The Bryans

Blogging Again

2011-07-17T20:26:00.000-07:00

Both boys are down for their afternoon nap and I was sitting here looking at family and friends blogs and wishing I would have kept up with ours this past year. So I am going to try to recommit to blogging. If anything I'm doing it for myself. I kept a calendar of Luke during his first year of life as well as completed his first year scrapbook, I'm doing the same for Matthew. But Luke is now 2 years and 2 1/2 months old and all I have done is take pictures which, I know, is better than nothing but you can't always capture everything on camera. I have been wanting to make something or journal about Luke and now Matthew but hadn't come up with a great and EASY idea yet. I then realized about 15 minutes ago that I have a blog and even if no one reads it it's a great way to get everything I want to remember written down. When I'm old and I have no memory than I will have this blog, hopefully, and just like with most people's blogs it will be filled with tons of good memories :0)

Luke's Highlights

Luke is talking a whole lot more now. My favorite is when he asks for something. It usually sounds something like this "mo cra ker peas" translation: "More crackers please."
He loves playing baseball. Apart from binkies nothing comes close to his love for baseball. Anything can be a bat including the pretend roasted chicken in the nursery at church. His father is very proud. By the way he throws and bats left!
Luke is most definitely a 2 year old: on the go constantly and he loves to exert his independence. (If you're a mom then you know perfectly well that I have sugarcoated that last thought a bit).
He knows all but 7 of the letters in the alphabet by name or by sound.
He is starting to count and is beginning to understand the concept. When it's mommies turn to brush his teeth we count to 20 and when its time for bed he gets to choose if he would like to have 2 binkies or 3. He always chooses 3.
Lately everything is "mine."
He swam across Oma's pool at least 5 times without any help, actually refusing help. (He had a life jacket on of course) Once again his father is very proud, as am I. :0)
He has gone potty like a big boy several times. I'm not sure when we will officially start potty training but this is a great start.
He is a loving big brother. Matthew is usually the first one he needs to see. He says "Hi" and then proceeds with several kisses and hugs. He has gotten a lot better with being gentle but still needs to be reminded at times.

Being a mom for the second time is much easier is some ways. It is so nice to not stress about everything. You gain so much knowledge as a first time mom, having a second child is more relaxing. I certainly don't feel like I am constantly playing the guessing game.
It's also a good feeling to know that you don't have to take away any of your love for your firstborn to make room for the new addition, your heart just grows bigger!!!

Matthew's Milestones

Matthew is 4 months old now, 15.3 lbs. and 26 in. long.
Matthew is such a happy baby. He gives the sweetest smiles.
He can roll over from his back to his tummy. Just this week he can finally stay on his tummy for several minutes before getting upset.
As of Wednesday he can sit up, obviously not on his own but he sits just fine after having some help with the "tripod" set up.
He enjoys bouncing in his jumper.
He loves his big brother. He lights up when Luke comes in the room.
Matthew's a great sleeper. He takes good naps and has been sleeping through the night for 2 months now!!!
We were hoping he would be our quieter child but he can be just as loud as Luke. He makes an adorable grunting/growl noise and if you play back with him he only gets louder.
He is now interested in toys and is starting to hold them on his own.
Matthew experienced the beach (Pismo) for the first time last month on our first family trip since his debut.

2011-04-30T20:29:00.000-07:00

I don't know if anyone views our blog anymore since we are so bad at keeping it up to date. But I thought I would go ahead and give an update anyways.

On March 9, 2011 our second son Matthew Josiah Bryan was born. Luke has been such a good big brother.

Yesterday, April 29, 2011 Luke turned 2 years old.

We are so very blessed to have two beautiful boys!!

2010-07-23T23:06:00.000-07:00

Fun in the Sun!!!

The month of July has brought many exciting things our way.

We spent the 4th with our friends the Halversons, Leeches, and the Slaters out at Buchanan High School where we enjoyed a wonderful fireworks show. Luke enjoyed the fireworks but mostly just loved running up and down the street making us chase him all night.

