Happy Birthday Isabella!

Isabella Mae

December 27, 1996

8:43 AM Central

8lbs.

19.75" long

Chisago Lakes Hospital

Chisago Lakes, Minnesota

Today is Izzy's birthday and she is officially a teenager! Although she has been acting like one for a while now... Izzy is our third child and a blessing that came to us to help us grow closer as a family. Over the years she has grow up with a HUGE smile on her face & a hug for all. She is kind to all and is always standing up for what she feels is right & those who are being picked on. Truly she is a beacon of light to us all with her example.

Izzy LOVES music...yeah we know we just don't make them any other way...She started Violin 3 and a half years ago & now can make the strings sing beautifully. She started percussion this year at the Junior High & has joined the High School Winter drum line. She also plays the piano and sings like an angel.

Izzy has quite a few nicknames: Izzy, Bella, Izzy-Bella, Izzy-B, Bells, and our ALL time favorite Izzy-Berry-Belly from her strawberry shaped birthmark on her tummy...it is still there. She was SUPPOSED to called Belle and while MJ was pregnant with her everyone called her Belle...until she was born and Mathew took one look at her & said "Sorry honey, I just can't call her Belle, she's an Izzy".

Out of our 6 kids Izzy is the ONLY one who was born on the day she was due. It wasn't with out her futile attempts that started 3 months early.

Izzy is so helpful with her siblings and is so much fun to be around. We love her with all of our hearts & are SO grateful to have her as part of our family.

LOVE YOU BELLS!

Happy Birthday Gina!

Gina Mary

December 18, 1992

11:48 AM Central

6lb. 3oz. 19.5" long

Children's/United Hosp.

St. Paul, Minnesota

17 years ago today we welcomed our first child to our family. She was 3 weeks early & just couldn't wait to be here with us on earth. She has been off and running ever since! We should have known that her early arrival was a clue to her personality & energy level!

MMMM...Slushie...she would live on these if she could!

Gina is amazing! She loves all things music & can pretty much play any instrument. She started with the upright bass in orchestra, then added percussion & piano. This year she was on the snare line for marching band & is now the center snare for winter drum line & next years marching band. She is the first girl center snare at Salem Hills High School...a goal she wanted to reach for her senior year but got it early!

Gina is a fun kid with crazy ideas & keeps us on her toes. She is so thoughtful & kind to everyone. Gina is good to help with her siblings & with house hold chores. She loves her friends & puts aside her problems to help them through theirs. It has been said that she is the "Coolest Girl" at Salem Hills...not just by the students but teachers too! We have to agree with that. All of thee things make her beautiful inside to match her outer beauty that is obvious to all.

Thanks Gina for being a part of our family...we love you!

Beautiful Girl...but still WAY cool!

Sledding in plastic bags...guess we "forgot" to tell her it ISN'T a good idea to put bags over your head!

We're back to posting

It's been a while...to say the least...but we are back to posting.

So why have we been absent? COMPLETE chaos is about the only way to describe it. With the kids getting older, it's harder to find the time to sit down and compose just what is going on.

Gina is a Junior in high school now & is still involved with all things music. Marching band, jazz band, percussion ensemble, winter drum line & pep band. Plus she has been playing at other various music things. She achieved her goal of being Salem's first female center snare early! She aimed for the marching band season of her senior year but got it for winter drum line this year. WTG kid! For those of you who don't know what this position is: she is the one who sets the beat for the band & leads the drum line...aka the #1 position in the percussion.

Mike is a "freshman" now but as Nebo school district keeps the 9th graders at the junior high that is why it's in quotes. He joined the marching band this year and played the bass drum. Now he is also in the winter drum line playing the quints (tenors). In the high school pep band he is playing the sax instead of drums! He has started making hemp bracelets and has made some cool designs by adding in colored hemp. He sells them for a dollar a piece to his friends. Not sure if he is making money but he is having fun!

Izzy is now in the 7th grade & is FINALLY at the junior high! She has managed to grow a bunch and catch up to Gina & Mike. We know he will pass up Gina soon. She is still playing the violin & finished book 1 last winter. She is about half way through book 2 of The Suzuki method. She plays beautifully and we love hearing her play. She also started band & is in the percussion section...go figure! Because the high school isn't competing for winter drum line this year the 7th & 8th graders were invited to join. She is in the bass drum line & has managed to wrangle herself a position in the high school pep band! She was also called to be the beehive class president at church this fall & is doing a great job!

Gabe is the only kid in the elementary school & rules the school in the 6th grade. He is still playing the piano. He has mastered the moon walk and is obsessed with Michael Jackson...for Halloween that is who he dressed up as. Some girl dressed up as HIM for Halloween...complete with the red hat he always wears!

Laney is 4 now & is a hand full! She cut her hair twice this year...once on Mothers Day & then the night before the Primary program. Last week her hair was finally long enough to get it fixed at the salon & it looks cute now.

Isaac is 2 and a half & ALL boy! He always has cars in hand & loves following Gabe & Mike around. He is a happy little guy most of the time & can say "Oh nooooooo" just like Mr. Bill from SNL

It's good to be back & we hope to be more vigilant with our posts!