Thanksgiving

Yes, I am playing catch up on a few things including Thanksgiving and our anniversary. See this and the next two posts....

P. had to work the day after Thanksgiving this year so we weren't able to go anywhere for very long. So, like we did on Easter, we met my in-laws, brother-in-law, niece and nephew at the casino. We ate a lot at the buffet then played some games. P. lost at craps, I won ($7) at video blackjack and Pete played in the kids arcade and came home with some fun little souvenir toys. Jamie slept or hung out with me or Omi. It was all around a good day but I look forward to spending a holiday at a home instead of in a smoke filled casino.

What am I thankful for? Gosh, so much. Where do I start? First I am thankful for happy, healthy children. I spent time in the hospital the other day for tests on Jamie's bowel and saw so many sick children. They looked so tired and weak and I cried tears of sadness but thankfulness that they were not mine. I am thankful for my husband and best friend P. I am thankful P. has a good job and I can stay home with our kids. I am thankful that most days there is nothing I desperately need or want. I am warm in my house, have food (lots of food) in my tummy and a nice, safe car to drive. There are things I want or dream of someday. I have plans for our future and they are different than where we are at now. But if things stayed they way they are now I would have nothing to complain about. I am thankful for little things. Jamie's curls on top of her head. Pete little naked bottom running towards me after a bath. My new sweater that is actually the new style this winter. Bottled Starbucks Mocha Frappuccinos. Hot showers on a cold day. Days of Our Lives while the babies are napping. And a first snow that held off until the 4th of December. I will leave that for another post. :)

I will keep the things I want changed in my prayers and God will take care of them in time. God is so good. What are you thankful for?

Pictures of Thanksgiving at Soaring Eagle Casino in Mt. Pleasant, MI.

At the buffet.
Jamie in the bathroom for a changing.
First Thanksgiving all of us.
Arcade fun.

Anniversary

Our anniversary this year was pretty low key. We went to dinner at this Chinese buffet place then went to a Thanksgiving Eve service at church. The service was a nice time of worship and reflection. I am glad we went. It's funny to me to celebrate our anniversary with our kids in tow. Times are different now but I wouldn't change them for anything. Well, maybe it would have been nice to have dinner by ourselves. Someday the kids won't be around and we will wish they were. I did get some beautiful roses and a cute sock monkey though. P. made me a really sweet card and always has the kindest, from the heart things to say to me. I hope he really feels that way. I found him a cool Philadelphia Eagles sweatshirt off ebay and he likes it a lot. Here is a pic of me and my gifts. My favorite gift is that little girl on my arm though.....And our little angel hanging out on the floor. I think she is the most beautiful baby I have ever seen.

Bananas

Nope, I still don't like bananas. Nice try mom.

Need More Time.....

I need more time! It's been over a week since my last blog and I have missed it. Especially since something new happens around here every day. All I can say is that my babies are growing up too fast.

Jamie is almost 16 weeks old. It feels like yesterday that we brought her home. She is a beautiful baby girl. Jamie warms your heart with her smiles and laughs. She is sweet and bubbly. She eats well and sleeps great. I wish I had more time during the day to just spend with her but her brother makes that a little difficult. Good thing she is patient and I treasure the times that we do have just her and I. She is already trying to roll over and as soon as she figures out how to tuck that other arm under she will do it. I sit with my camera waiting for it to happen. Gosh I hope I don't miss it. Jamie is the light of my life.

Pete is almost 20 months old. Holy cow. He is a little man now. He helps me do laundry, sweeps the floors, can get his sister's diaper and wipes for me, he is learning new words every day, he is silly, sweet and active. There are days when I think this is my favorite age. There are other days when this is my least favorite age. But we won't go into that, there are a million more great times to talk about. And here are some of them.....

