Family Night

Sunday night we had our family night and thought it would be fun to try and get an updated picture of the boys. We think Lincoln is starting to smile - none of it has been captured on film yet so we can't prove anything -we are just being hopeful....After many attempts at having the boys all happy at once with no elbowing eachother and no tears we finally got this one. Too bad we don't have photo shop we could put Daddy in the picture...


After sending the boys off to get their jammies on Rich and I tried again to get a smile from Lincoln - not quite what we were hoping for but I think he's adorable. And it really does depict his life -his mother smothering him and he's thinking - seriously another hug?This is Andy being Andy - the next day - he gets crazy ideas of games to play and other ways to keep him busy while the boys are at school - he certainly keeps me entertained - who needs television - this is him dancing

This is a calm moment under the playgym

I loved this - I'm sure he took it of himself

Lincoln is 1 month old!

Wow time flies when you have had no sleep...

He is totally chunking up!

Sefcik Gallery

Yesterday night we were able to go see our boys participate in their Christmas concert at the school - Hooray! this year they were both on the same night. The other fun part of the night was getting to go around the school and see their art work - they are so proud of what they have done and I love to see their eyes light up when they are telling me about their work.

The school has an artist in residence that has been working with the kids for about a month now.

This is Isaac's work - I think they have been studying bugs - side view

And this is a view from above - The background is done with oil pastels - I love the colours of all the artwork!

Here is another picture of a spider - I think they used crayon and then a wash over top.

This is a picture Merrill did using the same technique - finally I can see a glimpse into Merrill's world - who knew - blue skin? Purple sky?

Merrill had an extra special surprise for us when we got to the school

Theo is using some of the kids artwork and making murals on the walls of the school. We are very excited that she chose something from Merrill's work.

Baby Lincoln

We have some big news!! Most of you already know and have seen our new bundle of joy but for the few of you that read my blog and haven't gotten to see Lincoln or hear about his arrival this posting is just for you.

He was born on November 11, 2008 at 8:10pm and weighed 7Ilbs 5oz. Everything with the delivery went wonderfully - I was very comfortable with the epideral and had a relaxing afternoon. I was really enjoying the quiet time with Rich in the delivery room. Just before 7:00pm they broke my water and I knew my baby was coming soon. I had wonderful Nurses and the doctor wasn't so bad either - not my doctor because she was celebrating her daughters 2nd birthday but Dr. Brown did okay :)

This picture was taken about half an hour after Lincoln was born by one of our nurses.

Here is all four of my boys - all dressed for church Sunday Morning - My in-Laws were visiting from Calgary to help out so that is why the boys were all dressed and fed and happy by 10:00am.

Here is Andy with his new baby brother - he came with Daddy to the Hospital the next morning and was super excited to hold Lincoln

Lincoln at the hospital his first morning - he slept most of the night - It would have been wonderful if I could have slept too but I was just too darn excited and I really couldn't stop looking at him.

I didn't think I would ever get a picture of him with his eyes open but we were lucky enough to get a few on his second night home.

We feel so very blessed to have our new little man in our lives. I can't wait to see who he becomes and learn about his personality and see how he fits into our family.

I also want everyone who has helped us out since he's been born to know how much I appreciate all that they have done - they know who they are but I am sure they can't possibly know how grateful I am for all of their kindness and service.

Still Under Quarantine

Most of you may already know what's been happening with our children up until now but I have pictures of the newest bit of evidence that nothing is going to go my way. Our boys were first diagnosed with strep and scarlet fever the last week of September - they were given antibiotics and as soon as they finished that first dose it all came back again - so the next round began. Yesterday they finished their second round and at Clint's hockey game we noticed Isaac had about 50-75 big red spots all over him. He went to bed and woke up this morning looking like this...


He is still in good spirits - just looks a little funny - excited about getting to stay home from school for a few days...hopefully this will be the last bit of sickness....I know Erin I told you my kids never get sick - I will not say that again...

I am thankful for...

Since it is the time for giving thanks I thought it would be a good idea to list some of the things I am most thankful for

1. My family - Rich, Isaac, Merrill, Andy & Baby
2. The Gospel and all the ways it has blessed my life
3. My Sister in Laws who come by or call just to see how things are going
4. My home and the safety and protection it gives to me and my family
5. Good food that helps when comfort is needed and can't be gotten any other way
6. Hot Chocolate
7. Slippers - it's difficult to be happy when your feet are freezing
8. When my children say your the best mommy in the world
9. Tiny hands that fit perfectly into yours
10. Snuggle time with my kids - I love cheek to cheek
11. All the food I am going to get to eat tonight (hard to think of anything else when all I can smell is turkey)
12. Living in Canada where there is so much abundance
    
13. TV and all the ways it helps to pass the time when I am bored
14. Cars - any transportation really
    
15. Sunlight - there's getting to be less and less of it.
16. Fruit - especially nectarines....
17. Comfortable chairs - which are getting harder to find the further along I get
18. People who pixie us - leaving yummy treats that I didn't have to bake myself
19. Wii - it really is a wonderful way to entertain the boys
20. Computers & Internet - it's the only way people communicate these days
21. Friends that are talented and don't mind sharing their talent with me
22. Chocolate cake
23. Cameras
24. Flowers
    
25. Cool nights
26. Tums (at least for the next 6 weeks or so)
27. Brothers and Sisters serving missions that send us letters every month
28. Teachers - they put so much effort and love into their jobs and it only benefits our children
29. Good recipes and friends who share them
30. Crayons

I will have to continue this later - I am needed by those children I am most thankful for

The Long Trip Home

We woke up to a very wet morning - I liked the shape our tent left - thank goodness we were camping under the Redwood trees - I can't imagine how wet we would have been without the shelter of their canopy.

Where we camped the forest was in it's second growth - so we drove to the original growth forest just 5 miles down the road. This is a picture of our car parked beside an average sized redwood tree. - either our car is pretty tiny or that tree is monstrous.
I wish the camera could capture just how tall these trees were - really it was worth all the extra driving for the 45 min hike we took through the forest.


Rich inside a small cave in one of the Redwoods - there is a tree that has been hollowed out so that cars can actually drive through it - we didn't go there but we saw the brochure.

I am standing next to a fallen tree - the roots were humongous.

Starting our way home. Home to our babies and our own beds.
Whack a mole anyone? - just at a rest stop in Oregon.

We saw this driving home on the Interstate near Eugene Oregon and thought the boys would love it.