The Fiscus Family

Happy Birthday, Pook!

2011-03-13T19:52:00.001-07:00

My baby is already 2!

He's so stinkin' cute, but he REALLY turned on the charm today! Of course, when you start the day off with powdered donuts and cake batter....you're bound to be H-A-P-P-Y :) Seriously though, I wish I could just bottle up everything about him right now & save it. Forever. His beaming smile. His kisses (he finally learned to pucker!). His silliness. Even the way he yells (and I mean yells) "Mom....mama.....mamom" everytime he wants to show me something or needs anything.

All of his birthday charm made for some precious memories & adorable photos.

I didn't want the day to end!

I don't know if we have a future chef on our hands, or if it was my imitation of Dana Carvey's SNL skit, "choppin' brocco-lay", but he LOVED helping chop!

Mema's number cookies are always a hit! And Luke hit them....hard.

His little party was a bit of a camping theme.....had to test out his new camp chair.
He'll be happier in it once he learns how to get out of it!

It may have taken him 2 years to get the hang of the present opening thing....but he's already a pro! The sweetest thing was the way he kept lining up his lantern, water bottle, and bubble tumbler just perfectly before he'd move on to opening the next gift.

See.....checking to make sure they're lined up!

The $2 bubble tumbler from walmart may have been his favorite gift! He was so proud of himself for learning to blow bubbles.....and he was practicing his new-found bubble blowing skills between almost every gift!

So excited about his first wheels!

Luke, we're s'more in love with you each year!

Our "real" group photos ;)

Well, like I said, I didn't want the day to end....so we kept the little man up until almost 10:30!

By 10:30 Friday morning, he just couldn't keep going & absolutely passed out on me...for the 1st time in months.

He may be 2, but he's still my baby!

Buddies.

2011-02-27T19:56:00.000-08:00

They are.

It is one of the sweetest things. Luke will call for me in the morning....and when I don't respond fast enough, he quickly changes to yelling "El-waa....El-waaaa....El-waaaaaa". She gets a huge smile on her face, kind of rolls her eyes(to fake annoyance), then goes RUNNING to him with all the excitement of a new Mommy:)

The Snowy Day(s)

2011-02-27T18:44:00.000-08:00

Christmas memories

2011-02-12T18:00:00.000-08:00

Didn't exactly plan on taking this long to post these, but I have met my lofty goal of getting them up before Valentine's Day......wooohoooo!

This is how Luke spent Christmas morning....sitting on the hearth, pounding the candy that Santa left piled there. He didn't have much interest in presents, just candy....LOTS of it!

Ahhh....Ty and Tractors...a match made in heaven.

The girls were saving for their American Girl dolls, & thought they couldn't even ask for them for Christmas because they were too much.....so they were shocked & amazed when they opened them Christmas morning! Any reservations we had on splurging for these dolls went out the window the second we saw their excitement.......they LOVE them!!!!

Ty's favorite jingle of the season, "It's a pillow, it's a pet, it's a pillow pet"!

Happily modeling the matching pj's from Mema & Pappy!

Luke started smiling like this and giving me REAL kisses....my two favorite gifts of the season.

Until next year....Merry Christmas!

Fa la la la la la la la.......LATE!

2011-02-02T10:00:00.000-08:00

They found the one!

A family favorite at lights on the lake.

Whispering sweet nothings to Santa.

On their best behavior for the big guy :)

Gobble Gobble!

2010-11-23T09:06:00.000-08:00

What fun we had, this past Saturday, at the local Turkey Trot! I had decided to run the 10k...but imagine my excitement when it became a family affair...as my girls decided they wanted to run the 1 mile wingding!!! They loved that they had numbers....it was an

"official" race :)

The only bummer was that we all ran at the same time...so I had to rely on Jed to snap some photos! He got some priceless shots at the finish :) Here they are....in the order they finished....and some cute things they had to say about the race! I am SO SO proud of them for doing it all by themselves :) They loved it....look at those smiling faces!

Emma: "Mom, I'm so proud of myself for winning a blue ribbon!"

Ella: "I didn't talk to anyone...I wanted to win!"

Anna: "This is the best day ever!"

They were so excited to tell me that they ran the WHOLE way!!! And that they saw a dead cat, a baby shoe, and a dead squirrel...this was big news. They were thrilled with their ribbons too :)

I don't know how long their enthusiasm will last....

But I'm savoring every minute of it!!!

Happy Halloween!

2010-11-01T07:30:00.000-07:00

Our wild animals & their hunter...

"Only YOU can prevent forest fires!"

Hoot! Hoot!

My lil' stinker.

This deer was sure NOT to be caught in headlights...or camera flashes.

Don't moose with me.

