Christmas 2011

It has been a minute since I visited the blogging world. I do want to get back in it. A little less facebook and a little more blogging, since blogging really is a good way to keep a record of what is going on in our family and lives. This Christmas, we were again blessed with anonymous strangers who generously gave to our kids what we couldn't. Chad has been laid off from Hill Air Force Base now since just a month before Reece was born. (Thanks Obama for all of your government set backs..we sure love all of your change). And with things the way they are, it has been difficult to find a job. (again, thank you Obama, for your great recovery plan. I really do feel the difference in our economy since you became commander and chief). And this Christmas, we had three little ones instead of two, although Reece slept through it all. Christmas was fun. It was relaxing this year. We did all our family partys before Christmas, so we didn't have anywhere to go. We opened gifts and let the kids play with their now acquisitions all day long.



These pictures remind me of that part in a Christmas Story on Christmas morning. I could almost hear the narrator saying "We plunged into the cornucopia quivering with desire and the ecstasy of unbridled avarice." Every year I try and control the chaos, but I soon give up. The call of gifts under the tree is to strong, I just have to let them plunge in a destroy.




This is what our living room looked like after the onslaught. It took hours to clean up their Christmas joy. Just when I thought I had it all clean, I would turn around and find something else that they had gotten out to play with. Cleaning up when you have kids is like shoveling the driveway during a blizzard!!



While we were opening up gifts, our kitten, Fat Louie, had a front row seat. She climbed into the Christmas tree and took a nap on the branches. She has been climbing in the tree ever since we had it out.

Lauren and Evan had a great Christmas this year. They spent the rest of the day playing with all their gifts.



I hope everyone out there had a nice Christmas too, and I hope that the new year brings lots of joy and opportunity to our family and yours as well.

Arizona 2011

We recently got the opportunity to go to Arizona for a mini vacation. It was so nice to get away for a little while. We really didn't do much. If haven't heard, Arizona is stupid hot. It was way to hot to do much. All my energy leaked out of me with all the sweat. Crazy stupid hot!! How do people move and live in Arizona?!? Crazy! Anyway, we didn't go to Arizona for the weather. We went there to visit Chad's dad who was doing a convention there that week. Mimi and Pop Pop hadn't had the chance to meet Reece, and besides, we just love any excuse we can come up with to be able to see them again.

So off to Arizona we went. As with the last trip to Arizona, the best part of the drive out there and back. One of these days, we are going to have to camp somewhere along that stretch of high way. It really is awesome. We also got the chance to visit the Hover Dam. Unfortunately, we didn't get any pictures of that.







You can see how hot it was there in Lauren and Evan's faces. I am sure that if we visited Arizona in October or December, we might just love it. But in July, it is just to hot. We did get a chance to visit with Doug and Debbie, which was kind of the whole point of going out there in the first place. We are grateful to them. Without them, we would have never gone to Purto Rico, Catalina, Philadelphia, New Orleans, San Antonio, and so many other places, including Arizona. We love them. They were working while we were there, so we didn't get to spend the whole time with them, but we were able to go swimming with them one night and eat dinner with them an other.

Pop Pop meeting Reece for the first time. It was love at first sight.

In the end, whether your in super hot Arizona or some other place, it is always nice to get away from the real world, to take a pause on all your troubles and stresses, and just be. And no matter where I am at, as long as I have my family around me, then I am in Heaven.

Lauren's First day of First Grade

It happened once again. Where did the summer go? Where did my little girl go? I couldn't help but think just how mature Lauren is looking lately. I thought that this year, I wouldn't get all emotional because it is something that I have already been through last year. But I totally got all misty eyed watching her walk in all confident and excited. She is getting so big and I am completely in awe of her on a daily basis. I love my little girl who is rapidly becoming not so little anymore.

Here is Lauren looking oh so chic in her "Back to School" outfit.





I feel so lucky that we live in walking distance from Lauren's school. I am not sure how I would handle putting Lauren on a bus and watching that bus drive away every morning. This is a much better arrangement for me, anyway.



Lauren in front of her school. She won't let me do her hair anymore. She is all about the head band. I might get to talk her into letting me do her hair once in a while, and I think she lets me because she loves me, not because she wants her hair done all fancy.


