Hazel Rose is TWO!

Happy Birthday to my little girl.  

If this video doesn't work, try this one instead.  The quality might actually be better here.

My baby is six years old- When did that happen!?

James Thomas Chapter 3

He is already three years old. I am amazed by how 

fast this is going.

This one is worth a watch. The whole thing please.

Wait patiently while it loads. I promise it is worth it.

Hazel's First Birthday Party

Happiest of days for

you sweet Hazel!

Matt and I just realized a few things about Hazel's day of birth-It is reeeeealy close to the beginning of the school year, it will most likely forever be a hot day to celebrate, and it is almost always the first week of the Great Minnesota Get Together.  So what other way would we celebrate than with a fair of our own?!

Our day started out as every Birthday does, with cinnamon rolls- Yummy!

During naps I got the inside table set up with an old fashioned popcorn machine, cotton candy machine, a root beer keg and our "popcorn" cupcakes.  I got the "tent" at Ikea a few weeks ago and the sign I ordered from Vistaprint about 6 months ago.  I got one for each kid, they will be able to be used year after year!

 Keira requested confetti cupcakes and since hazel and James could care less as long as there was frosting included, I obliged.  I found the cute cupcake wrappers at Michaels. Made the cupcakes three days prior and froze them.  Took them out to frost and decorate the day of the party.

           

I took mini marshmallows, and by schrunching and squishing them I turned them into "Popcorn"!

 

After adding a spray of yellow food coloring for butter they looked good enough to eat!

I was actually REALLY surprised by how cute these turned out.

This is the entrance to the party. Matt was nice enough to cut the wood for my sign which I painted during naps the day before the party.  Surprisingly easy since it didn't have to be perfect...more of a "retro" feel I guess.  The striped fabric was from IKEA on clearance. It is actually a twin size duvet cover and sham. I cut them up the middle and matt hung them for me using...ummm...I don't know.  But it looked great so I didn't ask.  

The sign is in a Home Depot bucket full of of rocks covered by the sham. And see that big bear there?  He has been part of our family for almost three years now and has brought more joy to our home than anyone would ever know.  I once considered rehoming Tanner (the bear) but then my son turned two and needed a WWF partner, so Tanner will stay. 

I found these frames at IKEA and downloaded a circus font for the signs at each game.  This one was the sucker pull.  The instructions say to pull out a sucker and if the bottom is colored red you get to keep the sucker!! The box is a box I found in our recycling covered in wrapping paper with holes poked in it.

Ring toss-pretty self explanatory!

Bean bag toss!  Thank you to our wonderful neighbors who just happened to buy a stroller that week and I took this box out of their recycle bin.  It is wrapped in the same paper from Target. (If I were to do it again, I think I would buy at least two rolls of paper as I ran out and could have used more.)

 This one was my favorite.  Knock 'Em Down is made up of cans with scrap booking paper hot glued onto them.  Again, surprisingly easy with how cute it actually was!

Kissing booth!  Unfortunately this one had to be inside or the chocolate would have melted.  Kids were to guess how many kisses were in each jar, if they were closest they got to bring it home!

There here my friends, is the dunk tank...no skill really involved but on a 95 degree day-the dunk tank was the most popular game by far.

 This here is the mighty midway. Again-thank you awesome neighbors.

 Finally, the prize table.  Thank you Target Dollar spot.

I like to think that the party was a success and that fun was had by all. I am SURE Hazel will always remember this party and will hold a grudge when her second, third and fourth parties are at a bowling alley.

Here are a few shots of the festivities-

For dessert the adults got to make their own root beer floats. (in mason jars with their name on it!)

I decided that with all the prizes from the games, the party favor would be animal crackers.  Boring but they sure were cute!

A smile from the birthday girl. Happiest day to you sweet Hazel Rose!

Finally, if anyone is interested in the supplies (cans, curtain, popcorn holders, etc) make an offer I will ship it to you! (or drop it off at your house)

Hazel Rose Chapter 1

Hazel Rose Anderle Chapter 1

If you are on your phone...watch this one!

Keira Kimberly Chapter 5

Keira Kimberly Chapter 5

Matt once told her she had the most important job because she taught us how to be parents. Her response? "well, you're still learnin' "  (KKA)

Touche Keira, Touche

James Thomas Chapter Two

James Thomas Chapter Two

click above to watch his video

How could I love another

One of my biggest worries when I was pregnant with James was how I could possibly ever love another child like I love Keira.  I was reassured over and over again by many people who had two or more children that it is, in fact, very possible.

  I tried very hard to believe them and spent many sleepless nights thinking and praying about how I would love this child.

  My cousin Kelly believes one reason I felt this way is because we didn't find out the gender of our baby and I, most likely had a hard time bonding with him/her-I just think she was trying to convince me to find out the sex. She always thinks I am crazy not to.  (I won't find out with my next one either Kelly!!)  

Boy or Girl?

  I am going to be TOTALLY honest here and admit I was very afraid that I might have a boy.  Not only could I never love a second child, but if it were a boy there was definitely no way I could love him like my sweet Keki.
  Again I turned to Kelly, mother of two boys, and confessed my fears.  There was no way I was going to tell anyone else in the world my fears.  (But now I will tell the blogosphere)

Here is what she told me;
1. They aren't born at 3 years old throwing dirt, shooting guns and kicking holes in walls.
2.  Boys love their moms no matter what...girls like their moms a lot but boys love their moms. Always.
3.  She also told me that I would have REALLY cute boys.

Daddy's two favorite girls-or is it three?

