Winter Wonders

Christmas Extravaganza

2012-01-16T09:38:00.013-06:00

The holidays are always a crazy time of year for our family. This year we attended 4 extended family celebrations and had our own "family" Christmas at home with the kids. It equals out to a lot of food, a lot of presents, a lot of traveling, and a lot of fun!

Our tree at home with the presents underneath. This year the kids opened their presents on Christmas Eve morning. They were so excited to wake up to presents under the tree. This year we did not act out the events of Jesus's birth, but we did read from the bible and explain to the children that we give presents at Christmas time because God gave us the greatest present of all - baby Jesus.

I wrapped the bikes in blankets...not very creative.

We try to stick to giving our kids three presents because that is what Jesus got when he was born. We typically follow the something you want, something you need, and something to read rule. This year it worked out that they all got 5 presents to open since I "encouraged" them "buy" presents for each other as well. The big gifts were new bikes for Gabe and Avery and a fish tank for Cael!

My mom got Luke a talking preacher bear...it is seriously cute and funny and is something all the kids play with on a daily basis. The bear talks and gives 5 minute sermon about how God made each child and how the children are so loved.

Christmas at my parents house was very different this year. My brother and his family moved to Brazil and so it seemed very quiet without three extra kids buzzing around. We really missed Scott, Tami, and the boys but we were so thankful that we could Skype them on Christmas day.

Gabe is trying to get his ears to wiggle like Great Grandpa Wayne's ears

Great Grandma Arlene ready to eat Christmas dinner...my mom had her dining room table looking so pretty. After dinner we attended Christmas Eve service at my parents church and then spent some time playing games at my aunts house.

The boys playing with "Noah" the bear in the morning

On Christmas morning we headed over to a tree farm near my parents house that has reindeer. The kids loved feeding the deer apples.

Since the weather was so warm we took the kids over to the lake's dam to run up and down the ginormous hill to burn off some energy. I thought I would run up and down hill a couple to burn off some holiday calories!

We joked that despite all the new toys back at my parents house the kids preferred playing on the fence ropes by the dam.

The day after Christmas we drove up north and celebrated with Kopishke's. This is probably the kid's most anticipated celebration for our kids because they get to stay in a hotel, swim, and play with a bunch of cousins.

The crew playing cards while the kids were swimming.

A bunch of cousins working on crafts

Meet Greg. Greg is Corbin's uncle. He is a wonderful man and Avery adores him. Greg is officially wrapped around Avery's little finger as he gave her two dollars simply because she asked if he had any money that he would like to give her! We thought about making her return the cash, but I think they both had fun with their little secret.

I failed to take the camera to a couple of celebrations, but it is apparent that this season was overflowing with love, joy, family, and countless blessings.

Christmas Treat

2012-01-15T07:23:00.004-06:00

This year I was finally able to get organized enough give jars of homemade chex mix with a white chocolate coating to my neighbors. It was a fun activity to do with the kiddos who helped with the whole project. We put the mix into mason jars with pretty labels and bows. The kiddos delivered the gifts all by themselves! Cael was in charge of the getting the correct jars to the correct houses, Avery was in charge of knocking on the doors, and Gabe was in charge of looking adorable. It was the perfect way to get into the giving spirit of the holidays!

We had amazing warm and sunny weather in the middle of December

Cael's favorite ISU pullover. He would wear it everyday if I let him...

My precious little elves

Luke 7 months!

2012-01-14T07:15:00.003-06:00

Little Luke is 7 months old! He continues to be a super sweet, smiley baby. He weighs roughly 18 pounds (46th percentile) and is 28 inches tall (99th percentile). He has mastered an army crawl, inch worm move that allows him to get whenever he wants to go and he can go fast! Luke is not a fan of baby food and I have a feeling that we may skip this stage altogether and head right into finger foods. He really misses me in the middle of the night and enjoys a little bonding time around 2 a.m. He drools and drools and drools and has two teeth to show for it. He has found his voice and nothing makes me smile more than the sounds of a squealing, jabbering, happy baby.

First tooth

2011-12-26T07:39:00.003-06:00

Luke has his first tooth - 6.5 months old :)

Gymnastics!

2011-12-16T07:04:00.009-06:00

Avery started gymnastics this year and absolutely LOVES it! The gym is awesome, her teacher is awesome, and we have both made some awesome friends! It is so nice for to her be involved in something where I get along with the other mommies as much as she gets along with the girls. Her teacher told me that she has a lot of "natural talent and ability". I am not sure if she says that to everyone, but Avery was BEAMING after the compliment.

Isn't she just adorable in her leotard?

Handstand

Gabe was such a patient, quiet little guy while I was taking pictures...I was so proud of him!

Silly boy

I will let you know when we are headed for the Olympics!

Going away...

2011-12-13T13:47:00.002-06:00

This fall my brother moved his family to Brazil for a 2 year work assignment. Prior to his departure we had a "going away" party at their house. It was a super fun weekend, and one last opportunity for all the cousins to play together. We miss them terribly, but know that are on an amazing, once-in-a-lifetime adventure!

Scott and Grandma Wilcox

Me, Karen, Tami, Grandpa Wilcox

Owen, Gabriel, Ethan

Isaac and Cael

Scott and Tami and all the cousins...

Owen's birthday

2011-12-13T13:44:00.002-06:00

This summer we celebrated sweet Owen's first birthday at my parents during the 4th of July weekend. It was great fun. He is such a wonderful little boy!

Owen opening presents

All the cousins playing on the utility vehicle

Avery and Ethan

6 months!

2011-12-11T21:28:00.005-06:00

HO HO HO!

Love his BLUE eyes

Little Luke will be 6 months old tomorrow. He is such a sweet and happy baby. I bet he weighs close 20 pounds, but won't know for sure as his 6 month well baby check isn't for another couple weeks. He can now sit unassisted for a minute or so, has found his voice, and doesn't really care for baby food. He is a trooper putting up with a lot of "love" from his siblings. We sure are blessed...Luke is such a special part of our family.

Christmas is just around the corner!

2011-12-06T14:34:00.006-06:00

Gabe's favorite saying is "Christmas is just around the corner", so last Friday we decided it was time to decorate! It was a fun night. I love watching how excited the kids are about decorating for the holidays. What I love even more is that Cael noticed that we don't have a Nativity scene, and wants to buy one. What a sweet reminder from a child that Christmas is about celebrating the birth of Jesus!

Avery and Corbin worked hard to get the angel up on the top of the tree. Later that night I moved the tree into the corner and straightened the angel. Both Corbin and Avery noticed that I "fixed" their handiwork and were a bit sad. I should have left the angel perfectly imperfect. Lesson learned..

Friends

2011-12-02T06:49:00.004-06:00

I am so very thankful for my friends. This past weekend my wonderful friend from Texas was back in Iowa. This time we even got spend a little bit of time together without kids and went to the new Twilight Saga movie together. We both loved the books, and thought the movie was good. It was so awesome to spent some time with her. She has two kids around Gabe's age. I am hoping to get to Texas this year to visit her. Good friends are so precious.

Little buddies...Gabe was excited to have a "play date" with Anders

Full house of kids...so great!

Thanksgiving 2011

2011-11-30T14:40:00.010-06:00

Thanksgiving was wonderful this year! We are so thankful for so many reasons. We were blessed with a new baby, we have great friends and family, and we are all healthy! This year we hosted Thanksgiving dinner for Corbin's family. I love packing in our house with family and laughter. It was a bit hetic with 8 adults and 8 kids (6 years old and under), but I am a lucky gal who has a hubby who is also an amazing cook! All I really had to do was buy the groceries and clean the house. The weather was fantastic - nearly 70 degrees! We spent most of our time outdoors and took the kids to the park.

On Friday we headed over to my Grandparents house to celebrate with my Dad's family. My cousin from Wisconsin was back with her two little girls. Avery loves playing with Emma and Ginny since she is usually outnumber with lots of boy cousins.

Our nephew spent the rest of the weekend with us. I wanted to take the kids to a bounce house or a movie on Saturday, but Corbin had the idea to bundle everyone up and go hiking. I am so thankful for his out of the box ideas because it ended up being a great experience. The kids "discovered" a cave that they were sure no one knew existed and Avery was certain that if she dug in sand long enough she would uncover Indian treasure!

