Thanksgiving 2010

So, we had a small change in plans. We ended up not traveling to Missoula, rather we stayed here. We have had what I would call massive amounts of snow over the last week which helped in derailing the travel plans. It was a blessing in disguise. I was feeling really stressed about going - just the norm...packing two cribs, clothes, shoes, diapers, wipes, snow boots, pillows, snacks, DVD player, oil change in car the list really goes on and on (that's how I was feeling) not to mention it was going to be a short trip anyway (leaving Wednesday night, coming home Saturday) So, after a small ridiculous (as in I don't even remember what) argument with Jason (we manage to have lots of those), we both decided that it would be best to stay home. I felt relieved. I called his parents stressing they would be super disappointed, but they were glad we were staying home due to the road conditions, they were worried we would try to tough it out. Hopefully, if the weather permits Grandma and Grandpa Schwaderer will be able to come to Billings for Christmas!

I called my Mom to let her know we weren't going and see what I could bring over on Thursday. Thanksgiving was really nice, it was a lazy, nice quiet day. The kids were up super early (like 4:30am early), that is the trend here lately - so we had breakfast and watched a movie. Jason slept in and as soon as he has his coffee I was down for a nap - a massive 3 hour nap. I felt like a whole new woman. Love, love naps! We headed out to Mom and Dad's about 4ish and enjoyed lots of yummy food, visited with family, the kids played. Colter was a mess - poor guy. He is cutting his two front teeth and he was just miserable. My sister, Sarah, even said I've never heard him cry this much. It was so true, he is such a happy baby, but he felt miserable. Not to mention the stranger anxiety has kicked in - he wanted nothing to do with anyone that wasn't Mom or Dad. So, we did cut our visit a bit short for the sake of Colter. We were home by 7pm and we were all in bed at 7:30pm. It was glorious!

Friday, I did get to go do some shopping all alone. Hehe. That was fun and fantastic, just to have some alone time, try on clothes, do a little Christmas shopping, eat a nice quiet meal. (It was so appreciated Jason, thank you again) I brought home sandwiches for dinner from Staggering Ox and again it was a nice quiet night.

The whole weekend was just that...relaxing. There were moments that the kids were going stir crazy, but we managed.

There are so many things that I am thankful for. This whole month I have really tried to take time and think of all the things I am thankful for, remembering all the ways that God has truly blessed our family. Here are just a few, I am thankful for salvation and a loving, forgiving, gracious Savior. I am so thankful for my three boys, for their health, for the love they display to each other, the joy they bring Jason and I. I'm so thankful for the jobs that Jason and I have, that we are able to work, that we have the ability to avoid daycare and one of us is always able to be with them. I am thankful for our home, and all the comforts it provides. We have so much to be thankful for, it really makes me sad how I can complain so much. I am thankful for that reminder - that we are stuffed full of blessings and instead of complaining about what I don't have or what I wish I had. I should be beaming with gratitude and thanksgiving for all I have.

Here are a few snapshots from this week:

Colter and his teeth

Hunter (he is so hard to get a picture of, always moving!)

Look at all that snow!

The Holiday Season

Well it is that time of the year. I love that the holidays are all around the corner. I am so excited! Thanksgiving, Christmas and for us Walker's birthday and Colter's birthday. We have a very busy couple of months ahead of us.

The kids and I are making cards for family writing why we are thankful for each of them and the special ways they have touched our lives this year. We are working on Christmas tree ornaments and we are also working on our Advent calender. I love finding projects and making time to accomplish them.

I really want to make the Holidays special for our family, but I also want to instill in them at a young age that Christmas is not about gifts and "stuff", that it is our Saviors birth and that alone is the reason for this wondrous celebration. I also want my children to grow concerned about others that are less fortunate, but more that just be concerned or just a fleeting thought of what we could do, they would be motivated by the love of Christ to contribute, to make a difference, to share the message of our Savior even if it is in small childlike ways. So, we are coming up with ways that we can give, different ways we can share the love of Jesus this holiday season. I can't wait to share... so stay tuned!

We are heading to Missoula for Thanksgiving this year. It will be a short trip, but a meaningful one. We are leaving Wednesday evening when Jason gets off work and returning to Billings Saturday. Earlier this week we found out that Jason's grandma has colon cancer - and the prognosis isn't very good at this time. She is seeing the Oncologist this week and we are praying that there would be more optimism at this appointment and that the cancer can be treated. I know that seeing her great-grandsons will lift her spirits, so this trip is really needed. Not to mention the boys are really looking forward to seeing their grandparents!

Hope you are having a blessed week.

Whirlwind

Oh my I am so far behind. This post will be like a months worth of updates and pictures. But better late than never, right?

Well Colter is now 10 months! I can't believe it! Where did the time go? I just enjoy him so much! He is such a good, happy, content little man. Here is an update of from his 6/9 month well baby check up: October 27, 2010 - Colter finally has his 6 and 9 month well baby check ups all combined into one. He is so the third child. Here are the stats: 20lbs 2oz, 27 inches long, his little noggin measured at 18 inches. He is 30th percentile for weight, 20th for height and 50th for his head. He got caught up on all his shots and Walker and Hunter got their flu shots. They did great, I was pretty impressed myself.

So while we were at the doctors I talked with her about how Colter hasn't been eating any baby food or people food for that matter, and how he is still not sitting up at 9 months. She reassured me that he is very capable, it's just the 3rd child syndrome. He will when he wants to. Fast forward to two weeks later...Colter is eating three "meals" a day, usually fruit and cereal or a yogurt and/or a vegetable (no green beans or peas - he won't eat those) He is using a sippy cup with just water at meal time and he is doing awesome with it! He still has three 6oz bottles a day of formula usually before his morning nap around 10am, again in the afternoon 2pm ish and before bed at 7:30pm. His two front teeth are making there way out as we speak...pictures to follow soon.

