BiRtHdAy PaRtY TiMe...

We had Ryker's party tonight at Little Caesars in Everson. They have a nice little party room and we were the only people in the place which makes it nice for our large and loud crowd. All of Ryker's aunts and uncles were there with the exception of Jodi and Jason and their kids. Nana and Papa, Opa and Oma and Grandpa and Grandma with the motor home (as Ryker calls them) were also there and we also had the Chanik and Hutchison families join us too. It made for lots of people and we went through CrAzY amounts of pizza and crazy bread but that is just how we wanted it. Ryker got many toys including a DSi...now hopefully Santa brings some games for it for Christmas. ;)

Really, 6 Years Already...

Hard to believe it has been 6 years ago already since the SCARIEST day of my life also ended up being the BEST day of my life. On November 26, 2004, we were blessed with our MIRACLE baby, Ryker, who made his debut 10 weeks early weighing 2 pounds 15 ounces. I still remember that day like it was yesterday and I thank God every day for giving him to us and for letting me live through it all. Being in the operating room getting prepared to have my c-section, they were inserting these tubes into the veins in my wrist that would get tubed all the way up to my elbows (this is still the greatest physical pain I have ever experienced). These tubes were so they "could try to revive me should they lose me" because I was starting to show signs of a stroke. I just remember praying that we would both be okay, especially my baby. Amazing, how my life hung in the balance but all I could think about was this baby of mine and the overwhelming amount of LOVE I had for him or her. As I was lying there, praying, I heard all these beeping noises and the voice over the intercom say "we have life threatening hypertension" and all of the sudden a swarm of doctors rushed over to get Ryker (who basically was poisoning my body) out, I just remember thinking I was not going to live to see my baby and saying a prayer to God to please make sure our families helped Ben with him or her (since we didn't know what we were having). I remember hearing "It's a Boy" and I was overcome with tears. I was still so scared as I didn't understand all that was happening but soon everything was back to "normal" for me and my blood pressure and I was told I would be okay. Praise be to the Lord! Happy Birthday to the BESTEST little guy ever....Ryker you are MY WORLD.

Happy, Happy Birthday & On This Special Day...

We took Ryker to Red Robin for his birthday. Kevin and Kara and their kids met us there and then my mom and dad and Jodi and Jason and their family ended up coming too. We had them sing to Ryker for his birthday and he thought it was pretty great...you can tell he was a little embarrassed too.

Fall Fun

With fall comes many things to do. Not only do we do Stoney Ridge and the Boxx Farm Pumpkin Patch Field Trip but there is also Pumpkin Carving, Church Harvest Carnivals and of course Trick or Treating. Some pics from our Fall Festivities...

10-24-2010...We got together at Jodi and Jason's for our annual "Rutgers Pumpkin Carving Spooktacular" It is a fun time where we all carve our pumpkins and have tacos. Usually we vote on the "best" carved pumpkin but for some reason it was overlooked this year, Oops.

10-27-2010...I took Ryker to my sisters church (Sonlight). Each year they have a Harvest Carnival where they offer snow cones and cotton candy as well as many games for the kids to do to get candy of course. It is always a crowd of people and it gets really HOT in there, but Ryker really enjoys it so therefore it is worth the sweat I break just following him around from booth to booth. This year he decided he wanted to be an Indian and if I can say so myself he sure makes one cute little Indian boy.

10-30-2010...For trick or treating we decided to take advantage of Halloween being on a Sunday in Lynden and went on Saturday through town. Only in Lynden do they say it is better to celebrate it on Saturday (which by the looks of town that night, most people did). We had plans on Sunday so it worked better for us to do it on Saturday night anyway plus it was nice to not have to rush to get home because school was the next day. We just went all around my parents neighborhood and Ryker got more candy then what he knows what to do with. Ben usually dresses up with him and this year he opted for the banana costume...nothing will EVER beat the year he dressed as Michael Phelps, nothing like him walking the streets of Lynden in a speedo with his child. I still laugh when I see those pictures. After trick or treating we went back to my parents for some pizza and my brother put his wig (he always dresses up too) on Ryker, it made for a good picture.