It's beginning to feel a lot like Christmas...

We went to a tree lighting last night, and today we put up our Christmas tree! I absolutely love this time of year. I love seeing my kids love this time of year. The girls were SO excited today. They loved decorating the house, and finding the perfect spot for each ornament. We played Christmas music, and enjoyed these special memories together.

(This is not our Christmas tree ;), but a shot from our Christmas shoot that my brother, Joe, did)

Here are some special ornaments that we hang with care every year...

This we got the first Christmas we were Mr. and Mrs. :)

Mikayla's 1st Christmas

Brianna's 1st Christmas

Our precious angel baby

Joshua's 1st Christmas

Vanessa made this for Joshua...we have celebrated "Hanumas" for a long time (Hanukkah for the Rophie side, and Christmas for my family's side)

After living in an apt. for the first year we were married, we bought a home! We got this special ornament to signify our first home in Oldsmar.

Our complete family of five~so blessed!

2010 Christmas Card

Top Ten Moments Christmas Card

Shop Shutterfly for elegant custom Christmas photo cards.

View the entire collection of cards.

Update on blood draw

Joshua had his blood drawn 2 weeks ago because of low iron. Well, his hemoglobin was low and he's going back on iron supplements 3 times a day. The hemotologist also wants us to come in. (I got the call from my kids' pediatrician's office yesterday during a sleepover--so hard to stay calm and collected when I was freaking out). The Dr.'s office said not to worry that they can't read what it all means because they don't specialize in blood, and that the hemotologist just wants to meet with us as a precautiounary measure. So, I'm praying that it's nothing bad that the hemotolgist wants to go over. They are suppossed to call today and make an appt., but if I don't hear from them I'll call Friday. Hoping we can get in soon, but I do know that specialists are usually booked for awhile. Please say a prayer that my little boy is just fine, and that they just want my co-pay ;). Meanwhile, pray for me that I stay sane waiting to hopefully hear he's ok, and that I can get Joshua to take the disgusting iron 3X a day! If it's not one thing it's another. I am very thankful that I have a perfect little boy to worry over though.

Nelson was talking about how the kids are eating so much, and how we used to buy so much less before Joshua was eating us out of house and home...but then I said, I am so thankful we are worrying about how much food we buy because we have a large family. What a blessing to have three amazing children who are everything to me!

Feeling thankful...

My parents took the girls to Busch Gardens on Saturday. Nelson and I got to experience having one kid for most of the day, and got a lot of Christmas shopping done. It will be the last year we can shop with the babe and he won't get that we're buying Santa stuff! The girls are going to love the stuff Santa brings them!! Joshua seemed to absolutely love the alone time he had with his parents. He was very vocal everywhere we went, when usually he's fighting his sisters for time to speak. He said "Hi!" to everyone he saw, and signed please for the first time! It was so cute! He wanted more of his snack and I said, "Say more please", and did the sign like usual. He signed more like usual...but never has done please, but Saturday he looked at his belly and rubbed his belly, and looked at me with the cutest look-what-I-did smile. So, I clapped and said YAY!! He was stoked :). I went to a craft fair, and I tried a hat on Joshua and when I took it off he said "HAT!". He's just blossoming more and more every day.

Today, we went to church, and enjoyed a lazy day with the kids. We did run some errands to the bookstore and the mall. I had to get the girls shoes for their Christmas dresses-we are doing pictures on Wednesday for our Christmas cards!! I'm so excited! Joey is going to take pictures of us in the botanical gardens! Hoping everyone cooperates. My Goddaughters, Rebecca and Justine (the girls' best friends) are spending the night on Tuesday so I am hoping the girls take a good nap Wednesday before we do pictures at 4. I was thinking this week would be crazy having the girls home, but every day is already packed and feels like it's going to fly by!

I am feeling very thankful for so much. I am so blessed to have my husband, children, family and friends. Work has been just that-a lot of work for Nelson lately. Loans are getting harder and harder and every day he goes into it with so much desire to keep us afloat so I can continue to stay home with our children (where I really feel like I am meant to be). I am so thankful for this. Since we were dating he's wanted me to be able to stay home with our children since it's what I have always wanted to do. I'm thankful for siblings who I can turn to, and who can turn to me in big and small life situations. I'm thankful for my core of best friends who are truly a big part of who I am. I am thankful for my parents who are involved in my kids' lives. I am thankful for the Lord blessing me so much. I am thankful for so much more...but thought I'd start the week off with a few things I'm thankful for :).