Trick or treating with family & friends was fun for all! So cute to watch all of the kids go to it...some were exceedingly shy (Ty), while some were surprisingly into it (Sophia)....some slept all warm & cozy in their snugglies (Sammy & Ryan), while some preferred all the comforts of the barn (Grant)......some tried in vain to control their over-sized antlers which kept slowing them down (Luke), while all the others raced door to door in search of MORE CANDY!!!

Of course, we LOVED all of the costumes!!!

Already looking forward to it next year!

Peace, Love...

2010-10-29T05:33:00.000-07:00

...& Candy Corn!

9 years later....

2010-10-25T20:45:00.000-07:00

We celebrated our 9th anniversary this past June with a photo shoot at the laurel fields...where it all began :) We were hoping to get a decent family photo & were amazed that the photographer captured that & so many other priceless moments. I can't even tell you how thankful I am to have these photos....this will definitely be an anniversary tradition!!!

A huge thank you to http://www.theresaforrestphotography.com/

for sharing your talent with us!

Here are a few of our favorites:

Happy Birthday Nate!

2010-10-06T19:26:00.000-07:00

Sorry we missed your "construction" party...it looked like TONS of fun!

We love you!!!

Open House!

2010-10-05T19:18:00.000-07:00

Emma and Anna were thrilled to show us everything in their classrooms, especially their amazing teachers! They are learning so much & having tons of fun along the way, we are so proud of them! It was really a great night :)

Happy Birthday Alivia!

2010-10-02T18:55:00.000-07:00

Oh, to be 5 again....

Thanks for all the fun at your party!

We love you!!!

"A sister reaches for your hand....

2010-10-01T10:07:00.000-07:00

....and touches your heart."

Luke's latest love:

2010-09-28T10:15:00.000-07:00

"The ab roller"

"Mom....how do you like Ty's new haircut?"

2010-09-24T09:58:00.000-07:00

"I cut it all by myself, do you like it?"

Love it.

So much, indeed, that he was lucky enough to go to Sassy Styles that day to get a 2nd cut,
which really accentuates Elle's fine work:

His new "look" for a while!
Elle said later that "he got bobbed"....I think that's a cross between a "bob" & "bald" :)

If you got it...

2010-09-08T06:33:00.000-07:00

...flaunt it.

Welcome Lydia DeMotte!

2010-09-03T06:23:00.000-07:00

Today, I had the pleasure of meeting this precious baby girl, dubbed by her Daddy as "Liddy Bitty"!...I think that's the best nickname to date :) She is so beautiful and Baby & Mommy were doing amazing together! Congratulations Bonnie, Ryan, Maria, Jake, Ben, & Danny...she is lucky to have all of you loving her!!!

We love you!

The first day of school

2010-08-31T19:01:00.000-07:00

These two were up & ready an hour before they needed to be! I guess you could say they were a little excited. I expected that from Emma. She's starting 2nd Grade & LOVES school! Anna on the other hand decided only about 5 months ago that she'd probably go to school. Today, though, she was as ready as ever for her 1st day of Kindergarten! She was brimming over with excitement & didn't have a single worry as to what the day would hold....you couldn't help but be happy for them both!

Ella had a practice run for next year.....backpack & all :)

I don't think Elle missed her big sisters too terribly, as she & Ty played their normal "Mommy & Daddy" most of the day.....although, at one point, she did say, "Mom, I can't believe Anna's in Kindergarten!" She got so excited for them to come home that we ended up spending a half hour, at the end of the driveway, in anticipation of their arrival! Now that I think of it, she may have just been anxious to finally have one of these back to school treats we made for them!

The second they got home they were both raving about their days & their teachers & the rules & they went on & on...it seriously lasted for almost an hour! It was absolutely heartwarming to hear how much they loved everything!

WOOHOO!!!

2010-08-30T23:56:00.000-07:00

I'm officially up to date with our blog....FINALLY...and for now!!!!
(I've sort of cheated & skipped over lots just to be able to say that)

Thanks for your patience :)

Welcome Samuel Noah!

2010-08-29T23:40:00.000-07:00

The girls & I headed up today, excited to meet the newest Hetrick....Baby Sammy!
Congratulations Amy, Ian, Alivia, Clint, & Soph on your new addition...he is precious in every possible way!
Absolutely gorgeous!

Hard to believe he will be as big as Ryan here, in just 8 short weeks!
Enjoy that little Sam Sam :)

We love you!!!

Grange Fair

2010-08-28T23:14:00.000-07:00

I didn't do such a hot job taking photos, but this place is something else!
Emma loved her 1st ferris wheel ride :)

Favorite photo of the day:

(and yes, he's sound asleep)

We'll be back next year!

Locks of Love

2010-08-20T22:59:00.000-07:00

She actually wanted to finally cut her locks!
And I didn't argue.

Besides the easy maintenance, another bonus was that she had just enough to donate!

She loves her new do & even said,
"Mommy, I look better than I thought I would!"

Happy Birthday Anna!

