constant change

It seems the only consistent in our lives this past year is change.

It all started a year ago with a cross country move to Texas.  It took a few months, and 3 different living environments, but we have loved it here.

But, as it turns out, we are heading back to Medford.

This is where all sorts of mixed emotions come.  The love of Texas winters, where instead of umbrellas, there are flip flops and shorts.  The amazing friends we have all made.  The kind ward, which has become family since being so far from our own.

Despite the almost comically crazy year we've had, with pregnancy induced bed rest for me, new baby, heart surgery, hives, double ear infections, and the flu that just wouldn't end, one would think the past year would send us packing in defeat.  Instead the opposite.  Our family is thriving and happy.  More so than ever.

Texas will surely be missed.  But Oregon is greatly anticipated!  Here's to hoping the next chapter of our life is just as great as this past one.

A snap shot of the last year...

Luke in front of the big 'ol Christmas tree at Market Street.  See...shorts.
You can't beat these Texas winters!

Picking out our Christmas Tree.  Not all trees are created equal.  

Trees in Texas are basically just a bush trimmed up into the shape of a tree. 

The kids on the street.  Nearly every day, the kids come home
from school, drop their back packs, grab a snack
and go out to the street to play with the neighbor kids.

 Moving van.  I've seen too many of these in the last year.
Let's stay put for a little longer this time...

Luke graduated from Kindergarten.  He was very proud of himself...as he
should be.  Switch schools at the end of kindergarten is hard work, and he killed it.

One of Makenna's best friends, Makena. Coincidence?  I think not.
These two have been pretty non stop since they met,
thank goodness for a quick and easy friendship!  

The pond where we love to feed ducks and turtles.
This makes us miss Oregon a little less!  

And becoming a family of six was the best!  Isaac is
pure joy!  He sleeps well and loves to eat!

a change of heart

To say the least, Makenna was not thrilled when we told her 6 months ago that we were having a baby boy.  She wanted a girl.  Bad.  She has wanted a baby girl for the last 3 babies.

Bitter disappointment.

I think it safe to say that approximately 2 seconds after meeting her new brother, 

she changed her mind.  She loves Isaac sweet temperament, and is just 

plain smitten.  And I think it's safe to say that Isaac loves to be

 held and loved on by Makenna.   

I hope this bond stays strong for years to come.  Makenna has taken on the role of a second mother to Isaac.  She never wants him to cry and tries to comfort him and figure out what makes him sad.  She is one amazing big sister.

and then there were six...

Our family grew to 6 over a month ago, when Isaac was born.  He made his debut at 12:35 am, officially sharing his birthday with Ben.  We are all head over heals in love with him!

Jared came so fast that I didn't have time to receive any pain medication, I was determined not to let that happen again .  So, Monday morning when contractions were a steady 5 minutes apart, we headed on into the hospital.  After being monitored there for a couple hours (and having contractions that spaced back out to 8 minutes apart, go figure) I asked to go home and keep an eye on things there.  Not to mention I had a date with a friend for lunch and pedicures.  I do have priorities.

We decided to celebrate Ben's birthday early that night because a friend brought over an apple pie, and it's always best fresh, right?  We did a little breakfast for dinner, a little pie and presents, all the while I was squirming in pain from contractions.

After tucking the kids in bed and calling a friend over to sit with the quiet house, we headed to the hospital and 3 hours later, the little man was born.  And it's been a cake walk ever since!

Such small and delicate features.  I'm always amazed at how small and sweet 

these babies start out.  I just love holding and soaking in a newborn baby straight from heaven.

Isaac has already brought so much light and happiness to our home.

He is adored by all who meet him, and will melt your

heart by cooing and making sweet eyes at you.

thinking out loud

What's been running through my mind lately...

Texas winters are the bomb.
Texas summers suck the life out of me.
God gave me my hardest baby last.
By hard, I mean really hungry and really awake.
Double ear infections are no fun.  For Jared, or me.
I'm a mean mom when I am sleep deprived.
I really like to eat out.
I'm never going to fit into my old clothes again.
Probably because I like to eat out.
And because of ice cream.

Oh, and what consumes most of my thoughts lately, I am having a heart surgery in 5 days.  It's not a big deal, but still it's my HEART.  And I'd like to work as it should.  Especially now that I have these 4 adorable babies (who will forever be my babies).  Send happy thoughts this way on Wednesday, please.

go 'stros

Ben's boss owns the Astros.  It only seemed right that we initiated our family. It was one of the first things we did when we moved to Houston.  The first game we only took the two older kids, and braced ourselves to only stay to the 5th inning, or so.  Imagine our surprise when around the 8th inning we mentioned maybe we should head out to beat the traffic (not to mention it was pretty late for our early birds) when they asked to stay to the end of the 9th.

