2 years later...

Well, I'm back (I think). I've thought often of updating our blog. It serves well as a place for me to keep track of our lives as I don't journal as I should. It also serves well for me to get some thoughts down once in awhile! I seriously underestimated how busy life would get. I thought newborn twins made life busy...turns out 2 year old twins and busy school children really make it tough, but wonderful! Here's some pictures since the last post, nearly 2 years ago.

Heading into 2019

Wow-I can not believe we are actually starting the year 2019. I also can not believe after all the years I have been alive that my writing is no more creative than it is, ugh. I would hope eventually I'd have more creative blog titles!

I may be motivated today to write here in my attempt to avoid actual work. Also, my goal on here was to write fairly frequently as a source for my kids to look back on and see the reality of what life was like to raise them. I am not a "journal-er"...but there are lots of times I'd like to have a way to document what things are like in our house, happy, sad, frustrated, busy, etc. I'm aware my audience at this time is probably just me; so if I can keep my goal of writing more frequently this year I am going to change the 'tone' of the posts as if I am talking to my children as I go. I feel that may be more beneficial in 20 years when I'm trying to remember "what was it like when Gabbie was transitioning to adolescence" or "was there a year we ever got our Christmas cards out in time?!" or "what were those afternoons home with Henrik after school like?"

Gabbie had her first real experience with 4-H judging. She did earn 3 blue ribbons

The fair week was made a bit more challenging by trying to corral these two!

Henrik joined the morning bus route in the fall of 2018 :-)

This was the moment I became even more grateful for the twins. When I was putting our 3rd child on the bus I knew I would have regretted not having another one at home still. Even lately it has been hitting me that this is the last few months where Henrik is home in the afternoon. This fall its just me and the twins all day!

I can tell my 4th grader is getting too cool for my annual 'end of the lane' picture :-(

Will had been wanting a camera for a long time! He got a waterproof one for his birthday.

He didn't want a homemade cake-he preferred a Hy-Vee purchased cake :-)

Luke luke...he can find all of the mud and never wants to keep his hat over his ears!

Polar Express train ride in Boone 

The whole crew!

Christmas is interesting to me and I think I am settling into a way I can enjoy it best in my adulthood. I LOVE to see the season come. I get my CD's playing in the car. I start taking the kids to see Santa at various locations, making plans for wintertime fun. Then the 5 days prior it just seems like the joy is gone and I'm in panic mode of how to get our taxes done before the end of the year, make sure all the Christmas gifts for everyone are ready to go (OH all the little school, dance, tumbling, etc gifts as well), and plan a family meal of some type. My main goal is always to get to Christmas Eve church service and by then hopefully we can relax. Christmas Eve was beautiful-Will is at such a fun age and he was so concerned with having the plate of cookies just perfect, along with the glass of milk and carrots! I wanted to feel the magic but I just didn't. I was ready for it to be done and I was just praying we had everything accomplished! Then once we get to January I can get things back in order and enjoy the extra time in the house that Wintertime allows us.

So much to catch up on!

It would probably be easier to title these Posts if they occurred on a regular basis! I have had so many good intentions of keeping up on a journal or even a 1-sentence daily entry type calendar. But as we all know the days go fast and it doesn't get done as I would like. I try to take lots of mental pictures of funny and memorable things the kids do but its still handy to write them down somehow to truly remember.

I often feel like I "forget" the years each kiddo was small. I don't know if I truly forget or if I just don't remember how I truly felt at the time. Or if it just really does go in the blink of an eye and you are working so hard just to keep your head above water and everyone alive and well at the end of the day!

We are finally catching up with life a bit. It doesn't feel so busy as it did the first 6 months of adjusting to 5 kids. I enjoyed going through some pictures today just to see what all we've been up to!

The first pictures here are of our brief family vacation. We went to Mahoney State Park at the recommendation of a co-worker, and made a few stops on the way there and home.

Henrik is talking on his 'cell phone' while he operates a tractor at the Children's Museum in Omaha.

August 12, 2017

A big project over the summer was preparation to take this barn down.

The actual day the barn came down coincided with the Total Solar Eclipse. We drove a few hours to be in the "Zone of Totality".

Attempted to get a picture of the Eclipse ;-)

Had to keep Gabbie even busier this summer!

First day of school ;-) I loved Will peeking through the window!

We spent the day at Adventureland on my birthday this past summer! Just the older 3 kiddos and their parents. I actually did do this green roller coaster...

October 12, 2017!

Got everyone dressed for a COLD Halloween!

November 12, 2017. Really starting to get BIG!

Gabbie working her photography skills :-)

On the days I'm off and we take pictures Henrik insists he be in there as well!

School concert at Christmas time. Very nice looking children I do believe!

The whole crew to see Santa!

Playing Bingo at a Christmas celebration in Wall Lake

The twins baptism...we don't look too bad considering all except Ben and Brice had a round of stomach flu the 24-48 hours prior to this event. 

Tired boys :-)

I had to work on New Years, so Gabbie did a holiday photo shoot of the boys :-)

Time is flying! January 12, 2018

Off to preschool for this big boy!

I am lucky to be home all of Tuesdays and Wednesdays, and I take every other Friday afternoon off as well. I am truly enjoying my time at home-we often have to run kids to/from school and church, but its so nice to avoid that rush in the morning of getting everyone up and out the door. Christmas time was not the happiest of times in our house. The twins were alternating being up every 45-60 minutes at night for many weeks. I was becoming very anxious and of course tired. Everyone was cranky. December was decent weather so Brice was often very busy. We didn't even take time to Christmas shop. I dreaded the nights, wondering if I'd even get an hour in before someone woke up. I felt sad and annoyed; shortly after New Years Day I told Brice "those babies just need to cry it out a bit". Within a week we were back to getting 6-8 hours of sleep. It was amazing the difference we felt getting some solid sleep. I started running again and training for a half marathon. I don't type this for sympathy-more so I can remember what it was like and how great it felt to get back to ourselves! Now they go to sleep at 8 PM on their own and generally sleep until 7 AM. 

Gabbie is busy with dance competitions. Its fun to watch her perform! Her teachers say she is a joy at school. She is a helpful girl at home and we have been working hard to get her to see the positive side in things (when you have all brothers some days EVERYTHING is bad according to her!)

Will is excited to start soccer next week. He can still be very hard headed at home, but the school says they don't see that side of him unless I am in the room :-) He is busy losing and finding his glasses on a regular basis.

Henrik has started school 2 mornings a week! He is scheduled to attend the "big school" this fall.

Ben and Luke are crawling, pulling to stand, and putting everything in their mouths! Normal so far :-)

Hopefully I get another update in before Ben & Luke turn 1!