Luke began "swim lessons" at Dinuba HS this month. It was a "Mommy and Tot" class so I put on the old speedo and played the role of mommy. Luke became more and more comfortable in the water and had a lot of fun.

Tracy, Luke and I joined Tracy's parents in Kings Canyon National Park for Carolyn's birthday. We had a great time camping and enjoyed the most beautiful views! Luke loved to play in the dirt and pick up sticks.

Finally, we took an RV trip with the Slater's (Emilee's parents loaned us the motorhome). We went down to Anaheim and took the boys to Disneyland. Luke enjoyed his first visit to the magic kingdom. We then headed back up the US-101 to Pismo and enjoyed the cold weather on the central coast.

It has been a busy month, but a great time spent with family and friends!

2010-06-15T23:50:00.000-07:00

What fun we have had over the last week!!

Cousin Charlotte and Cousin Levi spent three whole days with us and we had such a wonderful time together. Grandpas and Grandmas are not the only ones that get to spoil.

A full car!

"Look at me Cece!"

Feeding the ducks.

Monday at 10:30am we decided to go to a Giants game and were on the road by noon. We took Uncle Joe and Auntie Amy with us and had a great time. Aaron especially enjoyed sharing this experience with Luke.

What else has happened since my last post? Not too much.

Luke tried olives for the first time and figured out the BEST way to eat them.

I had my second Mother's Day and actually got a picture this year!

2010-05-04T20:06:00.000-07:00

Wow!! It is hard to believe that our little guy is one year old (and a few days). At this time a year ago all he did was eat, sleep, and poop.

Before Luke was born. Look how rested we look!!!

After Luke was born. Who needs rest when you get to hold a beautiful baby boy in your arms.

Now Luke is doing more and understanding more than I ever imagined.
   He knows where his hair, eyes, and nose are
   He signs: milk, all done, more, please, sorry, and thank you
   He throws temper tanrtums
   He runs
   He gives kisses and hugs, and waves bye bye
   He loves to talk, sing, clap, and make lots of noise (remind you of anyone???)
   He enjoys taking everything out of my Tupperware cupboard
   He enjoys putting everything in his mouth
   He opens and closes doors
   He initiates peek-a-boo and chase
   He loves to talk on the phone and even pretends when he does not have a real phone in his hands
   He likes to comb his hair and brush his teeth
   He loves taking baths or just getting wet from playing with the hose
   He eats just about anything
   He loves music
   He loves Grandpa and Grandma's dogs

April has had a lot of events:

Luke got his first hair cut from Auntie Amy

Luke got to meet his Great Grammy Finch for the first time.

Luke had his first Easter

Luke got to experience Red Rock Canyon in the Mojave Desert for a weekend

And of course his 1st Birthday!!!

We love our little guy so very much and we thank God every day for blessing us with such a wonderful, loving little boy. We look forward to many more great years!

Happy 1st Birthday Luke!!!

2010-03-21T23:17:00.000-07:00

Only 8 days until Luke's 11 month birthday which means turning 1 is just around the corner.

Since we have been having such great weather we have spent a lot of time outside. Luke has enjoyed eating dirt, helping dig holes for the flowers we have planted and getting soaked by the hose. He is definitely a boy!

Pat-a cake, Pat-a-cake...

Roll it up and roll it up.....

Mommy was not so Lucky getting a smile out of Luke on St. Patrick's Day!

2010-02-19T11:29:00.000-08:00

This month has been crazy. Within a two week span Luke got the flu (which of course I got 4 days later), his two top teeth came in, he got an ear infection, and he once again has decided that sleeping through the night is no fun, its more fun to cry and need to be held for 2 hours!!!! The JOY of parenthood. But we still love him.

Luke is not only walking but is now able to stand up without holding on to anything!! He also loves to walk and kick a ball and Mommy and Daddy enjoy watching him, it's really cute. What a talented boy.

