Our Family Story

First Day of School

2011-09-03T11:38:00.004-04:00

After weathering Hurricane Irene and a one-day delay...three out of our four kiddos went back to school on Thursday! Although E has to wait a few more days for preschool to begin, he joined in the pictures and the bus stop wait too! 8)

Biggest brother B proudly headed off to fourth grade this year!

S was happy to join several of her best friends in her second grade class!

Our baby (he is our youngest...even though E joined our family later!) went to kindergarten this year. When he returned home before lunch I asked W what his favorite part of his first day of kindergarten was. Without hesitation he answered, "SNACK!" 8)

We made a big decision this spring to have E repeat preschool again this year. This is the first time since E came home from Ethiopia that he and I have had daily one-on-one time...and the first time our "twins" have been separated for a significant portion of each day. While I am enjoying my special time with E, he's already clearly missing his playmates!

The first day of school was a huge success! Everyone got on and off the bus tear free...well, except a certain mom and dad who waived goodbye smiling and misty-eyed. 8)

Happy 7th Birthday, S!

2011-07-03T16:07:00.004-04:00

On June 3rd we celebrated S's 7th Birthday!

After a fun day at school celebrating with her teacher and friends, we headed out to the boat to enjoy pizza and cupcakes together as a family!

Later that weekend we enjoyed dinner and more cake (a Little Mermaid creation made with love by Grammy!) with grandparents, Uncle K, Auntie L, and cousin R.

Finally, the week after her birthday S was joined by three special friends who enjoyed manicures and ice cream sundaes afterwards!

We are so proud of our sweet S! She is a special daughter, loving sister, sweet cousin, and caring friend.

Happy 7th Birthday, baby girl!

Always Thinking

2011-06-25T18:08:00.002-04:00

W to Grampy at their recent visit to a museum near our home:

"Hmmm...sooo...before this was a butterfly museum it must have been a caterpillar museum, right?"

Happy 9th Birthday, B!

2011-06-16T09:03:00.007-04:00

On May 23rd, we celebrated B's 9th Birthday!

A little birthday snuggle from cousin R.

And a hug from S too!

We enjoyed two family parties PLUS a mini-golf outing with two of B's favorite friends!

NINE things we don't want to forget about nine-year-old B-bop:

1. B always has to have socks on...regardless of whether they match or are even his!

2. B LOVES to sing...anywhere, any song, any octave!

3. B enjoys just a bit of quiet time downstairs watching TV each morning before the other kids join him...so he very carefully navigates each of the many creaks in our wood floors to travel downstairs. alone. undetected.

4. B's favorite sport is golf, which he loves learning during lessons arranged by Grandpa each summer.

5. B has an amazing ear for music...he can pluck out most songs he hears on the piano or the trumpet...from new pop songs to the National Anthem!

6. B enjoys inventing backyard games combining random pieces of sports equipment. Wackleball...badminton racket and soccer ball...is the current favorite.

7. B is one talented trumpeter!

8. B has a HUGE heart for loving and sharing Jesus!

9. B is a FANTASTIC son and big brother!

Happy 9th Birthday, B! WE LOVE YOU!

We're Back!

2011-06-13T08:40:00.003-04:00

We have so much fun to share from the last three months! We've been VERY busy...birthday celebrations, talent show, horseback riding, dance recital, boating fun...oh, and that new business venture we're launching later this summer too! 8)

Stay tuned for lots of catch-up posts...

Monday Morning

2011-06-13T08:33:00.003-04:00

Just another Monday morning 'round here! 8)

Happy 5th Birthday E!

2011-03-27T15:11:00.003-04:00

On Thursday we celebrated E's birthday! How can it be that he's already FIVE YEARS OLD?

In typical E fashion...he giggled, smiled, and laughed his way through the singing of "Happy Birthday" (shouting "STOP!" when we yelled, "Are you FIVE?") and opening his presents. He was SO excited to celebrate his special day!

Happy Birthday, little buddy! May God bless you ALWAYS!

Family Pictures from Florida

2011-03-13T19:50:00.003-04:00

Florida Here We [Came]!

2011-03-11T08:37:00.008-05:00

So...I'm about a month late writing about our Florida vacation, but since our blog is our family photo album, I want to make sure that they get posted! 8)

In February we enjoyed a wonderful, relaxing, and warm vacation in Ft. Lauderdale! We spent almost every day at the beach and the pool soaking up every last minute of sunshine!

Here are a few pictures from our plane ride TO Florida!

Happy Valentine's Day!

2011-02-14T08:29:00.001-05:00

Snow vs. Summer

2011-01-27T07:50:00.008-05:00

After another overnight record snowfall last night...and the fifth snow day already this winter...I couldn't help but think back this morning to the views of our yard this summer! 8)

Although I can't seem to capture the sunlight this morning quite right in my camera, it is absolutely beautiful outside! A fresh 16 inch blanket of newly fallen snow and the sun rising in nearly blue skies...all seen from my perch inside! 8)

cousins!

2011-01-04T13:12:00.002-05:00

Sledding (and skiing!) Fun

2011-01-04T11:55:00.004-05:00

Last week we enjoyed an afternoon sledding together!

B decided to try out his skis for the first time this season. He did great! Now he's ready for a "big" hill!

Even though we all had a blast enjoying our first real snowfall...sometimes the hike back up the hill can get a bit tiring! 8)

What Brain Surgery?

2010-12-28T20:57:00.005-05:00

Less than two months ago K had brain surgery to relieve symptoms from Chiari Malformation. Before the surgery he was tired after simply climbing the stairs and zapped for energy early each morning. Headaches were frequent and debilitating. While his headaches aren't completely gone yet, they are definitely few and far between.

For Christmas this year, I bought him the best sled ever made (LLBean's Sonic Snow Tube). I told him that I chose this present...first because it's fun...but second because he can use it now! 8)

Today we put the tube and the success of K's recent brain surgery to the test! Here are the results...

E's 2nd Adoption Day

2010-12-28T20:23:00.005-05:00

Two years ago today, we met our Ethiopian-born son for the very first time! We woke him up from his afternoon nap, and he was all smiles the rest of the day. (You can read our posts about that amazing day here and here.)

Today, we celebrated E's Adoption Day with family time! (Tomorrow we'll enjoy homemade Ethiopian food too!) We headed to a wind-swept hill in town to enjoy sledding on newly-fallen snow.

Just two years ago E was an orphan waiting for a family in Ethiopia...and just two years ago we were a family excitedly waiting to meet the new son God so generously blessed us with.

"Children are a heritage from the LORD,
offspring a reward from him.
Like arrows in the hands of a warrior
are children born in one’s youth.
Blessed is the man whose quiver is full of them."
Psalm 127:3-5

We love you forever, E!

