Merry Christmas!

So if you were to get a Christmas letter from us this is what it would read......

Ahhh….Well it is that time of year again. You know, when you get all the boring Christmas letters. That updates you on the happenings of the writer and their family. Well my friends this is NOT one of those. Well maybe it is. But it is far from boring!

What has happened in the past year with us Erdmanczyk’s you might ask. For starters we are no longer communal livers. That is right we bought us our first home. And it is just us. Nobody else. Thank God!!! I wish I had a picture of it to share with you but I don’t. (I could go out and take one but as I type we are getting about a foot of snow. And well I don’t like snow and I am not going to go out there in it.)

Well Seth and I have now been married for 5 years! Short time for some of you oldies but to us that is long. And we are excited for the next five and the next five and the next five……(I’m sure you get the idea) Seth is still working for the City. We are very thankful for that, the city made some cuts and so it was a little stressful for a short bit. I am still staying home with the hoodlums boys. I do still work at the hospital in town answering the phones. Some day I will stay home and never work!(that is the goal we are trying to achieve in the near future.)

Ike is now 4! I am still not sure how that happened! He loves our house and the play set in the back yard. He is all excited about this foot of snow we are getting cuz he wants to go build a snow man. He is not doing preschool this year but will next year. Ike does however love “school”. We often do worksheets or “school” like things with him. We know our letters like nobodies business. Now to just learn our numbers that well.

Quilon aka Q is 17 months. He is a beast! In more ways than one. He is a big boy(the size of all our 2+ year old friends), loves to eat, loves to wrestle, and climb on EVERYTHING! There are some days that I don’t know how I am going to handle this kid. He is into everything at all times. But then he makes up for his craziness when he snuggles. We still snuggle together every day. I will miss that when/if he out grows it.

Well that is what is new here at our house. Hope I didn’t bore you too much.

We do hope that you have a very Blessed Christmas!!

If you were to get a Christmas picture this is what it would look like.....

I'm pretty sure that all of you who read this blog(which isn't many and mostly family I am sure) will be receiving all this in the mail. So I guess you won't really need to open it. Which then means I really didn't need to send it out. But there you have it.

Merry Christmas!

Life is Good

Man I am one lucky girl. Sometimes I have a hard time realizing it but I sure do have a lot to be thankful for. The little things of this crazy world sometimes blinds me. That and the fact that I don't take the time to be thankful for what I have. I just take it all for granted.

So today I make a list of things I am truly thankful for. Some small and some big.

1. A wonderfully loving hot and helpful hubby. Without him I wouldn't be able to do what I do. He means so much to me. And he is a great father.
2. A God that is forgiving and loving no matter what I do or don't do.
3. A house to live in that is just for me and my family.
4. Seth having a job.
5. Two mostly wonderful kids.
6. Being able to be with my family in Michigan for over a week!
7. Having a new iPhone.
8. Being able to talk to my family in Michigan with out going over my minutes anymore.
9. Being able to stuff myself so full that I need to wear soft pants.
10. My health
11. Nap time
12. My vacuum
13. Not having pets that make even more messes than my kids already do.
14. Friends that milk cows.
15. Freezer Meals
16. Money
17. Having a best friend in my sister.
18. TV
19. DVR to record so I can watch later.
20. King size bed so I can feel like I have the bed to myself every night.
21. Sarcasm....I couldn't live without it.
22. The internet
23. And a great computer to access it on.

Life is good for me. I am so blessed to have all that I do in my life. I just need to remember all that I have. Not everyone is as blessed as I am.

4 and Counting

I can't even believe it!

My Little guy is 4 years old today!

Where has the time gone?!?

Am I even old enough to have a 4 year old?

He is my little super hero

He is my little goofball

He is my little builder

He is my little helper

He is my little munchkin

There are days I would trade him for a buck. But I am ever so glad that I haven't!

He is just so funny. I am loving watching him grow and learn.

I just wish he would slow done some!!

Happy Birthday Little Man!

Trick-or-Treat Smell My Feet.....

Well lets not smell my feet. Not that they stink...I just don't want anyone near my feet!

Anyways....It was Trick-or-Treating night!

Ike and Q went out with there cousin and a friend. They had lots of fun. Froze but had fun.

Ike was Alph Pig. Super Why is Ikes favorite show. It comes on PBS and Alpha Pig is on there.

Q was a Bat. You might remember that from Ike when he was lil or even from their cousin Lily. So it has been around. Q was the cutest Bat of them all though!

Here is a picture of the boys with their cousin Lily. They all went out together along with their friend Glady (not pictured). They all had a great time and all did so well.

Poor Ikers froze to death. Lets just hope he doesn't get sick. And yes we know we are to worst parents ever for letting our child out in the cold with no coat. We layered his clothing! And he wore BabyLegs to keep warm! So there!

The Ball

When we got our new home we needed to get a new vacuum. Well it was a tough decision for me to decided what I should do. That might not be that big a deal for some of you. However I am a little obsessed with vacuuming. Like vacuuming once if not twice everyday.

