Two Peas in the Pod

Most of you already know we are expecting another baby next May. A week and a half ago I went in for the second ultrasound in this pregnancy for some pre-screening. I have had a harder time this pregnancy with sickness and mostly massive headaches on nearly a daily basis. So my OB told me she thought I should get this test done where I go see a doctor who specializes in looking for anything that could be wrong with the baby. They do this through an ultrasound and a bloodtest. So I went in, mostly for my own peace of mind, thinking it would be a routine ultrasound. Wrong about that!! Within seconds of looking at my belly she says, "You already had an ultrasound with this pregnancy, right?" I told her, yes, I had one at 8 weeks. "Then you know there's more than one in there, right" WHAT!!!!???? I really thought she was joking for quite awhile until I saw for myself that yes, sure enough, there are two little ones growing in my pregnant belly. My heart was racing out of my chest. I probably sounded like an idiot, repeating over and over "Oh my gosh. Are you serious?" I SOOO did not see that coming, especially since they did not spot the other twin playing an early game of peek-a-boo at 8 weeks. She told me right away they are identical. I have had many people ask me how she could tell so quickly and this is what they told me: You can tell they are identical by the way they are growing in the womb. They share a big sack but have a thin membrane between them. They share one placenta. I learned in this same meeting (really by this point my mind was reeling and I had to call her later to have her repeat this information) that the babies have a 5-15% chance of developing what's called Twin to Twin Transfusion Syndrome. Once developed it is rather serious but since there is a small chance they are not too concerned yet. From what I have read myself it basically means one baby out-eats the other and leaves the other with nothing which can result in some major issues for the unfed baby. They will be doing lots of ultrasounds to watch these two. She also told me (this is amazing that she could tell already) that she was 95% sure they are identical girls. I already felt I was having a girl and have been right every time so I really think she is correct.

Although I was completely shocked I can honestly say I immediately thought of this as a huge blessing and thanked Heavenly Father for trusting me two of His little ones. I know it will be crazy hard and that I will know fatigue like no other time in my life. But I also know how much joy these little ones bring into our hearts and homes and am so excited that I get to meet two new little people that are mine. Sometimes I get a bit overwhelmed at the thought of suddenly having six children and how busy our lives will be. We have just been easing up this year as all three of the older kids are in school and Matthew is the only one home. That is going to change!!! Anyway let me introduce you to our baby girls in their first shots together:

You can see their heads on the left and right facing each other and their little bodies together in the middle.

This baby is affectionately named "Baby A" for now.

And meet "Baby B."

So that's our exciting news. I am now 15 weeks and feel more like 20 weeks as my tummy is popping out, I am hungry all the time and just feel bigger in general. But the headaches are getting a little better, much to my relief and the relief of my family (Jordan!!). Speaking of Jordan, I am so grateful I married someone who has been absolutely delighted every time I tell him we are having another baby. This time was no different. I called him at work as soon as I left the hospital. My heart was still racing and he could probably hear the anxiousness in my voice. I asked him is he was sitting down which worried him as he knew I was getting the pre-screening that day. I told him I was fine but asked again if he was sitting down. I said, "I found out some news. We are not having one baby, we are having two." He was explosive on the other end of the phone. "ARE YOU SERIOUS!!?" When I assured him I was and that they were most likely identical girls he just started laughing. It was really funny actually. He was being so loud all the people outside his office wondered what in the world was going on. His door was wide open when I called. Although he, like me was in shock for awhile we are both delighted. So that's that. I will use this blog to post updates on how the little ones are doing. For those of you reading this who already know, THANK YOU!! for your encouragement and support. We definitely need it!!

Happy Birthday Peter!!