Merry Christmas!

2010-12-27T13:03:00.002-05:00

Live Nativity

2010-12-19T20:03:00.004-05:00

Our two angels and two shepherds participated in the annual Live Nativity at our church last weekend! Their costumes looked great, and their voices were beautiful as they sang to a crowded church full of proud parents.

S, with her special friend...who K & I just happened to have the honor of meeting in Ethiopia when we traveled to pick up E almost two years ago!

I love when I can capture of picture of the kids doing hand motions to a song! This is E making twinkling stars with his fingers to the words "the stars in the sky looked down where He lay" in "Away in a Manger."

Surgery Update 2

2010-11-18T20:40:00.003-05:00

Today K spent the morning meeting with a subcontractor and running errands, the afternoon leaf blowing part of the lawn and making homemade chicken noodle soup, and this evening he returned to Worship Team practice to play his guitar with the band! I'd say that's pretty clear evidence that just two and a half weeks after surgery he's doing GREAT!

We did have one "scare" on Monday this week when K developed a headache and pressure behind his left eye so intense that his vision became blurry and double. We went to his already-scheduled doctor's appointment (to have his staples removed) and discussed K's symptoms.

The Physician's Assistant is confident that the pressures causing the intense headache/vision issues are not complications from surgery nor are they Chiari Malformation symptoms resurfacing. Because K felt better post-op before he got worse, the PA feels the symptoms are caused by inflammation (possibly from the cold virus we've all been sharing in various forms) and prescribed a 7-day course of steroids. So far, the steroids (in combination with an occasional muscle relaxer for his neck) have pretty much handled all symptoms the remainder of this week.

Now, please pray with us that once the course of steroids finishes in two days that K will remain symptom free and continue on this wonderful road of recovery!

Oh, Brother(s)!

2010-11-18T20:25:00.011-05:00

Sometimes we call them...

Thing 1 and Thing 2

Heckle and Jeckle

The Twins

The Boys

BUT...really...they're just BROTHERS! 8)

This last picture (and the goofy close up version above) were taken after W and E called me into the mud room this week to "surprise" me while they were playing in a plastic storage bin in the closet! 8)

Fall Fun From My Phone

2010-11-18T19:05:00.011-05:00

Since our fall was so busy preparing for K's surgery, finding out it was canceled, rescheduling, finally having surgery, and then recovering...I am very behind in posting about many of our recent adventures. So, I thought I'd share a few (for now) highlights through pictures taken with my phone during the past few months!

Truck Day at the Library!

Someday W will tire of us telling the story of his emergency ride to the hospital barely breathing when he was just 10 weeks old...I just had to snap a picture of him in the driver's seat of one of our town's volunteer ambulances!

Trip to Mystic Aquarium...with Grandpa, Aunt C, and cousin P!

Gotta' love that grin!

Happy Halloween from FBI Agent B, Monarch Butterfly S, Knight W, and Firefighter E!

K and I got out for a date night at the UCONN football game!

One of K's awesome shots of Jupiter and its four moons just putting the camera on my phone up to the lens of his grandfather's amazing telescope in our backyard!

Since our blog is our family scrapbook, I'll eventually (hopefully!) update with more pictures of the past few months as I find time to upload the files from my regular camera...and get them organized too!

The Proof is in the...Coffee!

2010-11-05T15:26:00.003-04:00

Only four days after brain surgery, K was ready to make his first trip out...a car ride to his favorite local coffee shop! Although he felt pretty tired after the short walk inside and a conversation with the shop owner, K was happy to have a change of scenery this morning.

Here's the proof that K is well on the road to recovery!

Of course, there is still a lot of healing to go. K is still working on regaining his balance and is bothered by some pain in the back of his head. The surgeon's office assures us these are normal parts of the healing process, but we will certainly be happy when some of these symptoms subside. Thank you for your continued prayers!

"O Lord my God, I called to you for help and you healed me."
Psalm 30:2

Surgery Update

2010-11-03T20:25:00.004-04:00

I realized this evening that I owe our blog friends an update!

K is home, and his recovery is going as expected...brain surgery...and home from the hospital 24 hours later means he just needs a lot of rest at home with much healing to come in the days, weeks, and even months ahead. (Although, W asked the other day if K is ready to do back flips now that his surgery is complete!)

The neurosurgeon reported that everything went perfectly during surgery. The doctors were pleased with the results of follow-up tests that showed good circulation of fluid around K's brain. With time, the amount and flow of this cerebral spinal fluid should even out to more normal levels and help relieve the pressure headaches and other symptoms K suffered.

For now, we ask your continued prayers for K's healing.

We praise God for His hand in K's complication-free surgery and eagerly anticipate complete recovery!

Thank you for so many kind comments, emails, and text messages...but most of all for keeping us in your prayers!

Brain Surgery

2010-10-30T21:09:00.006-04:00

Our blog has been quiet lately...well, for much of the past year. Of course, we've had birthdays to celebrate and vacations to share about. But, I haven't had much time or inspiration to share more about the comings and goings of the day-to-day craziness of our fun and busy life. There are a lot of reasons for this...four of them are between the ages of 4 and 8! But, a primary reason for fewer posts is a bit more complicated. I thought it was time to share this reason because we would really appreciate your prayers this week!

For many years K can remember having headaches. He can recall having them during his teenage years when he thought they might be brought on by the constant exposure to bright sunlight while working as a lifeguard. As an adult he thought they might be some kind of migraine. About a year ago, the headaches persisted enough that he asked his doctor to order an MRI of his head. (Although this might sound like a giant leap, the request for an MRI was prompted by his mother's diagnosis of neurological condition that causes headaches.)

The day before Christmas last year we got what we thought was good news that the MRI of K's brain was read by his doctor as "normal." But, the headaches persisted. By the grace of God, K's mother reviewed the printed report from the radiologist. She noticed one abnormality the doctor seemed to disregard.

My March of this year, we had essentially "self diagnosed" - with the help of K's mother - K with an unusual neurological conditional called Chiari Malformation. In very simple terms, this means that the lower portion of his skull is too small to fit all of his brain. As a result, the lower part of his brain is being pushed downward. Essentially, his brain is sagging and as a result it is putting pressure on other parts of the brain in that area. That sagging area is also causing the spinal fluid that travels around his brain to be restricted in its circulation.

In March we traveled to visit with specialists at The Chiari Institute in New York. Their knowledge of Chiari Malformation is world-renown. They verified the diagnosis, suggested a medicine that did help relieve some symptoms, and ultimately recommended surgery to help repair the malformation.

K was scheduled to have this surgery in September, but our insurance company denied us coverage for the procedure because the doctor and hospital are "out of network." Initially we were infuriated and fought back hard. We appealed the insurance company's decision multiple times until we got too close to the surgery date and the surgeon's office canceled our scheduled date.

