Cole & Auntie Amy

Every time that we are with the family, it seems that Cole ends up in Auntie Amy's arms! We feel so blessed to have such a wonderful auntie that loves our boys! And she will hold him until her arms ache which isn't too hard since he's a pretty hefty little boy.....but she hates to put him down. I was able to get these pictures of them together! So precious!

So Solemn...

I had my camera with me this morning at church and snapped these pictures while we were in the nursery. How solemn is he!!! I think he was just about to go to sleep and I made him stay awak for a picture....I'm so mean! But he's so cute I can't help myself! :)

Paigey's Party!

Today we celebrated Paigey's 8th birthday! I can't believe that she's already 8! Wow! I remember when Angie was pregnant with Paigey and we were talking about what we thought she would look like and what kind of little girl she would be and Paigey has turned out to be the sweet lovely girl that I thought she would be! The party was suppose to be at the park but since a thunderstorm came through at the time that the party was suppose to start and almost blew everything away, Angie packed up everything and brought it over to Melissa and Steve's and we had it there this afternoon. The kids really enjoyed it and it was an awesome party! Angie's so good at planning parties and activities! Happy Birthday Paigey! We love you!

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Random Nana Day!

So I guess the best days are the unplanned ones, right? A couple days ago, we all decided to plan without planning a day at my mom's with everyone and it all worked out that we could all be there. Ended up having the best time and just hanging out, playing scrabble, letting the kids run through the sprinkler, eating outside picnic style and sun bathing. It was great and totally relaxing! It happens too few and far between.... The highlight of the day was the cake that my mom made - she thought the grandkids would love it and of course they did! Hope that days like this happen more and more this summer!

Park Time

Today we had plans to go with Jess, Blake and Keira to a petting zoo but when Jess got there they were closed. I don't think petting zoos are thriving in this economy for some reason....:) So we decided to go to a park right off Forest Lake and it was beautiful! I took a ton of pictures and we had a great time! Hoping that we will have many more afternoons like this one!

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It's not working...

So for some reason, the size of my pictures are too big for me to mobile upload. Bummer. And I have no idea how to adjust the size of the pictures when I take them. You would think that Apple would make it a little easier to figure out.....hhhhmmmmm.....but that's the lowdown. So yeah, I'm bummed.

So now that I know that it works here come the pictures!!! Enjoy!

My First Mobile Blog! Just signed up and trying it out to see if it will really work!!! This is going to change how I update my blog forever!!! So many pictures stay on my phone when I wish that I could post them!!! So we shall see how this works!!! Yeah!!!

Mommy & Me

I wanted to post some pictures of Taylor and I that I've taken recently! I can't believe that in just a little over two weeks, he will be 2!!! Amazing to me how the time flies by so quickly and eventfully! I've enjoyed learning to be a mother and though there are many more lessons to learn, I'm looking forward to each and every one of them! I love my oldest little boy!

Serving Together...

I've heard it said before that when a husband and wife are both serving God, as they get closer to God, they get closer to eachother. I know that over the past eight years, as I've served with Mike in the bus ministry and youth ministry that God has blessed our relationship in more ways than I can count and has truly brought us so closer. He has been so kind to us and has nurtured our relationship in a way that I believe only serving Him together could do. Thank you Lord for what you have done in our lives, our marriage, our relationship. You alone get the glory for what You have done, are doing and will continue to do!

Mother's Day Trip!

Every year, my sisters and I celebrate Mother's Day with my mom by doing something special either the Saturday before or near Mother's Day. This year we decided to go to Rochester and then Nelson WI to eat at the Nelson Creamery and then see if we could hit the 100 mile garage sale on the way back. It was so much fun! We met at a parking lot at 7am to start our trip and we didn't get home until 9:30pm! Even though we spent the whole day together, it still wasn't long enough! I love my mom and my sisters! They are my best friends!

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Our "Kids"!

