Friday, December 31, 2010

Update on baby Oliver

Good news from Oliver's dad...
Oliver has been taken off the ventilator. He is breathing sufficiently by himself and only requires minimal oxygen flow to help him out. He was moved from the ICU to a High Dependency Unit at the hospital, which is big progress. He'll be monitored there over the weekend and if all goes well will be moved to a regular ward next week. Myself & Krissy got to hold our boy today for the first time since Christmas Day. Thank you all so much for your thoughts and prayers over the past week. Looks like it will be a Happy New Year after all!

Happy New Year's Eve!

With small kids in the house, we usually don't have much going on New Year's Eve. In fact, there was only one person in our family that had big plans tonight. That would be our eldest, Henry. He had a sleep over at a friend's house. He was so excited that he was talking about it all week. Poor Seth seemed a little despondent that Henry got to have a sleep over tonight, especially today. So when I dropped Henry off at his friend's house, Dave and Seth called a few of his friends to come over. When they all came over, they were all so good and were having so much fun that we thought, "Why not? Let's have a sleepover!"
Caroline also got to invite her good friend, Abbey.
The night has gone swimmingly, with a very festive and fancy New Year's Eve dinner of frozen pizza and chocolate milk. They've watched a movie, played a lot of DS, hide and seek, and a game where Evan chases everyone throughout the house. :)

Plans are to watch the count down, toast with sparkling grape juice, and announce the new year to the neighborhood by banging a few pots and pans. I'm feeling a little nostalgic because that's what I used to do with my friends when I was a kid. So fun!



I hope you have a blessed New Year!

Thursday, December 30, 2010

Oliver

This beautiful 2 week old baby is named Oliver. He is the son of one of my friends from high school, and he is very much in need of your prayers. A couple of days after he came home from the hospital, he became gravely ill. He went back to the hospital where he has been on life support since Christmas Day. They are not sure what is wrong with him, but it could be that he caught some sort of virus from his siblings. His family has set up a Facebook page to update on Oliver's condition, and for specific prayer requests. If you are on Facebook and would like to visit it, here is the link... Prayers for baby Oliver Gibson . Would you please pray for him?

Tuesday, December 28, 2010

A Third Christmas

The kids were so excited today that their Aunt Karen, Uncle Jim and cousin Robbie made a surprise visit. We had not been able to see them at Christmas this year, so it was WONDERFUL to be with them!

I love, love, LOVE this boy!
He is so full of life and exuberance, pure joy wrapped up in the CUTEST package!
Look at how sweet he was when he opened up our gift to him!
Hee hee! Love him!
Aunt Karen and Uncle Jim gave each of the kids their own special book and keepsake ornament...
Karen chose the ornaments to remember a character trait or a special happening in the kids' year. Henry's was a screwdriver in honor of the work he did in the basement. Seth's was a robot because he's so mechanically inclined.

Caroline's was a pink princess, you know, because she likes pink, and because she IS a princess. ;) And Evan's was a frog, in honor of what a fabulous frog-catcher he was this summer. HA!
As soon as the kids got their ornaments, they hung them on the tree. Caroline hung her ornament first, followed by Evan hanging his. Don't you love his placement?
Karen and I had such a good laugh...it looks like the poor unsuspecting princess is about to be attacked by a ferocious frog.

Evan always makes me laugh...
After opening presents and a pizza lunch, the kids headed downstairs to make a little city out of all of the bean bag boxes from Christmas.
Later on in the day, our friends Abbie and Dylan came over to play. Caroline and Abbie immediately disappeared into Caroline's room to play American Girl dolls and pet store. These two are so sweet together!
Our poor dog never gets any attention. So Henry and Dylan doted on Moxie a little bit.
She loved it, and tried to show her appreciation by, in turn, doting on Dylan. ;)
Henry, Dylan, Seth, Evan and Dave also spent a long time outside playing hockey on the pond behind our house. I have a feeling that we'll be investing in pairs of skates for the kids soon!
It was another fun day...wish that Christmas break could be longer! I don't want them to go back to school next week!

Monday, December 27, 2010

Sledding vs. Laundry...Guess who won!

