The Heath Happenings: Catch up

It is January! I think I blinked and missed November and December,so I will attempt to catch up. I have been meaning to post about Cooper's birthday, Halloween and Christmas, but things have been crazy, so I guess I will catch up on those events now.

Coopy's third birthday.

This boy is so dang cute. Cooper turned three, and I have to be honest, we did not really do much for him.I had planned a couple things, but poor Cooper really does not have a lot of friends. Hudson is by far his best friend, and when we asked him who he wanted at his birthday party, the only person he wanted was Huds.I feel so bad about this, as I was so much more social when Hudson was young and he always had play dates and friends. When it came down to Cooper's birthday, I thought maybe we could keep it low key and take the boys to dinner and to Chuck e Cheese. The week of Cooper's birthday Hudson was having major struggles with stealing at school, so he had to stay home and Dad took poor Cooper out for his birthday solo. It was so sad. Hudson missed out on the ward Halloween party, carving pumpkins and Cooper's birthday. I pretty much wanted to die(since he was even stealing from his teacher's desk) and was ready to pull him from Kindergarden, but thankfully since it has now been 2 months, he seems to understand that he can't steal. Gahhhhh. Cooper is a kind boy, and enjoyed going out with Daddy all by himself. I am so thankful for my rainbow baby. He really is such a sweet boy(even though right no he is a sass who refuses to potty train-grrrrrr)

Sadie.

Potty training. He is almost there!!!

My crazy three year old

A couple of days after Cooper's birthday, my baby sister had her first daughter and baby Sadie joined our family. My boys(mostly Hudson) are obsessed with her. We are so proud of Rudi and love having another baby in the family.

Gorgeous New Mama and Baby

Pretty Lady Sadie

Halloween
As usual Dad knocked it out of the park with carving our Pumpkin.

Spider Pumpkin

On Halloween we dressed up and went to Hudson's school for his Halloween parade. Gosh it was cute. After we headed to the hospital to visit baby Sadie and Dad in our costumes.

That night Trick or Treating with no snow was great! The kids get so spoiled. Only a block of trick or treating provided us all with WAY too many treats.

Halloween is so much fun with kids. It was neat seeing Cooper get it. Fletchy stayed home with me and helped me hand out candy. He got so many oooohs and ahhhs...

All three-Happy Halloween!

Arrrrrrr!

Loot!!!

November.

November proved to be a pretty busy month. I am ashamed to admit that I was a bit of a grinch this year in regards to Christmas prep and planning. One reason our month was so busy was we have been working a lot on our Condo, as we are going to try to sell it as soon as it is all updated. It has been a lot of work. We have pretty much done an entire reno, with most of the work being done in the kitchen and bathroom. We installed a new kitchen, bathroom vanity and toilet, as well as new closet doors, painted the whole condo, new plumbing and other odds and ends. We are not finished yet, but since oil prices dropped so significantly and interest rates are probably going to rise in the next few months, it is causing me some serious anxiety. In another life I would probably love to flip houses. I love designing them and spending time with Shane, and don't even mind the work, but finding people to watch our kids and being away from them has been hard.. Having the condo sold will provide me and Shane great relief. It has been mismanaged in the past, costing us a ton of money, so it will just be great to have it gone. Once it is sold we can start t look for our "forever" home, which we think will be in Beaumont. We are all very ready for this to happen, but still want to be careful and not overextend ourselves.

November also brought a few big changes to our life professionally (mostly Shane). Shane started up his own private OT company Heath Therapies, and temporarily reduced his hospital position to .4 to do a large contract doing work place job demands analysis. he has also been busy doing ergonomic workplace assessments. It has been so busy trying to start things up but I am suuuuper proud of him. He is guilty of selling himself a bit short, so it is nice to see him be so successful and see his plans come to life. As far as my etsy shop goes, I just had my 3000th sale(crazy, right?) and I have been trying to get my facebook page up and going. It is a lot of work, so I can only do what I can do. I was also approached by a local shop that sells handmade goods to sell some of my items in their shop. It is located in Camrose, AB, and is the cutest little shop ever. Everything there is handmade. I am honored really that I am able to be included. This new year I would really like to try to do a couple Craft shows. I am considering doing one in May, then a couple in the fall. Again, pending all of the other things going on....we will see. I am just so thankful that I get do do something creative, and most importantly from home, that helps us out financially. I TRULY feel BLESSED!

At the end of November Shane and his brothers also were able to take another trip to Arizona to go golfing. They had a great time and made a ton of memories. Shane was able to miss out on a major snow storm as well(same as last year) so I was quite jealous and when I am no longer "attached" to a baby, I am so planning my own get away:)

Throughout the fall Hudson has had many neat events at his school. I loved seeing him learn about Remembrance Day at school. One day, he could barely breathe as he told me a "real soldier" came to his class to talk to him. He was so excited. He spent an entire week drawing and coloring poppies. So darling.

