Kendra Ruth...

2 years ago today I woke up just before 2 a.m. and felt a Really hard kick from you (you were my strongest kicker:) . This caused my belly to have a really hard contraction and then my water broke. And even though you were my fourth baby none of your sister's labors started this way. You like to do things differently!

I was tired and little scared. You see just two days before I had a scare (some heavy bleeding) with you and had at one point thought I might have lost you....oh how thankful I was that I didn't!!!! Your precious heart beat was music to my ears that day! But since it was only two days after that scare, I was still a bit nervous about your entry into this world. But I prayed and trusted God. He gave me peace and strength for what lied ahead.


I remember hoping that you would be a bit more anxious to meet me then your sister Karis was since she took a whopping 26 hours of labor! And thankfully you were!

I labored all morning quietly with your Daddy by my side. And I remember right before 1:00 p.m. thinking it had to be close to meeting you. But the nurse said no. I thought, just like 3 times before, that I couldn't bear it any more. Oh the pain!!! And even though I should have listened to my body, I let the nurse talk me into an epidural because she said that you were side ways and might not drop for hours. This scared me and caused me to relive my labor with your sister Karis!!! The 26 hour one that I waited 24 hours before getting my first epidural!!! So I agreed.


About an hour later and after them pumping me up with IV fluids and sending in the anesthesiologist, he began to give me an epidural...ouch! As I sat there still as can be...your head drops and my body screams... "PUSH". Yes right as that huge needle is inserted into my spine. Praise God He gave me peace. I whispered to the nurse who was keeping me steady..."She's coming right now."
She freaked a bit, but the anesthesiologist calmly said, "I have to finish." So he did. As soon as he was done the nurse ran to get the Dr.

He came running, the nurse knocked over some bottles of who knows what and broke some glass all over the floor. Your Daddy calmly came back in the room and said, "Do you feel better?" thinking my epidural should be kicking in. I don't think I responded but the look on my face probably told him that it had not and that you would soon be here. Oh and my clenched fists on the bed rail might have indicated that too:)!

Three pushes later and you were handed to me. Whew, I was so happy to be on the other side of that, holding you. I was SO thankful to have you healthy and strong in my arms!

Right away we could tell that you looked different then your sisters. And you still do.

The last two years have been spent getting to know you better Kendra Ruth! You are one spunky little girl and I adore you!

And you know what, you adore me too:)! Oh and your Daddy and sisters too!

Happy 2nd Birthday Kendra Ruth!!! We love you so much!!!!!

Brookfield Zoo....

I was given a membership to Brookfield Zoo recently and on Sunday we took a trip there as a family. It was a perfect day to go...about 78 degrees, sunny and a small breeze.

They have a dinosaur exhibit right now. We didn't go into to see that, but this big one is outside for everyone to see.

I love when I see this....

What a blessing to have received our membership! We plan to visit often!

Love in Action...

I have been thinking about doing something for a military family for several months now. But I wasn't sure what to do. Then one day as I was on Facebook a friend of mine from high school commented that she was so lonely and really discouraged. Her husband has been in Afghanistan for almost a year and isn't scheduled back until July. She has 2 boys that she has been raising alone all that time. When I seen her comment I had an "aha" moment and our Love In Action for this month was born....



I put together a "care package" for her and her boys and mailed it to her. There are some candles, bath gels, fun notecards, candy, a card for each her boys with a gift in it, a card for my friend, popcorn and a gift card for their family to buy a movie or rent several.

I truly am thankful that so many men and woman have risked and continue to risk their lives for our freedom! I pray that this little care package encourages my friend! And that God protects all the solidiers over seas and provides for all their families needs.

Celebrating Corinn and Kendra....

Last Saturday we had our family Luau:) Celebrating Corinn's 9th and Kendra's 2nd Birthday's....

My sister made the cute cake.


All the crazy kids.

We did the Limbo.And had a pinata...

Our Family....

And Present time:)....

It was a fun day!

Full to the Brim With Fun.....

Last Monday we "finally" celebrated something that Eric and I have waited a long time for....

Karis is Fully potty trained. That's right at 3 1/2:)! Man that was a long battle! But we celebrated by having a Fancy Nancy party with the day care kids and rewarding Karis with her very own Fancy Nancy doll. The doll has been sitting in her box on our bathroom counter for over a month waiting to be earned:)! How happy we all were to finally break that box open!

