The Wards

I was thinking "cat" and "hat"...

2012-01-27T13:50:00.000-08:00

Mali's homework for today included the instructions "draw two pictures of words that rhyme and label them". Her choices? "princess" and "incense". Can't wait to hear what her teacher thinks of that.

One Month Old!

2012-01-23T12:32:00.000-08:00

Delaney Fay, better known as our Delaney Cakes, has already hit the big one month mark. We pulled Winnie-the-Pooh out of retirement for the occasion. Laney is as sweet as ever these days. She loves to be cuddled and held and other than the still regular night wakings she's pretty low-maintenance. Her sisters adore her and even seem to handle the days when our sleep-deprived, space-cadet days in stride. We are just all so glad she's her and she's ours.

Five quick takes for the weekend

2012-01-21T12:41:00.000-08:00

1) Quote of the week, by Brinnly: "I'm the brains of this outfit". WHERE does she get this stuff? I have a hunch it has to do with the Junie B. Jones books she listens to during quiet time

2) Anyone want to go the Carnegie Science Center with us? Natural History Museum? Art Museum? Andy Warhol Museum? We just bought a membership to all three. Woo-hoo!

3) We went to our first fundraiser spaghetti dinner at the girls' school last night. We'll forever remember it as the "night our eldest left our table to sit with her classmates". Good thing we still had a group of daughters to keep us company.

4) Delaney is trying really hard to smile. She honestly works at stretching her chubby cheek muscles into the expression she wants. It's about the cutest thing ever.

5) Carrigan is closer than ever to potty training. As if often the case with kids, she's picked up the slack in that department right around the time that we decide it's not worth us putting in the effort right now. Not ideal timing for us (our hands are currently pretty full) but we'll take it.

Friday Update

2012-01-14T05:07:00.000-08:00

It's been good to get back to routine around here. School, work, etc. Delaney is fitting into that groove very well. Brinnly and Carrigan also seem to be playing better now in the mornings at Mali is at school.

That being said, I hope there are special rewards in heaven for people that bring new parents meals and offer play dates for big sisters. Speaking of big sisters, ours were pretty proud to show off Delaney at Kindergarten and preschool the other day. She was a hit.

God's Own Child...Delaney Fay Ward

2012-01-06T10:39:00.000-08:00

Our littlest one was baptized on New Year's Day at our dear church, First Trinity. Like her sisters, Delaney wore the baptismal gown that Grandma Deni made her from the material of my confirmation dress. Laney's godparents are Matt & Erica Wilson who we originally met in Lutheran Student Fellowship at the same church. They (and their little sweetheart son Johnny and baby #2 expected this summer) now live in Hanover, PA which thankfully is close enough for a weekend trip to Pittsburgh. Jonathan is actually Matt's godfather as Matt was baptized and confirmed at First Trinity as an adult several years ago.

Big Sister Carrigan did not let a baptism distract her from the current task at hand--potty-training.

(Like any good Pittsburgh fan, Delaney then came home for naps and changed into her Steeler gear.)

Since the holiday, weather, and overall travel logistics made it too hard for most of our family to be there, we look forward to have a "Affirmation of Baptism" ceremony (and party!) for Delaney in Michigan in February. Details to come. We'd love to have you join us.

Look who won!

2011-12-30T13:28:00.000-08:00

Congrats to Miss Abigail Ryan in winning the Baby Guess Game for the person formerly known as "Baby D.". Abigail's secret to her success may have simply been guessing her wishes--she hoped for a baby girl arriving early enough for the Ryans to meet before their Wisconsin vacation. Abigail and her big brother Jack visisted Delaney less than 24 hours after she was born and brought treats, homemade Christmas cards, and dinosaur drawings for her. We have a feeling this is the start of a long friendship between these two.

(By the way, at the bottom of the guessing scores were Delaney's daddy and Abigail's mom. Maybe Abigail can teach you guys a few skills)

Delaney's First Week

2011-12-30T08:49:00.000-08:00

What a week it has been! Delaney had a lovely first few days at the hospital with roughly a million visitors. UPMC Mercy treated us quite well, including a celebratory steak/salmon dinner. Then she came home to flurry of activity starting with our traditional Thanksgiving home-from-the-hospital dinner. Oh, and it just happened to be Christmas Eve.

On Christmas morning we opened presents for our first celebration of the season. Both grandmas were still here and we are overwhelmingly grateful for their company and help. This four-kid gig is a tremendous amount of work, but we've been coping well, thanks to their contributions. It was sad for all of us to say good-bye to Grandma Deni on Tuesday night. We look forward to a trip to Michigan in the not-too-distant future. Somewhere in the midst of all this, Brinn & Carrigan had a mild dose of the stomach flu and Delaney has gone through packs and packs of diapers. But we're overall holding up very well. My recovery is progressing nicely and we are so thankful to our talented midwives for managing every detail of labor, delivery and post-partum care so well.

A few other observations from week. Amalia immediately declared "Brinnly and Carrigan have each other. Delaney is mine". She sealed that deal by holding Delaney on her lap while watching the Steeler-Rams game with their daddy as soon as we got home from the hospital. Who needs sons?

All of the girls love Delaney whole-heatedly. Carrigan asks immediately after waking up "Where's my little baby?" and demands to hold her. Other times Carrigan struggles to find her place in the new dynamic. She's not quite as big as the other girls, but certainly not a baby. She's also asked "Why Mali and Brinnly not in school"? and for Grandma Deni to come back. A return to our normal routine next week will probably be good for her.

