THE ROWDY RHODENIZERS!

6 months old

2010-07-27T22:53:00.011-04:00

With Olivia we actually held back on solid food until 6 months. So with turning 1/2 year old she also had her first taste of cereal and we HAD to document her reaction...

With all that hard work...she tuckered out with Dad on the couch. (Check out her hair!)

Just a few reasons I love Michigan in the Spring...

2010-07-27T22:36:00.010-04:00

I love a lot of things about living here...but this year it seemed like we were enjoying ourselves with beautiful weather and sunshine while the rest of the country had snow...here's a little more of my April wrap up.

Thomas, breaking out the Harley!

Zac...love that grin!

Olivia testing out her wheels while I weed the garden.

A few snaps from my front yard...

Of course, there is nothing better than enjoying great weather with your FANTASTIC kids...

My Girls

My Boys...

5 Months Old and 5 Times the Fun!

2010-07-27T22:06:00.009-04:00

Our little monkey is so much fun! This month has been a busy one to say the least. We are done Physical Therapy for now and Olivia is making the most of her little "vacation". She loves nothing more and chewing on her toes (something her sister and brothers find hilarious!).

She has started sitting up on her own. I sat her down to demonstrate how quickly she just tips over...but she just kept on sitting and sitting and sitting.

She is sure a happy little girl! Definitely prefers having her Mom close by though.

Not a huge fan of the grass but loves to be outside.

She has started rolling off the carpet, onto the hardwood floor and then pushes herself backwards to get around. I've found her under end tables and behind the couch a few times!

Still trying to figure out the awkward hair...

What a fun month! We LOVE watching her explore new things and try out her newly found talents!

I Spy a 7 year old!!

2010-04-26T23:08:00.009-04:00

Well, this secret agent is now 7!! I can't believe it. We are so blessed to have Elise in our family. She is always willing to help out (especially with Olivia!), rarely gives us a reason for a time out and is always grinning! (with or without teeth...lately it's without!). Elise decided that this year she wanted to have a "Spy" themed birthday party. I was grateful to have a change from the usual "princess" party (although it would have been easier!). We did have fun though. We sent out invitations to each of our guests in the form of an "Assignment" to our secret agent party guests, complete with code names. It was so fun when all the guests called to RSVP in full character requesting "agent... to accept the mission". So FUN!

Here they are filling out their passports with their secret identity...a MUST before being able to enter the Secret Spy Training Academy (a.k.a...our basement).

Once in the secret hideout they were given instructions on how to complete the training. We had a very INTENSE obstacle course with a laser field (pictured below), target practice and rescue protocol. Followed up with a game of "telephone" to test their listening skills...which weren't the best actually. They were so worried about passing on the wrong phrase that they wouldn't say anything at all. We tried to explain that that was the fun of the game to hear what silly thing ended up being passed on...but they insisted on saying the right thing...except Zac (he just made up a new phrase when ever he wanted!).

Then it was time to sing Happy Birthday and eat our cake and ice cream. I had made cupcakes with a fuse coming out the top (to look like a bomb)...it was somewhat successful.

Then it was time for the gifts!

The kids were so excited to read the cards they had given...and they all thought that they had written something quite hilarious!

Well, it was a fun day and we couldn't be more excited to celebrate it with our wonderful Elise!

Bringing a little slice of D.C. home...

2010-04-26T22:42:00.003-04:00

Early in March Josh was in Washington D.C. for a little work and it just so happened that we ALL ended up sick while he was gone. He managed to get a few little treats for the kids while out shopping (Godiva Chocolates!!) and he said that he had ordered a gift for me. I had NO idea what to expect...but when the UPS man brought me a box from "Filomena's Georgetown Bakery" I KNEW it would be good! I had a Cookies and Cream white chocolate Mousse cake with flourless chocolate cake on the top and bottom! All I can say is that it was AMAZING!!! You can tell by the look on Thomas' face how excited we were (what you can't see is that he already had a fork in his hand). Josh, you are too sweet!

This Little Piggy Has...

2010-04-26T22:38:00.002-04:00

TWO tails! At 4 1/2 months we tried our first pig tails! SO CUTE!!

Just Take A Little Off The Top Please!

2010-04-26T22:30:00.003-04:00

It's official! Zachary is the first kid in our house to cut his own hair. I noticed that the front was a little uneven when we were getting kids ready for bed one night. Josh didn't think it looked any different (I'm the one that usually cuts his hair and I'm pretty sure I would noticed if I gouged the front!). When I confronted Zac he smiled and answered "YUP! I had some scissors in Mckenna's room and I held it up like "this" and cut under my fingers". That's right, he cut his hair 5 days before we noticed... while we were in Vegas! What a Goofy kid....lets hope this was a "one time show".

Olivia is 4 months!

2010-04-26T21:44:00.006-04:00

Olivia turned 4 months while we were on our Vegas Vacation. This little monkey was busy while we were all trying to relax...she even started rolling over while we were there!
Here are her stats:
Weight: 13lbs 6oz. 50%
Height: 25inches 75%
Head: 16 1/2 inches 75%

Here she is with Auntie Theresa.

The day after we arrived at home we had her well child checkup and confirmed a double ear infection and a SECOND case of Bronchiolitis. So, we were back on the breathing treatments 4 times a day! It's not fun trying to get a baby to keep a mask on but these pictures capture our little escapade pretty well..."what is this thing?!"

"I don't think I like this thing!"

"I REALLY don't like this!"

She sure is a sweet little thing and we couldn't imagine our home without her!

VEGAS!!! ( the LONGEST post ever!)

2010-03-20T23:35:00.032-04:00

Well, it had been almost 3 years since we had been to Las Vegas. The last time I saw my sister Theresa was the weekend we put an offer on our house here in Michigan. I remember Thomas was so little, Zachary had just got his glasses and Elise and Mckenna were joined at the hip from the moment we drove up to the second we left. Actually, the last time we left I remember watching Mckenna hang her head and sob on the front step as we drove away, only for us to come back around the block to get the dvd player we left behind! It had been too long but since Josh had a conference there at the Mandalay Bay we decided it was the perfect time to take a family vacation!!
I LOVED seeing my sister! She always takes good care of us when we come to visit. I loved just being able to relax and chat while the kids played with their cousins.

Zachary found Uncle Sandy's lap to be a VERY comfortable spot to lounge while he "helped" them play their Lord of the Rings. Of course he took breaks to be a little silly with the rest of the kids. Elise and Mckenna had some very *interesting* costumes
and were playing games from sun up til sun down (and sometimes into the night!!)

The next leg of our trip was at the Hotel (which was BEAUTIFUL!!). We ran in to my friend Jenny while wandering around trying to figure out what to do all day (while Josh was in the conference) with 4 kids by myself. It was nice to have a friend to chat with while we walked around seeing some sights and getting a bite to eat. Elise was wanting to play photographer and snapped a few pictures. Later that night our friends the Woolley's met us at our room. We hadn't seen anyone since Graduation almost 3 years ago. It's strange how the only thing that was different was the number of kids we were carting around. I hadn't realized *just* how much I had missed seeing Holly on a daily basis (we talk on the phone all the time but face to face is so much fun). The picture was taken after one of our *lengthy* but failed attempts to see the lions.

After all of the running around and taking trams back and forth the kids all tuckered out in a matter of seconds!

While we were there my AMAZING sister was able to get us some tickets to go and see Phantom of the Opera!! We had never seen it and boy was it INCREDIBLE!! We took Elise and Holly with us and had a wonderful evening (Theresa even took the other 3 kids for us!). THANK YOU Theresa!!

We finally were able to get to the Lion exhibit at the MGM while they were open...but the Lions were asleep. The kids didn't seem to care and had fun climbing around and watching the lions twitch from time to time.

Next up was the Shark Reef. Holly and the Boys were able to join us, it was so fun to watch the kids "OOOH" and "AHHHH" at everything. Zachary was the only one of our kids that was brave enough to touch the rays

Then it was that dreaded time again! Time to say Good Bye to a dear friend...We sure miss you guys!

Well, we were thrilled to be back at "Hotel Dobbs" to finish off our trip. Olivia LOVED all the attention and the older kids had a blast playing with their cousins!

Sunday was spent (after church) watching Olympic Men's Hockey -Canada vs USA in the Gold metal game... a VERY exciting game. Of course once Canada won Josh had to go put on his Jersey and parade around.

When you think of Vegas you of course think warm weather and pools...it wasn't quite warm enough to swim until the last night we were there. The kids were trying to sun tan while Auntie Theresa was getting the pool heated up...as you can see (by their apparel) it was a little chilly out!

We had fun swimming and playing around for our last night. Then off to the airport VERY early in the morning!!

Zachary had mastered the "art" of schmoozing the flight attendants and came off of every flight with his backpack loaded with every treat you can find on the plane. Olivia would smile at all the travellers sitting around us and Elise and Thomas were full of questions.

We had SO much fun and can't wait to get back there again to see everyone.

Rub A Dub Dub...

2010-03-20T23:28:00.005-04:00

Olivia LOVES her Tub!! We bought it for Christmas, but then I couldn't decide if I wanted to have such a big thing hanging around in our small bathroom...so it sat in our bedroom unopened for 6 weeks! Finally, Olivia hit 3 months and we decided it was time to give it a try.

Bath time is fun again!!

Olivia at 3 months

2010-03-20T23:19:00.006-04:00

What sweet baby! Olivia is "talking" and smiling so much more. Still sleeping through the night and has survived her brothers so far!

She finds her thumb from time to time...Elise doesn't think she could get any cuter and loves to share a room with her!

Oh how we love this sweet baby!

Happy Birthday Josh!!

2010-03-20T23:08:00.002-04:00

Josh turned 32! This year we had a quiet dinner (as quiet as it gets with 4 kids 6 and under). I tried my hand at making pasta with a bacon carbonara sauce and steamed asparagus for Josh's birthday dinner. Pictured above is Josh's new favorite..."coconut cream cake". So easy and yet SOOOO yummy! Later we had some friends over for more snacks. I tried to keep it a surprise but the house was "too" tidy so he knew something was up... surprise or not it was a fun evening!