Throughout our lives, we have always prayed when we are making decisions that God would close the "doors" to actions and decisions that are not within His perfect will for our lives. Despite our attempts to basically break the door down in our fight for K to have surgery performed with the neurosurgeon in New York, God held that door firmly closed. About two weeks ago we began to realize why.

As part of our appeal process with our insurance company, we agreed to meet with a neurosurgeon "in-network" who has the expertise to also perform the surgery K needs. We honestly went to this appointment planning to ask the new doctor to argue on our behalf with our insurance company that we should be allowed to go back to NY to the surgeon of our choice. At that doctor's appointment earlier this month, we realized that God had closed the door for surgery at The Chiari Institute in September so that we would be led to walk through a better "door" closer to home.

Two weeks ago we learned about a much less invasive surgical option to treat K's symptoms. This procedure has been highly successful and comes with significantly fewer risks. The surgery is about 2 1/2 hours vs. 6 with the other surgeon. The time in the hospital is 2 days vs. 5-7. And, this is all done close to home so minimal travel is needed, and I can even sleep at home for the one night that K will stay in the hospital.

After waiting for months...almost a year since symptoms increased significantly...on Monday K will have brain surgery. The procedure is called bony decompression surgery, and during it surgeons will remove the part of his skull near the malformation to allow more room for his brain.

We come to you tonight to ask for your prayers. Please pray specifically that:

- K would feel peace leading up to his surgery on Monday, November 1 at 12noon
- the surgeon's, doctors, nurses, and aids would be granted wisdom and skill
- there will be no complications during surgery (specifically that the surgeons will not accidentally cut into the dura around the brain nor would there be any damage to parts of the brain that control K's motor skills)
- the surgery would be completely successful and all of K's symptoms will be quickly relieved
- K's healing will be fast and smooth

We can clearly see God's hand in all parts of this struggle, and we can't wait to see what He has in store for a newly-healed K!

Help Bring Grace HOME

2010-10-14T21:32:00.007-04:00

This is Grace.

This is her family (who we are also honored to call our friends!).

Today, Grace is living in China in an orphanage waiting for her family.

Today, Grace's family lives in the United States excitedly waiting to bring their daughter and sister home!

Grace's adoption process took a lot less time (as in about one year less!) than her family originally expected. God must have BIG plans for Grace and her family! 8)

As our friends prepare to bring Grace home this winter they are finishing fund raising in a very creative way!

Buy a puzzle piece (hopefully more!) for $2...get a chance to win a $200 gift card!

And, even better yet, get a chance to be part of uniting sweet Grace with her family forever!

Click on this link to Help Bring Grace HOME!

Apple Picking!

2010-10-09T09:18:00.004-04:00

After several rainy days in a row...we were thrilled to enjoy a perfectly dry and cool fall morning yesterday at our local apple orchard!

This was the boys' first field trip with their new preschool class, and we all had a great time!

Plus, using the bounty the boys picked (together with apples from S's trip to the same orchard with Daisy's yesterday!) we made plenty of homemade apple sauce to enjoy with dinner last night too!

A New Adoption Paradigm

2010-09-17T14:38:00.004-04:00

Thanks to a friend who lives in Louisiana...who I only met in-person for 5 days in Ethiopia (when we traveled together to bring home our sons)...who I now keep in touch with through our blogs...I read this post about an adoption revolution! I hope you will too!

By the way, my wonderful, far-away friend and her newest daughter are featured in the photograph at the end of the linked post above. Her blog is a fantastic testimony about living for Jesus in a big family full of love!

Introducing...

2010-09-16T15:47:00.005-04:00

...our new labrador retriever puppy, Coda!

First Day of Preschool for W and E!

2010-09-16T15:39:00.004-04:00

Our "babies" attended their first day of preschool on Monday! They did great...went in with smiles and came out jumping and excited to share about their morning!

Oh, yeah, and for the first time in eight years I have three mornings each week without children at home. Wow. 8)

Happy Birthday, W!

2010-09-09T08:55:00.006-04:00

On Tuesday we celebrated W's 4th birthday!

W's first gift of the day was a new bike...

After B and S returned home from school, we made a trip to the local apple orchard...

And, our celebration finished with a birthday brownie! 8)

Happy Birthday to our not-so-baby-any-more-but-you-will-always-be-our-baby boy!

Back to School

2010-09-02T08:32:00.006-04:00

Our first and third grader are off safely to school this morning...with butterflies in their stomachs and big smiles on their faces! 8) Both kids have good friends in their classes, and B even has his first grade teacher again this year.

But the news that brought the biggest smiles this morning was the return of their favorite bus driver, Mr. Nelson!

And...because my husband threatened to find a way to post this if I didn't...

...proof of this crazy mom who knows that a girl just can't go to the first day of school without fresh pink toe nail polish! 8)

Robin Mark Concert

2010-08-28T11:18:00.004-04:00

Last night, our church sponsored a Robin Mark concert. Robin Mark travels the United States performing concerts with local church Worship Teams as his band. For months beginning this spring, our Worship Team practiced and practiced in preparation for the big event. Then, last night, about an hour and a half before the concert began, they rehearsed with Robin Mark for the very first time!

Where K is in these pictures? You might expect he'd be the one playing the guitar, but K's role in this concert was actually to be the stand-in Robin Mark for all of the rehearsals leading up to last night. On the night of the actual concert, Robin Mark took his place...but K still got to coordinate all of the backstage details for the band. He had fun too!

Our Worship Team and all of the support and planning crew did a fantastic job! The kids and I had a great time singing and worshiping with our friends!

New York City and Birthdays

2010-08-24T10:27:00.005-04:00

A few weeks ago we traveled to NYC for birthday celebrations and family time. We met up with my parents, my siblings, and their families...10 adults...8 kiddos...lots of fun!

We spent a great afternoon with my brother and his family at Governor's Island. The kids loved all the different fun craft activities.

And...they couldn't resist ringing the bell!

Governor's Island has a great view of the Statue of Liberty too.

The following day all family members got together to celebrate the summertime birthdays of four cousins...two 1-year-olds, one 3-year-old, and our W, who turns 4 next month. But, before all the kids were covered in cupcake frosting, we had a photo shoot on my brother's Manhattan rooftop. It was pretty crazy trying to get all eight kiddos to smile for the camera!

We have a better version of the family picture below - taken by my brother-in-law, a very talented photographer! - that might just be our Christmas card picture this year! 8)

Our birthday boy just before blowing his candle out!

Later that afternoon, we enjoyed the Central Park Zoo and a few amusement park rides too! Thankfully, our resident tour guides skillfully led us through downtown streets, to correct Subway stops, and even hailed a total of four (or was it five?) taxis when it started to rain and we all needed to head back home. Whew! City living is...exciting...and complicated sometimes too!

