The Gang's All Here

We recently had a playdate at our place with the Clark's, Conway's, and Boy's crews. It's a family affair for sure since Laura and Andreja have two and the Fabienne and I have one.

It's been so neat to watch the little one's grow and develop personalities. Charlotte loves cuddling with her mama and Clarke just started to crawl. Emma and Elliott had no problem climbing upstairs and exploring John Parker's room. Here are a few pictures from our adventure.

Storytime with Mrs. Laura



Clarke showing John Parker how it's done



Hey, are we on camera?



For posterity, here are all the kids (except for Nora). Getting them to all look at the camera and smile is like moving the Great Wall of China! :)

Great Online Shopping Website

Recently, I found this great website that offers discounts for many retail stores and even grocery coupons. If you are like me, I have a pile of coupons in my kitchen, but I never seem to have them with me when I need them. This website is genious because I can find the coupons and then go shopping rather than having to rumage through piles of coupons. I thought I would pass it along since we all will likely be shopping in the next month. Happy shopping, friends!

http://www.retailmenot.com

John Parker's "Sip and See"

This past weekend, John Parker had his "Sip and See" with some of my Birmingham friends and their moms. For those of you that don't know what a "Sip and See" is, it's an Open House/Shower where the mommy and grandma can introduce their little one to their family and friends.

John Parker was such a great boy and freely gave out smiles and flirty glances to the many ladies that were there. He even made a couple of new friends. He looked precious and was all dressed up for the occasion. A special thanks to the Flannery's, Huffstetler's, and Taylor's for making this event so wonderful.

Putting my Running Shoes on again!

For those of you that know me, you know that I love to run. My running had fallen to the wayside once I got pregnant. Walking has been my only form of exercise in the last year, so you can imagine my joy to start running again. On Saturday morning, I laced up my shoes and ran the Pancreatic Cancer Reseach 5K Race.

Let's be honest; it was no cake walk. I am very out of shape, but it felt great to get out there and run for a good cause. I had the best cheering squad in town. My sweet husband and little man braved the cold November morning and managed to meet me at every mile. I've learned that even though your time is not your own as a mom. It's important to take time to do things that you enjoy, so that you can be the best that you can be. So, I'm breaking out my running shoes again, and it feels great.

Fall Happenings

October was a great month in the Ritsema home. We were able to head to Berry Farms Pumpkin Patch in Woodstock one Saturday. It was awesome to watch the leaves change and to feel the fall chill in the air. As you can see from John Parker's red nose, it was a bit cold that day. Thanks to Hunters, we were able to be a part of the Hunter's annual Costume Parade. James, Lee, and JP were the three little monkeys jumping on the bed. As you can see from the pictures, little Lee was hamming it up for the camera while James and JP offered each other a shoulder to sleep on or fuss on for that matter! :)

The Many Faces of JP

Here are some of my favorite pictures of our little Mr. Cuddles. This warm, cozy outfit is courtesy of his Uncle D and Aunt Abby. Bundling him in warm sweaters and fleece jackets actually makes me excited about colder weather. As you can see, he has so many different looks. I can't tell which one delights me the most.

3 Month Old Video Highlights

2 Month Old Video Highlights

We got a bit behind on publishing these videos (JP is 4 months old now), but nevertheless, here they are. You can also use the Videos tag to watch all of the videos we've posted. Enjoy.

Celebrating Four Years!

Yesterday, John and I celebrated our fourth anniversary. I still can't believe that it's been four years. It feels like a milestone year for us. If we were in college, Thursday would have been graduation day.

I feel tremendously blessed to be married to my best friend and to experience the ups and downs of life together. John took the day off Thursday, and we enjoyed some quality time together doing our favorite things and reminiscing about the past four years. We watched our wedding video, went to a coffee shop, and enjoyed a night out thanks to his parents. I praise the Lord for blessing my life with such a great companion. I'm looking forward to many more years of marriage.

Daddy's Little Boy

Here are some pictures of my two John's from the last few weeks. John Parker loves cheering for Auburn, visiting his daddy for lunch, and bath time of course! Even though I am outnumbered in our home three to one, I wouldn't have it any other way.