Under the Sea - Kaden's 1st Birthday!

I am so behind with this one! We celebrated Kaden's 1st birthday at Gary Point beach in Vancouver. It was so much fun!! The theme was "Under the Sea." I had so much fun planning and getting everything set up, and what better way to celebrate a summer birthday than at the beach?! I always had my birthday parties at this exact same beach growing up so it was special to have Kaden's there too. We had lots of delicious food, presents and lots of family came out! It was worth all the work :) 

"Sand" wiches!

The birthday boy is ready to dig in!

The Shark Tank cupcakes melting...

A capture of the guests! (some of them)

I love this picture of us...what a fun day! thanks everyone who came!! :)

Lucky.

Just thinking about my family lately and how thankful I am to have these boys in my life. They bring me so much joy...I can't imagine my life without them! I know this sounds sappy but family is so important to me and always has been. I always dreamed of finding the man of my dreams, getting married and having children. Being a mom is so rewarding, hard at times, but so worth every minute. I wouldn't change anything about my life..I am so happy where I am! God has blessed me with so much more than I deserve. My heart is full. These boys have my heart, forever.

The House!

What better way to end a perfect summer? Move. We are renting a beautiful 2 bedroom character home. The basement is unfinished which we will be using for our furniture projects. The owner is tearing it down next Fall which is sad but we will be here until the end of next summer then we will move, again! We are loving it here so far and almost have everything unpacked! :)

Kaden snuck into some pics hahaha....

check out those sexy curtains!

Yup, i've brought out some Fall Decor! :)

Ryan's garage...he was most excited about that part. 

A Mother's Story....

I'm a little late with this post, but better late than never. This past Mother's Day was my first! It was such a wonderful day I got to spend with my little family. Ryan and Kaden got me some really pretty flowers, Gerbera Daisies, which are my fav! 

Most of you don't know that when I was pregnant with Kaden I was told that he wasn't growing properly, or at the rate he should be and that he was going to have Down syndrome. The moment the doctor told me this after my first Ultrasound was heartbreaking. At first I couldn't believe what I was hearing...my heart was beating so loud and fast I could hear it in my ears. I couldn't even cry. It was the weirdest feeling of fear I have ever had. We were both scared, Ryan and I but we had faith that everything would be okay and that Kaden would be fine. Everyday after that was a struggle with the unknown. We remained faithful that the Lord would bless us with a healthy, strong baby. We had a family fast for Kaden before my second Ultrasound, hoping that we would hear some better news. After that second ultrasound the doctor said he was growing beautifully but they still could not tell us if he would have Downs or not because I didn't do the testing. Even if he were born with Down syndrome we would love him the same!!! After that I trusted everything in the Lord hands...that no matter what happened we would be blessed with our little angel. 

Turns out he was born healthy and has grown to be a big boy! We are so thankful for him he is such a huge blessing in our lives and we are so thankful to our heavenly father for hearing our prayers. The night Kaden was born I held in my arms and felt such a love I have never felt, and a wave of relief came over me that he was okay and everything was going to be just fine! I am so grateful to be a Mother. I wouldn't change anything about my life. I love my boys so much!! <3

Kaden's Blessing Day ~ Oct. 2012

Amazing Mother's Day giveaway!!!! ~Kinsey Holt Photography~

Check out this amazing Mother's Day giveaway over at Kinsey Holt Photography!! Oh how I would love to win this!! :)

http://www.kinseyholt.com/blog/

Weekend trip!

We went down south on the weekend to meet our newest niece, Carly! She is absolutely beautiful and so tiny! I hope we have a baby girl someday.....I also got to meet my cousins new baby boy, Noah! he is so adorable! we also had a small family get together for Ryan. His birthday is coming up on May 4th so we celebrated with dinner/dessert with his fam! It was a fun, busy, quick trip!

Ryan finished school on Friday and also got a job on friday!! It was an exciting day! They interviewed a big group of people and they only hired Ryan! I'm impressed....not like I doubted he wouldn't get it...I told him he would! He will be doing 3D design for a company that builds control desks for NASA, the U.S military, airports, etc. Exciting! I can't believe he's all done school...this doesn't seem real. He starts his new job middle of May and we are looking for a place to move. it's going to be a busy month....

Kaden is growing like a weed!! he will be 9 months on the 12th! what the heck..??? already? he's crawling now so i'm baby proofing everything in the house! This is fun....lol

As for me...well I'm surviving. I just need the sun, warm weather, yoga, and i'm happy! :) can't wait for summer this year!! Got lots on the agenda!

Aunt Ang, aunt Lisa, and Carly!

Ryan's birthday dinner/cake! The big 26! 

I just have to laugh at us trying to get a family photo....it either turns out blurry or nobody is looking. Oh well! lol

I love this guy SO much!!

Fitness challenge!

First off, I reached my goal!!!! I was approx. 160 lbs at 40 weeks pregnant, now I am standing at 115 lbs 7 months postpartum which is where I wanted to be...I'm good with that! especially for my height. now I just want to get toned! it's not always about being skinny but looking healthy and eating clean! Today is a big day...I'm starting TAPOUT XT! Better yet, my husband is doing it with me! should be fun! We are really pumped for it! we are also cutting out sugar and junk food and carbs. We just want to eat clean! lots of water, protein, and exercise! This is a 90 day challenge so I will blog about it when i'm around half way through and then again at the end! Wish me luck! :)

"Exercise to be FIT not skinny, Eat to NOURISH your body and always IGNORE the haters, doubters, and unhealthy examples that were once feeding you! YOU are worth more than you realize."

