Happy 4th Birthday Annika

Annika's birthday this year was also the day of yet another big snow storm. Church was canceled, Christmas programs postponed so what better to do then play pin the tail on the dog! This was Rileigh's idea and all her work to get the game together for our party for the big 4 year old!

Notice the kids are still in there PJ's it is 2 in the afternoon! Just wondering why I by my kids real clothes all's they wear in the summer is Bathing Suits and in the winter PJ'S! I will let you know that my kids did change by the big party at 6pm!

Annika and her cousin Payton

Grandpa and the girls

Happy 4th Birthday Annika! You are such a gift from God and have been such a blessing to our family!! Mom and Dad are so proud of what a big girl you have become, how you are always willing to do anything for anyone and what a kind heart you have! We love you so much and can't wait to see what God has in store for you! We Love You!

Tyler's first sled ride

Tyler watching the neighbor plow our drive way.

This afternoon Tyler was so crabby and I had done about everything for the kids short of standing on my head so I thought what a great time to take him out in the snow! So I haled out the ladder to get his little sled out of the attic but 2 layers of clothes on him and headed out. He loved it! The snow was so deep that he kept on getting it in his face but that didn't fase him. I guess I am going to have to invest in a "real" snow suite for him!

Annika's Christmas Program

Annika and her friend Sawyer after the show

Sorry this is not a great picture but that is Annika saying her line. It was such a proud mom moment seeing her have the courage to get up in front of all thoose people!

Walking into the program

Sucessfull Surgery

The above picture is of the pins that they removed from Rileigh's elbow this morning. Surgery was very quick (only about 15 min) and she once again was so brave through the whole thing! We returned home 2 (just in time for nap) and by 4:30 she was back outside playing with her friends! On the way home I asked her if she wanted us to drop he back off at school and she was all for it! What can I say she loves school!
Thanks so much for all your prayers today they were defiantly felt.

Rileigh's Surgery

Tomorrow (Wednesday) at 9:55 am Rileigh will get her pins out of her elbow. This procedure is only lasts about 15-30 min and will be done at Butterworth Hospital. Please pray for Rileigh that she will not be to nervous and sleep well tonight as we have a early morning ahead of us (we have to be at the hospital at 7:55) Thanks in advance for all your prayers and I promise to update tomorrow.

Tylers Pictures

To see Tyler's 9 mo. pictures go the link on the left called Whitney Jill Photography.
Anyone looking to get your kids pictures done I strongly recomend her! Sheis a dear friend of mine and does an amazing job at a reasonable price (only $30 sitting fee) and you can see her picture prices on her site. If you would like to get in touch with her let me know and I will get you her phone number.

Rileigh

Could she get a brighter pink cast!

Friends

Rileigh is loving 1st grade! She once again has a awesome teacher, the night she broke her elbow she still wanted to go to school b/c she wanted to see Mrs. Woodring!

Rileigh has grown up so much in the past 6 months. She has been my big helper, of course now she can hardly do anything with her left hand! but she still gives a good effort! Right now she requires a lot of extra help getting dressed, showering, brushing teeth, making beds ect. You soon realise how much she did for herself when she can't do it herself!

Rileigh went to the Doc. on Tuesday and they took off the splint ( and in the mean time made Rileigh sick to her stomach and me almost pass out!) and put on a hard cast that she will have to wear until the 18th of November. They will then remove the cast and do more x-rays and make sure it is healed. If it is indeed healed they will then schedule the surgery to remove the pins and begin therapy. If it is not healed they will but the cast back on.

We love you Rileigh and pray everyday for you!

Annika

Annika is enjoying Preschool on Tuesdays and Thursday mornings and I always enjoy going to help in the room when I can. Today she had her Harvest Party and we had a great time! I always feel like she is the one that never gets that one on one time and I try hard to make sure to be at all the extra school stuff for her.

Annika is the most loyal little girl, If she tells you she is going to go somewhere with you she will no matter what else she could be doing ( i really could learn a lesson from her) and she is always willing to give her stuff to Rileigh even when she knows that Rileigh would never do that for her. Annika you are a gift from God and I am so thankful God gave you to us! We Love You!

Tyler- 9 months

Dress Rehearsal for Halloween. Derick is not so sure about the Peter Pan costume!

I can't believe my baby is now 9 months! Where has the time gone? What a blessing he has been to our family!

Tyler now has 4 teeth and is crawling all over the place and has taken his first trip by himself (us right behind him) up the stairs and has started to take a few step pushing his toys! For the most part he continues to be a happy guy and can light up the room with his smiles! We love you big guy!

Sunday Afternoon Fun

Trying to pose for a quick picture possibly for Christmas card due to the fact that we will no longer be doing a family picture with a nice cast in it! This might have to do this year. Whitney I am open to other ideas!!