He also decided that sitting up was alright. He has been sitting in the Bumbo chair quite a bit and today I put him on the floor with the Bobby pillow behind him and he stayed sitting up for 20 minutes. Momma was proud and so was he. He will be crawling soon, it seems like overnight he has just grown so much. I cherish every little moment with him.

Colter - 10 Months

Okay so there is a little update on Colter...switch modes- Halloween! Oh we had fun, party and all! Walker had a Halloween party Saturday the 30th - I had six boys all decked out in their fabulous costumes, a pinata, lots of candy, great weather, fun games and one tired Mama post party. How does it work that everyone was in bed by 7:30pm (including my husband) and I was still trudging away? Oh yes that's right, my name is Mom...we are always the last to fall asleep and the first to awake? Am I right?

Frankenstein Cupcakes

Ironman, Harry Potter and a Ninja

Decorations

All the boys, minus Walker

Love this picture, oh memories! (this will be fun to look at when they are all teenagers)

Colter the Tiger

Trying to get a picture of these boys...

Love it - Great family photo!

We also had a party at Walker's school, Spooktacular! Jason stayed home with the little boys and Walker and I headed out to the big event. He loved the haunted house, I think he went through that thing like 20 times. More candy and he even won a cake! It was a pretty good time.

On Halloween we went to out church's Reformation Party, the boys sure had fun playing games, eating candy, running around like wild animals and I again was exhausted by the time we got home. I was secretly glad it was raining, trick-or-treating was cut very short. Walker was unhappy, but I just couldn't do anymore. Walking around in the rain, asking for candy was not on the priority list at that time. Maybe next year we'll make it out to more than our next door neighbors.

We have been busy these past couple of weeks. I am looking forward to a some what slower schedule, Thanksgiving and the holidays. We are planning to go to Missoula to share Thanksgiving with Jason's parents and visit my grandparents - hope the weather cooperates. I will post more pictures soon. Blessings!

Small Munchkin For Sale

Oh today was a day. I would have sold a child if it wasn't wrong and I would regret it later.

Hunter was into EVERYTHING. That little guy has a way of running me ragged. Where to begin... well he dumped a WHOLE bottle of nail polish remover on the bathroom floor, he pulled every DVD we own out of their cases, he proceeded to pee all over the bathroom floor not long after I cleaned up the first mess... he says "Mom, I go pee in the bafroom" I say "Yes, Hunter you did go pee in the bathroom, but next time pee in the toilet IN the bathroom, not the bathroom floor." Next I think was the envelopes, he pulled about 100 envelopes out of the box and scattered them everywhere. A little while later it was WAY TOO quite, I called for Hunter and then I RUN to find him, he never answers - not a good thing. I find him downstairs, a very strong vanilla aroma has filled the basement and I mean STRONG, yes Hunter has emptied a whole can of aerosol air freshener downstairs. Nice. No way to cover that up. It was just one of those days. By the time Jason got home I had had it. Thankfully, my hubby took over and I was outta there. A little retail therapy and a quite car always does a Momma good.

Toofers

Yes, yes I said toofers. Colter has two lil toofers that popped through today. I was changing his diaper and he was smiling away and what do you know....his two front bottom teeth just popped through. Oh my heart swells with pride (over teeth, yes I know, but it does) I screamed for Jason to come look, and the whole family has crawled up on my bed, it was like a REAL BIG deal. Colter was laughing, he loves all the attention. So now my baby has two teeth. He still refuses to eat any solid food, but oh well he will when he is ready.


He can almost sit up, we have been working hard on that one. He is sitting in his bumbo chair, and we practice on the floor, he is a stubborn little monkey, he will just fling his head back trying to lie down. He is just so much fun. Much love to that little boy. I'm so blessed.

I will post pictures as soon as I get a good one of that toothy grin.

Bike Rides

Walker did it! He is now riding a bike...without training wheels! He has been working on it all summer and it has just been a challenge. Well today he pulled out his "little" bike and just took off. He came running in the house and yells that he can ride his bike. I was like "WHAT!? So we ran outside and there he goes down the sidewalk, helmet and all. He said he was just riding around in the garage and he just "got it". So sweet! I was so happy for him. His Uncle Will has been riding a two wheeler all summer and I know how much Walker wants to join him. Well bring on the bike rides, cause my boy is ready!!!

Ice Cream Day

I took the boys the other night to Softies. I snapped these real cute pictures and just had to post them. I love playing with photoshop.




We have been enjoying our warm sunshine and beautiful fall weather. I am so thankful it has lasted this long. Walker sure enjoys playing until it's dark outside.


It has been a busy last couple of weeks. I picked up extra shifts at the hospital so I was working A LOT. This week feels more like a vacation, just relaxing and hanging out with the boys. I'm enjoying it. I feel like I get the best of both worlds, I get to have the challenging career that I love and I get to be a stay-at-home-mom too. Wow, I am really lucky!

I have been able to get all my Halloween decorations up, Walker and I are planning a Halloween party the Saturday before Halloween. He is inviting 10 of his classmates and we are going to have SO much fun! I am just as excited! I've thoroughly enjoyed planning this party, the games the food, the party favors - yep right up my ally. I will keep you posted on how it turns out.

Here is a super cute picture of Walker and Hunter. I have such a hard time getting pictures of Hunter. He is always moving! Have a great rest of the week.