Luke was warm and cozy

Well, it was a great time until Avery had to say goodbye to her big rock she was hauling around. From this point we had over a mile hike back to the car. I was wearing Luke and Corbin was carrying Gabriel. We felt like the rocks were too big for the kids to carry out considering the the hike included a huge set of stone stairs. Avery was very sad...

Other than the sadness over the big rock, one lost mitten, and a potty accident, our hike was super fun. The kids deemed it better than the bounce house!

Sunday was the icing on the holiday weekend cake. My best friend from Texas stopped by for a visit. I was able to talk to my brother in Brazil over Skype.

Happy Thanksgiving!!!

Dancing with the Stars

2011-11-29T14:44:00.002-06:00

Avery absolutely loves watching Dancing with Stars. She puts on a princess outfit and dances during the show. She can usually convince Gabriel to dance with her, but on this night Cael joined in the fun. Instead of simply dancing, though, they were trying to perform the tricks and lifts. It was fun to watch them having a good time together...thankfully, nobody got hurt!!!

I AM A CHRISTIAN

2011-11-24T08:07:00.001-06:00

Were you a Pilgrim?

2011-11-23T06:07:00.004-06:00

Keep in mind that the town where Corbin and I grew up is also home to a Native America settlement...

Cael, "Guess what, Mom. Today I learned that Native Americans were the first Americans."

Me, "That's right. Did you know that there were lots of Native Americans where daddy and I lived when we were little?"

Cael, "Really? Were you a Pilgrim?"

It's official, I am getting old...

5 months

2011-11-22T05:51:00.004-06:00

Luke is five months old. He is so smiley and sweet. He is starting to try out solid foods, can sit up on his own for a few seconds, wears size 9 month clothes, and can grab toys. He is now on a nice schedule for naps and bedtime which makes my life a bit easier. He loves his siblings and they adore him. His favorite place is still in my arms which is totally okay with me.

Surprise!

2011-11-21T13:31:00.003-06:00

Last Friday we had a lazy day at home. Gabe and Avery spent much of their morning playing in a blanket fort that they made over the dining room table. I heard Luke crying after he woke up from his nap, but only for a moment. Then I notice that Avery and Gabe were missing from the fort. Well, well, well...I found Avery and Gabe in the crib with Luke! Silly kids...I am just thankful that Luke was happy and he didn't get squished when the other two hopped into the crib. I had to snap a quick picture and then deliver a proper mommy lecture about how it isn't safe to jump in the crib with the baby.

When you give a girl a paintbrush...

2011-11-20T06:44:00.006-06:00

When you give a girl a paintbrush she will want to share with her brother. She will paint a beautiful picture on paper. Then she will want to paint a mustache on her brother. Her brother will think that is great fun and want to paint mustache on his sister. The girl will get bored with using the paintbrush and decide to use her hand and fingers. Her brother will think that is great fun and want to paint with his hands and fingers. The girl and her brother will make a great, big fun mess and want to take a bath to get cleaned up. After her bath the girl will ask to paint with a paintbrush.

Crafts!

2011-11-19T06:56:00.005-06:00

I am a self proclaimed non-crafty mamma. I don't draw or paint and do not enjoy gluing cotton balls or popsicle sticks to paper. I take my kids to story time every week not to instill the love of books and reading in them, but that they get some of their "Mom, let's make something" bugs out of their system during the craft time. However, since I made the decision to "home-school" Avery for preschool this year I knew that I would need to get my creative juices flowing somehow. Enter Pinterest! Seriously, such a fun website which has inspired a plethora of organization, cooking, and crafting in this house!

Give Thanks Tree...the tags are labeled with all things we are thankful for. Avery made sure that I made one tag dedicated to coffee since I drink so much of it!

Bean mosaics

Wreath..it is looking a little sad theses days but it was originally very cute!

Melt.My.Heart

2011-11-18T14:07:00.002-06:00

Cael asked me if he could read to Luke...

A total melt-my-heart moment

Space Children?

2011-11-15T15:24:00.004-06:00

Me, "What are you thankful for?"

Avery, "Me!"

Me, "I am thankful for you, too. What else are you thankful for? Are you thankful for Jesus?"

Avery, "Yes, I am thankful for Jesus. I am thankful for everything in this world, even the space children. But not aliens, I do not like aliens. Do you like aliens, Mommy?"

This conversation did not exactly go in the direction I had in mind...

What to do...

2011-11-11T21:35:00.003-06:00

What to do with a spiky, squishy ball that popped? Wear it as a hat!

Picking Weeds

2011-11-11T14:42:00.005-06:00

There are several "chores" that I had to do while growing up that I swore I would never make my own children do. Scrubbing bugs off the front bumper of my parents car, digging weeds out of the cracks of the driveway, painting the lawn furniture annually, dusting tiny knick knacks...

Well, never say never. The kids said they were bored this summer and a light bulb went off in my mind. Bored, huh? What can three kids do while I am recovering from a c-section and taking care of a newborn...dig weeds out of the driveway! Actually, I threw in a little bribe to sweeten the deal...10 cents per weed! I think it took over an hour for the kiddos to earn close to two dollars!

Now only if we had wood lawn furniture that needed painted...

Hillbilly Bath Part 3

2011-11-11T08:42:00.007-06:00

I just adore babies in a sink...so cute!

Fall!

2011-11-11T06:18:00.011-06:00

Fall is hand downs my favorite season. I love the weather, the colors, pumpkin patches, planting mums, football, and Halloween. This year we have had beautiful fall weather. It has been sunny, dry, and warm. It is not very often that you can take your kids to the park for a picnic the end of October in Iowa, or play outside after the sun has gone down. We have totally been soaking up the outdoors before the snow flies.

My mom and I took the kiddos to the local tree farm. We had a great time picking out pumpkins, going on a hay rack ride, racing pedal go-karts, and pony rides. Gabe and Avery were the ones who originally wanted a pony ride, and how can a mom resist sweet ponies. So I shelled out a ridiculous amount of money for my dear children to ride on a pony tethered to a merry-go-round for about 25 seconds. Avery loved it! Gabe broke down in tears the second we set him on the horse, so I made Cael ride it in his place. Cael thought he was too old for the pony ride, but deep down inside his grown up self I think He LOVED it! Cael's horse was named Ruby which was also a sore subject because apparently in his little 1st grade world if a boy touches something girly it could actually turn him into a girl.

The Autumn festivities continued on to pumpkin carving and baking the seeds. It was fun and yummy. This year Cael and Corbin cheated a bit while carving as they used the drill to make holes in the pumpkins...I guess the manliness from using power tools made up for having to ride a girly pony.

Luke watching pumpkin carving...Go Cyclones!

Lastly...Beggars Night! Cael was Billy the Exterminator (see previous post if you don't know who Billy is), Avery was Tigger, Gabe was a Dragon, and Luke was a puppy. We had a blast trick-or-treating with our neighborhood friends. The night was warm and we got a TON of candy. Gabe only made it to a few houses and then had a great time handing out candy at our own house.

Gabe showing off his loot.

Now we move on to Christmas and birthday extravaganzas! Let the holidays begin!

First Day of Snow!

2011-11-10T09:59:00.002-06:00

Yesterday was the first day of snow! It was so exciting to wake up to beautiful, white, fluffy snow. I think that we may be able to sell our snow blower since we have so many hard working helpers who love shoveling! It warmed up fast yesterday and Avery was bit a disappointed that she couldn't build a snowman. We did, however, have to deal with a few tears due to snowballs to the face! 'Tis the season...

Conversations with the Kiddos

2011-11-10T09:42:00.005-06:00

Coming home from the YMCA...

Cael says, "Mom, I am really good counting by tens, do you wanna hear?"

Me, "Of course!"

Cael,"10, 20, 30,40, 50...1280"

He seriously counted all the way to 1280 by tens. He stopped counting when we pulled into the driveway. That was a bit of a long drive home!

After I made tortellini for dinner...

Avery, "Mommy, the torch-my-weenie you made was really yummy!"