2010-08-15T22:44:00.000-07:00

We headed to Black Moshannon State Park to celebrate Anna's 6th Birthday AND our "new" camper!

It was SO MUCH FUN!

As luck would have it, we happened upon "reptile and amphibian day" at the park! The frog/salamander/snake hunt we did that morning started her birthday fun off with a bang! We spent most of the day at the beach & Anna was in her glory...look at all those lilly pads! She knew there had to be frogs in there somewhere!

Pookie was our doorman for the weekend. He thought the camper door was made just for him! You should have seen that happy face fall in an instant when we tore him away from it.....almost as bad as taking away his ice-cream cone for a SECOND to lick the drips....complete devastation.

The kids were giddy about sleeping in the camper....and after non-stop giggling for a couple hours, they finally slept like logs! We enjoyed a rainy morning in the camper, eating donuts and opening gifts...all while remaining dry as a bone :)
We swear it's the best money we ever spent!

We all enjoyed kayaking, biking, many trips to the playground, & the adorable Blueberry Festival!
Aunt Lara, Uncle Jeffey, & Grant joined us lots over the weekend & made it extra special! Thank you :)

Anna told me her favorite thing about the whole weekend was that "you caught your first frog, Mommy! That's so exciting!"

Happy Birthday, Boo....we love you!!!

Just cute:
Anna decided to gift Ty one of the frogs she got for her birthday & it really made his day!
He's been sleeping with it every night & dragging it around all day!

Emma's new glasses!

2010-08-02T21:25:00.000-07:00

It's a BOY!

2010-07-31T21:19:00.000-07:00

Colleen, Mike, Anna and Carla welcomed Benjamin Warren on July 13th, & so we ventured out to meet him!
What a sweetheart :) Does he ever have some adoring Big Sisters too!

Thanks for the wonderful day!

Anna's "frog pond"

2010-07-19T21:02:00.000-07:00

She's wild about salamanders....

and Sammy the turtle too!

But she loves and I mean LOVES frogs....

and her very own "frog pond"!

She's spent HOURS here this summer catching frogs & bonding with mother nature!
She tells me she sings to them to "get them to come up" & then, with quite the technique, she snatches them up. She plays with them & has names for them all. "Jumpy" is usually the catch of the day (pictured above), but "Spotty", "Greeny", & "Jack" have spent many a day with Anna too!

The funny thing is her "frog pond" is just a small ditch that our gutter water empties into. For the longest time there were no frogs or tadpoles to speak of, but she was adamant that it was her "frog pond" & she'd spend hours hoping to catch a frog.....then one day, she had FROGS & lots of them!

I swear they were Heaven sent, just for her :)

Hershey's Milk Chocolate...

2010-07-16T20:38:00.000-07:00

...tasty treat!
Hershey's Milk Chocolate....can't be beat!!!

(everytime we go to Chocolate World, this jingle gets stuck in my head & the kids sing it for days!)

Happy 4th of July!

2010-07-04T20:26:00.000-07:00

We kicked off the festivities this year at State College, again, with the Firecracker 4K! Although Jeff & I weren't the only ones running. Emma, Boo, & Elle decided they wanted to run too, as long as Aunt Lara and Grant would do it with them...how could she refuse?!

It was so stinkin' cute!

A big thanks to Aunt Lara & Grant for joining them :)

Then it was back to Lara & Jeff's to enjoy the day, the fireworks, & especially the cousins!

Happy belated Birthday, Clint!

Thanks for a great weekend, Everyone!

Welcome Ryan Michael!!

2010-07-02T09:07:00.000-07:00

Congratulations Jeff, Lisa, & Nate! What a precious Baby Boy!!!!

We love you!!

Flipping Fun!

2010-06-30T08:58:00.000-07:00

As a birthday gift this year, we decided to finally put Emma in Gymnastics. She was so excited!
I couldn't believe how much she loves it & it's amazing how quickly kids catch on!

After a bit of a summer break, she's antsy to get back to it!!!

Strawberry Jamboree

2010-06-22T08:18:00.000-07:00

Happy Father's Day!

2010-06-20T20:15:00.000-07:00

We love you, Daddy!!!!

Love always, your biggest fans :)

Roomie Reunion!

2010-06-12T20:06:00.000-07:00

Hard to believe, but it's already been 10 years since Mercyhurst....

....a BUSY 10 years!!!!

Thank you Josie & KT for organizing this day!!!
It was great to see everyone & catch up & I especially loved meeting all of the kiddos!

Hopefully we don't wait another 10 years to all meet up again!

Miss you girls :)

(Our attempt at a group photo...compliments of Emma!)

CHEERS!

2010-06-08T12:56:00.000-07:00

To the last day of First Grade & lots of summer fun!!!

Peek-A-Boo....

2010-06-03T12:47:00.000-07:00

....right?....

