We did not have any family come into town this Thanksgiving. Of course we love our family, but we were excited about having a relaxing break unlike what usually happens with tons of traveling and family visiting. Our plans were to eat with the Gillams because they usually come over and eat with us. This year we went to their house to eat.
K fried a turkey and we cooked a small ham in our crock-pot. Jen made mac & cheese along with cranberry sauce. I had sweet potato casserole and mushroom casserole. For dessert, we had different pies (some home-made and some store bought). We got to J/K's house around 2 and the kids played upstairs. Keith had his iPads hooked through facetime so we could see the kids. Since they were playing, we adults ate first. It was nice to actually sit down together and talk since usually we are on kid patrol through meals. The Lions were playing too so we watched football as well. The food was all really good with the turkey being my favorite in addition to the sweet potato casserole. After we adults finished, we fixed plates for the kids and they came downstairs to eat. I can't remember how much or how well they ate, but they must have eaten enough to be full. Abe had some pumpkin pie for dessert. Rin and Wes had some ice cream. After we all ate, the kids played some more and Linda/Sebastian stopped by for a while. Linda was supposed to eat Thanksgiving dinner with us, but she decided to cook for her kids instead. That was fine, I was glad she stopped by to visit. Naptime ended (but I don't think it really ever started) and the kids played video games with the dads while Jen and I looked through fliers for Black Friday. I don't think the kids ate again before bedtime, and since it was a holiday, we decided to just spend the night. We put all the kids to bed and watched hard-knocks about the Cincinnati Bengals. I think I fell asleep around 1 or 1:30. The kids slept til 7 (as usual) and then our family headed out because we had to take care of Cooper, and we promised the kids we would decorate for Christmas. The kids were so excited about getting our tree down from the attic that we didn't want to wait any longer. Thanksgiving was late this year so instead of 4 weeks before Christmas, we only had 3. B started playing Christmas tunes before Thanksgiving which we don't normally do but we were running out of time. I don't think I have any pictures from Thanksgiving but it was successful and we have more than enough. I don't have the space or time to list all the things we are Thankful for but at the top of the list, God has given us his grace and mercies, salvation through his Son, and the chance to live life for His glory.
Friday, December 27, 2013
Wednesday, December 25, 2013
Monday, November 25, 2013
Ell's half birthday
E is half a year old now. November 16th marked her six-month-day. Here are some facts about E.
She can army crawl around on the floor. She's better on the wood floor compared to the carpet but can movie around either way. She loves her toys and her favorite is a squeaky girrafe. A sweet gift from Aunt Mo, the giraffe is E's favorite chew toy for the time being. E doesn't have any teeth but has to be close to getting some. She rolls over both ways and can sit up for a while when we start her up. If she falls over, she just moves around on her belly to get to her toys or anything to chew on.
We started food 2 weeks ago and began with some oatmeal followed by peas. We are currently adding in sweet potato for breakfast and then green beans will be the next veggie.
At her doctor visit, E measured very small. We knew it. She is small, but is healthy for all the milestones. Dr. S commented on how physically advanced she is as far as the crawling, sitting, and her personality. She's just small and less than the 5th percentile. He said he's not worried especially now that we are starting solids. He said since she is so active, that is going to keep her smaller since she's burning so many calories. We are not worried and are happy with our little petite girl!
E was 13.5 lbs, 23 inches tall, and had a normal head circumference (I don't have that measurement). She had the flu shot booster so she has to go back in a month to get the next part. Dr. S wants to see a 1.5 - 2 lbs gain in the month.
E is a happy baby girl and loves her siblings. They are all so good with her and love to sing to her. Her favorite song is 5 little monkeys jumping on the bed. If she's upset or crying for some reason, all they do is start singing that song and she stops crying. When she's in the bouncer, she gets all excited and starts bouncing while they sing.
Sharing a room with R is going great and R looks forward to having bunk beds with E in 2 years. Wow, I can hardly imagine.