Uncle C was a good sport...an adult had to ride for the little boys to be allowed on the swings!

We had a great weekend full of family time! We can't wait to do it again...but maybe in the country the next time! 8)

The Whole Gang!

2010-08-24T10:20:00.001-04:00

American Girl

2010-08-24T10:07:00.003-04:00

Last weekend, as a belated birthday present to S, I took her to the American Girl store near Boston! She saved all of the birthday gift money she was given in June to make a few special purchases.

We enjoyed a tasty lunch in a perfectly pink and purple decorated cafe. Then off for some fun shopping time!

S's Bitty Baby, Rose, is the adopted (from Ethiopia, of course!) baby sister of S's Look-Like-You American Girl Doll, Leah. 8) They both joined us for pink lemonade in plastic tea cups and saucers at lunch!

Hip Mom

2010-08-13T08:31:00.004-04:00

Our good friends are in the process of adopting a precious toddler girl from China. Watching their faith and love grow during their adoption process has been such a blessing! Amazingly, the process they originally thought might take over two years to complete might be much shorter...their daughter, Grace, might. even. have. a. family. this. fall! 8)

With a much-faster-than-anticipated adoption time line comes the need to complete fund raising for their agency and travel fees now! Our friends have joined with Hip Mom Jewelry for a beautiful fundraiser this month. Please check out this blog post and consider doing some shopping (for yourself? for Christmas? for birthdays?) for a great cause...bringing Grace home! 8)

Family Time and Flower Boxes

2010-08-12T16:27:00.006-04:00

This week we completed a family project with the kids. With professional carpenter Daddy leading the way, each child helped to measure, cut, or screw the wood to create two new flower boxes for our shed!

A few coats of paint from me...and...voila!...a fun new place to add color (and more flowers!) in our yard. 8)

A Date!

2010-08-07T09:16:00.004-04:00

Thanks to family members who were willing to watch our kiddos overnight, K and I had our first date in a very long time last night! We enjoyed dinner by the shore, a leisurely walk through town, and an amazingly civilized (and quiet!) breakfast on our back deck. Ahhhh. 8)

S and Her "Twin" Cousin

2010-07-19T16:30:00.007-04:00

Cousin R is 21 months old and adored by her four big cousins! Yesterday S and R wore their pink matching outfits and posed for pictures in front of our garden full of flowers. 8)

We all love you, R!

Happy 11th of July! 8)

2010-07-12T19:12:00.002-04:00

Our capital city often celebrates the 4th of July on the weekend after the holiday. This year, the fireworks were scheduled for the 10th but then changed to the 11th because of a rainy weather forecast. Regardless of the date, we had a great time celebrating our nation's freedom together!

Pure Happiness

2010-07-06T09:25:00.004-04:00

My Bookworms!

2010-07-06T09:09:00.004-04:00

With a little encouragement, B and S found a few shady spots to enjoy a good book yesterday. 8)

Our First Summer Trip to the Beach

2010-07-06T08:15:00.006-04:00

We enjoyed a relaxing day at the beach on Saturday! We were invited by K's childhood friend and his family to join them for a fun day at the shore. The kids loved extra attention from Uncle J and Aunt S, and we had a great time catching up with special friends!

Why is it that getting buried in the sand is almost always my kids' favorite beach activity? 8)

Oh, Brother!

2010-06-24T21:31:00.001-04:00

Travelers Pro-Am

2010-06-24T21:16:00.004-04:00

We had a great time yesterday following Dad as he played in a foursome with professional golfer, Padraig Harrington, at the Travelers Pro-Am Tournament! We were pretty impressed with how personable Padraig was...chatting with the amateur players and even posing for pictures with fans too!

B and S had fun...especially after their little cousins caught up with us on the course! (W and E stayed home with Grammy again this year...the "quiet" signs on the golf course aren't particularly meaningful to our noisy boys!)

Another Birthday Celebration!

2010-06-24T20:50:00.004-04:00

Yesterday we celebrated my mom's 29th birthday! 8) After a morning and early afternoon watching Dad play golf in the Pro-Am Tournament, we all gathered again in the evening to celebrate Mom's special day.

Of course, we had to try to get a picture of all the grandkids with the birthday girl! The results were pretty funny...

Happy Birthday, Mom! We ALL love you!

Cousin A's 1st Birthday

2010-06-24T19:53:00.006-04:00

Earlier this month, we celebrated A's 1st birthday with family and friends. It's hard to believe that one year has already passed since this happy, curly-haired beauty was born!

Celebrating A's birthday was a perfect chance for family to get together!

Fun for the birthday girl with Grandma and Grandpa...

Lots of play time with cousins...

...and brothers too!

Happy 1st Birthday, A!

In Flight

2010-06-24T19:07:00.008-04:00

Thanks for the lift, Uncle C! 8)

A New Design With A Special Meaning

2010-06-07T20:23:00.002-04:00

Our new blog design originated in April when we found out we were unexpectedly pregnant with our fifth child. We eagerly made plans to rearrange rooms and car seats and picked out middle names like Isaac (which means “laughter”) or Joy for a baby girl. I excitedly redesigned our blog with a fun new leaf theme and prepared to share the new seven leaf design with the announcement of our new pregnancy.

Then, on June 1st at a regularly-scheduled ultrasound to determine the due date for our unplanned pregnancy, everything changed. As the technician carefully studied the monitor screen, we learned that our precious baby had already gone to live forever in Heaven. Devastated and disappointed, we returned home to share our sad news with family and friends.

As with other difficult times in our lives, we have been reminded again this past week of the Bible verse that is in the name of our blog: “From the fullness of His grace we have all received one blessing after another.” (John 1:16) We have been covered in prayer and surrounded with support by so many people. We count each family member and friend who reached out to us in compassion as a blessing.

But, the word “Blessing” now has a new meaning for us, as it is the name we have chosen for our unborn child. We never knew if we were carrying a baby boy or girl, so the name Blessing is simply a perfect way for us to describe this child we love deeply but will have to wait to meet until we are reunited someday as a family in Heaven.

Dancing Girl

2010-06-07T18:52:00.003-04:00

S performed in her second dance recital this weekend! She did a fantastic job tap dancing to Frankie Vallie's "Can't Take My Eyes Off You!"

Great job, S!

Fun in PA!

2010-06-05T09:15:00.003-04:00

Last weekend we traveled to Pennsylvania to celebrate the Dedication of my only goddaughter! 8)

Although I forgot my camera, thankfully my sister and brother-in-law snapped many fun pictures of our fun family time. Stop by here or here to enjoy some great pictures of our kiddos loving their time with cousins, aunts and uncles, and grandma and grandpa too!

