Family Day at the Beach

Daddy started his new job on Saturday. So to soak up our last non-working day together, we went to the beach.
We love spending time together, and we all love the beach so we had a great time!
Here are some pictures of our day!

You loved playing in the sand! Squishing it between your toes and letting it sift through your fingers.

The water was pretty chilly but you had to stick your toes in. As soon as I took this picture a big wave came and I had to grab you and run! You thought it was hysterical!

Jack, you were there too!

More playing in the sand!

Daddy dug a hole, you helped and then stuck your feet in so we buried them!
You thought it was so funny. You stood there and shouted "Ahh, I'm stuck!" and giggled. As soon as we pulled you out you wanted right back in.

The sun was shining and it was fairly warm. It was such a beautiful day. One that is burned in my mind. I just love being with you boys! It's so wonderful to just enjoy each others company. I am such a blessed woman!

I had to prove I was here too!

With Daddy having a new job I know it will take some getting used to. I have already explained to you a few times, why Daddy has to go to work. The first few nights at bed time you would cry, "I don't want Dada to leave!". It broke Daddy's heart. There is nothing more he would rather do than stay home with you. But, someone has to make money for us to live...sadly. So, your Daddy, the great man that he is, sucks it up everyday and goes to work to provide for us, because he loves us. That's not saying Daddy doesn't like his job, he really does like it! This job will allow your daddy to either have breakfast with us or dinner and bed time. Sometimes both! The Lord has so graciously provided us with exactly what we needed...no more...no less. Well, actually way more than I could ever have thought to ask for! He truly is our provider, remember that boys, He always provides what we need when we are faithful and follow Him!

It's been an adjustment for all of us, with Daddy going back to work but, I feel so grateful! It's been good for me, I've had to step up and be productive, we spend time together and I get most of the house work done! It's the team work of Mommy and Daddy that make our life happen!

This was a great day, a great way to kick off our new beginning!

Love,
Mommy/ Daddy's new job is close to the beach...that means many more trips are in our future!!

Big Belly!!

Hey Jack,

You have been cooking in my tummy for about 33 weeks. You are about the size of a cabbage. It feels like  you have gotten huge over night...I mean look at you...Hello Baby!!

This week I have started to waddle really good. You haven't stopped kicking, you still have nightly dance parties and you kick my ribs every now and then. We are mostly ready for you to make your debut and I'm about ready for you to be here. It's funny that I forget about this time in pregnancy...I can't get comfortable in bed, my body is starting to ache, I'm tired, and just ready to hold you. 

I want you to keep cooking...but don't get to comfortable in there I would really like you to be born in February...no holding out for March...they will induce me before then but I don't want to force you out...that wasn't fun with Jake. I really want to know what it's like to go into labor and drive to the hospital breathing...not nervous wondering what labor is like. 

Whatever happens it will be great...because we get you! This week I have had a little more energy, I think I'm just extra motivated to get the house ready and clean for you. I haven't been craving anything specific...breakfast food really sounds good...eggs, sausage, hash browns...yumm!! My clothes are starting to not fit so well...no more stretching regular shirts out...now it's all maternity clothes. We are all so excited to meet you, to see what you will be like and who you will look like. 

Keep cooking baby!! 

Love, 

Mama/ ready to have you in my arms!!

Happy New Year!!

Happy New Year boys!! 

2011 was quite a year...here's our New Year's card that we sent out...I think it does a pretty good job of summing up our year!!

As we more into 2012 together so much is going to change. Jack, you will come into this world soon. Jake you will soon be a big brother. This is a huge life changer! I promise that your Daddy and I will be there for you two through it all. If you get jealous Jake and when you need to eat in the middle of the night Jack. Were in this together and it will great, exhausting, but so very great! 

Each year your Daddy and I choose one word to focus on to help guide us through the year. This last year it was, Togetherness. We started a business together and made family time and just Mommy and Daddy time a priority! This year our word is Passion. For us, this means diving deeper into things we are passionate about. For Daddy this means learning and teaching through his on-line Everyday Theology page. For me this means falling in love with photography again...and finishing school!! So, for you boys this means that Mommy and Daddy will happy, when we are doing what we love, it helps us to love life and you more! God has given us each passions, talents and joys. They are there for a reason. God wants to use what he gives you to help you learn about him more, learn about your self more and to effect others! Jack will be a bit young for this to hit home...but the over flow of this year is sure to effect your life! Jake, for you this means Mommy and Daddy fostering talents and passions we see in you now. You already love to color and paint...so we will be doing more of that. You love cars so, you and Daddy will work on the cars together. Little things like that will help you explore the passions the Lord has given you, even at the age of two! Like I said earlier...these one word yearly focus bleed over into the rest of our lives.  Last year we learned so much about togetherness that it will help us always make family a priority! This will effect you boys for the rest of your lives. How we function as a family and making you a priority will help shape who you grow up to be. That is slightly scary as a parent, we need to be living as God has called us to, so you can be the best examples of Christ that you can be! This pressure helps me feel the weight of responsibility I have for you. It's an honor but also a huge responsibility to have you boys placed in our care. By God's grace alone...we live to teach you about Him!! 