Lining up with her class. This year, all her friends ended up in other classes. I am not worried though. Lauren has never had any trouble making friends. And it doesn't seem to bother her either. She loves school. Loves it!



I feel so blessed to be able to be a witness of Lauren's life. To watch her navigated all the peaks and valleys of childhood is such a gift to me. I am filled to the brim with bittersweet wonder and I can't help but remember a night not so long ago when I tucked in a two year old version of this amazing little girl of mine. That two year old incantation adamantly declared that she would always love and wear princess dresses everywhere. Now her collection of princess dresses hang in a dark corner of her closet. Every now and then, I catch glimpses of that same two year old princess. She has never left, she has just added layers of personality on top of previous layers. I hope she always hangs on to that little girl princess and I hope she never stops adding layers of beauty on top of layers of beauty to build the young women she will one day become. I love you my little Lauren, and I am so proud of all you are becoming.

In the leafy Tree tops

If you are wondering what our kids have been doing all summer long, you need not look any further then the North/East corner of our back yard. When we first moved into our house, it was just the two of us, no kids. But one of the reasons we loved the house so much is that we could totally picture raising a family inside of these walls. One of the very first things Chad wanted to do was build a tree house in one of the big trees that we have. Eight years and three kids later, he did it. And the kids love it. They spend as much time as they can up in that tree house. I have urgent care on speed dial, I am just waiting for one of both of them to come tumbling out and breaking their arms. But over protective mother's fears aside, it has been such a fun thing for them to have this summer.




Who knows, I might be writing a blog soon about the inept custmer service skills held by the urgent care workers while taking my kid in to get a cast put on. Or not. But either way, Lauren and Evan have their head in the clouds this summer, courtesy of a home made tree house.

Grandpa Sphar's Barn

Chad moved into his Grandpa's house when he was just a baby. He grew up on his Grandpa's farm. When he was in high school, he moved back into his Grandpa's house and lived there while he went to school. He has very fond memories of that place. Chad and I were married for a little over 6 months when his Grandpa died of bone cancer and the family had to sell his Grandpa's house and land. Every now and then, we would drive by that house just to see it. Chad loved that house.

Last week we were just relaxing in front of the TV when we got a phone call from Chad's brother Ryan. He asked Chad to guess where he was sitting. It turns out that Ryan was sitting on a swing hanging from the rafters of Grandpa Sphar's barn. The house is for sell and it is empty. Ryan and Chad's mom were driving by and when they saw the house was empty, they decided to take a walk around the property and go see the barn. So we packed up the kids and drove on over to see it too. Chad and Ryan had to spend an hour walking around. Almost every thought was prefaced with "Remember when..."

The next day, we went back there and took some pictures of that old barn, the house, and all those memories. If we had the money, we would buy that place that was so filled with good times and evoked such a feeling of peace for Chad and all his brothers and sisters.



Here is Lauren and Evan sitting on that swing hanging in the barn. Chad swung on that swing when he was a little boy.

Giggling inside the barn.

All three of my little gifts. Poor Reece looks so uncomfortable...but he survived.

I still am amazed that I have THREE little ones. I still feel like I am 21, and you shouldn't have a 6 year old when your just 21. I am still just figuring out this whole mommy gig. The game keeps changing on me.

I love my cute family. They are my greatest accomplishment and my biggest joy.

Me and Reece's Pieces. He is such a sweet sweet baby. He completely belongs in our family.

Lauren hanging out on a fence post. There are moments in the day where I look at her and think she is just so pretty. I am sure all moms feel that way about their babies. But Lauren's real beauty comes from with in. She has an amazingly big and thoughtful heart. I would like to take credit for it, but she just came to us that way. It is really us who are the lucky ones to be able to parent such sweet kids.


Me and the boys. I love their tender hearts. Who knew boys would be so soft and sensitive. They are so cuddly and lovable. I really treasure my little guys.

I love my family. We are standing in front of the back door to the barn.


Evan is standing in front of a tree that Chad's Grandpa planted when he first moved into the house. The same Grandpa that we named Evan after. And just like that tree, the generations that started with Grandpa Sphar has grown big healthy and strong.

It was fun to go back to a place that means so much to Chad. I am so glad that we got the opportunity to take some pictures and walk around. We might not ever get the chance again.