"We miss, Grandma, Grampy, Auntie, Valerie & Meredith"

Well...my family left on Friday morning :( It was sad to see everyone go, and of course, I cried like a big baby and then my mom and sister started too!!! It's always great to spend time together...but always hard to say goodbye for a while longer.
Anyways, it was a great time! We did so much...parks, picnics, Chippewa, CLE Fair, rides, junk food, McDonalds, Mount McKay, Wiggles & Giggles, Momma Mia, My birthday cake (made by my mom and ALL the kids) the list can go on...but I'll just post a millon pictures instead!!!
Miss you all...see you in October....hopefully!

*P.S.Click on the photos to enlarge them!

All the cousins!



Our family


family picnic at Chippewa


Ezra & Mommy on my 29th b-day


My sister, Angela & her girls


Beautiful Valerie


Beautiful Ezra


Matthijs & Valerie going for the very first Chariot ride


Fun at the CLE


Meredith has gorgeous eyes....


Valerie being just plain ol' sweet! Sooo photogenic!!!


Oh how they adore each other...


Sisters...


Grandma & Grampy with all 5 of their grandkids *note Matthijs' finger*


A sad goodbye...

our visit so far...

we're having fun!!!
lovin' it!
here are my sweet little nieces...Valerie & Meredith...too cute, super sweet!

ALL BOY!!!!!!!!

Matthijs is ALL BOY! If there is something to get into, he'll find it and get into it! Yesterday, today (and everyday) for that matter!
Yesterday I left him for a minute...and he found his way to the basement walked all over with his hands and feet the medicine cabinet that Matthew had freshly painted...leaving his cute little foot prints all over our carpet in the basement (thankfully it was there)...he was a mess and so was the cabinet!!!
Today...even worse! I came into the house (Matthijs was having a nap...or so I thought!) When I walked by his room I noticed he wasn't there!!! So I came downstairs and called for him...he came walking up to me with blue nailpolish he found and opened and had spilled all over our floors and had ALL over his hands, legs, feet, and face and the house, it seemed!!!! It was a disaster.... But he had the most saddest face on when he came up to me with the opened polish "I sorry mommy, I sorry"
I would've taken pictures but I was too busy scrubbing the floors and my mom was too busy scrubbing Matthijs...
This poem sure suits him!!! I love him to death...total boy or not...he's the sweetest little prince I ever did meet!!!
Love you handsome!
Mommy xoxo

A baby boy comes
in most every size,
With mischievous face
and questioning eyes.
With a misshapen halo,
And a wonderful grin,
With ten busy fingers,
And one sticky chin.
He’s cunningly stubborn
and amazingly fast,
So you’ll never find him
where you put him last.
He’ll keep you so busy,
and yet all the while,
Nothing will soften your work
like his smile.

just being happy....

A little video of Isla at 11.5 weeks old!!! (if I say it in weeks...she sounds younger, and that makes me feel better!!!) But sadly...shes growing up way too fast!!!
Isn't she full of beauty...my beauty full girl!!!

p.s. you'll have to PAUSE the music playing when you scroll down, that way you can hear the video!!!

what do you want to be when you grow up?

I asked Ezra this question a couple of days ago...and her answer was "a mommy, just like you!" This made me feel so happy...I must be doing something right if she wants to be like me! I always wanted to be a mommy too...this is the job I've waited so long to have...trying to cherish every minute!
When I asked Matthijs...he said he wanted to be a firetruck!!! Then I explained to him that he couldn't be a firetruck, but he could drive one!!! Nothing like brusting his bubble...he was still happy with the alternative!!!

photos and lil' update!

Just thought I'd post a few pics...Isla is now 10 1/2 weeks old...2 1/2 months...crazy how quickly time flies by!
Ezra is gearing up for school...can't wait! She bought her backpack today...she was allowed to pick any backpack she wanted and she insisted on polly pocket!!! Its not a surprise to me, seeing as she is addicted to her website and will stay on it most of the day (if we let her!!)
Matthijs seems to have entered a new phase of the terrible twos...and not a good one! He is still super duper sweet but having a tough time listening...poor guy! Mommy has a hard time discipling...which doesn't make things better!!! Oh well...as Krysta always says "this too shall pass". But he's doing awesome on the potty front...pooping and peeing all on his own...feels it coming and runs to the pots! Im so proud of him!
So I may not give an update for a little while. Today I photographed my first wedding and I have a TON of editing to do!!! Wish me luck!
Matthew has been working LONG and HARD on our bathroom reno...and it's looking fantastic!!! I LOVE IT LOVE IT LOVE IT...and its not even done! He hopes to have it done in the next week *fingers crossed*. I will be sure to post the before and afters of it...Im so excited!
Well...I rented the sisterhood of the travelling pants...so I should skidaddle...take care and enjoy the pictures from yesterday of my lovies!!! (sorry...don't have any of Matthijs...he's still one of my lovies!!)