You are Officially Invited to Avery's Royal Ball

2011-11-10T07:16:00.003-06:00

Avery has a big imagination and two little brothers who adore her which equals impromptu dance parties. On two separate occasions this week Avery turned Gabe and Luke into princesses. She often "babysits" Luke in her room while I am putting away laundry and yesterday she was so proud of herself for getting Luke into a dress all on her own. He didn't seem to mind much until she put a crown on his head. That did not go over to well...

I just love these moments because I know that all too soon boy stuff is going to far outweigh girl stuff in this house!

4 months!

2011-10-19T07:01:00.001-05:00

Little Luke is 4 months old! If I had it my way I would freeze him in the stage a bit longer. He is so squishy and smiley...he is simply delicious. He is roughly 17 pounds and is greatest achievement is rolling both ways! We are so thankful for our little chunky monkey.

Smile!

2011-10-11T13:34:00.001-05:00

If this doesn't cheer you up, nothing will...

Gabriel is home!!!

2011-10-08T22:29:00.001-05:00

Gabriel was released from the hospital on Thursday afternoon. What a crazy couple of days. We actually managed the week with minimal stress and thank God everyday that Gabriel is recovering. He is not 100% yet, but so much better than last weekend. The doctor told us that it takes nearly 6 weeks for the lungs to heal and he had a significant pneumonia in both lungs. The great thing about kids is that they still smile even when they are sick.

Here go we again...hospital stay #5

2011-10-06T09:57:00.001-05:00

Sweet little Gabriel was taken by ambulance from his pediatrician's office to the children's hospital on Monday morning due to pneumonia. It all started a week ago Sunday when he spiked a 103 temp. I took him to the doctor on Monday and again on Wednesday because he was constantly battling fevers in the 103 - 105 range. He was a sick little man, but he had no other symptoms so it was chalked up to a nasty virus. Friday night was rough because he starting coughing and coughing and coughing. Back to the pediatrician we went on Saturday morning...diagnosis was pneumonia. The doctor at the walk in clinic was confident that with a strong antibiotic and regular nebulizer treatments he would improve within 24 hours. If he was not showing improvement I was bring him back to the clinic on Sunday. He did not show improvement... he actually had worse night Saturday night as he would cough so hard that he would throw up. Sunday was a crazy, crazy day. I took little man back to the walk clinic as I was instructed. They checked his oxygen saturation levels which were a bit low at 88% - typically above 90% is ideal. The doctor thought he looked better than the day before but ordered chest x-ray and added steroids to his treatment plan. We were instructed to follow up with our regular pediatrician the next morning. The x-ray confirmed pneumonia and the steroids made him super CRAZY! As instructed we headed to our regular pediatrician on Monday morning. I wasn't quite sure how he was doing because he was experiencing some mighty roid rage and was bouncing off the walls. The follow up appointment was quite the ordeal. My mom stayed home with Luke and Avery tagged along to the doctor's office. We quickly found out that the steroids were masking his condition as his O2 levels were hanging in the 82-85% range even after his breathing treatment. All of that landed us in the hospital.

We are still here. Gabriel has had a couple of rough days. He had to be put on I.V. fluids and antibiotics along with oxygen. God bless medical professionals who have the job of putting I.V.s in children because that has to be the worst job ever. He slept away most of Monday and Tuesday. Yesterday was a bit better although he still required oxygen. He was weaned off the O2 around 3 a.m. There is hope that we may get to go home later this afternoon.

2 Months!

2011-08-16T07:25:00.001-05:00

Luke is already 2 months old! Where has the time gone? I feel like he was a tiny baby for about day. Everyone always asks me what it is like having four kids. While I don't think life with 4 kids is harder it is most defiantly louder. It seems like the all the kiddos need something at the exact time. My time management skills are certainly being tested.

Luke is good baby, and thankfully a decent sleeper. He has some reflux issues that we are working through, but his sweet smiles totally outweigh his fussy moments. Cael and Avery love him and are great at helping me take care of him. Gabe is still getting used to the idea of not being the baby anymore. I am sure in time they will be best buddies.

At Luke's two month check- up he weighed a whopping 12 pounds 2 ounces which puts him in the 65th percentile. I think he is going to have blue eyes and he has one precious dimple.

Special Moments

2011-08-15T15:07:00.001-05:00

SMILE!

2011-07-30T15:12:00.004-05:00

Luke has started smiling this week...he is almost 7 weeks old. Sweet baby smiles make all the fussiness and sleepless nights so worthwhile. Now if only I can get a picture of it...

Billy the Exterminator

2011-07-28T07:09:00.004-05:00

We don't have cable television or satellite in our house so we watch a lot of shows on Netflix. Lately Corbin and Cael have been watching Billy the Exterminator, a reality show about an exterminator with an awesome mullet in Louisiana. He deals with all sorts of slimy, creepy, crawly, fury pests in peoples homes like roaches, raccoons, snakes, alligators, wasps, armadillos and foxes. Cael absolutely loves this show, and even tries to invite his friends from the neighborhood into our house to watch episodes. However, he is starting to get a little obsessive. A couple of nights ago I had to check our garbage cans because Cael was certain that he heard a raccoon when he was taking out the trash. He has informed me how to determine if a snake is venomous or nonvenomous by looking at the shape of their pupils and scales. Then while we were walking into the grocery store last weekend Cael said, "Mom, did you know that a single raccoon can destroy an entire air conditioning unit." I am trying to convince him that he should be Billy for Halloween, but so far he hasn't agreed. As you can guess, Avery is not even slightly impressed with this show.

4th of July Photo Bomb

2011-07-23T16:17:00.001-05:00

The tradition continued this year of spending the 4th of July at the lake. The kids had an excellent time decorating the boat for the boat parade. We owe a big thanks to Grandma Karen and Aunt Tami for providing all of the decorations. Tami also helped create the crowns which absolutely made Avery's day. Following the boat parade we settled in for a fun evening of popcorn and fireworks.

Bye, bye Winne the Poo

2011-07-23T07:46:00.001-05:00

This sweet Winne the Poo sleeper was purchased when Cael was a born. It is preemie size and each of my children have worn it. Gabe was my biggest baby and only wore right after he was born in the hospital, but all the other three kiddos fit into for a few weeks. When Luke was 3 1/2 weeks old I realized that he was getting a little too big the tiny sleeper. It makes me a bit sad that when Luke grows out a piece of clothing I am not keeping it for another baby. Instead of saving every stitch of clothing from the big kids I now have a "get rid of it" box. It makes me really sad that I will never use all of the tiny baby girl stuff stored in the basement. I am not quite yet up to the task of letting go of all Avery's baby clothes. However, I am looking forward to not saving everything from the past and making new memories in the future.

Fascinating

2011-07-22T21:29:00.003-05:00

Avery helped me give Luke a bath tonight when she said, "Oh, my Mom. Luke's baby bathtub is fascinating. Do you know what fascinating means, Mom? It means something is really cool."

Well, in that case, I think Avery is fascinating.

Kids pictures

2011-07-20T16:06:00.001-05:00

Cael - 6 1/2 years old
Avery - 4 1/2 years old
Gabriel - 2 1/2 years old
Luke - 4 weeks old

Big Brother

2011-07-20T07:15:00.001-05:00

Cael does an awesome job holding Luke. Sometimes he can even get Luke to stop crying faster than Corbin or I can! On this particular evening he was very tired from playing outside all day and fell asleep on Luke while holding him before dinner. My sweet boys - moments like these melt my heart.

Lovely chaos

2011-07-19T09:07:00.001-05:00

The past month has been both chaotic and wonderful. Two weeks after delivering Luke I developed a nasty infection at the site of my c-section incision. Due to the infection I was not allowed to lift, bend, stoop, or basically do anything except take care Luke for three weeks! I am still not totally healed, however, I have finally been able to take care of my kids by myself this week which is such a huge blessing! Corbin has officially won father and husband of year for all he has done to take care of me and the kids. He has been so wonderful. I also truly believe that I have been surrounded by the most loving and supportive family and friends! Although my recovery has been less than perfect I am enjoying sweet baby Luke. The big kids are so helpful and love him to pieces. The pics below are of Luke taken at three weeks old.

