Halloween...a little late

halloween...what else is there to say especially when you have 3 children under the age of 6? yup. candy, costumes and pumpkins.
i got this idea from my friend emily...a very scary pizza with olives for spiders, before heading outside into the cold for trick or treating.
after many tears and "convincing" from mama, we got jane into her ballerina costume. (it took no convincing to get ben & joey INTO their ninja and batman costumes, just getting them OUT of them:)
once in a while it's kind of fun to pretend we are someone/something we're not, isn't it?

These Boots Are Meant for Walkin'

It seems my daughter, my first and so far only daughter after having 2 boys, has discovered shoes of all kinds. She wears her brothers shoes, her mom & dad's shoes, and even guests have had to search for a shoe before they leave because Jane has tried them on and walked away with it.

I was going through our million pictures on iphoto, and found that Jane has developed a tradition of trying on boots especially. And why not? Easy to put on, can be worn in any type of weather or terrain and don't they look cute?


Now that Ben is in school full time (1st grade) and Joey is in preschool a couple of days a week, Jane and I have had some time to bond. So... it's about time for me to find my boots and go for a walk with my daughter, don't you think?

All things new...

I thought I should start over with this blog since it has been so long since I have written! and since I last updated the blog, we have moved to a new house, started a new job, are expecting a new 4th child, and ben started 1st grade at a new school.

Here also is our new backyard...needs a new patio, retaining wall & lawn but to our delight someone has given us a new shed which was so generous and wonderful...
Ben has discovered a new role as the "responsible" big brother (notice the helmets and how jane is holding on for dear life!)


Jane has discovered new foods (she fell in love with peaches this summer) and new ways of getting attention :) ...Joey has made some new friends and is getting really good at riding his new scooter to keep up with his brother...


I just love this picture...it was taken yesterday at Ben's first day going to first grade at his new school...
and Ben had a great first day of school...our new neighbors have a boy exactly Ben's age and was in his class and even had a desk right next to him...a great way to start a new school year.

Greta

Jane is very fond of her auntie Greta. And we are very fond of her learning how to say "Greta". We love you Greta!

Monkey in the Middle

Sometimes the youngest likes being in the middle.

A Great May Day

Good cowboy boots PLUS...

Good ducky boots (both boots thanks to Value Village Marysville) PLUS...

Good snacks PLUS...

Good dinosaurs PLUS...

Good neighbors EQUALS a great May day.

Spring

We celebrated Easter at our new post in Stanwood. The kids got all dressed up and we were so excited to be a part of our new church somehow beginning on Easter seemed appropriate.


Over 900 people came to the Stanwood High School auditorium and Tim preached a great word on the empty tomb and the revolution Jesus started. We served breakfast to 55o people in the school cafeteria which was so great. Tim & I got to meet a lot of wonderful people.

Now...we just have to sell our house so we can move to the community of Stanwood/Camano Island. So it's been a couple of weeks of open houses, visits from realtors and keeping the house clean with three kiddos around. Not super fun. But through it all, I am realizing how good the reason for Easter, moving and keeping my house clean is. A life with God in it is worth it. Church and a clean house won't get me into heaven. It won't get anyone into heaven. Only the love and grace of the Savior can do that. But, I will do my part but not forget the REASON for it all.

Ahhh...

we had a very busy weekend starting work at our new post as senior pastors at Stanwood Foursquare Church. both daddy & jane were wiped out after 3 services.

but thankfully, the sun came out and we saw our shadows & bare feet for the first time this year.
i can't wait to see more sun!

happy birthday tim

a couple of days ago it was tim's birthday...the big 3-1 (that's 31 years old) and for those who haven't heard, we have taken a new job as the pastors of Stanwood Foursquare church in Stanwood, WA. So...for his birthday, my parents thought the new senior pastor should have a new briefcase...only, we thought tim would use a really nice computer briefcase more, so mom, and dad, THANK YOU for the awesome new bag!
and a very late THANK YOU for the handsome sweatshirt for Ben's birthday back in February...he wears it everyday!
and finally, happy, happy birthday to the best husband, dad & friend i know.

