Mason's New Room and Emily's too!

Here is Mason's new big boy room! He loves it. A couple weeks ago we painted the old nursery upstairs and got Mason a big boy bed and made the move. He has grown out of his toddler bed so we felt it was time. And Emily and Mason had all of their toys in Mason's room on the main level. So after christmas when you could hardly move in his room anymore we felt that it was time to switch them. I really struggled with the decision to move Emily into a toddler bed because she isn't two yet and my last baby. So we let her sleep in the pack and play for a couple days and that helped me mentally prepare I think to switch her out of the crib. So in one eventful day she switched to a toddler bed and pooped on the potty twice. That was way to much growing up for one day. We still have to paint her room and I have to finish making her comforter and sheet set but she loves already. They both think they are hot shots in their new rooms! I need them to stop growing up so quick!

Elk Hunting

Well, Tim is off to Gaylord MI to go Elk hunting! Only 40 people out 40,000 got a license so it is a pretty awesome opportunity! He is so excited. His season opens Wednesday so hopefully he is successful early so he is back sooner. He went with my dad and both of them were ready to get out of town and away from work for a little bit. So hopefully I will be able to post some good news about the hunt soon!
As for the kids, they are healing again from ANOTHER bug that had them both out of commission for the weekend. I hope that they are done getting sick for a little while. I cleaned the whole entire house yesterday hoping that I got these nasty germs that keep haunting my family, out of here.
I will have to upload the pictures of Mason's big move into a big boy room and Emily into the toddler bed. We did it all last week and they are loving it. Emily also had a big day Saturday...She went potty on the big girl potty twice. So....hopefully that means that we will be out of diaper soon. Almost 4 years of changing diapers is long enough!
Well, I post those pictures later. Have a good day!

Oh my goodness it has been a long time!

I guess that this as good of a place as any to start with the updates! Mason and Emily got to see Santa at Tim's work Christmas party that he hosted. Emily wasn't at all hesitant when it came her turn to sit on his lap but my shy Mason took about an hour to warm up to him before hoping on his lap! He brought along his picture list of all the things he was asking for. It was really cute!


Next was our Christmas at my Dad and Phyllis' house on the Saturday before Christmas. Mason had gotten sick the Thursday before and was sick all night. We had him feeling better and then Emily got it on the Friday before. By Saturday they were doing better but I think knowing they were going to a party helped. The day flew by and unfortunately we had to leave early to get home for naps and off to my step-dad's family Christmas at my mom and Dan's house. The day was a lot of fun and I was just thankful that my kids were feeling better!

So, then came Christmas! Mason and Emily were so cute and so excited for Santa to come to there house. Well, Mason woke up with a 103 fever and Emily was at about 100 fever. Of all days it had to be christmas morning! I felt so bad for them and just wanted them to feel better. I think that the excitment kept them going through the morning. This is first picture is Emily opening her kitchen from Santa! She plays with it all of the time and loves it. I think she was pretty excited.

This is Mason and his daddy playing witht the train set he got from Santa. He spends a lot of time building these train sets.Emily is chatting on her cell phone thinking she is miss popular!


This is the kids and daddy at Tim's parents house. We headed there after we had our christmas on Christmas morning. At this point they are still doing ok but by the time we were done opening presents they were miserable and had to head straight home to get them some rest. It was so hard to make decisions on leaving or staying at the parties because not only were the kids excited to be at them but also the time that everyone put into the holidays and gifts for my kids. I felt horrible having to leave and just wanted my babies to feel better. It had been a week at this point that they hadn't been feeling alright.

This is how pathetic we looked after the hustle and bustle of the morning. They were both exhausted and ready for a nap! Then it was off to my moms again for Christmas with her family.





Look at my pretty Princess!

The following Saturday we had Christmas with my Mom and Dan. At this point the kids were still not feeling great. They were tough though. We had an awesome time over there and unfortunately had to cut it short again due to high fevers and feeling crummy.


Mason loves his Chicken Grandma as he likes to call her.

This is my grandma and Emily and I.


