...And Tomorrow Will Be 8 Together!

Dear sweet baby girl,
Tomorrow I will meet you...look into your eyes and hold you for the first time. I can't wait. Your arrival has been something we have all been waiting for. Although we are still undecided on a name I know we will find the perfect one. You are such a miracle and loved member of this family. You are such an answer to prayers as I longed to have one more baby...and all fell into place.
Kaylee and Emilee have asked for weeks how much longer til you would finally come out. They can not wait to meet you and hold you. I am pretty sure between the 2 of them and Aliya you will never be short a "mother". Your brothers are excited too. Gage talk of the "newborn baby" that is coming in January...and Gavin says he wants to see you but he thinks holding you might be a bad idea since he often drops things! :) I agree. Aliya is quite unaware about what is about to take place but I know she will love you to pieces. Today she started to run a fever and got a bad rash...then we found out she has pneumonia. I am so bummed we can not have her come meet you tomorrow, but for the health of all that introduction will have to wait. I think you two will be great friends!
Feeling you move as I sit here is something I never want to forget. Its the coolest thing ever. You have never been too crazy in my tummy, you move, but are pretty gentle. I wonder what your personality will be like? You and I have made a great team. Its been the easiest pregnancy of all...and I am so thankful.
See you tomorrow, sweet girl! My prayer is that it will be a smooth and healthy birth for both you and I. I love you so much!

Mommy

Happy 3rd Birthday, Gage!

Dear Gage,
Today you turned 3. Three whole years since I first got to see you, but not hold you. Your birthday is so special to me. Its a day of many emotions, but thankfully mostly all happy ones! Three years ago today I was told to head over to the hospital and we would get to meet you! I was so excited and nervous. See, you decided to come a bit too early in our eyes, but not in God's eyes. God knew the perfect day.
We were about to face some bumps in the road. Yucky bumps. I don't take the term miracle baby lightly. You are a miracle. You were given great strength and determination from so small. God used you to push me to a new level of trusting in Him and finding strength I never knew I had. Those days are just memories now and they are memories I never will forget, nor do I want to forget them.
Someday will share your story with you. You asked to see a baby picture of yourself today, and I showed you one. You ran away...then came back a few minutes later.  I guess I failed to inform you it was you hooked up to life saving machines. We talked a bit and you said to close the computer. You then asked me to show you not sick pictures, so I did. You smiled and said you were cute, I agree!
I think you told every person we saw today it was your birthday. You are so proud and wore a shirt with the number 3 on it. You asked for a poodle cake. I was not so sure how I was going to pull that one off, so I was very thankful you changed your mind and wanted a brown cake with lots of sprinkles...that is something I could handle! :) I am in love with your smile and laugh. You are still a cuddly guy and are always good for some snuggles! You love your baby sister. You are still very protective of her. You are one of the friendliest kids I have ever seen. We often joke that if anyone says "hi" to you then you are their friend for life. The other day we were at chapel for Gavin's preschool, I looked over to find you sitting on someones lap we didn't know. The same thing happend at the library. You have such a sweet heart and I need to teach you about stranger danger. :)
As I tucked you into bed tonight and your 3rd birthday came to an end I spent a couple extra seconds thanking God for you....even when you called me a silly chicken. You are quite silly.

Well, sweet boy I can't wait to watch you grow over this next year. You are such a blessing to us and to all those you are around. You are so loved! Happy Birthday, son!
Love,
Mommy





                                                                                                                                                                                                                             



                                 

Love List

Tonight was a struggle. No kids thought it was a good idea to listen. I yelled more in one night than I usually do in a month. I am not proud of that. So...I have decided to make a top 3 list for each kid what I love most about them.
Kaylee:
1. Tenderhearted
2. Helpful
3. Determined

Emilee:
1. Goofy
2. Devoted Friend
3. Giving

Gavin:
1. Inquisitive
2. Polite
3.Caring

Gage:
1. Loveable
2. Sensitive
3. Momma's Boy

Aliya:
1. WILD
2. Happy
3. Snuggly

Ahhh...I feel better already. Now I can go up kiss all their foreheads while they are sleeping and thank God for a fresh start tomorrow. Isn't it amazing how children are so forgiving? I love my kids. But sometimes I just need a reminder.