Crazy Girl!
Ok, So I went out to make sure Rileigh was not breaking another limb and was talking with a few neighbors and all the kids ( about 10 of them) thought it would be funny to start a leaf fight with the adults! I guess if you can't beat them join them! I had leaves all over! Stuck in my hair down my shirt in my mouth. It was a ton of fun though and needless to say the whole family got showers tonight! As we were getting this picture done the kids were throwing leaves on us.
The Leaf Monsters!
Check this one out you can't even see the kids with all the leaves!
I went in side to go get Tyler for a few pictures. Let just say he was not a big fan of the leaves.

Girls check out this handsome man!!

Hudsonville Harvest Fest.

This morning Michelle and I took the kids to the Harvest Fest Parade in Hudsonville. Let me tell you this was the shortest parade I have every been to, I think there was 5 different entries that was it and it was over in about 5 minutes! After the parade they had some activities for the kids in the parking lot by Gemmens. It was a beautiful morning and the kids had fun.Annika and Mason. This picture cracks me up! Look at the difference in the kids clothing! Annika didn't want her sweatshirt or her coat on b/c she was to warm. All I have to say is that I have to chose my battles!
Tyler all bundled up for the parade.
Annika and Rileigh petting the miniature horses. In this picture at least I was able to talk her into wearing her coat!
Annika painting her pumpkin.

Riliegh, Austin, Annika and Mason.

Rileigh thinking she was going to jump this creek with her broken arm! Thankfully she took my advise and didn't try it.

A night with the Van Hofwegens!

Tyler- 8 1/2 months old. Alyia about 8 months.

Last night we went to the Van Hofwegens for a fall feast as Lisa likes to call it. BBQ, Homemade Onion Rings and Apple Crisp! We did get a few pictures of the babes! Annika and Emmory are 6 weeks apart and Tyler and Alyia are 3 weeks apart (sorry Lisa if you do go for #3 you are going to have to go solo!) and of course Rileigh is the big sister to the whole group!

Annika's Class Trip to Post Family Farm

On Tuesday I went with Annika and her class to Post Family Farm. It's always nice to have that special time together. We had a great time going on a hayride, picking pumpkins, going on the pumpkin train and who could forget those great donuts and apple cider! Annika's Preschool class.

Annika was the rain cloud for the skit that they do with the kids.

Annika and her friend Zach Harris.

Look mom, this one is just right for me!

Annika and mom

Back Home!!!

We arrived back home about 7:30 tonight! Thanks so much for all your prayer, kind words of encouragement and gestures they mean so much at a time like this. As we speak Rileigh is up in bed getting some much needed sleep and is feeling much better most b/c her Aunt Missy was able to be her nurse today!! She is very excited to get back to school but I am going to try to hold her off until Monday when she should be off the heavy pain meds! Thanks again for all you have done! Rileigh will have to go back to the doc in 2 weeks to get a hard cast put on and then she will have the pins that she had put in her elbow removed once it all comes off, so that will be another small surgery.

Out of Surgery and Recovering

Rileigh is out of surgery and everything went as planned. She did get nauseous and threw up after surgery. In order for her to go home today she has to be able to eat something and keep it down and take some pain medication as well. Pray she can do that so everyone can go home and sleep (well Rileigh doesn't need help with that one). Until then she has the best care around-Aunt Melissa!

Rileigh is in Surgery!!

Long story short right now. Rieligh jumped off the swing and landed on her arm yesterday afternoon and broke her elbow in 2 places. We spent the night in the hospital and she was just taken back for surgery a few minutes ago. The surgery should last 30 min. I will try to update sometime today. Please pray for her, she has been so brave through all of this. Way more brave then her mother!!

Good News!

My sister in law Missi got the pathology results late yesterday afternoon, all the Lymph Nodes looked good meaning no cancer in them! Praise be to The Lord! I think she has a appt. sometime this week to talk about where they go from here. Please keep her in your prayers as recovers! Thanks once again for all your prayers! God is good all the time. All the time God is good!

Weekend Pictures

Tyler is now 8 months old and is getting into everything! He has mastered crawling and can do it with great speed!!! He is also pulling himself up on anything he can and is now sporting 4 teeth with many more on the way!! He is such a good boy and smiles at the drop of a hat!

Saturday night we picked up Justin and Jordan (we had Nici for the weekend) and headed to the fish ladder and enjoy this nice weather! Jordan said to me once we got back home "Thanks so much for taking me, I didn't think it would be fun at all but I had a blast! Bless his little heart!

Photo above is Justin, Annika, Austin, Jordan and Reese hanging out in their hide out!

5 of the 7 kids on the wall where in van doing cheers the whole way to the fish ladder! Even the boys where getting into it! Sorry Missi!!

Austin, Justin, Jordan, Nici, Annika, Rileigh and Mason

Reese, Austin, Justin and Annika

Annika's partner in crime!

Nici, Rileigh and Jordan

Rileigh had her last game on Saturday morning. We really lucked out with the weather for these games the coldest one we had was like 65. Not to bad!

Rileigh and Nici at half time