Tuesday, April 16, 2013

Fun Times @ Easter!

Aria and Brielle had a cute custom Easter bow made for them this year! They came Mid March and the Girls started planning all the Easter fun from then on!
They couldn't wait to dye Eggs and loved taking the old plastic eggs and hiding them throughout the house as preparation for the real Day! We also focused as a family on LESS stuff for Easter and what the REAL message is. We watched the BIBLE series on the History Channel and the Life of Christ Videos on lds.org. Brielle really understood for the first time in her life what Jesus Christ did for Everyone and for Her. She sniffled and choked up watching the Romans whip Jesus and the scenes as they nailed Him to the Cross. She grabbed my arms and said in a subdued voice- He must really Love us to Die for Us. I started crying and told her that He loves her that much! She said to me- He loves all of US that Much, momma!
We had a ward party and egg hunt and enjoyed the company of Uncle Brian for the week before Easter!
 He was sooo sweet and fun with the kids. He got to Sled, Roller Skate, Go to the Nuggets Game, out to dinner, babysit for a couple hours, go swimming at the Apex and more. We loved having him here!

Slade Loved him too!


I was on the decorating committee for the church Easter Party and i 
made a whole bunch of mini Cupcakes for it too!

Aria and all the kids loved the party!
Slade Fell asleep on his Favorite Uncle...named Brian!
Gavin LOVED the Eggs but was more interested in Candy that was in them!

This is the girls Easter Sunday! I will have to shoot the full kids pics in their cute outfits soon.
 right now we have snow! Cant wait until its gone but I'm happy we have moisture!
The girls picked out their own dresses this year too! It was pretty fun watching them try them all on- they like wayyy to many dresses to get them all.
Now, Slade is 3.5 months, Gavin is almost 2, Aria is 6 in July and Brielle is a few months shy of 7.5 yrs. They are all growing up way to fast for my liking! Aria is excelling in Gymnastics and loving it! Brielle just started Ballroom Dancing and seems to enjoy this very much. Gavin loves to play blocks, wrestle with anyone and the dog, make trouble and hug and cuddle with almost anyone! He is talking a lot more now too! Slade is finally laughing a bunch now and smiling and drooling for days. He is sleeping well and night and getting into more of a routine now.
Brandon is staying very busy with Building the Real Estate Company and hiring lots of awesome Realtors in the process. He is enjoying going to the girls practices/classes, wrestling with Gavin and making Slade laugh. He is an awesome husband and Father!
Im busy with the occasional cake or cupcakes for events, Selling cute things on my etsy store, taking care of the kids, house and working out as much as possible! So far- Ive lost 47 lbs since Slade was born. Its hard and wonderful all at the same time. Im so blessed to have our little family and my relationship with B and with My Father in Heaven. Everyday( even the ones where we clean up smeared feces) is a gift! I love my little life and growing Family!!!

Saturday, February 16, 2013

Seasons Change

And so do we. If we are not moving onto greater things in our lives than what are we doing with our lives? Meaning, Life is busy, very extremely busy for me now.
Gavin is 20 months ( currently fighting a cold) getting into everything and anything. Super cuddly and loves to say new words like : two and HI and Uh Oh, Up, mama, Daddy, Aria ( ahyah), bebe, Nu-uh, no, kay, eat, down,  and a few others. He loves playing all day long, building foam block towers and knocking them over, being tossed on the bean bag, dancing or working out with me and watching Sesame or price is right. He loves his siblings and is a determined little dude. He also has been doing terrific off Gluten. Now he is a dairy and gluten free kiddo. Its a learning curve with all that!

Slade will be 6 weeks on Tuesday. He is a master milk man and is my late night drinking buddy!
( saw that on a onesie). He is starting to smile and sleep on his own without being attached to the boob to sleep. Its great but He is still not sleeping through the night yet.