Happy Birthday, Gavin!

Happy 4th Birthday, Gavin!

I can't believe you are 4....where did the whole year of 3's go?? This year went by the fastest of all. You are growing into such a fun boy! You love to ask questions about how everything works and we find you getting into things often. I have figured out that you are not getting into them because you are trying to get in trouble you are just curious about everything in life and want to know exactly what, when, where, why, and how everything works. You keep up laughing constantly and come up with some very creative stories and thoughts daily.

Here are some of my most favorite things you have said/done:
1. sticking your head in the toilet on numerous occasions...and the dog.
2. rubbing syrup all over your hair and arms cause it felt cool.
3. Jesus lives in your stomach and not in your heart...cause there is too much blood in your heart. Jesus loves to eat you leftovers.
4. After complimenting you on your great listening at pre school...you then told me that Jesus turns on the switch in you to listen at school and when you get in the car...He turns it off.
5. You can dress yourself, buckle, fill your cup....you are were one of the most independent 3 year old I have seen.
6. Stories...wow...you tell them in great detail and leave us wondering what is real and what isn't. Your imagination is a real gift.
7. You love to make others smile and have the cutest belly laugh.
8. You LOVE LOVE LOVE to watch t.v. I even put the t.v. on the weather channel once to bore you...it didn't work. You learned quite a bit and talked about it for days.
9. You also love book and ask to be read to a lot.
10. You can be a wild man, but also pretty quiet.
11. If given the chance you are very affectionate and love to be held. I committed 20 minutes a day(10 in the morning and 10 in the afternoon) to holding you...and you love it!
12. You can be pretty shy.
13. Finally got bunk beds and you sleep on the top!
14. I love watching you write your name and seeing how excited you get.
15. You want to be just like your daddy.
16. Recently we found you on the floor at a McDonald's under a chair...dad started to tell you to get up...then we realized you were inspecting the swivel chair to see how it worked.
17. you took the remote apart and then proceeded to tell me how it works.
18. You love to play with small toys and army men.
19. Although you are not the greatest eater in quantity, you will eat anything and are not one bit picky. Salsa is one of your favorites.
20. You are AWESOME!

Gavin,
You are a gift. I will never forget holding you for the first time. I was so proud to have a son. You have never been a demanding child and still tend to sit back and not ask for much or require much attention. Your sisters and brother adore you and love you. Daddy and I are crazy about you and are more than thankful for being blessed with you. God chose you for our family and I am overwhelmed with joy that I get to raise you.
I pray for your future wife and for you to walk with the Lord all the days of your life. To be a man of God and a strong leader for your family.
Happy Birthday, buddy!!
Love always,
Mom

Joyful

I am tempted to be down on myself and believe the hurtful things that people say and do....but I will choose to be joyful. The Lord has commanded us to have "happy hearts" as I often remind my kids. I am trading my sorrow and pain and laying them down for the joy of the Lord.

This is what complete Joy looks like to me...my boys hanging out together and enjoying one another.Watching my daughter work hard to accomplish something and not giving up.
Snuggling and loving on this precious thing daily.Soaking up ever smile and amazed at the absolute beauty in this girl.

Being able to share my life with someone so selfless and forgiving. (and good looking too! ;)


Thank you Jesus for such a sweet life. I pray I choose joy daily.

Thankful

I started this post a while back and never published it.

I have been feeling so led to share this photo and how blessed we are to have this guy in our lives. He is my oldest brother.
He is a miracle...an absolute miracle.
Without going into detail, he has been through and survived more in his short life then most people would ever dream of in a lifetime.
I thank my God every time I remember you...Philippians 1:3

(this photo was taken Christmas of 2008. My mom and my oldest brother)

30! 30! 30!