Today is our sweet Peter's 10th birthday. Ten years already! It's hard to believe I have a kid in the double digits. Peter is so excited for today- he got up at the crack of dawn (which actually is nothing too new for him!). We have so enjoyed having Peter is our lives. From the first moments of his life we learned he is a mellow, kind person. He is a friendly kid, trying hard to talk to those who may not have many friends. It's fun to take him to school and hear the chorus of "Hi Peter!"'s from his schoolmates. He is a very creative kid and spends much of his time creating games or other various activities to pass the time. He also spends much of his time reading. He loves to read, especially the Harry Potter series which is his favorite. He helps me out a lot in the kitchen and likes to sit and chat with me about life. He made his own cupcakes to bring to school- white cupcakes with green-dyed cream cheese frosting. He put on green spinkles and platic army guys since today is Veteran's Day. He did a gret job! So happy birthday to my sweet boy. We love you Peter!!

We miss you Sweet Matthew

One year ago today my little 21-month old friend Matthew passed away. Oh, what a very difficult year it has been for his wonderful family.

Many of you readers know about this tragedy as it has so heavily effected my life. On October 2nd of last year I got a phone call in the evening from Michael, Matthew's dad saying that Matthew had gotten outside and in just a short time climbed the back of the soccer net and got strangled in it. When Ave, my dear friend and mother of Matthew, found him it was too late to save him. He did live for a few days but it was evident fairly early on that his chances were not good. I spent that evening with my friend at the police station and then at the hospital where they evaluated her. The next day I took her to the hospital where she saw her boy for the first time since he was taken away in the ambulence. I spent every day, all day with them at the hospital, waiting to know the fate of this sweet boy.

I have never felt such anguish or suffering as I did watching my friends lose thier son. To make matters worse, Ave and I had our boys at the same time and both named them Matthew. So I got to go home to my sweet boy and hold his breathing, healthy, beautiful body in my arms while they were left with a gaping wound of loss.

It has been a hard year and one I will forever be grateful for. I have learned a bit about what the Savior means when he tells us to mourn with those who mourn. I feel closer to Him, my Savior, because of this experience. My heart still aches for my friends as I watch them deal with their loss. They still hurt and probably will for a very long time. But the Lord has blessed them with something wonderful, a new child. Little Christpoher Luke was born on September 28th and is a beautiful, sweet little healing addition to their family. I know he brings them joy and some comfort. I am so very, very thankful to know where little Matthew is and that he is alive and well. What would be do without that powerful knowledge? I know I would be lost.

A few words about sweet Matthew: He was one of the happiest kids I have ever met. Really he always had a smile on his face. He was very athletic and smart. He could talk well for his age. He cocked his head to the side with a cute little mischevious smile. Boy, I miss him! I can still see him playing here at my house with balls-he always went for the balls and could really throw them, even at 21 months. He and my Matthew had a great time together. We miss you Matthew and can't wait to see you again.

Husbands are a Blessing

It is Sunday evening and after a very LOOOOOOONG weekend of being alone with the kids I will interrupt my dish-doing to write a few words about my husband. He has been gone since Thursday morning in Utah for a leadership conference he was involved in as well as attending General Conference with his dad. While I am so happy to support him as he goes to these things, I am so worn out now at the end of this weekend!! I have to say I am so very grateful for a hard-working, hands-on husband and father of my children. It is telling how much the kids adore their daddy when they talk about him all day, pray about him in every prayer, and when Matthew wakes up crying for Daddy to get him, not me. Matthew especially is in love with his daddy. Those of you who know my Jordan know he can be a bit what some may say "high-strung" at times but I tell you what, that man knows how to get a job done. With that high-strungness comes an amazing drive and work ethic I have never seen equalled. He is extremely helpful around here- he is happy to do dishes, fold laundry, bathe children, etc...whatever needs to be done. And most of the time it is done with a cheerful attitude. The Lord knew what he was doing when he gave me Jordan. I need his horse-like strength since I tend to wear out easily. I am also grateful for a man who WANTS to go to general conference and delights in it. I am so glad he is coming home tonight!!

