Thursday, January 27, 2011

Oh, we love these kids...

It was going to be a quiet month, getting lots of things organized & done, enjoying the kids...
Here's the 2 "not-so-little ones" having fun in Ellyana's baby doll pack-n-play
Ellyana having fun trying on a beautiful hand-me down dress...
hoping it still fits this summer on our growing girl
Zach decided he wanted to try out a tie & sports coat to wear to church...
about made your heart melt

Wanted to capture our little "joy-bell" in the morning..

love her in her sleeper & bedhead with her juice sippy
Zach with his Playmobile people

All 3 kids helping the neighbors with shoveling

Zach finally got his turn as "Star of the Week", he's really been waiting

And we celebrated MLK Day with our Community, Ellyana loved it!

Never had been before, I took the 2 little ones, we had to walk in from the front of the room, the whole first section was almost filled & all the other front seats were marked for "Honored Guests"...we headed for the back (was planning on sitting there anyway). Wondered who would be sitting in the back with us? Looked around... State Representative, State Senator, Mayor...made you wonder who all the "honored guests" in the front were? We enjoyed the Old Spirituals by the choir & some nice speeches. We did have to leave early, so we were glad to be able to exit toward the back. It was a humbling day to remember where things have come from, not too long ago & so thankful for the progress that has been made.

Our month has surprisingly been filled with appointments & lots of stuff going on...the most recent...BJ broke his arm Monday evening playing football in the basement with Dad & Zach, he fell back & caught himself with his right arm. Great mom, sent him to school Tuesday with Tylenol, he was not doing great by Tuesday afternoon..so we headed to the ER. They splinted him & Wed. he was able to get his real cast on. Its an adjustment, since he uses his Right arm for everything.
This is Eddie, he's been putting on casts for 40 years, he was really nice to BJ. We have much to be thankful for...this is our 1st broken bone (surprising for all the sports & horsing around that go on around here), its not his leg (crutches would be a nightmare in the winter), we just had happened to rearrange the boys' room on Saturday (BJ now has a bed he can crawl in & out of with his good arm), and the 2nd hand store happened to have long sleeve shirts on sale for $1 so I can cut the sleeves to fit without ruining his nicer shirts.

And all the kids have been troopers through this unexpectedly crazy month.
We celebrated how great they have done through it all last night. We had to laugh as Brian noticed our table, a familiar theme...chocolate! God's grace & maybe more than a little bit of chocolate has gotten us through! Here's to a quiet-organizing- getting- things- done month of February!

Sunday, January 2, 2011

It was a VERY Merry Christmas!

Finishing up our family Christmas mealOpening gifts at home, Ellyana wrapping her baby up in leftover wrapping paper
Getting to visit the Rinks...the girls are still so similar (don't know how to post the video of the girls flying down the stairs together) & the all the boys have fun together too! Having fun visiting Great-Grandma

Precious time visiting Uncle Stevie with all my siblings & Mom...He LOVED Mom's homemade fudge!

Aunt Bonnie with BJ

Grandma & Grandpa with all the grandkids...Ellyana modeling her new swimsuit!

We had such a good time with Brian's family too, an extended family Christmas, visiting his brother's house, the guys playing walleyball, Grandma & the kids & I out for Chinese lunch, the kids getting to sled behind a pickup truck in an open field (wish I could post the video) & the last day the immediate family Christmas...

Zach with the gift he has been waiting for...

Ellyana enjoying her new Baby Alive


Brian with his brothers & Dad and the tasty fun of a HUGE box of chocolates!

We had great time with many friends & family...we feel so thankful to have each one in our lives! The presents were so fun & the kids have enjoyed getting the past few days playing with all of them! The kids are growing up so fast & tomorrow starts back to school! We thank the Lord for the precious season of fun that we have had!