Apple Betty

We are so excited to be having a baby GIRL!!  Apple Betty is her current name (although I'm sure we'll think of something else when she makes her debut.)  When the kids found out Aunty Liz was having a girl and calling her Poppy our baby was the size of an apple so we joked that we should call our baby apple betty.  Now that it is a girl Apple Betty has stuck.  To say Zina and Mama are excited is a bit of an understatement.  Actually everyone is excited.  Wilson and Zina kiss my belly every day and say "Bye Apple Betty" when they leave for school.  I LOVE it.

April 2015

Sometimes you just need a break from everyday life.  We felt so blessed to fill our lives full of extended family this month. After Grandma filled us to the brim with attention and cleaning and laughing and playing Marilyn and kids flew into Indy and then we drove to Nauvoo to see Grandma Judy and then on to Tulsa to play with Wells & Emily and Co. and attend Bo's baptism.  We helped them move into their new home and although (I) was exhausted I was just so happy I felt good enough to help!  No more puking!!  I felt great the whole trip even during the 22hrs of driving.  The kids LOVED being with their cousins!  And all of them were singing "Welcome to Nauvoo!" after watching Grandma perform in Rendezvous.

Wilson and Wade

We found Piper at the airport!

Cute little pioneers.

Zina, Kate, and Aunt Marilyn

Sammy had a blue ninja birthday cake with custard at Annie's custard shop.  It was so great to be able stay at Helen's house and enjoy all you can eat custard at Annie's Custard shop!  Cousin Helen is the BEST!!  (Notice the candles.. lol... mom fail! ;))

We celebrated Sammy's birthday before we left and again in Nauvoo.  He opened his last present ( a kickball) in Nauvoo and it got a LOT of use over next few days!

Mini golf at our hotel the first night in Tulsa.  We had all the cousins stay at the hotel so Wells and Emily could do last minute packing.  We ordered pizza and swam.  They had fun!

Wells and Emily took us to the Tulsa Aquarium and then to their favorite Oklahoma BBQ.  YUM!

Look at all those kids!

Wilson's first tick. :) Found after playing another game of kickball in Wells and Emily's new backyard.  I wish I had a picture of the games!

And then we came home and made 1 million stops on the way for poor Zina who got sick our last couple of days.  Lots of puking and the runs.  Poor girl.  We ended up staying longer than planned so she could feel a little bit better for the drive. 

We lost and then found Papa's toothbrush. 

Endured some Indiana spring soccer in the pouring rain (sans Papa of course!!)

Quality brother time.  Davey loves his Sammy and repeats everything Sammy says or does.  I LOVE it.   Thank goodness Sammy doesn't mind and just laughs.  I seem to remember it being the opposite with Wilson and Zina... :)

March 2015

The tallest snowman in the neighborhood!  We tried our best to roll his bottom to the front yard but it was just to big and heavy.  

Brother snuggles

 The famous Indianapolis ice tree.  We had to see it before it melted and it made a perfect Sunday afternoon drive. 

 Sometimes when your to tired and sick to take care of yourself much less anyone else the bathtub and brothers make great babyistters.

And then Grandma comes to town and saves the day and your home and your sanity and your children. :)  Nothing like a pow wow around a campfire and Grandma telling you stories. :)

Mark got tickets from a friend to an IU basketball game against Michigan State.  I was not feeling up to the drive and the game and the thought of puking in a stand full of people so Zina won the lucky ticket.  They had a great Daddy daughter date.  What a lucky girl. :)  They bought IU t-shirts for the event and had a fabulous time. 

Grandma helped us clean out the garage and Zina made and "ICU IS OVER!!!" sign to celebrate Mark's return into our lives.  

 And Sammy did a head plant onto a ..... lego. :)

March in Indianapolis is ruled by March Madness of course.
Here are the kids and Mark at an all-star game and watching the teams practice at the Lucas Oil Stadium.  Mark hasn't slept for 40hrs in this picture.   But he was also celebrating an end of ICU. :)
Crazy guy!

February 2015

How about a Mother's Day update!  So grateful for my sweet husband and family who made the most delicious breakfast and dinner and then cleaned it all up.  I have yet to taste the cheesecake but I'm sure it will be fabulous!

