Life through instagram + 4mths for Davey.

Sometimes these pictures never make it onto the blog.  So here is my attempt to streamline all the pictures from all the different devices into one place along with a little update.

I took Davey in for his 4mth checkup.  He is so adorable.  So happy and smiley.  

4mth stats:

Height 24inches - 11%

Weight 14.2lbs 27%

Head Circ. 41inches 14%

Davey will be 5mths in 1week!  Man time flies.  The other day I put him on his tummy and left to help the other kids with something and when I came back he had moved about 5ft!  I couldn't believe it! He kind of rolls in circles/scoots around which is crazy because he really just figured out rolling about 1wk ago.  He had done it earlier but without really realizing that it was him that made it happen!

Welcome to a rare day during a Michigan winter.  Clear blue sky and a beautiful sun.  Oh how we've been missing the sun!! Mark broke down and bought a bottle of Vitamin D the other day.  Spring can't come fast enough!!  

Aw!  All snuggled up and ready for sledding. :)  He actually made it down the hill once or twice. :)  Those pictures would be on Mark's phone of course. :)

These two were fighting about who got to get the mail so I made them hold hands all the way to the mail box.  They came back giggling. Phew!  (that could have backfired rather easily!!).

Davey was sleeping and the older 2 were out playing in the snow.  My little AZ boy who doesn't like the cold got to play games with Mama.  It was so nice to spend one on one time with my favorite 2yr old!

  We were tending for some friends who have twins.  There were babies everywhere!!

Doesn't Mark look happy.  He's kind of a baby whisperer.  Ok, not really.

I made homemade marshmallows for Valentine's Day.  Just especially for my sweet Zina who had been begging me to make them for weeks.  I don't like marshmallows particularly but let me tell you.  These babies dipped in chocolate on top of hot chocolate - Heavenly.

I also made this the other day.

SO SO good. 

I have never tasted better yogurt.

And putting that yogurt on my fresh ground whole wheat pancakes topped with my own bottled peaches, sprinkled with some ground flax...yep, made me pretty darn happy.  Someday I'll make it with fresh milk from the cow and add a few scrambled eggs from the hens out back and then my happiness will be ten fold.

:)

None of us can get enough of this boy.  He is just so happy, and innocent, and adorable and ticklish.

I want to have babies forever.  

I can't seem to keep the password to the ipad a secret.  And even if I could they've still figured out how to take pictures without the password.   (I secretly like finding funny pictures of them, but don't tell. :)

And this pictures pretty much sums up life around here these days.  Messy, chaotic, lots of emotions, a little bit of cabin fever, but in general happy to be alive, healthy, and have each other. 

:)

Valentine's 2013 + Miracle of Togetherness

Making Valentine's for our Friends.

Good morning!  Papa woke up extra early and snuck Valentine's into our envelopes.  The kids and I loved waking up to love notes from the Man of the house. 

Since the kids are home schooled I wanted to make sure they didn't miss out on a Valentine's day party. We had a lot of fun decorating together and they were even in the kitchen till the very end: Zina making the fruit pizza icing, Wilson stirring the Macaroni, Sammy grating cheese, and Davey snuggling Mama in the wrap.  Go team go!

Everyone helping Davey like tummy time. :)

Yeah!! Welcome to our Party!  

Usually dinner time is a juggling act for me.  I am nursing/feeding Sam(why won't my two yr old eat!!)/feeding myself/cleaning up spills/pouring water/loading plates etc.  During this meal I was doing all of this as usual when I just paused and sat still for a moment.  I took in all of my surroundings and looked at each family member.  Oh how I love them!  They were eating, laughing, smiling, cooing and it filled me with joy.  I was so grateful for our moment of togetherness.  We eat dinner together almost every night, but this night I just felt it fill up my heart and I tried to freeze the memory in my mind for forever.  I realized that we won't always be together in this life.  For whatever reason - kids grow up, move out and have babies of their own, death strikes, etc. But, because of Jesus Christ we WILL be together forever.  And these little pieces of the celestial world that I feel in my own home will be my eternity.  And that is a miracle.  I am so grateful for my own little glimpse of eternity on Valentine's Day.  Because truly love really is what it is all about. 

Love notes from Mama wrapping up some yummy chocolate. 

My kids are always begging me to make macaroni and cheese. 

Mark doesn't eat a lot of cheese so I rarely make it.  They were so happy for mac and cheese!!

(Don't worry, Mark and I went on a V-day date on the 12th and had some of the best Mexican food we've ever eaten!)

This kids worked hard to fill Papa's envelope up with Valentine's.  They loved watching him open them all up.  

This picture cracks me up.  No matter how many times I tell Sammy to not climb on the table he sees nothing wrong with just strolling across to tell papa something!

We played Valentine's minute-to-win-it which no one won because NON of us got the math equation at the end right.  Haha. Not even Mark. :)

Bingo!! + love this little Mama!

My kids LOVE kiwi.  They cannot get enough of it!

Happy Valentine's day everyone!!

