Our Christmas Adventures

So our Christmas recap!

The Sunday before Christmas we always spend the day with Nathans family!

We go out for a wonderful Sunday brunch at Anthony's then head back

to Yaya and Pake's for games, more food and presents!

SO SO much fun!

Jermaine loves being around family and had a blast!
Its always a fight getting him to leave.

Braxtyn did great too.
She definitely had a lot of "hips" she could hang off of!

Waiting for presents :)

My amazing sister Laura made these! She is sooo talented!

Braxtyns first pair of TOMS! So stinkin adorable!



Love these pictures..

Jermaine and the talking tree..

It's not Christmas unless you play Dance Party 3...(I think that's what it's called..)

At least that's what Jermaine calls it!

He loves LOVES to dance!!

The Grand Finally!!

He was so more then ready for this one...

A huge train set that comes on a table.

Next was Christmas Eve at the Toronchuks!
(my mom and dads)

So much fun having all my sisters under one rooft!

Of course the cousins had a blast playing together!
Olivia LOVES Braxtyn so much!
She is going to be such an amazing Big Sister!!
wahoooo!

Of course..new Jordan's from Jill

Another Laura creation!!!

So our Present opening time was spread out over a couple days.

Jermaine was so into his new toys, we should have waiting

until New Years!

Braxtyn, of course, had no clue what was going on...

she just wanted the paper :)

Jermaine made some ornaments this year for the tree
and a "Star" for the top, with help from Zaky Jansen.

SO Stinkin cute!!!!

Once Jermaine saw what it was he said

"OHHH Mommy this is what i always wanted"

And Christmas day we do

a Starbucks run in the morning

(yes its tradition)

 and then we headed to Nathan's parents for

the Vlas side Christmas!

Always a ton of fun!

I LOVE this family!!!!

Braxtyn and Oma

My gorgeous sisters!

xoxo

Overall, we had a wonderful Christmas and New Years

(which we spend with Jill and Adam:)

No sick kids which was such a HUGE blessing!!

Its hard to put this year in words...

We thought and planned it out way WAY differently

and YES God's plan was WAY better then I could have imagined!

I honestly feel so lucky to

have such a wonderful, loving, patient husband who

is SOOO involved in

raising our children!

And puts them first ALWAYS!!

I know I'm lucky.

To me my children are perfect.

I've said this before...

I never thought I would be able to "compare" my kids

and I can.

Its little things like that I just smile and Thank God with all

my heart.

Jermaine expresses his emotions so good for a 2 year old!

He's so sweet and always makes me laugh...

such a comedian

He's a sponge and has an amazing memory and large vocab!

(if only we could convince him that he is too old for Binky's)

Braxtyn is such a sweet fire ball.

Her smile melts me..

She knows what she wants and she will do anything to get it.

Poor Jermaine doesn't know whats coming!

She is a fighter, that's for sure!!

I will tell of the Lord’s unfailing love. I will praise the Lord for all he has done. I will rejoice in his great goodness...which he has granted according to his mercy and love.
Isaiah 63:7

Christmas Photos

Since my Christmas cards are out, I thought i would post the pictures

that didn't make the card.

My amazing, so talented brother in law, Josh, took them for us!

Auntie Laura helped make the kids laugh and boy did they laugh!

You can also tell we have a comedian on our hands :)

Jermaine is so funny and has so much personality.

The pictures

at the end say it all!



SMILE

December has been a busy but good month so far...

I'm working quiet a bit which add to the craziness of the Christmas season.

Jermaine woke up yesterday with a fever but seems to be doing alright.

Just very tired and needy.

We're just praying Braxtyn doesn't get it.

She is needy enough :) (in a good way of course)

Lately whenever I bring out the camera, Braxtyn starts to smile!

She makes it so easy!

To bad Jermaine doesn't do that!!

Yes Still no teeth...just all gums :)

So weird to think Jermaine had at lease 4 at this age!

7 months old on Tuesday! Time is flying!

Our 80 degree Thanksgiving

For the last 4 years we have spent

thanksgiving in Palm Springs with

Nathans family!

Every year is tons of fun, filled with
great family time and
AMAZING food (yummy Mexican) and the weather

has been decent...

Until this year! We had high 70s and low 80s!

 It was so great!

Jermaine had so much fun in the pool

with his daddy, aunts and uncles!
Braxtyn on the other hand wasn't to sure if she
liked it...She didn't last very long.
The first day she was only in the pool for about 20 min.
I put sunscreen on her and she had a hat on the
entire time and she still got tan lines!

I would have to say Jermaine favorite thing was going
on golf cart rides (especially with his grandpa (paka)
He still tells me everyday how they saw a toad on the bunny trails
and then the sprinklers went off so they
had to turn the wipers on in the golf cart!

Dear uncle Lukey (as Jermaine calls him)

played "Jet ski"

(He even made the sounds)

We love you uncle Lukey!

Thank you Tara for her adorable swim suits!!!

So every year we have a scavenger hunt.

The first year it was just our family (zoerinks)

split into two teams.

Then the 2nd year we asked the Jansens and Kenners

if they would like to partake in our tradition.

And they all quickly jumped on board!

Let me tell you...

this is a very intense scavenger hunt

INTENSE!!!

 We had to make new rules

and this year went a lot smoother!

hahah

Kathy Jansen and Nathan were the judges

and they did amazing!

SO MUCH FUN!!!

Yes it was SOOOOOO hard to come home!

Thank you again

yaya and paka

for another unforgettable trip!

we love you!

Its Official!!!

Today we finalized Braxtyns adoption!

Wahoooo it's done!

No more paper work!

Praise the Lord!

We have been so lucky with both adoptions that

nothing has slowed down the process!

Thank you Lord!!

So its official now!!

 (not that it feels any different)

Some people would make today a very big deal

and not saying it isn't but she has always

felt like ours...

 But yes, I guess now nobody

(birthparents or extended family in GA)

can do anything about getting her back.

She is now and forever (until she gets married...ahhhh)

 a Zoerink!

Braxtyn Paige Zoerink...We love you to pieces!!

xoxoxox



 Usually people go in a court room but we just went in the judge's office...

We did that for Jermaine's adoption too.

We just say whatever is quicker! All that work and it only took like 5 min!

Thank you Grandma's for coming!

We love you both so much

and our so blessed to have you both in our life's!