Josh turns THREE!

Hard to believe this little peanut...

Is now a big peanut!!

On January 2nd our middle monkey turned three. As always we had a mini-celebration on his actual birthday, and celebrated with friends later in the month (after the Christmas rush). Here are a few photos from his party (I kinda forgot to take a lot..weird, I know) as well as a few things to know about three year old Joshy:

Three things Josh loves:

1. Dinosaurs (his party was a dinosaur party)

2. Blue, green and "ledow" (yellow).

3. Glueing. Ellie cuts. Josh glues. He is quite an expert.

Three things Josh has recently learned:

1. Pooping on the potty 100% of the time!

2. Writing his own name, as well as "OMO" (mom). :)

3. Getting himself dressed...usually in a multitude of layers.

Three things Josh most commonly says:

1. "I'm a coool dude."

2. "I'm a rock n' roll."

3. "I don't love that."

(whether it be eating mushrooms, taking medicine, or going down for a nap)

Three things Josh despises:

1. Getting bandaids taken off.

2. Going into the bath.

3. Getting out of the bath.

Three of Josh's quirks:

1. He drools - especially after eating chocolate.

2. He randomly wakes up yelling like he's angry that he was sleeping.

3. He gags on bites that have suddenly become too big and spits big wads of chewed up food onto his plate. :) Lovely. I know.

Three of our favourite things about Josh:

1. He's hilarious. His smile is absolutely contagious.

2. He is a wonderful friend and playmate for Ellie,

as well as an incredible brother to Micah.

No one makes Micah giggle like Josh does.

3. He has a strong will, yet is super sweet, sensitive, and kind.

He gives the best 'squish hugs' in the world.

Three of our dreams for Josh:

1. That he'd understand Jesus is an awesome Saviour and accept Him as Lord of his life.

2. That he would continue to learn about obedience and respect for authority, as well as grow into the leader God has called him to be.

3. That he'd have a childhood full of rich relationships, teachable moments, and joyful experiences!

We love you so much, Joshy-Bosh!

These last three years have been so rich because of you.

Our Christmas (mostly) at home

At long last, here's a post about our December and Christmas season!

Like I mentioned in the last post, we were sick - quite sick - for a looong time.

Sickness + Manitoba winter + 3 kids =

staying in the house - a LOT.

So we were forced to get creative and actually ended up having a ton of fun together! I LIKE my kids! They make me laugh. That being said, there were 2 days of the 31 where I thought I might lose my mind. After those 2 days (which felt like an eternity) Rob came home for 9 days of holidays and, well, I love that guy. I think it was our best holiday together yet.

So here's a (rather large) sampler of things you do when you're bored silly and trying to get better:

Egg and spoon races with a golf ball. Ellie thought up that one. 

I don't think I really need to mention making COOKIES. That's a given! 

Discover how COOL it feels to hold your baby brother...and beg to do it again and again! 

 Quickly sneak out of the house with mom to be a marvelously adorable angel!

Play with a fresh batch of playdough...for hours... 

...and hours! 

Watch far too many videos. 

Spend 2 whole days playing with a $1 package of dinosaurs from Dollarama. 

Or, in Ellie's case, the $1 package of ponies.

(Love the Kleenex and garbage can set-up.)

Spend the third day playing with ponies and dinosaurs IN the playdough! 

 Get messy.

 Look cute.

 Start becoming a genius at Sesame Street computer games.

Takes after his Uncle James. :)

In spite of feeling nauseated by our antibiotics, spend Christmas Eve night eating crackers and cheese, drinking our oh-so-daring beverage of choice (Sparkling Apple Juice) and exchange our gifts while the kids sleep. Not telling what was in them. ;) You'd laugh at us. Or not get it. 

Clear out the lungs with some crisp snowy air! MAN we have huge piles of snow around here.

It's beautiful!  

 Howl at the...air. He can't get enough of his own voice outside.

Wonder what the neighbours think goes on around here!

 Paint a masterpiece.

 Play with Christmas presents by the steam of the steamer. :)

Be beautiful. 

"Help" Micah. (Love Josh's morning scowl.

It wasn't until he opened his new Lego that it disappeared.)

Be hilariously exuberant about every gift you get...even if you don't know what it is. 

Enjoy the world's best waffles, compliments of world's sweetest husband. 

Race Lego tractors.

Make and play with a nativity set.

HA! The ultimate time passer (and a clear indication you've been home FAR too long):

stick spoons on your noses. Try to, anyways. :)

And at long last...GET BETTER! And enjoy it like crazy! :)

p.s. Josh is wearing shorts because he pooped in his pants. :)

Sick...but not without hope.

Just a quick update on the Balfour household...after over a month of being sick, we finally took a family trip to the doctor yesterday. Eighty percent of us are now on medicine for bronchitis, pneumonia, or sinusitis. Ellie is the only healthy one, and this morning, even she is feeling bad. This is a wicked virus!  When I don't find myself drowning under a pile of pukey bedding, or running between boogery noses, or trying to remember who needs what medicine,  I am quite thankful to be in a cozy house with a pretty Christmas tree and fresh playdough to be played with. God is so wonderful.

This morning I was more tired than usual and I took five minutes to read my bible. This is the verse God highlighted to me: 

"The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases;

his mercies never come to an end;

they are new every morning;

great is your faithfulness.

"The Lord is my portion," says my soul,

"therefore I will hope in him."

The Lord is good to those who wait for him,

to the soul who seeks him.

It is good that one should wait quietly

for the salvation of the Lord."

Lamentations 3:22-27

We all hope for a perfect Christmas, and I can't help but wonder if Jesus sometimes allows these hard things to happen right at Christmas so we remember what the first Christmas was REALLY like.

Lonely, difficult, and a bit scary. 

And look how it turned out - with a powerful risen Saviour, mighty and able to save, full of love for the broken and lost! These trials are so very temporary and fleeting.

Merry Christmas to all my friends - I pray your hearts would be encouraged no matter WHAT your circumstances look like!

p.s. For all my praying friends, please pray for Josh. He's had a fever for 5 days and is having trouble keeping his medicine down...poor little guy. While the ibuprofen is working and his fever is temporarily gone, he enjoys singing "Joy to the World" over and over again. :) He's got the right idea!

"Photo shoot" with Ellie Joy

Well, the busy schedule of Christmas has officially begun, hence the long break between posts! As it is, this'll be a quick one...there are cookies waiting to be baked!

When Rob bought me my camera for Christmas last year, he made me promise that I wouldn't ever spend money on professional portraits of the kids, but do it myself. So last week was my first attempt at a 'photo shoot' with Ellie...something I wasn't looking forward to, because Ellie finds it EXTREMELY difficult to pose for the camera! Anyhow, it took a few words like 'booger' and 'earwax' to make her smile genuinely...and here are the results! I love you, sweet girl!