Big feet, little feet

2011-07-18T16:11:00.001-05:00

2 1/2 years old!

2011-07-15T15:02:00.001-05:00

I used to always refer to Gabriel as sweet baby Gabe, but he is no longer a baby! He is a big, fast, rowdy, talkative toddler. He loves to cuddle and kiss and also bite and pinch! He says "I lub you, momma" several times a day, along with " in your butt crack". Can you guess who taught him that lovely phrase? I try to discipline him when he makes butt crack comments, but sometimes it is just so dang funny you can't help but laugh which only reinforces the behavior. Oh, the perils of motherhood! He has had the hardest time adjusting to having a baby in the house, but each day is getting a little better. Last night he "helped" me feed Luke a bottle of breastmilk, took a drink of it and declared " Yum, tastes like ice cream! ". Cael and Avery laughed hysterically which seems to be Gabe's supreme goal most days. Right now Avery is his best friend, but I am sure Luke will slip into that spot once Avery starts school. We love our sweet baby Gabe...these two and half years have gone by so fast!

Little mommy

2011-07-13T07:04:00.001-05:00

My boys

2011-07-01T19:14:00.001-05:00

The first week

2011-06-19T08:10:00.001-05:00

The first week after giving birth to baby Luke was filled with many ups and downs. My very best friend, Chandra, happened to be in town last weekend visiting family, and was able to be at the hospital the moment Luke was born. It was so awesome! She lives in Texas and I only get to see her a few times a year so it was amazing that she was at the birth.

We were on released three days after my c-section. We were required to follow up with our pediatrician the day following our discharge to check his on his jaundice. At our appointment Luke had low body temperature so our pediatrician sent us right back to the hospital as she feared he may have had an infection. At the hospital they drew blood, started an I.V. with antibiotics, and performed a lumbar puncture to collect spinal fluid. It was awful. We were in the hospital for two days waiting on test results. Thankfully, all the labs were negative for infection and it was determined that due to being a few weeks early he was just having a hard maintaining his body temp.

Luke was released form the hospital yesterday afternoon and we are all back home as one big, happy family. Hopefully, none of our children will have to be in the hospital again. The big kids love their baby brother. They are great helpers. I think they hold Luke more than I do in a day! God has blessed our family richly and we are so very thankful for our four children.

Baby #4 has arrived!

2011-06-14T20:52:00.001-05:00

It's a Boy!

Luke Harold Winter
Born on 6/12/2011 at 6:31pm
6 lbs 12oz
20"

In true Winter baby fashion little Luke was not born according to plan. I had an amnio on Wednesday, June 8th to determine baby's lung maturity at 37 weeks in the hopes of delivering on June 9th. The amnio revealed that the baby's lungs were not mature and my c-section was rescheduled to June 16th. Luke had his own plans! I was admitted to the hospital for observation on Saturday, June 11th due to high blood pressure and contractions. The next day the doctor finally decided enough was enough and our little man was delivered at 6:31 p.m.

We feel so blessed to have another son, and Luke is the perfect final addition to our family.

Joyful Noise

2011-03-29T13:37:00.003-05:00

Only a mother can love a song about poopy...

Piano

2011-03-29T13:23:00.007-05:00

A couple of months ago Corbin's grandparents moved off the farm and into a condo which resulted in a beautiful, homeless piano. With the help of several strong men were lucky enough to "inherit" the treasure! It is such an amazing piece that has been in the family since around 1915. The kids love it and Cael has even learned how to play Silent Night (thanks to YouTube). In the coming years I plan to enroll the kids in piano lessons. Maybe I will even take a few myself!

Great Grandparents

2011-03-28T21:14:00.003-05:00

Early this past fall we visited Corbin's grandparents. It was a wonderful night where wonderful memories were made! We sure miss visiting them when they lived on the farm, but it is so great that they live much closer to us now.

Sweet snuggles between Great Grandma Verna and Gabriel

A highlight for all three kiddos was taking the Jazzy for a ride with Great Grandpa Eldon!

Great Grandpa Eldon was a great sport playing "doctor" with Avery and being her "patient".

Gabriel taking Great Grandpa Eldon's foot for a ride.

Really???

2011-01-24T22:02:00.004-06:00

One would think that with three kids I would be better able to avoid some recent incidents. Gabriel is such a good boy, but he is EVERYWHERE and into EVERYTHING! He is very sneaky about his shenanigans and I usually don't get a chance to intervene until it is a bit too late. A couple of days ago Corbin was working late so I decided to take him dinner and let the kids get in some daddy time. While I was packing up dinner Gabe was "playing" upstairs. It turns out he was in my bathroom experimenting with my hairspray. He was so proud of himself...isn't he pretty???

Tonight Cael and Gabe were "coloring". Instead of coloring on paper goofy little Gabe decided to color on his own face. Cael and Avery thought it was hilarious. Thankfully, it was washable marker :) I am sure with a 4th child on the way these types of events will just be par for the course. Good times ahead!!!

Old pics, new posts

2011-01-22T09:29:00.004-06:00

I am so behind with this blog and have HUNDREDS of pics to edit and sort through so I will start with pics from this fall and maybe get to recent pics by the time the new baby arrives. One of Avery's most favorite things to play is Doctor. Sometimes she is that patient and other times she is the doctor. On this particular day Daddy and Gabe were the doctors and she was the patient. It was a very rough day for our little patient...you see she broke her leg which had to be braced in a heating pad. I am happy to report, though, our sweet girl made a fully recovery!

Why no blogging?

2011-01-09T09:27:00.005-06:00

Because Mama has been exhausted and sick baking baby #4!!! We received a huge surprise and blessing back in October when we discovered that we are in fact pregnant with our 4th child. The newest addition to the our family will arrived mid-June. My due date is June 30th, however, due to previous c-sections baby will be born 1-2 weeks early.

I have literally hundreds of photos to organize and blog updates to post!!! Now that I am 15 weeks along I have turned a corner somewhat in my energy level so hopefully I will be able to add to the blog more often.

Mommy Blind Dates

2010-12-06T21:36:00.007-06:00

This summer I was lucky enough to go on two "mommy blind dates" with two incredible women and their children. My first date was with a woman who lives just about 10 minutes from me. We met through our blogs. She has two boys who are the same ages as Cael and Gabriel. We met up at a local tree farm and had a great time watching the kiddos play. I look forward to our friendship growing beyond cyberspace!

Tyler and Cael had fun poking Avery with sticks to make her scream - it is easy to tell why they hit it off right from the start!!!

My second "date" was with Suzanne who lives in California. We met on a baby chat board as our little girls were born in the same month and same year. Her little boy is also just two weeks younger than Gabriel. Suzanne lives in California, but the amazing thing is that one of her best friends lives in Iowa. So while she was visiting Kristin we also had the opportunity to meet up. We met at the Children's Museum in Iowa City and had a great day! Suzanne is one of the most funny, crafty, and talented people I know! She is a great momma who is also an amazing photographer. Like icing on the cake, I have had the privilege to get know Suzanne's friend, Kristin, who is another wonderful momma and photographer. I am so grateful for all my amazing friends - near and far!

Malea, Zoey, Avery - all born in January 2007

Suzanne playing with Avery - we love her!

Sweet Zoey

Avery and Zoey playing on the slide

Suzanne took this pic of Avery to teach me how to catch the light in her eyes...now if only I could replicate the technique!

Avery's quotes of the day

2010-11-02T06:41:00.002-05:00

"Gabe, you have lost your mind"

"Cael, you need to slow down kid"

Happy Halloween!