Thanks for a fun weekend...May God bless you and keep you always, little P!

Birthday Beauty

2010-06-05T09:06:00.002-04:00

On Thursday, S celebrated her 6th birthday! Although her celebration actually started two weeks ago with a family party and continued on Wednesday when she enjoyed a fun afternoon with a few school friends, we had fun celebrating our big girl together as a family on her actual birth day!

We left the menu selections for the day up to the birthday girl...cinnamon rolls for breakfast, macaroni and cheese for lunch, and pizza for dinner! 8)

And, S loved her chocolate and vanilla cupcakes for dessert too!

S's new skateboard creatively transformed into a tray to enjoy her birthday treat on!

S, we are so proud of the sweet, caring, and generous girl you have become! We pray that God will bless and protect you always...and We Love You! Happy 6th Birthday, S!

Happy Memorial Day!

2010-05-31T19:48:00.007-04:00

We spent some time this morning at the Memorial Day parade in our town. B and S most enjoyed visiting with friends...and the candy some of the groups tossed their way!

W and E were a funny pair. W spent a good portion of the parade shouting to E that he should look one way or another.

The picture below is one of my favorites...W is trying to physically turn E's head so that he'll look in the direction of something exciting W wants him to see!

The fire trucks and ambulances, of course, were a BIG hit for our boys!

Happy Memorial Day!

B Turns 8!

2010-05-25T08:27:00.004-04:00

This weekend we celebrated B's 8th birthday! He loves to hear the story of his birth...including arriving with Elvis-style long black hair and a slightly misshapen head from being vacuumed out...and we thought he was perfectly beautiful! 8)

When B was born, he was the first child in our family and the first grandchild for all of our parents. Today, he is joined by 3 siblings. And, my parents have 8 grandchildren...K's parents have 5. It's been an exciting few years!

In the past EIGHT years B has...

...moved to ONE new house.

...lost TWO teeth.

...enjoyed the arrival of THREE siblings.

...ridden in the FOUR different vehicles we have owned (increasing in size each time to accommodate our growing family).

...loved on FIVE new cousins.

...led many dance parties with our family of SIX.

...traveled to Florida on vacation at least SEVEN times.

...learned more than EIGHT new notes on his trumpet.

Happy Birthday, B! We are so proud of you and love you very much!

Outdoor Fun

2010-05-11T16:49:00.004-04:00

S came running into the house this afternoon to ask if I could come outside to take a picture. "Of what?", I asked. "You'll see!" she answered. 8)

Smiling, she led me to our side yard behind our wood pile to a see-saw she and B proudly made to fit "our whole family!" Such fun to be had with random scraps of lumber and an old stump! 8)

And, just as I was heading back into the house, B asked me to take a picture of him "up in the tree." He wanted to be sure it made it to our blog too! 8)

Happy Mother's Day!

2010-05-09T16:25:00.001-04:00

S Starts T-Ball!

2010-05-06T20:13:00.007-04:00

Last Saturday was S's first t-ball practice! With our family friend as her coach and one of her best friends as her teammate, S was ready to play ball! 8)

Some throwing practice with Coach...

And, batting practice too! 8)

Trumpet Talent

2010-05-06T19:22:00.004-04:00

Last Friday, April 30th, B performed at his school's Talent Show!

He played a trumpet duet with his good friend, who played the keyboard, and then a solo piece also. We think he did a GREAT job...but you can see for yourself! 8)

We are SO proud of you, B! 8)

Little League Begins!

2010-04-28T15:38:00.004-04:00

B enjoyed his very first Little League game last Saturday!

Despite his disappointment with an official Little League rule that states he must use a tee when at bat because he was not 8 years old before the April 1st cutoff, he had a fun time!

He made it to base each time he hit, and his team did great!

Learning the proper technique to hold his foot against the base when waiting at first...

Scoring a run...

Congratulations from the coach!

That's MY Girl!

2010-04-16T08:25:00.004-04:00

For homework last night, S had to collect items around the house that begin or end with the letter "Y." She found a yellow toy, her "husky" dog, a yo-you, and a few others. Then, she decided she wanted to bring a picture of something "yucky." She picked...broccoli! 8)

For the record, despite the vitamin C, vitamin A, folic acid, calcium, and fiber (Yes, I had to look those up!) she might be lacking in her diet because of her aversion to broccoli, our kindergartner was able to tell me herself that "yucky" should earn double credit because it both begins and ends with "Y". 8)

Happy Easter!!

2010-04-04T19:56:00.004-04:00

He's Getting It

2010-04-03T20:58:00.005-04:00

We try to talk about God a lot. We pray together before meals and before bedtime. We read Bible stories. We discuss God's blessings in our lives. But, the other day, I started wondering if our youngest two were really understanding who God really is.

So, recently we've spent more time deliberately trying to explain God in preschool terms. W seems to understand what we're talking about. In fact, he's been quite bothered by discussions of Jesus being put in jail or dying when we read the Easter story because he knows that Jesus is in heaven now. We wondered how many of our discussions about God were sinking in with E.

Then, yesterday I was laying on the hammock outside enjoying the sunshine. E walked over, smiled, and snuggled me. I asked him, "How'd you get to be so cute?!"

He replied, "God made me cute."

He's getting it...and he's right! 8)

The Helicopter Did It

2010-03-28T17:34:00.003-04:00

Me (after enduring an afternoon of noisy playing): Boys, please play quieter.

Boys continue to make random, loud engine noises and yell across the living room to each other.

Me: W and E, you need to play quieter.

Boys continue in their noisy ways.

Me (after W lets out yet another noisy engine revving sound): W, you need to take your toy and bring it upstairs to play. It's too loud in the living room.

W: (As he's carrying his large plastic helicopter toy toward me.) It wasn't me, Mom! It was the helicopter.

Me: It was you making the helicopter make the noises, W.

W: No, Mom. It was the helicopter sounding like me talking! 8)

All I could do was grin as he walked past me headed to his room...for some more noisy play with his talented ventriloquist helicopter!

S's Kindergarten Journal Entry Says It All! 8)

2010-03-28T16:18:00.002-04:00

Florida FUN! (continued) - A Carousel Ride for SIX!

2010-03-26T20:02:00.004-04:00

On our final day at Sea World, we enjoyed the dolphin show, touched rays, watched manatees being fed fresh heads of romaine lettuce, took one last turn on B's favorite Shamu roller coaster, and finished with a family ride on the carousel! 8)

Florida FUN! (continued) - Airplane Ride

2010-03-26T19:56:00.002-04:00

When we left for Florida two weeks ago, it was cold and rainy at home. Today we enjoyed our last day of warmth and sunshine...until springtime arrives in New England!