I had never been to a professional baseball game before the Astros, and I was amazed at how fun the atmosphere was.  It was a great night, and a nice welcome to Houston!

We took Jared a few weeks later, and he did amazing!  He loved the game as much (maybe even more than) Makenna and Luke.

This little one was the best!  Such a fun night, she cheered, and hollered.  

She sang along to "take me out to the ball game"....

and loved spitting sunflower seeds on the ground.

Luke was such a trooper.  Not only did he hang in there,

and watch the game, but he LOVED the game.  Lots of 

questions about how everything worked, and he wanted to 

know what every number on the score board meant.  Such a smart 

and observant boy!!

a mad libs goodbye

Our awesome friends the Johnson's and Nichols's put together a life saving bag of fun for our kids to enjoy while we made the 36 hour trek from Oregon to Texas.  The highlight?  A handmade mad libs card.  I'll share the joy...(I'll italicize the "fill in the blank" word.)

A Mad Libs Goodbye Card!

To our pretty  friends, the Whitmer's
Love your silly  friends, the Nichol's & Johnson's

"Do you know what today is?" asked Eve.
"Halloween?"  asked Will.
"Oh my Goodness"   I remember!  The Whitmer's are moving today," said Gab    silly-ly.
"That's right", said Eleanor.
"Man, that is stupendous  news", said Holly.
"I know", said Sam.   We've made so many hilarious   memories together.
"Do you remember the time we went to The Berry Farm and ate the toilet?" said Ginny.
"That was freaky!! How about the Christmas   where we climbed M&M's together?" said Gwyn.
"And it was always so fun watching the 3 boastful underpants play together", said Holly.
"How can we let them go to Food 4 Less without us? said Eve.
"It will be really hard because the Whitmer's are all irreplaceable friends, but because we are such great friends, even being separated by 8972 trees can't end our friendships" said Gabe.
"That is 73 percent true", said Sam.
"Our love for them is limitless and every time we are blessed to be together again, it will be like picking up right where we left off!"
"So our parting words for the Whitmer's...Jared  & Luke, good luck sleeping.  Makenna and   Aimee, have fun crying.  Ben, we know you will make lots of humongous    basketballs   instantly!

"As for us, know that we will pray for you daily & miss you minutely!  But this is not goodbye!  We'll close by saying we love you lots and we'll see you soon.

All our love,
The Nichol &  Johnson families


We were all in tears from laughter and also from realizing how much we are going to miss our dear friends.  We love you guys, thanks for the smiles from hours 4 through 28 on the long drive out!  (seriously, we re-wrote the card many times after this first initial one...)

a (hot and) sticky situation

Whoa!  Where to even begin...

Let's start with we moved.  Yup, cross country.  Kind of a big move for us, and it's been an even bigger adjustment.  Texas, as it turns out is the armpit of the country.  Hot, humid, sticky, and stinks (figuratively and literally).

The first two months we were squished in an apartment, now we are spread out in a huge house (both corporate housing, and both the same price, imagine that).

The kiddos have been busy this summer with soccer and basketball camps, drama classes, and volleyball leagues.  It's been a fun and much needed diversion from the newness of Houston, and the homesickness we've all been feeling.

On the 36 hour road trip out here, we made a couple of stops.  The first being a berry farm, well, that's what we told the kids.  Bless their little hearts they were such troopers about it.  As we pulled into Knotts Berry Farm, though, their expressions were priceless!  We were riding a shuttle in, and Luke got glimpses of the rides from behind the gates, and told Makenna how much fun it looked.  Makenna agreed saying, "it looks amazing, but we were going to a berry farm instead.  Sorry Luke."

It was so funny to see them realize that Knotts Berry Farm was an amusement park, and not a berry farm.  Maybe I won the worst mother of the day award, but it was so worth it!

 Jared's second favorite thing to do, next to the monster truck ride.

 My favorite thing to do.  This was a perfect end to a perfect day.
Ben surprised us as we were finishing up dinner, and had everyone
pick out a delicious looking pastry.  We  brought them
all back to the hotel and did some taste testing of each others choices.  

 The car ride.  This, unfortunantly, was not the norm.  Don't judge the car too bad...
all we initially brought to Houston was shoved in that van!  The moving van won't be coming
out for a while.  We packed that van down tight.

 Jared's birthday, and the apartment.  His birthday was magical, filled with
swimming, balls as big as him, and his favorite treats.

 Jared at soccer camp.  This boy loves soccer, and is actually
really good!  Since he was old enough to walk, he's been kicking a soccer ball
People will always stop and tell me how he's a natural.  Go buddy!

 Makenna's lego creation.  She's thoroughly enjoying these bad boys right now.
I love how her little brain works, she has got the best imagination
and will put things together in ways I'll never think of.