Some other firsts are:
He says "woof" when he hears or sees a dog and sometimes when you ask him "What does a doggy say?"
He loves to point.
Luke started brushing his teeth. He especially enjoys it when he gets to do it himself.
Luke can hold is own bottle.
Luke can clap.

Two cool dudes having fun at the zoo.

Having fun on Grandpa's tractor.

Luke continues to love being read to. His favorite books are Brown Bear, Brown Bear... , Dr. Seuss's ABC, Beautiful Babies, That's not my Pony... , and Goodnught Moon. Not only can he sit through the entire DR. Seuss's ABC book but usually 6-7 books at a time!

This Boy Was Made for Walking!!!

2010-01-16T12:05:00.000-08:00

Luke, as mentioned in our previous post, is walking. He took his first step on December 20th and has only gotten better since. He gets a bit frustrated because he REALLY wants to walk ALL the time, but he has only gotten as far as about 12 steps. He will be there soon, but we are fairly certain that he will not walk for long - he will move to running as fast as his body will allow. He is a GOER!!! Here are a couple videos of his progress. ENJOY!!!

Finally A Post!

2010-01-06T18:49:00.000-08:00

Yes we know it has been a very long time since the last time we posted. I told Aaron when he started this blog that I would most likely fall behind on it, and sure enough I did. To me blogging is like scrapbooking and I only get around to scrapbooking once a month, if I'm lucky. So my goal is to post once a month. Here we go for January 2010!

So far there are just two things I wish I could change about being a mom.

1. Slow down the growing process! I love each new stage that Luke goes through. It is so much fun to watch him explore new things and places but I just wish it would not go so fast. He is going to be 18 and going off the college before we know it.

2. Getting Sleep!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Thanks to Jon and Emilee Luke is again sleeping through the night. Between Babywise and The Sleepeasy Solution we are having success, but for a while we were getting up 3-5 times a night. No fun!

So you might be asking yourself, "What has been going on with Luke for the last 2 months?"

As I'm looking through his calendar there is just way too much to tell. I told you he is growing too fast!

Here are the highlights:

*He was the most adorable little turtle for Halloween thanks to Auntie Amy who made his costume.

*He began crawling on November 19th, 6 1/2 months old.

*Luke started giving "The Look"

*He is eating very well and has started on finger foods. Right now he is at the pincher stage.

*We dedicated Luke at church on December 20. Our verses for him are 1 John 4:7-12. This was such a full day because he also took his first step.

*Luke experienced his first Christmas. Surprisingly, he did not enjoy the tissue paper as much as I thought he would.

Be prepared, I'm a proud mom and love showing off my adorable son!!!

Happy Halloween!

Getting smooches from daddy and mommy!

Hanging out with Cousins Charlotte and Levi on Thanksgiving!

Looking out the window

Look at me crawling!

Luke touching his first Christmas tree!

Playing in the leaves

7 months old

Playing with Bagheera

Luke takes his first step!

I love the beach!!!

Merry Christmas!!!

"The Look"

Happy 8 months!!!

NEARLY 6 MONTHS!!!

2009-10-24T10:51:00.001-07:00

We are SO blessed to have such a happy baby boy!

Here are a few pictures of what we have been up to lately. ENJOY!

We took Luke to the Fresno Fair and he enjoyed seeing all the animals.

Daddy and Luke staring at the dairy cows...pretty stinky!

Luke really liked the pygmy goats, probably because they were his size.

Luke has found a new place to sit which he seems to enjoy!

Cousin Levi showing Luke some love

As you can see, Luke rolls all over the place...he started out on the blanket!

What a devoted little fan! Luke wore his Lou Seal tee and his Giants hat the day the Dodgers fell out of the post season race so this is his new lucky shirt and hat! Sorry Uncle Aaron!

Great Grandma feeding Luke his butternut squash...he LOVES it!!! He is already a better eater than his daddy...PRAISE GOD!

This morning we went on a walk and put Luke in this super-cute outfit, borrowed from cousin Levi. He matched our sheets so well that I had to take some pics.