And now Grandpa, Aunt Kara, and Uncle Josh are here are another round of celebrating. We're ending 2011 on a fantastic note.

Merry Christmas 2011

2011-12-25T18:48:00.000-08:00

"I believe in Christianity as I believe that the sun has risen. Not only because I see it, but because by it I see everything else."--C.S. Lewis

Thanks be to God for his many, many gifts. May you know and celebrate his best gift of his son, Jesus, this Christmas.

Love,
Jonathan, Kaethe, Amalia,
Brinnly, Carrigan, & Delaney Ward

All we wanted for Christmas was...

2011-12-23T12:59:00.000-08:00

Delaney Fay Ward! Our fourth precious daughter was born on December 22nd, at 6:34 pm. She is healthy, strong, and beautiful. Her labor was longer than expected but the actual delivery went smoothly and once again, both of her grandmas were there to meet her soon after her birth. Her name was chosen as her Grandma Deni and her late Great-Grandma Opal both had Fay as a middle name. Our midwives were as wonderful was ever. Kellie graciously brought the excited big sisters to the hospital right away so they could greet her too. They were so anxious to know if they had a brother or sister and are quite pleased with the result. We couldn't be more thrilled with this 6 pound, 13 ounce Christmas gift.

A few quick pics of Redeemer's Christmas musical

2011-12-21T18:16:00.000-08:00

Christmas Dress #1

Christmas Dress #2

Christmas Dress #3--who needs a reason to dress up? Audience members need to look their best too!

On their way to backstage with preschool & Kindergarten buddies

Mali carrying in her sign for "a song"....each Kindergarten student represented a part of from "Do you hear what I hear"

The Kindergarten class along with the middle school choir. Mali is front and center, singing her heart out. Brinnly's class joined the group later but I couldn't quite capture her in the group. Carrigan was content to provide audience entertainment and Baby D. graciously stayed low-key the entire time and didn't steal any spotlight. Yet.

Brinnly's Big Day

2011-12-20T13:08:00.000-08:00

Nothing says "Birthday Party for Jesus" like an Eat-n-Park cookie. Brinnly, of course, devoured every morsel of hers, even after her classmates were long done. She also loved the singing, crafting, and game-playing at her little party. She has a sweet group of friends there and her teachers really know how to reach out to our precious Bug-a boo. The whole event tired her out so much she's currently napping in the infant bouncy seat.

39 1/2 Weeks

2011-12-20T08:33:00.000-08:00

We are just a few days away from D-day and all is well. Brinn's class party was yesterday and I was happy to be able to be there for that. Unless there is any dramatic change in the next few hours, I plan to be watching the Redeemer school program and both of my big girls in there tonight. Grandmas arrive Thursday so anytime after that is ideal. We'll take this little bundle whenever he or she comes.

Carrigan's Stage Debut (aka First Trinity's Sunday School Program)

2011-12-18T15:42:00.000-08:00

Our #3 angel made her stage performance debut today the same way her sisters did in previous years...singing "Away in a Manger" for a Sunday School program. She was very excited to do so, although we had to remind her all the way to church that she was going to sing that hymn, rather than something from the score of "Annie". We're hearing a lot of "The sun will come out tomorrow" around here lately. The kids all did great for a sans-nap day, including Baby D. who managed to not to make an appearance during that particular time period. His or her sisters never would have forgiven that one.

Polka Party

2011-12-18T15:37:00.000-08:00

An early birthday celebration at Hoffbraushaus...

Needless to say, the children far outnumbered the adults, which is typically the case these days. Thankfully, the atmosphere was noisy and festive enough for everyone to enjoy.

Start guessing!

2011-12-16T16:30:00.000-08:00

Members Night at the Museum

2011-12-13T13:30:00.000-08:00

A penguin visiting from the avairy

We decided to try a two-family celebration with the Ryans this year since the past few years we have just had to send care packages to each other for Christmas. We opted for the member's night at the Children's Museum. The museum is always impressive, but we were pretty disappointed in the lack of Christmas, well, anything. There was a definite winter-focus, but nothing too extraordinary. But at least the company was delightful.

Mali has always loved her pengos.

The closest thing to Christmas lights

You can never go wrong with the attic room

The "winter fairy". The girls didn't believe she really brings the snow. I think she looks like a character from "The Hunger Games".

The new make-shop

More creating

The CLO singers/dancers did captivate our crew. Especially their version of Mariah's "All I Want for Chrismas"

But it really doesn't get much cuter than this one.

Preparations

2011-12-13T13:10:00.000-08:00

We've always loved having summer babies. June, September, and July births were filled with sunshine and lots of choices of outside activities for the whole family. Carrigan was probably three weeks old when we took her for her first visit to Lake Michigan. Mali's first outing out was to an ice cream shop very near her current school. Maternity sundresses are very forgiving. The list goes on...

We were a little unsure of what a pregnancy would be like this time of year, but both of us noticed the other day how much we are enjoying it. There are so many parallels in the preparation of pregnancy and Advent. (Probably because the first Advent involved a pregnancy...). We are spending time preparing our home for Christmas and the baby's room for the new resident. We are cutting out lots of unnecessary activities and focusing on the special ones for this time of year. The cards are out, shopping is done, and we are being glad recipients of cookies this year, instead of our usual bake-a-thon. With a few exceptions. Napping is always a big priority. So is our family time together at home.

