A Belated Merry Christmas!

So Christmas was a bit of a challenge this year-with a sick 3 year old, it doesn't make for the funnest of times, but we had a good one anyway! Santa was good to the boys this year-lots of toys that both boys like to play with together (or that Shane wants to play with, and takes away from Derek)! We had Christmas Eve dinner here (with one vomiting episode), Christmas Day at Baba and Uncle Ralphie's (not for very long, Shane wasn't feeling well), and missed the Clark Family Christmas, due to the vomiting. But anyway, here are a few photos!

Snowy week

Here are some shots from last week's snow-this was taken Friday. Derek's first snow experience..Shane, as you can see, LOVES the snow-loves Daddy's toys (snowmobile and 4 wheeler) and any chance he can, he's out there with his little shovel helping Daddy. So I figured Derek would love it-not really! It was cold, he has a stiff snowsuit, and the first 5 seconds of me pulling him on the sled, he fell off-oops!! Maybe next time? We had a quick little play outside, enough time to make a mini snowman!

Happy Birthday Derek!

The big guy (or I should say our baby) is 1! Can't believe it! Time really does fly!! He had a little bit of a rough day at his party-he didn't sleep well the night before, didn't nap well the day of ,and there were a lot of people over-but he did fine after he ate dinner! Today, his actual birthday, it's colder than cold, so we didn't leave the house, but chose to play with all the fun new toys and swim!!

Playing by the fire

So Bruce made our first winter fire of the season, and Shane is obsessed! He loves helping Daddy bring the wood in, and help put the wood in (before the fire is started, of course)! So while Daddy is at work, Mommy has to keep the fire burning-thought these were cute pics!

Thanksgiving Feast

Here are photos from Shane's Thanksgiving Feast at school. It was so much fun!

It's Official!

Derek is a walker! Shane was 11 months old when he started walking--we thought that was great! Derek has been doing it since his 10 month" birthday!" It's fun, but we have a new view on babies again! And, he's OBSESSED with the stairs-and those of you who have been here, you know we have them!!

Also, here are a couple from babysitting Jill today!

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

We had a great Halloween-we started at our library (let me tell you, I LOVE our library-a couple of years ago they won "National Library of the Year" or something, and they are deserving)--it was a FIASCO! It was a Halloween party for preschoolers...well, this small room had about 150 people in it-with the heat ON! It was so hot! They started 15 minutes late, NOT good for 75 preschoolers! It was a husband wife (or so I think) singing team--kinda lost interest. Shane was not into it, so we left early, at his suggestion. We came home and were anxiously awaiting trick-or-treating. We went to a subdivision in town (the houses in our neighborhood are too spread out), made it to 3 houses, Shane was not into it--Nana and Papa, Auntie Jane and Becky (and Jill and Madelyn) were with us, and suggested Shane needed a group to go with. He wanted me to hold him, ask for the candy and hold his bag. I thought he needed to ask himself, since HE would be eating the candy. So, I called Brenda, and we met up with them. As soon as Shane saw his cousins, he was off running up to each and every house with them! So, it turned out to be a fun night! We tricked and treated about 1 1/2 hours! Came home, ate pizza and gave treats to the 4 treaters we got!

Prep for Halloween

Here are some photos of us prepping for Halloween. We carved our Mickey Mouse pumpkin, since we still LOVE Mickey here--Shane LOVES Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, and after going to Disney (which he still talks about), we had to honor Mickey!

Also, some photos playing in the backyard, trying to get some fall leaf shots!

Our big boy

Derek is 10 months old now! On his 10 month "birthday," he took 20 consecutive steps! BIG boy! He did it a few different times--I am not ready for this. I am not ready for the babyproofing-things are pretty babyproof around here, but I don't have to watch Shane's every move...but moreso, I am not ready to have my baby grow up! Since this is probably our last baby (we will see!), it makes me sad! By the way-this bunny, from Great Aunt Mary and Great Uncle Don has been used in all of Derek's monthly updates!

I believe...

