We're EXPECTING!! and lately..

So thats right! We are expecting September 1st and are both happy and eager. We both can't wait to see the sex of the baby and this is a 1st for me, but i am so wanting to know and at almost 3.5mths i still have a ways to go. We tried all the tricks we knew to get a girl, so i am REALLY hoping, but will be oh so fine with a healthy baby boy. It really doesn't seem like i am pregnant sometimes, except for the chub i already have, whats up with that so early?? kinda depressing.. it came so early this time, maybe its the 3rd kid that does it.
I'm not going to lie, I'm a little scared. #1 to be pregnant and huge at the End of August and dying of the heat, even without being prego i die of the heat, so watch out. And #2, 3 kids now.. will i go anywhere?
Do anything? will I have enough patience?, doubt it. Its a little scary, but too late now, right? haha. No i am excited and could't be more blessed than to have awesome pregnancy's, feeling great.. getting out of Zombie land, those first 2 months were horrible.. hoping to get back on the treadmill, maybe and have a little more energy.
Also I had to write this down, a few weeks ago after coming home from skating lessons.. Elias said this.
too funny.


Elias- "mom i have to go pee"


Me- "can you hold it?"


Elias- "no my hands are full"


Me - "what?" (confused)


Elias- " I have an Iron man in this hand and a Car in my other hand!!"


Me- " Oh, hahahaha!!


Me and Jeremy were laughing sooo hard.. it seriously was the funnest thing.. too cute!

Here are also some random pictures over the last month of the kids playing in the snow and the boys being buddies together. They really are starting to play good together and its a lot of fun.

The boys playing in the snow and building a snow fort with Daddy.

Nixon and Elias playing dress-up

I was calling after them and found them reading books together snuggled in Elias' room during the day.

not to be forgotten

I know Christmas is so far gone, but i had to post this gem home video that I forgot about.


Jingle Bells from Rachelle Cooper on Vimeo.


Just watch how hard it is for Nixon NOT to pick up those bells, it took some practise and Nixon trying to sing is so priceless! haha

*oh and for some reason it was freezing on me, if so just start it over again and it will work the whole way through.

Christmas, come and gone.

This Christmas was by far the best one we have had for our little family. It was the 1st real Christmas that for once we weren't living out of suitcases and going back and forth between families. It was the 1st Christmas that we had with just our boys and us on Christmas morning and it was sooo nice. This was the 1st Christmas that Santa and the birth of the Savior was ever so present in our home too, Elias really believed this year in Santa and I had to be very careful and we really tried to focus on the birth of the Savior as well this year. We even had a little baby jesus in a manager under the tree and we would put a little bit of straw in the manager periodicallly as a constant reminder to the kids about why we celebrate Christmas and it worked really well. I remember when the home teachers came over a few weeks before Christmas and the 1st thing they asked Elias was, "Why do we celebrate Christmas?" I was thinking oh no whats he going to say, and ever so sweetly he said, " Its when we celebrate Jesus' birthday." I'm not going to lie I was a very proud momma and it was so cute. I remember thinking, I cant believe he didn't say anything about presents or santa. He is so innocent, I wish he would always stay that way, give me a few more years right, and then all he'll say is "presents", hopefully not.. i know that the little manager under our tree this year added to the spirit of Christmas in our home and gave my boys a greater understanding of why we have Christmas, defiently a new tradition in our home. Since this was our 1st official Christmas back home and the boys were a little older and more excited about Christmas i also ordered an advent calendar, it was sooo cute and the boys loved getting little treats, or stickers and so on everyday. We also had the 12 days of Christmas with christmas/winter books wrapped under the tree and every night I let the boys unwrap one and we would read it together.. this was A LOT of fun for them, Elias never forgot to remind me and was so excited everytime. Definite repeat.

1st year making gingerbread houses

Pre-K christmas concert

12 days of christmas books

Christmas morning

Oh and fave gifts this year were: Elias- Leapfrog Leapster explorer, seriously awesome educational game system, Elias LOVES it and learns so much from the games as well as having fun.
Nixon- Fisher price Stand and Go race car track, really great toy! And together they got this play castle that they love, we read books in it, have ball fights and really use our imagination, great purchase from Costco.

stocking stuffers

Overall such a great Christmas, can't wait for next year!

Swim Time and Banff Trip

I'm playing catch up, Elias just finished swimming at the end of November. This was his 1st time in lessons and he loved every minute of it. There were only 4 of them in the class, so he got to know the other kids pretty good and received a lot of one on one attention. We spend much of our summers enjoying the lake at the cabin so Elias was very much used to jumping and playing in the water. He had no fear jumping off the ledge into the water and was always the 1st one to dive down and get the rings and bring them back up.. they even took them in the deep end with water noodles, overall a great time for him.

typical Elias

Nixon insisted on having a picture too!