 Brielle is 7 , her big teeth are coming in. She is a sassy Diva and loves to be creative and test her skills. She determined and sneaky but a very good big sister and a great reader. She loves being sweet to everyone. Aria is getting better and sharing and is just as sassy as big sis. She loves Gymnastics ( b prefers ballet) and is physically strong. She still falls asleep in random places but not so often these days. These two are best buddies and mostly play pretty well. HOMEWORK is never a big deal but of course they'd rather play all day.
Brandon and I are doing good. Having lots of dates and fun at Nuggets Game, fun lil' restaurants an dives around Denver and Boulder. Its been great to start getting back into a routine and tough as well. I love the challenge but cant wait to sleep and rest. I'm in a contest to loose as much as i can in 6 weeks and we are almost 2 weeks in and so far, its okay. Not too bad. to date from having the baby, ive lost 31 lbs. so far. Cant wait to loose a HUNDRED more, okay maybe just 30 or so. Well, I'm so tired and ready for bed and this SEASON of my life is called REAL PARENTING,keeping my head above water.i should write a book of all these adventures. Like the day the dog eats half your stuff in storage, you find out your son gets a bloody nose from a foam block and your baby poops all over dads good shirt. Lots of craziness and i wouldn't have it an other way!

Thursday, January 10, 2013

OUR BABY ARRIVED!

Yep, i was overdue for sure but HE made it here finally!
Our sweet boy came in at 8 lbs 14 oz. 20 inches long. It was a swift birth and not too painful ( except towards the end). About 3 ish hours in total. He is everyone's favorite and Gavin is Mr. hugs and kisses and the girls fight over who gets to hold him first. He is a great baby and good nurser and had a tongue tie just like Aria did. That got taken care of right away this time and nursing is much better now.
We announce his name later today and we think it's fitting b/c He is a tough lil guy. He fought to hang in my belly, entered with a mighty force, resisted picture time and lets you know when he doesn't like something. He is spunky and stubborn for sure. It does have me wondering how Him and Gavin will create trouble though! We shall see. For now, enjoying every moment and trying to rest and heal up!

Friday, January 4, 2013

ADOPTION PHOTOS

Once and a while, i still get to shoot some sealing adoption photography! I JUST LOVE IT!


Saturday, December 15, 2012

Birth Mom's Family Visit- Christmas 2011

 So, before we made it over to my mom's for Christmas last year, 
We stopped in for a visit with Jessica and her family! They spoiled the kids as well!
 Jessica got the girls an ice cream maker!
 Grandpa MAX giving snuggles!
 Great Grandparents Phil and Mary-Jo!
 Jessica ( g's beautiful birthmom) & gpa Max  ( her dad)
 Aunt Morgan opening G's gifts for him!( yep good looks run in this family!)
 Opening more gifts!
 Gav loved his playmat from Jessica! I know this next baby will get some use out of it as well!
So, as you can see - Open adoption for us WORKS wonderfully! I know it may not for every situation but, in ours it's perfect harmony ( most of the time)!
You can never have too many people that love your kids, your family, you! As long as the people
are healthy ( mentally, emotionally etc.) than i say bring it on! And i do remind the birth families that my KIDS don't NEED lots of presents and one is plenty ( but it never seems to go that way)
 We have been blessed and we wouldn't change it for the world! I can't wait for this next baby to get here so Gavin has a sibling close in age and I know this Christmas will be an eventful one filled with love from near and far! Love to you all!

Friday, December 14, 2012

More Christmas 2011

Opening Gifts. She is so darling!
 
G-man opening his presents with Gma Leslie
 Our trip ended with a visit with Gavin's birth dad's family:) We went to Gateway
 and to BUILD A BEAR
 Uncle Josh ( dustin's Brother)

The fun process of getting it stuffed...
 Then stitched and cleaned

 My step Sis NANCY! stopped by- it was great to see her skinniness! ( funny that we both got pregnant a few months after)
 Gavin being SMOOTH!
" as we dream by the fire:)"
One happy girl!
Dustin & Gavin! 
MORE coming up soon!

Last Christmas...

 was loads of fun. These are just some of the pictures. I have many more to post later...
above: Corrine's Dad Danny and Mary. 
 Uncle Todd and the kids:)
 the girls visiting the Faught's horses
 gingerbread!
Cousin CHASE! 
 Great Gma Billie Jeab!
 Me Rollin' in style!
Gingerbread is a tradition we do every year. Normally a house but this year we did a TREE!
 the kids got to enjoy their own delights!

 These two cousins had fun rolling around and checking out the REAL Tree!
 Then it was PJ time and getting ready for Santa to come!
more to come soon!