Amalia's class made paper chains for Advent and each night she takes one off, reads the word of the day (that she learned earlier in school) and shares what she knows about it. We read the related Scripture verse together and sing "Lift Up your Heads, Ye Mighty Gates". Short and sweet, but it's our routine. How are you preparing this year?

Downtown Christmas

2011-12-06T13:59:00.000-08:00

37 Weeks ( Full Term!)

2011-12-02T17:47:00.001-08:00

It's December Already?

2011-12-01T12:49:00.000-08:00

Since we somehow missed blogging during the entire month of December, here's a quick list of 30 things we are thankful for this year. One for each day that we missed. Here goes:

1) Friends and family, obviously.
2) Jonathan's new job and the relief it brought from unemployment and underemployment.
3) The ability for Kaethe to be home with the girls during this season of life.
4) A healthy, uneventful pregnancy of Baby D..
5) A relatively easy move and transition to pregnancy.
6). Hard good-byes in Michigan. (That means there are people we love there)
7) Lots of places to call 'home".
8) Church families that support us in so many ways.
9) Faithful pastors that preach the Word of God so clearly.
10) Friends that travel to visit us.
11) Friends who welcomed us back here with open arms.
12) Renters in our Michigan house
13) Our current house that meets all of our needs. Even with it's "idiosyncrasies".
14) Our charming neighborhood.
15) Cellphones, blogs, Facebook, and Skype to help us stay connected.
16) Redeemer Lutheran School, specifically Kindergarten & preschool
17) Committed teachers to challenge and nurture our girls
18) Chaperoning Mali's field trip to the play "SkippyJohn Jones". (One November outing)
19) Watching Mali and Brinnly perform Christmas songs at Oakmont's Light-Up Night. (Another November outing)
20) Carrigan's love of trips to Target and the Oakmont library as an only child.
21) Pittsburgh's Children Museum, Aviary, Blue Slide Park and the memories they've provided this year.
22) Vacations to Florida, West Virginia, Indiana, and Michigan.
23) Living grandparents who share history with our children.
24) Parents, aunts, uncles, sisters, brothers-in-law, and cousins who spoil our children.
25) Good health for all of us.
26) The ten year anniversary of our wedding.
27) Wonderfully talented and caring midwives ready to help our family grow once again.
28) A safe and peaceful country.
29) Hope for children's futures.
30) The knowledge that each and every blessing comes from our Heavenly Father, who knows each one of our needs before we can even imagine it. Praise God from whom all blessings flow!

Alice in Wonderland, Glinda the Good Witch, and a (Scary) Monkey

2011-11-04T11:11:00.000-07:00

Snow? In October?

2011-10-29T18:00:00.000-07:00

We had heard that it might snow today but didn't really think anything of it. Maybe we would see a few flurries mixed with sleet and rain. Well...this is what awaited us at breakfast time. By 8:00 am the girls had donned their winter gear and were ready to head out. It was still falling and gave them enough powder for sledding down our front yard AND making a snow man. Not to mention covering our mums and pumpkins. What a beautiful sight, even if we are not quite ready for it.

Grandma Deni! Pumpkin Patch! Mt. Washington!

2011-10-29T17:57:00.000-07:00

It was a gorgeous fall weekend for sightseeing and we took full advantage of it. The actual pumpkin patch left a little to be desired (no one quite does agri-entertainment like West Michigan) but it was still enjoyable. The Strip District, and a ride on the incline, and Mt. Washington never fail to impress. Now if only I had a good picture of the Cinderella profile Grandma Deni carved for the girls...

Blackridge Fall Festival

2011-10-14T12:58:00.000-07:00

Have we mentioned how much we love this neighborhood? Great potluck food, pumpkins, live music, face painting, and beautiful scenery all in our cozy little park. Come playdate with us there sometime.

Five on Friday

2011-10-14T12:56:00.000-07:00

1. Thanks to Grandma and Grandpa for watching the girls two weekends ago so we could have an early anniversary weekend. We had a wonderfully luxurious time relaxing at Seven Springs. The weather was horrible but we didn't mind at all. The snow Sunday morning at breakfast was a lovely..

2. Can you read that top line? It says "Amalia June Ward". Written, of course, by Amalia June Ward. She's been writing her first name or nickname for well over a year now, but this was her first attempt at her full name. I remember so clearly choosing her name before she was born and writing it out to see how it looked in print. It's even prettier in 5-year-old handwriting.

3. Speaking of babies, we snagged an opportunity to watch our neighbor's little boy for a few hours the other night. Good practice. Brinn would really like a baby brother.

4. Again on the topic of babies, any suggestions for "welcome music" for Baby D.? We make a CD for each labor/birth and the girls have been having fun listening to the music we chose for each one of them.

5. One final baby note--a huge congratulations to Baby D.'s future godparents, Matt & Erica Wilson. Baby Wilson #2 is on the way! Our prayers are with them for an easy pregnancy and healthy baby this summer. Johnny is going to be ridiculously adorable as a big brother.

Moving on up...to a big bed

2011-10-04T17:07:00.001-07:00

Five on Friday

2011-09-30T11:37:00.000-07:00

1) As you can seen from the previous pictures, we had a fantastic visit with the Kurth family while they were in town for a family wedding. We can't believe we both lived here for only four months before they moved back to Texas many years ago. Now at least we have vacations as an excuse for our Kurth-fix.

2) They were gracious enough to watch our kids while Jonathan and I did the Great Race on Sunday morning. Baby D. and I didn't set any records, but at least we finished the 5K at a decent pace. Jonathan, however, set a personal best of 44:50 for the 10K. Not bad!