So what have the kids and I been doing? All kinds of things and that is why I am a bit worn out. I tried to make it a memorable weekend with the kids by taking on some projects. Yesterday I took them all shopping and let them pick out a few new craft items such as pipe cleaners and fuzzy balls, modeling clay and fun new paper. I figured it would keep them busy while we watched conference. Peter and Leah LOVE to cook (in fact they all do and clamour around me as I prepare each meal...that can be a bit overwhelming). They each have a cookbook of their own and I let them pick out a recipe to try. Peter chose dilly dip- he loves dip and fresh veggies. Leah chose tomato and mozerella pizza. So we got the ingredients for these at the store as well and came home. Then the fun (and mess) began!! Wow, it's amazing what a mess crafts make. Little bits of things flying here and there, Matthew coming by to dump everyones' piles, glue stuck to the table, or dripped on the floor...So I spent much time helping the kids clean up their messes. They did have fun though. Then it was on to making dinner. Peter did a great job making the dip all on his own and it was quite tasty!! We cut up celery, carrots and red peppers and enjoyed. Leah had fun making the pizza, especially the dough. And that turned out quite well too. So overall it was a success, just exhausting as the mom to let them have such times. Today the kids spent the morning crafting again- making bead necklaces, coloring, pasting, drawing, etc, etc. Again, a ginormous mess was made. After cleaning up they decided to make forts out of all the barstools and chairs in the house. Blankets and pillows everywhere as well as heavy books to anchor them down. Then it was off to play in the backyard for awhile. The city has been doing some construction in my yard as well as the neighbors (long story) so for now where there will be grass there is dirt. Hannah (of course Hannah, who else?) decided to spray water all over the dirt and play in the newly created mud. Although it is the Sabbath I allowed it and all the kids had a good ol' time wallowing in the mud. That was actually really fun to watch and I even camcorded some of it. Then baths, dinner, stories, prayers and finally bed time!! Aaaaah. That blessed time of day. So now it is quiet and Jordan is flying home as I type. Hooray! Long weekends like this sure make me wonder how my single sister, mother of four, does it every day. How do you do it Heidi? You are amazing!! And her house is always clean.

So again, I say I am grateful for a wonderful, helpful husband. Husbands are a blessing indeed.

Proud Mama Moment

So a few weeks ago Peter comes to me and says,

"Mom, I think I want to try out for honors choir at school."
me: "Wow. Really? That's great!"
Peter: "Do you know why? Because I just really like to sing!"
Me: Stunned!

Let me share a little background here. He is the kid that does NOT sing in the primary sacrament performances, nor in Family Home Evening unless we bribe him, or threaten! :) (Whichever works best at the moment!). So I was a bit, or rather, ALOT surprised to hear this! Apparently a new choir director started at his school this year and he really likes her. He says she makes singing fun. The kids who want to be in honors choir have to be in 4th or 5th grade and have to sing solo "America the Beautiful." Peter practiced for me a few times and wow! the kid has a great voice! Who knew??! Very clear and in-tune.

So he autitioned two weeks ago and came home yesterday with the news that he made it. I am so proud of him for trying. None of his friends did- he just decided he wanted to, even though he knows our time here is limited. He will only be in it for a few months. I am so hoping that he will love the experience and continue to sing. He gets to prectice after school once a week, have a few evening rehearsals and then some concerts. I can't wait to watch!

I have to add how grateful I am for dedicated teachers. They truly make a difference, and a big one, in the lives of children. I have had a few teachers in my life who make the list. Not many, as they are hard to find. David Pool, for one, cemented my love of music in 8th grade choir. Never have I had a more decicated teacher since him. I love him for it and am so grateful to all he taught me. Vic Bucy- my junior and senior year journalism teacher who helped me to believe in myself academically and as a person. He saw in me qualities I did not see in myself. And Sherm Lloyd, my social studies teacher who became my friend who I kept in touch with until he passed away 8 years ago. I still miss him. I am very grateful that there are other adults in this world who care about my children and see the good in them and care to have relationships with them. It is truly a blessing for us parents.

So good work Peter and good work Mrs. Gulley for inspiring him to try out!!! I will keep you posted on the outcome of his choir experience.