2010-10-30T07:31:00.002-05:00

Hospitalization #4

2010-10-13T22:46:00.008-05:00

What a scary few days! On Wednesday Gabriel woke up drenched in sweat, shaking, and incredibly lethargic. We basically could not get him to wake up for any length of time! Avery was jumping on our bed while he was laying on it and he would not wake up. I sat him up to put on his clothes and he toppled over like a sack of potatoes. He would break out in a cold sweat every 20 minutes or so. Needless to day we took him directly to his pediatrician where we discovered that his body temperature was around 94 degrees! We learned that low body temps are very alarming. His hands and feet were purple and his circulation was very poor. We were sent to the E.R. so that he could quickly get I.V.'s and blood drawn. The pediatrician informed us that these were potential signs for a blood infection and the ER would be able to determine if he needed to be admitted to the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit or the General Pediatrics floor at the hospital. She even suggested transporting him by ambulance, but we felt comfortable to drive him ourselves. The ER started him on warming fluids by IV and wrapped him in warm blankets to assist with his low body temperature. He was admitted to the General Pediatrics floor and gradually started to perk up. An endocrinologist met with us and told us that blood work showed that he had very high insulin levels which was more than likely caused by hypoglycemia. Basically his blood sugar dropped very low. This news was actually good news as we were so worried that he was in the midst of a blood infection which can cause kids to become very ill. They monitored his blood sugars throughout the night which were borderline low and drew more blood on Thursday morning. His blood work was much better on Thursday morning. His insulin levels evened out and the rest of the labs were all normal. We will now be followed by an endocrinologist and we have to check Gabriel's blood sugar every morning and after naps. Hypoglycemia can be dangerous as very low blood sugar can lead to seizures and even comas. We were required to meet with a dietitian prior to being to discharged from the hospital and learned how to better feed our little man. Basically, we just have to make sure that he eats 6 small meals a day balanced with carbs and protein or fat. It is important that he always gets a snack right before bed. If he cannot maintain is blood sugar over night we will have to wake him and feed him a snack at midnight. Hypoglycemia is very manageable with diet for which we are so thankful.

I was once again reminded that we are surrounded by amazing friends and family. Prayers, meals, and offers to help take care of Cael and Avery came to us in heaps. God is good! This hospitalization pushed Gabriel's days in the hospital to over 30 days total since birth! I love my children so very much and after such moments in life I realize that I need to slow down and enjoy each moment with each kid.

Little Gabriel is so loved...and we are blessed that he is healthy and happy!!! Praise God!

In Between...

2010-10-09T07:36:00.007-05:00

The other night Cael and I were playing baseball in the yard. This was our conversation,

Cael: "Mom, you know why I can hit the ball better than you? It is because I am skinny!"

Me: "Oh, really?"

Cael: "Yeah, I am skinny and you are kind of fat-ish. Actually, you are in between because you are not too fat-ish, but you are not really skinny-ish either."

Me: "Thanks Cael...I needed to hear that today."

I just adore my precious child's honesty!

Great Grandparents are so Great!

2010-10-01T21:39:00.007-05:00

A couple of months ago we spent some time with my grandparents on our way to the lake. Grandma Arlene made a terrific lunch, and Grandpa Wayne entertained with kids with his ear wiggling trick. I am proud to say that I inherited the ear wiggling trait as well! It was a great day, and one we need to repeat soon.

We took the WHOLE family including Tucker

Playing the Grandpa Wayne

I just adore these pictures of Gabriel and Great Grandpa Wayne

Great Grandpa Arlene...

I say this often, but it can't be said enough...we are blessed with a wonderful family!!!

If I were a homeless man...

2010-09-28T07:05:00.004-05:00

Last week we got quite a bit of rain. The big kids had a great time jumping in the puddles. Gabriel on the other hand preferred lying on his belly and licking water out of the puddles like a puppy (gross, I know). After seeing his silly brother lapping up rain water Cael announces, "If I were a homeless man that is exactly how I would drink water."

He is such an interesting kid!

Last of the Lake Days...

2010-09-25T22:17:00.013-05:00

A couple of weekends ago we went to the lake with my brother and his family for one more day in the water and sun. It was a fun day. The kids swam, skied, fished, and played at the park. We made a lot of great memories at the lake this summer. Cael now jumps off the diving board and goes underwater! Avery loves tubing behind the boat. Gabriel loves swimming, and really enjoys boat rides. It is sad that the summer is over, but my favorite season - fall - is on the way. Yeah!!!

Braydon, Cael, Gabe, Isaac, and Avery on the train at the park

Avery loves holding baby Owen

The best tractor driver - Isaac

Grandma Karen and Gabriel

Avery being a monkey

Cael...good thing summer is coming to an end - all his summer clothes are getting too small!

Silly, silly Ethan

All the kids on the train...I love how everything is so green in this picure.

Avery and Ethan

Braydon

Is it a frog or a toad?

2010-09-22T21:20:00.010-05:00

Tonight we found a frog/toad outside. At first I did not want to pick it up, but my neighbor lady came over and informed me that if I was going to be the mother of two boys that I need to pick up the silly frog. So I took a deep breath and held little hoppy. Cael thought it was totally awesome. He asked all sorts of questions that I did not have the answer to like "is it a toad or frog" and "is it a boy or girl". It was a great ending to Cael's night.

It was a less-then-great ending to Gabe's night...

P.S. Corbin just read this post and told me that it is toad!

Avery's first day of school!

2010-09-13T07:06:00.004-05:00

Avery started a Christan based preschool last week and she absolutely loved it! She attends preschool three mornings a week for 2.5 hours. She was so ready and couldn't wait to start. On the day we met her teacher she told me to leave so she could do school! She is so independent. Her teacher is a sweet woman named Miss Mickey. There are 8 kids in her class. She already knows many of the songs they sing, and was so excited that she got to finger paint. I am enjoying my one-on-one time with Gabriel.

"The Poof"

2010-09-12T21:34:00.004-05:00

It's out of control!

Petite Picasa

2010-09-10T22:27:00.003-05:00

Avery is a busy little girl. She can play quietly by herself, however, quiet can equal messy, sneaky, maybe even a little naughty. On this day she included Gabe during her quiet play time while I was putting laundry away. Gabe was covered with graffiti...

She decorated his legs, tops & bottoms of his feet, and his toenails...

His arms...

And lastly, the inside of his ears.

The funny thing is I had to run errands after the my little artist completed her masterpiece. We made quite a scene...

Special Prayer

2010-09-03T15:24:00.002-05:00

The Lord's Prayer

2010-09-03T14:46:00.002-05:00

School Days

2010-09-02T13:30:00.007-05:00

Cael's first day of 3 year old preschool

Cael's first day of 4 year old preschool

Cael's first day of kindergarten!

Cael seems to be loving school especially the fact that he gets to drink chocolate milk everyday, and goes outside for two recesses! He seems to enjoy his teacher and has 23 kids in his classroom. He is attending a brand new school which is very nice. He has had one miscommunication issue where he thought a boy who he was playing basketball with was named "Booger". Our conversation went like this...

Cael, "Mom, guess what? I played basketball with a boy named Booger!"

Me, "Um, Cael, are you sure his name is Booger?"

Cael, "Yeah, Mom, I know his name is Booger . We would yell "hey Booger" when we were playing basketball and he would pass us the ball!"

Me, "Cael, please make sure you ask him what is name is. You need make sure that you are not hurting someone's feeling by calling them Booger."

The next day Cael got in the van and excitedly said, "Mom, you know that kid I was talking about yesterday, well, he is name is Cooper, not Booger! I got it all wrong!"

Sometimes, we call Cael our Little Space Cadet because his head is up in the clouds. I can't wait to hear all the funny stories that will come up this year!

Cael - through the years

2010-08-31T21:51:00.026-05:00

How is it possible that my sweet tiny baby boy has started kindergarten? These five years have flown by so quickly. He has enriched our lives in so many ways. He is such a funny, smart, and joyful boy to be around. We just love him so much! He is truly a gift from God. I thought I would pull out some old pics of my little man through the years.

Cael was born 5 weeks early - he weighed 5 pounds 7 ounces. He was taken immediately to the NICU for underdeveloped lungs.

This is the first time I was allowed to hold Cael in the NICU after he was taken off the ventilator - 15 hours after he was born! I will never, ever forget this moment...

This is called Kangaroo care where you hold your baby skin-to-skin. It is a very important way to hold and bond with a baby in the NICU.

Cael was in the NICU for 2 weeks and came home oxygen for another week, and was on monitors for a month.

I made a scrapbook for Cael. 5 years after his birth I have completed his first month!!! I am much better at blogging :)

Aunt Mary Kay holding Cael for the first time.

Grandma Arlene and Grandpa Wayne holding Cael for the first time.