One thing B and I haven't done yet is pick godparents for E. We go back and forth between some great couples we know and just haven't decided. We need to for sure, but have a hard time. Knowing that this is our last kid, makes the decision difficult. I'd like to say that she will have godparents by Christmas, but I'm not sure that will happen. Let's say by her first birthday. 6 more months:)
She can army crawl around on the floor. She's better on the wood floor compared to the carpet but can movie around either way. She loves her toys and her favorite is a squeaky girrafe. A sweet gift from Aunt Mo, the giraffe is E's favorite chew toy for the time being. E doesn't have any teeth but has to be close to getting some. She rolls over both ways and can sit up for a while when we start her up. If she falls over, she just moves around on her belly to get to her toys or anything to chew on.
We started food 2 weeks ago and began with some oatmeal followed by peas. We are currently adding in sweet potato for breakfast and then green beans will be the next veggie.
At her doctor visit, E measured very small. We knew it. She is small, but is healthy for all the milestones. Dr. S commented on how physically advanced she is as far as the crawling, sitting, and her personality. She's just small and less than the 5th percentile. He said he's not worried especially now that we are starting solids. He said since she is so active, that is going to keep her smaller since she's burning so many calories. We are not worried and are happy with our little petite girl!
E was 13.5 lbs, 23 inches tall, and had a normal head circumference (I don't have that measurement). She had the flu shot booster so she has to go back in a month to get the next part. Dr. S wants to see a 1.5 - 2 lbs gain in the month.
E is a happy baby girl and loves her siblings. They are all so good with her and love to sing to her. Her favorite song is 5 little monkeys jumping on the bed. If she's upset or crying for some reason, all they do is start singing that song and she stops crying. When she's in the bouncer, she gets all excited and starts bouncing while they sing.
Sharing a room with R is going great and R looks forward to having bunk beds with E in 2 years. Wow, I can hardly imagine.
One thing B and I haven't done yet is pick godparents for E. We go back and forth between some great couples we know and just haven't decided. We need to for sure, but have a hard time. Knowing that this is our last kid, makes the decision difficult. I'd like to say that she will have godparents by Christmas, but I'm not sure that will happen. Let's say by her first birthday. 6 more months:)
Craziest Busy Weekend Ever
We stay busy but this last weekend, I was more tired on Monday from the weekend. It was the weekend of October 11-13. Here's a recap of what all we did over the 3 days.
Friday night (the 11th) was our October date night hosted by the O'Janpas. B and I went to Red Lobster for a nice dinner. I wrote about it already.
Saturday (the 12th) started out in Cary (Morrisville actually) at the Green Acres pumpkin patch. We had to meet B's AJE friends there at 10:00 so that means leaving at 9 for us. It was cold and damp that day, but we still had fun. There were some little activities for the kids and a huge corn maze that we ventured out on. We were pretty much there for 3 hours leaving a little after 1. On our way home, we stopped for lunch, then headed to Wal-Mart for shopping. Our list included Nathan's birthday gift and snack food for Abe's sleepover. Nathan is a friend of R's from school and he was having his birthday party at 5:45. Abe was having his sleepover for his 4th birthday also. B and I had to divide and conquer to accomplish everything. I took R & E to Nathan's birthday party and B stayed home to feed the boys at the sleepover. A's guests included Grayson, Baylor, Logan, & Landon. The boys made flubber together, ate pizza, then watched a movie and ate popcorn. The boys did great!
Sunday (the 13th) morning Justin was here early to pick up Grayson & Baylor for their church service at RCCC. We were off to CRF for our church service with a potluck lunch afterwards. B and I facilitated a Parenting 201 class for 7 weeks and wanted to have a social with the parents from the class. There were about 8 or 9 couples in the class and I believe 6 of them came over for the potluck. B cooked hotdogs and the other couples brought chips and fruit and drinks. We had a good time and got to know Jason and Kellie better. They are very sweet and Kellie is A's awana Cubbies teacher on Wednesday nights. Once all our company left, we took naps since it's the Sabbath and then headed to CRF Millbrook campus for our Families Core Team meeting. B and I are on the Core team as a part of the Parenting Ministry and we have quarterly meetings. We ate dinner at church and spent sometime in prayer with other couples passionate about parenting. We were asked to lead the Parenting 101 class once the lessons are completed and of course we will. B and I are very passionate about the early parenting years because we firmly believe that those first 2 years set the stage for Biblical parenting.