Last Monday was Corinn and Kiera's first softball game...I love that they choose softball. It was one of my favorite sports growing up.

They have several loyal fans.

Rinie power hitting...
Kiera power hitting...

Daddy juggling the fans:)....

Rinie on second base....

On Thursday it was sunny and windy all day. A perfect day for our family night theme...

Kite Night

We had grilled cheese and pickles in the shape of kites.

And kite cupcakes for desert.
Besides the fact that Karis over flowed the toilet as I was making the cupcakes, our night seemed to be going rather well...

Until we got to the park..

The wind that was there all day was suddenly gone. So unless you ran full speed the entire time you had your kite it would fall to the ground.

We made the best of it and walked a bit in the wooded area near the park that has a fun bike trial.

We love these hills on our bikes!

Even though the night wasn't perfect, we still enjoyed time together and being outside. What a blessing Spring is after the winter!

Blessing Blessings Everywhere.....

One of our FAVORITE children's books to read is Blessings Everywhere! It emphasizes with each page that there are blessings everywhere we look. I couldn't help but think of that sweet book as I uploaded these pictures for this post. My days are filled with little trials and sometimes big ones too, but truly if I look hard enough...there are blessings everywhere!!!!

Our family night last week was Cinco De Mayo even though we celebrated it on Seis De Mayo:). We had homemade burritos, cream corn casserole (thanks to Mrs. Beth:), Mexican Pop, guacamole w/ chips, and for desert......

Sombrero cookies...... YUM! Mexican food is one of our families favorite kinds!!!Today, Mother's Day, was filled with so many blessings...

Eric Surprised me Big Time with breakfast in bed. Corinn and Kiera asked him to do it for me...isn't that so sweet... I got to share it with four adorable little girls....

Then Corinn and Kiera gave me cards. I have to share the poems each of them wrote me in the card (spelling as it was given to me:):):)...

Here's Corinn's..
Mom you are sweeter than choclate and candy. You make me dany (for dandy:). Your smile runs a mile, your hugs in the light make me feel warm and bright, the kiss you give reace to the sky. You make me feel like I can fly. There's one more thing I have to say I wish you a happy Mother's Day.

And she gave me a MOM key chain she made at school.... I Loved it all!

Then Kiera's... Roses are red vilis are bule sugr is swet and you are too. roses are red and they look like love its romantic like a dove. they beg happynes to you seet flowers do too.

And she gave me a potted flower from school too:)....I loved it also!

And then cute Karis runs out of our room and goes down stairs and screams, "Mama I need some paper, can you help me make you a card?" How cute is that:):). Eric helped her and Kendra make me one.

After church we ate at a yummy noodle restaurant and then bought all our flowers for this summer. I had lots and lots of help planting them....

Sometimes that help isn't always exactly how I'd expect it to be...

That would be side walk chalk in Karis' mouth....YUK!!!!
But it's still a blessing to have little chubby hands around to help:)!

The little bit bigger hands were truly lots of help today.

Kiera and Daddy worked hard in back to till up our garden area. This year we are planting a few veg tables and melons:).

So much work....but it feels so good to have accomplished it all!

And as the little book ends...

"Thank you God for giving me, blessings everywhere."

Everyday....

My life is about to change up a bit. The girls only have 1 month of school left and my 3 day care children will not be here during the summer. I thought it would be fun to capture life right now since it will never be exactly like this again.

With four little ones of my own and 3 day care children, I've found that a good schedule is my best friend, so most days look just like this.....

5:50 a.m. wake and workout. (4-5 days per week is my goal)6:30 shower and get ready.
7 wake all our little ones. Eric helps get Karis dressed and ready:)
7:30 day care children begin to arrive. Breakfast for our little ones, while I brush and do their hair and pack lunches.
7:45 Daddy does a short Bible study with Corinn and Kiera .

8 Daddy brings girls to their bus, off to school for them. (BTW doesn't our tree look so pretty while it is in bloom:)

8-9:30 Free Play for little ones.

In between putting dress up clothes on them, changing diapers, potty breaks, dressing up dolls, getting toys down and refereeing I do a morning routine around here. Wiping down bathrooms, making beds, sweeping floors, picking up and putting away dishes. (Basic H is my Favorite cleaner!!! I just keep it below each sink with some paper towels.)