Just Some Random January Pictures...

2010-03-20T23:01:00.009-04:00

Olivia, laughing with her Daddy!

Those sweet sweet smiles!

I bought these little boots before I had Thomas...got them out thinking they would still be huge and they barely fit!! Had to document our first and only time wearing them.

Our first attempt with a little pony tail...not too successful.

Our WONDERFUL neighbor (and Michigan Grandma), Marisa.

Snow Fun!

2010-03-20T22:50:00.005-04:00

Well, there was finally enough snow for the kids to get out and enjoy. Olivia (as usual) stayed in and slept.
I had to catch these sweeties in action...

I think their faces say it ALL!

Zachary is 5!!

2010-03-13T00:13:00.014-05:00

With Zachary's birthday being a week after Christmas and still having a new baby we decided that having a party OUT of the house would be the best fit for us this year. I LOVE my sweet boys but I didn't need to have 15 5 year old boys running through my house...So, we opted for the Bounce House down the street. I think it worked out pretty well. Since re-opening they have added 36 arcade games (set to FREE play) as well as the bouncers...a little boy's dream! Actually, some of the boys wouldn't leave the games and sat glossy eyed the whole time until the cake. This year we didn't need to worry about decorating, cleaning, prepping for games and yet, long before the party started I found this...

Josh and Olivia were completely asleep on the couch (even with the others climbing all over them).

The Birthday Boy!

Zac, Elise and Vivien (the ONLY "girl" invited to his party...not counting family)

the arcade... need I say more?!

cupcakes and juice. Zac wanted Red icing to go with his "bakugan" party. I had to use an entire tube of red gel food coloring to get it looking like that...that cannot be healthy!

I'm pretty sure Thomas just ate the icing!

Olivia slept the whole time...

Present time...

We can't believe our Zachary is getting so big! He amazes us with how friendly, thoughtful and creative he is. He flashes that big smile and no matter what he's done you can't be mad for long! He'll have you laughing at his jokes or one liners and trying to follow his VERY detailed stories. We sure love you Zac!

Olivia at 2 Months

2010-03-13T00:05:00.005-05:00

What a sweet little girl. Olivia is smiling so much more. Finding her fingers. Sleeping great. Could it get any better?

Merry Christmas!

2010-03-12T23:21:00.014-05:00

I realize that this post is a "little" past due but Christmas isn't something that I can just skip over. We had a WONDERFUL Christmas! Christmas Eve was spent with good friends having an AMAZING dinner. When we returned home the elves had left some Christmas pj's on our door step for the kids...I have never seen them get changed so fast! Christmas morning was so fun (as always). Everyone slept in!!! which is normally great but this year we were having one group of people over for a late breakfast (Josh made crepes with ALL the fixings). and we were hosting the Residents for a potluck dinner that night. So, we were a little behind schedule but managed to have some fun during the chaos.the kids opening their gifts from Santa

Thomas, wishing he could read...

Elise and her LONG awaited Baby Alive Doll that eats and goes potty. She changed about 10 diapers before we finished breakfast!

This is how Olivia spent her first Christmas...

the unwrapping of the Wii!!!

Most of the group.

I'm not sure how it happened but I failed to get any pictures of either of our meals that day. The breakfast was delicious. We enjoyed visiting with the Schell's and the missionaries. Dinner was VERY tasty!! I'm pretty sure that was the juiciest turkey I have ever had! The best part about Christmas dinner is the leftovers...and we enjoyed those for a few days! It was a Wonderfully EXHAUSTING day.

Olivia

2009-12-23T00:21:00.004-05:00

Here are a few pictures of Olivia at about 6 weeks. She is smiling so much more and lately we've even heard a few giggles sneak out. She is sleeping through the night now and we're able to get a little bit of a routine in place it seems. We sure love this "sweet little peanut" as Thomas calls her.

Blessing Day

2009-12-23T00:13:00.003-05:00

Olivia was blessed at church on December 6th. My Dad was able to make a quick trip in to town for the occasion as well. We sure love having my Dad for a visit! Olivia tends to be a little fussy lately so we didn't get too many pictures before changing her out of the dress. I bought this dress when Zachary was about 8 months old, hoping that I would have another girl that would be able to use it so that morning the tags finally came off (I probably should have tried it on her before we got to church but thankfully it fit just fine).

I wasn't going to use the bonnet but Elise insisted that it would look SOOOO adorable! (I think she has been waiting for someone to wear this dress too!).

Olivia at 1 month

2009-12-22T23:41:00.006-05:00

Here are a few pictures of Olivia at 1 month. She is such a sweet baby. I just love those kissable cheeks!!

Zac's tooth

2009-12-22T23:25:00.006-05:00

Well, Zachary had his first cavities. They were planning on putting on a chrome cap once they fixed it and Zac was pretty excited about having a shiny metal tooth too! Once they took another look at the x-ray they realized that it was already infected and had cracked...so they told him that his tooth was wiggly and they were going to see if they could "wiggle it a little more" and give it to the tooth fairy. Zac was THRILLED! Well, after a little "kiddie cocktail", some nitrous oxide and a little numbing he was D-R-U-N-K! (those were the dentist's words). He was feeling a little silly and wanted to know what he looked like so we snapped a few pictures while the meds were setting in...

By this point he was trying to put the rubber nose on his shoes and would slur his words and giggle at everything!

Here is his Molar. The roots were HUGE! it was almost a surgical extraction. Zac was such a trooper! Even once all the meds wore off he never once complained about his mouth being sore. Infact, he would stop everyone he saw to show them the hole in his mouth, inform them that he is not allowed to eat sticky stuff and show them his $1 that the tooth fairy left him. What a good kid!

Grandma Baker

2009-12-22T23:11:00.006-05:00

We were THRILLED to have Grandma Baker came for a visit! My Mom got here just a couple days after I got home from the hospital and we were so happy to have her here and SO sad to see her go! Elise would read to her, Zac told her stories from sun up to sun down, Thomas got in some (much needed) snuggles and some story time in his favorite "I Spy" book and Olivia...well you can see for yourself. Little babies sure love to cuddle up in Grandma's arms! To top it all off, my house had never been so organized and tidy!

Thomas "reading" Grandma his book.

I love those sleepy smiles...they're just tough to catch on camera!

Thanks Mom! We are So glad you came!!

All Things Halloween...

2009-12-22T22:28:00.008-05:00

With Olivia arriving ON Halloween I haven't actually posted about the festivities leading up to the occasion. This is of the kids before heading out for the church "Trunk-or-Treat" that I had been in charge of. I love how Zac is winking at me! (click the picture to see it better).

Thomas went trick or treating with one of the Young women so I could snap a few pictures of the event.

It was SOOOOOO COLD! We had Hot chocolate and donuts waiting for us inside. The kids had to run from car to car just to stay warm!!

This is Elise at her school Halloween parade.

Zachary, at his preschool parade (we forgot his costume so he borrowed something from the dress up chest in his classroom...he was THRILLED!)

Just a few hours after this picture was taken we were heading to the hospital to be induced! That was a very crazy day!!

A Sneek Peek...

2009-11-17T16:49:00.009-05:00

Well, we ARE actually going to get our pictures sent out this Christmas (last year they were all addressed and in the envelopes but we forgot to send them). So, I'm not going to post our new family picture but here are a few of the others. We had Thomas' 3 year pictures (a few months past due) and Olivia's newborn pictures done all at the same time.

Poor Thomas had chapped little lips so he couldn't smile as big as usual...but still very sweet I think!

Our little Olivia at 2 weeks old.

This was Elise's favorite, she says it looks like Olivia is singing Opera.

Her hair will not stay down unless it is wet...poor girl has spiked hair all the time.

We were hoping to get some sleepy shots but she was WIDE awake the whole time!

I LOVE tiny feet!

A Little Blast From The Past

2009-11-17T16:06:00.019-05:00

About year ago last February we were home for Zac and Sarah's wedding and we were able to have my sister Jan squeeze in a little photo shoot for us. I can't believe how little everyone was! These were Elise's 5 year pictures, Zachary's 3 year pictures and Thomas' 18 month pictures. As is usually the case when we try to do family pictures, we bring quite the gong show! The kids had a lot of fun and Jan was WONDERFUL and just let them do their thing while she snapped picture after picture. The family shots weren't planned and turned into a big wrestling match! So much fun! A HUGE THANK YOU to Jan for giving us this little blast from the past...and a good laugh!
Our Little Zachary.

Sweet Thomas, before glasses

Brothers.

Lovely Elise.

And here is where our little wrestling match began...this gave me a good laugh (check out Zac)

A little taste of "REAL" life with the Rhodenizer bunch.

Elise and her cousin Kara.

Our little Ballerina!

Thank You again Jan! We had a BLAST!

A Little Encouragement

2009-11-15T20:31:00.003-05:00

It's funny thinking back to when we decided to become parents. The whole plan just seemed grand! We were so excited to see and hold that sweet little baby and we were sure that OUR kids wouldn't be the "problem child", we would love them, they would love us and we would do everything perfect, our life would be wonderful and to top it all off I would be the BEST little homemaker with everything in its place and dinner on the table. What they don't tell you (or what they told us but we didn't hear) was that, while this is the most rewarding job you could ever have...it is also the most difficult and exhausting job you could ever have!
Well, our life IS wonderful, we DO love our children, I'm pretty sure they love us back. I will admit that we are NOT perfect parents and my children DO have melt downs from time to time ;) and everything is in A place in my home...not necessarily in the right one though but we DO eat dinner every night.
As exhausting as this job is, I wouldn't change it! Life gives you little moments that recharge you for what ever may come next. Sometimes it's the 300 hugs and kisses when they should already be in bed, or just peeking in on them while they sleep, or when Elise was SO excited for my birthday that she made me a card EVERY DAY for about a week and a half leading up to the big day. Sometimes it's when Thomas tells me that my left handed "stick person" sketch of our family is "AMAZING!", when he brings me breakfast in bed (with plastic food) or when he chooses to have a nap just to come and cuddle with me. Today was another one of those days. Zachary was asked in his class today at church "What is Love?" and his response was "Love is my Mom". I guess I must have done something right. what a sweet sweet boy! I am now recharged and ready for whatever tomorrow brings! I am SO thankful for these little gifts!!

