Trip to Grand Rapids

We went to Grand Rapids this past weekend to celebrate Mike's birthday. We stayed with the Cummifords so that was fun since the kids got to play the whole time we were there. we all had such a nice time...

BFFs :-)Even Echo was welcomed with open arms...
Me and the guys...

Jake was sad he didn't get any birthday cupcakes (see below):

Shae and Rachel enjoying their cupcakes:

Mike's birthday cupcake cake:

Mike holding Jake during his Happy Birthday song:

Moms Night Out

I am going to title this post Moms Night Out in honor of some of my friends around here who are all mothers getting a chance to relax and let their hair down...

Love this pic... Katie and I...

Lisa and Heidi.... sometimes you just got to bring the baby with you... :-)
Erin, Missy, and Jackie (I guess I have to clarify Jackie is the mom of this crowd).

Kid Pics

Here are some new pictures of the kids.

Jake was really posing for the camera this day; I got so many cute pics of him but this is my favorite:

My babies and I:

Rachel and her "why are you taking a picture of me mom" face:

I got Jake on camera when he first pulled himself up to a standing position. He has been pulling up on his knees for a month now, but hadn't quite figured out how to get up past that until now!

Long Time, No Posts

So it has been so long since my last post that I feel guilty! I guess I have just been saving up the pictures, so I am going to post quite a few tonight. Let's see, what has happened in the last few weeks. Well, Rachel is almost 90% potty trained (still a few accidents but we are so close!). Jake is now pulling up and standing and also just got his 5th tooth! Mike turned 31 this past Sunday too.... throw in a couple gatherings Mike and I have had; a tennis tournament; a trip to Grand Rapids; and 3 sicknesses in the family and it leads to a busy time.

Rachel and Jake's "Tent"

Today, Rachel and Jake had a blast playing in their "tent". I say "tent" because it is actually a portable dog kennel that my parents got for Echo a couple years ago, but Echo was too afraid and never used it.... so now it is a perfect "tent" for the kids. They had so much fun and Jake just thought he was such a big kid that he was in there with Rachel. Rachel was pretending they were having a sleepover. It was pretty fun.

Mommy and Daddy's Vacation

Mike and I had our very first weekend without the kids since Rachel was born - and while we missed our babies and are spoiling them rotten today with affection - it was long overdue. We went up north to Shanty Creek to go skiing/snowboarding with our friends Aaron and Leah Cummiford. It was a wonderful weekend and so much FUN! Here are a bunch of random pictures...

The sunset view from our condo:

Mike is so hot in my bathing suit...

All four of us out to eat Saturday night:
What a cute couple huh?

Oh, I guess they are a cute couple too...

Ski in/ski out condo is the way to go...

This pic is so amazing because I was about to sell my snowboard a month ago...

I have no explanation for this picture:

The four of us in what we called the "lukewarm" tub:

In our condo, pumping ourselves up to brave the freezing cold weather:

Leah's making a funny face...

Mike and Aaron (isn't that a girls jacket Aaron's wearing?)

I love you big Daddy...

Mike's "Going Away" Party

Mike's plant had a gathering this past weekend in celebration of all the hours they worked this past fall when the plant was going through a major project startup. Also, as part of this, they surprised Mike by giving him some presents as he has recently moved to a new office building and into a new role as well.

Here is Mike with the framed picture of The Detroit Free Press when the Wolverines won the National Championship. (He also got a framed picture of the aerial view of the plant he worked in - classic).

Here is a picture of me with Mike's boss Jill, with whom I also have worked with.