I thought I would share 30 things I love about this guy since he turned the big 3-0 today...but really, 30 things that can but kinda...well....alot, so here goes it:
1. gorgeous smile!!
2. loving heart
3.great daddy
4.even better husband
5.incredible provider
6.great runner
7.determined
8.goal setter
9.goal achiever
10. humble
11. giving
12. hard worker
13.patient
14. kissable
15. very good lookin'
16. smart
17.very hairy legs
18. can cut his OWN hair
19. loves to workout
20. triathlon man
21. social
22. compassionate
23. great example for our children
24. outgoing
25. forgiving
26. funny
27. cover stealer
28. easy going
29. messy
30. HOT, HOT, HOT!

Well...that wasn't too hard.
Thank you honey for all you do! You mean more to us and are more loved every day!!

13 years ago today we started dating and never have stopped...and never will! :) Love you!

Gumby Times 5

Life is so unpredictable! I have been learning that more in the last 6 years than ever. But recently I have had to step it up a notch.
We have had to leave town at the drop of a hat twice in the last few weeks, which is a bit of a struggle with 5 kids and pets. But God has been teaching me that giving up my plans, schedule, and working on being flexible is a great thing for not only me, but our children as well.
Its a heck of a lot of work to pack for 7 people and a dog. And if you are as anal as me when it comes to a clean house, then I MUST clean up before we leave. That includes clean beds for all, house vacuumed, bathrooms clean, EVERY toy in its place...and so on.
But after talking to a few different people with less kids than we have I have come to realize the craziness of 5 young kids in itself has made my kids very flexible. Which I am grateful for. They have had no problem being thrown in the car, sleeping in strange places, being left with people they don't see all that often, and eating crackers, cheese and meat for lunch with a few Cheerios on the side. They just seem to go with flow and not be out of sorts. I don't get it...cause that is not me. I am organized I keep my kids on schedules and I don't ever feed them a meal without at least a fruit.
So lesson learned....my kids are like Gumby no matter how much twists and turns come their way they just adjust to the new "new". I am going to try that approach to life...but with a plan in place of course!

July Birthday Beauties

All 3 of our girls have July Birthdays...so this month has been one BIG party!!

Aliya Sue turned "1" on July 4th........................................................... Her first cake was a BIG hit!










Emilee Grace turned "5" on July 20th..............................................She got a PINK razor scooter!











Kaylee Jeanne turned "6" on July 23rd............................. She got a PINK razor scooter!













Dear Aliya,
You are such a sweet baby. You are learning to walk and taking a few steps, feeding yourself, and sleeping all night with 2 naps during the day. This first year went by way too fast, but you have taught me to cherish each and every day! You are proving to have a very silly personality and are quite possible the loudest (happy sounds) baby ever! We love you SO much and look forward to watching you grow!
Love, Mommy

Dear Emilee,
5....I can't believe it! You are growing up so fast and it makes me sad. One of the best things about you is that you love to share. You are very inquisitive and witty! You keep us all laughing and we are amazed at what an incredible memory you have. We are anxious to see you blossom in kindergarten this year! We love you SO much and look forward to watching you grow!
Love, Mommy

Dear Kaylee,
I guess you are not a baby anymore...I can hardly stand it. The day you were born was a day I will never forget, YOU are the reason we knew we wanted many children. You were perfect in our eyes and you are still so precious to us all! You start 1st grade in just a few weeks. :( You are a great big sister and help around the house. We love you SO much and look forward to watching you grow!
Love,
Mommy

Bitter Sweet

The 4th of July......is.......almost......HERE!

And I am kinda sad......

Aliya will be ONE.....

I am NOT.....

Ready!


It so hard to believe that soon we will celebrate her big first birthday. Soon she will walk. Soon she will begin to talk in sentences. Soon she may not want to be rocked. Or be held. Which leaves me thinking what WILL I do??



I will embrace the "new" season of life even if it means no more babies. I will enjoy a little more freedom. I will have such sweet memories of carrying, delivering, and feeding all 5 of them. I will make sure to kiss them goodnight. I will never take them for granted. I will be thankful for the gift that they are to us...each and every one of them!