Another goofy picture of Emily in her new ballerina outfit she got.
After we open presents for the last three years we have had a bake off. Anyone in our family can enter and it just has to be all home made...no cakes out of a box, that and it has to be baked. This year I WON!! I was so excited and I am a bad winner as much as a bad winner so I apologize to Nora and everyone else that I kind of bragged of my winnings. I had a lot of fun making this and my mom had a lot of fun eating the left overs I think she licked every bowl clean. I made creme brule and it was sooo good and actually really easy. The best part was that I got to use a torch in the house (no I didn't burn any one or thing)!
Here is my winning entry!
This is Nora's Hummingbird Cake which is beautiful! She was the runner up. Last year she won and I took second.
This is me with the prize I won...Hat, apron and cook book and the famous trophy!
So, after all the crazy parties and running around we did. Emily ended up with a double ear infection and Mason had a single ear infection. They are just finishing up there antibiotics and hopefully we have gone through our share of sickness for a while! The holidays were great but I am glad life can slow down a little bit now. Sorry for taking 6weeks to finally post something but I have been kind of busy. Hopefully, I will stay up on it now and keep you all up on what is going on here.

Our Newest Member of the Family

This is Izzy. She is a 14 week old Schnoodle (miniature schnauzer and mini poodle mix). We went and picked her up Saturday and surprised the kids. Mason thinks she is the greatest thing ever. He just wants to take care of her. The transition for her has been a little tough on her. She has been very attached to me, not wanting to leave my side. She is starting to get better though. There is one plus to having her a little older of a puppy...house training has gone great. We have not had an accident yet and she woke me up last night to go out. She fits into our family perfect! I am sure there will be a ton of pictures to follow.

Winter Fun!

I can't believe how fast winter came upon us! There was no telling the kids no when they wanted to go play outside (more Mason than Emily)! We had a ton of fun in our little winter wonderland. I tried to get some pictures but of course they tried to avoid it like always!! I can't believe how big my kids are getting! I just look at them all the time and wonder where time goes.
But we will have many more winter wonderland pictures in the future to follow these.

A Long Week

Well, Saturday Tim left to head out to Ohio with two of his buddies to go hunting. Single motherhood here I came! For the most part we were doing great. Mason got sick for a few days but other than that no big obstacles to overcome. Wednesday night Tim called that one of the guys he was hunting with had some emergency family medical issues and they were headed home. I felt so bad for this guy and his family and Tim for his trip cut short. It is the way it goes and they would have done the same for us if needed. So I am no longer living the single life and no "monster buck" in the freezer but that is ok and hopefully he will head down there again this month yet! Hopefully I will have some pictures of a successful hunt later. The kids did miss their daddy so much. I had to tell Mason that Daddy will be home in so many days probably 10 times a day. Emily couldn't really express her feelings that she was missing him until he got home and she wanted to be by his side for everything. It is amazing how much you realize together Tim and I work as a team and how our family functions best all together! I missed him and I am so thankful that he is home safe.
Tomorrow is another Craft show for my mom, sister, and I! This weekend use to be the Holland Christian show but they have move to the Hardawick Church this year. I hope it is a good day for us!

Last I had to post a picture of my adorable little boy. This is what he has been coming out of his room at nap time looking like. He always has to sleep in his underware at nap time which is hilarious. I put him to bed fully dressed and he comes out looking like this! Too funny!!!

Trick or treating!

Halloween was awesome! Mason was our scruffy pirate and Emily was our cute duck or, as most people said chicken. Either way they both loved the dressing up and trick or treating. Emily didn't make it to most of the doors because she was a little slow but she had so much fun just walking around with everyone! Mason on the other hand was off like a champ. Neither one of them lasted very long though. It had been a long day and they were pooped quickly. So we headed back to Nora's and ate some candy. A long but exciting day for the kids!

Saturday, Tim left for Ohio for a week of manlyhood and hunting with a few guys. We really are not use to him being gone for more then a few days so this week is going to be really long. But we are doing pretty good minus a few "I miss my daddy" here and there. And we do really miss him and hope he "wackes a big one" soon! But he has not been successful yet though.