Off to School

On August 25th we all had a very big day around here. Peter started 4th grade, Leah 2nd and our little Hannah started Kindergarten. They were all so excited although a little nervous. Jordan and I had just gotten back from our cruise 2 days before so it was a little crazy making sure they had everything they needed but all went well. For me personally it was a big day as I have not had just one kid home for years. I have to admit it is quite nice!! The mornings are always hectic as we cram in a lot- Family scripture reading and family prayer at 6:30, breakfast,brush teeth, shoes and socks, making sure everyone has everything they need for school that day, lunches and snacks packed, etc. By the time they are gone (Jordan almost always takes them on his way to work) I am ready for a little breather. It has been particularly helpful as our home is on the market. It's hard enough to keep all perfect without all the kids here. All in all school has been great for the kids. They are all good students and have fun at school. They do come home exhausted though. They work very hard! The kiddos all ready to go.

We walked the kids to school as a family the first day. Hannah was so confident. She almost always is. She is one tough little girl.
Leah up front and center. She was so excited about the teacher she got, Mrs. Marek. A good teacher makes all the difference!
Here is the reading rug. The kids got to school and picked books to read. Hannah is by the basket picking out a book.
Leah was thrilled to be able to sit by her friend Taylor. She loves school.

More from the Bahamas

That's Jordan out there enjoying some body surfing on the choppy waves. This was in Freeport. The weather was overcast but the water was still very nice and warm. We both swam pretty far out there that day.
Here is another shot of that incredible sunset. We ate our meal out on the deck of the ship. Truly beautiful.
The last full day of the cruise we were at a private island owned by the cruiseline. It was exactly what I had in mind for our trip. The water was so clear we could see the bottom even when the water was several feet deep. We enjoyed snorkeling, climbing on the rocks, hanging out on the beach with our yummy virgin pina coladas, eating great food and swimming some more. It was a wonderful day. We did both get pretty burned though from all that sun.
On the rocks overlooking our ship in the background.
My handsome husband out on the rocks.

THE BAHAMAS

On August 17 Jordan and I took off from Austin to Miami where we boarded a the Norwegian Sky heading to the Bahamas. When we got to the ship, about two hours early, they told us to hurry on- that tropical storm Faye was heading our way and they were leaving in 15 minutes to avoid the storm. So we got on and were on our way. We had such a relaxing, happy time. The kids stayed with my awesome sister, Heidi in Austin and had a great time there. She was such a trooper to keep 8 crazy kids for almost a week. Thank you Heidi! Here are some pictures of our trip:

I love this picture of Jordan sucking in his tummy. Enjoying the view from the ship's restaurant. One night we got to enjoy the most beautiful sunset. The wind was whipping around but the air was warm and pleasant. So pretty!Our ship out yonder. We had to take a ferry to get to the island since it was a small, privately owned island. Definitely our favorite day of the cruise. It was so beautiful.

This was our first day in the Bahamas, Nassau. Unfortunately due to the tropical storm it rained all morning so we just hung out on the ship all morning. That too was very nice though...a good book, great food, naps, etc. We got out in the afternoon and explored a bit.

Incommunicado

I just wanted to drop a quick line or two to explain our sudden and mysterious disappearance from the Blogosphere. Put simply, we have been (1) on vacation and (2) scrambling, crazy busy getting our house ready to sell!

As to (1), we travelled to Austin the week after Andrea's birthday to visit Andrea's sister and to look for new homes! (We are moving to Austin very soon- surprised?!?- details forthcoming...) Right after we got back from Austin, we drove out to Arizona for a week with the Fowles- John and Allison had flown in from London with their girls, Adam and Eve came down from Logan, Utah, and Jenna and company were there in Mesa. We had fun with so many cousins for our kids to play with- always good to see everyone. I will post some pictures as soon as I get them downloaded. Finally, after a week of madness getting our house ready to sell (more below), Andrea and I dropped the kids off at Heidi's and headed down to Florida for a week-long cruise to the Bahamas. We managed to just barely skirt Tropical Storm Faye and enjoyed the last week of paradise (and waaay too much food!). I will post more specific blogs about that with pictures when I get them downloaded.