I guess the main thing I want to take away from this weekend was the reality of our choices. B and I wanted to have kids close together. We have no doubt that it will be crazy at times, but this was the first time we really had to split up so our children could both do what they wanted to do. We know that our kids won't always 'get to do what they want' due to financial reasons or just out of time/schedule conflicts. But for R to attend her birthday party for a school friend and for A to have his sleepover, B and I had to divide up the tasks. I'm not sure how we will do this when all four of our kids are being pulled in opposite directions, but we will manage. God has blessed us with incredible friends that we will depend on in the coming years.
Friday night (the 11th) was our October date night hosted by the O'Janpas. B and I went to Red Lobster for a nice dinner. I wrote about it already.
Sunday (the 13th) morning Justin was here early to pick up Grayson & Baylor for their church service at RCCC. We were off to CRF for our church service with a potluck lunch afterwards. B and I facilitated a Parenting 201 class for 7 weeks and wanted to have a social with the parents from the class. There were about 8 or 9 couples in the class and I believe 6 of them came over for the potluck. B cooked hotdogs and the other couples brought chips and fruit and drinks. We had a good time and got to know Jason and Kellie better. They are very sweet and Kellie is A's awana Cubbies teacher on Wednesday nights. Once all our company left, we took naps since it's the Sabbath and then headed to CRF Millbrook campus for our Families Core Team meeting. B and I are on the Core team as a part of the Parenting Ministry and we have quarterly meetings. We ate dinner at church and spent sometime in prayer with other couples passionate about parenting. We were asked to lead the Parenting 101 class once the lessons are completed and of course we will. B and I are very passionate about the early parenting years because we firmly believe that those first 2 years set the stage for Biblical parenting.
I guess the main thing I want to take away from this weekend was the reality of our choices. B and I wanted to have kids close together. We have no doubt that it will be crazy at times, but this was the first time we really had to split up so our children could both do what they wanted to do. We know that our kids won't always 'get to do what they want' due to financial reasons or just out of time/schedule conflicts. But for R to attend her birthday party for a school friend and for A to have his sleepover, B and I had to divide up the tasks. I'm not sure how we will do this when all four of our kids are being pulled in opposite directions, but we will manage. God has blessed us with incredible friends that we will depend on in the coming years.
Saturday, November 16, 2013
Halloween 2013
Halloween was on a Thursday this year. We normally go to the Caldwell's house for dinner and trick-or-treating, but this year we stayed at home. Our first Halloween in our neighborhood and we were looking forward to it. Since it was Thursday, we had gymnastics, but still had time to come home, change, and then head out for trick-or-treating. The weather was great and Cimarron (Reynolds Mill) is a great place for trick-or-treating.
A was Spiderman (birthday gift), R was Repunzel (from Disney) and W was Jake the Pirate (from Disney)
After an hour of trick-or-treating, we headed home so I could feed E and hand out candy ourselves. The kids got really excited when someone came to the door for candy. It was cute, when kids came to our door, A & W would open the door and say "Trick or Treat". I liked being at home so this might be our new tradition every Halloween!
After an hour of trick-or-treating, we headed home so I could feed E and hand out candy ourselves. The kids got really excited when someone came to the door for candy. It was cute, when kids came to our door, A & W would open the door and say "Trick or Treat". I liked being at home so this might be our new tradition every Halloween!
Abe turns 4
Over a month after Abe's birthday and I'm just now sitting down to write about it. Poor guy! Abe had a great 4th birthday and he was the center of attention for the entire day.
Kristen picked A up for preschool around 8:30 am and while at her house, she got him a cupcake a gift. Socks were part of his present and they were ninja turtle socks. He was so excited and they have surpassed his spider-man socks now. Abe came home around 4 from K's house and then we got a chance to make a big deal about him. He opened his gifts from the grandparents and then his gift from us. The highlight was a Spiderman costume from Gran and Papaw. Abe was very excited about his dress up. We got him a ninja turtle shirt and hat with eye-mask that was red for Raphael.