Introducing...

2009-11-13T08:03:00.014-05:00

Olivia Anne! Born at 7:03am on October 31st. Weighing in at 7lbs 11oz. and 20 3/4 inches long.

This is a little over due and these pictures are only from the first 5 days (she will be 2 weeks tomorrow), but it's better late than never!

Well, here's a little summary of what happened (minus most of the gory details)...so if you don't want to know than just scroll down to the pictures but for my journal purposes I wanted it written down somewhere. This pregnancy had been definitely the most difficult of the 4, closer to the end I was having a few problems with swelling and high blood pressure. They were sending me for extra check ups and non-stress tests to make sure everything was still alright. On the 30th I went in for another little check up. My blood pressure was high again (about 160/100), my feet were extremely swollen (what pregnant woman can't say that right??) and I was feeling a little out of breath. The Doctor sent me straight to the hospital to be put on the monitors and possibly be induced!! (WHAT?!? not quite what I was expecting) So, I checked out and called Josh to tell him what we were doing. Zachary was at preschool and Elise was at a play date. I made a few phone calls and arranged for the kids to have extended play dates (with the option of a sleepover), packed my bag VERY quickly and rushed to get Zac from school and drop He and Thomas off. Once we got to the hospital and were hooked up, my blood pressure was the lowest it had been in a month!! I was starving (it was about 4:30pm) so Josh grabbed me a sandwich from the cafeteria but before I could finish the first half the Dr came in and gave us our options. She said we could induce tonight, come back in the morning or on Sunday if we wanted. We weren't sure what to do at first, but since we had already arranged for the kids and shipped them to their friends houses (and due to a mix up Josh didn't have the next week off like we had planned) we might as well try and get this party started and try to get it done before midnight (we didn't want a Halloween baby if we had a choice...). Since my last 2 labors had gone pretty fast we thought we could do it (because it's up to me right?!).

So, they hooked me up to an IV and started the pitocin at about 6:00pm. I hadn't had this before, in the past once they broke my water the labor started and progressed pretty quickly. I had a FANTASTIC nurse that kept asking the Dr to come and do just that but they wouldn't...until 5am on Saturday!! I was finally at 5cm at 5am so they agreed it was "safe" . Well, like in the past once they did that I progressed quickly. I was at an 8 in about 15 minutes. I had decided I wanted to try and go natural with this baby and up to this point had been fine. With how fast I seemed to be progressing we didn't think that there was any time to "re-think" that decision. After about an hour and a half I had made it to about a 9-91/2 and seemed to be stuck. With how the baby was positioned I couldn't progress any more. At this point I had been awake for about 24 hours, I hadn't eaten in about 15 hours and had been having contractions (about every 3-7 minutes) for almost 13 hours. I was unraveling pretty fast so the Dr decided to take things into her own hands (literally!). We didn't realize Olivia was coming face first! The Nurses described it as "she came out with her face pressed against the window"...which is why her face is so bruised! It was quite the ordeal but one little look at her and it was all worth it. She is such a sweet baby! We love having her in our home. She loves to be held (and we love to hold her!). I LOVE LOVE LOVE that sweet, newborn smell!

You can see her little bruised face here.

This is the first time the kids came to see Olivia...you would have thought it was Christmas!

A VERY proud Daddy!!

One of the delivery nurses brought us a hat for our little Halloween baby.

All ready to go...

Just relaxing at home.

Me at 37 weeks...

2009-10-20T23:27:00.002-04:00

Well, I promised a friend that I would take a picture to document a little bit of this pregnancy...here it is! 37 week along with #4! I was about to post some pictures of my swollen feet but I decided that I would have to put a disclaimer first...they are pretty crazy swollen!!

Grandpa and the Orchard

2009-10-20T23:09:00.009-04:00

Well, we had Grandpa come for a visit this weekend and boy did we have fun! From the moment the kids got home from school on Friday until we drove him to the airport Monday night we kept him busy! Elise was loving having someone new to read to and show off her school work to. Zachary and Thomas had him wrestling, playing board games (the kids rules of course...very hard to beat them!) and reading stories. We spent Saturday at the apple orchard and had a blast. The weather was cool but not too cold, just a crisp fall day.

They tried their hand at milking a cow (a wooden one).

They had fun running through the corn maze...for a minute or two.

Then there was the train ride.

Thomas was so excited...but once it started he kept saying "can we go SO fast?". I guess it wasn't quite his speed...until he saw all the apple trees!

Here's the family, before the new addition... (WOW! am I ever puffy!! but happy to be there none the less!)

Well Grandpa, we had so much fun having you here! The kids are still talking about how much they miss you...Zac says " I really like Grandpa, I think it's because He's so funny!". Can't wait to see you next time!

Iowa, Here We Come!!!

2009-10-20T22:26:00.015-04:00

Well, Josh had to give a residency presentation back at Des Moines University so we all decided to come along for the ride. We LOVED our time living in Iowa and were excited to be able to see some old friends again. The kids were so excited to get to pull a suit case and stay in a hotel! This is the kids before checking in to the Hotel in downtown Des Moines. It was BEAUTIFUL!!

This is the view of the atrium from our room on the 8th floor. So fun! The kids just kept saying "this is SO SWEET!! Don't you think this is SWEET?!". I have to say that, while I may have an increased appetite being quite pregnant, the made to order omelets and hot breakfast was MY favorite part of the hotel!

We were able to relax and visit with friends. I didn't seem to have my camera out for any of that except this one of Elise trying her hand at pool. We loved seeing everyone! Thank you for the delicious dinners!!

While Josh was giving his presentation at the school the kids and I decided to hang out on campus and play around outside. This picture of the 3 kids cracks me up...both boys have the same expression on their faces!

They had some fun playing in the mist too. Actually, every time the mist came back on we HAD to run outside again!

We were pretty hungry by the end so we ventured to the nearest Olive Garden, knowing that there was something for everyone on the menu!

However, both boys were fast asleep by the time we got there and didn't even wake up when we moved to the table!

Thomas will usually wake up happy if there is tasty food waiting for him (in this case it was cheese pizza). Zachary...well not so much! He needs to eat right away or the emotions start in...

I'm sure he won't appreciate us including this little glimpse into our "real" life...but we aren't always a pretty pose! Thank goodness for ALFREDO sauce! Zac's latest love. This picture is blurry but he was shoveling it in so fast I couldn't get a good picture...you get the idea though!

Our evenings were spent walking around downtown Des Moines. I laugh at the thought that this area used to intimidate me! Here are the kids pretending to ice skate on the outdoor skating rink (minus the ice).

What a pretty little garden!

We had so much fun. I don't think we realized just how much we missed it until we went back. It really did feel like we were visiting home again.

Project Overload!

2009-10-20T21:13:00.012-04:00

Well, there may be a little picture overload as well. I still have a lengthy "to do" list but I have decided that some things can wait a little longer! Here are the last of my completed projects. First off was my kitchen table and chairs. The chairs had been painted a while ago but the table was in DESPERATE need of some TLC! It had a broken leg (thank you to a handy friend who fixed that for us!). We bought this table at a garage sale when we moved here over 2 years ago and the previous owners had it in storage...which left it with a black end.

There were stamps (like the hula girl below) and plenty of marker stains from our kids that needed to go!

Here is the "after" shot. It was a little darker stain on the top than we planned. Our sweet Zachary wanted to "help" with the staining after I had finished the first coat. We had to put an extra coat on just fix all the "helpful" brush strokes that were going in every different direction. So, it looks almost black unless it is in the sunlight...still a better look than the hula girl though!

Next was the Baby's dresser. We had no extra drawers to squeeze this one's clothes into so I needed to get creative! Once we found the dresser, I realized that I already had what I needed to refinish it. So, with the help of a friend (who must have been inspired to call when she did...THANK YOU MARY!!) I was able to get the dresser moved outside, sanded, primed and painted in record time.

The funny part is that the hardware was more expensive than the dresser and refinish put together... but the dresser worked out perfectly for what we needed!

Now for the sewing part. I found a tutorial for a really cute (and easy) nursing cover on a friends blog http://sewmuchado.blogspot.com/2009/02/description-stylish-and-practical.html
I have never worked with boning before but I had so much fun putting this together!

After I finished the nursing cover I moved on to the rag edged receiving blankets (the tutorial is from the same friend's blog http://sewmuchado.blogspot.com/2009/09/rag-edge-receiving-blanket-tutorial.html). Once I cut out the blankets I decided I had enough material to make some matching burp clothes. All together I did 3 receiving blankets and 6 burp cloths and I think they turned out pretty cute! They are nice and big (my babies seem to out grow the usual ones pretty fast)...and SO soft!

Well, that wraps it up for now. Like I said, I still have a lot more on my list but that will have to wait until after baby I think!

Zac's 1st day of Preschool

2009-10-20T20:46:00.005-04:00

Zachary was SO excited for his first day of school. We were counting down for quite a long time it seamed. Once the day finally arrived He was beaming from ear to ear! We had planned out his outfit (he calls them his "hip hop" clothes...and was dancing all through the store when were trying them on...where was my camera!!), he picked out his "Army" backpack that is half his size but no other backpack would do! and he posed for all the pictures I asked for (not necessarily the "pose" I wanted but he let me try to take pictures while he ran around on the step). I think it rubbed off on Thomas...he HAD to wear his backpack like Zac.