These pictures are from our plane ride at the start of our first family vacation as a family of six! The kids loved the plane ride, and our two weeks has been wonderfully relaxing and FUN!

Florida FUN! (continued) - GREAT Group Picture!

2010-03-24T22:32:00.000-04:00

Happy 4th Birthday, E!

2010-03-24T22:06:00.007-04:00

We celebrated E's 4th birthday with family, friends, and fun...in Florida! 8)

The kids splashed in the pool from morning until lunchtime. Then we traveled back to Downtown Disney to play in the water and shop for souvenirs. I love seeing the kids' expressions as they get unexpectedly splashed by water shooting up at them!

After lots of fun playing in the water, we cleaned the kids up so we could do some shopping...but not without a stop for a few pictures first! (I think like they look like the little bars lined up on the cell phone commercials!) 8)

Later we enjoyed pizza for dinner and cupcakes (decorated with candies in the shape of Lightening McQueen and Mater from the Disney movie Cars) - and some fun presents too, of course!

Happy 4th Birthday, E! We love you more and more each day! God has blessed us all by placing you in our family!

Florida FUN! (continued) - Sea World

2010-03-24T21:17:00.008-04:00

B has been waiting to ride on the Shamu Express roller coaster since we were at Sea World two years ago! He is proud to say that he rode the ride SIX times before leaving the theme park for the day!

B riding with Grampy!

B riding with our fun family friend!

S, W, and E each took a turn riding too...

W's first ride (He and E both rode a second time too!). B and S are in the car behind us.

S decided once was enough. If you look closely, you can see S screaming...on the first turn of the ride!

Smiles with some furry friends at Sea World...

B and S preparing for a spinning ride.

Cool shades! 8)

Florida FUN! (continued) - Dinnertime with EIGHT Kiddos!

2010-03-24T20:39:00.003-04:00

Florida FUN! (continued) - Downtown Disney

2010-03-24T20:38:00.002-04:00

Reuniting with special friends has been such an amazing blessing this week!

My five favorite people! 8)

Florida FUN! (continued) - Playground Fun

2010-03-24T20:02:00.011-04:00

Yesterday we took a trip to a great park at Lake Eola in downtown Orlando. We saw lots of neat wildlife, and the kids had fun at the playground too!

I love seeing the little kids push each other on the swings!

K and J joined in the fun too! They raced each other around...until one fell off...I won't tell who went down first! 8)

After the dads were finished, the kids gave the rotating circle a try too!

Florida FUN! (continued) - On to Orlando!

2010-03-22T22:31:00.002-04:00

We drove three hours from Boca Raton to Orlando on Saturday afternoon to meet up with K's parents and our special friends from Nebraska. After only seeing the A family once in the 3+ years since they moved, it has been an amazing blessing to reunite with "old" friends this week!

The tradition of this trip to Florida began before we even had children 9 years ago! 8) Since then, we've traveled to warm weather in the winter approximately every two years. The last time we were together, we each had three children in our families...after a trip to Africa and a trip to China during the time that's passed since our last group vacation...our families have both grown through the blessing of adoption!

I'll try to post more pictures soon from our adventures this week. Tomorrow our family is planning to head out early for Sea World!

Florida FUN! (continued) - E's Early Birthday Celebration

2010-03-22T22:19:00.005-04:00

With family gathered for vacation, we thought it would be a perfect time to celebrate E's 4th birthday (even if we were a few days early)!

We LOVE our cousins (nieces and nephews)! Thanks for celebrating E's birthday with us!

And, thank you mom and dad for a great family vacation!!

Florida FUN! (continued) - Safari

2010-03-22T21:54:00.007-04:00

Last week we enjoyed a great day at the Lion Country Safari. We first made a our way through a drive-thru safari. We loved seeing not only the lions but also ostriches, zebras, rhinoceros, water buffalo, giraffes, and more!

The ostrich below was one of the first animals we saw. It tried to eat the registration sticker on the windshield of our car. Then, when I put my hand up to the window, he tried repeatedly to get at that too!

After our tour of the safari area, the kids had a great time enjoying the rides at the small amusement park too!

Of course, with eight young cousins (and three of them still babies), each adventure is full of photo ops. We couldn't resist capturing Aunt C, Aunt L, and S trying to get the babies to smile at the camera! 8)

S couldn't wait to ride the ferris wheel with Grandma! 8)

And, a fun day at an amusement park is best concluded with a stop for ice cream, of course! 8)

Florida FUN! (continued) - Sunset

2010-03-22T21:50:00.003-04:00

Florida FUN! (continued) - Happy St. Patrick's Day!

2010-03-22T21:49:00.000-04:00

Florida FUN! (continued) - The Beach

2010-03-22T21:43:00.000-04:00

Florida FUN! (continued) - Catamaran Ride

2010-03-22T21:30:00.004-04:00

On one of the most beautiful, sunny, and warm days in Southern Florida this winter, we enjoyed an afternoon ride on a catamaran! We loved walking around the front deck/net and sitting on the cushions in the back of the boat with baby cousins too!

Cousin T and Uncle C, too!

Our CREW! 8)

Florida FUN! - in Boca Raton

2010-03-22T21:10:00.005-04:00

We are blessed to be enjoying a two-week long family vacation in Florida! Week one was spent with my parents, siblings, and their families. We all had a wonderful time relaxing and playing with parents, grandparents, siblings, aunts & uncles, nieces & nephews, and cousins too!

These pictures are from a great park near the home we stayed at in Boca Raton. Can you tell the kids had a wonderful time here?! 8)

Our princess! 8)

Thanks for the pushes, Uncle G!

My favorite view in Florida!

Fun at the Park

2010-03-03T09:19:00.007-05:00

After a dramatic start to the morning yesterday, I decided we needed to get out of the house and enjoy the warm, sunny day! 8) I took the boys to a local park. They had fun playing, and I had fun snapping a few pictures too!

The boys spent a lot of time running around (and around...and around) this huge funnel-shaped sand toy!

I wanted to get a picture of W with his "real" smile (instead of that goofy one he usually gives when I'm taking his picture!). I had a brainstorm...I asked him to smile "like he does at me in the morning when I first come downstairs." Voila!

Self-portrait. 8)

Brothers! 8)

All Before 8AM!

2010-03-02T08:38:00.004-05:00

It’s one of those laugh or cry morning...I’m choosing to laugh...thought you might too! 8)

5:30am - Wake up to S crying because she can’t find her pillow.

6:45am - After delaying long enough and hearing the kids get increasingly more active, get out of bed and head downstairs to start the day.

7:00am - Make four separate breakfasts (why?...because it’s easier to make one toast with peanut butter and another regular bread with peanut butter and another a bagel with butter and another a bowl of cereal than to have to negotiate before 7am...I think.)