Cael one month picture

Cael at around 6 months old. His lowest weight in the NICU was 4 pounds 9 ounces, however, at 6 months he was 20 pounds!!!

9 months old

1st year pic

15 month pic

Kaitlyn and Cael around 2 years old

Issac and Cael around 2 years old

Cael's two year pic

Cael and Gabriel - sweet brothers

My big guy rock climbing on our Mommy and son "date" before his first day of kindergarten.

First day of kindergarten...I miss my little buddy so much during the day.

It was so fun to go through all these old pictures. I need to take the time to do this more often as these pictures have captured many precious memories. I am so blessed to have children and am honored to be their mother. I just wish it would go by a little slower. Avery starts preschool next week! I feel like I need just a little bit more time while my kids are little. They make life so interesting and fun!

Foster Family Reunion

2010-08-16T09:21:00.010-05:00

We made our way to Okaboji for the annual Foster Family Reunion. Not only did we spend some great time with extended family we also played in the sand, swam in the lake, and headed to Arnold's Park. This year did not disappoint...we had an awesome time!

Good times at the lake...

Avery and Kai - sweet buddies

Cael's favorite activity - Go Karts!

Avery loved the kiddie rides

Gabe - not so much

Ryan and Cael showing off their muscles

As always we look forward to next year!

Bunny Trap

2010-08-15T08:25:00.005-05:00

Cael built a bunny trap made from a cake pan lid, a chain of safety pins, and some leaves. He was so excited that it rained that night because he thought the bunny would be attracted to the water in the lid, the lid would be slippery, and then the bunny would get stuck. He is a very imaginative little boy who is trying to get himself a pet because somebody (I have no idea who) told him that Pet Smart does not sell pets to kid under 8 years of age.

He also put carrots in the bunny hole by the shed.

Unfortunately, the bunny trap did not work. The only thing Cael caught was Gabriel who snagged one of the carrots from by the shed. I guess he will just have to wait three years until he reaches the Pet Smart age requirements!

Big Wheelin'

2010-08-14T22:45:00.003-05:00

"It got me!"

2010-08-12T22:44:00.002-05:00

Wilcox family reunion

2010-08-02T21:29:00.013-05:00

This past weekend we attended the Wilcox Family Reunion. It was so much fun! Despite having a 5 week old baby, my brother and his wife were gracious enough to host the big party in their backyard. My grandparents and their three kids, 6 out 7 grandkids plus spouses, and 8 great grandkids were all part of the festivities. We ate good food, shared memories, played yard games, and laughed a lot. After the yard party we all headed to the hotel and spent a few hours in the pool with the kids. Once the kiddos were in bed the “family” stayed up and played some cards – thanks Corbin for “taking one for the team” by hanging out with the kids while they were sleeping and letting me enjoy the card game. My uncle lives in Florida and my cousin lives in Wisconsin so it was very special that all the family came together and shared in the day.

Relay games

Parachute game with water balloons

My mom and my Aunt Mary Kay

The Family

Gabriel enjoyed the sprinkler

The Kiddos

Avery is being a goofball and sucking in her tummy...silly girl

Water balloon fight!

Balloon Toss

Grandpa Wayne

My cousin, Adam,

Adam and his brother bought these special shirts for the family picture!

They were nicknamed the "Chippendale's".

Avery watching over baby Owen

Gabriel

The Wilcox men - Craig, Allan, and Scott

Gabriel had a great time riding with Grandpa Craig on the lawnmower

The activity directors getting ready for the lawn games

A big thank you to Scott and Tami for hosting the party! A big, big thank you Erin and Candice for organizing the activities and games!!! It was a great day and lots of memories were made. I know that my family really looks forward to next year's reunion. I say it over and over again, but I have been incredibly blessed to be surround by lots and lots of family. Really, that is was life is all about...

Now on to getting ready family reunion #2 coming this weekend. Let the good times roll!

Lazy Days of Summer?

2010-07-30T15:32:00.012-05:00

Lazy days of summer? Where did they go? This summer has been full, busy, fun, and anything but lazy. We have spent lots of time at the lake. Cael and Avery even went "skiing" for the first time last weekend on the kid training skis. They loved it and did a great job. Cael completed a season of t-ball. The kids attended a week of VBS and a week of swimming lessons. We have made three trips to the local zoo, countless trips to the neighborhood park, and went on a 16 mile family bike ride! We traveled to Minnesota to visit family. My very best childhood friend visited for a day. And my very best high school friend visited for two days! We had family pictures taken that were a bit painful considering the mosquitoes nearly carried the children away. We are scheduled for a re-shoot next week. We survived a month of thunderstorms which resulted in major lack of sleep as the kids would creep in and crowd our bed. In the coming weeks we have two family reunions. On top of all the actives with the kiddos I am now a working woman. I am working two days a week doing external marketing for a medial clinic. So far I am really enjoying it, and the kids seem to be adjusting just fine. Gabriel has finally realized that if I leave I will indeed return! I am sure the next month will be just as crazy and busy, but I wouldn't want it any other way! We only have 26 more days to enjoy until Cael goes off to school. I hope to make it memorable and FUN!

Grandma Verna

Avery and Tyler

T-Ball

Grandpa Curt and Maddie

Avery

Gabriel and Aunt Sharron

ICE CREAM!

2010-07-10T07:25:00.007-05:00

You SCREAM!

I SCREAM!

We all SCREAM!

For ICE SCREAM!

Red, White, and Blue

2010-07-06T21:15:00.008-05:00

We spent the 4th of July weekend at the lake and had a "fire cracking" good time! Scott and the boys joined us while Tami and baby Owen bonded back at home. The weather was beautiful and the water was warm. We spent some time at Diane's house and then decorated the boat and the kids for the boat parade. The night ended with an awesome firework show. Happy Independence Day!

Love him...

The family

love him, too...

Isaac

Daddy and Avery - so precious

The kiddos waiting for the fireworks to start

On Sunday the kids had a ton of fun tubing behind the boat. Avery is a little dare devil and likes to stand in the tube and do tricks. Corbin rode with Cael and Isaac which was the boy's favorite ride of the day. Later, Avery and Ethan enjoyed some ice cream on the deck with Grandma. It was a fabulous weekend!

Ethan

Love her...

Silly kids

Happy Independence Day!

marshmallows

2010-07-06T15:44:00.003-05:00

Marshmallows + microwave = Big Mess

Owen Scott Wilcox

2010-07-05T21:19:00.003-05:00

This weekend we were so excited to visit the newest addition to our extended family - my brother's third baby boy, Owen Scott Wilcox. He is joining a wonderful family with two big brothers, Isaac and Ethan. He was born on 6/28/10 and weighed in at 8 1/2 pounds. He is so sweet and tiny! Avery loved him and wanted to play with him on the floor and push him in the swing. She can't wait for him to be just a little bit bigger! Cael held him for about 2 seconds and Gabriel tried to poke his eye out. All in all a successful visit when our crew of chaos is in tow.

Corbin loved holding Owen!!! I had to pry him out of his arms when it was time to leave...

Congratulations, Scott & Tami, on your new bundle of joy! He is a blessed little boy to be part of your family...

Stephanie got MARRIED!!!!

2010-06-29T07:17:00.008-05:00

My cousin, Stephanie, got herself hitched! She married a wonderful man, Chad, who will soon be heading off to be an Optometrist in the Air Force. In a couple of months they will move to Japan for three years. I will be so sad when she is in Japan. I am very happy for her, but she will be so FAR away. Stephanie and I used to be inseparable. She even lived with my family for about a year in high school. We were best friends - to me she was the sister that I never had (and always wanted). She is one of the smartest, sweetest, and most beautiful and interesting people I know. I look forward to their big marriage celebration. Stephanie – I LOVE you!!!

She looked stunning!

Stacy (Steph's sister), Steph, Melissa

Stephanie, Chad, and Stacy's family

That is one Good Lookin' couple!

To My Husband

2010-06-21T20:44:00.005-05:00

You know how make a child feel like the most important person in the world.

You have a way of teaching life's most valuable lessons through songs and bedtime stories.

You wrap every "little talk" in a hug, and you have a gift for making memories that last a lifetime.

You are the best husband and father any family could have.