PEEK-A-BOO!!!

I see you!

Memorial Day Weekend

2010-05-31T12:35:00.000-07:00

Another fun-filled camping trip at Forget-Me-Not! Pookie discovered walking & made his way from person to person, between camp chairs (just the right distance). By the end of the weekend, he really had the hang of it! He also discovered marshmallows & is pretty fond of them. Amongst other things, Ty & Nate really got a kick out of each other & we all loved the float trips down the river! I think Grant enjoyed his camping debut as well :)

Run For The Red Marathon

2010-05-16T12:12:00.000-07:00

We headed East, to the Pocono Mountains, mainly so that I could run my second marathon...but it turned out to be an amazing little family getaway too! The marathon was incredible....& not just because I qualified for Boston :) The course was scenic & the race director & volunteers made you feel like family...such a smalltown marathon & I loved it! Mom, Dad, Lara, Jeff, & Grant joined Jed & the kids to cheer me on throughout the race....thanks everyone, it meant so much to have you there!

After the race, we all drove to Big Pocono State Park & took in some beautiful views while the kids took in some much needed sleep! Then we headed back to our hotel, The Chateau Resort, to relax in the pool & hot tub & hang out (literally....who knew those luggage carts could be such fun?).

Later, Ty discovered this w/ my award:

I honestly think I peed my pants laughing!

After a good night's sleep, we headed a bit further East to Bushkill Falls. The place has TONS of steps & LOTS of heights. We laughed thinking it wasn't really the ideal place for me, in post-marathon recovery mode...or for Jed, who is fairly terrified of heights...not to mention with 5 kids in tow.

However, it was absolutely gorgeous & we thoroughly enjoyed the hours we spent exploring these falls together.

Some REVVED-UP party fun...

2010-05-08T20:47:00.000-07:00

....celebrating Ty's 3rd Birthday!

We weren't surprised when Ty wanted a "CARS" party, as he LOVES the movie, but the "snot runner cake" (aka: snot rod) he requested did come as a bit of a surprise! I thought for sure he'd want Lightning McQueen or Mater....but no, he was dead set on a "snot runner cake", so I made my best attempt :) He was THRILLED with it!!! Turns out, that's about all he wanted. Like his Daddy, crowds aren't really Ty's thing....especially one that puts him at the center of attention. But, after opening a few gifts, he warmed up to the idea a bit & managed to enjoy his day! We didn't put him through many group photos, but Thanks for coming everyone...we love you all :)

Here he is, a bit MORE himself....celebrating a few days later, on his "actual" birthday, with just us...

...and some leftover "snot runner cake" :)

He couldn't have been happier!

Happy Easter!

2010-04-04T10:26:00.000-07:00

(Thanks for the great photo, Uncle Jeffey!)

Happy 7th Birthday, Emma Grace!

2010-04-03T12:07:00.000-07:00

The Birthday Girl!

Anyone who knows Emma knows that she LOVES jewelry! What better way to celebrate her day than with all things that sparkle and shine...just like her :) The kids had lots of fun hunting for shiny Easter eggs & enjoying the nice day outdoors, together!

Again, thank you to everyone for coming! We didn't forget about group pictures this time!
We love you!!!

Coloring Easter Eggs...Ty style:

2010-04-01T10:47:00.000-07:00

He dips.

He pours.

He dyes.

Only one color necessary: "John Deere Green"

Cook Forest Half Marathon

2010-03-27T10:33:00.000-07:00

My pictures just don't do this day justice.

Jeff & I both had amazing races! Congrats to Jeff for getting the job done and completing his 1st half marathon, I'm so SO proud of you! For me, I think it may have been one of my best races yet...I ran well, felt amazing, & finished with a personal best. We also had lots of family and friends who came out to cheer us on & show their support!!!! Thank you all!!!! Colleen, a huge thank you for braving the trip from Cleveland without Mike to see the race & stay the weekend...it meant so much having you there & we enjoyed the visit, as always :) We also bumped into our Mercyhurst College Cross-Country coaches, Coach Kath & Coach Mike!!! They cheered us on & then we headed back to the cabin they had rented to relax & visit with them & the current runners...brought back such good college memories!

It's A...

2010-03-14T10:09:00.000-07:00

...Baby Doll Party!

Happy 4th Birthday, to our sweet Baby Girl!

She had such a great day enjoying all things "baby"! The cutest moment was her excitement over the running clothes she was given...it was priceless! Thanks to everyone who came to celebrate with us. We somehow overlooked the group photos....but we love you!

Could I be so lucky?

2010-03-08T20:46:00.000-08:00

Welcome to The Greatest Show on Earth....

2010-03-07T21:55:00.000-08:00

...celebrating our little clown turning one!