Since it was Monday, we let Abe pick the breakfast meal for the evening and he picked pancakes with bacon and sausage. B made cc pancakes and both meats for the boy. Keith and the girls were over to help us celebrate A. After dinner, J/N picked up A for a special godparent outing for dessert. They took him to sweet Cici's for frozen yogurt. N said that he got to pick whatever mix-ins he wanted and he picked mostly candy. I'm not surprised. He has a sweet tooth like his momma:) J/N gave A a hotwheels track for his bday and when he got home, J opened it and put it together for him. I'm pretty sure we skipped baths that night but before A could go to sleep, he had a tummy ache from all the sweets/sugar/candy he had had during the day. After some time in the bathroom, he was ready for bed and coming off his sugar high. It didn't take him long to fall asleep from such an exciting day.
B took A to his 4 year wellness check up later that week. Here were A's stats:
height 40.75
Weight 30.8
good vision and hearing
got 4 shots and took the first 2 like a champ and then cried
I'm so glad he was 40 inches tall since the Disney trip was quickly approaching. Some of the rides required 40 inches and we were afraid he wasn't going to meet that. He did, Praise God. Here are a few things I want to remember about my four year old...
Abe loves super heroes. He will watch anything of that nature with his daddy and loves to pretend to 'save' his kids/friends as a superhero. His favorite at the moment is Spiderman. A also loves puzzles. He's worked his way up to 48 piece puzzles with ease. There's a big jump from 48 to 100 pieces but he will be ready for those soon. Abe has recently gotten into Ninja Warrior (thanks B) and likes to go in the back yard and flip on the dome. He's pretty good about trying new things physically. His cartwheel is developing and much better than his sisters.
I'm most impressed with A and his memory. Since starting Awana this year at CRF, he has memorized so many Bible verses. He's memorized his and R's so far and we've had 2 verses per week for almost 10 weeks. The other day, he was just rattling off all his verses and I was so proud. The Lord is working on him and Jesus is in his mind. I pray daily that A will become the young man that God has planned for him. A is tender but still very much boy. He loves on E all the time and couldn't be any sweeter to her.
Kristen picked A up for preschool around 8:30 am and while at her house, she got him a cupcake a gift. Socks were part of his present and they were ninja turtle socks. He was so excited and they have surpassed his spider-man socks now. Abe came home around 4 from K's house and then we got a chance to make a big deal about him. He opened his gifts from the grandparents and then his gift from us. The highlight was a Spiderman costume from Gran and Papaw. Abe was very excited about his dress up. We got him a ninja turtle shirt and hat with eye-mask that was red for Raphael.
Since it was Monday, we let Abe pick the breakfast meal for the evening and he picked pancakes with bacon and sausage. B made cc pancakes and both meats for the boy. Keith and the girls were over to help us celebrate A. After dinner, J/N picked up A for a special godparent outing for dessert. They took him to sweet Cici's for frozen yogurt. N said that he got to pick whatever mix-ins he wanted and he picked mostly candy. I'm not surprised. He has a sweet tooth like his momma:) J/N gave A a hotwheels track for his bday and when he got home, J opened it and put it together for him. I'm pretty sure we skipped baths that night but before A could go to sleep, he had a tummy ache from all the sweets/sugar/candy he had had during the day. After some time in the bathroom, he was ready for bed and coming off his sugar high. It didn't take him long to fall asleep from such an exciting day.
B took A to his 4 year wellness check up later that week. Here were A's stats:
height 40.75
Weight 30.8
good vision and hearing
got 4 shots and took the first 2 like a champ and then cried
I'm so glad he was 40 inches tall since the Disney trip was quickly approaching. Some of the rides required 40 inches and we were afraid he wasn't going to meet that. He did, Praise God. Here are a few things I want to remember about my four year old...
Abe loves super heroes. He will watch anything of that nature with his daddy and loves to pretend to 'save' his kids/friends as a superhero. His favorite at the moment is Spiderman. A also loves puzzles. He's worked his way up to 48 piece puzzles with ease. There's a big jump from 48 to 100 pieces but he will be ready for those soon. Abe has recently gotten into Ninja Warrior (thanks B) and likes to go in the back yard and flip on the dome. He's pretty good about trying new things physically. His cartwheel is developing and much better than his sisters.