This is Thomas after trying to run away to school...he was a little jealous of all the school attention on his older siblings that he packed his backpack with a fruit cup and a toy gun and took off on Elise's barbie scooter. It was a scary few minutes, but thankfully we caught him before he got too far off! He wasn't too concerned about it and he came home peacefully once I explained that the schools were closed at 7:30pm. What a monkey!

Elise's 1st day of Grade 1

2009-10-20T20:21:00.005-04:00

This is Elise before leaving for her 1st day of grade 1. She was SO excited! I'm not sure what she was more excited about...starting school or not having to deal with her brothers teasing her all day!

While Elise was at school all day her brothers kept busy building forts and "beds for the baby" like this one below...

They were collecting EVERY single blanket, quilt, pillow and couch cushion in the house for this "project"...what a mess! But the laughs were worth it.

By 10:00am they were asking if we could go and get Elise, by noon Thomas was just tuckered out! He took a quilt to the love seat, set his glasses aside and was asleep in about 15 seconds! What a sweetheart! (we don't actually have naps anymore...but how can you say "no" to this little chocolate mustache face?)

Double Trouble!!

2009-10-20T20:04:00.002-04:00

I realize that the picture is a little blurry but it turns out that it's the only one I have. Just before school started up again Elise informed us that she had, not one but TWO loose teeth. I was trying to let them stay until after pictures but quickly realized that that battle was already lost. So, I convinced her to let me wiggle the teeth before bed...there was a lot of panic and tears on her part (before I even touched her tooth!). Before we knew it the tooth was out. Now, on to the next one right? WRONG! Elise was not about to let me "wiggle" that second tooth...even if it was hanging forward! So, we left it alone and let her finish getting ready for bed. She went to open her water bottle with her mouth and out popped her tooth! She said she couldn't even feel it fall out and was beaming from ear to ear for the rest of the night. Two teeth at a time! Now the middle two are loose as well as two on the bottom. Poor Elise, has had to give up eating apples, corn on the cob and well...pretty much anything solid that requires biting down!

Can You Do The Can Can??

2009-08-30T22:48:00.003-04:00

Well, on top of Thomas' birthday and a few other things I decided to re-finish my dining room chairs (all 7 of them) and do a little canning in the last 2 weeks.

I'll post about the furniture later when I finish the table too. However, I have canned about 15 jars of Zucchini Salsa, 7 jars of Raspberry Rhubarb jam, and 35 jars (about 65 lbs) of peaches. I must say, I'm pretty proud of my accomplishment. I am absolutely exhausted!! but VERY proud! Now on to my next projects...2 quilts and re finishing my dining room table. Oh yes, and getting my kids ready to start school next week!!

Thomas is 3!

2009-08-30T22:24:00.013-04:00

This is the birthday boy right before his pre-birthday haircut...he was REALLY past due!
Here's our little sweetheart on the big day! We had already been to another birthday party that morning and so he had some nice "swim hair" going on.

I had made a little lion cut out for our game (Thanks Holly for the idea...it was a HUGE hit). But before we fed "Leo the Lion" (or "Kevin" as Zac called him) his water balloon diet I had all the kids get their picture with him.

Thomas was SO excited to greet his party guests as they arrived...

Let the water balloon throwing begin!!!

Most of them weren't the best shot... but boy did they have fun!

We had some pizza and crazy bread...Thomas was in HEAVEN! I couldn't get him to stop eating long enough to get a picture. When asked what he wanted for his birthday he said he wanted "pizza, cake, ice cream and a red present". He doesn't ask for much!

We did a Jungle party theme...and here was the cake...

We sang happy birthday and we're pretty sure it was Nixon that actually blew out the candles but Thomas was sure trying (He thought he did it on his own).

I love how Elise is the only one in this picture singing (enthusiastically too I might add).

We had a pinata and presents but I didn't have my camera out for those. Every gift has been put to good use already! Thank you everyone! The kids had a blast running around outside. The weather was perfect, not too hot or cold and no humidity!! It was a busy day but all worth it for our sweetheart. Happy Birthday Thomas! We sure love you!

S'MORE CAMPING PLEASE!!!

2009-08-30T21:31:00.004-04:00

As the "Activities Chairperson" I was was in charge of putting on the annual church family camp out again this year. I'm not a rugged camper by any means so we camped at a beautiful camp ground with wonderful modern bathrooms and a nice big pavilion to eat our breakfast in (which came in handy when we were caught in a crazy downpour by about 9am). It was nothing too fancy, once you get the kids out doors with their friends, give them some s'mores around the campfire and throw in sleeping in a tent...what more entertainment do you need? We bought our first tent this year. I couldn't decide what to get (that was within our budget). Once we were at the store we realized that the picking was slim (being the end of the season) so we were stuck between SQUEEZING the 5 of us into a 4-6 man dome tent or an 11 man tent. Since I am famous for OVER packing and we are soon to be a family of 6 we went for the larger one (and boy is it BIG!). I will admit it might be a little bigger than we NEEDED...we had 2 queen size air mattresses in there and easily had room for a 3rd. At least we will never out grow this one.

The kids had a blast running around with their friends and telling "scary stories" in the dark. Here is Elise with 2 of her friends.

One by one the kids came to me ASKING to go to bed... we had the 3 of them sleeping sideways on a queen size air mattress and it worked quite well.

I LOVE when my kids are in a deep sleep...Thomas looks so sweet and innocent (he's probably just dreaming about wrestling and "punching the kids"...). Oh, my sweet little Thomas!

I will admit that after only a few hours of uncomfortable sleep I wasn't the sweetest camper in the morning...it took me a few days to be able to walk "normal" again but over all the camp out was a success and we will definitely do it again.

Dead Fish Anyone??

2009-08-30T20:35:00.005-04:00

This summer we put both Elise and Zac in swim lessons (Thomas was too short...by about 3 inches). Zac, (as I mentioned in an earlier post) has started to overcome his fear of water this summer. We thought that we had better jump on this opportunity to get him in the pool with these AWESOME instructors. Elise had them last year and she LOVED them! As for the "dead fish", the pool is on the canal and for the first week of lessons there were a few dead fish in water by the boat ramps. This was SO exciting that Thomas would wake up in the morning just beaming saying "we're going to see the DEAD FISH!". I admit that they were pretty gross to look at...especially by day 5! But, it got the kids up and moving out the door a lot faster if they new that we could try to see the dead fish before lessons.
Well the first few days the weather was a little chilly (did I mention it's an outdoor pool?). Once the weather warmed up the kids were in full swing and having a blast in the water. I didn't take too many pictures but here is Zac (with the red noodles) swimming around. The first session he had a bunch of little boys in his class with him...actually another named Zac. He came home one day and said "Mom! there's ANOTHER Zac Rhodenizer in my class!". I had to explain that there was another Zac but not another Rhodenizer.
He had a lot of fun and the instructors seemed to know how to handle him just right so he would cooperate.

Here is Elise going down the water slide with her favorite teacher "Mr. Nick". I'm sad that we didn't get a close up picture of her with her teachers (Thomas was running to the playground by himself at this point so I needed to snap a quick picture and run after him). She did very well this year. She passed level one and had a lot of fun in level 2. Now she is swimming under water and doing cannon balls without a life jacket!

Here is Zac with his FAVORITE teacher, "Miss Frankie". He thought all the male instructors were pretty cool but he would try ANYTHING if Miss Frankie asked him. They would both light up those beautiful smiles as soon as they saw each other everyday...and on the last day Miss Frankie asked if Zac could wait and get a picture with her. This is how Zac looked every time he was with her...

I sure hope that we can squeeze in one more session of lessons next summer before we leave (and put Thomas in as well). This is one part of Michigan that we will REALLY miss!

4th of JULY!

2009-08-30T10:57:00.011-04:00

Well, would it be a holiday weekend without trying to squeeze in another project?! Not at my house is seems. Our neighbor had moved out and offered us her old picnic table. It was still pretty solid but the top was falling to pieces. SO...I had Josh run to Lowe's and by some new planks for the top while I pulled off the rotting wood planks and pulled out the nails. We still had some paint left over from when we painted the play scape so we sanded, drilled and painted the morning away...

and sadly, I never took an after shot! However you will notice the table being used in some of my later posts (as I get attempt to get caught up on my blogging).

Then we were off to a BBQ with a bunch of friends. It is so nice to get out, let the kids run around and visit with friends. We started off at a near by park playing a little baseball/kickball. Here's Elise waiting to run to second base (wearing a skirt and wedges of course...always glamorous!)
Thomas was happy just knowing that if anyone came to take the kick ball away he had a bat near by to fight them off... He wasn't up for the the "traditional" game, more so just holding all the supplies. Here's Zac getting a quick tutorial from Dad for his first time up to bat...

READY....

and it's GOOOOOOOD! He was so proud of himself for hitting it he wasn't quite clear on what to do next, but hey! a hit is a hit!
After the games we walked back to the Thurman's for a VERY delicious potluck BBQ spread. I admit I ate myself silly (as did most). Thomas was in HEAVEN!

He didn't mind helping himself to more food...again and again...notice the pile of strawberry stems on the table (he was standing there for a while).

After dinner we had fun letting the kids run around with sparklers and set off a few fireworks. By this point Zac had about 15 mosquito bites (they looked more like goose eggs-poor boy) and had stepped on a hot coal with bare feet. SO, with the kids now exhausted from all the fun and excitement (Zac melting down with itchy bug bites and blistering burns but still not really wanting to go) we headed home to bed. It was a WONDERFUL day spent with friends. THANKS guys for putting it together!

Sweet Neighbors and a Sweet Ride!

2009-08-10T17:17:00.006-04:00

We have been VERY lucky where ever we go to have wonderful neighbors! We've had neighbors that are so quiet or rarely home that you don't even realize that they exist OR even better, the kind that become more like an extension of your family...that is what we have here. We have very thoughtful, sweet neighbors that we will miss very much when we leave here.