This Family

I saw this quote on a blog that I follow, http://www.simpleasthatblog.com. 

I absolutely love it! Just thought I would share :)

7 months

Yup...most of my blogging is about this little stud....but seriously it's making me SO sad how fast he is growing!!!! I love these new pix of him... he looks so grown up! he looks so much like his daddy! He is rolling around so much now, and for the past month he has been on solids (aside from breastfeeding). I first tried feeding him solids around 6 months and he wasn't interested AT ALL....I tried feeding him rice cereal and carrots at first but he wouldn't eat much. I felt kinda discouraged because I thought he would want to eat it but wasn't. So I held off for like 5 days and tried again and he did much better then! Now He is eating Rice cereal, carrots, green beans, butternut squash, sweet potato and apple sauce. His favourite is butternut squash and apple sauce! At first I was buying ORganic puree food but now I am starting to make my own at home. I really want a Vitamix!! Hopefully soon. Yesterday he got up on his hands and knees when he was playing in his crib and crawled!!!!! I totally missed it because I was in the shower but Ryan saw it!!! I'm so jealous he got to see and I didn't! He hasn't done it since but I'm just waiting for it to happen again! He loves to watch me blow dry my hair....I don't know if he likes the sound or what but it's pretty funny! He also likes polka dots....my pajamas are polka dot and when he's sitting on my lap he tries to grab them! it's so hilarious...what a funny kid. I love him. I'm sure I won't be bored with this kid. I can't believe Ryan already wants another kid....he's funny too. ;)

Going on a walk! 7 months old.

Visiting Jennine at the mall!

So it's been snowing here all week and it's FREEZING. I'm getting tired of it....but that's Alberta for ya! I can't wait for summer this year! We will be going to BC in June and July. It's so gorgeous there in the summer and I can't wait to take Kaden to the beach! I just can't wait to lounge around in my bathing suite all day. Warm weather, beach and sand is all I need. We are also planning a trip to California to visit my sister and her husband. Summer hurry UP!

Ryan is done school next month. yes, DONE. FINALLY. He is so excited....he even put in his 2 weeks notice at Home Depot. This is serious stuff. He loves that store and they love him but he's so done working there. He's been applying to Engineering jobs all over Alberta so he could get a job anywhere...kinda scares me but it's exciting! I'm happy for him he has worked so hard to get to this point....4 weeks to go!

Lately I've been exhausted. I got my first visit from mother nature since before I got pregnant. EW. wasn't too happy about that.  anyway....I'm also doing Yoga which I am loving!!!! more like obsessed.  I have also been very crafty lately...I got out my sewing machine and made my niece a crib blanket and some burp cloths. I had so much fun with that and was surprised I was able to get it done in time for her baby shower! Go me!  

Crib blanket full size :)

My handsome boys after church. 

We've been getting a lot of snow lately.....hopefully it's the last of it!

Our Little snow monster! A friend from the ward got him this oufit for Christmas! It's really big on him but it does the job! 

That's all for now :)

Love this face....

Kaden - 6 months

Our little monkey turned 6 months on the 12th! I can't believe he's half a year old already! *tear* In the past month he has learned a lot! he is rolling, sitting up on his own, and has 2 teeth!!! I was dreading the whole teething thing because I've heard it can be a nightmare but he's been doing so well! he just drools all the time and chews on all his toys. no fever or fussiness. I actually had no idea he had his first tooth until one night he was chewing on Ryan's finger and Ryan was like..."Um he has a tooth!" I was like... WHAT?? NO WAY? lol it was his bottom tooth so I didn't really see it coming in and he wasn't fussy at all so I had no idea! and his second one just cut a few days ago. I can also see his two top teeth coming in and I think they will cut within the next week or so. I've also started him on solids. all these new milestones happening so fast!! it's so exciting! ok i'm just an over excited mom too :)

For the past two weeks we have been in Seattle again visiting my mom. She needed a Kaden fix! we had so much fun....went out to lunch with my step sister, Kaitlyn, did lots of shopping, sewing, etc. we had such a blast! we got to visit lots of family on my moms side and we also got to visit with Grandpa Petersen & Grandma Cass at the airport when we landed home in Calgary.  I just realized Kaden has been on a plane 4 times since he was born! he must be related to me....I am so thankful for my job and that I am able to travel like I do because I have so much family that lives far from us.

Our life continues to be super busy as always....Ryan has already started to apply for jobs so we are hoping he will have some interviews in the coming month! lots of exciting things to come...we are hoping and praying he will have a job by the time he graduates in April. once he finds a job we will be moving of course.  it's going to be an exciting year for us full of new changes! as for me...well...got lots and lots of projects i'm working on...and traveling to the coast here and there.

here are some pictures from our trip.....I miss living there...I miss the rain and mild winters!

me and my little man :)

such a big boy! sitting up all by himself

Nana

Lunch date at Olive Garden with my sister, Kaitlyn!

my mom watchd Kaden so I could go relax and have some "me" time...of course I made a trip to the salon! back to my blonde roots :)

Kaden in his kissing booth......we had fun making it and I think Kaden liked it toO! lol

what a cutie he is...love him so much!!!!

Hope everyone had a good Valentine's Day!!! xo