We also got to go to Banff at the start of December with friends. I knew i wanted to go somewhere to celebrate Jeremy turning the big 30! So i decided Banff would be a fun time, I had never been there and it would make a good weekend, not too far and i knew Jeremy had been dying to get in some much needed snowboarding after all those winters living in Saskatoon and not being close to the mountains. Me and Jeremy left a day early, and that was sure nice. Just the two of us, I can't recall the last time we ever stayed overnight somewhere with just the two of us. The next morning we took the gondola ride up the mountain, enjoyed some hot drinks and beautiful views, but food at the top was oh soo nasty. 

view from the top..

We also did some fun shopping, Jer got new snowboard boots, happy birthday Babe, and then we met everyone for dinner. My friend Karen's parents had a timeshare in Canmore a 1/2hr away from Banff. It worked out great, much cheaper than staying in Banff and some great memories were had. I'll never forget walking the Longest hallways ever in exsistence to our rooms, haha and trying to enjoy the hot tub and outdoor pools while being not so entertained by some very annoying and interesting people, some very drunk and some in their undies. yes, Dont ask... Hey its Banff, right. But besides all that, there were some nights of incredible food eaten, some fun shopping, late chats and game nights.. oh man. and some much anticipated snowboarding for all.. even though i think i broke my tailbone.. maybe the spa next time.

sorry these two were emailed pics, blurry but you get the drift.. loads of fun!

It was a great weekend, so happy to spend it with Jeremy especially, happy big 30 babe, I love you

Delicous Dinner Recipes!! yummo

Okay so i had to post these two recipes that i have made in the last few weeks. I am big on changing things up in our dinner routine and i use food blogs a lot, you know they will most likely always be good if someone is blogging about them.

Anyhow here they are, Enjoy!!

French Dip Sandwiches.. seriously soooo good! I just kept wanting more! 

Jer and my parents both said this was the BEST beef dip they had ever eaten.. make sure to serve with delicous fresh buns and a good piece of white cheese.. 

This recipe comes from the tried and true food blog Our best bites . Check it out all their stuff is awesome.

Chicken Tikka Masala ( similar to butter chicken)

We LOVE Indian food around here and so do my kids. I usually add a little less spice than recipes call for, so its not too spicy for them.. And this one did not dissapoint! It was seriously Awesome, probably the best recipe i have found. Even if you think you dont like Indian food you will like this. Nixon just kept on asking for more and more.

The recipe calls for a jalapeno pepper and 2 tsp of cayenne, but like the girl from the food blog i cut out the pepper completely and the cayenne down to 1/2tsp.. yummo, i could have some more right now.

Jer said he would have thought the cook was East Indian it was soo good! Hope you like it. Here's the recipe from another  tried and true food blog, Mels Kitchen Cafe.. always good stuff over there too!
Oh and if possible serve with Naan bread, makes all the difference. If you have never tried it, its the bomb..haha really though. Its a Indian bread.. usually beside the pita bread. Just pop it in your  oven on broiler for a minute to get warm and eat with the rice and sauce..so yummy soaking it all up!

Elias Turns 4!

Elias turned 4 a few weeks ago and since he is really into dragons and loves the movie "How to Train your Dragon" I did a party for him with a dragon theme. It seems like this party was bound to never happen, due to weather and other annoyances.. but it did finally happen and it was alot of fun for him and all his little friends. We played lots of games, Pin the Tail on the dragon, dragon egg races, and the parachute was a HUGE hit!! I had the cutest little viking party hats and a cupcake dragon cake to top it off.. overall lots of fun and yes lots of work. Elias got a ton of fun presents and has been playing with for the past couple weeks.. we also got him 1 gift a Playmobile Dragon Castle.. its seriously the sweetest thing ever.. so much detail and such cool stuff.. i actually enjoy playing with him. I remember playing with Playmobile sets as a kid and loved them, so it was fun to get him his own. $$ for sure, but so well made and lots of fun for years to come.

do you think he was excited?

all his little buddies

His cousin Joel helping him out

Nixon pounding a cupcake

all the loot, someone's spoiled!

Elias at 4 yrs old is in prechool and swimming lessons this year. He loves both and is really into being creative and playing by himself now.. thankyou! he loves dragons (of course), superheros, army guys and tanks, anything he can build and Loves any kind of board game, we play a lot these days. He is really so sweet, always giving me compliments, whether its thanking me for being a "good cooker'(his words) haha or telling me how cute the house looks or how beautiful i look.. its all the time, its so cute. And Elias and Nixon are getting better at playing together and its fun to watch him help his brother or teach him a cool new trick. Nixon adores Elias and well we couldn't agree more.

 I love you sweet boy, Happy 4th birthday!