Zander Turned 3!

That's right, it's someone's birthday...

I couldn't get him to hold his hand out from in front of his face so here is his THREE picture. He is such an amazing little guy. I love him so much!

He wanted a car birthday cake so this is what I ended up with. He was so excited about this cake it was so much fun! Making my kids happy makes me happy!

Everyone at his party... Grandma and Grandpa Scharmann, Uncle Ronnie, Grandma and Grandpa Lewis, Aunt Erin, Aunt Angie and cousins Madison, Emma, Dallin, Caleb and Savannah! And of course Mom, Dad and Sissy...

He kept jumping so the picture ended up blurred! Stinker

Daddy helping him bowl, he was so excited when he knocked down pins. He actually beat all the kids there in bumper bowling, Now that's a Happy Birthday :)

Opening his presents, it took him FOREVER! He had to put every piece (little piece) that he tore off in the garbage can, to move things along Jake had to bring the can closer.

Zander is truly a Superhero! He may be three but he has gone through a lot in his 3 little years and he is so strong because of it. He is amazing and everyday we wake up and thank our Father in Heaven for blessing us with Zander in our home. He is amazing, happy, helpful loving and pretty funny. We love him so much! Thank you Val and James, you are angels to us!

3 Year Stats

Height- 37"

Weight- 31 lbs

Shoe Size- 9 1/2

Clothes Size- 3T

Favorite Color- Green

Favorite Cartoon- Little Einsteins

Favorite Treat- Chocolate Chip Cookies

Favorite Toy- Monster Truck (Tonka Truck given to him by Uncle Ronnie!)

Loves to play outside

He is a complete Mama's boy! (I'm totally ok with this!)

Favortie Song- Popcorn Popping

Favorite Meal- Potato Soup and Hamburgers



New Years

This year we had a very LOW key New Years. Jake was sick, so me and the kids had a little party of playing Just Dance3 on the Wii and then dancing to some music. We had a dinner of appetizers and of course some Sparkling Apple Cider in fancy glasses. Then they went to bed around 10 and I stayed up and watched the ball drop with my sleeping husband. So that's our excitement!

Happy New Year!

Green Tip!

In between each color belt change there is the "tip." So before you can advance to the next color belt you have to get 100% in the "tip" of the color you're in. Well Jessalyn advanced to a Green-Tip

Here is Jessalyn's entire group. We are so proud of her and how are she works at Karate. I have to admit I wasn't very excited about putting her in Karate, it was her and Jake's idea, but seeing her grow and achieve so much make me so happy that we signed her up! She is so strong and confident and I am so happy for the little girl she is becoming.

Christmas 2011

Well this post has taken me awhile and I apologize, but I have to get caught up on my blog! So every year we have a tradition where each kid gets to put the Angel on the tree, here is Jake holding Jessalyn up to put the Angel on the tree.

And Little Man was quite squirrly up there but he had to have his turn as well. This is is so special for so many reasons, We have Zander this year, the first Christmas in our new home and the first year in THREE years we have actually been able to decorate for Christmas.

Here is Jessalyn singing for our church Christmas party. Zander was roaming around up there too but I couldn't get a picture of him because he wouldn't stay still...

Jake and I took the kids to Reno to see Santa, here are the kiddos standing in line waiting kind of patiently :) Aren't they the cutest monsters ever?!

Still waiting for Santa, an elf came around and made balloon animals for the kids in line. It was pretty cute

Here they are with the big man himself. Jessalyn asked for a Dark Purple stuffed Hippo and Zander requested a Monster Truck! (I forgot to scan in the real picture we bought before we packed our Christmas stuff up so this is all we get!)

Mom and Dad stayed busy this Christmas. Jessalyn got this massive handmade (by her Daddy decorated by Mommy) Dollhouse along with Dolls and furniture that you need inside!

Zander got all these cars that I painted for him to go with his car mat that I made. He also got a trainset! The kids also stocked up on movies and Santa brought them a Wii... its pretty funny to watch them play the Wii

Jake and I have a hard time not laughing as they dance together. Hope you enjoy!

Us

Finally, we have a good family picture. Thank you to my WONDERFUL sisters-in-law Jessica and Heather. Jessica came over to my parents house Thanksgiving day and took a million pictures of my whole family, then Heather edited the pictures for us. They turned out great! I can't wait to order this to hang on my wall!

December 6th

Dear Colby,
Wow! It's been three years since I last saw your handsome, contagious smile. I love you so much! I miss you so much. Losing you doesn't infeast my every thought anymore, I have healed some, but I will never stop loving you. It's hard to write this letter... I'm doing it through tender tears of remembrance and reflection.


This was the last night we had you. This picture was taken about 7 hours before I buckled you into your carseat for the last time and watched, and cried as you were driven away from me forever. I will never forget that day, I will never forget those last days. You are an amazing little boy.

So much has happened since you left. Your big sister still talks about you often, lucky for Dad and I she doesn't do it EVERY day still, but she loves to look at your picture books and tell Zander all about you. That's right, you have a little brother. I wish you were here to meet him, he is such a strong and happy little boy. He has a contagious smile and laugh just like you did. You would love exploring our back yard, there is a whole acre out there for you kids. I can't even imagine all the fun you would have, I'm sure I would never truly understand the "games" you would play.

We are healing. Everyday we are healing. I've been on edge the last week or so, the smallest thing will set me off, not at Lynnie or Zander, I've held them a little closer the last week, but with everyone else. I hate how this first week of Decemeber throws me for a loop, it does it to your Dad too. We still have a hard time handeling this week, we do it without even putting it together until exactly on the 6th, then we realize why we have been in a cranky fog for the last week :)

I pray for you every day. I know that your little life hasn't been easy. It breaks my heart that your birthfather has been (and might still be) back in jail. I hate that you have to deal with his addictions your whole life. But I want you to know that you are loved so much! I can't tell you in words how much we have always and will always love you.



As I said we are healing. We know that with you still in our home we probably never would have adopted Zander. And he is 100% our little boy, he belongs here, just as much as you did. He loves us so much and we love him even more. You would have made an amazing big brother. It breaks my heart that you will never be with your big sister and little brother, but I know that it all happened for some reason. It is my Faith in Jesus Christ that reminds me that we are never given anything we can't handle. I know that you were placed in our home for those tender 17 months for a reason, you were taken for a reason. Just because I have faith in that doesn't mean I will ever understand it all. But one thing I know for sure, I will never stop loving you!

Love,
Mom

Oh Christmas Tree

This is the first year we are decorating our NEW house for Christmas. It has been exciting to actually decorate our own house. Although Jessalyn has mentioned that she doesn't think we have enough Christmas decorations... I'm sorry I love decorating and all but I don't want my house to "puke" Christmas either. But we are working on that and I am sure that my little Kindergartener will bring home some nice additions.

I am a sucker for traditions. When I was growing up my dad would always hold us up and let each of us put the angel on the tree, so thats what we do in our house now. It's so fun for the kids, I know that because I LOVED it growing up.

Thanks mom and dad for the traditions that I am able to carry on in my family! More exciting Christmas happenings coming up I am sure!