3) That gave him energy for this past week at work. He's been busy closing deals on projects in Kalamazoo, South Bend, and at Grand Valley. How ironic that we had to move back to Pittsburgh for him to work on development near our hometown.

4) Have I mentioned Carrigan's recent quirk? That girl is terrified of feathers!. Even pillows and dress-up boas can give her the willies. Today we read a book about a baby penguin losing it's feathers. "YUCKY!", she kept saying.

5) Two trimesters down, one to go for Baby D. It's getting exciting!

The Wards. The Kurths. Pittsburgh again!

2011-09-29T16:09:00.000-07:00

Daddy, Mommy, & Baby D ready for Pittsburgh's Great Race

2011-09-25T12:33:00.000-07:00

27 Weeks

2011-09-24T17:13:00.001-07:00

School Picture Day

2011-09-22T06:48:00.000-07:00

Our morning involving many smiles, background decisions, outfit changes, and a fair bit of drama. Much like most mornings around here. Also featured is Mali's bus which picks her up every morning at 7:15 am. The driver always greets her with "Hi, Miley!" and refers to her school as Holy Redeemer. It's actually Redeemer Lutheran, but as Jonathan points out, Jesus IS holy, so we're not going to argue. Mali (and the other kindergarten through ninth graders) are the first ones in Redeemer's new building on a different campus. Brinnly is in 4-year-old preschool in the original Oakmont campus. It's her teacher's first year of teaching ever. We figure Brinn's a pretty good way to break in a newbie.

The Cupcake Party

2011-09-16T10:07:00.000-07:00

Happy Fourth Birthday Brinnly!

2011-09-11T18:13:00.000-07:00

We don't play favorites in our family (who does?) but if we were to poll the girls on who their favorite sister is, both Amalia and Carrigan would say "BRINNLY"! She's feisty enough to challenge her older sister but sweet and kind in a way all her own to the current youngest. I can only imagine what she'll be like with Baby "D".

As is true for typical middle children, life can be tough at times for our Brinn. But this past year she has really matured and learned to handle transitions very well. Sometimes she can even wake up from a nap without tears! I never would have imagined that a year ago.

Her current loves are her baby dolls (accurately named "New Baby", "Baby Heart", and "Sweetie Baby"), Junie B. Jones books, Joseph & the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, dancing, tutus, and bike riding. Although she's rarely without tights and dress shoes, she's also quick to run, swing, and climb. She still talks a mile a minute and her good friends Hata and Hoshish are still occasionally around.

She's now in preschool two mornings a week and is excited to break in a brand new teacher. We can occasionally get her to eat a few blueberries or half a banana but fruit will always be an arch-enemy of hers. She would much rather have a cookie. Or ice cream. Or doughnuts. Or at least some sugary cereal.

Brinnly Ruth Ward, we love you so much. We're suckers for those eyelashes as much as the many strangers that comment on them. Thanks for being the creme in the Ward sister oreo cookie. And for cuddling all of us in your special way.

Summer 2011 Round-Up

2011-09-06T12:33:00.000-07:00

1 housewarming ice-cream social hosted
3 sets of weekend houseguests (Wissings, Billgers, & Posts)
2 visits from Grandma Sandy (grandmas are in a different category than other guests)
1 Florida vacation
1 camping vacation
3 visits to Michigan
1 princess birthday party hosted
1 Minnie Mouse party hosted
1 cupcake party hosted
1 much-used family membership to the Blackridge Swim Club pool
2 Blackridge neighborhood potlucks at said pool
3 swimming girls (Mali without water wings!)
5 happy members of the Ward family, now ready for school, football, and fall goodies.

August Camping--our new tradition

2011-08-29T12:42:00.000-07:00

We met Grandma Deni at Pokagon State Park in Angola, IN for our first multi-night camping adventure. The kids did great! They were so excited to see where their daddy had camped when he was a boy. Aunt Amber, Uncle Banish, and Carl joined us for a day too. Pony rides, beach play, playgrounds, and campfires took up the majority of our beautiful weather days. The girls also had lots of opportunities for biking and now Mali's on a two-wheeler! Of course, we're not too die-hard about roughing it to miss an opportunity to eat at the restaurant at Potawatomi Inn in the park or the charming Angola Pizza Hut. It was wonderful for the girls to be outside all day without so much of a mention of a screen or other technology. We're making an annual tradition out of this!

23 Weeks

2011-08-29T12:34:00.000-07:00

Dear Baby "D",

We know, we know...by the time your oldest sister was this far along we had oodles of pictuers and posts about her. The other two sisters weren't that far behind. And now we are over halfway along in the pregnancy and finally we post something about you. Just like your sisters, you are already making mama's tummy quite the sight. I'm sure all of the BBQ potato chips you've been demanding are contributing to that. You have been noticeably moving and kicking for about five weeks now and Daddy felt you the first time he attempted to try to capture one of those movements. Your sisters claim they can feel you and even hear you all of the time--wishful thinking, I'm sure.

We've got a pretty good list of names for you now but we're keeping our mouths shut in order to surprise everyone on your birth day. We're so thankful that both ultrasounds so far show a strong, healthy baby. (And no, we certainly didn't ask to see if you were a boy or girl--we love those surprises). Amalia, Brinnly, and Carrigan were able to hear your heartbeat at The Midwife Center this week. What a special moment. They described it as a '"choo-choo" sound and Carrigan immediately asked to hear it again. They were a little confused by my happy tears. I just couldn't believe I was hearing all four of my children at once. I'm sure there will plenty more time I will hear all four of those voices together! Loudly!

