Sunday, January 29, 2017

Take it easy

This seems to be our theme song for part of January. Somehow Jacob, you managed to get pneumonia and the stomach bug! Poor guy. Nothing tugs at a mother's heart more than when their babies get sick and just aren't themselves. 
So much for saving some absentee days for the end of the year trips! Thankfully mlk, weather and broken water pipes bought you three more days out of school after missing one whole week. However, the boy that loved to go to school and ride the bus took a couple of days to show up. By the 2nd weekend, you were showing signs of an active 7 yr old boy again. Bowling, basketball and hockey didn't slow you down too much. 
However, licking your fingers at the bowling alley may have had something f to do with the stomach bug?! Just kidding. It's been almost 5 years since the last time you have thrown up. Maybe now you will take washing your hands a little more seriously. 





Thanks for being a trooper and taking all of your gross medicine. Also, thanks for  being the sweetest boy in the middle of the night when you are hot and can't fall back asleep, and when you wake up before your worn out momma you let me get 5 more minutes in bed. You deserve to be spoiled, bud. (Only if I forget how painful it is to get you to do any school work and how you don't take writing seriously!)
Anyways, it was fun bunkering down with you for more than a bit. Thankfully you and your sister got along and you got a Wii for Christmas!   

Wednesday, January 25, 2017

Birthday girl

Your birthday was more than special. It was perfect. You got to go and bowl with friends on Friday night, followed by a full day on Saturday. After gymnastics the theme of the day was gifts for Julia! You loved every single one of them and put them all to good use right away. 
I pray your 5th year will bring you happiness and good health. (We also prayed the other night that it would be filled with days of getting along with each other and no whining! Of course we both chuckled at the end of it. That is how I want to end each and every day with you...a smile and a laugh.)

Your weekend in pictures! 
Oh...let's not forget you requested to sleep with us in your last night of being four and wanted a present to be under your pillow. Good thing I wrapped this before bed! 



You didn't even know you were beating everyone; including your brother and the older boys on the other lane! (You bowled a 90)


You especially enjoyed your time with Sophia.

The next day you had gymnastics followed by icing your cake that aunt la made for you! It was a hit and I'm sure you'll request another one! 

 


The rest of the weekend and was your style. You had some time for Mario Karts with grandma and pa. You and your brother even squeezed in some playing time in before Hockey practice.  
After hockey, Dad and Pa surprised you with a trip to "Chicken Ranch." Finally, you fell asleep while waiting patiently for a movie! Even though it was your special day, your dad and brother had a couple of football games to watch after hockey. Luckily, you woke in time to get a movie in before bed. 


Thanks for being our little sweetie.




Saturday, January 21, 2017

How old are I

Five years has flown by miss Julia! I'm so happy that this year marks the year you can remember how old you are. This week is also the week you could read house numbers while going 20 mph instead of you asking me to stop so you could read them. I'm hoping you will take great joy in learning your numbers this spring...especially when we are looking for speed limit signs on the way to Florida.

Julia, it feels like you have been 5 for years. You are a 5 year old who has figured out so much. From riding your bike to taking a kayak out on the pond, you are ready to try anything. I hope I don't slow you down because you are my little baby girl. I'll try my best not to. 

Thank you for being you. You keep us on our toes, and you know just how to make us laugh. I can't wait to see what is in store for you this year. I hope it is filled with all the joy that you bring to us. 


Monday, January 16, 2017

One lazy week

A box of Popsicles, and handful of movies and a lot of Wii is how we managed to battle pneumonia. It was a Lazy week, that's what it was. It was a time for healing and renewal. We enjoyed our 8 days off of school so much we forgot what we had to do when we actually had to catch the bus! We forgot everything. Thankfully your sister was up and I could drag her with me to get you your lunch, medicine and hug. (It broke my heart to see you fall on the ice, not once but twice.) 