So here's to 2012...our year of Passion!! Let's live our lives with passion!!

Love, 

Mama/ it shouldn't be too hard to renew my passion for photography with one cute model and another one on the way!!

My Little Artist

Hey Jake, 

remember the easel you got for Christmas...and those finger paints I made you??

Well, we busted them out the other day...you had been asking since Christmas Day and we finally found time! 

So, here you are finger painting for the first time!

 At first you only dipped one finger and painted

Then you started dunking your whole hand 

 Then you started picking up paint out of one jar and dropping it in another..."I colors mixing mama!"

I think you had more fun playing with the paint than actually painting! 

I'm so glad that you liked it...you used to hate getting dirty and having stuff on your hands!

 This is one of the cutest faces you make...you were drawing a fast race car, you were moving your hand up and down saying, "faster, faster, faster" 

This easel is very cool, it has a white board on the other side and Grandma got you dry erase crayons in your stocking for Christmas...Perfect!! 

You have such focus when you color...and pretty good hand position too! 

You love coloring...every night since Christmas you have colored on this thing, you have gone through quite a lot of paper, but you love it. I am so glad that you love art! I'm excited to try new things with you this year! 

Love, 

Mama/ I love to color with you!!!

Quite the talker!

Hey Jake!
You have become quite the little word smith. You surprise us daily with new words, concepts and long sentences!

The other day, you were talking to your Uncle Alex and said to him, " hi, Uncle Alex, I got two new monster trucks, Monster Mutt and Mohawk Warrior!" your Daddy and I just looked at each other in amazement! That whole sentence out of my two year old!
You listen to what everyone's saying and you pick up on things even when we aren't talking to you. We have to be careful not to mention certain things in front of you, bad words (of course) but also anything about lollipops, candy, food, cars, bye-bye and really anything. You have 'big ears' as we say and you are quite the parrot! Just today you called Grandma, Melanie (that's Grandmas name), because Daddy did!
Some things that you say we wonder where you came up with. The other day you told your Grandpa that you love him and when asked if you love Grandma, you said, "no, I only love Grandpa". Then later that day you told me, I don't like Dada I only love Mama". Where do you come up with these things? And recently you have told me after being disciplined by Daddy, that you don't like him! Really? I guess, I'm glad you have feelings and you don't mean, that you don't love people. You are either not happy with being punished, totally understandable, or just being silly...you are quite the little goof (you love to tease!)

But the most recent thing you have done/said was last night... You were mumbling to yourself and pulling your buzz light year ride-on around. You walked past me talking quietly to yourself about parking the car and eating dinner. Then you parked...looked unhappy with it...moved it...and said "perfect!" then you leaned over to Ted (the dog) and said, "look Teddy, I parked the car!" then you proceeded to show him your cars. "Look Teddy, see my monster trucks?....Monster Mutt...Mohawk...see Teddy? Do you like them?" You had this whole conversation with our dog, it was the cutest thing ever, the best part is that Ted listened to every word you said! I love that when you parked your car the way you wanted you exclaimed..."Perfect!!"
It was just the cutest little moment, I just had to write it down! You are the cutest boy...so full of love, (despite telling people you don't like them or love them!) so full or words and expression! It is so fun to listen to you. You say the cutest things everyday. I have a feeling I'll be writing more of these "you say the darnedest things" posts!

Love, Mama/ watching my mouth around you!!

P.S. Tonight at Target, I asked you what you were doing. You told me, "I looking for new cars!" "Oh, did you get any?" I asked. "No, I have no money!" There were a few people around us that snickered at our exchange. I don't blame them, those little words are priceless!

Christmas Day

Christmas Day finally arrived...you woke up and came out of your room (you figured out how to open doors and not nothing keeps you in!) Grandpa and Uncle Steve came up and got you. Mommy and Daddy heard you and woke up too. We all come down stairs and opened stockings...