Look at that adorable face!

Sweet boy!

Our growing boy!

2009-10-05T19:04:00.000-07:00

Well it has been a while so I'm sure you won't be too surprised with all the fun and exciting things Luke has been up to.

Here's a list of highlights since our last posting:

August
26th - Luke sat up straight for 2-3 min.
27th - Luke learned to stick out his tongue and make noise which included a lot of spit.
29th - Luke is 4 months old.

September
2nd - Luke growls like a bear.
11th - Luke rolled from his back to his tummy.
14th - Luke's hair was styled by Auntie Amy.
18th - Luke took a bath in the kitchen sink.
Mid September
- Luke learned to sit and play without falling over.
- Luke understands the sign for milk.
- Luke no longer stays in the middle of his bed during naptime or on his back.
- Luke began wearing 6-9 month clothing.
- Luke learned that when we stack blocks he can knock them over.
- Luke continues to love looking at and playing with his hands.
- Luke continues to love when people read to him.
21st - Luke's 4 month check up. 26 3/4 inches tall and 18.3 pounds. This puts him in the 90th percentile for both height and weight.
22nd - Luke ate rice cereal for the first time.
25th - Luke went on his first plane ride to OK to visit Uncle Chris. He was so great!! This was also his first time in a different state.
29th - Luke is 5 months old.
30th - Luke started rolling across the floor.

October
2nd - Luke ate yams for the first time and loved them.
3rd - Luke had a bit of water with his dinner for the first time.

It is so exciting to watch our son grow and develop, hopefully you are enjoying it as well!

Luke's Top Ten

2009-08-21T15:54:00.000-07:00

10 Luke's fine motor skills are really taking off. He loves holding on to everything and it is so fun to watch him concentrate when trying to grab a toy. He likes helping hold his bottle when he is eating although his hand-eye coordination is a bit off and he often accidentally pushes the bottle out of him mouth.

9 Luke has learned to splash when taking a bath. It is nearly impossible to stay dry while giving him a bath, but it sure is fun.
8 He continues to LOVE his jumper. Often he jumps so hard we joke that he is going to jump right out.
7 His giggle is absolutely adorable and makes everyone in the room laugh. He even snorts at times. We can usually get the best giggles out of him just before nap time or bed time, when he's tired he laughs at anything!!!
6 He really enjoys when people read to him. He gets so excited and loves trying to hold the books. "Brown Bear Brown Bear. . ." still seems to be his favorite, however, "Beautiful Babies," a touch-and-feel book, may be runner up. There is a mirror at the end of the book and today he just giggled and giggled when he saw himself.
5 Luke smiles constantly. He is such a happy baby!
4 He finally enjoys swinging in his swing. This has even become a napping spot a few times.
3 When I am cooking Luke loves to sit in his highchair and watch me. He is so observant of his surroundings.
2 He loves to talk!!! He is figuring out his voice more and more and he seems to be controlling it much better.
1 He is SOOOOO much fun. I love that I am able to stay at home part time. We have so much fun together as a family. What a blessing our son is to us.

Enjoy some of the recent pictures and video we have taken!

LA Zoo

2009-08-09T13:56:00.000-07:00

Yesterday Grandma Ehoff, Luke, and I drove down to LA to see Aaron conduct in his final concert for his masters. After 3 summers he is finally finished with his course work. Now all he has to do is his recital, comprehensive exams, and write his thesis. No big deal!!!
Since his concert was in the evening we decided to go to the LA Zoo during the day. It was a little warm but we enjoyed ourselves. Luke really didn't care but it was still fun for us to expose him to a little bit of Gods amazing creation. Enjoy!!

Yeah, I am so excited to be with Daddy at the Zoo!!!

Grandma couldn't resist buying Luke an adorable giraffe hat!

Aaron along with the third year graduates and their two professors.