Pete and mommy at an evening event at his school. Pete goes to class one morning a week and someone comes into our home one morning a week. We are thankful for the opportunity for him to learn at home and with other kids. Jamie and dad lounging on the couch. She has the most beautiful face. He is pretty cute too. :)
My kiddos at the breakfast table.Pete sitting in the baby bouncer.Pete wearing one of his many hats around the house. He wanted the dog to wear one too. Getting used to the big boy potty. Looking forward to the day he actually uses it.Pete got into the Post-it notes in the desk drawer. I caught him a couple into it but let him finish. We don't use them anyway.Jamie girl trying to roll over. Hanging out on dad again. I love that little face. Our baby girl in the soft light of our living room one night.
Me and my girl outside on a beautiful fall day.
Tried to take a good Christmas picture. Didn't work. Jamie never looked at the camera. Pete usually had his eyes closed, was picking his nose or bugging his sister. In this one I am wiping my eyes from laughing, PJ is talking, Jamie has her eyes closed and Pete is not looking at the camera. Thought it was a classic.
Our first Selinski turkey shared with our friends. We won't be home for Thanksgiving so we celebrated early and have had wonderful leftovers all week.
Visiting Santa at the mall. Pete kept staring at him like "Who in the world is this strange looking man?" We got a good picture but I am not going to post it in case I use it as our Christmas card picture this year. Pete's first candy cane.And today is our 4 year anniversary. We are taking the kids out to dinner then attending the Thanksgiving Eve service at church. We got married four years ago, the day after Thanksgiving then, barefoot on the sand. We joke, feels more like 14. But in a good way. We have a beautiful marriage. The other night we were watching all of these unhappy marriages on TV (ie. Jon and Kate) and talked about how lucky we were to have a healthy, happy marriage. We both were given second chances and it couldn't have worked out any better. We are the best of friends and the best of teammates. We created two precious children and they make our lives complete. P. and I will be together forever and I look forward to every year I get to share with him in life and in heaven. I am making myself cry so I better go. Thank you P. for giving me this incredible life. I love you.

Jamie

Jamie laughing and talking with daddy. Go down to the bottom of the blog and hit pause on the music player so you can hear her sweet voice.

Joy

These pictures bring joy to my heart. Jamie brings joy to my life.

Family Time

Reading before bed with daddy. Pete is not tired and being a big goof. Pete helping dad empty the dishwasher.

Today was a beautiful fall day. The weather was nicer than a lot of the days we had in the summer. We went to the park and bbq'd some hot dogs and Pete played in all the leaves.
Jamie laying on the picnic table.Eating with dad.
Me and my baby girl.

Ugh

We have all been sick this week so I don't have a lot of exciting pictures to post. Jamie has stayed healthy so far so keep her in your prayers that she stays well. Pete and dad are on their way out of it and mom isn't fairing so well. All this said there won't be any pictures of mom this week. But my babies are still cute. :)

Pete sitting on the back deck yesterday watching the world go by.
Helping dad put together Jamie's bed. She has been sleeping in a pack in play next to our bed since she was born. We tried to move her into her bed this week but it was just easier to move her back and keep her in what she knows, for now, until we all feel better and can handle the change.
Our little angel smiling at mom. She is the cutest smiley girl in the world. I used to wonder how I would love another child as much as I loved Pete but Jamie answered that question easily. She is mommy's little sugar and my heart is overflowing with love for her.
Pete going a little bonkers after being cooped up inside the house all week. Sugar Dugger fresh from a nap with a beautiful smile and laugh for mommy.

Halloween 2009

Halloween was so much fun. We did what we did last year and went to our friends house in a neighborhood near by. They always have a nice party with lots of good food and good laughs. We had some dinner then took Pete out trick or treating. Our friends stayed with Jamie back at the house so she wouldn't get cold and fussy. It was a cold night but could have been worse. I enjoyed watching Pete experience his first real Halloween so much. It was such a wonderful night. We talked about how next year Jamie will be tagging along with her brother. How fast time goes. How fun life is with children to share it with. How beautiful our children are. How blessed we are.

Our beautiful little girl dressed up as a ducky. Does she look like someone you know? Pete as a lion. He was walking around the house roaring over and over again. Here he is.....Roooaaarrr! On they way to the party.Mom and her little lion.Mom and her little angel.Pete out trick or treating.
Going through his pile o' candy.
And our newest addition to our Potato Head family. Vampire Potato Head. Thank you Dave, Tina and Lauren for starting this awesome collection of potato head stuff for our kids.
Kisses for Sugar Dugger Ducky.