So, #4, we may not have as many pictures or posts about you (yet!), but we certainly hope you know already that you are loved by all five us out-of-the womb Wards as well as plenty others. Just think, you are the first kiddo int he family to have six big-sister hands all set to cuddle you!

Love, Mommy & Daddy

To-Do Today

2011-08-23T13:26:00.000-07:00

1) Take the girls to The Midwife Center for my routine appointment and to listen for the baby's heartbeat. Actually hear all of my four children at the same time.

2) Host Amalia's new kindergarten teacher for a home visit.

3) Visit the hospital to meet the newest member of our church family, Phillipa Carter, who was born just last night.

4. Leave "Baby Pippa" with all of Carrigan's binkys, as big girls don't need binkys anymore.

Is it just me, or is that a pretty monumental day?

Celebrating Carrigan

2011-08-23T12:56:00.000-07:00

She started the two-year-old pre-partying with a chocolate cake in Florida, shared with our other July family birthday, Uncle Josh. Then, on her actual birthday her first request was a trip to Chuck E. Cheese. After her sisters prettied-up her hair, that is. Afterwards she kept saying "Chuck E. Cheese so fun!" Then we invited a few church friends and neighbors to the Blackridge pool for a "greenie" cake and sing "Happy Day"--also, her choosing. She beamed the whole time. Now she uses her birthday present pink water wings like a pro and demands to swim by herself. (With us closely watching, of course). She's so proud of being a grown up even if she still prefers to tell people she's three instead of two.

Our Day at Disney

2011-08-08T12:50:00.000-07:00

Our tricks for managing little kids at Disney? A 2:1 adult kid ratio and several strollers.

First up: the carosel outside of Cinderella's Caste

Carrigan was SO ANNOYED by Jonathan here. She wanted to ride all by herself.

She barely tolerated us with her on the teacups and tried to push Jonathan off of the Dumbo ride. Not that she was scared, just that she wanted to show everyone what a big girl she is.

One of the very best parts was the actual meeting of the princesses. After a wait (even with the FASTPASS) we were escorted into a room where Sleeping Beauty, Cinderella, and Belle were available for conversation and photo ops. They were true to character and charming to the girls. Cinderalla encouraged us to be home by midnight. The girls were completely captivated.

Overall, it was a fantastic day. With the help of a great guidebook and the FASTPASS process, we fit in 12 rides from the time opened until dinner. Favorites included the Monsters Inc. show and Buzz Lightyear's ride. After that we drove back to the Winter Haven area because a certain husband of mine had been craving BBQ. Then Brinnly and Carrigan headed to bed while Amalia had a special night out back at Disney with just her mom and dad. She chattered the whole way there about beating her previous score in the Buzz ride ("Buzz is going to be so proud of me!" she kept saying) and loved taking advantage of a few of the darker rides like the Haunted Mansion and Snow White's Scary Adventure. We were all exhausted the next day but pulled ourselves together to enjoy donuts and good organ music at the clubhouse's coffee hour.

Family Time in Florida

2011-08-07T18:54:00.000-07:00

Four generations together

2011-08-02T10:22:00.000-07:00

Worth the drive!

En route to Florida

2011-08-01T13:03:00.000-07:00

First stop...a West Virgnia rest area. Beautiful picnic area complete hiking trails. We chatted wtih another family also on their way to a Disney vacation.

Second day stop--a park in Charlotte, NC. Perfect weather.

Later that night...Tybee Island, Savannah. We were so excited to finally be at the beach we skipped digging through the car for swimsuits and just played in our clothes. We finished that night with Snickers ice cream bars for dinner. Yum.

The third day we drove from Savannah to Winter Haven, FL--the final destination. Unfortunately, the tire blow-out and consequent four hour delay interrupted our picture taking. But we made it and once again, ice cream was involved. More pictures to come.

Florida (in words, not pictures)

2011-07-23T13:25:00.000-07:00

We're having camera issues and I can't even blame it on the kids. A few days before Mali's birthday, I dropped our camera on the stairs. Can I possibly attribute that pregnancy lack-of-balance? For whatever reason, it's not working. So I have the best of intentions of downloading our recent vacation pictures from my parent's camera, but all of the normal parenting life just keeps getting in the way.

However, we had a fantastic Florida vacation visiting Grandma Dee and Papa (great-grandparents to our girls). We made a road trip of it while the rest of the Koch-Shunkwiler gang flew down and met us there. Other than a tire blow-out and awful holiday traffic, we all managed the drive pretty well. It was well worth it to spend such precious time with our extended family. We stayed in my grandparents park, swam every day, ate yummy food, took the girls fishing, and even managed a day at Princess Heaven, aka Disney World. Plenty of pictures of that to come. Until that time, here are our favorite quotes from each of our girls during the trip....

1) We hit our final traffic jam about 20 minutes away from our grandparents' place. So frustrating. So we ventured into "Celebration" for a quick distraction. At one intersection, another driver was having a difficult time determining right-of-way. After motioning her on several times, Jonathan mumbled something under his breath. Of course, the girls caught it right away and asked him to elaborate. He said "oh, I was just saying hi to my new best friend." Not catching his sarcasm, Amalia asked him what the new friends' name was. He responded, "Oh, honey, I don't know". She immediately told him "best friends know each other's names!"