Graduations

James and Jacey graduated from Gilbert High School (and Joe too, Jacey's boyfriend)

Congrats guys! We are proud of you!



Kaylee graduates from
Kindergarten!

(Kaylee and her teacher Ms. Grove
and the para Miss Anderson)


Emilee graduated from King of Kings pre-school and will go onto have Ms. Grove and Miss Anderson in the fall! She also graduated from Cubbies this year where she memorized over 30 bible verses!

Life In A Very Fast Lane

Life is crazy...crazier than I ever thought it would be. I have gotten the feeling from people lately that Troy and I do it to ourselves by putting our kids in too many things. But, both of us feel its totally worth it! We still get great quality time as a family, but let out kids experience things for themselves. So here is a little update on what we have been up to:

KAYLEE: gymnastics, gymnastics, gymnastics
She has become quite the little gymnast. Everything in the house is used for some sort of "trick" these days. She is the youngest in her class and other than her size, you would never know it! The best part is the huge smiles she gives while she is out there working hard!


EMILEE: Dance, Dance, Dance
Emilee had her first dance recital on Sunday, June 7th. She was nothing shy of being one beautiful ballerina! She got on stage and danced without one bit of hesitance. The make-up, hair-do, bundles of flowers and fancy costume left me being asked if tomorrow is her recital again...sorry babe, you have to wait a whole year to do that again. But, mommy and daddy can't wait!
*Due to the fact that she was not allowed to wear her costume to the recital, then dropped off backstage for the "stage mommy" to dress her, and by the time I could get her at intermission she was back in regular clothes we do not have a picture of her in the costume yet. As soon as we get the professional pictures on here we will be sure to post them!! And also possibly the video!

GAVIN: T-BALL, T-BALL, T-BALL
Gavin after finishing his first season playing soccer has now started playing for the Marlins. He was quite the slugger! After his first at bat, the other teams coach told his players, "Back-up, this kid hit it really far last time." Boy did that make his daddy smile! Once again I am asked daily if he has a game today. He is not so fond of playing in the field though and was quite disappointed to learn that the other team gets to bat too, but he is learning to accept it! :)

GAGE: SPECTATOR, SPECTATOR, SPECTATOR
Gage's life consists of being driven from one place to another. He never minds, never complains and I honestly think he thinks he is involved in all the sports too. He takes his glove to Gavin's game, carries Em's dance bag for her to and from dance, and loves to imitate Kaylee by doing some forward rolls in the living room. What a good sport he is whether it be a spectator or just making a tower out of soup cans in the kitchen, he is pretty much always happy!


ALIYA: LOVABLE, LOVABLE, LOVABLE
Need I say more?? Aliya is a lovable, sweet, squishy baby that bring us ALL so much joy! She is "cruising" around furniture now and starting to say some words. Her favorite thing to say it' "Uh, Oh" all day long! A new one this week was "thank you." She is growing up so fast and we are making plans for her first birthday which in on the 4th of July. Her life consists of most of her naps being taken in her car seat and her crib is just a place to sleep at night. Thankfully she is a very easy baby and all smiles as long as on mommy's hip!

TROY: HUSBAND, DADDY, TRIATHLON
Along with being a great husband and daddy Troy has begun a new hobby this summer. He is a swimming, biking, running maniac! By the end of the summer he will have done 4 triathlons. We had the privilege to all go to one a couple weeks ago. At this particular one he swam a 500, biked 18 miles, and ran a 5k. The kids enjoyed cheering for their dad and watching him come and go from the transition areas. Troy said it was so fun to have us there! I am looking forward to the next one and hoping to have the kids sport some "go team Hamblin" wear for him! I am so proud of him and what an example for our kids to see their daddy work so hard! I know it has been fun for him to have a hobby of his own even if it does mean single mom for a few Saturday's a year!
:)

Well that is all for now, hopefully I can get around to doing some more frequent shorter posts, but no promises!

