Let It Snow!!

Earlier this week we got our first offical snow that stuck around so Gavin and I thought we'd enjoy it a little bit. It took my mom and I as a team about two times longer to get him bundled up than we actually made it outside. Ha! We put him in a snowsuit and boots and seriously, he couldn't even move. We plopped him in the snow and while he was amused for awhile, the inability to move which led to a faceplant in the snow cut our time outdoors quite short.

Thanksgiving Weekend

Thanksgiving weekend was jam-packed with activities. It was crazy and I have so many things to post so they are all happening in one big post. I'll explain as I go along. Starting with...

Thanksgiving Day for us is generally very busy. We start with church and then head out to Hinsdale to my Aunt Jeanne's house for a big Thanksgiving feast with all my Mom's side. Gavin enjoyed his first taste of a Thanksgiving dinner.

Next stop is Chicago Christian High School's gym with all my Dad's & Grandma Yonker's extended family...I think the crowd was 75 this year. It is always fun to see random relatives and we used to love playing hoops in the gym while the adults talked...and now we are doing the talking...and Gavin well...take a look...

(Chad was reliving his glory days checking out his old titles which Gavin will quite obviously hope to outnumber some day)

Finally we head back to Grandma Yonker's and end the night with something we aren't too proud of....

yep...we devoured a few crave cases of sliders

Friday...insanity...Gavin and I tried to brave the mall of all places. It was not one of our better decisions however, Grandma let him enjoy a special treat with her while we were there.



Saturday night marked our official start to the Christmas season with the Huizenga Christmas party in yet another gym...this one being Timothy Christian. Gavin loved running and playing and apparently slam dunking...hmm.

Oh yeah...and his first boy kiss...thankfully he'll kiss anything in sight lately so we can't be too concerned. :)

Sunday...picking of the Christmas tree. We usually go the Sunday after Thanksgiving and although we don't cut it down, we pick out a nice Frasier Fir for the holidays.

Gavin helped in the freezing cold but he gravitated to those just his size.

Florida with the Fam

My whole fam...Mom & Dad, Kyle & Heather, Chad & his girlfriend Lorien, Chad, Gavin & I all went down to Florida for a family vacation together. The boys stayed for 3-4 days and the girls stayed a week. The weather wasn't as warm as we would have liked but that did not stop us from lots of golf, pool fun & shopping. As usual, Gavin was extremely spoiled with attention (especially in the pool with his uncles--one day he was in the pool for 2 1/2 hours STRAIGHT btwn Chad, Chad and Kyle). It was a great time for our family to get together and we questioned staying right through Thanksgiving....if only it were that easy...

Starting out the trip with a brand new adventure.

Walking right into Uncle Chad's arms again...and again...and again...

Throwing a little weight around.
We went out for ice cream and of course Dad was the only one indulging in two enormous scoops!


Heather got in touch with her inner super hero.


Gavin was in his glory and thought everyone's ice cream was for him. However, the biggest hit of the ice cream treat was using his very own mini taster spoon to get some from everyone.

Most of the time, his spoon came back empty but he didn't care.

Chad ruining the cute couple's picture.

Finally we got him to go for it.

The ladies.

Grandpa & Gavin looking for lizards.

Playing with Uncle Kyle in the pool.

How Grandma and Grandpa spend their afternoons.

Hot tub time! Gavin was a bit leary of the bubbles.

Kyle thought this picture would be so great...Gavin chilling by himself as if you can't see Kyle's huge body underneath him in the water.

Playtime and wrestling.

Gavin's BFF for the week and the recipient of many unsolicited open-mouthed kisses.

This post basically proves yet again how spoiled I am....because each month this fall there is a post dedicated to a Naples vacation and each time has been so relaxing...and this one was no different.

My Little Accountant

Every parent dreams about what their child will grow up to be...after showing a very strong interest in this toy abacus...I have to wonder...do we have a future accountant among us? Maybe there is a little bit of Mommy in him after all.