I'm most impressed with A and his memory. Since starting Awana this year at CRF, he has memorized so many Bible verses. He's memorized his and R's so far and we've had 2 verses per week for almost 10 weeks. The other day, he was just rattling off all his verses and I was so proud. The Lord is working on him and Jesus is in his mind. I pray daily that A will become the young man that God has planned for him. A is tender but still very much boy. He loves on E all the time and couldn't be any sweeter to her.
Sunday, November 3, 2013
October Date Night
Kristen and Vic hosted the October date night for small group. Everyone except the Daniel boys were in attendance so they had 12. I believe the night started with some backyard play, swing, chalk & then moved inside. K is so good because she had a craft for them to do (little owls that were so cute). I tried nothing like that.
This date night was of significance because it was the first time I did not nurse E at her 7 feeding. I pumped and left a bottle for her and while I was happy to be out with B, I was a bit sad that I wasn't getting to feed her. Since she's been born, I have never missed a 7 feeding and now that I'm at school, the 7 pm feeding is the only time I get to nurse her. It was fine though and Vic said she took her bottle like a champ.
B and I went to Red Lobster for dinner and didn't have to wait this time. We had a yummy meal and good conversation. It was very nice timing because B had just taken his comprehensive exams and had been very busy with school and studying. We had just had a very few busy and stressful days so this date night was much needed. When we picked up the kids, they had had a great time and their owl ornaments were very cute. Rin was still doing crafts which didn't surprise me. Here's a picture from their dinner time. Ell is in her carrier on the floor on the side but you can't see her.
This date night was of significance because it was the first time I did not nurse E at her 7 feeding. I pumped and left a bottle for her and while I was happy to be out with B, I was a bit sad that I wasn't getting to feed her. Since she's been born, I have never missed a 7 feeding and now that I'm at school, the 7 pm feeding is the only time I get to nurse her. It was fine though and Vic said she took her bottle like a champ.
B and I went to Red Lobster for dinner and didn't have to wait this time. We had a yummy meal and good conversation. It was very nice timing because B had just taken his comprehensive exams and had been very busy with school and studying. We had just had a very few busy and stressful days so this date night was much needed. When we picked up the kids, they had had a great time and their owl ornaments were very cute. Rin was still doing crafts which didn't surprise me. Here's a picture from their dinner time. Ell is in her carrier on the floor on the side but you can't see her.
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| Ro, Baylor, Abe, Wes, Grayson, Ryan, Emilie, Julia, AK, Bella & Rin |
September Date Night
We hosted our small group September date night to start the second year of date nights. Our group has changed a bit since last September when we started. We have a new couple (the Prices) and 2 new babies (AK and E) totaling 5 couples with 14 kids. B and I knew it would be crazy but worth it.
Parents started dropping their kids off a little after 5 and everyone was picked up by 8:30. Our guests included Logan, Landon, Bella, Julia, Anna Kate, Emily, Ryan, Grayson, Baylor, Rowan, plus our 4 to make 14. Once everyone arrived, we walked up to the park for some outside time. I had E in the carrier, Ryan & AK in the double stroller and Ro in the single stroller. The big kids all walked and we looks like a site for sure. The kids had fun playing then we came home for dinner. Dinner wasn't as smooth because I wasn't pre-prepared and had to cook the nuggets and cut the apples. Next time, I'll have the fruit already cut and I think juice boxes would be easier than trying to fill up everyone's cups with milk. But food was served in the living room for easier clean up and we started a movie. It was quiet and calm for most of the movie and then kids started to lose interest so after eating, kids were allowed to go back and play in the rooms. The time seemed to fly by rather quickly probably because it was so busy, but still fun. The hardest part was the babies because E needed to eat at 7:00 and around the same time, AK and Ryan needed their food/bottle so I ended up nursing E and giving AK her bottle at the same time (very weird). When doing it again, I'll just pump for E instead of nursing her to make things easier. The kids were very well behaved and we didn't have any problems with behavior and we didn't have any tears so I could that as a success!
