Gifts

Gabe in Finn's Christmas hat this morning on our way to church.  He get to borrow it for a little while.  ;)  Thank you DJ!

A frame that I love and have been waiting to get a picture printed for.  The frame was a baby shower gift!  Thanks Heidi!!!  I LOVE it!

An adorable gift that I can cherish forever!  Finn's picture was taken on Christmas night, in his new jammies and on his new super cozy blanket.  Thanks for the frame Pat! Thanks mom and GG for the blanket and jammies!

Laughing and Rolling Over

 12.26.12

In the evenings, Finn gets a bit goofy and we can get him to laugh a lot.  Here is Trev getting a bunch of giggles out of him!  Enjoy!  BTW, if Finn sees the camera he usually stops doing what he is doing.  That is why I am hiding from him a bit.  

 12.27.12

Finn rolling over.  I haven't been able to get it on camera any other time, but this one.  He won't do it cue yet! :)

Roll Over, Roll Over

Finn has started to roll from his stomach to his back, mostly in bed.  I am very proud of him of course, but when he keeps waking up during the night and during naps because he has rolled his little self over, it isn't much fun for us.  I have tried and tried to get it recorded when he isn't in bed, and so far he isn't cooperating too much!  :)  One day it will happen! 

 Here is our Finn with his Christmas gift from us.  :)  Finn McMissile, which according to Carson is how we came up with the name for our Finn. 

Gabe and his small Finn toy he got for Christmas, Finn with his toy, and the momma.

Hope you all had a wonderfully blessed Christmas!  I know ours was.  We had a blast with lots of family and friends too!

It is amazing that there are only a few short days left of this whole year!  I honestly can't believe that 2012 is almost over!  Wowzers!!!

Happy New Year!    

A Couple of Pictures

Carson and Gabe playing on the wrapping paper bin.

Finn moved into his crib this last week!  We got some snow in town for the first time!  YA! 

Teacher's Words

I just reread an email from Carson's Kindergarten teacher that was about their field trip they took on Wednesday to a retirement home and sang Christmas Carols to the residents.  She said, "As we left Skylark today one of the residents said 'thank you for coming, they really are wonderful.' I really am surrounded by the greatest gifts all day long."

One week after the horrific event in Connecticut and I still find myself short tempered and or irritated with my 3 boys.  I know that in life things are never going to be perfect or wonderful all day long, every day, but I think I need to be more grateful than I am for what I have been blessed with!  My heart sinks for what those families and friends are going through and just the itty bitty thought of that happening to one of my boys is absolutely devastating!  I can't imagine life without Carson, Gabe or Finn.  And I am so blessed to have the!  It is hard but such a blessing to teach them and guide them how the Lord directs. 

I am so thankful for Psalm 91 and the rest I can have in the Lord for His protection over my family and I. 

Psalm 91

¹ Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High
    will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.^[a]
2 I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress,
    my God, in whom I trust.”

³ Surely he will save you
    from the fowler’s snare
    and from the deadly pestilence.
⁴ He will cover you with his feathers,
    and under his wings you will find refuge;
    his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart.
⁵ You will not fear the terror of night,
    nor the arrow that flies by day,
⁶ nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness,
    nor the plague that destroys at midday.
⁷ A thousand may fall at your side,
    ten thousand at your right hand,
    but it will not come near you.
⁸ You will only observe with your eyes
    and see the punishment of the wicked.

⁹ If you say, “The Lord is my refuge,”
    and you make the Most High your dwelling,
¹⁰ no harm will overtake you,
    no disaster will come near your tent.
¹¹ For he will command his angels concerning you
    to guard you in all your ways;
¹² they will lift you up in their hands,
    so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.
¹³ You will tread on the lion and the cobra;
    you will trample the great lion and the serpent.

¹⁴ “Because he^[b] loves me,” says the Lord, “I will rescue him;
    I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name.
¹⁵ He will call on me, and I will answer him;
    I will be with him in trouble,
    I will deliver him and honor him.
¹⁶ With long life I will satisfy him
    and show him my salvation.”

I pray that this Christmas, and everyday, we will be thankful for the gifts (the ones that aren't under the tree) that we have been blessed with!  No matter how big or small they are!  

Merry Christmas!

Christmas in Jacksonville

Tonight we had to use a Limelight Deal in Jacksonville at the Candy Shoppe and wanted to visit the toy store in town.  While we were there, the owner of the Candy Shoppe told us about a live nativity scene that they were having at the old Cascade Christian High School.  

It was very very cold, but we had a great time! I am so thankful for my family.  Thankful that through the fighting and lack of naps today we get to spend time together and do special things together in celebration of the birth of Jesus!  Hope you are having a very merry season!

Jacksonville 12.14.12

Santa visited!

Here are a couple of pictures of our lives lately.  

12.5.12  Making Julekake.

Carson put his new Lego set together.  Gabe posing with Carson's new gift.  12.8.12

The new train getting set up and played with.  12.8.12

Gabe's new BFF that Grandma got yesterday,

Finn in his seat for the first time,  12.13.12

Julekake

This last week, Gabe and I made our first loaves of Julekake.  It was something that I thought was going to be very hard for some reason.  It is time consuming with having to knead it several times, but making the dough was easy enough.