7:15am - Head back upstairs to pick out and iron clothes for the kids

7:25am - Decide I need to take a shower (quiet time in hot steamy water sounds like a perfect way to relax). Hope the kids can be civil long enough for me to enjoy a few moments of peace.

7:30am - (While soaking wet and half-clean in the shower…) Realize the sounds of screaming coming from downstairs have gotten increasingly louder and more frantic!

7:31am - B arrives outside the bathroom door to announce that our cat Shadow has come into the house with a “rat” in his mouth!

7:32am - Try to convince B to go back downstairs and get it (the cat, the "rat", or both!) out of the house. But he’s his mother’s son…and he wasn’t having any of that!

7:33am - Jump out of my supposed-to-be-a-few-relaxing-minutes of a shower and wrap a towel around myself to run downstairs. Stop on top of the bottom stair in case said “rat” should be running by. 8)

7:34am - Try unsuccessfully again to convince the kids to scare the cat outside themselves. No luck.

7:35am - Tip toe over to where the cat is sitting in the dining room with a mole (dead) in it’s mouth. Ughhhhhhh!

7:36am - Try desperately to stifle every ounce of panic that makes me want to stand on top of a chair and shriek like a little school girl until my husband magically appears (although he left for work 30 minutes ago!) to save the day.

7:37am - Realize I am the only adult in the house and that I am going to have to handle this situation myself. 8(

7:38am - Remind myself that the realization I had one minute prior means that I am actually going to have to take action here. 8)

7:39am - Grab the broom out of the closet because it has the longest handle of anything I can think of to try to deal with this situation without getting any closer than absolutely required. Try to shoo the cat outside...hoping he'll take the mole with him. Ughhhhh.

7:40am - Send B out the front door (in his pj's and socks) to go get one of the red plastic kid's snow shovels so I can more successfully remove the mole.

7:41am - Stifle yet another moment of panic rising because I know the kid's shovel has a shorter handle and that I'm going to have to get closer than I want.

7:42am - Wonder again if there is any way I can leave this mess for when K gets home. Realize I can't. 8(

7:43am - Successfully remove the dead mole. 8(

7:44am - Shoo the cat downstairs into the basement. Close the door. Worn the kids to NEVER open that door and let the cat out again...

Any one know of a farm looking for a new cat to call it home?! Seriously. 8)

Crazy Love

2010-02-28T20:29:00.007-05:00

I'm reading a great book I hope to blog a bit more about over time...

Today I read the passage below that resonated with me...thought I'd share it! 8)

Noah spent 120 years building an ark and warning others of the impending judgment. Suppose the flood had never come--Noah would have been the biggest laughingstock on earth. Having faith often means doing what others see as crazy. Something is wrong when our lives make sense to unbelievers...If we allow ourselves to live recklessly for Him, then we, too, will see His glory. We will see Him do the impossible. (pages 115-116)

Lord, give us the courage to live recklessly for you!

Science Fair

2010-02-25T18:51:00.003-05:00

Tonight we attended the Science Fair at B and S's elementary school. It was neat to see the variety of projects created by the students from all the different grade levels!

B spent time evaluating the data we've collected about the amount of electricity we've made with our new solar panels and how much money they've saved us! He had fun creating a bar and line graph to show his data. We're looking forward to seeing how much more electricity we make on sunny summer days!

S's project included research about healthy eating! She learned about the different food groups and what types of foods are in each one. Then we planned the menu for one day (breakfast, morning snack, lunch, afternoon snack, and dinner) that included portions from each of the food groups. We shopped together and she helped prepare the meals. It was a fun project for both of us! 8)

Although many of the other student projects were impressive experiments about concepts including static electricity, conductivity, and the percentage of water in fruit...the pet snake and hamster stole the show for our kiddos! 8)

B's Bible

2010-02-24T20:19:00.001-05:00

Guess who brought his Bible to public school today for show and tell?!

We're so proud of you, B!

Sounds of Silence?

2010-02-23T13:26:00.002-05:00

After my car-free experiment this weekend (see this post), I thought I'd ease the boys back into playing with one car...maybe two...at a time. I thought this might make for a quieter afternoon.

The video below is an example of how "quiet" my little boys can be when they are playing together with cars! No chance at silence around here...until bedtime! 8)

A Pinkalicious Tea Party!

2010-02-22T20:46:00.003-05:00

This afternoon S was invited to a pink-themed tea party! She had been looking forward to the event for weeks, and she was certainly not disappointed! Follow this link to a fun post about the girls' special event! 8)

Thank you, M and J, for including S in your special tea party! 8)

My Car-Free Experiment

2010-02-21T19:55:00.003-05:00

Our little boys are obsessed with motorized vehicles...cars, trucks, planes, trains, boats, etc., etc.

I know this is a fun and typical "boyish" interest...BUT it is also VERY noisy! W and E can be found racing multiple cars around the house at full speed or sounding loud police car sirens in pursuit at almost any moment of the day (starting about 6:30am!).

This weekend, I thought it might be nice if things were a bit quieter around our house. 8) So, I told the boys on Saturday that they needed to have some time without cars. We talked about great alternatives: puzzles, playdoh, reading books, playing outside in the snow, etc.

Although they were technically car-less this weekend, they managed a few creative alternatives:

- Saturday morning I arrived downstairs to find E driving our LeapFrog letter-shaped magnets across the front of the refrigerator door!

- Today in church while I was holding E in my arms, he began racing the pendant on my necklace around and around its chain!

- This afternoon I found W crashing together three sippy cups and making revving noises!

8)

Full-Size Frosty

2010-02-20T15:02:00.002-05:00

After a few inches of snow fell this week, K, B, and S worked together to build a huge snowman in our backyard! They even "had" to use the tractor bucket to lift up the middle snowball.

You know you're a carpenter's family when an orange-handled screwdriver makes a perfect nose for a snowman! 8)

Happy Valentine's Day!

2010-02-14T15:24:00.009-05:00

Thank you, God, for our four funny, crazy, noisy, and lovable Valentines!

I love that B told me he'd even stop in the middle of playing the Wii if I asked him for a hug!

I love that S likes me to put my arm around her when we read on the couch together!

I love that E laughs and tells me, "Mommy, you funny!" as I'm styling my hair in the morning!

I love that W greets me with a big smile and hug when I first see him each morning!

"Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God."
1 John 4:7

Our Daisy Girl Scout

2010-02-08T09:15:00.003-05:00

Last Thursday, S officially became a Daisy Girl Scout! With the other members of her troop, they led their families in the Pledge of Allegiance and then recited the Girl Scout Promise. They each shared a part of the Girl Scout Law and then received special pins and badges to add to their blue vests.

Preparing to recite the Pledge...

