River Take 4!!

Well this was last and final call for the river...we have officially pulled our camper home for the winter :(  It doesn't seem possible that we have only gotten to the river four times, but it has been so much fun while it lasted!  This weekend we actually even got to spend it with Ethan and Bennett.  Mom decided that before the summer was over she wanted to get the two of them up to the river to do some fishing.  She didn't know how it would go with them since they aren't away from home very often so she only committed to one night.  I wanted to be in church tomorrow so we decided to do the same.  I felt really bad that Austin wasn't here with us on our last weekend but he might get to come up again with my mom and dad.  I guess the ride here wasn't too great with the two boys.  Ethan gets really car sick so he kept saying how he was never going fishing again.  Bennett kept asking to go home.  My mom wasn't sure if they were going to be ok but when it was time to go home today they were really ready to stay longer! 

Here is some explanation of the pictures:
Adah is the first one; then Bennett, Kez and Adah sitting on my parents' step; Bennett taking a walk; Kezzie, Ethan and Bennett burning sticks by the fire (we had a fire going pretty much the whole time we were there because it was pretty chilly); Leora, Ethan and Kezzie playing in Perry's boat; below that one is my Grandma Smith fishing with three of her great-grand kids (Ethan, Bennett and Kez); next row is Adah hanging with my uncle Perry; Kezzie on her bike (I brought enough bikes so all the kids could have one to ride if we went on a walk); Bennett in Perry's boat; Arianna sitting snug in a little lawn chair; Bennett, Kezzie and Ethan 'playing' with the fire and having so much fun; my little fishing girl Kez; next row is my Aunt Cindy and Uncle Perry kayaking with their new kayaks; my Grandma Smith fishing with Ethan off the dock; Rylan hanging out on his bike; Ethan with all of the fish he caught when Uncle Gary took him out in the boat fishing (his smallest was just a couple inches but he had some pretty big keepers too); Adah hanging out on her bike; and the last one is Gary and Ethan going out fishing in the boat!

I mentioned going on a walk with bikes.  When we got there yesterday it was pretty cold and we were already looking for something to do with all the kids.  I got out all our bikes and we decided to go on a short walk/ride.  We didn't get very far and Ethan got stuck on the bike he was riding so he got frustrated and abandoned the bike, Bennett decided he didn't want to ride since Ethan wasn't so my mom was trying to push/carry two bikes!  We weren't sure we were every doing that again!  We did end up trying it again today and they did great (aside from Keziah's chain coming off her bike).  We took a much longer walk and Ethan decided from the start that he was just going to walk.  Today the weather was much more manageable.  But both yesterday and today we had a fire going pretty much all the time.  It was super relaxing and the kids enjoyed gathering sticks to help keep it going.  Last night Ethan and Bennett and Keziah all snuggled in the living room of mom and dad's camper and watched The Bee Movie.  I tried to get a picture but my camera was completely dead.  Ethan was on the couch and Bennett and Kez were all snuggled in blankets on a cot on the floor.  It was so sweet!  After we got the three of them to bed we sat by the fire some more.  I am going to miss the river this year!  It was just too short!  I guess I will be more than ready when next year comes!!

There is a funny story to go with these pictures before I go...this isn't the first time Adah has done this so I had to share!  The picture to the right is a toy my mom got at a garage sale in a baggie with a bunch of other little toys.  Adah plays with it like it's a toy but has twice now all of the sudden set it on the floor, opened it up and started pulling her pants down as if she is actually going to use it as a potty.  This picture to the left is her urgently needing to pee and thinking she is going to go in this toy!  Silly silly girl!  I guess camping with porter-potties has made her think anything with a lid can hold pee!

Ethan turns 5 and Alanna turns 1!!

We hurried home from the river this morning so we could get home in time to make it to Chuck-E-Cheese's in CF to celebrate two very important birthdays!  Ethan is the big FIVE years old and sweet little Alanna turned 1!  The kids had so much fun!  It was nice to have Austin there too.  I think we figured out that he has been to very few parties for Ethan because he always just happens to be with his dad.  Ethan was too nervous to go in the ticket blaster and Alanna was too little so Kezzie and Bennett went in their place.  Kezzie ended up earning an extra 54 tickets and having a lot of fun in the process!  Austin kept getting really lucky on the chance games and even spun a 125 ticket mark at one time.  He ended up with almost 450 tickets!  That got him a pretty cool mini basketball!  And when it was time for us to leave Bennett gave Kezzie a hug and they nearly tackled each other.  Actually, Bennett did end up on his back on the floor with an ouch on his head before the hug was over but it was just too sweet to stop!  It was a great time celebrating two of my favorite kids!  Happy Birthday Ethan and Alanna!  We love you to pieces!

Cousin's Day!!!

Today was a great day!  My mom is on spring break this week so she took a day to spend with me and four of her grand kids.  First we met at the Phelps Pavilion in Waterloo.  We spent a pretty big chunk of time there and even ate lunch in their cafeteria.  Since it was spring break week they were have $1 specials on everything. Admission was $1 and food was also.  It was a pretty inexpensive morning.  After lunch we went on to the grout museum where it was just plain hot and crowded.  The kids were tired too so that didn't help but we made the best of it and still managed to enjoy it quite a bit.  The littlest ones were getting very tired so we went to mom and dad's and put them down for a nap.  Ethan got to stay up and hang out with grandma and I and play some games on the computer!  It was a special day for all of us.