Happy Father's Day

I love you...

Dinnertime Dialogue

2010-06-16T22:58:00.010-05:00

Just a few snippets of conversation with Cael during dinnertime:

Cael: "Uh, oh...I think there is something in my shorts other than my underwear!"

Corbin: "Sounds like you have a personal problem, Cael."

Cael: "Oh, good...it is just a string!"

Cael: "Mom, I am getting better at putting my head underwater! I can keep it underwater for like one minute."
Me: "Wow! That is great!"
Cael: "Yeah, one minute is a very long time for a head!"

Preschool Graduation

2010-06-13T09:08:00.008-05:00

Last month Cael graduated from preschool with flying colors! He officially knows all his colors, numbers, and letters, he can stand in line and follow directions, play well with others, write his first and last name, and do crafts with the best of them! His preschool had a graduation program full of songs, cookies, and punch. Grandpa Craig and Grandma Karen came and watched the ceremony. Cael was less than thrilled to sing songs and dance. He told us it just wasn't "cool" for boys to sing and dance. He was that kid that kind of just stood there while everyone around him was participating. One of his good friends kept his hands in his pockets the entire time and yawned about every 2 minutes throughout the program. It was so fun to watch!

Cael's class filling onto stage. His face is just filled with excitement!

The entire class

Look how excited he is - so enthusiastic :)

Raise your arms if you sure! Guess Cael forgot his deodorant that night...(get it?)

His cup overfloweth with singing and dancing joy...

His friend is the boy in the blue shirt who kept his hands in his pockets the entire performance. So cute!

He is exiting the stage with his "diploma" - he did not crack a smile the whole time onstage.

Finally a smile! He is happy to be showing his diploma to Grandma Karen!

Cael is quick to point out that he is now officially a kindergartner. I am going to miss him to pieces when he is at school all day in the fall. My baby is growing up too fast...

Where's Avery?

2010-06-12T07:33:00.005-05:00

I forgot to mention in my last post about our trip to the Omaha Zoo that we - totally, completely, make my heart stop, oh-my-goodness I can't breath - lost Avery in the underground swamp exhibit! The swamp exhibit has crocodile and alligators and all other sort of creepy, crawly, deadly animals, and it is incredibly dark! The exhibit has a narrow wooden bridge/pathway that you follow through the swamp, and it was super packed that day. Avery didn't want to ride in the stroller because she wanted to walk with the big kids. One minute she was there and the next she wasn't! Corbin and I were yelling for her and trying to push our way through crowds of people with three other kids and a stroller in tow. She was totally lost in a crowd of hundreds of people for about 5 minutes, although, it felt like 5 hours. We found her outside the exhibit sitting with a nice family. When she saw me she said "that nice mommy said she would help me find my family." Oh, how I thanked God that the other mommy was a nice woman and not a child abductor! I cried with relief when I saw Avery and hugged and kissed her. It really opened my eyes how quickly a child can get lost in a crowd. Hopefully, we will never have to experience a scare like that again!

Oak-A-Ma Zoo

2010-06-11T14:55:00.012-05:00

Avery and Great Grandpa Eldon

Last month the entire Winter clan went to the Omaha Zoo or as Avery says the "Oak-A-Ma Zoo". Corbin's three siblings and their families attended as well as his parents and grandparents. Corbin is involved in the Big Brothers, Big Sisters program so we were excited to also bring along Corbin's "Little Brother". We were a big crew moving through the zoo, and a great time was had by all! Once again, we are thankful to be part of such a big, close and loving family!

Cael and Ryan (Corbin's Little Brother)

Ryan

Kylie and Avery watching the penguins

Kylie and Avery - Kylie is Corbin's twin brother's daughter. Kylie and Avery were born on the same day despite their due dates being roughly 6 weeks apart!

Kaitlyn, Avery & Kylie - silly girls

Gabriel chillin'

Gabriel loved watching the penguins

Kaitlyn, Carter, Cael & Brayden

Kaitlyn, Carter & Cael

Uncle Collin trying to give Gabriel a complex by making him wear a pink coat

Cael had bronchitis that weekend...you can tell he looks a little under the weather

Can you spot the rare species of animal crossing the bridge?

Brayden and Cael checking out some fish

Avery and Gabe

Sweet Addison

After the zoo we all stayed at a hotel and spent hours at the pool. It was super fun and super exhausting! I grew up taking lots of family vacations and my parents made it look so easy. Now I know that how tired they must of have been!

My biggest fish EVER!

2010-06-09T07:05:00.003-05:00

Last weekend we stayed at the lake and like always we had a great time. The weather was nice in between rain showers and the water is already warn enough for swimming. We spotted five turtles and several frogs. But the greatest part of the whole weekend was Cael's BIG catch! I was in the house cleaning up dinner when Cael ran inside screaming, "Mommy, get your camera. I just caught the biggest fish that I have ever caught all by myself. I even reeled it in without Daddy's help!" I grabbed my camera and ran out to see Mr. Fish. It was a BIG fish. Corbin had actually been eyeing the big Bass for a couple of days, and was very proud that Cael was the one to catch it on his Spider Man fishing pole! Corbin said that he really did reel it all be himself which is a true feat for a kid. Cael told me that the secret to his success was the new tackle from Bass Pro Shop and reminded me that this was the "biggest fish he has ever caught, but not the hardest fighter!"

Mommy's sweet helper

2010-06-08T16:05:00.008-05:00

Avery has been such a mommy's helper lately. Recently while I was cleaning the kitchen she went to her room and shut the door. It was very quiet in her room and she was in there for about 20 minutes. Suddenly she ran down the stairs yelling, "Mommy, Mommy, come see what did in my room!" Honestly, I prepared myself for the worst. Perhaps she painted the carpet with nail polish or drew a picture on the wall with lipstick. Nope - she cleaned her room! All by herself like a big girl she made her bed, rearranged the nick-knacks on her dresser and lined up all her animals on her doll house. How sweet! I was so proud of my girl.

She also helped me by emptying the bathroom garbage's. Again, she did it all by herself with no help from me!

Another fun thing about my sweet girl is that she loves to go shopping! Last week we went to the Bass Pro Shop with the boys and decided to look at the clothes instead of drooling over fishing tackle. Avery had so much fun finding stuff for me to try on including a long, flowy cotton orange dress. It was one of the those dresses that appeared very pretty and flattering on the hanger, but was hideous on my body. Not in Avery's eyes. She told me, "Oh, mommy, you are so beautiful! This dress looks perfect. You can wear this at your wedding!" Her sweet compliments almost swayed me to buy the awful dress as to not disappoint her. I thank God everyday that I get to be Avery's mommy!

16 Months!

2010-06-07T21:33:00.008-05:00

Gabriel is 16 months old! He is the sweetest little guy on the entire planet. Compared to his siblings he has by far been the easiest baby - for ME. For anyone else who tries to care for him is a challenge. He currently has major stranger danger. He cries and fusses even when I leave him with Corbin! I know this stage will pass so I am taking it in stride. All I have to do is look at Cael and Avery to be reminded how quickly children become independent. I am trying to love these moments when he seems to just love me SO much.

Gabe is still a baldy...he has the sweetest, softest baby fuzz for hair.

Loves the lake!

He loves to cuddle. He talks gibberish all day long! He smiles at everyone (as long as mommy is in sight). He can officially run and climb and his vocabulary is expanding everyday. So far he can say:

boat
ball
Tucker
Dada
Momma
Cael
Hi
Bye
night-night
Uh-oh
car
Grandma
more
thank you

He knows what both dogs and cats "say". He continues to be a good sleeper and napper for which I am very thankful. He gives the best leg hugs and has crazy awesome dance moves! He can be SUPER loud and is very bonded to Grandpa Craig.

Gabriel is already a kayak pro. He loved his ride with daddy, and talked to gibberish to all the animals that he saw along the way.

Gabriel is such a joy!

Sharpshooters

2010-05-27T07:21:00.002-05:00

My Lil' Puppy likes Puddin'

2010-05-26T14:17:00.005-05:00

YUMMY!

The tonsils are GONE!

2010-05-25T16:41:00.006-05:00

All prepped for surgery!

