had tacos for supper, then opened a few presents before William, Amanda, Micah and Krissy with their girls and an exchange student joined us for cake and games. 

Katie gave me a candle that she picked out from the dollar store. And Erik had given me a pizza cutter. It was so sweet. When he had come home from shopping with James, he was telling me of all the things he saw but didn't buy for me. :) James bought me a watch ( which we had picked out together the night before) and Mom Heikoop gave me a much needed kettle! My momma gave me some pizza scissors, and my dear sis gave me a subscription to the Magnolia Journal - magazine by Joanna and Chip Gaines which will be such fun to enjoy.

During present time, it gets a bit crazy, though I think here James was purposely egging them on...

In case you can't see it - Erik is flying through the air. 

Me and my awesome kiddo's. 

Playing Scotland Yard... so much fun. Great memories of playing brother James' game many years ago.

Being "Mr. X" - and surviving fairly long....

Dear gals. :)

Thankful for another year behind and one ahead Lord-willing. :)

Even if I'm still 32. :)

Dressed for Winter

My handsome boy getting ready for going outside - when we had that snow.

He loves snow - so ready for all things white and cold. Bring on the snowboarding, sledding and hockey... and what was so amazing - for that month when we had snow - was that he could put his stuff on himself... a miracle for me. 

He let his mom just take pictures...

And then he gave me his smile. :) 

Busy hands

Is she cute or what. 

Any time she sees the dishwasher open, that's where she must be too. I caught her on the door - not where she is supposed to be, but it was worth waiting while I took a quick shot to remember how busy she was.

And that's Laura putting the cutlery away for me. :)

Just being them

My dolly among their dollies.

Practicing her G scale on her tin sheet. 

One thing I love about this girl is how creative and different she can be - it's just her. She doesn't mind doing stuff different, - she likes her work to be what she likes. And that's pretty cool. :) 

I don't know why, but you're so cute - even in a little mess.