Big Daddy Bruce turns 60!

On February 27th, Mark's Dad turned 60! We had an adult night out to celebrate! It was great to have a glass of wine, a good steak, and excellent company! Happy birthday Pops! We love you!

A little Happy Hour!

Barb & Bruce

Cara & Wes

Mark and I

The whole group at our table.

Dad looking at the book the kids all made him of memories and songs from his past 60 years!

Opening his personalized bottle...we also got him a gift certificate to make his own wine!

By request of the Birthday Boy, we had Fun-fetti cake!

I'm a big boy now!

Lately I have been looking at my boys and thinking..."Where did my babies go?" Heath of course is still a tiny guy, but he is sleeping almost through the night, eating more, laughing a lot, sitting in the Bumbo for little bits of time, and he even rolled over once!

And don't get me started on Nolan- he has slept in a bunk bed for 3 months, and is starting to potty train! He has successfully gone pee in the potty numerous times, and has recently, as he and his daddy like to call it- "dropped a deuce" in his very own toilet 2 times now! (Wow. I never realized how exciting going to the bathroom could be! But I am SO ready

to be done with size 5 diapers!)

And finally, this Saturday, we gave up the paci!!! Nolan had been chewing through his pacifiers and I didn't want to buy any more. So now was the time to make the break! We talked all week about his "yucky pacis" and how if he was a big boy he could trade it in at Target for some new Cars! And that's exactly what we did! Nolan was so excited, he ran into Target, picked out his cars, ran to the cash register, put his cars up on the belt, and "paid" for his new toys with his paci. He had no trouble giving it away, and he has slept great during naps and bed time! I am so proud of my big boy!

These past months have been HUGE for him, and a lot of change! A new baby brother, new room, new bed, new potty, and now NO MORE PACI! He has been such a good boy lately and his expanding vocabulary has made it so much fun to be with him! He constantly amazes us with his new words and cracks us up with his funny personality!

I posted a BUNCH of pictures of our BIG boys!

Nolan's "yucky paci"!

Picking out his Cars with Daddy at Target!

Running around with his new purchase!

Celebrating with a hotdog!

He will probably hate us for posting this picture someday! But he spends a lot of time here these days!

Looking Handsome!

Heath having a blast under his play gym.

Doing a little sunbathing! Heath loves having his hands up by his face!

What a sweet profile!

Off to run more errands with Mommy on her days off!

Watching T.V. with Daddy

Love this close up!

WG 7

This past Thursday my Women's Group celebrated our 7th Anniversary together! When I first moved to Denver and had absolutely NO friends, Mark introduced me to his old high school friend Jenn. She was kind enough to invite me to join her Women's Group.

I was nervous to meet this gathering of girls, not knowing a soul, but am I ever glad I did! They welcomed me in after they had been meeting for months and it was so nice to finally have some ladies to chat with, cry with, and do life with!

And for the past 6 plus years, we have met every other Thursday at various houses, coffee shops, parks, and other fun places to spend time together! We have spent hours talking, baked cakes, studied the Bible, mini-golfed, exchanged pajamas, gone to shows, seen movies, ate goodies, and probably our favorite...celebrated anniversaries with FONDUE!

We have been through so much together over the years- engagements, marriages, babies, new jobs, moves, school, break-ups, and so much more! I am so thankful for these ladies!

Check out Sarah's blog for a great description of this group: she's an excellent writer and budding photographer! And here are a few of my pics from our fun anniversary night!

Natalie, Jenn, Sarah, Rachel, Heather, and of course, Heath and myself!

We made t-shirts to celebrate!!

Happy Birthday Shaniqua!

Today is a very special day! It's the day my dear friend Kerri was born 29 years ago! We've been friends since we were 5! We met when vying for a mint green crayon in Mrs. Kooi's Kindergarten class! And the rest is history! Really, we had to be friends- there were only 3 girls in the class! But who would have known that 24 years later she would still be crackin' me up! Now we don't play juke box when going down the slide anymore, or ride our bikes to boys houses, or sleep in the same twin bed in my parents house, or wear super short dresses to Turn-a-bout, or eat a crazy amount of frosted Pop-tarts, but we do ALWAYS laugh when we are together! She is joyful, creative, quirky, funny, sensitive, caring, and F-U-N!

