Thursday, May 29, 2008

Memorial Day Weekend

Over Memorial Day weekend my sweet cousins, Aubrey and Claire, came for a visit in Oklahoma. They moved to Texas when we were all kids, but we always saw them over holidays and had a blast together!

Aubrey has 1 little boy named Porter and Claire has 2 girls, Sibley and Paige, plus one on the way!

On Saturday we all met at Tracy's house in Verdigris. We ordered pizza and the let the kiddos play outside. Tracy has a great swing set and a trampoline! Carrie and her 3 came over as well.








Wish we all lived closer. Thanks for coming to see us!

Friday, May 23, 2008

Nathaniel Ryan Stuzman has arrived!


Beth delivered a healthy baby boy on May 20th at around 11pm. He weighed 6 lbs and 14 oz and was 19 3/4 inches long. Beth and baby are home now and doing great! Congratulations Sam and Beth!

Thursday, May 22, 2008

Silver Dollar City

Our whole family went on vacation last weekend. Although traveling with 3 children should not be called a vacation, I think the word "trip" describes it better. Our trip actually went better than I expected. It was really all the preparation that was the hardest. Once we were in the van and on our way, it was nice to take a deep breath and just get out of T-town for awhile.
We left after church on Sunday and headed to Branson. We stopped at Lambert's Cafe (home of the throwed roll) for dinner. The kids could have cared less about the restaurant. I think they were just happy to be out of the van for awhile.

Once we got to the hotel they were in heaven! An indoor pool - Yea! David, Ella, and Devon swam while I fed Leah in the room and watched the ACM Awards on television.

After the swimming, David showered the kids and then they all ran out to find a late nite snack. Devon loves tacos! So tacos it was.

We all got in bed about 10pm - Leah in the pack-n-play, Ella and Devon in 1 bed, and David and I in the other bed. Leah did great - whimpered for a bottle twice during the nite. It was Devon that made all the ruckus! He fell out of the bed twice. A loud thump and then very loud crying. (He obviously still can't sense bed-boundaries)

Monday morning we packed up, cleaned bottles, I grabbed a Starbucks coffee, and then we went downstairs for the hotel continental breakfast. We arrived at Silver Dollar City around 10am. The kids thought the tram from the parking lot to the park was a ride - so we knew they were going to enjoy the rest of the day.

They rode the carousel and a balloon ride first. We passed by a kiddie water area next, but David insisted that they don't get wet. Instead, he took them on the WaterWorks Waterboggan ride. Hello! Don't you think you might get wet on the WaterWorks Waterboggan ride???
Well, they were soaked! This is a pic of David actually wringing the water out of Ella's T-shirt. She had to go barefoot the rest of the day because her shoes were so wet. Our poor little hillbilly kids fit right in with the park staff :)

We thought riding the swings next might air Ella out a little.

A few more rides and it was time for lunch. The kids threw down a corn dog and fries and we were off again. The Flooded Mine, Steam Train, and American Plunge Log Ride finished off the day. We stopped for icecream before we left the park around 3:30pm.

Leah was a good girl the whole day even though she got a little tired on the train ride.

We stopped in Joplin for dinner at Red Lobster. David and I were anticipating a good meal to finish off our trip. The kids, again, could have cared less about the resteraunt.
As we proceeded to order our meals, Leah started grunting - she hadn't pooped in 2 days, so I should have expected this. But how can you expect a total blow-out! It leaked out her diaper onto the carseat and all the way up into her belly button! (I know you're loving these details)
I immediately took her out to the van and cleaned up everything. I arrived back to the table just as our food was being brought out. Leah was still upset from the traumatic "code brown," so I held her and tried to eat at the same time. About 5 minutes into the meal, Ella and Devon decided they needed to use the potty. David quickly grabbed Devon out of the high-chair (he has a very short "hold" time) and Ella followed them to the bathroom. I finally got Leah settled down and back in her carrier which was now covered by a burp cloth to conceal the dirty spot, when both my kids come running back to the table...... Ella exclaiming, "Mommy I poo-pooed." and Devon yelling, "Mommy, I laid a turd." Needless to say, I did not make eye-contact with anyone in the restaurant after that.