Hudson with one of his amazing Poppies.

Each Friday, Mrs. Nikolau's class has a performance, reciting a poem(or pom as Hudson calls them). They memorize a poem about a different color and all dress up in those colors. It is so fun to go and listen to the kids. At the end they all take a bow and blow us kisses. I love seeing Hudson love school so much.

Hudson has really excelled at reading. He is lucky not to struggle with it at all. I love doing his home reading with him and seeing his progress. Hudson and I also read Charlotte's Web together. I loved every minute of snuggle reading that sweet book with my boy. It was neat to see him pick out words like "Zuckerman's" and "Wilbur".

Hudson worries a lot about what the other kids think of him. They had both "mustache" day and "pajama" day, and Hudson refused to participate. He let me do a crazy hair style to him on Crazy Hair Day, but said he did not like it when the kids called him Rainbow hair. I will have to wait for Cooper to get excited for these fun days.

December.

Shane and I have a few "traditions" that we like to do every December. One thing is our elf Charly coming(elf on the shelf). We don't really do too many funny elaborate things with Charly yet, but it was super fun to have Cooper get in on the "he's watching me" motivation. The first day Charly came was so funny. Hudson kept telling me that he could see Charly blinking,so he knew that he was real. haha. I can not count the amount of times the boys would stop doing something they knew they were not supposed to do, when they heard the words"Charly is watching"haha. Now that Charly is gone, I am sure missing him:)

Charlie Returns

Another thing that we love to do is get our picture taken with Santa. I hope I will never forget the excitement of Cooper as we were getting out of our van in the Sherwood Park Mall parking lot. He seriously could hardly breathe. My kids are definitely not the scared of Santa" type. The Santa was seriously so awesome and even asked Hudson about his Elf Charly. It was magical. Miraculously we even got an amazing family photo( all wearing out "Merry Christmas Ya Filthy Animal" shirts)- Amazing, that we were all looking:)

Merry Christmas Ya Filthy Animals!!!

We decorated gingerbread houses again this year. I love doing this. Surprise Surprise. I looooove Candy. Shane is always shocked at how much candy I can fit onto one gingerbread house. Sadly, my kids also looove candy, so our house only lasted a couple days before I found it disemboweled under our Christmas tree.

The loaded Gingerbread house.

I also tried to do a couple of advent calenders. These also were unsuccessful. Within hours of getting the chocolate calenders, they were shredded, and the felt nativity advent calender I bought, was missing pieces within minutes(thanks Cooper).

This was day one

Last year we were gifted a binder that had a scripture, song and story for each day in December, and the boys LOOOOOVED reading and singing with their Dad each night before bed. Hudson particularly loved the hymn Angels We Have Heard on High. He asked Shane to sing it for him several times throughout the Christmas season. In Primary Hudson also learned a few nice Christmas hymns, one called Samuel tells of Jesus. Hudson sings this song constantly. He has really learned to love the hymns, and his special teacher Sister Jessica Tavernini. I have really seen huge improvements in Hudson's behavior at church since he started his medication. Hudson will walk around and sing songs to Fletcher to the tune of the primary songs, and make up his own words. It is adorable. Hudson was very proud to sing with the Primary kids both in sacrament, as well as at our ward Christmas party.

Like I mentioned before, I was a bit grinchy this year, especially with decorating.I have been feeling quite claustrophobic with all of the baby stuff in our small home, so I only decorated our bonus room. I usually go crazy decorating outside and have 2 full Christmas trees, but this year I just let the boys decorate upstairs. Looking back, with everything that we had going on, it was a good choice. I purchased a couple new decorations as well as made a couple new signs, but I will have to wait for next year to go all out again:)

Hudson's school is quite crowded, so in lieu of a traditional Christmas concert, the 2 afternoon kindergarden classes had an afternoon Christmas program where they dressed up fancy and sang some songs. It was incredibly adorable. Shane was able to come with us. They had "happy" playing, then all of the kids came in and sang some cuuuute songs, while Miss Savage played her guitar. The other Kinder teacher Mrs. W was hilarious dancing to all of the songs with a garland headband on her head. It really was cute. Hudson also was so so proud to give me a special plate he made and painted in school for Christmas. Anyone who knows me well knows I love handmade gifts:)

My handsome boy all ready for his Christmas concert:)

All of the school festivities were a lot of fun,but I loved having the break from our routine. We had a great time spending time together and having a very low key Christmas.

Always a highlight of the Christmas season for me is to look at all of the tender mercies and Christmas miracles that constantly happen to bless our familys' lives. The Sunday before Christmas, Shane had to leave early for church as he had joined the choir. I got the boys all ready and we made it to church on time and even got a decent picture. It might seem dumb, but it was a Christmas miracle to me.

