Welcome Home Baby Elijah!!

It's actually been a week since we welcomed home our newest addition to the family,  but I'm just now finding the time to get some pic's up   :0)

Details??  I've already talked or emailed most of you, but for the sake making it forever saved into cyber history....

As per my request to the Lord, labor was very fast! 1.5 hrs to be exact!  He was also the biggest baby we've had, being 9lbs 2oz.....don't let anyone tell you that bigger babies are slower to push out!  He was born at 2:45am, the perfect time, since all our other little one's were peacefully asleep in their beds while as whisked away to the hospital.  (We woke our eldest to go sleep on the couch in case one of the little one's were to wake in our absence.)

By the time the little one's woke up and had breakfast, Jason was back at home gathering them up to come see their newest brother.  He stayed with me most of the night, since we had a little bit of a scare with some post-delivery bleeding.  I've never had any issues with that before, but this time they pumped me full of 3 bags oxytocin.....yucky, but obviously it did the trick because the bleeding slowed down after a couple hours. 

Coming home was a little crazy this time since we are in the middle of selling our house.  Our older kids have been amazing though, pitching in wherever needed to help keep things clean, organized and having all the little one's watched over while we show the house.  It's been a little tricky to pack up a newborn and get all the other kids to the park during a viewing,  but God has been good to us, we've had great weather and the patience to just continue focusing on the bigger picture.


We'll try to get some more picture's up as soon as we've settled into school a bit.    :0)

17 Already???

Okay, at some point a parent has to look back and say, "how old am I really?"  Danika celebrated her 17th birthday today!!  How old do you have to be to have a 17 yr old in the house?? (should that be a rhetorical question?)


For lunch we all built our own sub sandwiches and then we dove into cheesecake and gifts. Later we watched a movie with snacks and pop, etc.   It has been so sweet to watch Danika grow up into such a lovely and godly young lady.  The Lord certainly has big plans for her!

Showing off her new ring

Jo bought her a princess crown  :0)

Big hugs from sister

Nathaniel gave her a journal

Did you notice the "princess" theme??

Noah Boah Turns 12

This year Noah was able to celebrate his birthday with grandparents and great-grandparents too! Both the older boys spent the past week in Grande Prairie visiting family, on their way back home we met up with them at grandma's house for birthday BBQ and cake.

Spiderman Ice Cream Cake

Nathaniel's Gift of Two-nies

Noah Reading His Card

Opening His Computer Game

Joe's Gift of a Loonie

Great-Grandparents were able to make the trip back too!

14 Already?

Today we all had fun with Justin celebrating his 14th birthday!  Lots of grilled burgers, chips, and homemade ice-cream cake, YUM!  Can you believe we have another one old enough to drive?

THE CAKE. Justin preferred to make his own birthday cake this time. I'll post the recipe later on....it was Yum-O-Rama!!

Turning Two!

After a traumatic start to the week little Ole celebrated his 2nd Birthday with one less tooth, but a whole lot more cars and trucks!!

Happy #4 Josiah!

For some reason the driver for my cell phone won't download to my computer.....the same phone that holds all our pictures for little Jo's B-Day!  UGH!  So,  We promise that we'll get some pics up as soon as we get that all fixed up.

Jo had a great B-Day though!  Lots of fun and lots of family, fun, cake, and gifts.  It seems the highlight of the day for the older one's was the "authentic" Hubba Bubba Bubble Gum bag that Uncle Karl wrapped one of the gifts in, lol!  Too funny.

As soon as we can, we'll send off some pics asap   :0)

A Sweet 16...But An Even Sweeter Daughter

                                                             Happy B-Day Danika!

The Oreo-Cookie-Crumble-Cool-Whip-Cake!
(Another dairy free/nut free/egg free creation...recipe to come later)

Danika received a beautiful arrangement of flowers
on her birthday from her grandma in BC

We've learned how important it is for every 16 yr old
girl to have a hair straightener  :0)

~A Boah Boy Birthday~

Noah-Boah Boy has celebrated his 11th birthday! (Noah gives the best hugs ever, since he was little we've nicknamed him Boah, for his Boa-constrictor-like hugs...plus it rhymes good, lol)

Noah-Boah-Boy's Birthday Breakfast
Choc. Chip Pancakes with Whipped Cream!

Noah has always been our creative baker-boy too so
We decided to build Hamburger Cupcakes rather than a cake!

Here's the cupcake up close
(I'll post the recipe tomorrow...yes, it's as fun as it looks!)

After cupcakes and gifts, their dad took the two older boys out to see the new Transformers 3D movie...of course they had a blast!

Men of Chivalry, Men of Honor

Thirteen is a special birthday in our house.  Thirteen is when we celebrate that child's transition from childhood into the first steps of young adult. We hold a special ceremony and take turns laying hands on that child and blessing him/her as they begin their walk on the path of seeking their own identity in
Christ. Yesterday we celebrated Justin's 13th birthday:

Jason speaks a blessing over Justin to keep God first,
family close and work hard in life. 

Me, speaking a blessing over Justin to hear God's voice,
and to always expect awesome things from and awesome God.

The Grandparents speak a blessing of love and
care over him.

Big sister Danika speaks a blessing of honor, integrity and
to walk in freedom from sin.

Younger brother Noah speaks a blessing
of prosperity and an abundant life.

Justin reads aloud his own proclamation: the Rhema Scroll.
A declaration of his intentions in life according to God's Word.

The presentation of a keepsake to honor his celebration!

Here we are afterward.  The little boys took part too,
but we forgot to snap a couple pics.

Little Boys, Toys & Joys

                                                            Happy Birthday Ole Boy!

Nothin beats turning one!

The egg-free, dairy-free, nut-free cake before it landed on his face.

Everyone loves baby toys!

Our version of riding a new bike

Ole's version of riding a new bike.

6 Years and Counting!

                                                HAPPY BIRTHDAY NATHANIEL!!

Requesting a Sponge Bob Ice Cream Cake with hearts!

The First of Many!

This past weekend we all celebrated my sweet hubby's birthday.  I am always so taken with the beautifully written cards, poems and letters that our children write for him each year.  What a blessing to hear him read aloud how much they love him and recognize his various efforts to spend time with them.



The little boys fight over who gets to give Dad the gift!



This birthday, however, also marks the first of the MANY that are to come! Starting in May, we have a birthday almost every 2 weeks until August!! We didn't plan it that way, but that's what God gave us, and we are so very greatful for all the little blessings we've recieved over the years.....these are the best years of our lives and we wouldn't have it any other way.



Jason reading Danika's card.

Happy Birthday Li'l Joe!

Yes Grandma, he did eat them ALL before bed.  :0)

I wonder if  they make these in "queen size?"

He ate so many suckers, his cake is still in the fridge!