Photo Wall

So I finally got my photos in frames and up on our wall. Before we had a clock hanging on the wall that was a Christmas present for Jeral a few years ago. However it was just so plain, so I decided to add photos of my beloved family, with of course some Willow Tree figurines. Actually if I am honest this whole idea came out of my wanting to cover up the ugly intercom that was sticking out like a sore thumb on the wall. We still need to add a fake back to the one box to cover the intercom and then I will be happy with the finished product!

Well life on the farm is always full of surprises and well we have had three mice come and go (R.I.P) in the past week! I am not a fan of rodents in my house. We have fish for pets, not ever going to have a mouse as a permanent pet.

Jaris had his 18 months shots this week! He was such a little trooper! I am so happy that we are done now for a while.

We are going to try to potty train Kenzie. We will see - .... We are not going to force it, if she wants to she wants too, if she does not want too then she does not want too! We did buy the potty today though and so cute Strawberry short cake underwear.

Well that is all for now!

Not Little Babes Anymore

Typically true of Jaris, he always seems to have something in his mouth! He will officially be 18 months on Tuesday and that means he is officially not an infant anymore. He enters the world of toddlers. Okay he size wise has been in the world of toddlers for a while now. Time is going so fast, and while it attempt to take it all in I know I am missing so much. I just wish time would slow down a little bit. I love the awe and wonder both of my miracles have! I hope we can encourage them to never loose their sense of curiosity! It is amazing!
I took this picture the day Jeral left on his motor cycle trip. I almost cried when I saw how grown up Kenzie looks here. She looks like a little girl and not so much my baby anymore. She is so beautiful! While she is growing up I also was reminded this weekend that she still does need me. Keznie was sick and well she definitely made it known she needed me to hold her through the night last night. So I more than willing gave up sleep to hold my precious little girl because the is what she needed! Oh Baby Girl, please do not grow up to fast! Stay my little girl a while longer!

Jeral made it home safe and sound and I got my mom back to Kamloops safe and sound. I loved watching the kids hear Jeral's voice in the house and realize daddy was home and they dropped everything and went running. Jeral was definitely missed while he was gone. Next year honey how about we build a track in our back 20 and you guys can all just do laps and then come home at night! Just kidding, or am I????? :)

Well I think I am going to bed. I am one tired mommy!

Little Climbers

Kenzie is our climber! Wow is she ever good at it. A few mornings ago the kid decided to wake up really early, as in 4:45 am and well there was no way Jeral and I were getting up, so we closed the door to our bedroom, put a movie on for the kids and and let them have free reign of our room as we tried to be only slightly aware that they were running around. And oh I got them a snack and drink each too. Well our en suite has no door, so the kids also got friend reign of the bathroom too, and when this got quiet I bolted up and put my glasses on to find this. Kenzie had climbed on the toilet and was in my medicine cabinet. More baby proofing here we come.

Actually yesterday she climbed up on my down stairs desk and started pulling the pins out of the pictures and handing them to Jaris (the pins) and he thought it was fun to put them in his mouth. Luckily we were right there and stopped that right away and when Jeral took the kids out that night I took every pin I could find in the house and got rid of it. Better safe than sorry!
And here we have two little climbers. I was bring in the groceries and they disappeared on me. I found them sitting in the front seat eating the treats! I love this picture because it so shows their personalities. Kenzie the life of the party, and Jaris the laid back go with the flow. I have a feeling that later in life when they are about to get in trouble for doing something he may say, "Mommy I was just following Kenzie and going with the flow!" And to that I will try not to laugh and then remind him he is still in trouble.

Seriously they are so cute!!!!

Kenzie and Jaris are both talking up a storm. It is so fun listen to them talk in their own little language, and I am enjoying understanding more words. The goal for Jaris was to have 10 words by 18 months of age and well tonight I actually counted how many words he has and we are at 15 for sure and then about 5 more or so that are iffy. I love realizing that the goals that were set for my son he has more than met every time. I love how is older sister helps to motivated him. I think after this last Physio appointment a few weeks from now we will fully be released from all the programs Jaris has been a part of, and I am so thankful for this. A year ago we were still so unsure about what Jaris would be able to do, and a year later watching him run around, playing, talking, and just being a little boy is so amazing! I am a proud mama. Proud of both my beautiful, kiddos!

We ship our birds tonight and then on Wednesday we leave for a fun little get away. Where are we going? Where else would we go for just a few days. To the lower mainland to hang out with some friends and then one of the funnest Aunties and some of the bestest cousins and a pretty great uncle too! I know that trip like this mess up the routine, however we are still trying to get the routine back in order since our last trip in June! Anyways I really want to get to bed early tonight so I will sign off! Blessing to all!!!!

On The Charts

Beautiful girl with hair in her eyes! Bangs or no bangs. I am trying desperately to grow her hair out yet I want to see her lovely eyes and that is hard these days with her hair always in her face. She has one beautiful smile and her eyes are amazing. And when she smiles and her eyes light up, wow it is so amazing! Alas though the hair gets in the way!
The tree we planted as a reminder that our baby is in Heaven with God! Originally I was willing to pay $300 - $500 for a bigger tree, yet as I prayed about it I realized I wanted a little tree. A smaller tree which I could nurture, care for and watch grow in the years to come, since I will not get to nurture, care for, and watch our little miracle grow who is with Jesus. The tree is an Oriental Red Maple. Actually we call it the Annabelle tree - that would have been her name if we would have had a girl. So Kenzie, Jaris and I try to visit the Annabelle tree once a day to water it and I tell Jesus to tell her I love her, and cannot wait for the day I get to hold her in my arms and never have to leave her! Alas that day is not now, while she has Jesus to hold her Kenzie and Jaris need me and I love being their mommy.