On the second day after Christmas, we seriously considered being productive. (After all, at some point we'll probably run out of clothes to wear if I don't do laundry soon.) Then we thought better of it and decided to go sledding. :)

Oh, the fun that was in store for us! This sledding hill is fabulous!
Evan insisted on sledding all by himself, so Dave, being the good dad that he is, sledded down right next to him.
See how well that worked out? ;)
It was a little scary to see my daughter sled down the "mogul run", but she did great!
Seth liked the moguls too, but his favorite was the ramp. That boy caught some air!
Look at how pretty it was!
Again, so pretty! That's Dave and Evan down there. Apparently this was their private hill!
There Seth goes!
And Caroline!
And Henry down the moguls...This boy would go down "no-handed" sometimes!

And to prove that I wasn't just taking pictures, here I am tobogganing with Seth and Caroline.
It was so much fun that I asked the kids if we can go again tomorrow. ;)

Sunday, December 26, 2010

Peace

Ahhhhh...the day after Christmas...

...everyone spending the day in their pajamas...

...no need for cooking as we could probably live for a few weeks off of our leftovers...

...playing with all of the new toys...

...eating too many cookies and candy from our stockings...

...not caring about messes because we'll clean up later...

...playing Apples to Apples (a board game) marathons

...cuddling with the kids while watching a movie...

...napping and catching up on some much needed rest...

...reflecting on so many blessings and sweet memories...

Christmas peace! :)

Saturday, December 25, 2010

Merry Christmas!

Family, happiness, joy, fun, sentimental moments, laughter...Christmas Eve and Christmas Day 2010 will forever be among my favorite memories. Honestly, I look at these pictures from these two days and can tangibly feel my heart swelling with love. :)

Here's our four kids waiting to come down the stairs on Christmas morning...
Caroline and Evan opening their stockings
Brothers searching under the tree
Seth opening his stocking
Henry with his stocking
Just before opening the presents!
And they're off! I love Dave's face in this picture...he was one tired Daddy!
Evan got a Buzz Lightyear backpack and sleeping bag
Henry and Seth opening some of their favorite gifts...DSi XLs!
One of Caroline's favorite gifts...a penguin pillow pet!
This is a happy boy!
More opening...
The kids each got their own Snuggli...now I don't have to share mine! ;)
Another happy boy!
Oooooh...a Transformer!

A happy, happy girl! Caroline got Julie, a 70s American Girl doll!

Santa did not forget Moxie, even though she is sometimes on Santa's "Naughty List". :) She got two candy cane shaped bones, new dog dishes and a new toy! I think that she had a happy first Christmas!
It is good to be Moxie! Here she is being doted on by her Grandpa...
My mom, my Aunt Shirley and me...LOVE!
Uncle Bill playing Hex Bugs Combat with his nephews
Seth showing Grandpa and Aunt Shirley his new puzzleball
Yum! Christmas Dinner...chicken tetrazinni, spinach salad, and crusty bread!
Evan's dessert...think that candy cane is big enough?
My sweet Evan!
Uncle Bill heading out to play hockey in the backyard with Dave and the kids
The hockey game

I think they tired Henry out...see him lying there in the snow?!
Moxie loves playing in the snow, but there are consequences to that love. Poor puppy!
The boys enjoying hot chocolate after their hockey game...LOVE!
Dave reading Evan's pop-up book
Dave, Uncle Bill and the kids playing a marble game and Hex Bugs
Poor Evan...Christmas really wears a 4 year old out! When you are that tired, it is good to be able to cuddle with your Grandpa and your favorite Transformer on the couch.
My mom and me...LOVE!
A tired Daddy and his faithful companion
Opening one more Christmas gift...what's in the big boxes, kids?
BEAN BAGS!
They are soooo comfortable, although we have to return two as they sent us two different blues! We're keeping the color on the left.
This is a happy boy wrapped in a new Snuggi, new 0 degree sleeping bag for Boy Scouts, on a comfy bean bag, playing his new DSi XL! Henry's heaven!
It was a wonderful Christmas...to top it off, the kids slept by the Christmas tree with their favorite toys and on top of their new bean bags. Such sweet children!