Parents started dropping their kids off a little after 5 and everyone was picked up by 8:30. Our guests included Logan, Landon, Bella, Julia, Anna Kate, Emily, Ryan, Grayson, Baylor, Rowan, plus our 4 to make 14. Once everyone arrived, we walked up to the park for some outside time. I had E in the carrier, Ryan & AK in the double stroller and Ro in the single stroller. The big kids all walked and we looks like a site for sure. The kids had fun playing then we came home for dinner. Dinner wasn't as smooth because I wasn't pre-prepared and had to cook the nuggets and cut the apples. Next time, I'll have the fruit already cut and I think juice boxes would be easier than trying to fill up everyone's cups with milk. But food was served in the living room for easier clean up and we started a movie. It was quiet and calm for most of the movie and then kids started to lose interest so after eating, kids were allowed to go back and play in the rooms. The time seemed to fly by rather quickly probably because it was so busy, but still fun. The hardest part was the babies because E needed to eat at 7:00 and around the same time, AK and Ryan needed their food/bottle so I ended up nursing E and giving AK her bottle at the same time (very weird). When doing it again, I'll just pump for E instead of nursing her to make things easier. The kids were very well behaved and we didn't have any problems with behavior and we didn't have any tears so I could that as a success!
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| Baylor, Grayson, Ro, Ryan, logan, Landon, Wes, Julia, AK, Bella, Emily, Rin, Ell, Abe |
Wednesday, October 16, 2013
The Color Run
So I'm not a runner and people don't seem to believe that since I played college soccer. Yes, there is a lot of running in soccer, and yes, I played soccer pretty much for 20 years straight....but I did not like the running part of it. It's masked by chasing a ball and trying to score. When it was conditioning, I dreaded those days at practice! But I was always in good shape due to soccer but never a 'runner' by any means.
So Jen, called me out on facebook one day and dared me to sign up for The Color Run. I was like "well great! now I have to sign up" so I did along with Jen, Nicole, Kristen, Lisa, and her sisters. I was excited about it just from the girl time aspect of the run. The weekend before, we got together and made tutus to run in. Glitter was EVERWHERE!
The run was September 28th at 9:00 am. B and the kids were going to come, but after we talked logistics, we decided it would be best if he stayed home. I'm glad he did because there were so many people and so much 'color' that our kids would have gotten lost or dirty. Kristen came to pick me up and we met everyone at Nicole's house. I ended up riding with Lisa (and Kristen & Nicole) so the ride downtown was fun.
The actual race part itself wasn't bad at all. The weather was great and cool in the shade. Our group of 7 started out together and then Lisa and her sisters feel behind because they needed to use the bathroom. We were 4 strong until about the 3 km and Nicole/Jen slowed down and I tried to keep up with Kristen. Kristen was a machine and I had to keep telling myself not to stop so I could stay with her. We didn't want anyone running alone. Every km, there was a color station. We had been through blue, pink, yellow, and the last one before the end was orange. Once we got to orange, I knew the run was almost over so that gave me some energy. I needed those little milestones to help get me through the run. Right before the finish, there was a hill and I saw Kristen start to slow up so I stretched out my hand and told her to come on....she did and we finished together! I think it took us a little less than 40 minutes to finish the 5k. My goal was to run without stopping so I accomplished my goal.
Once finished with the run, there was this big dance party in front of a stage with music. The DJ would lead everyone to a 'color rush' every few minutes and then all you could see was colored smoke. I did not go into that 'mosh-pit' but Jen, Lisa, and Nicole did. They were covered when they came out in all the different colors that it looked brown all mixed together. They said it was fun (and crazy).
Overall, this run was so much fun. The girl time, the weather, the colors....I can see why it's called "The Happiest 5K on the Planet". It's hard not to be happy when you are getting colored as you run and you see people with strange and funny costumes. I'd do it again in a heartbeat and that means a lot coming from a 'nonrunner'!
So Jen, called me out on facebook one day and dared me to sign up for The Color Run. I was like "well great! now I have to sign up" so I did along with Jen, Nicole, Kristen, Lisa, and her sisters. I was excited about it just from the girl time aspect of the run. The weekend before, we got together and made tutus to run in. Glitter was EVERWHERE!
The run was September 28th at 9:00 am. B and the kids were going to come, but after we talked logistics, we decided it would be best if he stayed home. I'm glad he did because there were so many people and so much 'color' that our kids would have gotten lost or dirty. Kristen came to pick me up and we met everyone at Nicole's house. I ended up riding with Lisa (and Kristen & Nicole) so the ride downtown was fun.