Sunday Sweeties!

Aren't these kids just adorable? Little Alanna is approaching 1 month old. She is still struggling with a little bit of jaundice and her hemoglobin level is still dropping slightly (this means she may end up having a blood transfusion if it gets too low). Sundays are always so much fun when it's spent with family! Kezzie especially enjoys these special times with her cousins!

Alanna Rae is Here!

What a fun and exciting weekend. We got home on Thursday morning from the river and were only home for the night before getting a phone call at 2am from Emily saying that her water broke. She had plans for the boys for that night to go to their babysitters house so they didn't need anybody at the house right away but didn't know what they were going to do with the boys for the weekend. Since mom was held up in Iowa City with my dad having surgery, she wasn't available to be with the boys. So I had the privilege of hanging out with them all weekend. There would be way more photos too except my camera battery died so this is what I got! We had so much fun! My mom slept at Emily and Adam's since she needed somewhere to sleep so she had to go back and forth between IC and Independence (so she was there a little in the evenings and in the mornings). That was a huge help! We are so thankful that she had safe travels going back and forth all the times that she did. Friday, after my dad came out of recovery, mom gave hugs and kisses and then headed to Adam and Emily's for the night. Once she arrived, we fed the kids supper and all hopped in the car to go to the hospital. The boys were so excited to meet their new baby sister! We didn't stay long since with us came a lot of chaos with that many kids! Brian met us there and then drove on to Independence to stay the night. On Saturday we played all day long! Mom wanted to get back to dad right away in the morning so she had to leave. And Brian left at about the same time too (he wanted to go home to golf). Saturday night I got all the kids baths and in bed-definitely not a small feat! I gave Ethan, Bennett and Keziah one all together (another great photo op:(). They were having so much fun I felt bad making them get out. When they were all dressed and in bed I bathed Adah (who was incredibly tired and hungry but patiently waiting with Austin until I could help her). Austin was such a big help all the time too. Ethan adores Austin so he came in handy when Ethan woke up from his Saturday nap missing his mommy and daddy a bunch. He was also a huge help with Adah. If I was busy helping the other three with a meal or something, Austin would keep Adah company or at least watch her while she played on the floor.

I didn't think mom was going to be coming back Saturday since dad was begging to get out of the hospital, but they couldn't get his pain under control so they told him he needed to stay another night. So once again mom made the drive back to Independence. She got back just in time to walk in the kitchen and start doing dishes and cleaning with me. We also wanted to put together some kind of dish for super on Sunday once they all got home from the hospital. It was another long day for mom! But we treated ourselves with some ice cream from DQ! Sunday was a great day too. We got up and started planning for Alanna's arrival. The kids all got really excited to decorate letters spelling out a welcome home for Alanna (I wish I could have gotten a picture of it!). Mom left shortly after banana chocolate chip pancakes (delicious)! Brian went to church in the morning and then came to Independence to welcome Alanna home and get another glimpse at her. Emily and Adam and Alanna arrived home about 2pm. All the kids were taking naps so I got to have Alanna all to myself for a little bit! What a sweet and precious gift from God. Babies are so amazing!

My kids did great too. I was very impressed with how well they all played together. Ethan and Kezzie tend to work against each other but this weekend they got along so well! I was particularly impressed with how well we all did sleeping in the same room. The only bad habit we have brought home from there is Kezzie insists the door not be closed all the way at nap and bed time (being in a strange place, I never closed the door all the way the whole time we were there). It's one of her favorite phrases now when it comes close to time to go to bed, 'don't close the door all the way?!'

Sunday Funday!

Today we got together as a family again. I promise I won't post every time we get together when we are doing it more often. I had to post some much need recent photos of Rylan and the kids had so much fun playing together so it was hard not to include pictures of that too! Rylan is now a little over 2 months old. He is starting to coo and smiles at you when you talk to him. He is getting so big! Kezzie and Ethan and Austin played doctor with the play doctor set. Kezzie went around giving everyone shots and taking their blood pressure. She also got a kick out of 'listening' to people's heart beats! Austin and Ethan had fun playing in tubs! Bennett is getting so big too. He is walking behind a walker and has mastered the art of going down stairs bottom first (before he would gracefully go head first). I know it won't be much longer and he will be taking his first steps. I can't believe how strong he is getting! What a fun Sunday we had together! That is one thing about Winter I am looking forward to...being together on Sundays again!

Ethan turns 3!!

Ethan turned three on 8-7-09 but we celebrated his birthday today. I cannot believe he is already three! Time is flying by! He is such a brilliant little boy, so shy and timid. I love his personality! At his party there was a truck theme. Emily put his mud pie dessert in the back of his big dump truck with gummy worms sticking out of it. We had a very delicious dinner of meatballs and cheesy hash browns along with a few other tasty sides. There was a stubborn pinata that even Kezzie took a crack at trying to break open. I think Austin got the first piece of candy to fall with his mighty swing! Ethan got some great gifts. We got him a fishing pole and chalkboard book. Austin went through his millions of cars and took out a gallon sized bag full of cars to give Ethan for his birthday. Ethan's eyes lit up when he saw them and I think as soon as he was done opening gifts he went in the kitchen and dumped them all out to play. It was a really great time and fun to see Adam's family members again too. I even got to hold baby Rylan for a good portion of the time we were there! Happy Birthday Ethan! I love you buddy!