Pictures!

Here's the sweetest little addition to our family!





Big sis getting to take it all in!


Another Gage????



Ryde, excited to meet his new sister!



Gage, with a peace offering (nilla wafer)!

She's here!!

Adysen Elizabeth was born Sunday morning at 8:37, weighing 6lbs, 3oz and 18 1/2 inches long. Labor went great and we are home resting. I promise to post some pictures today!!

Are we there yet??

I know, I know, I haven't blogged in a hundred years, but things have been a bit crazy around here.


Recap:

• Wednesday: Ryder's b-day, dad flew in, and Paula's senior show (which was awesome). *Pictures to follow-I promise!
• Thursday: Grocery shop for party on Friday, clean house for party on Friday and Lisa flew in.
• Friday: Doctor's appointment in the morning (dilated to 3cm and 50% effaced-not much to write home about, errr blog about), a few quick garage sales, cook, cook, cook, then PARTY!
• Saturday: Girls day!!! The guys watched the kids while us girls played-very fun!
• Sunday: Church and then Paula's grad (way to go!!!!!), Lisa flew home.
• Monday: Dad flew home (sorry no baby yet, you'll just have to fly back!), Mom, Paula and the boys off to Mimi and Papa's, Ashlynn and I started planting.
• Tuesday: Maternity pics with my awesome friend Kia and hanging at her studio. Good times. Lots of contractions Tuesday evening, still no baby.
• Wednesday: Cleaned and cleaned and now have a sparkling clean house, therefore no baby for two weeks :-), Murphy's law right?? Let's hope for sooner!!!!!

As soon as the girls get back I will put some pictures up of all the events in our life right now. Or I could think positive like Ashlynn: "Mommy, can't you just call the ambulance to take you to the hospital to have the baby?"

Sure hon, because it totally works like that :-). Needless to say, her hospital back is packed too!

Houston.....we have a problem

Think we need some new gutters??? Yes, that is actually rain just pouring from the back of them as they are not flashed properly to the house.

You should see the nice trench it has created in the flower bed. Oh the joys of homeownership :-)!!!

Happy Birthday Ryde!!!

Happy Birthday to my little man! How can you be four already?? You are by far the most passionate kid I know, who else is still playing with their gift everyday since Christmas?? Your batman suit is almost to shreds, but you look so cute riding your bike with it on :-)!

I love that you hold my face so firmly in your hands when you are talking to me and you always have to have two hugs and kisses before daddy or I can leave the house. I love that your favorite color is orange and you don't leave home without your red gloves. Your snow boots sit worn and well, let's face it, a bit stinky, but you want to wear them everyday-even if it's eighty degrees!

Ryde, I love your individuality and hope you continue with your intense passion for life, you are the sweetest boy! We love you buddy!

And a Happy Mother's Day!

What a beautiful day it was for us girls yesterday!! The guys took the kids after church so the girls could enjoy a yummy brunch and lots of laughs. We spent the rest of the day relaxing while the guys threw shoes and shot hoops. What fun!!

Honestly, the day could not have been more beautiful!

Fun at the Farm

Tuesday, Randy and his dad needed to do some work at the farm. Since it wasn't scheduled to rain until the afternoon and they just needed to do some field work (planting corn and such) they took Ashlynn and Ryde with them. What a great day for those two!

Unfortunately, I completely forgot to send the camera, so all I have is their muddy shoes outside the front door and the memories in their hearts to go by. They rode tractors and 4-wheelers, came home muddy and tired with lots of stories.

They slept like logs that night.

Good times being a kid.

Happy Birthday Sweet T!!!!

Happy Birthday Teagan!! Have a fun day and enjoy those cupcakes!!! We miss you and love you, Uncle Randy, Auntie Lizzie, Ashlynn, Ryder and Gage. xoxoxoxoxoxoxo

Well Intentioned???

So I find it amazing when you are pregnant how readily people want to give their opinion. Sometimes it's how to raise them, or dress them, or care for them, or discipline them or whatever.

Sometimes it is very silly.

Take naming your child. There you are, belly out for all to see and the first question is always, "Do you know if you are having a boy or a girl?" If you are the kind that finds out, the next question is usually: "Thought of any names yet?" This one is responded by yes or no and possibly the names you are considering.

Unless you are Dutch. The Dutch are very smart. They don't share the name of their babies until the day of birth. I used to think this was so annoying, you need to give people time to "get used to" the name you have chosen, you know, kind of let it "sink in".

Unfortunately there are people who think it is their inalienable right to give their all important opinion of what you are going to name your own child! And, even suggest names they think would be best!

Hmmmm. I'm sorry did you conceive this child? Have you carried it in your womb for nine months? Have you scoured the baby names book until you were cross-eyed and agonizingly exhausted? So please, if you don't like the name we choose, keep it to yourself. It's not at all important to me that you like the name, just try not to be so outspoken when you don't.

Adysen Elizabeth and I thank you.

The good, the bad and the ugly.....

This past weekend the kids and I hit some garage sales in the area and we found some great stuff. The best (for the kids, anyway) was a backyard pool with a slide. Yesterday they convinced me that 78 degrees was "hot" enough to go in the pool and I reluctantly agreed.





As you can see they had a fab time and didn't want to stop playing. By 5:00 last night I dumped the rest of the water out, informing them is was way to cold to keep playing in it. Unfortunately, I dumped the water in the small patch of dirt near the grass and made MUD.

Not so good.

I think it would have been wiser (and cleaner) to have kept them inside the pool. Sometimes I need to think things through a bit more thoroughly....

RIP, farwell to the earthworms.

Today was BEAUTIFUL and we spent the entire day outside! To sum it up:

• I pulled weeds.
• Gage discovered earthworms.
• I pulled weeds.
• The kids were swinging like crazy.
• I pushed the kids on the swings, over and over.
  
• Gage discovered earthworms pull apart very easily.
• I pulled weeds.
• The kids jumped on the trampoline like crazy.
• I lifted three kids on and off the trampoline, over and over.
• Gage discovered he liked the feeling of rolling the earthworms in between his fingers.
• I pulled weeds.
• The kids had a beach party in the wheelbarrow.
• I turned on and off the hose a few thousand times.
• Gage discovered he likes Mommy pulling weeds as this uncovers mass amounts of earthworms he can tear apart, roll in his hands and place "gently" back in the soil.
• I washed all three kids hands, very, very well.
  
• Thunderstorms started moving in this evening.
  
• The kids and I raced around the yard picking up all of the fun of the day (including two full yard bags of weeds!).