Christmas Sunday!

Another Christmas miracle was feeling our sweet Piper with us. After Piper passed away we were gifted a beautiful african violet plant. Usually we have one or two flowers in bloom, but the week before our girls' 4th birthday there was over 30 blooms. To most people this would be nothing, but Hudson is seriously seriously obsessed with Piper. Shane told him that when a flower blooms on her plant it is her way of saying hi to us. Hudson talks non stop about how much he loves Piper. He prays for her every single day. It honestly is heart melting. He literally prays for her to have a good day in Heaven, and asks that she will know how much he loves her. He asks me about 10 times a day if I know how much he loves Piper(the answer is always infinity times infinity plus 100) He comments that we all should love Fletcher, Sadie and Piper the same. It was such a sweet Christmas Miracle seeing all of those blooms.

On Piper's birthday we loaded the boys up to go and visit our girl at her grave. I did not plan it very well, as when we got out and sang to her Hudson was furious with me that we did not bring her flowers. Hudson literally went around to other graves trying to steal flowers to give to her. We had to stop him, but he was ticked and demanded that we bring her some the next day(which we didn't, but will next time). I am thankful for our baby's birthday as it serves as a wonderful reason for me to recommit to change the things in my life that need to be changed so we can be together again one day. I am so thankful that Hudson feels so deeply for his sister. I don't know why he does, but he keeps her a very real part of our family. We love our Piper and our family will not feel complete until we are reunited with her.

As a tradition we go down Candy Cane Lane after we visit Piper. The boys loved every minute of it. We picked our favorite houses and drove it twice, as the kids enjoyed it so much:) Maybe next year we will go on the horse sleigh.

Due to our renovations we were sadly not able to go to the live nativity with the boys in Spruce Grove, but we did try to show them a video of the Nativity.

Christmas Eve, Shane gave me the most wonderful gift of taking the boys to the Movie(Big Hero 6) so I could organize the basement(I am lame, I know). The kids loved it, and watched the whole show without incident(another miracle). When the boys returned home Charly had gifts for them(pj's and a movie). We snacked and watched the show and then snuggled our babies to sleep. Shane and I then got busy finishing up wrapping and filing stockings. Shane went crazy spoiling the boys this year.

Christmas morning was as cute and adorable as you could ever imagine. Hudson was up first and went through his stocking. The teeniest toys(like a lego guy) he was screaming over. He was so pumped. When the rest of us got up it was a lot of screaming and joy. Cooper was obsessed with his"sock" and the oranges in it-haha.

The boys ripped through their gifts and really loved them all. Fletcher was so adorable and just enjoyed munching on wrapping paper. It was so fun. After, the house was so peaceful. The boys played with their toys and everyone just hung out. The Best Dad ever was busy building lego, putting batteries in toys, assembling things and playing. We had our "Big Bill's" style breakfast/brunch and then got showered and ready then pigged out at Clint and Cherie's house. It really was just a wonderful Christmas Day.

The rest of Christmas break was spent playing with toys, visiting family and of course doing more renovations on the Condo. One of the biggest highlights of the season for me was when Auntie Jodie, Cassidy and Camille came to visit. We had gotten quite used to monthly visits with them, but it has been a few months, and we were so excited to have them come. We did the usual, eat, laugh and hang out. They were here for New Years. We did not do much, but on New Years Eve the girls all helped me out and came to help me paint at the condo for a couple hours. We sure love the Greens!

Since the New Year, life has continued to be nuts. We are busy but happy. My "word" for this year is going to be "blessed". Our little family has been so so blessed and I need to remember to count my blessings.
My little Fletcher continues to be such a dream and huge blessing in all of our lives everyday. Today he is 8 months old. The time has flown. He has such a nice temperament. He loves his jolly jumper and is getting so so close to crawling. He gets up on his knees, but has not conquered the forward motion aspect, and constantly finds himself "stuck" under chairs and our ottoman:) Fletch sleeps pretty well, and dependent on naps sleeps from 7-6:30 a lot of nights. Any attention is welcomed by this sweet boy. He loves to laugh and smile at his brothers. Fletcher has a special bond with Hudson. Hudson takes wonderful care of his brother, and advocates for him all of the time. If I am on the phone and baby is crying, I get a swift lecture. It is unacceptable to Hudson to hear his baby cry:) Fletchy has also started to take an interest in his toys. He loves to chew on different toys and will literally spend hours in his jumperoo. Fletchy continues to suck his thumb when he goes to bed(which is so super cute) and occasionally his feet. I am amazed at this boys flexability. His hair still grows like a weed so have a lot of fun giving Fletcher new hairstyles:) This family LOVES their baby.

Now I will spam this post with his gorgeous mug!!!!