As to (2), we have been thinking about moving to Austin for a while now, but I finally got the approval from my law firm to do so just last month, and we worked furiously to get our house on the market before we left for the Bahamas. With the help of many dear friends, we repainted a good portion of the house, got new carpet throughout, and basically cleaned up the house very well for sale. After an exhausting week we were able to get the house on the market the day before we left for our cruise- let's hope it sells quickly! If anyone is interested in purchasing a nice home in Dallas, here is the link to our beautiful home. We have loved living here and will really miss it! We plan on moving to Austin just as soon as we can sell our house in Dallas, and we already have money on a home down there.

Watch for more coming soon! For now, Andrea and I are back in Texas with sandy clothes, burnt skin, awesome memories of the Bahamas, and happy smiles on our faces after reuniting with our children!

The Eleventh Prime Meets the Fifth Mersenne: Cheers, Andrea!

THIRTY-ONE. 31. XXXI. 00011111. 1F.

It's the 11th prime, the fifth Mersenne, and the third Mersenne prime! It's the number of flavors of ice-creamy goodness traditionally associated with Baskin Robbins. It's the number of days in the months January, March, May, July, August, October and December, as well as the code for international direct-dial phone calls to the Netherlands.

And today, it is the number of years the Earth has been graced with the presence of the beautiful Andrea Sue Clavin Fowles:

She was born on July 25, 1977. Here's another shot of birthday past:

But that was then, and this is now. Today, we helped her celebrate her birthday by ordering take out, making her a cake, giving her presents, and having an interesting pool party. Among other things, she got an ipod nano complete with an armband and some in-ear headphones to use for working out with her ipod. Here she is trying it out already!

All of the kids helped me make her pineapple upside down cake, and Peter even helped me flip the cake without destroying as I usually do! Matthew helped put the cherries in the pineapples and to blow out the candles.

Earlier in the day, Andrea enjoyed lunch with some girlfriends at Pappasitos. ¡Feliz cumpleaños! Happy Birthday, Andrea, on the 31st anniversary of your birth! The world is a better place with you in it! We love you!

Independence Day Redux

We had a truly all-American Fourth of July this year- it was great!

Part 1: The Flag Raising
The day started out bright and early with a pancake and sausage breakfast associated with a flag-raising ceremony at our church. The sobering confluence of religious ideal and energetic patriotism felt there reminded us that both our spiritual and our temporal freedoms were purchased by sacrifices made by others, even the sacrifice of their very blood. We are grateful for the blood of our Savior and the blood of Patriots- the extreme cost for the freedoms we enjoy today, and hope that the memory of the price paid never grows dim in our hearts and minds.

Part 2: The Parade
We went from the ward breakfast to Independence Parkway in Plano to watch the Plano City Parade. The Plano parade is a fantastic one to attend- if anyone is ever in Texas for the Fourth of July, I highly recommend it. It helped us to again reflect on our precious freedoms as we saw veterans, fire fighters, policemen, community dignitaries, representatives from various political parties, and disciples of various Christian and other religions marching by. Of course, there were also clowns, floats, bubbles, marching bands, loud fog horns, classic cars and motorcyles, and plenty of candy tossed out for the kids. I think both Andrea and I got a little choked up at times as we waved our American flags with our children for the soldiers who sacrifice much and generally basked in the rays of July freedom sunshine. Here are a few pictures of the kids at the Plano Parade:

(P.S. We note with serious chagrine the shocking dearth of pictures of Andrea- Jordan will try to do better at taking pictures too so that Andrea appears- she is definitely easier to look at!)


Part 3: The Lunch and Rest
After the Parade, we headed out for some all-American (and, infinitely more importantly, TEXAN) barbecue at Dickeys. We enjoyed an assortment of meats, sides like mashed potatoes, baked potato casserole, barbecue beans, jalapeno beans, potato salad, mac & cheese, all topped off with Dickey's delicious regular, sweet and spicy barbecue sauces. We topped it off with soft-serve vanilla ice cream, always included in the price of every meal at Dickeys. Here is a picture of an all-American boy (Matthew) enjoying his Fourth of July Dickeys treat:


After lunch, we headed home for some rest before proceeding with the rest of the day's festivities.