Now our stocking at not your average size stockings and not everything fits into the stocking. Grandmas stockings are things of legend. They are little, special things that she bought personally for you! They are awesome and a highlight of Christmas (no pressure Grandma!!). 

You saw the gifts and got pretty excited, you ran right over and grabbed one. 

 but first, Mommy got the footstools Daddy had been working on...they were beautiful and as you can see I was pretty excited about them!!

 As we were talking about the foot stools and getting ready to sit down to open stockings you discovered your train table. "Wow, look at that train!" you exclaimed! You set down your gift (yes, you paused, set down the gift) then you ran over to the train board. 

 You were very excited...you love this thing!

 We finally peeled you away from the train and started to open stockings and then gifts!

 You finally got this opening gifts thing down. Between your birthday, advent and Christmas you have become a pro at ripping into gifts!

 Always so excited about your gifts!! This little guy is super cool. It's a color changing chameleon that changes color to match what you set it on...super cool!! You love it and insist on it being on during naps!

 You got a TON of new cars...we have been stockpiling them for months! It took a lot for your Daddy to not give them to you!! You also got a new car rug to go with them!

I actually surprise your Daddy this year with a new air soft gun!! He was super excited about it!!

 You by the Christmas tree...we brought down your chair so we all had big comfy chairs to sit in! 

 You being cute!

 You also got an easel...you were really excited to paint and you loved naming the paint colors! 

 Ted, was inside with us all morning, he got a stocking too! But, before we ate Ted got a special surprise! He sat so pretty and waited...

 Then he dug right in...this is a cow leg bone...super gross but, he loves it. Ted is one tuff dog and can shred and destroy any toy so, this is perfect for him it is still out in him dog run...no way is it coming in our house!

 Here you are sweet Jake...

 Merry Christmas my boy!

 "What mom? all the cool kids sit like this...I'm so done taking pictures!"

 You loved this tree...you loved looking at all the ornaments and you talked to it. You would say good night to it and tell it you were just taking a nap and would see it later!! So funny!

Playing cars by the tree!

Being a frog, "ribbet, ribbet!"

 Hugging the Christmas Tree, we think we are all allergic to it so, it was being taken down the next day. You were saying good bye and telling it, that is had been a great Christmas tree!

 I love this picture of you...You just couldn't get enough of this tree...and it looks like Christmas wonder to me...it's so fun to experience Christmas with you, we get to rediscover the magic and wonder that is Christmas! It's a beautiful thing to see Christmas thought your eyes.

We had such a great Christmas, you were such a joy to share it with. 

Christmas with the Meyer's

Christmas Eve Eve...The day we celebrate Christmas with the Meyer family. I really love that we get so many Christmas celebrations! I think it helps make Christmas more than one day! 

So, we went to Nana and Papa's house on Thursday, that night we had chinese food with Grandma and Grandpa Meyer (your great grandparents!) and the rest of Daddy's family. Then we went and looked at Christmas Tree Lane, a whole street where people decorate their houses with tons of lights...you loved it. 

The next day, Christmas Eve Eve, as we have come to call it, we drove to Chick-fil-a for a special lunch. Later that night we had yum-yum breakfast and cinnamon rolls (my favorite meal!) and then opened gifts. 

Here we are...

You don't love this gift yet, but I know you will, I was super proud of it...It's a super Jake cape!!

 You helped Uncle Matt open his gifts...

 You wanted Teddy to wear your cape...seriously...I'm so proud of how cute this turned out!

 This is your first kids Bible!! You love reading out of it!

 So, at the Meyer house they do these things called 'surprise gifts', it's just an extra gift after all the other gifts...it's usually something special that we haven't asked for but will really like. We take turns going youngest to oldest...you go out of the room and wait until you are told to come back into the room. 

This year, you got to go first...sorry buddy...next year Jack will go first!! Uncle Matt took you out of the room and this beautiful kitchen got moved into the room.

 Uncle Matt brought you back into the room and you jumped out of his arms and proclaimed, "Wow, kitchen, kitchen, kitchen!"

 You ran straight over to it...kind of jumping/galloping

 And you began to play!

 You had this huge smile on your face...we just let you play while the rest of us got our surprise gifts.

You were one happy boy. You really impressed me with how much you expressed your gratefulness. You said, Thank You, to each gift giver and wanted to play with the gift right then. It was hard for you to put down toys to open more gifts. We were very proud of you though, so grateful and appreciative of each gift...you make us so proud! 

I'm so thankful that our families all live close so we can be together on special days like this!