Well when shopping for the big purchase I wanted to make sure I was not buying based on a name but rather the actual quality of the vacuum. I really wanted the Dyson Ball. But was afraid that I was buying for the name. But boy was I ever wrong.

The Dyson Ball is the best sucker around! Not only does it pick up all the dirt that my hoodlums create, it is so easy to move around objects in my house. The commercials that you might have seen for it are so true. No dramatization what so ever. It is also very light weight to take up and down the stairs. And even lighter if you happen to have a big burley man to carry it up the stairs for you! Everything on it can be cleaned off with water. And you don't ever have to buy filters for it. Just wash them with water.

You'll might find it odd that I am writing about my vacuum. But if you had one and enjoyed it as much as I you would totally write about it too!

My Lil' Artist

My Lil' Ikers is my Lil' Artist. If he could (and if I was creative enough) he would do crafts/art projects all day. He is creative and come up with all these crazy ideas to do. Some he is allowed to do others not so much. Yeah maybe I am crushing his imagination but I am keeping him safe. And myself sane.

Well a few weeks ago we went up to The Great Pumpkin Patch with the whole family. Literally. (Me and my 3 boys, Grandparents, Aunt, Uncle and Cousin) And we got some pumpkins of course. Ike got to decide what he wanted to do with his. (He might have had some persuding as to what he should do....just maybe) He decided to paint his.

Look at him so focused and hard at work on his pumpkin. He didn't just paint it.....

Isn't it just so cute?!? My son the artist is so talented if i must say so myself thank you very much

Fatty Thighs

Who doesn't love fatty baby thighs? They are just so cute and squishy. How can you not love them?!? You know what's cuter than fatty baby thighs?? Fatty baby thighs covered in BabyLegs of course! I mean just look at them!

I got these great BabyLegs form this really neat site that has great deals everyday for babies.

I had never heard of BabyLegs until a friend had told me about them. She also told me about the great site too!

So why the BabyLegs you might ask. Well for starters they are just as cute as can be!

They make diaper changes a breeze. And I am going to be potty training this winter. Or more of getting an awareness of the potty. And what an easier yet stylish way of doing it with BabyLegs!

You also might be asking why I am starting so early on the potty training. Well with my first born he just decided that he was ready to potty train before he turned 2. So I really didn't have to do much with Ikers. And i don't think it was supposed to be that easy but it sure was.

So knowing the personality of Quilon I know that potty training is NOT going to be an easy task what so ever! And i figured since I will be home 95% of the time with him why not start teaching him about the bathroom this winter. Now I am not expecting Q to be potty trained by 2 like his older brother pretty much was. (However that would be so nice) But I do want him to have the idea of what he needs to learn to do.

So potty training here we come. And with fatty baby thighs decked out with BabyLegs!

Beastly

this kid here is 15 months old now

not only is he 15 months old but he weighs just 6 lbs less then his almost 4 year old brother

this kid here is just 9 in shorter than his older brother

this kid here is a beast he might be younger than ike but he will be the big brother

quilon

15 months and a few days

27 lbs almost 28

33 inches tall

ike

just a month shy of 4

33 lbs

42 inches tall

Domestication (not sure if its a word but it's happening to me!)

I think I might be turning into a crazy stay-at-home mom!!

You know the ones. The ones that make everything! And I mean everything, like clothes, napkins, soap, and even home school. I mean like what can't they do!

Well I have to confess. I am into some of that.

I have started making things and doing things I have never done.

For crying out loud I made Homemade Laundry Soap! Which by the way works really great and I LOVE IT!

What has come over me?!? I have no clue.

And now I froze corn and made salsa. I even sewed some more cloth napkins. I made a cleaning schedule, yes the neat freak of the universe made a cleaning schedule. And I have formed a Freezer Meals Club!

Not only that but I am walking with a friend. And I mean WALKING! You know for exercise. We go twice a week (needs to be 3 if not 7 times a week) and one of the days I take the kids with me in the stroller. So you better watch out because if your in my way I might run you over with the stroller. I am one of those moms.

I think maybe somebody/something is taking over my body and making me do things I have never done before. You might think oh Raychel, really that isn't anything all that special. Well if that is your thought you must not know who I am then!

I have even thought of doing school at home for Ikers. Not homeschooling where I teach him. (If that were the case we would be lucky to get past the 3rd grade) I have thought of doing virtual schooling with him. Like with a computer and stuff. We still have a 2 years before deciding that. Thank Goodness! (However I doubt we will...he needs more interaction with kids.)

Speaking of interacting with other kids I have even started going to ECFE (early childhood family education). Its a place where I get to learn to be a better mom (I am the wolds best however) and the boys get to play with other kids. Once again not really my cup of tea. Usually those type of places are filled with the crazies. The moms (and a few dads) that totally think that their lives are the kids.

