My baby is 3

I can not believe how fast time has gone. My baby was 3 yesterday!!!!! How is it possible that it has been 3 years already?

She has been such a wonderful addition to our family and I can't imagine what this house full of boys would be like without her. Riley is fun-loving, happy, loving, gentle, smart, and beautiful. She is a big personality inside a small body and she does not let anything stop her. She thinks she is a big as Noah in both physical size and mental abilities and nobody can convince her differently.

Riley loves life and almost everything in it. She spends the majority of her day smiling and laughing and having a good time. She walks through life as if she is on a mission and is undaunted by anything.

The past 3 years have gone by way too fast and I am looking forward to everyday of the future. She has been a true blessing in my life and everyday; even the difficult ones; is a blessing.

I love you Riley and can't wait to see what God has planned for your life.

Oct. Happenings

We have had a very busy couple of months and I've been very bad about getting pictures posted. The past couple of months we had a field trip to Walden Farms with the boys' preschool to see how pumpkins are grown and they were able to pick their own pumpkins out of the field.



The kids also were able to carve their first Jack-O-Lanterns this year. They loved scooping the seeds out with their hands and eating the roasted pumpkin seeds later. We opted to not go trick-or-treating this year since they had already had several trick-or-treating events at school and church, instead we were able to attend our first Predators hockey games on Halloween.

The kids were able to dress up in their costumes, trick-or-treat in the concourse of the Sommet Center, and watch the hockey game. We all had a great time and we are very thankful to a good friend who gifted us the tickets.



We also celebrated Seth's birthday with his friends. We had a great time at Chuck E. Cheese's with a superhero theme. Seth had a wonderful time playing with this friends and getting to play all of the games. I attempted my first pull apart cake and I think it was pretty good. The kids loved that the black icing turned their tongues black.

Halloween

Here is a quick picture of the kids in their halloween costumes. I have a better picture and I hope to get them posted soon. They were super cute and they love their costumes so much that they have been wearing them just to play around the house.

I promise to post more later about Halloween and everything else we have been busy with the past couple of weeks.

4

My darling Seth turned 4 last week. It has been a crazy time and I meant to get this written last week, but I couldn't go any longer without mentioning my Seth.

My second son, Seth, was born a short 13 months after our first child. He surprised us all!!! But, he has been a wonderful surprise in our life. And after a scary first 24 hours in the NICU, has been a very healthy active boy. Life would certainly not be as fun, loud, or full without him.

Seth lives life fully. He only stops when he literally runs out of energy. He does everything at full speed; he doesn't walk he runs; he would rather be moving than sitting still. His laugh is infectious, and he can make you laugh until you cry. He might run over you in his quest to do something, but he will also be the first to offer you a hug or kiss to feel better.

Seth is always the first to notice people's feelings and the most sensitive to how other people are feeling. And while he is usually the loudest thing in the room, he is very sensitive to being talked to in even a slightly raised voice.

It has been a fast 4 years, in every possible way and I can't wait to see what the rest of his life holds. He is a tremendous blessing in my life and I can not imagine my life without my full of life little boy.

Riley

Riley did not want to go to bed tonight. She cried for quite awhile after we did our normal nighttime routine. Once she was quiet I went to check on her and this is what I found.........



And in case you don't see what's funny about this site, here is a close-up.......


Kids really can sleep anywhere!!!

more pictures

Here are a few more pictures from FL. I haven't downloaded anything from my camera yet, but I hope to get that done today.

Florida

We are home today from an incredible week in Sarasota, FL. We had a great time visiting family, relaxing, and playing at the beach. It was wonderful to have a week of no deadlines, timetables, commitments, household chores, or any requirements except having fun and relaxing as a family.

Here are a few pictures from our week in Sarasota, I might post a few more later when I get the rest downloaded from my camera.


My favorite pictures from the whole week.