9:30 Clean up time...the family room gets picked up then it's Learning Time. I use Carols Affordable Curriculum which is simple, inexpensive and fun for the little ones. We begin by singing some songs, reading a toddler devotional,praying and then heading to the table for work. We go over the weather, calendar, shapes, colors, letters and then do our work for the day. I love teaching pre-preschoolers!

10ish Sesame Street Time. The little ones have a snack at a small table in our family room while watching Sesame Street. (Karis often runs upstairs to tell me the number of the day:). Then I pick up our mess from learning time.
10:30ish Quiet time (or sometimes referred to as interrupted time around here;) for me.I grab some hot tea and a snack and rest a bit. I am reading the Bible in a Year over 2 years. Then I spend time praying. I also look over my daily planner at this time.

11 out door play (in the winter we do things like play doh and puzzles) and waiting on my kindergartner's bus. We play bubbles, chalk, balls, and bikes.

12 ish come inside and wash up then I make lunch.

12:30 Rest times. Naps for littlest ones. Clean up time and lunch for me. Sometimes work, sometimes rest for me.

2:30 Wake up little ones then snack time. 2:45 my girls get home from school:)!!!

3 ish Out door play or indoor free play.

Between 3-4 my day care littles get picked up. Our family evenings are full of homework, dinner, baths, and family time. Weekly the girls have piano practice, I grocery shop, Eric and I go to Bible study and church. 2x a month the girls go to girls scouts and Eric and I try to sneak in 2 dates. Now we are adding softball 1-2x per week. Add Doctors appointments, Dentis appointments, more cleaning, laundry, bills, Birthday parties, and guest over and that pretty much is our life:).

Looks so neat all written out, but it rarely is neat:) or works out perfect. And there are days when laziness gets the best of me and it doesn't all get done.

How blessed I am to have such a full life:).

A Deep Breath.....

I am reading through the Anne of Green Gables Novels right now and enjoying them so much! I just finished the 6th book, Anne of Ingleside. What a sweet book of Anne's motherhood. Several times in the story Anne says something like this to herself...

" My children are all growing so fast. In a few short years they will be young men and women. But they will still be mine for a few years yet... mine to love and guide..."

As I read those words I would smile in my heart knowing the feeling all to well. My little woman are growing so very fast.......

Rinie Roo is 9. She is such an interesting little girl. She loves to read and you can find her curled up in her closet (which is small but a fun little place for her) often with a book and her little flash light. She has also begun to write her own stories which are full of details and great little plots. She is doing well at learning the piano. She loves to play Webkinz on the computer and Barbie Dolls with her sister. She has just begun to play softball and likes it so far a lot.She is a loyal friend, sister, and daughter. She is our Heart around here.

Kiera Lynn is 7 1/2. Our little adventure seeker. She loves playing outside. Riding her bike, roller blading, drawing with chalk, and creating little homes on her swing set fort are all favorites. But don't think she is a tom-boy at all, she also Loves to put make up on and do her hair in fancy styles.She, like Corinn, is doing well at the piano, plays Webkinz every day on the computer, and is just starting softball and liking it. She loves to draw and often gives me sweet little cards that say "I love you Mom."She is our Joy around here.

Karis Kathleen is 3 1/2. ENERGY ENERGY ENERGY only partly describes this little pip squeak :). If you've ever been around her, you know what I mean. Out of her little mouth comes the wittiest sayings and funniest questions I've ever heard. She Loves to hear stories of Eric and my childhood and will ask us over and over to retell the same story. She pays attention to every little detail and will retell them to us sometimes. She enjoys watching Sesame Street and gets very excited to learn what the number of the day is. And if she hasn't watched it she asks me what it is (because you know everyday has a number of the day:)!!!) She loves to sing and puts all her heart into every song you catch her singing:). She is our Sunshine around here!

Kendra Ruth is just about 2! Wow my baby is almost 2! She is different then each of her sisters. She is talking so adorably right now. Saying things like, "Wuv wo Mommy." and just melting my heart. She loves to sing her alphabet and does it all day long. You often find her singing "Jesus wuvs me, Bible tells so. " She gives me huge kisses all day long. Adores each of her sisters. Knows how to get her way (we're working on this one) from each of them too. She is full of passion and zeal! But I guess she needs to be with 3 big sisters right. Nothing is going to stop this little one...well she's not so little, she actually weighs more than Karis and looks as if she is going to be rather tall (where did that come from?). She is our Baby Chub around here:).

May I treasure these years where they are all mine!