Growing-up way too fast!

I just can't believe that my little man is going to be four soon! Anyway we told him that his Birthday is coming-up and he said excitedly "will I be as big as Daddy then?" He told us the the other day when he gets to be an "indult" (adult) he is going to live with Mama and Daddy and drive trains, make Christmas lights and be a pet doctor (he will drive the trains during the day to deliver the lights he made at night and he is also going to be a pet doctor at night) . He just loves to be Daddy's little helper too. Today he was trying to help him break-up some boxes for the garbage and he said "this is hard work, I'm out of breath." He just cracks-us up sometimes. On Sunday we where leaving for church and he had his dress shoes on (they don't like to stay tied) and by the time we got to our vehicle they where untied and he turned to me and said "I'm appointed (disappointed) and I said why and he said "because my shoes came untied." Oh and today his tonka truck was "duty" and I said do you mean "heavy duty" and he said yes it's "duty." We sure are going to miss those litte expressions some day! He has also been wanting to know what EVERYTHING says, if we are at the grocery store and he says what do those signs say I have to read every single thing to him even the little ones such as restroom (it has opened my eyes though and made my realize what I don't pay attention too, just pulling-up to the store the other day I had to read about ten signs out loud and if someone beforehand would have asked me how many signs are in fron of econo foods I would have said one). Gotta love it, he is our little reader, tonight we read a book and he said they should have made that book longer and added more to it (and I thought it was a decent size).

Rose Ella here has now learned how to open and close all of our doors (thank goodness we have those impossible child proof door knobs on all of our outside doors now the only thing is half the time I can't even open them) anyway that is her latest game, opening any closed doors and shutting any open doors. Such a goof. Oh and she has this whole shoe thing completely backwards. I don't get it, she loves to wear shoes in the house (especially those Thomas sandals) but as soon as we get into the suburban in the cold (where it has been around the teens in temperature lately) there goes the shoes or boots and socks immediately sprawled all over the place and every single time. What is up with that little girlfriend! Everyday she is putting more and more words together it is just so amazing(or as Walter says inmazing) and she defiantly knows exactly what she wants! She was looking at all of our photo Christmas cards yesterday and I ended-up rearranging them because she said "put Brady(her cousin) down here" (closer to my reach) so I moved it down the refrigerator and she kept trying to run around the house with it, so it is now in the middle of the refrigerator where it is too high for her to take off but easier for her to see. Oh and lately after she is done eating she comes up to us and says "get you?" "come on" and Jeff and I have to take turns chasing her and giving her big kisses, she tells us too when it's the other persons turn, such a cutie.

Merry Christmas to all!

This year we began our Christmas celebrations in Wisconsin and then ended here in Michigan. Here we are eating lunch at a restaurant in Rhinelander called Kids Corner Pizza. It has a G Scale train layout(like our kitchen has) in it and has become a family favorite (gee I wonder why). Lately Rose E has been into the trains too and asking us to turn them on in the kitchen.
The two train fans! Walter (and Daddy) where of course thrilled then when we followed a train from Rhinelander to Tomahawk (one of the best Christmas presents they could get).

Here it is crossing the road near a park that my sister's and I played in a lot growing-up, in Heaford Junction, I'm proud to say that I took this picture (yes I guess I'm one of them now).

The night before Christmas Eve we celebrated at my sister's house. Here's Colton being the holiday ham

and a truck driver. The kids got so many nice gifts from both families and have been enjoying them all. It was cute because after Walter opened his presents in Tomahawk he said "I must have been a really good boy here."

We came back for the Christmas Eve church service in Michigan. Unfortunately, Jeff had to leave the service because he got severe gallbladder pains and actually ended-up going to the Emergency room (he hadn't had them in a long time and then just within the past couple of weeks have had a few short pains). I felt so bad for him. After church we had a get together at his grandparents house but with everything happening I didn't really take any pictures. On Monday his doctor is scheduling an appointment with the surgeon. The poor guy has to avoid milk, cheese, creams, fats and greasy foods, which leaves not much for him too eat.

The kids had a good Christmas morning though. Rose E was thrilled to get a baby carriage for her babies and have been giving them joy rides all over our house.

Walter was excited to get the Geo Trax that he asked for (an airport) to go with his train layout.

Here he is running the airplane.

He also got an electronic Thomas game (Can't forget his love for Thomas either) which has gone all over with him (even to the grocery store).

Rose E also got a mini magnetic refrigerator that plays games too. She just loves those magnets.
Christmas day we had a dinner at Jeff's parents house. Here is a picture of his Grandparents, Gordon and Ruth Jean

and here we are.

I had to laugh when I saw this tag on Chevy, I don't know how he picked it up but I guess he has now become Rose E's gift from Santa.

Last but not least I added this one for kicks. Somehow she happened to give herself a food mohawk today.

Mama's little angels!