Doctor Visit

2009-07-21T15:02:00.000-07:00

Luke had his 2 month check up last week and Dr. Restrepo only had good things to say. Luke is 14 pounds 9 ounces and 25 1/2 inches tall. This puts him in the 90th percentile in weight and the 95th percentile in height. Yes we were as shocked as you. Honestly, we are not counting on him staying in the 95th percentile in height for long. He does have 2 short parents after all!!! However, his great great uncles on the Enns side are all above 6 feet and Aaron has a cousin that is over 7 feet tall so maybe he has a special tall gene running through him. We will just have to wait and see.

Luke is still very active and with the help of "Baby Wise" he is on a consistent routine that is wonderful for everyone.

The funniest thing he has been doing recently is playing with his tongue. He found his tongue a while ago but recently figured out how far he can stick it out and he REALLY can stick it out far. We decided that we should sign him up for "Kiss." For the last 2 days I have been trying to get a picture of him and his silly tongue but our little guy is being stubborn. So here is a cute one of him playing with his tongue during bathtime.

Luke is constantly sucking on his fists and arms which of course causes lots of slobbering and sometimes bubbles.

Also Luke is becoming more coordinated. He is enjoying tummy time, starting to play with many of his toys and likes reading his books. "Brown Bear, Brown Bear..." seems to be his favorite, that's probably because daddy does such great animal voices.

He can also put his hand in his pocket... with some help from Mommy.

Looks like he's found his voice!!!

2009-07-04T00:05:00.000-07:00

Today Luke discovered his voice. He has been gurgling and cooing for a while now, but today he started "singing!" He sounds mad at times, but he is actually just being loud and enjoying hearing himself...remind you of anyone? : )

Enjoy the videos!!!

Time to Brag

2009-06-20T16:15:00.000-07:00

Our son is not only growing too fast but everyday he is becoming more and more active. In the last 2 weeks he has also begun to enjoy some new toys.

Here he is in his jumper. He can't really jump yet but it is perfect height for him to push up and stand.

Reading with mommy. It's never too early to start!!!

This is not really an active picture but was taken just after he finished eating. We call it the "Baby Drunk on Milk" picture!

He has been enjoying tummy time and continues to showoff how strong he is.

Yesterday however he decided to take it to the next level. . .

Before

After
YES!! Believe it or not yesterday, June 20, 2009, at 7 weeks and 3 days old, our AMAZING son rolled over completely on his own. Luke's Grandma, Daddy and Mommy all had the priviliage of watching him show off his new move. We could not believe our eyes, we all screamed and surprisingly did not scare him. It was such a joy and shock to watch him roll for the first time. We tried to get him to do it again but he was tired and ready for his afternoon nap.

Luke's First Camping Trip

2009-06-16T08:46:00.000-07:00

Last weekend we took Luke on his first camping trip. You might think we're a little crazy, but camping with a 6 week old is quite easy when you go with Grandma and Grandpa! It was so great to hand Luke to Grandma and Grandpa while the two of us took a nap in the afternoon. We didn't even need to worry about him waking up from his nap because his binkie fell out of his mouth. It was so nice to catch up on some much needed rest : ) Since the weather report said there was a chance of thunder storms in Sequoia National Park we decided to head to the central coast. We definitely made the right decision! The weather was perfect. We camped at El Chorro Campground (across the street from Cuesta College). It was a really great location. We were only 10 min from Morro Rock and there were so many things to do around the camp ground. There is an 18-hole golf course, an awesome dog park (complete with balls, frisbees, and a pool for splashing around), botanical gardens, trails, and a nearby shooting range. We had a really wonderful and relaxing time with Tracy's parents and we can't wait to return.

Luke stretching after a good nights sleep.

Luke enjoying his first camping trip.

Daddy and Luke at the beach.

"Mommy and Daddy, why are you putting my feet in this cold water?"

Mommy and Luke enjoying the warm sunshine.

Tracy's Uncle Mike, Aunt Loretta, their granddaughter Athena, and Bruiser also joined us for the weekend!!

Grandpa making funny faces at Luke.

"Hmmm, how do I feel about my grandpa?"