It was so much fun! "Pin the nose on Pookie" was an instant hit with the crowd, as were the yummy treats, but it was, of course, the Birthday Boy himself who stole the show! The cutest thing was how he snuggled into me, all shy, while we sang him Happy Birthday!

Thank you all (including the DeMotte's, who always seem to elude this photo op) for making his first birthday such a special day!
We love you!

Happy 1st Birthday, Sophia!

2010-03-06T20:18:00.000-08:00

Isn't she the sweetest little thing?!

The deed is done......again!!!

2010-02-26T14:09:00.000-08:00

Finger-painting...

2010-02-16T13:53:00.000-08:00

....turned snack-time!

Look at that smile he gave me as I handed him his fingerpaints...I thought he was so excited to try it! Little did I know, he was....literally!!!! I turned my back on him to get the other kids started, only to turn back around moments later to find half of his paints gone...with no "painting" to speak of!!! Not to worry, it's made mostly of sugar....I should have known :) Needless to say, the boy LOVES fingerpainting!!!

The easy recipe (compliments of Highlights):

Mix 4 tablespoons sugar & 1/2 cup cornstarch in a saucepan.

Add 2 cups cold water & cook over medium heat, until it becomes thick.

Cool, then spoon into containers & add food coloring.

Enjoy!...painting or Pookie style :)

A "First"

2010-02-12T13:29:00.000-08:00

Can you tell I'm excited (& perhaps a bit scared)?

But, little by little, I figured out how.

Then I practiced and practiced (while everyone cheered!)......

Can you tell I'm so proud???

SNOWY DAYS...

2010-02-06T12:58:00.000-08:00

...and we had LOTS of them!!!!

The kids LOVED it!

(This was Ty's first time ice-skating...he giggled the entire time!)

The deed is done....

2010-01-29T23:59:00.000-08:00

His first haircut!!!!

And in an instant my baby boy, Pook.....

became my handsome big boy, Luke!!!!!!

Jed thought I totally wimped out & didn't have them cut it short enough. Admittedly, he's right. I know it's silly, but I had to take it slow...I didn't want to see my baby change THAT fast. Honestly, I was thrilled with how she cut it....but a little sad that his crazy "Pookie" hair was gone.......

Imagine my joy when I discovered this baby the next morning.....

Poooookie.....in all his glory :)

(Ok, maybe you were right Jed....could have gone a touch shorter!!!)

Stay tuned for cut #2.....

Guess this song?

2010-01-15T23:29:00.000-08:00

It's one of her fave's!!!!!

Meowy Christmas!

2009-12-25T23:18:00.000-08:00

That's what we had!!!

We've all missed Willie over the past year, but just hadn't taken the initiative to get a new cat, so Santa decided to change that. The kids were absolutely thrilled Christmas morning to find one last surprise awaiting them in the basement: their very own kitten!!! They were slightly bummed that he came with a name ("Maximus".....but Max & Maxi have stuck)....cause they wanted to name him "Fluffy" (precisely what Santa was hoping to avoid!)! Jed was a little afraid for the cats life, at first, cause he was so tiny.....but he's growing fast and puts up with the kids and all their shenanigans, just like Willie did :) He's just the kitty we needed....I couldn't have picked him better myself :)

Pookie enjoyed his first Christmas....or should I say his Christmas treats! The funniest thing was when he disappeared...only to be found enhaling the cookies Santa had left behind! He didn't mind the candy canes either :) Ty found a few more tractors this Christmas, Ella loved her running shoes (I may have a running partner!!!!) and the Girls were given a special handmade gift from Aunt Amy....the cutest matching skirts you ever did see!!!

Lights on the Lake

2009-12-18T19:54:00.000-08:00

Last December, we came to this place for the first time, with Lara and Jeff, and it really got us into the holiday spirit....we loved it so much we had to come back again this year!!! Jed, Luke, and Grant enjoyed their first trip here...the trains were big for the boys! It's definitely become tradition! It has everything you could imagine, including the cutest little santa's gift shop, the best kettle corn, and about an hours wait to enjoy it all (if your lucky)!!!

(note to self: next year, go mid-week)

All I want for Christmas....

2009-12-16T00:31:00.000-08:00

....is a box of wipes, a box of wipes, a box of wipes!!!!

I know it's wierd, but he's nuts over them :)

Jolly happy souls

2009-12-11T00:18:00.000-08:00

We're giddy over Grant!

2009-12-01T14:36:00.000-08:00

Isn't he wonderful?

Congratulations Lara & Jeff!!!!! We are so happy for you!!!

We love you lots!!!!

My apologies, Jed....

2009-11-17T11:24:00.000-08:00

....I just can't resist those piggies!!!

And HE'S off too...

2009-11-13T06:26:00.000-08:00

Yesterday, I had just laid Luke down for a nap and was changing Ty, when Jed got home from work & walked into their room...only to notice Pookie doing this:

And she's off...