Isla looking sooo cute in her new outfit from our friends Steve & Tina...I love it...too cute!!!




Napping...Father/Daughter snooze....


Awaiting a thunderstorm...



Shes loves him...

I'm so happy!!!

Tonight, Ezra asked Jesus into her heart!!!! This is amazing!

I was tucking her into bed and saying goodnight. As we were chatting we spoke about Jesus as usual...and I asked her if Jesus was in her heart and she said yes...I said really? I said "did you ask him to come into your heart?" she said "no, he's just in there!" then I explained that when we tell Jesus that we want him in our heart then he'll be with us always. And that when Jesus is in your life, you'll want to be like him and follow him forever. Ezra said how much she wanted to follow Jesus forever.

So we asked daddy to come up and together we all prayed and Ezra made a commitment tonight to follow Jesus!!!

I know that she may not understand FULLY...but that will come in time! Perhaps she knows more than me and Matthew put together! I can only pray to have a child like faith. I pray that God will use Ezra in amazing ways and that she will continue her relationship with Jesus...forever!

How awesome for us to be able to witness this....thank you Jesus!

my everythings...

thank you God for my blessings!!!

he loves me!

of course I always knew that my son loves me...but today for the first time ever...he told me! "I ove you...tisses???" Matthijs, my handsome prince, you melt me heart! Always have, always will!
You usually repeat me when I tell you that I love you...but for the first time...out of the blue, we were chasing each other in the field on Riverview...you told me what I longed to hear...I LOVE YOU TOO HANDSOME!
Forever & Always,
Mommy xoxo

Our today...

We had a wonderful summer day with wonderful summer weather!!! We spent all morning outside...me, outside with the kids and Matthew outside fixing the car, which we're happy to say its FIXED and good to go!!!

After naps we took the kids strawberry picking and it was sooo much fun!





I had Isla attached to my chest in the snugli, so it was a tad hard to fully participate in the picking festivities!

After that we drove to the dutch cheese farm where Matthew purchased a bag of cheese curds and goat food for the kids to feed the baby goats...they had a BLAST!

After that we came home and had some more fun!!!



And as usual, Matthew prepared a gourmet dinner (which the kids shockingly ate)! Movie, snack, bed and then it our turn to have our fun! I went for my first run since having Isla and Matthew is continuing the bathroom renos!!!

I thought this was hilarious...MUCHAS GRACIAS

food for thought...

I love this:

For every minute you are angry,
you lose sixty seconds of happiness.

-Author Unknown

1st Potty Sucess for Matthijs!!!

This morning I decided to take Matthijs to the potty after he woke up. He's never interested in it...but I thought I'd give it a shot.
Nothing happened...so I brought our potty into the family room and told him that if he had to go pee to just go to the potty. A few minutes later Matthijs calls out "daddy I poo poo" (he thinks that pee and poo are BOTH poo) Matthew looks over sure enough he had peed on the floor, but had stood up right after and ended up peeing a lot in the potty half way through the accident he had just had!
We were so proud that without any prompting at all he stopped peeing on the floor, held the rest of his pee until he made it to the potty...and finished what he started!!!! Matthijs got lots of praise, a sticker and our famous potty dance!!
So who knows...but I'd say that was a step in the right direction!!!! Way to go handsome...we love you!

ha ha ha ha ha

Ezra says the cutest little things!
I am soooo not a scientist...neither is Matthew but he's got a lot figured out ;) Anyways, Matthew was trying to explain to me how cars that run on hydrogen work...after NOT getting it, I was telling Ezra how smart daddy is, to which Matthew replied "there are generalists and specialists...I would be more of a generalist" I said, "well then, what catergory do I fall under?" - long pause - Then Ezra pipes up and says, "Mommy, you're special too!" So, according to Ezra...I'm a specialist! Thanks sweetie!!! I'm a specialist in loving YOU!

2 months old today...

I can't believe that Isla is 2 months old already! We go tomorrow for her first set of shots...always heartbreaking for a mommy to put their newborn angel through...oh well, must be done! She'll do great!!

Some things at 2 months old:

* You don't mind tummy time (for short periods)
* You LOVE being in conversation...as soon as mommy looks at you and talks to you your face lights up and you beam me with a giant smile. You 'talk' a lot
* You sleep awesomly at bedtime, only waking once or twice for a quicky - 5 min feed and then back to dreamland...
* You still love being held (can I blame you)
* Almost always wake up when you're put down
* You are taking 2-3 naps a day, sometimes lasting 3 hrs!! (1 or two of them)
* You are still super duper cute...see...





Daddy reading a story before beddybye time!!!


And just cuz I caught this cute one of TayJay


Love Mommy
xoxo