Soccer

The boys have started soccer, and while our last 2 games have been rained out, they are really enjoying soccer. Here are a couple of pictures from their first games. And before you ask, no they are not on the same team, they play in two different age groups, but somehow ended up with the same color uniforms. It' s good thing the teams put the kids first names on their uniforms or I would never keep their jersey's or numbers straight.

Noah



Seth

5

I can't believe it is time for this post already. My first baby is 5 today. 5 years ago today, after 20 long hours of labor, I was blessed with the birth of one of the cutest babies in the world. He was quite the surprise, given that they had told us he was going to be a girl. He was a long, skinny beautiful baby and I could not have been happier (you know after the shock wore off.)

He has grown so much in the past 5 years and I still can't believe what a wonderful boy he has become. He loves to dance (I'm not sure he is capable of standing still when he hears music). He has earned a yellow belt in karate and is becoming a good soccer player. Noah makes me smile all the time and he's pretty good with a knock, knock joke.

I love to hear him talk about God and wanting to please him. I love watching him learn something new everyday. I love the wonderful hugs and kisses he gives me daily and watching him smile at something silly. I love how he is quiet and thoughtful and that one of his best friends has Downs Syndrome, but all he sees is his friend and not the differences.

I can't wait to see what God has in store for my first baby. I can't wait to see who he becomes and to help him on that journey. I look forward to all the hugs and kisses of the future; even if I have to force them out of him in the future. I'm looking forward to setting in the blistering sun and pouring down rain of all his sporting events.

The first 5 years have been amazing and I know the future is only going to be more amazing.

First Day of School

Noah's First day of Pre-K



Riley's very first day of preschool


Seth's first day of preschool

Company Girl Coffee

Good Afternoon Everyone,
I am getting a late start on my post this morning due to an outing with the kids. We decided to spend some time together this morning at Jump Zone. I thought this would be fun for us all and a special time together since the kids are leaving tomorrow for a week with my parents. Yes, you read that right!!!! I will have one week without my 3 favorite short people and while I will miss them terribly I'm looking forward to getting a couple of projects completed without my ever-present helpers.

I have to keep this one short since I still have laundry to finish and get them packed, but if you want to see what we have been up to check out some of my recent posts from this past week. I hope you all have a wonderful weekend and I'll let you know next week how my week worked out.

Kids' pictures

The kids love pictures. They love posing for pictures and they have recently figured out they love taking pictures. A couple of weeks ago I let me use my camera to take some pictures here are a few of my favorite. It is interesting to see how they view their world through the camera lens and how they act towards the sibling holding the camera.


Noah posing for Seth


"Seth" by Riley


Riley's close-up by Noah


Riley's dress up shoes


Me and Seth, photo by Noah

Yellow Belt

Noah earned his yellow belt yesterday. We are so proud of his hardwork and dedication to his karate. Here is a picture of our proud new yellow belt. I'll post more later.

8 Years

8 years!!!!!! Eight years ago today I married my best friend. We have changed a lot in those eight years and I can't imagine taking this journey with anyone else. During that time we have taken a few trips, I have gone back to school and finished this time, had 3 kids, refurbished a 100 year old house, moved, and a million other everyday things.

Jared and I started as great friends, (5 years before our first date) and I believe that friendship has helped us endure the difficult times. We pray together, laugh together, and sometimes cry together; although we laugh a whole lot more than we cry. I look forward to him coming home in the afternoons and our weekends together to play with the kids.

It has been a wonderful 8 years and I am looking forward to all of our years together. He is my best friend, my confidant, my husband, and so much more. God blessed my life by placing Jared in it and I am thankful everyday for the person he is and the person he continues to be. Jared is an amazing man who continues to obey God's will for his life and to be a wonderful example of a strong Christian man and husband to those who know him.

I am looking forward to everything God has in store for us and I know that together we can get through anything. I have my best friend to take this journey with me and I wouldn't have it any other way.

Company Girl Coffee 8/14

Good afternoon everyone,
It has been a couple of weeks since I participated in Company Girl Coffee and I have missed it. It has been a very busy around here and I'm looking forward to things slowly down a little bit.