2009-11-11T18:02:00.000-08:00

Anna has been determined to learn to ride her bike, ever since Emma learned over the summer. With a slight push, she could balance & pedal, but it was the 'getting started' part that was tricky. We were busy cleaning the yard on Wednesday when all of the sudden (as she's biking towards me) she yells "Hey Mom, LOOK....Emma taught me!"

Adventures in Cheerios

2009-11-11T06:25:00.000-08:00

Chase them.

Smack them.

Snagged one!

So Close!

Almost!

YIPPEE, I did it!!!

Chew, chomp, munch.

Yum! Yum! Yum!

What's so funny?

OOOPS!!! I'm new at this!!!

CHEESE for Cheerios...that I can feed myself :)

TRIPLE TROUBLE =

2009-11-05T11:31:00.000-08:00

Ty + Nate + A jar of vaseline

This is where the fun ended for them :)

FYI: The internet tip that saved the day: Cornstarch!!!!

Happy Halloween!!!!

2009-10-31T23:36:00.000-07:00

The kids were so excited for Halloween this year! The girls were trying on their costumes 1st thing in the morning! Again, Ty didn't have too much interest in the Halloween fun....until he learned all about what dressing up got him! He ate candy till he was sick. I think "tick er teatin" is his new favorite phrase!!! Oh, and my precious Pookie....his greatest asset was the inspiration behind his costume.....I think it's my all time favorite to date :)

We all enjoyed a chilly Halloween night, trick or treating in Sigel! It was hilarious to watch them all in hot pursuit of candy!!!

Happy Birthday, Grandma!!!! We love you!!!

The next Poker King!

2009-10-30T22:57:00.000-07:00

We played a little poker Friday night & Pookie decided it was more fun at the table than in his crib!!!!

Bon, if this doesn't push you over the edge for a #5, I don't know what will!!! HA!

Pumpkin pictures!

2009-10-29T22:51:00.000-07:00

The Girls thoroughly enjoyed getting messy in an effort to carve pumpkins.......Ty was hilarious, he wanted NOTHING to do with it & just kept saying "yuck" as Anna tried to show him how fun it was (although he did love his "tra-tor punkin").....and Pookie, well, it was only his first year, but he got right into it....literally :) :) :)

What?

2009-10-10T00:21:00.000-07:00

Somehow I got the kids to cooperate for this picture (by "somehow" I mean an m&m bribe....but I was shocked it finally worked)!

Anyhow, I love it & I think it may be the only picture I have of just the 5 of them!

Two cute!

2009-10-07T21:54:00.000-07:00

A marathon of a weekend!

2009-09-26T21:48:00.000-07:00

We debated this quote found on a sign along the marathon course:

"The miracle is not that I finished, the miracle is that I had the courage to begin"

Thanks to everyone who came to cheer me on, that really meant a lot! And a huge thanks to Colleen for being an awesome training partner via telephone :) Congratulations on your amazing race (3:35) & qualifying for Boston!!!!

Despite a slower time than I'd hoped for (3:42) & just missing Boston, it was a great 1st marathon experience and I really learned a lot about myself. I will definitely be doing it again!!!

Showers of Love....

2009-09-12T21:36:00.000-07:00

For Baby Law!!!!
We all love you & can't wait to meet you!!!

Back to School!

2009-09-01T21:23:00.000-07:00

Emma is off to First Grade!!!

We'll sure miss her...

.....but she's home before we know it!!!!

How big's the Baby?

2009-08-28T21:15:00.000-07:00

Outer Banks, N.C.

2009-08-21T21:12:00.000-07:00

Right after Anna's party, we headed to Southern Shores for a beach vacation with Jed's family! We all had so much fun!!! Thanks for a great week everyone!!!

Happy Birthday, Anna!

2009-08-15T20:44:00.000-07:00

Boo is a creative little soul! Everytime I turn around this little artist is creating something.....& her media ranges from crayons, paint, & tape to play dough, plastic containers, & pipe cleaners. She even looks to her clothes to create the "artsiest" get-ups you could imagine! When I asked her what kind of party she wanted for her birthday, it was no surprise to hear her say "an art party"........so that's exactly what we had!

The cutest thing: Anna insisting on serving everyone her birthday cake! She was so serious, it was adorable :)
We (Amy, Lara, & I) also had tons of fun (& a huge mess) breaking out one of the best gifts Gram ever gave us: Twirl O Paint!!!! Still works like new! And the kids spent hours playing with the Bendaroos!

Thanks to everyone for coming to make her day as special as she is!

If you.......

2009-07-18T19:59:00.000-07:00

YOUuuuuu might be a redneck!!!!!

Happy Birthday, Abby!!!

4 months

2009-07-10T19:44:00.000-07:00

Awe...Pook!

Cousin fun!

2009-07-09T19:38:00.000-07:00

Aren't these two a pair?!