Well, earlier this summer our neighbor (Nick) knocked on the door and said he had an old tricycle and a little motorcycle that he was wanting to give to the kids if they wanted them. Any parent knows that for a kid there is nothing better than another kids toys! So we agreed and assumed he was cleaning out his toy box... I don't think that this would have fit in a toy box!

or this one...

Here's Nick showing Thomas how the power wheels work. Once we charged up the battery, it didn't take Thomas very long to find the "power boost" button. He would have it floored riding down the street screaming WAHOOOOO!! Thank goodness they only really go a few miles an hour! He was riding off into the sunset...very slowly.

Here's one more of Elise and her friend Lilly. They have been almost inseparable this summer!

Summer Fun...

2009-08-10T16:32:00.009-04:00

Well, these are just a sampling of what we've been up to this summer, of course with the warm weather and being outside comes the joy of that first BRUTAL sunburn! (or in this case 3 Brutal sunburns).
I love how Thomas, though in pain will still smile for the camera! What a trooper!

The boys and I were just hanging out on the front lawn when Zac decided to strip down a little...of course Thomas has to follow suit.

Zac HAS to wear his hat backwards...not sure who showed that to him but it is a must!

What could be more fun than jumping around in the "Lake" that appears at the end of our driveway every time it rains? I'm not sure why we insist on rubber boots when they do it because the boots end up FULL of water by the time they are done.

Zac has recently overcome part of his fear of water...this was in the early stages of that new found confidence...yes, they are running through the sprinkler WITH an umbrella!

It's been a fun summer so far, still more to come. August should be a little slower though...thank goodness!

Elise's Graduation

2009-08-10T15:22:00.004-04:00

I can't believe that Elise is finished Kindergarten! She absolutely LOVED her teacher! This year has gone by so fast and I realize that we are about to be starting another in a few weeks. We are so proud of Elise and how hard she worked all year!

Project Group to the RESCUE!!!

2009-08-10T14:53:00.006-04:00

Well, it's been a while since I've blogged (big shocker!). So, this post is from back in APRIL! The play scape in the back yard is a common meeting place for not only our kids but the neighbors as well. Poor Thomas and Zac had started coming in with splinters from head to toe...it was obvious that the play scape needed to be refinished. I quickly did the math and realized my next turn to host the project group was the end of April...so I prayed for warm weather! Josh and I took the power sander and had it all sanded and cleaned up before hand so that when the troops arrived we could get to the painting! I forgot to take a Before picture so these are "part way through" pictures. After only a few brush strokes the play scape was looking better than ever!

I didn't realize just how bad it really was until we started painting...

We were exhausted! Josh and I finished up around supper time that night. It was a LOT more work than we anticipated but worth it! Isn't it beautiful?!?!!?

I think Thomas' reaction says it...

Now these 3 can get back to playing on their "brand new" playground (...instead of the roof of Josh's old car).

Color Color Color...

2009-06-21T22:06:00.002-04:00

Well, we had out Ultrasound this week and decided to officially find out what we're having. We were pretty excited to get the news but it came with a little disclaimer from the ultrasound technician. We are 90% sure we're having a...
GIRL!
So, is that enough of a percentage to get excited??

Oh Zac!

2009-06-21T21:35:00.002-04:00

I don't think we can go a day with out some sort of "one liner" from Zac. He just cracks us up left and right! So, before I forget them...here are a few more little Zacisms.

Josh: When we have the new baby we will have 6 people in our family.
Elise and Zac: I wish we had 8!
Zac: How about Harry Potter and Hermione, they can be part of our family...and Hermione can sleep in my bed!

Me: Zac, please stop pushing on my tummy.
Zac: oh, because you have a baby in there?
Me: Yup! a baby sister for you.
Zac: Oh, I think we should call her Sarah!
Me: what other names do you like?
Zac: Umm, I like Kevin...yeah, that's all I've got!

Zachary was coloring on his chair in Sunbeams, the story was relayed to me something like this:
Teacher: Zac, we don't color on the chairs! We might have to tell your Dad!
Zac: *pause* Actually, I got a great idea! How about when we put the chairs away we put mine on the bottom!

In church today, the kids were singing for Father's Day. Zachary surprised me by willingly going up to the front with the kids and wiggling his way to the front of the group (Zac says he doesn't like any singing...). The children began singing, there is one little girl that seems to know the words to every song they sing and has a voice that seems to carry over everyone else'. Zachary just happened to be right in front of her and once they started he put his hands over his ears and tried to get as far away as he could saying "it's too loud!!"

Tonight we went out for a walk with the kids. It was a beautiful night with very little humidity so we thought it would be nice to let the kids burn off a little energy walking. Elise and Zac went ahead a little while Thomas stayed by and sweetly held our hands. All of a sudden Zac turned and yelled "Hey! can I hold YOUR hand?" He was looking right past me...he was talking to a couple that was walking behind us. He walked about 10 feet holding the woman's hand until they turned down their street. As they turned he yelled out "I can't wait to come play at your house sometime, that would be so fun!". He also yelled that to one of Elise's classmates that happened to be driving by about 30 minutes later (I think he may be desperate for some play dates!).

Dear Dear Husband, kids and friends...

2009-06-11T21:54:00.004-04:00

Warning...a little long...and no pictures!

I don't really expect much for my birthday. I don't need any big parties, or snake cakes...or even cards or gifts really! A "Happy Birthday" and a little extra help in my everyday tasks is Fantastic! This year EVERYONE went above and beyond! Josh and the kids spoiled me. Zac wanted to go to Target to get me a "girly present". Josh took the kids and let them lead the way in the store ( I was on the other side of the store getting the everyday stuff). Josh picked out some extremely comfy maternity clothes for me. Zac picked out some black sports socks, Thomas followed suit with white sports socks. Elise, (who had been making me a card a day at school for about a week and a half) was a little more specific. She picked me out some lime green sandals, some green Capri's and and a green T-shirt...because, as she said "green is Mom's favorite color...and it's good for the earth". She is such a thoughtful girl!

We enjoyed a family lunch at Culver's, where the boys chatted it up with those around us, and a FANTASTIC dinner out with out the kids, with our some of our dear friends at Bahama Breeze (SOOOO YUMMY). I was feeling pretty spoiled!! All of this happened a few days before my actual birthday.

Well, my birthday was on a Tuesday, just a regular day really. Josh kept making odd comments, or he would act a little funny if I asked about running an errand that night. I was sure he had something up his sleeve...but everything I though might happen---didn't. I knew a friend was stopping by to drop off a little gift but in the mean time I fell asleep putting Thomas to bed. Josh woke me up when she got there and she invited me to go with her on an errand...it was late and I wouldn't want to run to the store alone at night either so I agreed to have a little outing. We only needed to stop by another friends house to drop off a juicer and we would be on our way. I gladly offered to help carry some stuff in (still suspecting nothing), once in the house I could see a few birthday streamers and I was immediately trying to figure out if I had missed her birthday! Feeling awful if I had I walked around the corner to see my dear dear friends and some DELICIOUS treats waiting for ME. I felt so loved! Thank you Ladies for such a wonderful and VERY unexpected night out with the girls...I am truly blessed to have friends like you!

6 years already!!

2009-06-11T21:01:00.009-04:00

Well, I realize that I am getting this post up a little late, and thanks to my issues with blogger I am posting everything out of order...I am done re-loading all the pictures and video, this will just have to do!
March 31st, Elise turned 6! I can't believe my baby is so grown up. We planned a "Queen of the Jungle" party (shockingly NOT a princess theme). I tried to make a snake cake...but my bunt cake pan had a few issues and before I knew it I was baking a cake on the bottom of my oven as well as in the pan! Once the smoke cleared and I trimmed the second cake to be the same height as the first I attempted to piece it together. With a lot of buttercream icing and a few m&m's we were ready to go! Here's the birthday girl before we cut in.

Elise, opening ALL the gifts...Zac insisted that he give her one too (I'm sure she remembers that)

Alright, this is a little out of order and I didn't have my camera out for all of it seeing as it was Josh and I with 14 kids. We started with a little craft of sticky foam and colored sand (Thank you Arts n' Scraps). Then, while I got the table cleared and ready for cake and ice cream Josh took care of the party downstairs. The kids had a "Jungle Dance Party". We hung garden hoses around the basement (like a vine), we had stuffed snakes and lizards hanging all over with streamers and jungle print balloons. After the cake and ice cream we had the pinata...which is when it all got REALLY crazy. Elise went first and pulled the string the first try! So, candy was falling, girls were crying about not getting to pull a string, or someone grabbed more candy than her, etc. etc. Then the parents began to arrive...just in time! All in all it was a fun party, and you see in the video clips below a little bit of what was going on.

Singing to the birthday girl.

One of MANY clips of the dance party...and this was all BEFORE the cake, ice cream and candy!

How was YOUR Easter?

2009-04-13T17:06:00.006-04:00

So, this was technically Easter Monday (in Canada). More and More people are finding out (or noticing) so we figured that we should go ahead and tell the kids before they found out from another source. This was the first time we've had kids old enough to really grasp the "we're having an new baby" idea so it was fun to see their reactions...or lack of.

Bad to Good to Awful to Awesome!

2009-04-07T17:53:00.005-04:00

Well, I guess we'll start with the "Bad". A few weeks ago the transmission went on Josh's car. It wasn't really an option to have him keep driving around with out being able to go above 45mph. We went back and forth on whether or not to buy a new car or just fix this one in hope that it would last us through the rest of residency...we really did not want to add a car payment into the mix just yet! So, in went the transmission...and the car was driving better than ever! (That's the "Good" part).
About a week after we picked the car up from the shop Josh had his first ever fender bender...in the Taurus! Thankfully the other car was untouched, ours was not so lucky... this is the "Awful" part (if you ask Zac about it he says " Dad's car got some humps and bumps and holes all over it!")

