2011 Family Album

This is sooooo cool!

 I just finished my shutterfly album for 2011

and there was a link to post it on blogspot, so i did and

here you go!

So amazing what you can do these days!

I hope you can see it ok!

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April already.....

So sorry to all my wonderful followers!

I took a little break from blogging.

Its been a little crazy around here with me coaching tennis.

Not used to having a full time job!

I really don't know how moms do it! I feel like my head is

going to explode sometimes!

So yes, in the mean time this is what we have been up too

as we wait for nicer weather!

Pick your battles...right??

So Jermaine always has something to say...

People always ask me, "are you writing this down"

and I'm like no, because he talks ALL the time...

So here are some cute things lately...

He woke up one morning and said..

"Mom, I had knee surgery and I had to drive my old pick up to the doctors"

"Mom, do you know what California means?? (as he points to each finger as he is listing this)

1.scrambled eggs

2.sausage

3.hashbrowns

4. a swimming pool

5.two golf carts

6. a big house

7. and an airplane that will take you where ever you are going.

"Mom, ask me how my nap was."

"Mom, ask me how my sandwich was."

"Mom, ask me how tall I am because you don't know I'm 3 foot 2"

"Mom, Tobyn and I are big brothers, we hug because we love each other a lot"

(He LOVES his cousins)

Happy Birthday Adam!!!

We had a little BBQ party for Adam.

SO much fun having him around!

(even though i don't see Jill as much)

They are so sweet together!!!

Football time!!

Jermaine always pretends to tie his "football" shoes

 

Happy Easter!!

So for Easter this year we were so excited to have Trenton and Tania here

and have our dear friends Matt, Shannon and Sawyer

join us.

Both Jill and Laura were out of state.

So weird to be the only sister here sometimes!

We had lunch at my parents house and an egg hunt.

Then we headed off to Nathans family.

I cant believe I didn't take any pictures.

ALSO I'm so so soooo bumped I didn't even take one of Jermaine and Braxtyn together!!

I just LOVE Jermaine and Tobyns face in this picture!

On a mission...

Ready for a nap!

Finally Shannon and I got a picture together!

Love this girl so much!

Off to Yayas....

Oh ERICA, u means so much to me!

I can not wait for you to be done with school and on this side

of the mountains!!
OMG 5 months until your wedding!!!wahoooo

Nathan, Jermaine and I went down to Tacoma to watch her play tennis

a couple weekends ago...So much fun! I love watching her play!!

Goodbyes are hard...

 

My Beautiful sister Laura and her hubby are moving down to Cali this week.

My heart hurts for the ability not to see them whenever we want

but it SHOUTS for Joy because I know God has such an amazing plan for there lifes!

Last week, Jill, mom, the kids and I, all surprised Laura at Woods Coffee

for one last girl coffee/bfast party.

I held back the tears as Jermaine runs into Woods...runs all the way around the

counter and grabs his auntie.

This is where his auntie has always worked...He knows it so well...He has

"his" table and gets a sausage sandwich every time. We come see her quiet a bit.

Its bitter sweet....Just Jill and I here in L-town now...

And No she will not leave me hehehe

Ohh Jermaine and his "EYES"

Yes!! I got one with my mom!!

I know you would love this Auntie Karen (xoxoxoxoxox)

Laura~Love you so much! I am so proud of you.

I know this is going to be hard at times but I just know God is working

in Josh and you!

Have faith, he is always with you and has HUGE plans for your lifes!

xoxoxox

Yeahhhhh for Skype!!

February already???

I cant believe it!!

So every since last summer my mom, Erica, Jill and a few others

have been bagging me to grow Jermaine's hair out....

So i tried....

Yes tried...

It was so much work!!!!

I had to save time before leaving the house to make sure both

kids had picked hair...

Jermaine did not like it at all... by the way!

I had to pin him down most times!
So after much thought (not really)

I did this...

Haha Just Joking...

And Little Miss Braxtyn...

She realized if she throws a tantrum and screams

she gets something...

I cant believe already, at 9 Months, she wants to play

with the ipad just because Jermaine is playing with it.

She's a little spit fire!

But, Wow, does she keep things going around here..

Never a dull moment!

So much personality!!

I love it!

Ready for Church!!

I wish this Picture turned out better, its a little fuzzy

but she has the cutest smile!



Forgot to post this amazing cake

my sister Laura made us...

so sad they lost!



To my dear faithful followers....
I would just like to ask for prayer.
My dear friend Jul Hoober, was diagnosed with
Ovarian Cancer at the end of last year.
She has been going through Chemo and
has an amazing support team.
What breaks my heart is that she is thousands of miles
away from me.
I so wish I could go with her to an appointment, hold her hand, and hug the
heck out of her!
She has been such a great example to me on how
to be a loving, Godly mother and wife.
She has the biggest heart and has been so positive through this
whole experience!
Please follow her blog and pray God's abundant hand of love and mercy
will heal her body.
Thank you so much!!

julhoober.blogspot.com

So since we have been buried in snow all week, my kids and I have been very

restless. I love this picture. Its like Jermaine is saying "help! I'm tired of these two always hugging

and kissing me! I need to get out of this house full of girls"

I am soooo blessed to have Jill living 1 mile away from me!

I make her come over as often as she can!

Braxtyn LOVES going outside with her daddy!

She begs at the door to go out with him.

He takes her and our dog Dawson on walks in the field

and she cries when she has to come in.

Hmmm what to eat....

He is standing on a foam chair my parents

gave him for Christmas last year.

He calls it his ladder.

My adorable 8 month old is now crawling all over the house!
She is into everything, but mainly just crawls to Nathan or I, pulls herself up
and begs us to pick her up!
I thought when she started crawling she wouldn't need to be held as much...
not true!
But as my amazing mom always tells me "This is such a short time, enjoy
her wanting all your attention"

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