Well maybe I have become one of those moms. But you know what, it has been fun becoming domesticated. I have been enjoying it a lot. However if you ever catch me making my sons and I matching clothes somebody STOP me!

Girl meets Boy

Once there was a girl....Me

Who meet a boy....Seth

(Or was really introduced by the boys sister after the girl begged to meet him)

The boy and girl fell in love

They got married

(5 years ago today)

Lots has happened in our first 5 years of marriage. We have had our ups and downs, which I am sure will continue. We have had 2 kids, and I am sure there will be no more in the next 5 years! We have bought a house. We have had 9 jobs between the two of us. We have moved 5 different times. And we bought or first NEW car.

I wonder what the next five years holds for us?!?!

Raw Milk

So I am trying Raw Milk.

Not really me but the kids are. I will someday.

What is Raw Milk you might ask? Well it is milk straight from the cow. Never been homogenized or pasteurized.

Crazy I know, right?

Well as you might remember we were having issues with milk with my little guy Q. Crying late at night to do it and having pooping problems. We tried soy milk and Lactaid milk. Both of which seemed to help. However I just had an issue with it being overly messed with. It is milk.....you know the fresh stuff that is to be good for you.

Then I did some more research and found about Raw Milk and how it could possibly help Q out.

And what do you know??? It has. The kid has not screamed from having it at all. And he can poo with no problems too! And he loves it. As does Ike.

You might also be wondering why I just don't use dairy with Q. Well I feel like he has to love it just as I do. So I just couldn't let him not have any.

I am still learning about using Raw Milk but I will learn with time I am sure.

***UPDATE***

I tried the milk. We had pancakes for dinner and I figured that it was a perfect time to try it. Surprisingly it was really good. It is a little thicker than I like but it was creamy and tasty! I totally recommend it!

Good Reads

In the past two weeks I have actually read two books and started a third!!!

If you know me at all that is a huge accomplishment.

I enjoy reading, it just takes me a forever because I don't take the time. Plus I am kind of a slow reader. However these books by Emily Griffin are really good reads.

Easy reads and entertaining. And of corse I totally got emotionally involved with the characters and cried. I would totally recommend these books.

Something Borrowed and Something Blue go together. Baby Proof (which I haven't finished yet) is another story line. Just by the same author.

Oh Boy!

Boy

Oh Boy

Do Seth and I

Make Cute

Little Boys!!!

Vaca

We went a few weeks ago on our first family vacation with the four of us. Well the four of us plus my parents, sister and her hubby. We went to the Upper Peninsula of Michigan.

We went as far as the road would take us.

Literally.

We went to Ft. Wilkons State Park in Copper Harbor, MI.

It was a really great and relaxing week.

Here are a few of the many pictures that I took. It was just so beautiful up there.

Some of the BEAUTIFUL scenery

And some more of the beauty up there

Ike and Papa fishing and of course a family shot

Q took a swim and Ike with Uncle Bobby

I am so thankful that we were able to go away for a week with my whole family.

It was truly a blessing for us.

We didn't really do a thing. And that is what was so great about the whole week.

I even read a book in just a few days. (If you know me that is not something that I do)

We really hope that we get to go somewhere all together almost every summer.

I hope so!

Swim Swim

The Boys, along with many of there friends, took 2 weeks of swim lessons this summer.

I was a little worried as to how the kiddos would do.

Ike last year was not really a fan of swimming. This year he did SO much better.

(Having friends helped a little)

I figured Q would do great....he was a little nervous to begin with or maybe just cold (the water wasn't that warm) but he ended up doing really well.

This was an atempt to get a picture of my kiddos with their friends at swim lessons. We are missing 2, Q and Lily.

It was a great time and so much nicer having all the kids going together. Hope it works out next year too!

I'm Back!!!!

Man has this been crazy....one minute I'm here the next I'm not and then I'm back again.

Well I just can't make up my mind as to which I like better....Tumblr or Blogger.

Oh wait! I like Blogger better. That is way I am back.

That and having better internet to upload pictures with!

Sorry if you have gotten all confused. I hope you will come back....all 2 of you that is.

So I have had it!!!

I am moving out! And not coming back. (or so I think)

I am moving my blog that is.

I have been having issues with blogger and am moving on over to tumblr.

As you can see just from the text , it was a different size, I changed it for some effect and now it won't go back to what I was using. I have been having issues uploading pictures too.

So long blogger. It was nice.

Check me out over here.

I hope to see all 3 of my readers over there soon!!!

Argh!!!

So for some crazy reason I am not able to upload photos.

I got my last post to work but that took FOREVER!!! (sounds like the kid from Sandlot)

I am so wanting to make a post about our time at the County Fair and one about Ike's new tree in his room.

We will just have to wait till either I have better patience or Blogger will work better.

Whoa Nelly!

This was our treat the other night after dinner. Yummy ice cream and cookie dough!

This was a similar response from Quilon once our treat was all gone.

The boy likes his sweets!