Happy 7th birthday Will!!

My son Will just turned 7 this past friday. So to say that October is busy with two bday parties in two weeks would be an understatement. Yet what a great gift to be able to celebrate my two healthy children. For Will's party we decided at the last minute to have it Magic Mountain. They had this great special going if you had your party this past weekend, which of course worked out perfectly for us.

Will invited 12 boys and 7 were able to come. They had fun playing laser tag and running around in the huge play gym there. Mike helped out so much as we tried to keep track of everyone. The boys were all sweaty with red cheeks by the end of the party which in my book means they had a great time and hopefully burned off the sugar they had at the beginning of the party.

Will is so enthusiastic about life. He will talk your head off if you let him and he has a tender spirit that I think is contagious. Mike and I feel so blessed to have Will as our son and we know he will do great things.

The best birthday gift was this Sunday in church Will prayed the prayer and asked Jesus into his heart. While he as done this with Mike and I before it was so encouraging to know that when they were presented with the opportunity to do it at church he went up and told his teacher that he prayed that prayer. Thank you for this gift Lord!

Here are a few pics from his birthday



Here is Will reading the book all his classmates made for him on his birthday. They each made a page of the book and said where they would take Will on his birthday. His teacher is so awesome!



Here is Will standing on his chair at school while they listen to a special birthday song. It is the one time they are allowed to stand on their chair!

My little man is Six!!!

Today my youngest is turning six, where has the time gone. Will keep us laughing around this house. He is the perfect mix of silly and sweet, tough and sensitive. He loves his family, friends, sports and any toy imaginable. Will was born on beggars night and will be sharing his birthday today with beggars night again. He is going to have his first ever birthday party with friends. He and about 12 other 5and 6 year old boys will be tearing up Pump it Up tomorrow night. October is a busy month with both Abby and Will having birthdays two weeks apart. I am so grateful for this little boy!

Here is my Will around 6 months old. It is amazing how God has shaped this unique little boy over the past six years. I pray that the tenderheartedness that God has so blessed him with will continue to be a mainstay of his character as he gets older.

Abby is Eight!!

Yesterday by little girl turned 8. I can not even begin to write what a blessing she has been and continues to be in my life. She is sensitive, caring, beautiful, thoughtful, silly, cautious at times but full of adventure at times. For her birthday this year she had her first sleepover at our house. She invited her best friend Regan over and they had a ball.


Here is Regan and Abby the morning after the sleepover!!


Here is Abby just under age two her first night in her big girl bed!!

Also this year for her birthday Abby, me and both her her grandmothers are heading to Chicago next week to go to the American Girl store. I am so excited to spend this special time celebrating a very special girl. Most of all I am so happy that she is first a child of God and she knows it. She knows that Christ is her Saviour and that is the best gift a child can give to their parents. Thank you dear Lord for this little girl.

Welcom Colton!!

Well just over a week ago my nephew Colton Michael Vogel was born. I was blessed to arrive at the hospital 10 minutes after he was born and got to hold him right then. It was so special to be apart of my brother and sister in laws special day. Erika was a champ, she had no epidural and had her baby was born in about 10 hours. Here are some pictures at the hospital and a few days later at their house. Abby and Will were so excited to meet their new cousin and are already asking when they can see him again. Thank you Lord for this blessing to our family.

She's Seven!!

Well my little girl turned 7 today. She was so excited this morning for her special day. Daddy took in special cookies that I made and he stayed and ate lunch with her too.


Abby got to pick what she wanted to do for dinner and she chose Boston Market. She loves to eat there but her little brother is not a big fan so this was a big treat for her.


Here I am lighting her candles. Notice Will the multi tasker in the background. He can manage to pick his nose and provide me with instruction at the same time, my kids are truly gifted.


Here Mike tried to take a picture of the birthday girl but Will wanted to make his presence known. Abby got a pink snuggie, a custom made CD from her cousin, an invitation to make cupcakes with her other cousin and a vera bradley sunglass case. I know that last one seems strange but when she saw it in a store she was obsessed with it. It was a great day for all. On Saturday we will take 4 of her friends to CiCi's pizza followed by attending Dublin Coffman's version of HSM 2. It should be a blast.

Thankyou Lord for this precious girl. She is so tender hearted and such a friend to all. I am so grateful for how she is growing up and know I will be amazed by the plans you have for her.