  This helped me a bit but I was still a little uneasy.  Adding to my fears was the fact that I felt a ton of pressure to give Keira a sister.  Sisters are the most amazing relationship that God has ever created.  Where would I be today without my sisters?  And here is where I went to my husband.  Matt reassured me by telling me this;

1.  You only have sisters so that is all you know.
2.  A brother/sister relationship is also amazing, possibly more amazing than a sister/sister relationship.
3.  If there is another girl in this house, I am going to leave.
-I want to point out that #3 came after he found both Keira and I on the floor in her room crying.  Keira, because she didn't want to get dressed.  Kim, because Keira wouldn't get dressed.


Fast forward a few months. After another rather difficult pregnancy the doctors decided I would be induced again at 37 weeks.  January 14th.  The weeks leading up to January 14th were nerve-racking, exhausting, itchy, uncomfortable, and sometimes downright scary.

  After the easiest labor and delivery in the history of the world, we welcomed James Thomas into our little family.

I can not begin to explain to you how amazing James is.  I can not begin to tell you how much of a blessing sweet sweet little James has been.  I can not begin to tell you how amazing the brother/sister relationship is.  I cry just thinking about how I could ever doubt my love for my little boy.

My son  

I have a son

I am part of the most exclusive club there is...the "Mommy of Boys club!'  I am a proud member and I am ready to speak at club meetings. I am ready to tour the world and try to explain how amazing it is to be a mother of a little boy.  Better yet, how amazing it is to be a mother of two.  Or even better than that, how amazing it is to be a mother.

"I love my brodder shoooo much"

I eat my words every day when my little Keki tells me we can't leave with out "my brodder James".
 Or when she refuses to let me leave him inside the house while I put her in the car, because we might forget him.
Or when she tells me that "James make my heart sooooooo happy."






I eat my words every day when Matt is holding James and I sneak a quick peek at him and whisper hello to my new man and he responds with a giant toothless grin.  Six weeks old and he can recognize and love me.  SIX WEEKS!
He trusts me and loves me unconditionally, and to think I thought there was a possibility that I couldn't love him?


 I am so in love with my family, I am so blessed and feel so lucky that I have an amazing life partner, Matt.
 I am so blessed and feel so proud that I gave Keira her best friend for life.
 I am so blessed and feel so proud that I am a mother.

I am a mother of two.  I have a daughter and a son.  I am proud of both of them and love them both very differently but very much equally.  

Photo by Gina Lang Photography

I can and do love another, and someday I will love another again...and possibly again.

Welcome Hazel Rose

We would like to welcome Hazel Rose to our family.  

Details to follow!

Keira Kimberly Chapter 4

Keira Kimberly Chapter 4

James Thomas Chapter 1

I can not believe we have arrived at chapter one with Mr. Jamers.  I can not believe it.

It was a Blessed day.

Grandma Karen (Matt's mother) Baptized James yesterday afternoon.  I was obsessively checking the weather to make sure we could still have it outside.  And God delivered!  I don't remember the last time we have had a 80 degree day in October.

James' ceremony was very unique.  What I like about having the children baptized at our home is that we get to decide how the ceremony will go.  We get to choose our pastor, choose our verses, choose our time, choose our clothing, and have it be very intimate. In this case, it was family only.  (Except we were missing a few important people due to my laryngitis...I mean who really wants that as a party favor?!  Not my 94 year old grandma nor my 12 week old niece.)


James is wearing a baptismal gown that my grandfather, his great grandfather, sent home during WWII.  My uncle, my grandparents first child, was born during the war.  I believe he was two years old before he met his father.  Grandpa mimi sent this to grandma while he was in Italy.  All of my aunts and uncles have worn it, many of their children, all of my siblings, and now both of my children.  Needless to say it is very special to me.  

I spent weeks thinking about how I could transform our backyard into an "altar" for his baptism.  Again God delivered with a very beautiful backdrop of Autumn and all I had to do was add the finishing touches!

 







The photo on the left is before and the one on the right is after I had set it all up.

Poor James was woken up for the special occasion, as you can see he is thrilled about it.

 Grandma Karen did a beautiful job of baptizing both of our children. Three years ago she did Keira's and yesterday she followed that up with another stellar performance! It is so special to have someone so close to us perform the ceremony.

Auntie Kara and Auntie Katie are James' godmothers.   The photo at the left shows Katie holding him during his blessing, I LOVE this photo, it brings tears to my eyes.  My sisters are more important to me than anything in the world. I don't know where I would be without them.

 

Likewise, Auntie Kara is equally important to us. She is Matt's older sister and one of his very best friends.  I often look at Keira and James and hope I can raise them to be just like Kara and Matt.  So far, in my opinion, we are doing pretty darn good. See exhibit A just below this.  See exhibit B here.

She genuinely loves her little brother, it always amazes me how much she does.  I didn't realize that sibling love was innate-I thought it had to be taught. You see, I am the youngest so I never had to accept a sibling, I was born into it. Thank you for loving me Krissy and Katie.

And finally-Grandparent love. I know that you love my kids more than you love me but I still don't understand that love.  I know someday I will learn what it feels like to be a grandmother, if I am blessed, but until then I will just take it all in. 

What I can understand it what it feels like to be a mother.  I never knew how much you loved me mom and dad, not until Keira and James entered our lives.  Wow. Just Wow.  Now I appreciate it, I am sorry-but a child never loves their parents like their parents love them. If you disagree with me fine, but I know for a fact that Keira and James will NEVER love me like I love them, and that does not make me sad. It makes me excited for them to feel the love someday, and then in turn, I get to feel that grandparent love that I don't quite yet understand.

 It was a Blessed day, I feel so special that God thinks this highly of me to give me such beautiful children, such an amazing husband, and such loving family.  Thank you God.

I had to include a picture of James Thomas and his twin-Thomas.

James Thomas Anderle

If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him.  But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind.

James 1:5-6