So, as you probably know, my dad died when I was 5, which was 15 years ago :) Ok, so in March 1983...I have never experienced his presence, but strongly believe he is here with us. Last night, we were playing, and out of the blue, Shane asked me, "Mommy, do you remember when I saw Grandpa who lives up in the sky?" (I reminded him that Grandpa Skip lives in heaven)..he said, "Yes, I saw him at Brandon's baptism." (my girlfriend's baby, who was baptised this summer). So I thought a minute, wondering if maybe someone there looked like my dad, which I couldn't think of anyone, so I asked Shane if he was inside or outside, he couldn't remember. I asked him if they talked to each other, he said no. But I do believe that my dad was there, somewhere-maybe at the church, at Miriam's house afterwards...somewhere, letting Shane know he was there! I told my mom, and she feels, as I do, that kids can see this, because they are open to it, so Shane's open to the idea, and he saw him. Maybe this is too out there for some of you, but I have hope-I hope my daddy, as I call him, is right here laughing at this post as I type it! Have some hope...

(photos taken right before this conversation-we were making oatmeal raisin cookies)

And more..

And a photo of Shane (because, like I said, this is new and I don't know how to post 2 pics at once)!

The pumpkin patch

We visited the pumpkin patch (Didier Farm in Lincolnshire) on Friday with Auntie Jane, cousin Jillian, Miriam, Ethan and Brandon. The boys had so much fun! We saw baby pigs, born the end of September, Shane and Ethan rode the rides, and all the kiddos, of course, had their photos taken in a sea of pumpkins! It was fun!

Our boys

Ok, so the Cubs didn't do so well, but we hoped...I was hoping to bring some luck to the Cubbies by taking this photo, to someday say to the boys, "This was the year the Cubs won the pennant, 100 years from the last time they had won it." Oh well, next year, right?

Shane's first field trip

Last week we went on Shane's first field trip. We visited Didier Farm, which we have gone to every year with Miriam and Ethan (going back tomorrow, with Brandon, Auntie Jane and Jill, too this year). Shane had fun picking his pumpkin in the patch, looking at the baby pigs (5 days old) ,and visiting the petting zoo. Surprisingly, he fed the animals--llama, donkey, goats, pigs, ducks..

Too cute

You all know our first born, Kona, is such an important part of our lives. She's like a junior Mommy..she is so protective of the boys! She is the calmest, quietest dog I know, when someone knocks on the door--not anymore! She's so worried that someone is going to hurt her boys! She's too cute! And, the fact that she isn't fixed, and we tried to mate her, and it didn't work, I think she's a surrogate Mommy to the boys. Here is a perfect example.

My other job...

And, my other "job," besides being Mommy, I babysit Jillian, my beautiful niece, two days a week. Here is a shot taken today, before we went to Shane's school for "Vehicle Day," which was fun!

My new job...

So I started a "job.." I am selling lia sophia jewelry. My girlfriend, Katie, has been selling for a year, and makes really good money..I like their jewelry, so I figured I'd give it a try! I started with my own home party-had some friends here, and got tons of bookings from that-thanks to all! I now have 7 parties booked through the end of the year!





It's a good way for me to get out of the house, and make a little money. Being home with Shane and Derek has been the best thing for me- I always knew I wanted to be a stay at home mom, and I love this..but I do need a little time to myself. And, it does feel kinda nice to have my "own" money..

This photo was taken the first night that I "worked." I feel funny calling it work, because it really doesn't feel like work. When I worked as a teacher, I would make sure I was in bed on time (you know me, anal retentive), had everything all ready for the next day, and planned my whole day around work. I also worked full time, so my day was consumed by work. My shows only take about 3 hours out of my day. So anyway, here is a photo of me and the boys...again, not the greatest.

You can also check out my website for my business:

www.liasophia.com/melissasvoboda

I know this is new..

I know this is the new thing, so we decided to try it! Welcome to our blog! I try to send updated photos, but sometimes it just gets to be too much-then I forget who I sent to, when I sent last, and it takes so long to send, and I am sure as long to open! SO, we are blogging! I hope to figure this out, post fun stuff we are doing, post pics, etc! So please, take a look and let me know how it looks!

Here is a photo of the boys taken yesterday--sometimes it's so hard to get a great shot with both of them looking at the camera! Well, here they are both looking-that counts, right?!