Julekake
Makes 3 smallish loaves

2 cups lukewarm milk (to dissolve the yeast)
1 cup sugar
1 t salt
1 1/2 t ground cardamom (next time I make it I want to use 2- 2 1/2 t)
Mix above ingredients
Add a tiny bit under 1 T yeast
Mix
Add & mix in 2 eggs
4 T soft (or warm (not hot) melted) butter
Add & stir in 1/2 cup (or a little more) citron
1 cup raisins
7 cups flour
Mix with spoon and then with hands.  Knead and cover and let rise twice.  On greased cookie sheet shape into 3 loaves, cover and let rise.  Bake at 350* for about 30 minutes or until golden brown.  Brush with melted butter. 

Enjoy!  It is delicious! 

Weigh In

Finn turned 3 months old on the 4th!  I can't believe it is going so fast!

12.4.12  Carson 6, Finn 3 months, Gabe 3.5

Finn and I went up to the hospital to have him weighed.  He is a whopping 16 pounds!  And is 25 3/4" long!
Carson @ 3 months & 7 days weighed 15# 10.9oz, 25" long.
Gabe @ 3 months weighed 15 # 1oz, 25" long.

On a side note, Finn is starting to try and laugh and it is so ridiculously cute!  These little guys are so special!  My goodness.  It is so amazing!


Thankful for healthy babies!  

Weekend

We had a wonderful Thanksgiving Dinner at my moms this year.  Cousin Gemma joined us for a stomach stuffed meal!  We all ate a bunch!  Then we went to Garin and Sandra's house to join the rest of the Coster's and Oono's (Sandra's family) for dessert.   

11.22.12  Wrestling time after dessert, Finn talking to GG, Gemma and Gabe, Uncle Garin with the boys, Mrs. Oono, Auntie Lynn, Uncle Steve, and Cole, family picture, hugs with Grandma, Finn and Carson, Finn smiling at GG.

Thanksgiving ad time.

Smiley Finn.

Snooze bottom.

11.22.12

Talking after dessert.

 

Cozy Finn @ the Christmas Lights Parade.  11.23.12

Waiting for the parade. 

The Christmas Lights!!!

Napping on Grandpa.  11.24.12

Finn wants to be a Duck when he grows up!  11.25.12

11.24.12 At Science Works with Zapata, @ home .  The Christmas Lights Parade 11.23.12

Birthday Party Time!

On the 10th we had a family dinner at my moms for my birthday.  Here are a couple of pictures of the evening!

 

Thanks everyone for coming and celebrating with me!

  

Birthday morning.

 

Gabe and I.  11.17.12  Getting ready to go to breakfast.

Carson and I. 

Breakfast at the Talent Cafe.  They give you a very large, yummy brownie when it is your birthday!  We had a great time!  It was so nice to be out with my family.  Finn was there too, but sleeping in his car seat that was on the floor.

Family of 5 photo!  Not too many of those around, yet.  

We dropped off Carson and Gabe at my moms and then headed to a movie.  After the movie, we went to Dutch Brothers and I got a free birthday smoothy!  We also picked up a pizza for dinner to eat during the Duck game.  It was one of the best birthday's I have had in many years!  Celebrating with my family was a blast!  We are going to go back to the Talent Cafe for Carson's birthday on the 1st, for the brownie special!  :)

Hope you are enjoying this time of year!  I can't believe Thanks-for-Giving is THIS Thursday!  This year has zipped by!   

Weigh In

This morning, Finn, had his 2 month appointment.  He is in the 90th percentile for his length, and off the chart for his weight! 

Birth: 10.4#, 21.5".

2 Months: 14.10#, 24".

He is a healthy chunky monkey, that is for sure!

Carson @ two months: 13.8#, 24".
Gabe @ 2 months: 13.13 1/2#, 23.5". 

Finn bops his arms around when he in on his back, getting his diaper changed.  Yesterday, he started to watch his arm and hand move.

Finn the 8 week talker

Our Harvest Day

Our Harvest Day consisted of carving pumpkins, lunch with friends, making Carmel apples and passing out candy to our 3 "customers" that we had.  The guys were even by the street trying to drum up business.  Oak St. was very quiet this year.

It was a very nice day overall.  I am very thankful for my family and wonderful friends!  

AlohA! 

Once Upon a Time

Once Upon a time there were two little girls who used to play together...

They grew up and one moved to the big city, where the other one came to be a part of her special day...

Her two boys, her mom and Grandma all went with to celebrate...

The two boys were carted around the city in matching pink strollers...

Until they came across the lovely bride's reception...

Where they got cool sunglasses, had awesome food, danced and played!

A little time went by, and the city gal got pregnant, while the other one was pregnant with her 3rd...All this time the city gal's parents lived where she was raised.  But, with babies, they bring changes!

And the city gal's awesome parents decided that they don't want to be away from their granddaughter once she arrives...

So, their friends decided they needed to have a lunch before they moved to the big city!

At the lunch, they got a lot of practice to take care of their little wee granddaughter, being silly...

And giving comfort...

And after all of that, Chris and Kathy, got sent on their little way to join their new expanding family.  They will be missed very much, but the joy's they are going to have with their son-in-law, daughter and granddaughter will be amazing!  Take care of each other, and we look forward to hearing and seeing the new one soon!  

Much love to you all!  XOXOXOX.

2 Month Old Finn!

I have a hard time believing Finn is already 2 months!  Goodness how time flies.  So happy he is here with us to be part of our family.

Family of {4} Pictures

August 22nd, a good friend, Debbie, was kind enough to take family pictures for us.  This is the 3rd time she has done it for us, and I love the time we have together! 

Here are a few of my favorites!  Ok, well, most of my faves!  

I know Finn hasn't even been with us for 8 weeks yet, but looking at these pictures I feel like someone is missing.  I think we need some family ones with him in them!  :)  

Happy almost November! 

AloHa!