My handsome son at the IPE Fair! We spent most of Saturday at the fair and boy oh boy was it fun! What a difference one year makes for the kids and how excited they get for stuff like this! Next year is gonna rock at this point. Trying to keep tabs on them will be fun!

We are attempting no naps in our house hold. Today was day 2 for both of them. It makes for a long day for Jaris, and he may start taking a short morning nap, however afternoon naps are out. When they nap in the afternoon they tend to want to stay up until 10 or 11 pm and well that makes for a really long day. So no naps and a 7 pm bed time. I am hoping this is well established before Jeral head off for the 3rd annual motor cycle trip with some of his friends! Last year I stayed with a friend for help, this we are staying home! Home for the kids is just so much better!

Jaris saw the pediatrician today and his head is finally back on the charts!!!! So exciting for me as his mom. He is still at the top of the charts yet on the charts!!!! I am one proud mama!

The Kids are Growingup SOOOOOO Fast

Bath time in tends to be one of the favorite times around here!
Look at the beautiful face!

All tuckered out from playing in the toy room and having fun.

Mommy look at me I have daddy's birthday present and I am going to have fun trying to figure it out!

What morning looks like in our family. The kids in their pj's having their buba's.

Helping mommy clean. For some reason they love playing with the broom and dry mop. Go figure. I hate cleaning and they love playing let's clean in their way. Still have a long way to go before they clean up the toy room when they are done playing!

I actually got a picture of her with her hair out of her face. She always has it in her face and will not let me put clips in, well actually I can get the hair clip in and then 30 seconds later the clip is on the floor!

Kenzie and Jaris are growing up so fast. I have pictures of them on my screen saver and I was watching the slide show the other day and my kids have gone from being babies to toddlers, and while I love much about this stage there is some grief over the baby stage being gone. Jeral and i both agree on this our hearts and home are much fuller because of being blessed with their presence in our lives. Next to when they are asleep with their head resting on my chest, hearing their laughter is the next best thing. They are so innocent and just express exactly what they want when they want. I love that some days as Kenzie and Jaris are playing she will drop everything and just walk over and wrap her arms around my neck and plant a kiss on me. Jaris will come and grab my leg and wrap his arms around and lay his head on my knee and just look up at me, then he lets go and puts his arms up in the air and says up. Then there are the times they are not happy and they let us know it, and those times are a joy too simply because they feel safe enough to be who they are with us. They are still at an age where they do not feel they have to be someone other than who they are for us, and hopefully we will be able to keep the going as they grow up. I never want my kids to feel they have to be something or someone other than they are for my approval and love. Anyways I love my kids very much! They mean everything to me, them and their daddy! I am blessed!

Broken Trust

Lots of thoughts have been running through my head as of late. I think one of the reasons I blog is because I find it easier to articulate my thoughts in written format than verbally face to face. I need time to think, I need time to process, and I need time to reflect. Unfortunately this means that at times resolving issues and conflict can take time instead of right away. Which then can mean that things that were said get forgotten.

I have been thinking back to about a year ago, and the end of a relationship that I new would at some point end and yet never expected to end on the terms it did. Maybe if I would have been able to clearly articulate face to face with this person the ending would not have been so harsh. Maybe it would have been easier to talk things through and for the other person to remember things that were said. However unfortunately I let time go by as I processed and reflected. I need time, yet while that can be of great benefit it can also be a down fall. The truth is if I had the courage to really risk getting hurt again I would say to this person. I want to find a way to repair the broken trust that has occurred, yet I am not sure how, or even if that is my responsibility. Normally I would think that the responsibility to repair broken trust would fall to the person who broke trust. I really do not like the idea of living through the rest of this life with the consequences of broken trust, especially not with this person. Alas though the ball I do not feel is in my court and the reality is I am not sure if anything will ever change. So I will have to find a way to let go. I have come to realize that letting go does not mean I will never miss this person, nor that I will never cry or feel sad over how things ended. Letting go means for me releasing the hope that I could go back and change things so they would have ended differently. Letting go means giving up the hope that in the future that trust can be repaired, or even that the other person would want to repair that trust. Letting go will hopefully give me the ability to be able to embrace the present and what is in front of me.

Anyways just some of my thoughts as of late! This is what this blog was for originally. I do promise in the days ahead there will be posts with pictures of the kids and so on. I know that is what my readers really want to see and read is all about the kids especially since they are so cute and adorable!

Six Years Ago

Six years ago tonight Jeral asked me out on our first date! Now me being oblivious to things like this almost shot him down. However I am thankful that I realized he was asking me out and that I said yes to going out for dinner a few nights later! And well the rest is history! I love you Jeral David Krahn! Thanks for asking me out 6 years ago, and thank you Jesus I clued in that you were asking me out!

Happy Birthday Jeral

Tomorrow is Jeral's birthday. I love Jeral so very much. Back in September I had someone ask me what I love about my husband, and well here are a few things. I love how when he wraps his arms around me I melt and feel safe. He is big enough and strong enough to hold me, yet gentle enough to not break me. He is one of the kindest and most gentle persons you will ever meet. He is an amazing Father, who does his best to show what God's Father love is intended to be. I love watching him with our kids. I love how almost every day his highlight has something to do with Kenzie or Jaris. I love how he never yells or screams when he is upset, and I love that our children will get to grow up in a home where yelling is not the standard tone of voice. I love his smile. Seriously when no one is trying to get him to pose for a picture he has the best almost little boy like smile. I love his excitement for life, and I love his excitment and wondering over being married to me (seriously it is a great feeling knowing your husband loves being married to you and looks forward to each new day with you). He is just so darn cute!

Happy Birthday Jeral! I love you!!!!!