God has allowed us to minister to the most special group of kids! They are some of the most faithful children that I have ever had the blessing of working with....God is so good! Just had to post a picture of the group we had this morning! Thank you Jesus!

Little Scholar!

Mike took this picture and thought it was just hilarious! I think it is too so I had to post it! Cracks me up every time I look at it!

The Parking Lot

And the road construction continues! Yep, its quite the change and very very very different. Right now, the parking lot is filled and moved and torn up and pretty much gone except for very close to the church. I wanted to post some pictures of what it currently looks like and the stuff that's being stored in it. It's exciting to see the changes and wonder what it will look like when it's finished. Taylor is LOVING all the trucks and so excited to see them when we can get outside. The weird this is the house shakes, literally shakes, during the day when they are doing something - I don't know what exactly it is that is making it shake but I'm surprised some windows haven't broken yet! I'll keep posting new pictures so everyone can see!

Little Eliza!

Sylvia and Eliza came over today to spend the afternoon. I was able to get this video of Eliza just chattering away and it's so precious! It was so much fun to have them over! Eliza is such a good little girl and her and Taylor play really well together which I am very thankful for. Sylvia and I don't get too many chances to see eachother so this was a very welcomed visit. I hope that it isn't too long before we get to hang out again!

So Smiley!

We were at Culvers eating a wonderfully nutritious meal and I got this picture of Cole in his carrier - he's such a cutie!

Basketball! My Favorite!

Taylor's favorite thing to do is play basketball! Someone donated an old children's basketball hoop to the church for the youth garage sale and Grandpa Henderson plucked it right out of the trailor for Taylor and the grandkids much to my chagrin as Mike and I were planning on getting him one for his birthday......oh well. Mike says he can have one for outside and one for inside.
Well, this one is inside right now and Taylor is loving it! I'm not sure I can describe to you in words just how much he loves it but here's a video to prove it. I'm sure all of you will see just how many balls he has to throw and yes, I'm right there with you - why do we have so many!!!

It's Changing...

Everything out in front of our house is changing! We all knew that it was going to happen but the scope of what is happening and how quickly is amazing to me! I'm so glad that Mom and Dad Henderson are in TN visiting Tim, Kim and the kids right now because I think they would be having a hard time with it. Although, coming back to this is going to be hard too. The big oak tree was cut down yesterday - we have so many pictures of that. I'm posting some pictures from my phone of what has changed so far - not sure how well you'll be able to see it but it's interesting! I'll post more when the road actually gets tarred. I think my love of privacy has just grown and I'm not sure I like how close the road is now.....oh well, adaption is good right? :)

So Cute!

We were outside enjoying another beautiful spring day and I was able to snap this picture of Taylor which I think is absolutely adorable! I'm so thankful for all that God has given us and I truly believe that our little home is such a haven and retreat - I'm so thankful! God is good to me in so many ways and to have two beautiful children and an amazing husband is humbling to me - I don't deserve His goodness and mercy!

And it's down...

We have been waiting for the road construction workers to cut down the big oak at the end of the drive way and today it happened. I'm not sure how old that tree is but it's been here for as long as Mike has lived here and probably a hundred years before that. I heard it fall and ran out really quick and got a picture before it got cut up and dragged away. I'm not sure what the changes are going to be to the road in front and how quickly they will happen but this is a really big change for us! And how strange that it would happen on the day Mom and Dad Henderson left for Tennessee! Here are some pictures!

Happy Easter!

So today turned out to be a beautiful day! We always have dinner together at Mom and Dad Henderson's which Mom does a fabulous job with that! She always goes way above and beyond! This year, we did an Easter egg hunt outside which was really fun for the kids. Amy had been saving these eggs from the past years and all together with eggs from Angie and me, each child got to search for 47 eggs!!! 47 eggs! Really? We ended up just kind of tossing them on the ground after we had hid the ones for the older kids because there wasn't any other place to hide them! The kids had SO much fun! And thankfully, Angie and Amy are really health conscious (unlike myself!) and so alot of the eggs were filled with less sugary stuff. I don't know how long this bag of candy will last but it should last the entire summer!!! I love Easter!