2) Jonathan allowed the girls to help him steer the golf cart driving back and forth to the pool. Brinnly went first which scared Amalia. "Brinn's never had driving lessons!" she maintained. "Yes, I have!" Brinn retorted, "I drove with Hata and Hoshish for twenty hours on the way here and took driving lessons with them!". Never discount the talent and qualifications of those imaginary friends.

3) And finally, don't look to our family for any future Tiger Woods. Jonathan and I took the girls mini golfing one night and while Mali and I were getting a drink of water, I heard Carrigan screaming "no, no, no!" I looked back and Brinn and Jonathan were far away from her. Supposedly she had gotten frustrated with her luck at the game, threw down her club and laid down kicking and screaming. Maybe she'll be a boxer instead.

Two

2011-07-21T18:20:00.000-07:00

Two years ago today a burst of blond hair and blue eyes joined our family and what a delight she has been. Carrigan was born at a difficult time in some ways. Mali and Brinnly were barely past the baby stage themselves. Jonathan was very new at his job and the only thing we knew for sure was that it wouldn't be permanent for him. But somehow, having a little more "wildness" (one of her many nicknames) in our life was just what we needed.

Carrigan loves life. She's usually the first one up in the mornings and we relish our cuddle time with just her. She chatters away all day long and puts up with our inability to understand her most times. Her current favorite phrases are "hold you!" and "no, Mali! no, Buggy" and of course, "SPACE"! She loves loves loves to eat (where in the world does she get that?) and has a pretty varied taste. Overall she goes with the flow but if something upsets her too much she's quick to stomp her feet and pull out the fists. Definitely the strongest temper of the three when her buttons are pushed. One of her favorite silly games is pretending she's either asleep or blind and she does that almost as often as she tells her version of the "interrupting cow" joke. Of course, she's quick to laugh the loudest at herself.

We so love our little Elmo-Yo Gabba-Minne Mouse fan. We love her running and walking, silent and talking as one of her favorite books says. Her blond ringlets bouncing up and down bring smiles to our faces and she's just the right fit in our silly family. Care-Bear, Squeezy-Muffin: you have no idea how much we thank God for you. Fists and all.

Five on Friday

2011-07-01T12:09:00.000-07:00

1) Mali and Brinn had a week at Redeemer's Vacation Bible School this week. Great programming, and Mali's teacher was a former co-worker of mine from my school social work days.

2) One more birthday note about Mali: my mom took her out for a special 1:1 birthday lunch the day before the big day. She chose Red Lobster and devoured her "Garlic Grilled Shrimp" served on a skewer.

3) After much research, we bought new car seats for the girls at Babies R' Us. We even ended up with a "twins' discount" because we bought the same seat for Brinn and Carrigan!

4) Jonathan installed the car seats after bedtime one night. He took some time to look over the manuals, etc. Our neighbor walked across the street and declared that Jonathan had been out there much too long. So he handed him a cold beer and offered to help with the installation. Isn't that great?

5) Coincidentally, while Jonathan was doing that, I was emailing and making plans to catch up with former neighbors of ours from our Highland Park days who now lives in North Carolina. Neighbors truly make Pittsburgh a unique town.

The Sleeping Beauty Tea Party

2011-06-29T11:10:00.000-07:00

I read in a parent's guide to birthday party book recently that five year old's like as much as say as possible for their birthday parties. The anticipation and planning is often most of the fun for them. Needless to say, our five year old had definite ideas about what this party should look like. We did our best to accommodate.

Presenting...Princess Amalia, age 5. Sleeping Beauty Dress compliments of Grandpa Gregg & Grandma Sandy. Coordinating shoes by Grandma Deni. They aim to please.

Everyone had to wear crowns

Everyone.

The tea party was up first. We included wardrobe changes for the princesses as needed.

Grandma Deni was also the interior designer of the tea party.

It was kids only in there. Thankfully, the one boy involved was easy-going about the whole thing.

Grown-ups were allowed to observe. In crowns.

The royalty

Wonderful presents of books and dresses and mroe. (Note Brin's outfit change)

Finally..the Sleeping Beauty cake. Soon after that it turned into a water party. The Sleeping Beauty Warter Play Tea Party. Fun for all.

Summer Reading Log #1

2011-06-28T12:45:00.000-07:00

I still have Mali's Sleeping Beauty/Tea Party pictures to post, but before I forgot, I wanted to blog about our current reading adventures. Both Mali and Brinn had grown tired of phonics lessons, so we decided to take a break from those for the summer. We still do regular workbook sessions and read on our normal schedule, but I wanted to challenge their comprehension a little more. We agreed that I would choose a longer-than-normal chapter book for them every week or two for all of us to work through. They would then be responsible for rating it--one, two, or three stars. (I had lots more ideas of extensions to do with these books, but honestly, with our summer schedule, it just won't happen). I love everything they are absorbing through the Magic Tree House Collection, but even Jack & Annie need a break sometimes. Not to mention Junie B. Jones.

Our first choice was Stuart Little. I hardly remembered it from my childhood, and wanted to expose the girls to older vocabulary. Brinnly struggled at times with the chapter length, but Mali really enjoyed it after the first chapter. All of us were a little disappointed with the number of "loose ends" left at the end. The verdict: 2 stars from Brinnly, 19 from Mali. Not bad, Stuart.

Five

2011-06-26T18:41:00.000-07:00

Five years ago today a brown-haired, blue-eyed beauty made us parents. She had stretched my belly for 41+ weeks and stretched our patience for 12+ hours in labor but it was all worth it. For some reason (my size, maybe?) we thought she was a boy. But the minute we pulled back her swaddling blankets and declared "GIRL!" to all of Allegheny General Hospital, we knew we had exactly what we wanted.