Enjoying the sights at the buffalo zoo!!!

Thanks for all the fun :)

Happy 4th of July!

2009-07-04T19:30:00.000-07:00

We enjoyed the weekend camping at Lara and Jeff's & celebrated with State College's awesome fireworks display!
Thanks for a great weekend!!!

Toes....

2009-06-29T19:14:00.000-07:00

Pookie found them!!!

Strawberry picking Snapshots

2009-06-26T18:55:00.000-07:00

Can you spy the trouble-maker????

"Mom, there's a BEAR in our trees!"

2009-06-24T18:33:00.000-07:00

We were headed to the pool & the Kids were in the van while I headed back inside grabbing the last few things we needed. When I got back to the van, Ella was going nuts, repeating over & over that there was a bear in our trees! I looked and looked & couldn't find him....so I actually crawled back to Elle's seat to get her perspective & there he was!!!!! I have no idea how she spied him, cause he was a little black blob from her view, but spy him she did!!! I grabbed my camera & started snapping away, like a crazy!!!!

Our annual trip to the Laurel Fields!

2009-06-16T18:14:00.000-07:00

8 years and nothing's changed....

....yet everything's changed.....

...and I wouldn't change a thing!!!!!

Pookie!

2009-06-10T17:45:00.000-07:00

3 months old!

Big sis, Anna, has again lovingly nicknamed her baby brother! First, Ty became known as "Ty Boy"...and now Luke.
It started out as "Lukey Pookie"....but now we have all shortened it to "Pookie".....then "Pooker"...."Pook"...even "Pookasa"!

You seem to love it, atleast for now!!!!

I'm a sucker...

2009-06-08T17:33:00.000-07:00

for this!

Kindergarten Grad!

2009-06-05T06:26:00.000-07:00

Emma on her last day of Kindergarten!
What a great year....she has grown in so many ways & we are very, very proud!

She was so excited to show me her report card. As she handed it to me, she asked, "Do I get to go to First Grade, Mommy?" I thought it was the cutest thing!!! So, I made a big deal going over her report card and then emphatically announced that, yes, she was indeed assigned to 1st Grade! She jumped around with such excitement, beaming from ear to ear!!! Way to go, Emma! Your hardwork paid off :) :) :)

Celebrating with an after school "love" lunch :)

Luke's 1st excellent camping adventure

2009-05-25T15:35:00.000-07:00

Memorial Day weekend at Forget-Me-Not!

My best photo of Grandma & Grandpa with all of their grandkids

Lots of fun here again, as always! I think Luke and Sophia enjoyed their first camping trip...along with all the other cousins!
The river & creek provided hours of entertainment.....and even dinner one night for Emma (yes, she insisted on sampling a crayfish...yuck!).

Mema and Pappy with all of their grandkids :)

Thanks to Jeff's kayak, we all took turns giving the kids the "20 minute" kayak trip...they all loved it! We even saw some pretty neat wildlife on some of the trips....Emma and I saw a Bald Eagle several times and Anna and I saw a turkey with several babies. The Bald Eagle wasn't especially thrilling for Emma.....she already had some incredible wildlife sightings: a baby deer that she was able to pet with a stick (her favorite) and a nest full of robin eggs!!!!! Ty boy & Nate had the best time running their trucks up and down Jeff's trailer, such boys! Perhaps most glorious of all these pictures is the one of Ella on the potty.....Yes, she is officially a big girl.....FINALLY potty trained!!!!!

We really missed you Aunt Lara & Uncle Jeffey!

Ty, Tractors, & Two!

2009-05-16T10:22:00.000-07:00

Ty had LOADS of fun celebrating his big day....

His "two ta-tor" cake was a hit!
The smile on his face when he saw it made it well worth the effort :)

All things tractor made for Ty's dream day!
Thanks to Uncle Ben for the almost never-ending tractor rides. I love the picture of Ty alone in the wagon....patiently and anxiously awaiting another ride!

Any takers???......

Thanks to everyone for helping make this one of Ty's best days yet :)
(Bon, we didn't get a photo of all of you.....but here's Benny, representin' !)

We're glad you all stayed for the poker tournament....quickly becoming one of our after-birthday-party traditions!
Poker & Poker King....looks like you better practice up for August :)

The grin of a big kid :)

2009-05-15T08:46:00.000-07:00

Emma's 4th tooth came out today (thanks to a little tug from Daddy)! She sure is enjoying the frequent visits by the tooth fairy.....but after the visit this time, she actually asked me if I was the tooth fairy???? Sure hope she's not catching on already.....I thought for sure the "fairy dust" she leaves behind would keep her believing for quite some time.....

The Diamond Castle soundtrack...

2009-05-15T08:26:00.000-07:00

Lyrics & vocals by our very own, Anna!

Our tractor-lover is TWO!!!