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Easter Egg Hunting!

The Anderson tradition is to have an Easter egg hunt the Saturday before Easter and true to tradition we all showed up at my mom's house around 2:30pm. Everyone brought something to eat and since the day was nice, the guys went outside and practiced softball since our church is going to be playing softball this year......then we had an Easter egg hunt! It was so much fun! It's the best thing to watch the kids get older and enjoy these things more and more. I remember being young and how much fun it was for me (yes, we have been doing this for almost 20 years - yikes, I'm getting old!!!). This is one tradition that I love! Happy Easter everyone!

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Brothers!

I don't know how but somehow I got them together in this little chair to take a picture and it worked! My phone lets me touch up photos with one of my apps so this picture is a result of that moment! I love how happy they are together and how much Taylor loves his little brother! I'm so blessed!

Going Down the Slide!

Beautiful beautiful spring days call us to be outside! And since Taylor LOVES being outside, its where we were today - forget the house work right? :) He's getting so big and all grown up and going up and down the slide is a sure sign of that. I think this video is so precious and just had to share how big he's getting!

Cole's Announcements

So after working for a couple months on Cole's announcements,

they finally went out yesterday.....finally. I think the picture is so cute

and I am really pleased with the way they turned out.

I am now thinking about doing the same format for our Christmas cards

with a little variation since they turned out so much like I expected without alot of hiccups.

Hopefully everyone will enjoy the picture as much as I did.

April Fool's Day

So Mike played an April Fool's joke on me.....called me and told me that this morning had just been awful - first his car got a flat tire and then right before he got to work, he ran out of gas. I totally bought the complete story, 100%! Thankfully, he did not let me believe it for too long which was so kind of him and then told me that I needed to do it to someone else. But I'm not that creative with lying (like he is!) so I'm thinking that I probably won't be able to pull it off. What a joker! And how gullible am I? :) I'm just a trusting, loving, caring wife right?

Just longing, dear Lord, for you,
Jesus, beloved and true;
Yearning and wondering when
You'll be coming back again,
Under all I say and do,
Just longing, dear Lord, for you.

Som glad day, all watching past,
You will come for me at last;
Then I'll see you, hear your voice,
Be with you, with you rejoice;
How the sweet hope thrills me through,
Sets me longing, dear Lord, for you.

Someone's Excited!

I'm not sure what Mike was telling him that made him smile like this but it probably had something to do with gum. Lately, the coolest thing around is a stick of gum so my purse is always being raided and Mike's dresser drawer and I'm finding green bits of gum everywhere. We have finally resorted to shutting off our bedroom to avoid any further sticky messes....not sure that will work but it's worth a try, right? I just had to post this face - what could be cuter?

So Precious!

Daddy and the Boys!

I love saying "the boys"! I can't believe that we are now four! And it is truly amazing and awesome every day! We love our life! I had to post this picture because this is something that happens almost every night now and I think it is so precious! I love how Mike is so involved and caring with the boys and how sweet he is with them because it shows in their personalities!

Cole's First Bath!

Today, Cole got his first real bath! I was so eager to see how he would react compared to how Taylor reacted and he seems to like it pretty well. I would say it's definitely not his favorite thing. His favorite thing is eating! So since he got a bottle right after this bath, he was happy. Such a little cutie! Check out the double chin or maybe the lack of chin! Love it!

Helping with the Pacifier!

I hope that there will be many many more moments like this in their relationship!

Cole's First Sunday!

Holding Cole for the First Time!

Taylor asked to hold "da baby" for the first time tonight and we had to capture it on film! It was so precious too because he was so proud of himself while he was doing it. Of course, as soon as it started it ended and he was ready to be done holding the baby. But for the the few seconds he was, it was truly sweet.