My Dad had arrived the night before the accident and the timing couldn't have been better! He became the designated babysitter for the next 2 days while we test drove cars and finalized paper work on our first ever Brand New Car! We definitely never thought we would be buying a new car in residency but that's how things worked out! We bought a 2009 Ford Fusion and Josh couldn't be happier! Every time he pulls into the driveway he's beaming- with his windows down, the sunroof open and the "Chill" station cranked on the stereo. This is the "Awesome" part...

A Little Sunshine Goes a Long Way...

2009-03-06T12:50:00.002-05:00

After a LOOOOONG Michigan winter the weather had finally warmed up (briefly) and the kids could finally go out to play in the snow a little. Thomas went straight for the slide and couldn't stop! Every time he went down he had the same reaction...

This One's For Grandma R!

2009-03-05T09:45:00.003-05:00

Well, Grandma! We wanted to sing to you but didn't want to overload your inbox so here it is...and yes, that is Thomas saying "Happy Birthday POOH POOH", that just tells you that he REALLY does care (he won't break out those words in a song for just anyone!). We Love You and hope you had a wonderful Birthday! Enjoy!

...and take 2...

Locks of Love

2009-02-25T11:15:00.001-05:00

Well, we finally got around to cutting Elise's hair. I had mentioned the idea of "Locks of Love" last year in an attempt to convince Elise to let her hair stay long a little longer. I didn't mention it again but she never forgot it! This January Elise decided that it was the week to get it cut! So we went to Borics and Becca cut off 11 inches to donate! There were a few people in the salon and everyone made a point of telling Elise how proud they were that she would choose to share her hair to help other kids that didn't have it...I have to say I'm pretty proud too!

...the before shot...

THE CUT...

...the ADORABLE Finished cut!

Kindergarten isn't what it used to be!

2009-02-25T10:34:00.000-05:00

I remember pudding painting, making birds nests with grass and glue and snack time...Elise's kindergarten is a little different form my memories! The kids were given an at-home hibernation project to do (with family help). We procrastinated until the night before it was due of course. But at 8:30pm we finished the poster and Elise started practicing what she wanted to say. She was very specific with what she wanted her poster to look like, what animal she was going to present and what she wanted to say. I did a little guiding but Elise was the mastermind behind all of this. In about 5 minutes she had memorized her entire presentation and delivered a FANTASTIC report the next day. Enjoy the little video! For the piece of fur I had cut up one of Thomas' old ratty puppy dogs that the neighbor kids brought over for him...Elise happened to witness the end of that process and she was wanting to explain that to the class that "my Mom just cut up my baby brothers toy to use the fur"...this is where my "guiding" came in to play with what she wanted to say.

Mothers know best!

2009-02-25T10:28:00.001-05:00

I realize the picture look a little gross, but this is just a little proof that we really do know what we're talking about. Elise is usually pretty good about remembering the rules and sticking to them. She obviously relaxed a little as she was playing with her gum in her hands for a second when it slipped out and was immediately tangled in her hair! We had to cut it out about 5 inches up. Her hair was so long that I couldn't even find the spot that I cut out afterwards. This was our first and hopefully the only "gum-in-hair" incident.

Happy Birthday Zac!

2009-02-25T10:00:00.001-05:00

I realize that I already did a little birthday post to Zac but I didn't have any pictures. So, here's a couple.

This is a very sad excuse for a birthday cake, but Zac loved it! I was going to do a cake shaped like a light saber...but it just wasn't looking right. Then Zac decided he wanted a cake shaped like a "red planet". I couldn't get the icing to get red enough...the more I tried it looked peach! So, we got a little creative and plastered the sides with red sugar crystals. We were in the middle of a blizzard, I had a dentist appointment that morning and about 12 kids coming over...I was just glad to be done!!

This little Cutie loves Dinosaurs...

2009-02-25T09:52:00.000-05:00

Well, I finally finished Zachary's Dinosaur quilt. I spent hours and hours at the sewing machine and then hand quilting that darn thing. Zachary was so excited to finally have it on his bed! In fact, He told me that "Jesus would be proud of HIM for having that quilt"...not proud of me, HIM. Anyways, we finally put it on his bed, he was beaming from ear to ear...and wouldn't sleep with it. He still won't sleep with it!
Oh well, maybe that way it will last for his kids to use some day.

Twas the night before school...

2009-02-25T09:40:00.000-05:00

...and all through the house, I was following Elise trying to get that wiggly tooth out of her mouth!
Well, it went something like that. It was Sunday night, Christmas break was officially over. Elise was brushing her teeth and this tooth was hanging forward! I kept asking to wiggle it "softly" but I guess I was getting a little annoying because Elise piped up and said "Can we PLEASE stop talking about my tooth!"
So, as I was tucking her in I asked if I could pull it one time and if she screamed I would stop and not talk about it again. So, in an effort to get me to leave her alone she agreed. One little tug and it was out!! For weeks she was announcing it to everyone she saw (anywhere!). The tooth Fairy brought her a one Dollar bill. She has informed me that she thinks that when her next tooth falls out she will probably get $2...who told her that??

What a Wonderful Morning!

2009-02-25T08:58:00.000-05:00

What could be better than Christmas morning?! I love the excitement of it all, seeing the looks on the kids faces as they see what Santa brought them. Without fail there is bound to be someone that has forgotten what day it is and refuses to wake up. In our house you can't go into the living room until everyone is up and ready to go in at the same time. This Christmas it was Zachary that wouldn't wake up...

...and what could be more fun to pass the time while Zac wakes up than a little nose picking...

here's Zac loving the loot! We had to convince him that there was something more exciting than a sock full of candy!

Elise with her "Baby Alive Goes Bye Bye".

These next pictures are for Grandpa Nilsson...the boys opening their light sabers(spelling??) and Elise with her Barbie that goes in the water...ALL of which are still a HUGE hit.

Ho! Ho! Ho!

2009-02-25T08:47:00.000-05:00

Well, We travelled to a few places in search of Santa Claus and finally had wonderful luck at the Eastland Mall. I realize that it is now February and a little late to share this tip but for next year this is where we're going! There wasn't a line and they let us take as long as we wanted to take pictures. Actually, Thomas was a little unsure of the white bearded man...but Santa did everything he could to make him feel a little more comfortable so we could get a picture. Here's the proof...

Guilty Again...

2009-02-25T08:44:00.000-05:00

Alright, I have promised too many people that I would post things right away...and then failed to follow through (AGAIN). So Sorry! I am officially catching up today, so get ready!

Oh Zachary!!!

2009-01-13T09:49:00.000-05:00

Alright, first I'll start off with an apology. I'm always annoyed when I go to check up on a blog and they haven't updated it in a month...well, I didn't realize that it had been almost 2 months for me!! Sorry (to the 5 people that visit my blog ;) ).

Well, our dear Zachary is now 4!! I can't believe what a big boy he is. All of a sudden he looks taller, smiles more, occasionally busts a move and he cracks us up all the time with his crazy conversations!

A while ago (when Barbie and the magic of Pegasus was still big in our house) Zac and I were butting heads. Now, this isn't anything new... I'm sure most mothers of (then) three years old have this issue from time to time. After a long stretch of time outs for both of us Zac walked up to me slowly with this sweet, sorry look on his face. He started with a slow "Mom, I'm so sorry!" My heart started to melt...until he finished with:
"I'm sorry I lost your money, I just couldn't face you after that. That's why I've been living in the forbidden forest"
Yup! he apologized with a quote from a Barbie movie!

Josh and I struggle with keeping the boys in their own beds at night. If they aren't trying to sneak into our beds they are asleep on the hardwood floor beside our bed (where they are usually stepped on), on the laundry pile in the hallway, in front of heat vents...and the list goes on. A few weeks ago I was tossing and turning in bed. I couldn't get comfortable and I was sure it was Josh who had his elbow in my back. So, I was nudging him to move out of the way but he wouldn't budge. All of a sudden I hear this "annoyed" little voice say "ARGH! I'll go sleep in my OWN bed!" and off Zac marched.

Now, Zac LOVES movies, particularly Harry Potter movies. Last Saturday we had Zac's birthday party (a week late because he was sick for his birthday). He and Jacob were playing in his room when all of a sudden we heard Zac yelling "MY DAD'S NOT A DRUNK!! HE'S NOT!! HE'S NOT A DRUNK!!" followed by Jacob saying "I didn't say he was...what are you talking about?" Josh went down there to find out what was going on. He was (at random) quoting the 2nd or 3rd Harry potter where Harry screams that at his Aunt before she blows up like a balloon and floats away.

I'm sure he'll keep us laughing with more Zac-isms in the year to come. We sure love our sweet 4 year old and look forward to leaving the crazy toddler years behind us and watching him learn and grow. Today he starts his first day of Karate. He was pretty excited last week to meet his new teacher. He kept asking if she was his new Kung Fu Master? (it's Tae Kwon Do (spelling?)). We've been watching a lot of Kung Fu Panda lately.

From Boy to Man...

2008-11-19T17:43:00.001-05:00

Our little Thomas LOVES to shave with his Dad! He has his own plastic "Curious George" razor with the foam soap (Thanks to Grandma and Grandpa Rhodenizer). So this is just a little clip of our baby boy...growing up a little.

A Little Inspiration...

2008-11-19T17:20:00.000-05:00

Well, last year I found a pattern for an applique Dinosaur quilt on line (and free at the time). Zac LOVES dinosaurs so I thought I would make him a new quilt for his bed (just in time for LAST Christmas or birthday). I finished 2 dinosaur blocks, realized what an under taking it was...especially when no one around you knows how to do it either. Last Friday, was my turn for our project group. I decided that I'd have the girls help me get started on the next couple squares. At the last moment I decided that a new type of interfacing was needed. BOY AM I GLAD! It made a world of difference! We were able to get all the pieces cut out and ironed into place on 2 patches. Then I realized how awful my first ones looked compared to the new and improved! So after the girls left, I was so excited that I kept going and made the first 2 all over again and finished the 5th pattern the next morning! WHEW!