My New Baby & Sacrament Meeting Miracle

I've been thinking about this miracle for awhile now - every Sunday actually.  Mark's schedule changes every month and we never know from one month to the next what it is going to entail.  I have been extra nervous about going to church by myself with the 4 kids, not knowing how exactly to get up and leave to nurse Davey or quiet him down and leave the 3 other kids to fend for themselves during Sacrament meeting.  I know that my Heavenly Father is mindful of me!!  I have miraculously not had to go to Sacrament meeting by myself since Davey has been born.  Mark has had every single (minus 1) Sunday off or worked at a time other than Sacrament meeting.  And that one Sunday he woke up extra early rounded on all his patients before 8:30am and then surprised us by walking into the Church at the same time we did.  He was able to stay for all of Sacrament meeting and then returned to the hospital to finish his work.  I love him.  Next Sunday will be the 1st out of the 20 Sunday's since Davey's birth that I will have to go it alone.  What a miracle and tender mercy!

January in Pictures.

January was a tough month for us.  ICU meant 6 day work weeks +12hr shifts for Mark.  2wks of nights then 2wks of days. The last part of the month was 18 days 16 of which he worked trying to keep people alive all the while feeling totally stressed out about everything he needed to be remembering and hoping that he wasn't forgetting something crucial.  

We totally preferred nights because we saw him more and nights in the ICU are way more relaxed than days.  I'm not sure I have ever seen him more stressed out or worn out.  Not even for boards.  But then again I hightailed it to Canada during board season. :)

A rare moment with Dad!

But I have to say that there were plenty of blessings that came along with such a stressful month.  

Heavenly Father truly blessed me to find joy and happiness taking care of everything at home instead of feeling totally worn out (although there was plenty of that too).  I love being a stay at home mom.  And I am grateful for my dad for working 6-7days a week.  Seriously, when Mark and I got married and Sat. would roll around I'd turn the music up and start cleaning -because that's what you do on Sat. right?  Mark quickly informed me that the rest of the world plays on Saturday.  Say what?  

Anyways since Mark was working so much when Saturday rolled around I just turned up the music and kept working too.

  And it felt like home. :)  

I found myself laughing to myself because I was enjoying it so much.

I found so much joy in spending time with my kids.  

I love them and they missed their Papa.

There were some long hard days.

Days where you just say a prayer, square your shoulders, and then do the best you can.

(oh wait, isn't that every day!!)

Did I mention I love these kids. 

This was in the middle of January!! In Michigan!  Look how beautiful it is. Green grass and everything.  We showed Papa the bird sanctuary and it was really fun.  Looking at these pictures makes me happy.  Winter doesn't last forever, and neither does ICU!

I LOVE everything about this picture.   Wilson adores his baby brother.   Look at him!  5yrs  old and it's no big deal  Mom.  I can eat, balance the baby, and keep him happy all at once.  

My kids love to crank the music and then dance - leaping off of everything in sight!

Don't worry we had school too!.  My favorite thing about this picture is Zina's doodling in the background.  She was supposed to be going over word families and instead she was designing dresses. :)

LOVE them!

Finally a Snow Day!  

We had friends over (because it was a real snow day for public schools as well) and played in the snow, built a fire, made hot chocolate and nachos and built forts!

Bryce, Addie & Zina.
And don't forget Wilson in the back on top of Mouse Crumpet (It's supposed to be Mt. Crumpit but Sammy dubbed it Mouse Crumpet)

My intense little 2yr old!

Sammy is so full of love, and anger, and sadness, and frustration, and make believe, and joy, and giggles.  He is learning about his emotions and feels them all so deeply.  

Oh this boy. I have no words.

Seriously, I get to snuggle and mug on this boy everyday.  I love it!

And keep this precocious little monkey entertained. :)

I have the best job in the world.  

Don't you love that Monkey is wearing Sam's clothes?
This is Sam and Wilson's restaurant.  They always feed Monkey and Sunshine Bear their "good" food before they feed them sugar. :)  Sammy is really into "mine friends."  Whether they are real or make believe he loves them so dearly!

Zina and Wilson hopped up and made everyone lunch this day.  Wilson made me a ham, cheese, avocado, pickle sandwich.  It was really good! (even if he is camera shy :)

Zina made Sammy and her Peanut Butter and Honey sandwiches.

Zina learned about fractions the other day and has since taken up baking like CRAZY.  If I let her she would bake all day long.  She absolutely loves it.  The other week when i had a bad headache I told her  the recipe for Pizza dough and she made it for Friday pizza night all on her own. I was so impressed because it turned out perfect and I didn't even step foot in the kitchen!

She also made this platter of goodies the same day with her easy bake oven.  Cornbread, scones, cheese quesadillas, strawberry crumble, fruit bars etc. 

It finally got warm enough for snowman snow!

Wilson is mad because he wanted to stand right in front of the snowman.

Oh Wilson I love you!

Snow ball fight!

unexpected nap time

Getting ready for church.

I looked over one evening to find Zina reading this. 

haha.

Sledding at Kindleberger park with friends.

And January DID end!!!  

And we got our Papa back.

sure do love him!