Last week Avery had her tonsils removed. I was a nervous nelly prior to the surgery, but all in all it went well. Her tonsils where HUGE and completely obstructing her airway. The anesthesiologists told us that he had a hard time getting the breathing tube in place because her tonsils were so large. Hopefully, she will feel so much better once she has fully recovered. She used to complain of a sore throat on a daily basis and was taking 3 ½ hour naps due to nighttime sleep apnea.

She did fantastic on day one of surgery. She did not even cry during recovery at the surgery center, and we had a hard time keeping her from running and jumping once we got home which is a major no-no as it can lead to bleeding issues. Day two, three and four were a bit trying. She did not feel good and was very clingy and quiet. Today has been a good day, so I think we are over the worst. Thankfully, she has been a champ at drinking Sprite and eating popsicles so she has stayed well hydrated which was our ultimate goal. The weirdest part is she sounds like a totally different child. We were warned that her voice may change and boy it has! She has such a squeaky, little girl voice now. My good friend likened it to a chipmunk voice!

Helping daddy make breakfast the day after surgery...her favorite activity is helping daddy cook!

We love our little chipmunk and hope she feels 100% soon!

Grandpa Curt

2010-05-22T07:08:00.007-05:00

Grandpa Curt visited our house a couple of weekends ago and took Cael for the day to visit Great Grandpa and Grandma Winter. Cael totally loved his alone with Grandpa Curt, and Avery enjoyed her quiet time with mommy and daddy. While he was at our house Avery "read" him a book. She looks like such a big girl in her picture with Grandpa. I she has completely lost her toddler/baby look! She grew up so fast...

Cael is showing off an "airplane" he made while Grandpa Curt was visiting. Gabriel missed out on all the fun as he was already sleeping.

iFun

2010-05-17T14:43:00.003-05:00

Corbin recently acquired an iPad through his company and it is awesome! Okay, so I don’t really understand the whole iPad craze, but I am told that it is awesome. I just don’t know – it seems like a giant iPhone or iPod to me. Really, how many devices must one own to access the internet and music? But here is what I do understand – it entertains the kids (with parental supervision). It has racing games, rollercoaster games, and of course a Tinkerbell game for Avery! The only downfall to Corbin’s new toy, I mean very important programming modality, is it also has an electronic piano. Corbin takes the fun of the piano beyond the level of annoying to that of pure torture. He plays different songs according to my “mood”, and also serenades me with original ballads. Oh, the fun we have in our house. I suppose I should be thankful that it doesn’t have the probability of injuring somebody like the trebuchet!

Awanas

2010-05-11T07:05:00.004-05:00

Cael at Awanas awards night

Our dear friends offered last year to take Cael with them to the Awanas program at their church. He has loved it, and for the past two years we get some special time with Gabe and Avery on the nights that he is gone. Here is the definition of Awanas:

Awana is fun with a purpose – to reach and train kids for Jesus Christ. Games, puppets, crafts, awards and other activities transform our preschool program into a lively weekly experience where fun and learning go hand in hand.

Basically it is like vacation bible school once a week. Last week he "graduated" from the Cubbies program. Next year he will be with the school age kids. We are so thankful for our sweet and generous friends who have been so gracious to make Cael a part of their family one night a week. Thank You!

Ethan's Birthday

2010-05-10T06:41:00.010-05:00

My sweet litte nephew, Ethan, turned three last month! All the kids had a great time celebrating at his party. The cousin's play so well together. It is so much fun to watch all these kids grow up together. Ethan is a sweet, funny, and super silly litte boy. We stayed the night at Scott and Tami's house, and headed out to church in the morning. Aunt Tami taught Sunday school and Cael told me that she is one of the best teachers he has ever had! Avery absoutly adores Aunt Tami because she has a baby in ther tummy and she likes pink! In Avery's mind it doesn't get much better than that!

Avery and Ethan - they are such good buddies

How many tries does it take to get a decent picutre of 5 kids under 6 years old? Apparently, more than than three...

#1 - Cael's face is hidden

#2 Cael is being goofy and Gabe is looking away

#3 Once more, my boys are the issue...Cael is goofy as always and Gabe is hiding Isaac's face.

I gave up...whoever can get that many kids to look decent in a picture is a true miracle worker!

I just love these pictures of Gabriel with his Great Grandpa Wayne.

Happy Mother's Day

2010-05-09T06:43:00.012-05:00

If I could give you diamonds
for each tear you cried for me.
If I could find you sapphires
for each truth you've helped me see.
If I could give you rubies
for the heartache that you've known
If I could give you pearls
for the wisdom that you've shown.

Then you'll have a treasure, mother,
that would mount up to the skies
That would almost match
the sparkle in your kind and loving eyes.

But I have no pearls, no diamonds,
As I'm sure you're well aware
So I'll give you gifts more precious
My devotion, love and care.

Happy Mother’s Day Karen (my mommy) and Cheryl (Corbin’s mommy).

We love you!

Gabers is 15 months old!!!

2010-05-09T00:08:00.003-05:00

Gabers the babers is 15 months old! I wonder everyday how on earth he is 15 months old already? He is such a sweet little man who gives great hugs and great big open mouthed wet kisses that only a mother could love! He is roughly 23 pounds and a mobile little maniac. It is so cute to watch him play cars with Cael and terrorize Avery. He is a jabber jaws and talks gibberish to anyone who will listen. He can say hi, bye –bye, Cael, ball, Momma, Grandma, and night-night. Above all, he adds pure joy to our family.

Gabriel, we love you…

All About Avery Sue-Sue

2010-05-08T08:31:00.008-05:00

Avery has really come into her personality lately. She is such funny, sweet, and sometimes ornery little lady. She loves pink, princesses, and baby dolls. On the other hand she has no problem keeping up with Cael. She can battle with light sabers, ride the skateboard, and get dirty with the best of them. She loves to "help" Corbin mown the lawn.

Ear protection for the riding lawn mower

She loves her brothers. She is usually the first one to wake up in the morning and she wants to immediately wake up Cael . She has a love- hate relationship with Gabriel right now as he really likes to pull her hair!

We call her Avery Sue- Sue – I am not sure why. Her middle name is Ione, but Sue suits her.

She is super social and testing her independence. She would rather be playing with the girls at the neighbor’s house than hanging out with boring Mommy. She used get really shy and not say a word around new people. Not anymore! If you are willing to talk to her she will have a conversation for hours. Like I said, a real social butterfly.

Cael enjoys getting a rise of her. He tells her, “Avery you are a kid.” She get very upset and yells, “No, I am not! I am a girl! I am not a mommy, or a daddy, or a kid. I am a GIRL!” Like a true big brother Cael responds, “Avery it is time you learn this. You are a KID!” They seriously have this same conversation every day. I, in turn, have the same conversation with them about being kind to one another. I look forward to the day when that lesson sticks.

About being the first one to get wake up. Avery is an early bird through and through. Not only does she wake most days around 6 a.m. She wakes very, very hungry! The girl is ready to eat breakfast, NOW! She has made some interesting concoctions while Corbin and I were trying to sleep in a bit, you know, like until 6:15 a.m.

Ranch dip and pretzels

Bananas and surgar - yummy!

We absolutely love our funny little princess!

Skateboarding in Style

2010-04-29T07:10:00.003-05:00

One part tomboy/one part girly girl

Avery's new hair

2010-04-28T14:56:00.003-05:00

Little Miss Avery got a new hairstyle today because in her words her hair was "too crazy". I never thought I would cut bangs on my little girl. Not because I don't think bangs are cute, they are, but because I am a low maintenance kind of mommy. Keeping bangs trimmed up seems like a commitment, and I am by no means competent enough to trim them myself unless I really want her look "crazy". Well, after countless attempts to encourage Avery to keep bows, headbands, and pigtails in her hair I finally gave up the fight. I took her in to get her hair cut this morning and get all that hair out of her eyes! It turned out so cute. She looks like such a little lady. Oh, and don't you just love her outfit - pink dress, hello kitty rain boots, and a fabulous orange purse. She is lovely!!!

Old hair - the "whale spouting water on top of her head" hairstyle...

During haircut - she loved the attention, but got a little shy!

The girl likes pink!