My parents and grandmother were here visiting last weekend and brought a wonderful new toy for our backyard. A TRAMPOLIINE. I'm a little jealous, because these are the same parents that would not let us have a trampoline growing up. Currently, I'm making up for that fact by jumping on the trampoline at least once a day. The kids are really enjoying it and my dad even joined in on the fun while they were here. I think he wishes he had a trampoline when he was younger too.


Seth and Gramps jumping together


This is what 67 on my Dad looks like. Hope it looks like that on me too.

Today's Small Thing was well accomplished when one of my friends called this morning. Life is crazy for us both and it had been several weeks since we had a chance to have a lengthy converstaion, it was great to catch up with her. Yesterday's Small Thing was completed when my husband and I made a batch of grape jelly and canned it. Here is a fun picture from that activity.

This is our 2 1/2 year old daughter sitting in the canner before we got started on the canning. Yes, she is very small for her age, she got my height not her father's.

Peach tree and wind

A couple of weeks ago we had some very strong wind during the middle of the night. We didn't pay much attention to it until the next day when I found this.....



What you can't tell from this picture is that is our peach tree. Our peach tree that was fully loaded with Bella Georgia peaches about 1 week away from ripeness. The weight of the heavy, fruit filled limbs combined with the heavy wind snapped the limbs.

It was a very sad day. We were really looking forward to some fresh peaches, making peach preserves, and canning some peaches for this winter.

4-wheeler

The kids were given an early birthday present by their paternal grandparents a couple of weeks ago and it has been a huge hit. Here are a couple of pictures of them riding their new 4-wheeler. Thank you so much Nana and Grandpa!!!!

Company Girl Coffee 7/11/09

Good morning everyone. I started this morning by meeting a fellow Company Girl for the first time this morning. ( I will post a picture later today) It was a blessing meeting Sweetie this morning for some coffee before she went to tape at the studio. God is doing some amazing work through her and I look forward to hearing more about her work and getting to know her better.



The boys did a soccer clinic this week and had a great time. Yesterday, at the final clinic they were each given a certificate, a new soccer ball, and a t-shirt. I thought they would love having their own balls that they didn't have to share, but I was wrong. Their favorite thing was the t-shirt, for the rest of the day they proudly wore their new t-shirts and told anyone who would listen about them.

As for Small Things this week. I loved them all. I have been working hard at letting the kids figure out how to some things on their own, so I loved getting points for that. I also loved yesterday's Pause for refreshment. This one is harder with 3 small children, but an excellent reminder that we all need a little bit of time. I opted to join the kids in enjoying an Ice Pop while we played in our kiddie pool in the backyard.

I hope you all have a wonderful weekend.

Father's Day

We spent Father's Day with my parents in Ft. Thomas. We were exhausted from our jam-packed weekend, but we had a great time. On Sat. morning we went to the natural history museum in Cincinnati, this is a great museum if anyone is ever there visiting. Our 4 year old did not feel very good, so it was a little much for him, but everyone else loved it. A quote from Noah, "Mommy, there were too many bones."

After lunch and a quick nap, we went to the pool, a great way to spend a hot afternoon.

Sunday after church we headed to a great lunch and then to a local firehouse. One of my dad's best friends is a Fire Chief at a local firestation. He graciously let us bring the kids to check out the trucks and other equipment along with the station. Thank you Chuck!!! He even let the kids pull the cord for the air horn on the ladder truck, it scared them all, but they quickly recovered.

This week has been full of Vacation Bible School. We have had a great time on the Boomerang Express, but it has been tiring since the kids have not been in bed before 9:30 each night. I even branched out of my comfort zone this year and helped teach the 1st graders (I'm more comfortable with the littler kids) It has been a great week. How was your week?

Dinner?

I took this video on Tuesday night at dinner. At first Riley was pretending to be asleep, but it quickly turned into the real thing. Enjoy, we did!!!!!!

Pictures

Here are a few random pictures of the kids.