She entered the world happy, bold, and strong. For the most part, those word still describe her. We often comment on her fearlessness. Her smiles are accompanied quite often with hands on her hips and a "determined" tone in her voice, but really, she just wants to be in charge of at least a few things in her life. Namely, her choice of outfits. I can't imagine that will get any easier anytime soon, but at least she's content in most other areas.

This hasn't been the easiest year for Amalia. Our move was a big change for her. She missed her school and her Michigan friends and family. This time, she was old enough to understand exactly what moving away meant. But she coped well. She's grown closer sisters in many ways (when she's not bossing them around) and we all learned a lot through reading and cuddling together. She loves her Pittsburgh friends and being back at the church where she was baptized. And Kindergarten is only a few months away!

The princess trend hit us hard here this spring and Mali can still be found most days in some form of a princess-fairy-ballerina costume. After a long run with orange, pink is now the color of choice. Nothing interferes with her afternoon "screen" time and she's also a big fan of baking, dancing, art, science, and just plain exploring. She'll probably always be a daddy's girl but she and her mama have enough in common in their personalities to keep us close.

We love you, Amalia June Ward for the precious gift from God that you are to us. Thanks for training us a parents!

Grandpa's Girls go Fishing

2011-06-22T19:02:00.000-07:00

Trying out the princess-themed fishing pole

Mali caught the first fish!

Brinn's got a pretty good cast herself

A bass!

Proud Girls. Proud Grandpa

Water Girls

2011-06-17T13:17:00.000-07:00

Memorial Day weekend finally brought some warmer weather around here. Good thing, since we had a party to thorow and houseguests (Aunt Kara & Uncle Josh) to impress. We showed them the super-cool fountain by PNC Park. Needless to say, it was a hit. We ended that weekend with our first visit to our neighborhood pool for a potluck. We enjoyed it so much that we coughed up the membership fee so we have access to it all summer long.

One of the many perks: cheap swim lessons for the older girls. They are becoming so comfortable in the water. I love it!

We also love the grills and tables there which make picnic dinners easy as pie.

Carrigan's not quite old enough for lessons yet. So she puts on her suit, grabs all of the pool toys, and plays in the kiddie pool with her daddy. When she woke up from her nap the other day, she asked to call him to say "Daddy! Swimming! Water!"

Speaking of water, we also spent a lovely weekend at the Ryan family's lake house in West Virginia so far this summer. Lots of good pictures of that here. Kellie and I went for a morning run, leaving behind the dads and fully dressed, dry kid near the beach. I came back to this showcase of wet pink pants. Supposedly Carrigan led the crew in tumbling in. I should have known water was going to be a theme for the summer.

First Glimpse

2011-06-12T18:23:00.000-07:00

We had an ultrasound on Friday to find out a little more info on Baby Ward #4. At my first appointment the week before, the midwife thought I was measuring big so she wanted to determine the exact due date. Not to mention, rule out the possibility of twins! (Two of our friends in Michigan had twins for babies #4 & 5 so it's always been in the back of our mind). But the scan showed one healthy baby, due right around December 23 as expected. It was actually difficult for the tech to take a measurement since the baby was wiggling around so much--perfect for us to see. We're all thrilled. Mali wants a girl, Brinnly wants a boy. Carrigan just wants someone to partner with when the big girls leave her out. They were also pretty excited to open bins of maternity clothes today--those three can turn anything into a fashion show.

Any suggestions for names starting with D?

One thing is missing from this picture...

2011-06-03T09:48:00.000-07:00

It's Baby Ward #4! We are looking forward to meeting him or her right around Christmas! Praise God from whom all blessings flow.

Five on Friday

2011-05-13T12:41:00.000-07:00

1) How is it already the middle of May? I just posted our Easter pictures and that was two holidays ago. Right after Easter, we celebrated Jonathan turing the big 3-3. By his request, we had a quiet (yeah, right. How quiet is it ever here?) night in and the girls and I made shrimp cobb salad, egg rolls, and a grasshopper cheesecake for him. It was fun to spoil him for a change.

2) For Mother's Day last Sunday, my girls made me a crown of fresh flowers which was beyond sweet. They prepared a scavenger hunt of gifts for me the night before, but didn't manage to let Jonathan in on the surprise, so it took a little longer than expected. But I was also spoiled with several lovely girly-gifts. My family knows how to please.

3) Spring, or should I say, summer arrived this week. We've been outside soaking up sun as much as possible. I think Pittsburgh has the best parks of any city around.

4) The time we've been spending indoors for the past three months or so (seriously!) has been made easier by the delightful series of books "The Magic Tree House Collection" by Mary Pope Osborne. My girls are hooked on these chapter books and I love that they are being introduced to so many time periods and cultures. And a huge shout-out goes to their audiobooks which make naptime a breeze for the older two.

5) It's decision time around here. We've lived in our current home now for three whole months. Our GR house has been rented to four college students whom we hope have great housekeeping skills and mow the lawn regularly. (If you live anywhere near GR, please free free to drive past there and give us regular updates). We've been looking at housing options for the past two and a half months, or so. But, settling down sounds good to us right now. We're going to stay put here, in our rented Blackridge colonial, and start fixing up a few things and putting our colors on the walls. Come visit us and check out our avocado-colored family room, covered side porch, and quaint neighborhood. It's starting to feel like home.