Today I finished the block patches and just need to figure out my fabric for the Sashes and such. I think this year it's actually going to be DONE!
So, here are the pictures of the different patches. 5 Dino patches and 4 of the "block" patches...I'm still thinking about the green border though. All I can say is THANK YOU GIRLS!! for kicking me into gear!

Halloween Halloween Halloween!!!

2008-11-19T16:37:00.000-05:00

It felt like Halloween lasted FOREVER this year! I'm ready to put the last of the candy in the garbage and never think of it again! (until next year of course). We weren't very original this year...we all fit into our "Incredibles" costumes from last year so we gave it one last go. This picture is from last year though, so you need to imagine everyone one year older. We did have our family pictures done in our costumes, but I was feeling guilty about just scanning the picture...so you get to use your imaginations a bit!

In no particular order, we had trick or treating and pizza at Josh's work (we forgot the camera- but how many pictures do you need of a family in red spandex!?). There was Elise's school party that closed up 30 minutes early, so we got all dressed up for nothing! Then the school parade of costumes (below).

We had Elise's Ballet party. Her class has 14 girls in it between the ages of 4 and 6.

They were cute though! The teacher set up Hula Hoops around the room with a picture of a ballet position. Each family stood at hoop and as the girls came around they had to show you the ballet position to get the treat... which is why Elise is standing the way she is.

Last but not least we had our church party. It was a decent turn out. One of the favorite games was the "bobbing for doughnuts". I never did try it out but Elise and Josh had a blast...

there you have it! I realize it's about 3 weeks over due.

Our First Time in Public...

2008-11-19T08:53:00.000-05:00

...Well, that's what Josh told the couple taking the picture. It was our first time going to the Cider Mill and Apple Orchard. There are plenty around this area I guess, but it took us a year and a half to get to one! Thanks to Jeremy and the kids for inviting us to join them!
I was trying to get some pictures of all the kids together but the boys kept moving so fast (even while eating their apple doughnuts) that I'm surprised I could even get them in the same picture...

The kids had a blast running wild on the playground, wobbling their way through "The Black Hole" aka "the scare house" and ...

...picking apples in the orchard. The kids were so excited! We were told we could eat as much as we wanted while we picked. They were SO tasty! Elise and I each had one. Josh had 4!

Thomas nibbled here and there on quite a few different varieties. I think most of them came from the ground (we weren't always fast enough to stop him). Why pick one when they're just sitting there in plain view!

Zac HAD to have one in each hand!

We spent the rest of the time at the petting zoo and just goofing around.

I think Thomas is wondering if anyone else noticed the extra kid ... I'm not sure Who she is but she ended up in a few pictures!

Your Opinion Please...

2008-11-06T12:02:00.001-05:00

Alright! When we were trying to decide what to order for our family pictures we were having a hard time deciding on Zac's head shot. There were so many different pictures of him, all with a different smile but all of them are "classic Zac" looks. He's always had that big, toothy grin that we love! So, we finally decided on one to have cropped in to make it a head shot but it didn't work out. Now we need to decide on a new one. Here are the options:

A.

B.

C.

Leave a comment and let us know your favorite!

Our Family Pictures:

2008-11-05T14:01:00.001-05:00

Sleepy sleepy...

2008-11-05T13:19:00.000-05:00

...Thomas! He doesn't do this often but we had a couple weeks where every time he was quiet he was asleep in some awkward place. Here are a few pictures of his "choice" nap spots:

I know, I know, the stroller isn't a shocker!
The laundry pile...

The couch. Thomas had come upstairs and grabbed a coloring book and crayon...the crayon is still in his hand! The book is underneath him. Check out the angle he's sleeping! That cannot be comfortable!

"Auntie Jenn" Part 2

2008-11-05T12:59:00.000-05:00

Well, we couldn't go out on Jenn's actual birthday but we still needed to celebrate! So...we made cupcakes with homemade butter cream icing and sprinkles! I think the cupcakes were only there to hold up the inch thick icing *YUM*.
The cake mix wasn't too bad either!

As you can see, Elise enjoyed licking the beaters too!

Here's Jen trying her hand at the icing...looks pretty good to me!

To finish it all off we had a very off key (but joyful) singing of "Happy Birthday" Thanks Jenn for coming our way!! We miss you!

WARNING! a little catch up and a lot of pictures!

2008-11-05T11:50:00.000-05:00

Well, This is WAY overdue (since this is from the middle of September). I was lucky enough to have my friend Jenn (bff since the first grade) come and spend her birthday week here in Michigan! I think we exhausted her (as seems to be the case with anyone that comes to visit us...hmmmm). We loved having her here and I think we had a little fun...and a LOT of shopping!

This is a little out of order but a couple days *after* her birthday we were able to go out for dinner (no kids). We went to a restaurant called "Fishbones". It was good food and just fun to get out and reminisce and laugh to the point of pain!
Jenn had the Sushi...I'm not a fish lover but she said it was awesome! (it looked good...accept for the fish)

During the week we ventured to the Zoo and had a little fun, the animals were all up close and personal so we got some good pictures. Zac HAD to have his picture taken...they make a cute picture though!

While at the Zoo we ventured into the Butterfly exhibit. Somehow in the *15* trips to the zoo we had never gone in! It isn't very big and you have to leave your strollers outside (maybe that's why we've never gone in...my boys would be free to roam!). Well, there were so many different Butterflies and they would land on some people. I took way too many pictures but here are a couple.

Here's Zac trying to get up close...

My boys are all about waking up our guests in the morning...Thomas loved cuddling with "Auntie Jenn".

This concludes Part one of our fun filled week. More to come!

Chains Anyone?

2008-10-31T10:18:00.000-04:00

Well, we've had a busy house the last while. The other day I had spent most of the day cleaning and finally got in the shower just after 2:00pm (so I could pick the girls up from school). Once out of the shower Zac came to chat with me and was saying something about "going for a walk". I was busy trying to get ready so I brushed it off with a generic "oh really?". Out of the corner of my eye I realized there was more light coming in from the living room/ entry. I ran down there and sure enough the door was wide open! I panicked and made sure Thomas was still here and then asked Zac if he had actually gone for a walk? He replied with a easy going "um yup! I went for a walk to John's house but I heard a dog noise so I came back!" WHAT?! I gave him what I thought was a pretty good "talking to" on the dangers of his choices... but I don't think it stuck with him.
The next day, I was feeling pretty exhausted after a rough night with Zac (who never seems to wear out from being sick and crying all night). I put a movie on for the boys and went to lay down for just a second. I think (from the time on my alarm clock) that my nap lasted about 3 minutes when I realized that my boys were quiet (never a good sign with my boys). So, I panicked *again* and went to see what was going on. They were in fact playing nicely! However, I noticed the "always locked and dead bolted" door was no longer locked or dead bolted. I questioned Zac about it and he replied with " umm yup! I had my keys so I went out side".
So, I think that the chains we bought for the doors (to keep Thomas from going out alone) need to go up to keep Zac from *planning field trips*!

Our Gallery is Up...

2008-10-17T19:22:00.001-04:00

You can check out our photo gallery at:
http://kellibramble.jalbum.net/rhodenizer/
It will expire on Oct. 25th.
If you have any favorites, let us know!

Just for Shock Value...

2008-10-13T11:13:00.000-04:00

The other day Josh was playing play dough with the kids. Elise had requested that he help her build her bedroom (complete with pillows, books, blankets, etc.). Zac saw what fun they were having and asked Josh to help him as well. When Josh asked what he wanted to make he replied "umm, a girl in a shower"! WHAT?!

Recently Elise makes a point of telling us things she would and wouldn't want to do when ever we are out. For example, when we drive by Pizza Hut she will inform us that "I do not want to eat there!" or when driving over a bridge she'll say "I do NOT want to jump that high!". Well, On our latest adventure Elise informed us that she was in fact "afraid of heights". Zac responded with "I'm not afraid of heights! I have a bug catcher to catch those ones".

ABC's and 123's

2008-10-13T10:41:00.000-04:00

I realize that Elise has been in school for 6 weeks now and I'm just now trying to get caught up on my blogging. She has so much fun and wants to practise her reading and writing constantly until she gets it perfect! The first week was a little emotional...partly because my first baby was going to be leaving me for 7 hours a day 5 days a week. It was a little more emotional for Elise though...meaning she was crying at the drop of a hat for the first couple days...it turned out that she had a fever and had to stay home sick on day 4! Once we were over that she has loved it since (but equally loves to sleep in on Saturday mornings).
Here she is all ready to walk to school the first day. She picked out her new school outfit herself!

Elise and Brinley were so excited to see each other at school ( we couldn't hardly get them to stop hugging and squealing).

Here she is at her table, ready to learn! I can't believe how fast this day came and went!

The BIG 2!

2008-10-13T08:56:00.000-04:00

Well, Thomas turned 2! His birthday happened to be the same day as the Camp out so we celebrated a little late with Uncle Zac and Auntie Sarah. Our days were pretty busy and since he was oblivious to the fact that the celebration was for him we just bought a cake and sang to him.
He was all smiles on the way home with the cake...

...and all smiles when he saw that it was "SUPERMAN" on his cake...

and as soon as I can figure out how to get the video from our video camera you'll see how *happy* he was when we sang to him. He spent the whole time screaming "NNNNOOOOOOOOO NOOOOOO NOOOOO STOP! STOP! NOOOOOO". I guess he wasn't too excited about being the center of attention for that part. I'll post that as soon as I get the video...that's our little sweetie!

A little Sneak Peek...