Part 4: The Pool Party
Once we had sufficiently recuperated from our busy morning and stuffing lunch, we got into our swimsuits and headed over to our friends' home (two doors down) for an afternoon of fun and swimming with the our friends and neighbors from around our neighborhood. The pool was packed with kids, the coooler with cold drinks, the barbecue with good food, and the chairs with chatting adults, all celebrating under the hot Texas, July sun.

After swimming for a while, the kids enjoyed soaking Andrea and me with water balloons, usually at most unexpected times. Hannah was the sneakiest, one time waiting for me outside the back door for probably over five minutes to soak me with a water balloon and a squirting (i.e., untied) water balloon as I came out of the house with a plate full of food! Every time I dried off again, another one of my four kids would suddenly appear, get me dripping wet again, then run away laughing hysterically before I could gather my senses and throw them into the pool (I did manage to get Leah once). None of the other adults there were quite as soaked time and time again- of course, none of them had four children. Getting wet at pool parties is just one of the hazards of fruitful loins, I suppose.

We partied into the twilight hours, but then it was time for fireworks.

Part 5: The Fireworks
As dusk fell, the pool party disbanded and everyone headed back home to change into dry clothes so that we could go see the Fourth of July fireworks. We are lucky to live right beside the main 500 acre park in Richardson, Texas (Breckinridge Park) where they have the big Richardson fireworks show every year. We walked across the street to the park with some church friends who parked at our house, and set up our blankets on a promising spot of grass situated on a bluff that overlooked the rest of the park. We were not disappointed.

The fireworks began at 9:45 pm and were accompanied by live (Richardson Community Band) and pre-recorded music. Hearing the loud booms accompanied by patriotic music, Andrea and I both got a bit choked up again as we thought of the artillery in the battles fought for this country represented by the colorful spectacle of fireworks exploding above us. Our kids were also mesmerized by the brilliant (and loud) display- not one was scared in the least.

As we tucked the exhausted kids into bed at the end of the celebratory, fun-filled and sobering day, Leah sleepily whispered to me that she liked the Fourth of July almost as much as Christmas. Indeed.

A Visit from the Kings

Last week Jordan's only sister Jenna came for a visit from Arizona. She and her husband flew here with their four darling children. We had a wonderful time and really packed it in. We did lots of fun things and kept the kids busy. We did activities with them daily and at night after they all crashed us adults played games. It really was so much fun.

Hanging out in the hottub. Jenna, Travis, Matthew and Leah:

Travis (left) and Matthew happy to be going for a bike ride in Mimosa Park:

Peter and Matthew enjoying a chat in Mimosa Park:

Our newest niece Eliza and her cute mom, Jenna:

Jordan and Matthew sharing a snuggle at Allen Splash Pad:

A thirsty Matthew excited about a drink of water at Mimosa Park:

The kiddos enjoying a snack of muffins at Mimosa Park :

Super Hannah enjoying the Allen splashpad:

Missing: Peter's Tonsils

Yesterday, Peter had his tonsils and adenoids removed. We were a little nervous as we kissed him goodbye just before he went "under," but he woke up about 40 minutes later as scheduled. As he came out of his drug-induced haze, he was a bit groggy and disoriented, but still very polite with the "thanks" and "no, thanks", etc. So far, he has not been in very much pain, and has loved eating all the ice cream, popsicles, frozen fruit pops, and Ramen he can eat. Hopefully that will continue to be the case until he is completely recovered. Here is a pre-op picture of Peter, taken on Andrea's cell phone:


As a side note, some of you know that Hannah has a sort of obsession with disgusting things. That is, she loves to look at things that make most normal stomachs churn. For example, she always wants to look at Matthews poopy diapers before we roll them up, etc.

