goofy glasses...

We got the kids these goofy glasses for Christmas....we had a lot of laughs watching them!!

Sledding...

We decided to try out our new round intertube that Aunt Cindy got us for Christmas. We had a lot of fun....the hills on our land were great for sledding. Rob is going to have to pick a hill and keep it mowed really well so we have a smooth ride on the way down...I even jumped on it a few times and went down with Austin.

Nemo puzzle

Tate and Austin got this Disney Nemo puzzle for Christmas. Since we have had a lot of snow and ice we decided to tackle it one night. Rob pulled it out a few days before Christmas, and boy were we in for a surprise!! This puzzle had 500 pieces AND it was 3D....so every piece looked different each time you moved it around. The boys were excited for about 10 minutes and then Rob and I were the ones that finished it off. BUT, it did take us 3 days, and many, many times of walking away and coming back to it because our eyes hurt so bad. I told Rob we should do this Nemo puzzle every Christmas, and he jokingly said he never wants to see it again. So if anyone wants a good challenge let me know and you can try it too.

Merry Christmas

I hope everyone had a very Merry Christmas!! It was bittersweet for us. It was great to hang out with family and friends but of course our hearts continue to break as we miss Avery so much. I must say though until you have been through such deep, dark pain...you almost can't appreciate the time when you laugh. When Rob and I laugh....I notice we laugh harder, over the simple things. I try not to take things so seriously anymore, and continue to remind myself we are here for such a short time...why not enjoy it. I can still reflect back on the life Avery had while she was here on this earth with us...and I think she was so HAPPY, not too many tears flowed down those cute cheeks. I must say that this journey for us, (Rob and myself - along with the boys) has given us the opportunity to grow closer together as a family and laugh harder at the simple things.....and I know Avery giggles with us from heaven...Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!!

A longer weekend than expected...

We were able to go back to Rockford to have Christmas with my dad's side of the family and hang out with my cousins...it was a great time!! Lot's of great food and fun with family. The boys loved it since they remain to be the only "kids" around so they get plenty of presents.

Anne (who married my cousin, Adam) is the other pregnant girl in the picture with me. We are due one day apart...and I hate to admit that since she looks quit a bit smaller than me!! But, let me remind you, this is baby #4 for me and baby #1 for her...I think I will have her beat with the size of the baby!! Only time will tell....

Mid-afternoon we were watching the snow fall outside and Rob and I started debating if we should drive back to Iowa or head to Lisle for the night. Even though we only had the clothes on our back, we decided Lisle was the best place. Upon our decision, 4 people called Rob within minutes to let us know the Iowa road conditions were getting worse by the minute and there was a blizzard warning until morning.

So, we were able to grab sushi from our FAVORITE restaurant, and also see Uncle John and Aunt Carole for a bit on Saturday night. Sunday morning we washed the kids clothes and headed to Uncle Lanny and Aunt Jackie's house for another Christmas gathering. Rob's mom said Uncle Lanny and Aunt Jackie were going to be so surprised to see us they would cry so we figured that was enough to get us to go. I thought really aunt Jackie would be crying, not because she would be excited to see us, but because there would be 4 extra mouths to feed. Either way - they were very SURPRISED to see us and we had a wonderful time!!

So, all in all, we were able to make it to 3 different functions, and stay from Saturday until Monday. I must say the best part about it was when we finally got home my laundry was minimal....what a treat!!

A Season of Hope

Well, the "Season of Hope" that we had at our church on Wednesday the 17th turned out great. I was at the church in the morning helping with set-up, etc. and I was a bit bummed that we had gotten ice/snow the night before so we decided to set places for only 160 people.

I was really nervous to speak in front of a crowd that large, but knew my strength would ultimately be granted to me by God...I was able to go home for the afternoon and relax a bit before I needed to be back at the church.

Even with the snow and the sketchy weather, there were over 250 people there. It was an amazing evening!! Lisa, our emcee, was a great fit since Eva (our original emcee unexpectedly had to travel to Minnesota) and to top off the night we were all able to enjoy the voices of Holly and her mom...WOW, what a treat!!

If you were unable to come and would like a copy of the evening, just e-mail me and I will mail you a DVD.

(Pictured above Terri, Lisa and myself)

Tate helpin' out!!

Tate is my helper, and today he decided to shovel off the front porch and sidewalk. Rob always tells him that he is the man of the house when Rob can't be there, and I think he took it seriously today. Anyway, he wasn't out too long, but he was so proud of his accomplishment!!