2008-10-13T08:30:00.000-04:00

I have SOOOOOOOO much blogging to get done and my list just gets longer the more I put it off but this Saturday we were able to have our first ever *real* photo shoot as a family (thank you again M and H!). We had so much FUN! Our photographer was VERY patient...between 5 miles of basically stopped traffic, the gas light coming on, and a barely awake and grumpy Zac needing to make an *emergency* bathroom stop...well, we were a little late!
However, once we finally got there and met her...She was wonderful! The kids loved her right away and she learned pretty quick what strange things worked to coax those smiles (we have 2 boys... smelly squirrels and bird poop! need I say more?). We were able to get some family pictures done right away and then she took each of the kids away from the group for a solo shoot. Elise was ecstatic, Thomas cooperated well when he didn't know he was cooperating (make sense?) and Zac...well he made us all work. He was happy just not willing to make a normal smile or stand where he needed to be (not shocking I know! What 3 1/2 year old does?!).

Well, I would recommend her to anyone! You can check out our *sneak peek* on her blog at:
http://kellibramble.blogspot.com/

Just a few more...

2008-09-23T20:13:00.000-04:00

...pictures (OK, maybe more than a few).

Almost every day we were home Uncle Zac and little Zac (who doesn't nap anymore) could be found curled up in some sort of uncomfortable position for a little afternoon nap. We couldn't separate the two. I found out that little Zac would wake up early and sneak into Zac and Sarah's room to cuddle up with them in the mornings...which would explain why OUR mornings were a little more quiet. One night at dinner little Zac says: "Mom, my uncle's cool". That about sums it up. He still talks about them daily!

Some more pictures from the camp out...

Thomas' first driving lesson...I guess he figured he could get us home a little quicker!

We had some fun at Dave and Buster's (without the kids). The boys tried their hands at the football...we didn't score too many tokens at that one (Uncle Rico still had fun though right?!).

Between Zac hitting the jackpot, some "rigged" horse races (we would wait until it was just us playing so we were guaranteed all the tokens!) and Sarah's left hook, it was a blast to get out and be "the kids" for a little while!

Thanks guys for letting us wear you out! Can't wait to see you in December!

Those two love birds...

2008-09-23T18:37:00.000-04:00

...were so fun to have around! Zac and Sarah stayed with us on their way to Montreal. We were thrilled to see them! They were quite the troopers, it was a crazy busy between the camp out, Thomas' birthday, Elise getting ready for school and just everyday life but we were able to squeeze in some fun. We hit the Detroit Zoo one afternoon, Lake Saint Clair and Dave and Buster's.

We've put our zoo pass to pretty good use this year, but the kids never seem to get sick of it.

Thomas, between cutting molars and just being 2! was about as warm and fuzzy during there visit and this guy...
So, we were thrilled when he finally gave in...and took a little breather!
We ended the day with are newest tradition...a little train ride!

A few firsts...

2008-09-23T16:37:00.000-04:00

August 22 was our Ward Campout (and Thomas' birthday), as well as the day Zac and Sarah arrived at our house. We didn't give them much time to settle in! They pulled up at about 1:30am and we had them camping that night at this place...
It was a beautiful setting for our very first time camping...and VERY humid! That didn't stop us from having fun.
Zac was so excited to help set up camp.

Thomas woke up pretty grumpy the next morning(shocked?). Thanks to a friend with a pop tart the fit didn't last too long.

The men did an awesome job on breakfast! We decided that since the food turned out so good this year that maybe next year we'll kick it up a knotch...maybe crepes, or eggs benedict??

We spent the rest of the morning with the kids playing in the creek and getting pretty filthy! My boys are pretty skilled when it comes to playing in dirt... but nothing like our friends little girl! Those dirty fingers sure make that marshmallow look clean!

All in all it was a fun event. We were so glad that Zac and Sarah could join us (even though there is a lack of pictures...maybe on another post)

A Little Salsa Anyone?

2008-09-13T09:19:00.000-04:00

I realize that this is not in chronological order and I have no pictures to go with this ( not to mention, a million other posts waiting to get done!). However, this was so fun I had to put a little blurb up here.
Last night, we (along with a few other couples) had SALSA Dancing lessons. This was a birthday surprise for a friend from her husband. Just the THOUGHT of Dancing in front of professionals (and friends!) made my heart pound, but we danced up a sweat and had a BLAST!
When Josh and I were dating, he begged me to take swing dance lessons with him... I of course was too worried that he would see my lack of rhythm/coordination and leave me on the dance floor. So, last night was my chance to step out of my comfort zone and have a little fun. I have no idea what I looked like while dancing (I had to watch the instructors to make sure I was on track), if there were cameras anywhere I'm sure we would be rolling on the floor laughing! All I can say is, we definitely need to do this again sometime!
Thanks again guys for the AWESOME evening! Because of you I was dreaming of Salsa all night.

A little Vacation...

2008-09-10T09:43:00.000-04:00

from blogging it seems. We have been CRAZY busy here between company (which we were THRILLED to have), Elise starting school, and just everyday life.

So, I promise I will get back on the ball and try to catch up as soon as I catch my breath!

Duck, Duck, Goose Egg!

2008-08-15T14:44:00.000-04:00

Apparently this game is a favorite in our house. I'll apologize in advance for all the pictures. However, since all 3 of our kids have now reached this right of passage I felt the need to show both the egg and the culprit.
Last fall, Thomas had his first "real" egg...

...when he met up with these!

Zac was playing innocently while holding a revolving sprinkler (while it was on). Unfortunately, when it sprayed him in the face he was standing a little too close to....

...THIS!

And, last but not least, our most recent transaction was last night. Daddy had come home from being on-call and was having a little play wrestle match with the kids. An accidental kick from one of her brothers and an attempt to catch her by Dad...Elise landed face first....

...on the fireplace stoop!

There you have it, we've been EGGED! The swelling has gone down on Elises head but we didn't realize until last night while she was sleeping that her nose was hit in the process too. Her forehead is swollen and leads straight down to the bottom of her nose. I'm hoping she doesn't end up with black eyes...2 weeks before starting kindergarten. I can only imagine the questions!

ZOO PALS...

2008-08-12T16:14:00.001-04:00

Friday morning we met with a few friends at the Detroit Zoo for a little change of scenery. The weather was perfect, kids were in a good mood...I was a little stressed out (shocked?).

I tend to get a little stressed when I have my kids in a huge public place...mainly because my boys are not the slightest bit shy...or concerned if they have no idea where I am. Either way, the kids were thrilled to be out and about with friends.

Zac had his "buddies" Fin and Kivi, (ages 7 and 9?) that he followed around happily. When he couldn't find them he would join another family at their table and have a chat with whom ever would listen (Usually another Mom looking around to see who this kid belongs to?) I'm used to that look every time we play in public. Thomas hung out in strollers and wandered around close by. Elise was more than happy to have her friends Aili and Sofia with her and the three stuck together most of the day.

We decided to take the train back to the entrance. We've never done this before and thought it be a nice little treat for the kids. There was a day camp group waiting when we got to the station, so we knew it would be tight if we could all fit. After a little convincing the worker said the last half of us could squeeze in and to go ahead and get on the train. Well, the guy on the other side wouldn't open the gates for us and next thing we knew the train took off with our friends and left us (and the other worker) behind! They apologized and gave us free tickets.

It was the end of the day, Thomas had broken his glasses and we were a little grumpy and tired. BUT once we finally got on the train...

It was all squeals and giggles! What a fun way to end the day!

TWO EYES OR FOUR...

2008-08-12T15:14:00.000-04:00

It doesn't seem to matter how many for this little ball of energy...however, he's definitely more accurate with four.

A couple months ago we noticed Thomas was acting strange about certain things. He had stopped going down stairs by himself and we caught him squinting a little. We had already been through all of this with Zac 18 months ago.

I took Thomas into the doctors thinking they would tell me I was paranoid! I didn't over react (this time) and he got his glasses about a month ago.
Since Zac is on his 8th set of frames in 20 months ( the 3 most recent replacements were due to Thomas) we were thinking ahead and got the more flexible (and expensive) frames...which he has already bent numerous times and broke them at the Zoo! (Thank goodness for warranty's). It didn't seem to take long for him to realize that the world looks better in focus.

How do you put into words...

2008-08-07T09:22:00.000-04:00

just what someone meant to you? Almost 3 weeks ago I lost a dear friend, a BEST friend, an honorary sister. Ali was travelling with her parents and her 3 children to a family reunion when the accident happened. Our hearts are broken. The tears come and go and some days seem easy to get through and others are full of reminders of what we're missing.

Ali was the type of person that made you feel loved and accepted from the moment you met. I remember sitting at Baker's Square eating pie with the other wives at graduation last year. Somehow it came out that we were both going to Michigan for our husbands residency and that we were in fact buying houses only a few blocks from each other. To top it all off we both had (or were about to have) a girl and two boys all the same ages! Life in Michigan just got a little brighter!

Our days were filled with lengthy phone calls (shocking I know!) or visits on the grassy knoll between our houses...that always ended up with us walking to one of our homes for snacks and potty breaks. On rainy days or those too hot to be outside we were at the "ghetto mall" play place or McDonalds for their free kids ice cream cones and a change of scenery. What ever we did it was usually together, or talking on the phone while getting ready or exchanging kids for those rare nights out with our husbands. It didn't matter if we were all "gussied up" or in sweats and pony tails. We could always count on each other. We would chat about everything, either stressful or exciting. The best part, is that Ali could find something to laugh about in almost every situation. She could lighten the load with a good ol' belly aching laugh.

It still seems like a bad dream that I'm waiting to wake from... I hate when reality sets in.

We all miss her so much!

Drumroll Please...

2008-07-30T02:20:00.000-04:00

Ta-Da! We have officially jumped onto the blogging bandwagon. We have enjoyed keeping up on everyone else's blogs and finally decided that it was time (with a little nudge) to start one ourselves. If a link to your blog isn't listed here, and you're ok with us adding it, please leave us a comment or send an email so that we can add you!

We'll get our first "real" post up soon!