Overall, this run was so much fun. The girl time, the weather, the colors....I can see why it's called "The Happiest 5K on the Planet". It's hard not to be happy when you are getting colored as you run and you see people with strange and funny costumes. I'd do it again in a heartbeat and that means a lot coming from a 'nonrunner'!
Monday, September 30, 2013
Beach Trip 2013
Before school started, we took a day trip with the Caldwell's to the beach. We left early Saturday (8/24) morning and followed Justin down there. We spent about 4-5 hours on the beach, showered before leaving, then had dinner at Dockside. The entire day was a blast and it was so nice to get away before the start of school. Neither Bryce nor I had our camera so here are some pictures from Nicole.
The weekend of September 14-15, we spent the night with the O'Janpa's at their vacation beach house like we did last year. They spend the entire week down there (which would be awesome) but we cannot do that:( Maybe next year, I will take Monday off from work and stay an extra night. We left early again and got down there at 11:00. We changed and hit the beach before lunch. The kids had a blast and took great naps while the adults watch the Texas A&M vs Alabama football game. It was funny because the big TV didn't work so B and Vic tried everything they could to fix it. What ended up happening was they took a smaller TV from one of the bedrooms and hooked that up on the side. It worked for us.
After naps, we hit the beach again before dinner. Vic grilled out hotdogs and hamburgers for us and they were yummy. The kids of course had another awesome beach session. A got the hang of body surfing and W just ran up and down the beach chasing Julia. This ended with good showers, dinner, then bedtime for the kids. All 5 kids (except for E) slept in the 'kid' room. There were 2 bunk-beds so R & Bella took the top, Julia on the bottom, A on the other top, and W on the bottom. It worked out great and they were so tired! We adults talk and played some spades before we went to bed.
Sunday morning, B made us all pancakes and patty sausage. It was really yummy! As soon as breakfast was over, we hit the beach again until it was lunch/nap time. And again, after naps, once more until dinner time. We had spaghetti that Kristen made and the kids gobbled it up. It was sad, though, because we had to leave. Of course the kids didn't want to leave, but B and I didn't either.
We stayed as long as we could, and I think we pulled into our driveway around 11 pm. What a fun weekend!
After naps, we hit the beach again before dinner. Vic grilled out hotdogs and hamburgers for us and they were yummy. The kids of course had another awesome beach session. A got the hang of body surfing and W just ran up and down the beach chasing Julia. This ended with good showers, dinner, then bedtime for the kids. All 5 kids (except for E) slept in the 'kid' room. There were 2 bunk-beds so R & Bella took the top, Julia on the bottom, A on the other top, and W on the bottom. It worked out great and they were so tired! We adults talk and played some spades before we went to bed.
Sunday morning, B made us all pancakes and patty sausage. It was really yummy! As soon as breakfast was over, we hit the beach again until it was lunch/nap time. And again, after naps, once more until dinner time. We had spaghetti that Kristen made and the kids gobbled it up. It was sad, though, because we had to leave. Of course the kids didn't want to leave, but B and I didn't either.
We stayed as long as we could, and I think we pulled into our driveway around 11 pm. What a fun weekend!
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| Vic and Bryce dug out a pool for the kids |
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| mud pies |
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| E will be in this picture next year |
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| scary looking jellyfish that washed up next to the kids' pool!!! |
Friday, September 6, 2013
Kids Update
As summer is over and school is starting back, I'm afraid my blogging is going to fall to the back burner. I'm going to try to attempt to blog while I'm pumping (which feels like it's all the time), but I also use that time to look online and plan my lessons for school. I would love to say that I could blog once a week, but that might not be the reality. We have so much going on in our family and so much that I want to document, but just not enough hours in the day. I will try though.
Here are some pictures from our last few days together over the summer. We went to the pool, we hung out, we watched football and lots more. I love my family and praise God for them all. Yes, it may be crazy and loud, but I wouldn't trade it for anything. When I come home from work and W & A greet me at the door, it doesn't matter if my day at school was bad or not. When R gets home from school and she's excited to see me, I love it. Even E nurses longer when I feed her at 4 (I believe it's because she misses me). What can I say? I love my kids.