Adding her petal to their troop flower...

Congratulations, S!

I Spy

2010-02-04T21:13:00.003-05:00

W and E playing "I Spy" in the car this morning...

W: I spy something brown.

E (after a very brief pause): ME!

W: Es! (That's how W says, "Yes!"). E's skin is brown! You got it!

8)

B's Spelling Success

2010-02-02T18:32:00.004-05:00

B asked me to write a blog post to share that he earned a 100% on his spelling test today! We celebrated tonight with a special dessert...chocolate covered pretzel rods! 8)

Congratulations, B!

More from Mexico

2010-02-02T10:12:00.009-05:00

We've returned home to a finally healthy crew of kiddos (the stomach bug hit 3 out of our 4 while we were away), and we're resettling into our familiar routines...with a few extra freckles on my nose and a tan-skinned husband! 8)

Here are a few final highlights from our Mexico trip to Playa del Carmen, Tulum, and Cancun!

Outside our villa, we enjoyed a hammock and small plunge pool in our own section of the jungle! Although we don't have pictures, K saw several monkeys jumping through the trees while walking through another section of the hotel property one morning!

This is the pathway that led to our villa in the jungle.

The view of the pool and beach at an early morning breakfast by the pool.

What can I say? We have three boys! We had to take a picture of the iguana when we saw him!

More pictures from the ruins in Tulum.

The thick rock wall that surrounds the ancient Mayan city.

The beach at Tulum.

The picture below gives a better idea of just how crowded the ruins were! There were easily 15 large tour buses parked in the lot when we arrived around 9:45am. After we made our way past the initial tour groups gathered within the first few hundred feet of the city wall entrance we were able to find much quieter areas to explore. The beach below the ruins, of course, was a major attraction for all!

Carvings in the buildings.

After we visited the ruins in Tulum, we found a great beach club to each lunch at and enjoy a quieter part of the beach. I had to snap these pictures to show our kids the playround at the beach club!

The view of the beach from our lunch table!

Although Cancun wasn't quite at picturesque as Tulum, we loved the view of the full moon rising over the ocean!

Our Trip to the Tulum Mayan Ruins

2010-01-28T18:23:00.004-05:00

We had a great trip to the Mayan Ruins at Tulum...and our first sunny day at the beach! K has better pictures on our other camera, but these pictures from our smaller camera are faster to upload. Here are a few highlights from today!

First though, I thought I'd share a picture of our view at breakfast this morning! It was windy, but the sun finally started peeking through!

Here are the ruins! I'll post more of the better pictures from K's camera when we get back home.

Also, please pray for our kiddos at home. B has had the stomach bug today, and Grammy is bravely caring for all four kiddos on her own with the hope of avoiding exposing other family members to the germs. Thanks, Grammy! B - We hope you feel better soon!

Belated Anniversary Dinner

2010-01-27T22:32:00.003-05:00

Tonight when we arrived for dinner at our hotel restaurant, we were told they had a special surprise for us! The staff (I think thanks to a request from my brother, who knows the management here - Thanks, C!) had prepared a private dining table on the balcony level of the restaurant. We had a wonderful, quiet dinner with an incredible view of a fire on the beach and the palm trees blowing in the wind!

The view of the beach from our table:

The view of the balcony of the restaurant - empty (the other guests were dining downstairs), except for our waitress:

The pool area at night:

Of course, we had to make a trip down to the beach after dinner to enjoy the fire!

Kiddos - We love you all, and we're glad you're having so much fun with Grammy and Grampy!

We're in Mexico!

2010-01-27T16:13:00.002-05:00

In celebration of our 10 year anniversary, we've traveled to Mexico...and our kiddos are at home with our family!

Here is the view from our table at breakfast:

This afternoon we went shopping in Playa del Carmen. The kids were excited to hear that we picked out a few souvenirs for them in our travels today!

Here's my favorite view of the day! 8)

We thought the kids would enjoy this one...when we arrived back at our hotel villa after our trip to Playa del Carmen, we found this swan neatly folded on our bed!

Tomorrow we're hoping to visit some of the Mayan ruins...can't wait to post pictures of those!

Sledding and Skiing in Vermont

2010-01-21T09:42:00.003-05:00

Earlier this month, we enjoyed a great visit to Vermont with Uncle K, Auntie L, and cousin R. We all loved lots of time sledding and just spending family time hanging out together. B even tried out his new skis! Thanks for a fun weekend, K, L, and R!

Girl Scout Cookies!

2010-01-12T20:21:00.005-05:00

If you live locally and are interested...S is selling Girl Scout cookies! 8)

Our personal favorites are trefoils, do-si-dos, samoas, tagalongs, and thin mints. But S's troop is also selling lemon chalet cremes, dulce de leche, and thank you berry munch this year too! Check out the Girl Scout website for details.

E-mail us if you'd like to place an order! S has had fun calling a few family members already! 8)

Riding in the Car

2010-01-05T09:16:00.002-05:00

Yesterday on the way to the grocery store, S, W, and E started a conversation about what they want to be when they "get bigger."

First they established that Dad is a carpenter and Mom is a teacher. Then they determined that B (who was at school) wants to be a carpenter, like Daddy. 8)

S shared that she wants to be a teacher. An opportunity to boss kids around for a living is a perfect fit for her...having chosen the same profession, I can't say too much more about that!

W shared that he wants to be an "airplane driver."

When we asked E what he wants to be when he grows up he answered, "Van." I asked him to repeat himself, thinking that I hadn't heard quite right. This time he answered, "A truck." Hmmm... 8) We spent a little time explaining different options for jobs you can do when you get older. He finally settled on "a doctor."

The conversation went on to talk about how Grandma A was a teacher and Grammy Y is a nurse. They asked what Grampy Y does, and we talked about his job and the office they've visited.

Then W asked, "What does Grandpa A do?" S quickly answered, "He plays golf!" (Grandpa A is actually a business executive...S must be impressed by his business meetings in the fairways!) Sorry, Dad! 8)

Weekend Trip to the Science Center

2010-01-03T21:54:00.005-05:00

For Christmas we were given a family membership to a nearby newly-constructed science center. This Saturday morning we made our first visit! B has already asked if we can make plans to go back once each month for the entire year of our pass...we all had a great time!

The water play area was our first stop. The kids loved playing with the plastic balls and watching how they moved through swirling tunnels of water. Then they got to build damns with Legos...trying to stop the flow of water down the ramp before it overflowed the end.

And, our kiddos enjoyed making "cars" (with square wheels!) to race down the ramp.

K found the space exhibit fascinating. B and I thought it was amazing that the science center has an actual piece of moon rock on display!

We can't wait to go back to visit again soon! Thanks Grandma and Grandpa for a great Christmas gift!