Christmas Morning - seeing what Santa brought

Christmas this year was so fun...

Ethan was 3 1/2 years old this year,

so he was really in tune with all the excitement.

Seeing Ethan excited and enjoying himself made the Christmas magic stronger.

It brought back many fun Christmas memories for Nate and I.

 

Christmas this year was so fun...

Ethan was 3 1/2 years old this year,

so he was really in tune with all the excitement.

Seeing Ethan excited and enjoying himself made the Christmas magic stronger.

It brought back many fun Christmas memories for Nate and I.

We kicked Christmas off this year on Nov 1st...

While listening to Christmas music we decorated our tree and home with the boys,

then we had a yummy Christmas kick off feast,

followed by a Christmas movie and making a gingerbread house.

About a week later "Dasher" our elf arrived after a trip to Chapters on Wellington...

Dasher was fun and Ethan never forgot to find him each morning...

Sometimes he even brought treats...

Toddy had fun with Dasher too...One time Dasher fell and Toddy

picked him up and brought him over to Daddy and Ethan.

I was told Ethan became very concerned about Dasher being touch and losing his magical powers.

Luckily Dasher and his elf friend took got him back to the North Pole to be fixed...

He returned a day later after recuperating with Santa.

On Christmas Eve after leaving the Campbell's we took a quick ride to look at some Christmas lights then went home to give the boys their new Christmas PJ's...

They said goodbye to Dasher and Ethan put some cookies, milk and a carrot on the table for Santa and the reindeer. Then off to bed...Todd was quick to go to sleep. Nate and I read Ethan "Twas the night before Christmas" then he also went to sleep...He was so excited for the morning.

Ethan woke us all up around 7:30am...He came in to my room and asked in an excited voice if Santa came...I told him lets go see...We then all went down to have a look...

Toddy seemed a little excited and curious but also a little confused about what was going on.

Ethan was very excited...His little face showed pure joy and happiness!

After doing our stockings and some presents we headed over to pops and gramas for Christmas brunch...Santa also stopped by there so our family was quite spoiled.

Ethan was so excited to see Marcus and Jessica!

I didn't take too many pictures Christmas morning...A few from our house below...

Shayna and Joe took some at mom's so I will have to get them and add to this post.

The morning was extra special for me as Nate had to go to work for 3pm

so it was nice to have him with us in the morning...

 





 

 

Merry Christmas from the Hofstetter's

Hofstetter Family Christmas on Dec 24th

Christmas Eve with the Hofstetter's

 

Kevin and Alison hosted Christmas this year...

Ethan and Toddy were spoiled!

 

Alison cooked up a fantastic meal...

The turkey meat was soooo good...

She went fresh which I think makes a huge difference!

 

 

 



The kid table (haha Emma)

Ethan and Todd thanking Grampa for his gift (painting easle and wooden table and chair set)

 

We had a wonderful Christmas...Thanks Campbell's

Building a snowman with my boys

Some pictures below of Ethan, Todd and I building a snowman in early December 2013...

The snow was not the best packing snow so we couldn't roll the snow into huge balls...

We used shovels and packed it down with our hands instead...

 

Ethan and Nathan built a snowman a couple week prior so Ethan knew exactly what to do...

Todd had fun helping too...but we had to move quick because he kept taking off his mittens.

 

This has been an interesting winter for Ethan...

For some reason he hates wearing snowpants and his coat...For the first few weeks of winter we couldn't play outside in the snow because he refused to put on a coat...

He is ok with sweaters, hats and mitts...

But coats and snowpants set him off...

I hope he gets over this standpoint soon!

 

It helped having his cousins down this year during Christmas holidays...

Since Jessie and Markus put on their snowsuit he changed his tone a bit...

He's kinda like me when it comes to comfy clothing...First thing he does is put on "soft pants" aka PJ's when he comes home...He likes to be comfortable!

After building the snowman I took them around in the sled for a bit...
They really had fun doing that!

I just love it when my kids get their rosy cheeks from being outside...SO CUTE!

Graduation

I have finally found a way to download my pictures to my blog without it taking forever so I have a LOT of catch up to do...AND we just finished Christmas and New Years

so lots of current stuff to get up on the blog as well...

 

I am happy to be able to share the pictures below with you

 because in doing so this means I am done my Masters in Nursing...

I actually finished in the summer, with convocation (as per below) taking place Nov 1, 2014.

 

I love school because it is exciting to learn and open more employment options...

I did my Nurse Practitioner at Western about 5 years ago and at this time the program did not include a Masters. Since then the program has changed to include a Masters degree with the Nurse Practitioner program so I thought it might be a good idea to get this done.

  Having my Masters with the NP will open some doors for me as well that would be good for our family so Nate and I made the decision to take this challenge on. 

I was a little reluctant as I didn't want to take any more mommy time away from the kids.

I started this journey while on maternity leave with Toddy thinking no big deal...I will work when the kids are sleeping...Well Todd turned out to be quite a mommies boy so sleep often did not happen unless I was holding him or sleeping beside him.  Needless to say I had many late nates and very long Saturdays at the library (8am - midnight some days) to get work done.

 

I would not of been able to reach this goal without the amazing support from my

husband and family who helped to make this possible.

 

I am glad it is over and behind us now...

 

Mother's Day 2013

Found these pictures from Mother's Day

I have the best mom ever and I am so blessed to be a mom to 2 amazing boys!

 

I am so thankful to my mom for all the help and support she is to me.  She makes my life so much easier...She is so loving and fun with my baby boys...She is happy to help whenever I need her. On days when I need a break, some company, a date with Nate, some help cleaning the house or doing the laundry she is there excited to help me out. She cooks an amazing meal every Sunday for the whole family and sends crazy leftovers home with me.  Life would be way more challenging without her and I am beyond thankful for such a loving, caring and beautiful mom...

I hope to follow her example.

LOVE YOU MOM!

The simple moments

Had to run in and grab my camera when I saw my

sweet boys sitting eating their frozen yogurt treat together...

 



 

 

 

Things around our house have been busy, busy busy...

More on that later!

 

It has been way too long since I have put a post up,

but I am back and have lots of memories and pictures to catch up on...

 

My babies are getting big...Ethan is 3 years and 3 months,

and Toddy is 22 months old...oh and I am also pregnant with number 3...