Before we took Peter in for his surgery, I teased the kids that the doctor was going to let us keep Peter's tonsils and adenoids in a jar to put on our fireplace mantel as a decoration. When I got home, Hannah of course asked to see the jar of tonsils first thing, and seemed genuinely disappointed when I reported that the doctor did not let us keep them.

Wish Peter a speedy recovery!

Catching Up a Bit

ROCK STAR PETER
I thought I would share a few fun pics of the kids. A few weeks ago Peter went to a party and this is what he came home looking like!! Needless to say I was a bit shocked. You can't see too well but he has on a lip ring and a tattoo on his arm. It was a rock-and -roll/ swim party. He really had fun!!
Notice the tiny violins on the wall behind him. One is Peter's and one is Leah's.












A Day at Six Flags
For Hannah's birthday in May I took her all by herself to Six Flags over Texas, a huge amusement park for those who may not know. We had a great time. She is my dare-devil and will try anything she is big enough to ride. While there though a single father with his daughter decided he wanted to spend the day with us. Grr! I told him all about my husband and my three other children but that didn't seem to bother him. I finally told him (after hanging around us for almost two hours!!) that I wanted to spend time alone with my daughter. Kinda funny but at the time it was annoying!!


Trip to Utah
At the beginning of May we went out to Utah for Jordan's brother's wedding. Adam married a beautiful girl named Eve. Yes, they are Adam and Eve! We drove up to Sundance while we were there. Here is our family. It is so beautiful there and it sure made us miss mountains!

Hopping on the Blog Bandwagon!

Okay, here I go. My very first blog!! I have been wanting to do this for a long time but have been intimidated at the process. I guess I have to learn by jumping in. So for my first blog I think I will introduce my little family since many of you live far away and don't know my children well.

Peter

Peter is a sweet 9 year old boy and I am grateful he is our first. He has always been pretty easy going and cheerful. He is curious about everything and picks up on things quickly. He loves science. He is so helpful with the younger kids, especially Matthew. He is currently taking violin lessons and has a really good ear for it. He likes cruising around on his bike, swimming and reading.

Leah
Leah turned 7 in April. She is a sweetheart, most of the time. :) She is very affectionate and sweet. She enjoys reading, pretending with her sister, dressing up, getting her toenails painted, swimming, playing at the park and helping me in the kitchen. She, with her brother, is taking violin lessons and is doing great. She tries hard to be a good girl but has a crazy girl streak in her where she gets all hyper and giggly. She is a lot of fun.

Hannah Banana

Hannah, Hannah. What would we do without our Hannah?? She is our fiesty five-year-old. She keeps us on our toes for sure. She was born with a very independent, strong spirit and although we know this is a strength in her she can be tough sometimes!! She is very, very sweet too though. She loves to make up little ditties and prances around the house singing her songs. She loves to dress up with Leah, play with dolls, swim (she is quite athletic), do gymnastics, pick up songs on the piano and tease her siblings. She can get a rise out of them easier than anyone!! She is a strong, beautiful girl.

Matthew

Matthew turned two in Februaury. Although he is in those "Terrible Two's" he is so darn cute most of the time we just laugh at his antics. He is the sweetest boy. One of his first words was "Thank you" (dee-doo) and he still says that for every little thing anyone does for him. He is such a boy. He loves playing in dirt, swinging swords, turning things into guns, driving cars and trains around and being loud!! He is very, very affectionate and gives the best hugs. He loves to pray and has to say prayers before he takes naps and won't ever let us forget.

My Man

I can't write about my kids without writing about their wonderful Daddy. They all adore him and can't get enough of him. He plays with them as much as he can but teaches them important things as well. The longer I am married to him (we just celebrated out 11 year anniversary) the more I realize how blessed I am. He is amazing!! He is an extremely hard worker, very ambitous, smart, generally cheerful and just a great guy. He has a very kind heart and cares a lot about others. I am very grateful to be married to him and love him very much.

Okay, that's all for post #1. I plan to post often now that this is started. Love to all!!