November Thanksgivings Day #2

Thankful for my Hubby!

I am going to try to blog every day this week with something I am thankful for. Kate has challenged me to share what I am thankful for. I'm not promising that I can do it after Sunday as I return to work next week but I will do my best.

Today I am Thankful for my Husband! I may complain about the things he doesn't do and I know I've been guilty of that lately but there is so much he DOES do that I need to be more appreciative of him. He lets me leave to have 'my time' even though we have a 3 month old who screams and cries and won't take a bottle for him, he thinks of me and comes home to watch the kiddos so I can go vote, he allows me, or will be allowing me, to go scrapbooking all day on a Saturday during Hunting Season, he provides for our family, and he absolutely loves our children. He is a wonderful daddy to our three kids and the love of my life. Love you Jason, even though you don't read this I'm thankful for you.

Thankful for Health!

First off, we had our second visit to DeVos today for Easton to check his hemoglobin and blood counts. Everything looked great, Praise the Lord. Our little, yet not so little, guy had all of the nurses ooing and aahing. They just loved his hair and his rolls. I had to strip him down to his diaper to get weighed and measured, therefore the nurses were able to check out his chubby little belly and the rolls upon rolls on his arms and legs. He weighs 17 lbs 9 oz and is 26 inches long. I am so very thankful that I have a healthy baby who has a blood virus that is so treatable and which doesn't have hardly any side effects in our daily lives. This could be much worst, I could be going there to have chemo treatments or some other form of treatment, for this I am thankful. What a blessing he is. He truly is such a happy little guy these days. Just when it's getting good I have to go back to work, yup, I head back in a week. I went in today, thanks Kari for helping me out, in order to plan with my sub and she had it all planned for me already. I have been so blessed to have such a fantastic sub in my classroom teaching my students. God is truly blessing me!

Secondly, I headed back to WW two weeks ago, I wasn't going to say anything but what the heck. I've lost 6.2 lbs and I'm so excited. Tonight I headed back to SNAP Fitness, a 24 hour fitness center up the road from me. I went there after having Addisyn, well, just before she turned one and I really loved it and felt very good about myself. So I thought that I needed to do this for my sanity again. So tonight I was back at it and I feel great! Here's to 6 more pounds by Thanksgiving, and I'm not going to gain it all back by eating pumpkin pie and turkey, I'll just have skinny little slices :)

Trick-or-Treat

We were supposed to head to TC yesterday and trick-or-treat with the T family but plans had to be changed when my parents still didn't have power back, thank goodness it came back on this morning. So instead we headed over to j's parents so the girls could trick-or-treat with their cousins. They were really excited to trick-or-treat this year, I think each year they get more excited about halloween. J said that next year they'll probably have to expand their route, they didn't hit that many houses, soon though, they'll want to go to more I'm sure.

Our little stinker

Snow White, Addisyn Joy

Princess and the frog, Kylynn Joy

Cousins ~ Cole, Cambrey, Addisyn and KylynnAunt Kari and the girls going trick-or-treatingThe sis and I in our Halloween t-shirts

Pumpkin Carving Time

We always seem to wait till the last minute to carve pumpkins, oh well, it got done. The girls actually put their hands in the guts but not for long. J and I did most of the work, I should say, all of the work. I got an idea from a friend, ash, to print out pumpkin stencils. So we were a little more creative this year. I showed the girls the stencils and let them pick one out. Addi picked the friendly ghost and Kylynn picked a jack-o-lantern face, not the typical though. It was a challenge for me to veer from the usual but I can honestly say it was pretty easy and fun. Besides a little crampy hand it wasn't that bad.

As we were carving I said, Grandpa VanDyke should be here. He always loved carving pumpkins, or did he just do it cause we loved it. Anyway, next year we will need another adult to tackle Easton's pumpkin. Or maybe we shouldn't wait till the last minute. I love the tradition of carving pumpkins and hopefully some day I'll have a nice porch to place them on. Dreaming I know, but I am one for traditions and I can't wait to get into a neighborhood where my kids trick or treat in the neighborhood with their friends and we take a picture on the front porch with their pumpkins and costumes. It will happen, until then we'll trick or treat at grandpa and grandma's houses. This year we'll try something new. Stay tuned for photos.Addi didn't mind the guts, she just listened to her sister and didn't want to do itthis is the extent of what she took out, not a fan of the guts

daddy working on addi's pumpkin

trying something new

the girls with their pumpkins

our ghost and jack-o-lantern

our week

We didn't do a whole lot this week. I'm trying to take it easy and spend as much time as possible with the kiddos as I go back to work in 2 weeks, yup, 2 weeks and back to work I go. I just learned yesterday that pt conferences are the first 2 days I go back, how awful. That means my first two days I'll be at work from 7:15 - 7:15. Let's just say I will be exhausted that week, hopefully I can get to bed early and little man will sleep good for me. Keep your fingers crossed, say a little prayer for me cause I'm already dreading this. I'm sure we will survive but not going to be a fun week.

We had a play date with Mercy yesterday, the girls love playing with her. Today we went out for lunch with Aunt Linney and this weekend we plan to carve pumpkins. Hope everyone enjoys their weekend.

He's smiling more

my three blessings

Easton and Addisyn

Kylynn and Easton


Our happy boy

Big eyed Easton, check out his curly mohawk

The other day the girls were playing baby,
they play so well together, most of the time, I love it

Wordless Wednesday

Happy Birthday Mom

Today I want to wish my mom a very Happy Birthday! It takes becoming a mom to truly appreciate what a mother does for their children. Mom and I have probably become closer now that I am a mother and I love it. We didn't always get along the best when I was in High School, you know she just didn't understand, well really she did but I didn't think she did. She has always been there for me and I love being able to pick up the phone and have her there. Hopefully some day I'll be able to drive a shorter distance to get to her house if need her. For now though I will take her at a phone call away, 2 1/4 hours away. She has been a huge help to me with the three kids. When the hubby decides to head to the UP, mom comes down, or should I say Grandma. I am so blessed to have her to help me and give me a little relief.

In September we enjoyed the circus, this past weekend we enjoyed the pumpkin patch with the kids. We also started a new tradition of making applesauce, I really enjoyed spending the afternoon side by side with her learning how to make applesauce. She told me she learned from her mom and now I have learned from her, love it. Thanks so much mom for coming down once again to help me out, I truly appreciate it!

The kids giving Grandma her presentNow she has her Vera, and she even got socks

Mom, have a wonderful day and enjoy your day, do something for you, don't cook either! Love ya!