Family of Four!

We are now officially a family of four! Baby Cole arrived on Friday, February 26th at 8:25pm weighing in at 9lbs and 22.5 inches long! Without going into too many details, he came really quickly and easily! He is healthy and beautiful! But none of my new born shoes are going to fit!!! I thought that possibly his feet might be smaller than Taylor's but nope, they are bigger! Or I should say, longer. :) He has very long "piano" fingers and the debate right now is that he might be more Anderson than Henderson. I personally think he is a mixture but of course, over the next few weeks, he is going to change and change and change! So I think we should probably wait it out a while before we make the call! :) He took to a pacifier and bottle immediately which has been wonderful!

Saturday we were visited by so many friends and family which truly made the day special for us! Everyone was so very thoughtful and kind to welcome Baby Cole like that and we appreciate and love them so much! The day passed by way too quickly....

Sunday brought another beautiful day and more rest with Mom and Dad Henderson staying til we were discharged to help us get home.

The one thing that I have to say about this whole wonderful life experience is that I LOVE my hospital! I couldn't have asked for better staff, for better care, for better medical expertise! Each and every nurse that we had was kind and thoughtful and by the time we left on Sunday night we had three nurses (not including the one discharging us) coming to our room to say goodbye. Let's just say, next week when we have our first doctor's appointment, we are taking cookies and a thank you card over to them because it was the most wonderful experience!

Begin the day with God!
He is your Sun and Day!
His is the radiance of your dawn;
To Him address your day.

Sing a new song at morn!
Join the glad woods and hills;
Join the fresh winds and seas and plains,
Join the bright flowers and rills.

Sing your first song to God!
Not to your fellow men;
Not to the creatures of His hand,
But to the glorious One.

Take your first walk with God!
Let Him go forth with thee;
By stream, or sea, or mountain path,
Seek still His company.

Your first transaction be
With God Himself above;
So will your business prosper well,
All the day be love.

Horatio Bonar

It is the branch that bears the fruit,
That feels the knife,
To prune it for a larger growth,
A fuller life.

Though every budding twig be trimmed,
And every grace
Of swaying tendril, springing leaf,
May lose its place.

O you whose life of joy seems left,
With beauty shorn;
Whose aspirations lie in dust,
All bruised and torn,

Rejoice, though each desire, each dream,
Each hope of thine
Will fall and fade; it is the hand
Of Love Divine

That holds the knife, that cuts and breaks
With tenderest touch,
That you, whose life has borne some fruit,
Might now bear much.

Annie Johnson Flint

Another Hat...

And once again, the hats have become even more alluring! And Grandpa has so many of them! I'm glad he shares because Taylor loves to wear them! :)

And Another Baby Appointment...

We just got back from the doctor and things are pretty much the same. I'm having false labor contraction right now on a pretty regular timing of about 6-7 minutes apart but nothing more than that. I do have to say, I actually look forward to those contractions because they feel good to me! Weird, I know! But my blood pressure is good, Cole's heart rate is good and I couldn't ask for anything more! The doctor did ask me if I would like to schedule my delivery or just wait and we chose to just wait and see what happens. I guess this time around if I could experience what its like to have it happen on its own, I would like to be able to do that. Again, probably not the norm for most but I'm okay with just waiting! Can't wait to see what happens over the next couple of weeks!

Baby Appointment!!!

We had our second of weekly appointments today and I'm dialated 2 cm!!! I really wasn't expecting that when we in but it is very exciting because with Taylor nothing had progressed at this stage in the game. It's exciting to think about what could possibly happen very soon. Being induced with Taylor made it very scheduled and very exact which is normally what I like but to have the possibility of going early is fun for me too! Everything else looks good and what they are saying right now is that they will not stop me from going into labor but also will not start anything. So waiting right now has gotten just a little more fun! Will keep you updated!!!