Michigan

I wanted to share some photos from my trip to Michigan to see my good friend Casey and Cora :)

Here's our visit to Lake Michigan. It was amazingly beautiful. We totally goofed and should've brought our suits to swim because it was that warm! Instead, I hiked my shorts up as best as I could and enjoyed the fresh warm water :)






Our visit to the Wooden Shoe Shop proved to be successful...and some bonnets where found amusing! seriously, Casey...a new look? ;)


mmmm....black and tan :)

The Farmer's Market! So fun and such a bummer I couldn't buy produce to take home :)

Little Miss Cora and her super cool glasses. I love that they matched her life jacket.

out on the boat on Lake Alegan, where Casey's parents live and where she grew up, lucky girl! it was soo beautiful!!



I had a really good time. So good to see and catch up with Casey and see Cora in action! I love you guys and am so grateful to have you as a friend :) xoxo

Cookie Monster & Ben

Hey all! oh it's embarrassing that it's been so long since we've blogged...but here's a fun video of Eli. He is so much fun lately and such a little man. There's a vid of Ben too who is getting so big and crawling now!! We love our boys so much and are so thankful for them each day.

Merry Christmas!

Hello friends and family! We didn't get around to sending out a Christmas card and photo this year, so I thought I'd just post one :)

We're so blessed this past year with God's constant provision in our lives. We're thankful for the healthy birth of Ben and for Eli's kind heart toward his brother. He cannot wait to wrestle Ben when he's older!

They are both changing so fast. Ben is 5 months now and Eli turned two at the end of Oct. Despite the 'terrible two's' Eli has been manageable, thank God. :) Disciplining is new and a challenge, but it is going well and we're all learning. Eli is talking a lot more and that makes things so much easier for all of us! His favorite thing right now is helping mommy in the kitchen-weather it be baking, cooking or dishes, he drags a chair on over and climbs up to see how he can help. He also enjoys painting right now, though I now know not to take his shirt off as his belly becomes the canvas! Ben is a bundle of energy and is close to rolling over. Next month we'll start him on solids. Ben absolutely loves his brother. Eli never ceases to get a smile out of him :)

We're in town for this Christmas, spending it with my family (jaymie). We're currently trying to get over a really bad cold that I first got almost 2 weeks ago this sunday. Now, it's just making the rounds through the family :( So, we've been laying low and trying to get better and NOT get anyone else sick.

We hope this next year brings you joy and peace that surprises all understanding, through Jesus :) Thanks friends for your Christmas photos and letters. We love reading them and seeing what God has done in your lives this past year.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
love,
The Courters

Ben

random photos of Ben! He's doing good...growing fast. We're getting over our 1st cold and thankful it's not affecting his eating and sleeping.

New Yard

oh my... I worked my bum off the last 5 days to try and get our front yard completed before the rains came....and I did it!! Thanks to my husband for pulling the Rhodies out with the car :) I could not STAND those 30 year old plants anymore. Gone baby gone!!

Some of the plants are a bit in shock, but hopefully they'll come back. They are baby plants so within' a year or so, it will be full! so exciting :)

September 10

Sweet brother

Eli showed interest in holding his brother Ben yesterday.

It was SO sweet! he was holding him and 'shooshing' him to sleep, just like daddy & mommy do. Then he gave him kisses. UGH! I was adorable. I'm so glad he's taking to Ben so wonderfully, so far. We'll see how he feels here in a month or so. I'm sure he'll be thinking ' uh, can we take him back now?' :)



Proud big brother!

We're doing well here. I'm only on my 2nd day of being without Justin and day 1 wasn't too crazy, thank God :) One day at a time!! Now, if I could just be healed. I'm DYING to go for a walk!!