"I think he is pretty great!"

Luke is growing too fast!

2009-06-08T21:45:00.000-07:00

Luke is almost 6 weeks old! I know, I can hardly believe it myself. He is growing so fast.

Here is a list of all the things he is already doing:

1. Luke can hold his head up - believe it or not he has done this since the day he was born

2. Luke loves to coo when we are playing on the floor, when he is being held, or eating

3. Luke smiles - the best thing in the world

4. Luke can stand on his own - he just needs help with the balancing part

5. Luke is gaining weight - as of last week he is up to 11 pounds 2 ounces

6. Luke giggles - the second best thing in the world

7. Luke loves playing in his bouncer and even coos at his dangling toys

8. Luke sleeps 5 hours at night

9. Luke can hold onto things

10. Luke can do Super Baby (this is when daddy holds him in the air and Luke "flies")

Luke Mikal Bryan

2009-05-05T11:32:00.000-07:00

Luke Mikal Bryan
April 29, 2009 - 4:08 PM 8 lbs, 2 oz

Thanks for waiting patiently! As you all know, Luke has arrived. He and mommy are doing well. We are so grateful to be surrounded by such loving family and friends. Thank you all for your prayers and for coming to visit us both in the hospital and at home. Luke is blessed to have so many people who care about him. Thank you all for your continued support as we embark on this new and exciting journey! Check out photos of Luke by clicking on the Picasa Web Album at the top left side of this page! Enjoy!

Update

2009-04-27T21:28:00.000-07:00

We will return to the doctor on Wednesday at 8 AM. They will do another non-stress test to make sure Luke is still "healthy and strong" (as Charlotte says), check her amniotic fluid level and see how Tracy is progressing. It sounds like Wednesday may be the final "check-up" appointment. After that, we will either be returning to be induced or because Tracy has gone into labor. Either way, they have assured us that we WILL have a baby by Friday. YEAH! The end is in sight! We can hardly stand the wait!!!

Thank you all for your continued prayers. We are so blessed to be loved by so many! Stay tuned as our next post may very well contain photos of our baby boy!

Tracy is BORED!!!

2009-04-23T13:34:00.001-07:00

Here is an e-mail my lovely wife sent me today. I am so lucky to have her. This e-mail brightened my day. I'm not sure what my favorite part is, but I think it might be that she refers to our son as "Luck," instead of Luke. Enjoy - and feel free to call her anytime during the day! Here is the e-mail:

Hi love, how is class going? I am very bored at home. I got up at 9:00 had breakfast and did my devotions outside at the table. Then I got dressed, put my hair up, went to the kitchen and put the dishes in the dishwasher, wiped the counters, and wiped down the stove. I didn't scrub it real good but it looks better than before. After that, I hooked up the dishwasher and of course I didn't do it correctly so water squirted all over the window. So I got the stool and wiped down the window then tried hooking up the dishwasher again and this time I was successful!!!!! Then I got my flip flops on and went outside and picked some roses for our table. They smell delicious and are very beautiful. Next I came inside and changed into some shorts, because it is too hot for pants, went back outside and watered the flowers along the back of the house and turned the sprinklers on in the garden area by Dorothy's fence. Did you know that the sprinkler by the shed has a 360 degree head on it? But it still works so I left it on. I also turned the water on the side of the house. Last I came inside checked our financises (I don't know how to spell that word) don't worry we're OK! Auntie Marjorie called while I was doing that just to see how I was doing. And now I am finishing typing you this very interesting email. Sorry no baby yet. I really wish I could call you to tell you to come home because my contractions have begun but apparently we don't have that kind of luck.
Luck is moving around, but he seems so far, to be more like yesterday.
Well have a wonderful day seeing people and getting to talk to people and interacting with people and doing stuff with people and... I don't know what else you do with people.
Love ya :0)

