this and that

I hope you are enjoying the recent spring blizzards. :) Hard to know what to expect in terms of weather this spring, it is changing every day! These pics are from the past few months that I never got around to posting earlier.

First off, Josh meets Josh for the first time. For whatever reason, our Josh was not at all impressed to have another Josh on the scene, he presumed he was an impostor and was quite rude for the first half of the visit. He warmed up eventually.

It was great to see Josh again and catch up, we hadn't seen him since before Jaden came along, I think since 2005. Same sweet Joshua...thanks for coming to visit! :)

My mom got this great electric Thomas the train set and the kids are loving it. This particular day it was delivering snacks all around the Island of Sodor. :) Apparently not only the kids are enjoying the new toy.

Sweet Michele came for a visit, it had been so long since we'd seen her, too.

Oh, and Charlene & Megs of course! :) Always sweet times!!

this kid totally cracks me up. :)

SO fun to visit with Derek & Val again, we had lost touch but had the pleasure of having them stay over one weekend when they were taking a course in the city. We had a GREAT time with them!! Derek was a bit more friendly than Val towards the crazy upstairs pets...clearly I feel the same as Val and try hard not to dwell on the fact that I live in the same house as rats. UGH.

My family has been down with the flu. I am, so far, the only one untouched by this bug. :) (weird, considering the close contact I am in with the infected. can we say CLINGY.) Actually this picture is from before the flu hit, this was before our vacation when the boys were quite sick with colds/ear problems. It is such a wonderful blessing to have healthy kids!! :)

Ashleigh is a great big sister (most of the time :) )

She has gotten flowers from her dad before, but this was a first from another guy...all the ladies of the house were spoiled with roses one day. Very sweet.

fabulous visits with fantabulous friends. Thanks Derek & Val. :)

This kid is hard core carnivore. He LOVES meat.
Always a pleasure to have Uncle Steve for the weekend. :) (i think they are posing here. He is settling in to watch a movie with the kids while we entertained the yps)

and Isaac. My boys love this kid. :)



lots of good times! wishing you all a blessed week!!

welcome, sweet baby Nathan

We're celebrating the safe and healthy arrival of our beautiful new nephew, Nathan Lukas Wade.

isn't he perfect?

there really is nothing in the world like the miracle of new life, and the way that God gives them to us...so tiny and soft and snuggly. So utterly helpless and so completely, overwhelmingly lovable.

Kev enjoyed playing in a hockey tournament on Saturday...although he says he is really starting to feel his age. :) I think it was supposed to be their Friday night pickup team playing but those who could play amounted to about half a team...so at the last minute they picked up some much needed help and ended up coming into the championship game undefeated after 4 games. But then they lost...
I think he still looks pretty good after 5 games. :)

Eli too!! :)

good times!! wishing you a blessed week :)

happy birthday, dear Holly!!

Her birthday is on Sunday and sadly we won't be spending that evening at their house as I had hoped, for a challenging game of Agricola. :) So since we're gone for the weekend, and won't be seeing her, this will have to suffice for birthday wishes (kind of lame, sorry Holls, I am hoping better than nothing).

Holly is an amazing person, in so many ways. too many to list!! that also sounds lame, but its so true!! I know this not only from a good 20 years of close friendship but also b/c at this stage of life it can be hard sometimes to vacation together with other people...but we just spent 10 days together in close quarters and loved every minute! well, its possibly that is a stretch but I'm pretty sure its true, at least from what I can remember...hopefully they don't have many unpleasant memories from their end, quite possible, heh heh (lets not ask :) )

Brian is one very blessed man and I love to see him making her so happy. :)

4 precious children..

She is such a gift & example to all who know her.
The pics are all from our recent trip, I could have gone into the archives and picked out some doozy pictures I'm sure, but lucky for Holly I haven't the time. :) (I wouldn't anyways, for one thing b/c it is too risky considering what people could dig up from my past!! ACK. anything I could find for Holly would pale in comparison, thats for sure.) And speaking of our recent trip, Holly did every single stitch of planning for it, and it was incredible. I find trip planning to be SO. MUCH. WORK. so this was HUGE for me. :)

I am so thankful to be able to call her my friend. and it gets even better (uh oh, I am raving. :) ) Not only do I have a kindred spirit in Holly, but in her sisters as well...more than a lifetime's worth of bosom friends in one family! and then there are the cousins... I had better stop here. :)

I don't feel bad raving though, b/c probably most of my blog readers are blood relations to all my bosom friends, which is even better!!

I pray that God will bless you richly in the years to come and continue to use you for His glory... we love you, Holls!!