February February.  That was a rough month.  Of course you can't tell from the pictures, but I spent most of the month on the couch puking my guts out.  Thank you baby Thomas #5!

I've never been so sick and miserable in all my life.  I'm so thankful that sick and miserable didn't last forever - 3 months was long enough. :)  What a strange pregnancy this has been for me!  It didn't help that Mark was also gone for much those 3 months.  Probably the most he's worked his entire residency coincided with my horrible morning sickness.  Looking back in hindsight I can see how the Lord lifted my burdens with little things and big things.  Like my 9mth pregnant friend bringing me dinner because she could tell how ill I was, and little visits and encouragement from Auntie Liz who just finished her 1st trimester and then used her air miles to fly a vacationing Grandma from LA to Indianapolis.  Seriously I've never been so grateful for family!

 Somehow my children survived and by the looks of things I even managed to do a few things with them?!  

Zina and Wilson had their 1st ice skating performance and had to have tie-dyed shirts so they could skate to Jackson Five's ABC -123.   So we had a family home evening activity - sans Dad of course.  Still shaking my head that we survived that.

They skated awesome!!  I got a babysitter for the younger two so I could just go and enjoy their show.  They really enjoyed skating and I really enjoyed watching them do something that I love to do too!

 Sunday nap.  Monday nap. Tuesday nap..... etc. 

 Valentine's Chaos!

 The kids winter rocket ship.

 Sometimes when Dad's on call... again... bed time looks like this. 

Cute playgroup trips to the library.

The annual Thomas Family Valentines Party & Dance

When Mom washes the floor then you get to dance in your underwear on the table....?

Christmas 2014

I can't seem to find my pictures of us finding our perfect tree this year.  Either way we had fun doing our "modified" tradition of cutting down our own tree.  Modified because there just aren't any beautiful snow capped mountains to drive up in here so a local tree farm had to suffice.  We still had a lovely time running around in the cold wind and I took a million pictures so....not sure where they went. :/ 

But it was a prickly tree so we had to fortify ourselves with hats and gloves in order to decorate. :)

And a cute random photo of Davey's modeling career.

Another of my favorite Christmas traditions is caroling.  I love caroling.  My memories of caroling with my Mom, Dad, Brothers and Sisters are so so sweet.  Trying to do that with 4 young kids is like...well singing a duet with your husband.  :) So we organized with the missionaries and invited the whole ward.  We had 3 groups who went out and caroled and delivered treats and pass along cards to 15 investigators, new converts, or just people we felt would be uplifted.  Then everyone came to our house for hot chocolate after.  This is the only picture of the night.  I sure do love my Wilson photo bomber.  And I love spreading Christmas cheer loud and clear for all to hear!  I'm so grateful to my good friend Hillary who as awesome organizing skills and mapped out routes and groups for everyone.

We were so lucky to have Mark home Christmas Eve Day and Christmas day.  It was a Christmas miracle!  Christmas eve day we made and delivered Christmas bread to all our friends and neighbors.  I love me some of Grandma Judy's Christmas bread.  Best tradition ever!

Christmas Eve soup bowl left overs. Mmm they were good. :)

We had our friends the Chattertons for Christmas eve dinner and nativity and Christmas Jammies.

All my favorite Christmas eve activities.  

Christmas Morning!  

Oldest to youngest about to head downstairs. I love the bed head and missing pants.

Another Favorite tradition.  A box FULL of books from Santa.

I always loved that present the most!

Zina used up ALL her elastics from her moon loom and made me a full set of jewelery.  She worked so hard on it and I especially loved the note on the present. :)

We invited our friends the Bramwells for Christmas Day dinner of Ham, Funeral potatoes etc. And raspberry trifle and Pumpkin roll.  We love catching up with the Bramwells and watching cute little Hadley and Davey interact. :) Here's a blurry picture of all the kids, after a busy sugar filled day. :)

(seriously maybe my new years resolution should be to take better pictures!!)

We are so grateful for good friends who fill our hearts and home with love and laughter. Sometimes holidays are hard when you live far away from family, but I loved this Christmas and was so grateful for all of our blessings.  I know they all come from the tender baby who began His life in a humble manger.  We are trying our best to remember Him all year long!