Family Fun

Life has become so crazy around here. Now that 3 of the kids are in activities I feel as though my house may have said good bye to its clean days. But we always make time for some family fun along the way.
This weekend Troy had his first camp out with the big three kids in our backyard. I got to sleep in the big comfy bed alone and listen for the 2 little ones! :) We cooked marshmallows and sat around the fire pit for awhile once we got the 2 smallest babes asleep. Much to my surprise the kids slept really well out back and so did daddy!
Saturday we got up and bathed the kids and hit the road to Ames. We went out for pizza and walked down Main Street some...its was a beautiful night!
Sunday we went to Ada Hayden Park and went through the little stick maze (pics to come!) and let the kids throw things out in the water. It was so relaxing! That afternoon we attended James and Jacey's high school graduation. Troy and I and the two oldest girls went while the little 3 napped at grandma's. We are so proud of them and were glad to be part of their special day!
Monday we were able to go to Hidden Acres and hand out with the Graden's. It was a fun time to hand out with them and let our kids play! We were so entertained by the chicken's, being brought fresh warm eggs by the mini chicken farmers playing outside! They also got to pick up some baby goats, pet a pig, a lamb, and feed some baby horses! But, the highlight of the day was the pink barbie jeep that pulled a wagon and was driven by some crazy kids! Then off to Ames for a baseball game...followed by a late night drive home.
It was a perfect weekend and as K said in the car today..."We don't need family fun night this week, cause we just had a fun family WEEKEND!"
I pray we have many more fun times to follow!

No "Butts" About It

There's no butts about it we will be changing our blog sight soon....more details to come in the near future!

Our little g (Lg) thought he would come to breakfast this way earlier in the week....I knew I would find a good use for this photo at some point!

One Hour and Thirty-two Minutes Later

Dad completed his first triathlon this past weekend. Here are a few pictures to prove he did it and finished!

He did a great job and finished 6 minutes before his estimated time! I am super proud of him and his hard work.

Did You Know?

We just might have a model on our hands....


She can never resist the urge....


To smile and pose....EVERY time there is......


A camera in sight!!

Lots to Cover

I always hated it when teachers started class saying, "We have lots to cover today." But due to a busy life with 5 little ones and my neglectful blogging, I do have lots to cover! :) So I will hit some highlights and try not to bore you.
Well, K and I took a little trip to visit our new, adorable, and absolutely studly nephew/cousin. We were gone for 5 days. Dad played Mr. mom and did a fabulous job (with a little help from Grandma Suzie on the weekend)! K got to do some fun things with her uncle Mark and Aunt Gina...while I lived in la la land loving on Weston. K made cupcakes from scratch with Gina, went to a very cool park, dyed Easter eggs, and got to go on her first creek walk with Mark. She enjoyed being the center of attention and got some much needed attention! Although the night before we left she was missing her sisters brothers and her daddy lots! This was my first time being away from Gator and I did quite well but missed them ALL so stinkin' much! Just to brag a little when we arrived home the house was clean, kids were freshly bathed AND I was informed that Lg no longer had pacifiers.....which I will admit I was kind of upset about....HE IS STILL A BABY!!! But we had a wonderful and stay and enjoyed meeting Weston and loving on him. This trip left Gina and I wondering how we could make it possible to live closer once again. We LOVE them!!!!

We had a very nice Easter at home where my parents came for the weekend. I took advantage of the girls still being small enough to dress alike. They may hate me for it some day but it made this momma's day! I dressed the boys the same too...aren't they all just cute as can be!

• The girls sang beautifully in church!
• 3 Easter egg hunts
• One birthday party
• Gator starts really crawling (AAhhh, we now have 5 mobile children)
• The kids receive fishing poles in their baskets (daddy's idea)
• 5 very excited children, 2 very exhausted parents....oh and grandparents! :)

It was a fun-filled weekend celebrating the resurrection of our Savior! Because He lives, I can face tomorrow!

We had Lg's 2 year check up (a little late), E's Kindergarten check up, and Gator's 9 month check up all in one week....3 seperate appointments 3 seperate days. I now have my own parking spot at Children's Clinic. :) All the kids checked out fine and Emilee is officially registered for Kindergarten!