Shortly after Nolan was born she flew out for a visit and brought him a gift that totally sums up her personality- the SUPER SUIT! So in honor of her birthday today...here are a few pictures to flash back to when Nolan debuted this awesome onesie! And a few photos of Heath wearing it in all it's glory!

Happy Birthday Kerri!! I hope that you have a fantastic trip to Sedona! I love you and can't wait to see you so soon!

Heath is wearing it about a month later than Nolan did, it was a bit of a snug fit today!

He was cold, crying, and drooling for the next two, but I still thought they were "SUPER" cute!

"Click la camera, I can take a pic!"

Nolan loves cameras and sings along to the "Click" song on Diego! He is pretty used to having a camera shoved in his face at any given moment of the day. And recently, whenever we see Heath doing something cute, Nolan will say "click, click" and want me to snap a few pics of his "Bro dog"! (Nolan's latest and greatest nick-name for his brother!) Here are a few cute ones we took of Heath yesterday!

My Sweethearts

Valentine's Day is probably my favorite holiday! I love having a day to devote to making sure you love on the people dearest to you! I know we should really do this every day, but I do get into he commercialism of it all! I love the flowers, candy, cards, and hearts!!!

We had a pretty low key Valentine's Day around here...but that's just the way we wanted it! Mark and I got to go out to dinner on Friday night at Outback- where we went on our first date. And we wanted to see the movie Valentine's Day, but we were running late that night and ended up getting there after it was already sold out! I was so sad because I really wanted to see it! There are so many famous people in it! And you know me and the "Stars"! So we'll have to try again another day!

Mark sent me 2 dozen mixed roses and chocolates which was such a fun treat! He knows I love flowers and miss my days of working at Steamwood Florist! Valentine's week at the florist was a crazy busy time, but oh so fun! We'd work until the wee hours of the morning, cutting, trimming, & arranging flowers, blowing up balloons, and organizing deliveries! It was a blast! Maybe that's one of the reasons I love this holiday so much! Such good memories and the smell of the shop bursting at the seams with flowers is the best scent ever!

On Valentine's Day we woke up with the boys and Mark made heart shaped pancakes for breakfast!

Then we gave Nolan & Heath some Valentine goodies! This was a favorite tradition of mine growing up...my mom and dad always surprised us with fun gifts in the morning on Valentine's Day! The best was opening up my Cabbage Patch Kid- Ally Kelly, or was it Dottie Ally? I had them both! Can't remember which one was a Valentine gift!? But don't they come with the best names!

Nolan got a "Mater" car and a heart shaped Pez dispenser. Heath got a Valentine book.

(Oh, and sorry about the boogers in the pictures...we are dealing with colds, teething, and ear infections over here, and snot is just part of the package! It's never ending!)

After presents, the boys bundled up and headed out to play in the freshly fallen snow!

Nolan helping Daddy shovel.

They built Nolan's 1st ever snowman...not much snow, so he's small, but Nolan had fun looking for rocks and sticks to help in the construction. His name is Bob, Daddy named him!

And finally, my sweethearts together!

Later in the evening, Mark and I put the boys to bed and settled in for a romantic evening of Taco Bell and the NBA All Star game! We're simple!

Nolan's finger painted Valentine's...

Happy Valentine's Day to you! xoxo The Jansens

a little of this, a little of that

just some pics of life these days...

babysitting "P.P. and Bady"... watching Up!

finger painting...thanks to our dear friends for the art table and paints for Nolan's birthday!

(Impact ladies...remember that shirt?!

Good times...and the shirt lives on!)

look at those hands!!

Heater cheering on OU, Uncle T.'s school!

the many faces of Heath...

happy

serious

excited...watching the ceiling fan is so fun!

where we often find Nolan while he is supposed to be napping...climbing in the shelves of his bunkbed!

playing in Nolan's room

the sweet life!