Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas everyone!

We just wanted to say Merry Christmas to all our family and friends. We are so thankful to have all of you in our lives. We have truly been blessed this year and thank God for all of you.

Love,

Renee, Mike and Benard

Ben's Birthday Party

It was Ben's Birthday party this last Sunday. I think he had lots of fun, he was a little overwhelmed with how many people came out, but there were a lot of his friends and cousins there. (the picture above is when he got icing in his nose.)

Here Benard is with his friend James. They had lots of fun together when the party died down and it was just the two of them playing. They even got into the toilet.
Ben really likes his presents, but he was most concerned about cleaning up after himself while unwrapping them. That would be really nice if he kept this up throughout his life, but I don't think it will happen.

It was so funny when everyone sang happy birthday to Ben. He giggled and when he blew out the candle he asked for everyone to sing again.

Here is his cupcake cake for this year. Its a turtle if you can't tell.

Thank you to everyone who came for the company, gifts and for the donations to Seeds of Hope.

Here is one last picture of my little boy before he turns 2. Oh, how the two years have gone by so fast. This is his last birthday where he is an only child. Next year will bring some fun adventures.

The finished Product

Here is the yard after we had all finished and were on our way to compost the leaves and branches @ the dump.

More or less no leaves.

Backyard Work

Here dad and Rachel are getting the work party started.

Last week we had a yard work day @ Rachel and my house. Ben loves working outside and was so exited to do the work. I don't think Addison was as exited about the outdoors yet.

It only took me 5 min. to do my part of the yard, although it was a silly idea to do it first because I had to do it all over again because we draged all the leaves from Rachel's yard over it.

Here is Addison on her first outside work day. She didn't even break a sweat.


Here is a picture of mom, Benard and Addison. Ben even has his own rack and gloves now so that others can get work done while he is 'working.'

Ben and his girlfriend Gabby

I took these pictures @ a party we had @ our house recently and it seemed strange to me how these pictures looked so much like many peoples party pictures from their teens or early twenties. Scary how kids grow up before your eyes!

Just thought these would give a couple of people a good laugh.

Olympic Experience

Ben got to meet an Olympic athlete a little while ago. The guy (sorry I can't remember his name or sport, I didn't even meet him) was @ the Bay so Trish took Ben and they had a few pictures taken with him. It will be really fun and cool to see my mom run with the Olympic tourch this coming January. We are all going to watch her run and the kids will be all decked out and Ben will be so exited to watch grandma run.

The fun with Doctors

So for the last few weeks I've been wondering if I was having twins. The reason for this is each time I went to my doctors office, she says to me, "oh, seems like just one for now." or "well, next week after the ultrasound we'll know if it's one or two." Just the things that a pregnant person wants to hear the two time she goes to the doctor.

This had me thinking a lot over the last few weeks and just wondering why the doctor would have mentioned this at all. So finally this last Tuesday the doctor confirmed that I am only having one baby. It really makes a person feel really large when her doctor thinks that your having twins and especially when a customer @ work asks how close your due date is. That's right, someone @ work thought I was due soon. I'm only half way done here and well this is making me feel very large.

Strange things that happen in life. I know that I am not large and not having twins but it's a funny little story that I wanted to share with everyone.

Pumpkin Patch

Benard and I went to the pumpkin patch with Grandpa almost a month ago now. Ben really had fun. I think we made it there three times this year. I love finding things to do with Ben that are free. Well almost free, I seemed to buy apples and apple juice every time I went.

Ben cost a little more this year then last year.

Our new Home

Here are a few pictures of our new home. Ben and I were just having an inside day and he was helping me make the beds so I just thought that I'd take a few pictures. Actually these pictures are mostly for Katherine and her little family. Ben saw pictures of David and Jacky today and he went crazy. He really misses them and thought they might be missing him to.

So here are a few pictures of our home.

Ben was having a hard time getting up on our bed after it made if off the floor. Just yesterday he figured out that he could get over the foot board so that he can mess up the bed after I make it everyday.