A Letter to Luke

2009-04-21T09:14:00.000-07:00

Okay Luke, we're ready. Where are you? Listen, if you are worried about coming out because you have heard all the yelling and loud noises, that' just the Ehoff's. You will love them! If you're afraid that you won't get to enjoy all the wonderful food mommy has been eating, don't worry. She is an AMAZING cook! You will only love her more after you have some of her lasagna. Is it Grandad that has you concerned? Relax, he's not really a vampire. He just makes that face to be silly. You will totally learn to laugh at it. I know it can't be me. I mean, who wouldn't want me as a father? I think it's good thing when people cross themselves and throw holy water on me when i tell them I'm going to be a daddy...right? You're going to love it out here. There are so many wonderful people to meet. They all love you and can't wait to see you. Mommy and I are so anxious to hold you (in our arms, that is - mommy has held you for 41 weeks already). So, as you can see, we are all ready for you. You will obviously know who your mommy is as soon as you make your debut, but just in case you aren't sure which man in the room is your father, look down. I'll probably be passed out on the floor next to mommy's bed, but I will wake up soon.

In all seriousness, Luke, we can't wait to see you! You have already brought SO much joy to our lives. So please hurry. Mommy is uncomfortable and daddy is scared of what she might do to me if you don't hurry up. You want siblings, right? Then COME ON OUT!!!

Love,
Mommy & Daddy (but mostly Daddy)

Luke is on the move!

2009-04-16T16:57:00.000-07:00

Here is a video that Tracy shot this morning while she was resting. Luke was very active and this is definitely the best video we have! It's a little long but for those of you who have been wanting to see him moving, here's your best chance. It may take some time to load but we hope it's worth the wait. Enjoy!!!

Easter with the Family

2009-04-12T22:30:00.000-07:00

This year, after church, Tracy and I drove the approximately 28 miles to my parents house near Pine Flat Dam. We were blessed to be able to spend the day with our wonderful family in mom and dad's beautiful new home (it's almost complete). Aaron and Christa were there with Charlotte and Levi, who were the center of attention, as usual! Tracy and I are always glad when Mark and Cindy, Aaron Wiens' parents, join us for family gatherings. When it comes to family, we subscribe to "the more, the merrier" philosophy! It was even MORE merry to have my big brother Sheldon and my two nephews, Austin and Dylan, with us. And the merriment didn't stop there. Sheldon's fiancee, Karen, joined us and brought her 4 wonderful kids (and one friend of the family - Taylor). Karen's kids are (sorry if I misspell any names) Jenny, Melanie, Seth and Holly. We had a lot of fun getting to know this wonderful, close-knit family. We are very excited to be adding them to our family, and not just because that means we will have a place to stay along the coast! : )

Thanks Mom and Dad for hosting a wonderful Easter, and thanks to all our family for a great time! Happy Easter!!!

Here are some photos of our day together:

The whole gang after lunch

Charlotte with uncle Sheldon

Sheldon & Tracy showing off their pregnant bellies

Levi with Grandma Cindy

Mom happy that everyone is enjoying themselves

Charlotte and I playing "OUCH!" as we slide down the stairs on our bums!

Seth getting the run-down on the quad from Dad.

Karen, Jenny, Holly and Taylor (oh, and the dog/rodent is called Maddy)

Mark & Cindy

Yes, I dominated the Easter egg hunt! Take that little kids!!!

Happy Easter!!!

2009-04-12T08:59:00.000-07:00

He is Risen!!!

Some pics

2009-04-11T22:53:00.000-07:00

Here are some photos to get folks caught up:

Here is Tracy at 24 weeks:

Here she is at 29 weeks:

And at 40 weeks!

Tracy is full-term with our first child, Luke Mikal. He is due on Monday April 13th. We are very excited and can't wait to get started on this new chapter in our lives.

And here are a couple belly shots!

jumpin' on the bandwagon

2009-04-11T22:39:00.000-07:00

Tracy and I are joining the masses! We figure since Luke will be joining us soon, we may have something to say, or photos that people may be interested in. The goal of this blog is to allow our friends and family around the globe to stay connected as our family continues to grow. Enjoy!