Sunday, January 15, 2017

You two in 2016


This picture captures your year Julia. You were all smiles, lots of belly laughs, more improved dance, moves, along with some singing and playing make believe. But the life in your smile was shared with so many others.
The look you give Jacob, as in the look that shows your admiration, your love and compassion is special. It happens at the best times, and I cherish every time I get to hear your sweet words uttered with it.


We had a great season of basketball and sadly ended it with a goodbye to Matt Bohannon as well. Who knows how long we will continue our adventures to the games, but hopefully it will be a pleasant memory for you both.





In 2016, you lost three teeth and your "whittle" kid voice is slowly leaving us as your face grows thinner too. You continue to be tough and determined. You laugh mostly with your sister and are getting use to the idea that you need to protect her. Due to the winter weather, you aren't playing with your friends as much and often get lost with Julia in her "dog or sibling" play. You still get crazy at night and would prefer to run a couple of laps with your sister before you wind down and complete your bed time routine.
Thank the lord for this new house and the room upgrades! I don't have to worry about carrying anyone out of our bed because you guys fall asleep in your own! Hallelujah. Don't get us wrong...we still love our morning snuggles from you miss Julia!





This face is how you feel about dresses now! (not so much in February-May) However, for three months strong, this dress was it! You didn't even care if it smelled like fish because you wore it fishing...you knew I'd wash it, and would sleep in late enough so it could dry!


 Then summer came. Along with a new neighborhood. You two became acclimated to this place before we could even unpack. Therefore, frog hunts were moved to our backyard with a couple upgrades. Upgrades that involved bricks, boards, containers and an imagination. I wish I had more pictures of each frog habitat that was built.
So it's safe to say it was the summer of FROGS. With the ideal weather, and more than ideal neighbors you were able to rescue frogs from the window well and collect a couple in our paddle boat. Hopefully, we aren't interfering with the food chain.


I can't tell you how much I loved watching new adventures unfold in our back yard! From tangled fishing lines, to catching our own worms, I still say it is worth every extra penny!


School started and you transitioned so well. We didn't get too many adventures outside of CF in after the move. Our time was consumed with deck building, unpacking and watching you take roots in our new home.

why would you need to leave this place for an adventure? 




Finally, an adventure to New Glarus and the traditions that come with it.You would prefer not to have your picture taken, but this time you were holding a pretzel so you couldn't move. This is why you don't appear blurry!You both savor the time with our dear friend Herman. He's more like family and this trip you classified him as an uncle!

Oh the magic wand that we lost down the sewer! Was it worth another 7$ to lose it in our house?



Before this fall, you could care less about football. Now that we are heading into 2017, you can't get enough. Your dad has a football buddy...


This picture just cracks me up for so many reasons. Thankfully the weather only gave us a taste of one cold fall morning.






Now snow...we had fun early on in the year at our old place. We will have to look forward to this white stuff in 2017, and can only do that because we have the countdown until spring break to get us through it!



Even though life is crazy at times and I feel so unqualified for this job, there is not one day that I don't treasure. My coffee may not even surface until 2 o'clock because I set it down to help find someones shoes. My beer, well I actually prefer to drink it warm now. I have experienced life with you guys and that's all that matters. 
Now I just need to keep recording the things we love about you at this point in time. 
The things I don't want to ever forget about you two at this moment...

Jacob, when you ask us to snuggle with you and tickle your hands or rub your back. 
Julia, who can resist you asking us to lay with you and read you two books every night? I can't and I so appreciate the mornings when you come into our bed to say good morning and we have a couple more hours to go...all you do is grab my ear for 5 seconds and you are out. It's usually after you say something sweet to dad and you say you love me. 
Julia, your belly laugh and desire to laugh
Jacob, I love your independence you are gaining. 
Julia, your sense of pride when you mastered riding a bike at the age of 4.
Julia, when you share your appreciation for food by saying"this is really, really good" or "this is so, so good"
Listening to you play Julia, and focus in on the true meaning of Christmas and asking how old Jesus is ("he's 5 because of the song 5 golden rings") or explaining while playing teacher or just listening to yourself talk
Jacob, your enjoyment of hockey. Your smile says it all while you play, no matter what rink.