Last week one day to distract Ben I asked him to set the table. The picture bellow is what he actually did when he set the table and the picture above was because he asked for another picture after I took one. This is his new picture face. If you ask him to say cheese, you get cheese.

I thought this was a really good job of setting the table. As you can see I was so impressed that I took a picture.

family bloggers

So, Mike updated our computer lately and I lost all my saved things on the internet. I don't have the addresses for any ones blogs anymore. I know they have seemed to slow down lastly but I still like to look @ all of them every now and then to see what every one is up to.

I miss the little things that everyone is going through if I don't get to see they blogs. Could you please send me your blog names and or addresses to my e-mail? Thank you.

Moving Week

This week we are moving and we thought it would be a good time to transition Ben into a new bed so we could use the crib for the new baby in spring. We were thinking a twin bed that we already had, you know, use what you have. Ben apparently though cheaper then us, he would like his new bed to be a box.

Here are a few pictures of Ben in his new bed. He just loves to cuddle and get cozy in it. hehe!


Here is an actual picture of our new place. It was fun to unpack a few things the other day, it was like Christmas because I hadn't seen many of our things in a very long time and forgot that we had most of them.

Work, Work, Work

So Mike and I have been on the hunt for jobs ever since we got back and now finally good new is here, we both have jobs. Mike tried working a physical labour job and that just didn't work out so now he is back working with computers @ Mike's Computer Shop. The computer shop is more to his liking anyways. I how ever have two jobs, well sort of, I've started work @ Reitmen's and start sometime in August with Payless Shoes. So far we have both had just one day @ our respective jobs but we both see good things happening there.

Right now with the heat wave we really don't mind going to work to get a break from sweating and just being too tired to think. I had a four hour shift the other day and I went to get a cold drink on my break and I walked out the front do and was hit with a wall of heat and humidity. Crazy, never thought I would experience that in the Fraser Valley.

Thank you everyone who keeps us in their prayers. Mike and I are still looking into the future and there are still a couple of jobs that we both applied for that we think that would fit us better. Please pray that if we do or do not get our 'dream' jobs @ this moment that we are still grateful to G0d for providing for our needs. He has been sooooo faithful to us in this time of transition.

Ben's first Bike

Ben got his new bike this weekend. He is already able to start riding because it has no peddles, it's called a balance bike. I wasn't there to see it but it seems he enjoyed his first ride. I'm looking forward to taking it to the zoo and seeing how it goes. Although I think we should get some knee pads first. Ben love to test everything out to the fullest so I can foresee many a wipe out.

Weekend fun

It was a weekend of fun for Ben and I. On Saturday we went to White Rock with Emma and on Sunday we went to Rolley Lake with Mike and had a family day.They were both fun days but Saturday was much warmer and the sand was more fun.

Here is Ben's first taste of ocean sand on his feet. He's been to the ocean before but never played in the sand.

It was a great day to have lunch @ the beach, many other people had the same ideas but the beach is so big you can't even see them. I hadn't been there in forever and I really enjoyed the adventure with Ben and Emma.

Rolley Lake was fun too but it was a lot colder but we didn't really dress for the weather because when we were getting ready the sun was shining and it looked like it was going to be another hot day.

I tried to get a picture of the whole family. Can you see Mike and Ben in the back ground?

July 1, Happy Canada Day

Here are a few pictures of our adventures on Canada Day. Well most of the day, I didn't take pictures during my two interviews. That would have been very strange and I'm sure that, that would have been the end of the interview. So here are the fun parts of our day.

Oh I also forgot to take pictures @ the pancake breakfast.

Weekend with Grandpa in Enderby

When we were @ camp Dad came to visit us and Ben had a great time with grandpa and out for a few adventures. So thank you dad for a great weekend and it was like our summer holiday. Here are a few pictures of them having a good time.

There is an amazing water park in Salmon Arm, really the only thing that I could find to do there but shop.

Ben loved and hated the water park.

We found something called the Log Barn. It really was a pumped up fruit stand with a petting zoo and a few play areas. I as actually a really great time.


Here's Ben's Bike.

Here's dad's bike.