Monday Morning Mom's Date

Cooper was showing Gavin the ropes.

All 5 just chilling on the couch.

Elena was checking out what all this "boy stuff" was about.

Each Mom with her coordinating child:

Front: Sarah & Cooper, Amanda & Jackson

Back: Me & Gavin, Lisa & Lauris, Becca & Elena

Fun in a bucket...yep, we got Elena in there too.

Dance party in Coop's room--he was teaching Gavin some moves.

I love Mom dates with the kids...it is so fun to hang out with my girlfriends and just be moms together. We watch our kids play and laugh and indulge in big mugs of coffee and homemade treats together. Don't get me wrong...there is chaos and in my case, lots of "no-no's" but it feels so good at times to just hang with the girls and be able to talk about everything from pregnancy bellies, bottles, time-outs, work-outs and everything in between. My friend Sarah hosted us for breakfast the other day and it was so much fun. The kids had a blast playing together and the time just flew by. Thanks Sarah--can't wait for next time!

14 Months

I have to create a quick post about Gavin at 14 months. I feel like seriously he is changing so rapidly and from month to month, he will TOTALLY surprise me with new things and what he is learning.

So here are the basics....

*Takes 2 naps a day usually equalling out to 3 hours but would often sleep 2 hours in the am if I let him...which I don't otherwise the afternoon nap is too late and too short.

*Eats everything but is starting to be preferential. If something better is on the plate, he will ignore many veggies and all meat. He is now often spitting out all the chicken and turkey we give him. However, his current favs are blueberries, yogurt, cheese and anything with spaghetti sauce.

*Wearing 12-18 on top...but those chunky little legs are barely long enough for 12 month pants...go figure right??

*JUST (and I mean just as in last night) cut his 5th tooth and the 6th is coming fast and furious on its tails.

Now for the fun stuff...

*He is learning so much new stuff...Chad taught him how to kick a ball (we are still working on throwing).

*He gave his very first kisses this weekend. He has only given out about a dozen b/c apparently he is quite stingy with them...unless you are a stuffed toy or animal...then he's got his mouth all over you.

*Obviously he is still very into waving and now clapping.

*I usually have to pull him out of the bathtub b/c he just loves to be in there until he is wrinkly.

*As for speech...still not too much to report...it is POSSIBLE (just possible) he is saying MaMa but I am playing it a little conservative here and am not quite ready to call it.

*He still loves to wrestle and headbutts all his big stuffed toys and/or pillows.

*He has begun climbing onto things himself...furniture, boxes...comical but dangerous!

*He loves books and will bring you books to read to him. He also loves toys that involve matching the pieces with the same shaped hole...he loves that stuff even though he never gets it right!

*He is still crazy for dogs and other animals and will often chase Maddie around with her rope just laughing his head off. His new obsession is the fish screen saver Chad put on--he just wants to sit on your lap and look and point at them...and talk in his own language to them of course.


Overall, he is just a crazy happy kid who I love to hang out with. He makes me laugh (and knows it) but he is becoming "smart." I'm not saying smarter than any other kid his age by any means but I am slowly starting to see the understanding in his face when I talk to him. If I say lets go look at the fish, he runs to the computer and there are so many little things like that which amaze me.

So that's it....life at 14 months. Its a crazy crazy fun time.

Celebrating 60

Chad's Dad recently turned 60 so we went to Detroit this past weekend to celebrate. We had a great time hanging out with family as usual. Saturday night us kids took Mom and Dad out for a nice dinner to celebrate his birthday while the kids stayed with a sitter. As always, Gavin loved playing with his cousins and was often found following them around laughing and having fun.

Mom & Dad H at the birthday dinner.

Nate & Christa
Chad & Jen

Dessert afterwards with the kids--Morgan helped Papa with the candles.

We ALL enjoyed cake and ice cream.

Gavin meets Wrigley for the first time...it went well in spite of the cat's unfortunate name.

s little pied piper.