2009-05-12T09:54:00.000-07:00

Just a few pics from our little celebration on his "actual" (as Emma says) birthday! He thought it was pretty neat to blow out his candles....then spent the rest of the night, happy as can be, carrying around his "two ta-tors"! His passion for all things TRACTOR is unlike anything I've ever seen. Like his Daddy, he is infatuated with them...especially green and yellow ones :) All he wants to do is see a tractor, ride a tractor, hold a tractor, "drive" a tractor.....he eats, sleeps, breathes them!!!!!!!! Just this week he started to say "zon deere".......now that's cute!!!!!

As you can probably guess, he'll be having a tractor party....pictures to come!

The long and short of it.

2009-05-11T08:54:00.000-07:00

The long.......

Today was a dr. day. I took Luke for his 2 month check-up, Ty had his 2 year check-up, & and we added Anna to the mix because she complained of an ear ache the night before. Anyhow, turned out Anna does have a slight ear infection, Ty is doing great, and then we come to Luke. First off, he's a sturdy 13lbs. 3 oz......24 inches!!!!! Sophia, you have him beat....but you hide it so very well in those cute thighs of yours :) Here's where the story gets long. He has a nasty cough, which she heard in the office.....so she did a nasal smear to test for rsv & the flu & said we'd have to take it over to the lab at the hospital. Then she goes on to say, I'm gonna also have him get a chest x-ray and his oxygen levels checked. REAL casually, she adds, "and depending on his oxygen levels, he may have to be admitted". WHAT???? I had no idea she was getting to that....I was just hoping that wouldn't be the case. So, we headed over to the hospital &, luckily, his oxygen was great.....super news!!!!! So then we went on to Walmart to pick up Boo's prescription & wait for the dr. to call with the other results: no rsv.....no flu!!!!!!!!!!!!! Thank goodness!!! She just said to give him saline drops to loosen the mucous so that he doesn't choke on the drainage (sorry for the detail). He was still coughing pretty bad this morning, but doesn't seem bothered by it, & no fever. So hopefully it really is just the annoying cough that seems to be hanging on at our house!

The short.......

So, while we were waiting in walmart I asked the girls if they wanted to get a haircut & they both screamed "yes" & started jumping up & down & clapping & dancing around......for some reason my kids get oh-so excited about "going somewhere" to get their haircut, whatever the reason, I'll take it!!!! Honestly though, I should be the one so excited about this......I got to stand there & watch Ty, Ella, & Anna sit so still & so quietly while they simultaneously got cuts, which took 15 minutes total!!!! Ty got the cut which I normally TRY to give him....cute. Anna just got a trim telling me: "Mommy, I only want a trim cause Papa likes my hair long"! I told her it didn't matter what he thought & asked her if SHE wanted it long. She said yes, so a trim she got.....not much different. Then on to Ella....the lady & I apparently weren't communicating well together.......her hair got butchered. Front to back, her hair was about 4 inches different in length, with all these crazy layers in between, not what I had in mind for my sweet little Ella!!!!!!! I called Jed, wanting to cry, over her horrible cut....which he, in true Jed style replies, "it's only hair, hon...it'll grow back". He doesn't understand. I am determined to try and fix her hair, so after dinner we race around town, hoping that some hair place is open & can take her........Jed is less than pleased with me. We totally luck out with Cara, who transformed Ella's disaster cut into the cutest little bob I could have ever imagined!!!!! Here's the best part.......for 5 bucks!!!!!!!!! Can you believe it? The other plus is that I'll no longer have to battle her while trying to brush her hair.....THAT was getting pretty bad, I have no idea how you do it, Allison!

My punkin seed

2009-05-10T23:45:00.000-07:00

2 months already!

Today, Anna was on the bed with Luke, inches from his face, saying in a high pitched sing-song voice "Are you my punkin seed.....are you my punkin seed.......yes you are....yes you are!" then she was delighted with his reaction: his eyes lit up, he got the biggest dimply grin, & he even cooed....almost like he was trying to chuckle :) I knew exactly how thrilled Boo was......I say the exact same thing to him, in the exact same way, for that exact reaction!!!!!

Happy Mother's Day!

2009-05-10T04:56:00.000-07:00

Hope all of our blog-reading Moms enjoyed their special day!!!

Absolutely irresistable!

2009-05-08T22:44:00.000-07:00

splish-splash....

2009-05-07T22:40:00.000-07:00

baby's takin' a bath!

CHEESE!!!

2009-05-05T22:37:00.000-07:00

Soooooo loved!

2009-04-27T22:24:00.000-07:00

Cutie!

2009-04-17T20:47:00.000-07:00

Country fun with friends!

2009-04-15T20:43:00.000-07:00

Thanks Tracy, Abby, & Joey!

Happy Easter!

2009-04-12T20:33:00.000-07:00

1 month old!

2009-04-10T20:21:00.000-07:00