None of this would be possible with B. He's amazing and anyone who knows us well, knows how great he is. He's so involved and loving to me and the kids. Most of the dads in our small group and awesome dads, but I'm partial to B :)
Here are some pictures from our last few days together over the summer. We went to the pool, we hung out, we watched football and lots more. I love my family and praise God for them all. Yes, it may be crazy and loud, but I wouldn't trade it for anything. When I come home from work and W & A greet me at the door, it doesn't matter if my day at school was bad or not. When R gets home from school and she's excited to see me, I love it. Even E nurses longer when I feed her at 4 (I believe it's because she misses me). What can I say? I love my kids.
None of this would be possible with B. He's amazing and anyone who knows us well, knows how great he is. He's so involved and loving to me and the kids. Most of the dads in our small group and awesome dads, but I'm partial to B :)
Wednesday, August 28, 2013
First Days of School 2013
I can honestly say this was the first year I was not looking forward to my first day of school. I wasn't as excited as I normally am about school for 2 reasons: I'm moving to 8th grade, and I'm missing my kids. I believe it's a combination of both and accepting that Rin is now going to school and Ell is my last baby probably play a big part in it too. But after a week of workdays, I got my room almost the say I wanted it, and worked on my lesson plans so now I'm ready to start.
My first day of school was Monday, August 26th. Since I moved up to 8th grade, I had several of the same students from last year. It's both good and bad since I already know them and they know me. I'm also on the same team as Kline and George. That's a huge plus since I enjoy working with them so much. I will miss my 2 math teachers from last year S & A. We met every week about math stuff but they were more than co-workers. They were my friends. We shared everything with each other and the past 2 days have been hard not seeing them. That's the biggest con about moving away from 7th grade. I'm not the type to be down about things, so I'm making the best of it. This is a chance for me to branch out and meet new people. Buck is my team leader so I'm excited about working with him and getting to know him. Up until now, we've only talked football, so this gives us a chance to get past the surface level knowledge about each other. I'm sure throughout this year, I will post more about school and my new team and grade level. Here's a picture of B taking me to school on my first day.
Speaking of first day of school, my mom got into the mix also. Here's a picture she posted on facebook from a long time ago. I think I might be in 3rd grade & Bubba in first grade....maybe?
And now for the big one: Rin's first day of Kindergarten! She's been waiting for this day all summer and she's super excited and ready! The plan is for R to go with B in the mornings and eat breakfast/get dressed at his office. She will do something quiet for a while and then he will fix her hair and take her to school at 9:00. Since it was her first day, I left my school to meet them there. Here are the few pictures we took....I should have been better about this!
I can't believe my first born is now school age. She starts full time after labor day, but I think the biggest concept that I have to wrap my brain around is that she's growing up. I'm not in control anymore. Up until this point, I have controlled her friends, her activities, her surroundings. I only have control over a few hours in the afternoon and the weekends. We will spend most of that time doing church activities. Small group on Tuesdays, Awana on Wednesdays, and church on Sundays. God's gift of R has been awesome and taught us so much. Our prayer now is that she will be the light of Christ in her classroom for others to see.
My first day of school was Monday, August 26th. Since I moved up to 8th grade, I had several of the same students from last year. It's both good and bad since I already know them and they know me. I'm also on the same team as Kline and George. That's a huge plus since I enjoy working with them so much. I will miss my 2 math teachers from last year S & A. We met every week about math stuff but they were more than co-workers. They were my friends. We shared everything with each other and the past 2 days have been hard not seeing them. That's the biggest con about moving away from 7th grade. I'm not the type to be down about things, so I'm making the best of it. This is a chance for me to branch out and meet new people. Buck is my team leader so I'm excited about working with him and getting to know him. Up until now, we've only talked football, so this gives us a chance to get past the surface level knowledge about each other. I'm sure throughout this year, I will post more about school and my new team and grade level. Here's a picture of B taking me to school on my first day.
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| Daddy's hair job. It's awesome! |
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| Little girl named Kelli that had the same backpack as Rin. Rin grabbed her hand to hold while walking down the hall. The counselor didn't have the heart to instruct them to let go to walk in a straight line. So sweet! |
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| Rin's room....it's way too much for me but perfect for K! |
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