These kids sure know how to make us smile! Lately when Walter is done eating he will say "I am full all the way up to here" (as he points to his neck). He has been asking a lot of questions about angels this week too. Which reminded me about when he was a baby and first learning how to do sign language, he looked at an angel picture frame and signed is that a bird? Where does the time go? Anyway, he has been asking questions such as "do angels live in our town?" " and how do they fly?" Some of his questions aren't always so easy to answer. The night we decorated for Christmas he said "daddy I don't remember Christmas when I was in Mama's belly." " Someday I'm going to have somebody in my belly too." Then Jeff said boys don't have babies in their bellies and Walter said surprised "boys don't let people into their bellies?"
This Sunday after church Rose E got a kiss from some friends of the family, anyway, we got a Christmas card from them with their picture on it and Rose E keeps going up to it and either blowing them kisses or saying "kiss." She doesn't forget anything, just like her brother. It was cute today she gave the cat a tour of her bedroom. Every now and then Jeff will rock her in her rocking chair and she sings "daddy addy addy" while he rocks her. Anyway, according to her that is what the rocking chair is now called. Chessie walked into the room and she said as she pointed to it "see chessie, Daddy addy addy" then she pointed to her bed and said "see, bed."

Happy holidays!

We definitely aren't lacking any snow this year for Christmas(as of yesterday, we have recieved between 70-80 inches already and it just keeps on coming)! As you can see from my new picture on my post (up above) we took out our old cutter tonight. It was fun to walk around and look at all of the Christmas decorations, we attached some jingle bells for some old fashioned ambiance too.
Yesterday the kids went to the fire department(Jeff's dad is a firefighter) Christmas party. These reindeer where waiting for Santa.

Capturing the excitement as Santa arrives (Walter, Kirsten and Cale).
Walter told Santa that he wants some Geo trax train things and wasn't the least bit shy
Rose E on the other hand clung to her
Daddy like glue as soon as Santa entered the building
Oh so painful!

She sure did like her new Elmo books that he gave her though, maybe he isn't so bad after all. Here she is reading them with Grandma.Walter got a new firetruck which he has been sleeping with and was excited to sit in a real fire truck.

My picture here isn't the greatest but a few days ago we also went to Kirsten's Christmas program at her school(I think it is so neat that she attends the school that is named after her great grandpa(and Jeff's grandpa too) considering that he put so much of his heart and soul into that school when he was the superintendent). Anyway, it was a darling program and Kirsten seemed to know the words well to the songs. She looked so cute up there, in the picture she is on the second row the second one in (Emily has clearer pictures on her blog).

Finally three bugs in a rug! We set-up this tent in our living room the other night and as a special treat the kids watched Christmas cartoons while snuggling and I baked. It was fun because we all enjoyed some cookies and hot chocolate afterwards.

Sending a Birthday wish!

Happy Birthday to you, Happy Birthday to you, Happy Birthday Dear Nana (Grandma), Happy Birthday to you! Hope you enjoyed your day!

Mama's cootie pies

A couple of days ago I found this Clifford preschool computer game that I had and loaded it up for Walter. Holy smokes I couldn't believe how fast he was able to whizz around and learn all of the games. He loves it. I had to laugh the next day because he got up in the morning and said "can I play Clifford (he even slept with pictures he had printed off from the game)?" I said during Rose E's nap today you can play it for a while (she naps in the afternoon). So then all morning he kept saying "Mama I think Rose E's tired, Rose E are you tired?" Hoping she'd go down early. As you can see in the picture it was painful to even get him to turn around to look at me because he didn't want to take his eyes off the screen.

Speaking of Rose E's nap, yesterday when she woke-up from her nap we where walking to her room and Walter could here her crying and said "where coming cootie(cutie) pie."

He also made me smile at lunch he was eating peas and said "mama I know how to spell pea you just make that letter with the straight line and the curve at the top."

Today I switched out a bunch of their toys and boy is Rose E ever loving lugging those toys around our house. After I had brought them out though I had to laugh because we had a happy little trail of toys from our living room to our kitchen. It's also funny to me because afterwards if we don't pick something up she'll say "uh oh mess, pick it up." One of her favorite toys right now is the magna doodle. It is so cute she will scribble and say "see... baby or see.. fish."

Walter's debute in the Church Christmas program

Walter sang for the first time in the church program today. Here he is at practice. My picture didn't turn out the greatest but he is a donkey with the snowflake sweater on.

Here is a short little video of his favorite song during the program he is standing next to the wiseman with the purple robe on. We have been practising the songs at home for a while so I think I could sing them in my sleep (Rose E too). So he knew the words. Everybody chuckled though because halfway through the program he ran-up to me to have his shoe tied. I was sitting in the front pew because I had to help with costumes and when Rose E saw me get-up she kept saying "mama, come on(come sit next to me)."

I also meant to wish my sister a Happy Birthday this weekend too! Hope you enjoyed your day and that your dinner was delicious Jessica!