Real Snow

Last Friday my sister invited us up to Vancouver BC to go snowshoeing up Mt. Seymour. It was so great to go from gray drizzle to feet & feet of powdery snow!

As you can see behind Ben, the snow was deep and just the place for building a snow cave.

Before we left, we thought we should try on some hand-me-down snow boots for Jane and little did we know she would love them and feel the need to model them for hours clothes, or no clothes. If only she remembered how fun they were when we were out in the real snow!

A Day at the Park

Finally, the snow stopped and the sun came out and we headed to the park for some much needed outdoors time. There is this beautiful park right on the ocean just about 15 minutes from our house and last summer they built a great play structure so the kids had so much fun. It was still cold though so we left a little earlier than expected and came home for some hot chocolate and a nap!

A(nother) Day in the Life

It was typical Thursday in February except...

...it was sunny instead of cold & rainy
... Jane had two naps instead of one so could sew her a little outfit
(I only sew straight lines but I made up the pattern myself--pat on back)
...I was able to sneak away and work on the church invitations
...call my parents (which I really should do more often, they are very sweet)
...drive home all by myself with out the words "mooommm", "Ben won't share", or "ahhheeyy".


...and Ben, now 6, lost his first official tooth (the first tooth---the upper front one---he lost due to an unfortunate accident when he was 22 mo. old)

So...all in all, it was a great, not-so-typical day. I hope tomorrow is not-so-typical too.

One Year Olds

It's funny to analyze who these one year olds are...what is going through their brains and what will they be like at 3 year olds and 6 year olds and 12 year olds etc. It's a tough age for these ankle-biters...learning to walk and talk and being told no more often because there is a lot more cool stuff to get into (and a lot more dangerous stuff to get into). But it's me who really does the learning...how different each of my kids are and how different their needs are. My mother-in-law once told me "Just love each one for who they are". Now I see why this is such golden advice.

Ben, my first one year old, was very serious, curious and had to try and take apart or fix everything. He is still very much like that but seriousness has turned into focused, curious has become creative and the fixer has become a wonderful caregiver and productive kid.
Joey, my second, was fun from the day he was born and continued to be a fun and funny little one year old. He started walking at 11 months and that just gave him more access to climbing, dancing and jumping and doing anything that was "fun". He is still very much our funny comedian who always makes us laugh.

And our Jane. Just turned one January 28th and is smart and smiley, walking and talking---not real words but she looks you right in the eyes and gives these minute-long monologues which make you think she'll be the next president. She loves to be chased and surprised and sounds just like Marge Simpson when she laughs. I don't know what she'll be like, but I'm excited to see where her words and her smiles take her.

Happy 1st Birthday Jane!

i can't believe my little girl is one!
one year ago i had had a month of contractions and was impatiently waiting for our baby to arrive. we didn't know if she would be a girl or a boy so when she arrived after--
--driving at 3am to the hospital
--in a snowstorm (well, just a large dump of snow really, but snowstorm sound more dramatic)
--waiting for about 5 minutes before asking for an epidural (my very first one and it was AWESOME! why??!! didn't i have one with the other 2 kids?)
--calling my sister to come after she had been here all weekend and went home thinking nothing would happen!
--and then, with the support of my sweet husband our sweet jane elizabeth was born--9lbs 6oz of total delight.
everyday we thank God for a daughter who is fun and smiley, sweet and cuddly, smart and makes us laugh.
happy birthday jane.

Happy 6th Birthday Ben!

ben turned 6 years old today and requested a donut party (for the 3rd year
running!)
the pictures really speak for themselves. i especially like the picture with all the kids in front of the garage door...notice the mini chocolate donuts in mid-air. throwing donuts at dad is always fun!
Happy Birthday sweet Ben.