We finally made it back home around 9pm Monday nite.

*I'm not really sure as to when David will plan our next family vacation. :)

Wednesday, May 14, 2008

Schools out!


Last weekend we had loads of fun with the family. David finished his Spring semester on Friday and was ready for a well-deserved break. On Saturday afternoon Daddy and Ella planted flowers. When Devon woke up from nap, he joined in on a kite flying session. They had the kite soaring! Devon tried to hand off the kite to Ella, but let go a little early. It flew over 2 houses and luckily the handle got caught on a fence post. The Diego kite was saved :)


That evening Grandma Phyllis, Aunt Becky and Harold came over to the house to see Leah for the first time. We all had dinner together and played with the kids. Becky even brought me flowers for Mother's Day. It was nice visiting and catching up.

On Sunday we packed up the van and headed to Pryor for church and lunch at Nana's house. Ella and Devon went on a "bug" hunt upstairs with Papa using their flashlites. Of course, there are not any real bugs at my mom's house - my dad just pretends to catch the bugs when the kids scream and point that they see one.

So after a fun weekend, it was time for the "snip-n-clip"procedure on Monday morning. The surgery went well and David was to lay flat for 48 hours. Ella kept asking, "Where did you have surgery daddy?" So if she asks you, it was on his leg :)
It was actually a year ago Mother's Day that Ella broke her arm. So she knows about surgery. She was a little confused as to why Daddy didn't have a cast though!

Leah, our last child, comforts her Daddy during his doctor ordered "bed-rest."

Thursday, May 8, 2008

Welcome NEW baby Anna!


Anna Grace Raymond was born on Tuesday morning. She was 7lbs 9oz and 20 inches long. Congratulations Carrie and Rob! She is just perfect!


(One more prego sis to go - Beth is due on May 28th!)




My friend, Ashley, and her girls came over to play on Wednesday. Her new baby, Anna Cate, is about 2 months older than Leah. I'm excited for Leah to "fill-out" and look like a little girl. Anna was kicking, cooing, and able to focus on toys and her mommy. Babies change sooo fast.



Today, after I picked up Ella from preschool, we all went on a walk. I, of course, pushed a baby stroller while the other 2 cruised in the Jeep. Ella only drove into me once - ouch! She can maneuver the little vehicle pretty well, but she doesn't fully pay attention. That girl weaves on and off the sidewalk and jumps curbs! Thank goodness she won't really be driving for 13 more years. Oh, and yes, those are orange tinted, cocktail sunglasses that my son has on. (Thanks Angela!) With Ella's "tipsy" driving and Devon's endorsement of "fruity" drinks, no wonder the neighbors wave and smile with a nervous grin :)

Saturday, May 3, 2008

Happy Days

Ella has become quite the little "mother hen" with Leah's arrival. She checks on her constantly and insists that Leah is hungry every time she whimpers. Before Leah was born, Ella told us that she was going to have 5 babies of her own - I asked her recently and her number had changed to 1. I think she's figured out that real babies require much more care than baby dolls!

Ella has also assumed a domestic role around the house. She has always helped me dust and clean mirrors, but Wednesday she wanted to vacuum too. I swear I didn't make her do it! I even had to pry the vacuum back from her to finish my housecleaning.


Ella fed Leah yesterday for the 1st time. Leah burped more than usual, so we're guessing she gulped down quite a bit of air. We could tell that it wasn't as exciting to feed a baby as Ella had hoped - the TV occupied her attention more than the bottle.

Ella enjoys cooking with Daddy too! She can crack an egg better than me.

Devon just enjoys eating the eggs :)
He typically would already be waiting in his booster seat for breakfast, but today he wanted to be part of the "cooking team."


Leah was 9 lbs and 1 oz at her 2 week doctor's appointment. She's our big, beautiful girl!!!

Here's a look at one of Leah's typical routines. "I'm so happy... well, maybe I'm not happy.... this is not my pacifier.... ahhh... I love my pacifier!