My littles appointments

Our Dr.'s office couldn't get us in until today. Joshua's getting so big it's crazy. He's 21 lbs. 9 oz. and 32 inches. His iron levels are still low, so we are going in tomorrow to do bloodwork. The dr. said he could just have been born a little anemic, like some people are born with a certain eye color...that it may just be who he is and no big deal. So, we're going to get it checked out and go from there. My poor boy hated his shots...but was ok after a few minutes. He's such a fun boy. He's saying new things all the time. He says "night night" now which is the cutest thing. He has 7 words in his vocabulary: mama, dada, hi, bye, ball, night night, anma (grandma). He also says Ma for Mikayla and Ana for Brianna. I swear he can tell them apart...it's craziness. He has quite an arm and loves throwing balls to anyone who's willing to play.

The girls just had their 5 year appt. and also did great. Got all their vaccinations for Kindergarten! Can't believe they will start Kindergarten in August! Last week Brianna was the "Super Star" at school, and this week Mikayla is. It was fun making posters for them, and hearing them talk about their favorite things. They also got to bring in the super star bag full of their favorite things. Last Friday I went in and read to the class for Brianna and tomorrow I'm going in to read for Mikayla. I brought a story book apron from my class and let Brianna wear it last week as I put on pieces from the story. One of her classmates when I finished said, "I wish my Mommy could do that with me". Brianna just beamed, and I loved being the "cool" mom ;). Tomorrow Mikayla will get to wear the story apron and we are doing a different book. I'm very thankful for the time I can have with the girls at school and know that Joshua is in good hands. He really enjoys Tuesday mornings with my Mom, and the occasional other day of the week here and there.

Halloween

We had a wonderful Halloween. We have been celebrating all month long-with pumpkin patches, caramel apples, halloween parade, carving pumpkins, lots of candy, hay ride, lots of costume wearing, and lots of fall fun with our family.

Today, we went to church, and the girls had their religious ed class. They got a prayer for when carving the pumpkin that we prayed as we carved each part and will now become a new tradition for our family:


"Pumpkin Prayer"

{cut off top of pumpkin}
Lord, open my mind so I can learn new things about you.

{remove innards}
Remove the things in my life that don’t please you.
Forgive the wrong things I do and help me to forgive others.

{cut open eyes}
Open my eyes to see the beauty you’ve made in the world around me.

{cut out nose}
I’m sorry for the times I’ve turned my nose at the good food you provide.

{cut out mouth}
Let everything I say please You.

{light the candle}
Lord, help me show your light to others through the things I do. Amen

Then, after carving the pumpkin the kids took a nap so that we wouldn't have little gremlins trick-or-treating ;). When they woke up we decided to start off trick-or-treating at the mall. It was crazy busy. So, we only visited a few stores. Joshua was so into it though and excited. It's so crazy how he's turning into a boy and not so much a baby these days. He wants to do everything like his big sisters. They are loving that he's wanting to interact more with them. There was a lady with a black sweatshirt and black pants on and she had painted her skeleton and a little baby where her baby bump was. I looked at Nelson and told him to look and how cute it was, and then said, "I have never been pregnant on Halloween"...then, as soon as the words met my lips so did the flood of emotions as I thought about how I thought I should have been. We were literally in a store and I had to fight my tears to not start. It's crazy how still my grief can hit me at a moment's notice. Tonight though the kids were in the bath, and I said, "Have you ever seen a more perfect boy?" Mikayla, said, "I think God saved him just for us". Yes, I agree. God had our lives laid out and even though I thought I'd have a May babe, and be pregnant on Halloween, God had different plans. God made Joshua a part of our family, and I truly can't imagine our life any other way.

Well, after that emotional trip to the mall, we headed to my Grandparents house. The kids got to trick-or-treat in Gigi and Pop Pop's cookies and candies, and were very excited. Joshua got to chase their dog and all were happy :). We headed home for trick-or-treating around the neighborhood. My parents and sister joined us! I got tired of carrying a heavy and cumbersome Nemo and tried to put him in the wagon where he hollered to get out with his sisters and trick-or-treat. I couldn't believe how into it he was! Already thinking about next Halloween! Can I decorate for Christmas now?