Our Easter in Pictures

2011-05-13T12:30:00.000-07:00

Quotes from yesterday...

2011-04-23T12:31:00.001-07:00

"I know! We can just take a secret passageway to Berrien Springs!"--Amalia

"Mommy, don't put Carrigan in that green seat. Hata and Hoshish are sitting there"--Brinnly

"Poop! Potty!" --Carrigan (even better, she was right--diaper free house, here we come!)

Carnegie Mellon Carnival 2011

2011-04-23T12:27:00.000-07:00

Jack and Mali check out the Harold & the Purple Crayon booth

Racing cars

Carrigan is always impressed by stairs

Jack kept pushing his mama's hand away so he could hold onto a "Ward-Girl"

Toy Story never fails to impress

Carrigan's favorite character

Mali loved the fact that Barbie's tub was filled with cotton balls

I still think they are too young to know who Barbie is

First Ride--the Carousel!

Next up, the Ferris Wheel.
"We can see all of Oakland!"--Mali

And of course, motorcyles. Here's Brinn and Gail.

Baby's First Ride. She loved it!

Happy Birthday Kellie

2011-04-19T12:37:00.000-07:00

She's usually the one capturing the moment and appropriately documenting it, but for today, the Wards wanted to take time to say a special happy birthday wish to our dear friend Kellie.

Kellie, thanks for opening your home to us for weeks on end (Literally-- Jonathan lived there for two weeks this winter!), Thanks for cooking us soups and pound cakes, sharing chocolate, schooling along side of us and always saying the right things that we need to hear. Thanks for putting up with 8:00 am phone calls from Mali, slow runs through Shenley Park, and even Brinnly's newborn screams back in the day. You encourage us on a daily basis and our lives here are brighter because of you. If we can't be in Michigan for this season of our life, we're happy field tripping with the Ryans.

Grandma Deni and Aunt Amber Come to Town

2011-04-18T12:45:00.000-07:00

First up, lunch in the Strip Distict. Brinn was enthralled by the fiddlers.

Then a tour of the great stores. Yum, cheese.

A hidden fountain downtown

We took both the subway and the incline for this amazing view

Our group on Mt. Washington

Don't they look like sister and brother?

Not mention, mother and son.

There was lots of dancing involved. There always is.

And of course, a lemon cake for Grandma Deni's birthday. Have we mentioned how much we love company?

Big Exciting News!

2011-04-18T12:36:00.000-07:00

We have a new title...landlords! Thanks to many helping hands that prepped our GR house ready to be place on the market, we finalized the lease details last week. In case you haven't heard, the market in Michigan is still pretty dismal right now, so we are relieved to be able to find great tenants that are excited to live in the place that we used to call home. Feel free to drive past there and report to us if the lawn is being mowed and sidewalk shoveled!

Grandpa Gregg and Grandma Sandy Come to Town

2011-04-16T12:51:00.000-07:00

First order of buisness--Grandpa's birthday cake

Carrigan approved

Fun in the garage at the Children's Museum

Carrigan is thrilled to have a rainbow dress of her own

Mali did great buidling in the water room

I love love love the design in that place

I also love love love these people

And we all love love love hosting our family.

Spring so far

2011-04-11T17:02:00.000-07:00

We have been blessed with loads of houseguests lately so I have many, many pictures to post soon. With two grandparent birthdays in spring (Grandpa Gregg and then Grandma Deni) this is always a busy time of organzing, hosting, cake-baking, and of course, celebrating.

In the midst of all of it, our girls are growing like the weeds in our front yard. Carrigan is experiencing a word explosion. Her first real sentence was "All done cotton candy!" after devouring a cotton-candy flavored popsicle. (Side note--who ever dreamed up that flavor?). Brinnly is spending a lot of time reading aloud to herself. She occasionally gets a word or two correct.And our Amalia....she's inching closer to five all the time. During the regular Easter dress shopping excursion with Grandma Sandy, she tried on no less than eight dresses. The grown-ups all loved her in a bright orange and pink polka-dotted beauty. But alas, no. It was dubbed too "casual", not "spinny" or "princessy" enough. A pale, more subdued number won her over. Thankfully we talked her out of anything with the pricey, poorly-designed "Cinderalla" label on it. She'll be an Easter princess nonetheless.

Quirky Girls

2011-03-10T11:59:00.000-08:00

Just a quick update about what's making each of them special these days:

Amalia is seeming so grown-up lately. She recently ditched all PBS shows in favor of any and all princess movies. Sleeping Beauty is usually the favorite since it has both fairies and a princess. Mal-Doll is getting really close to reading and we've been working on phonics lessons, memory work, and beginning math with her. She can now read "mat", "sat" and "at" and is pretty darn proud of herself.

"The Bugs" is as cuddly as ever and still spends a lot of her time in a fancy princess dress dancing around the house. She continues to be the pickiest eater of the trio and often decides to talk through dinner rather than actually eating. Both she and Mali LOVE helping Daddy with home-improvement projects and Brinn asks everybody involved during the project "So, how's it going, Dad? And how's it going for you, Mali? Etc. She's very intentional with her family and freinds.

And this one...quirk-y! She cuddles us first thing every morning but then basically jumps down and spends the rest of her day running and climbing. The higher, the better. She now calls her sisters "Ma-hee" and "Buggy" and also delights in her friends, "Jack-Jack", "Ga" and "Baby". (Also known as Jack, Gail, and Iris Ryan) We have no idea where it came from but her current favorite game is "blind girl" where she squeezes her eyes shut, puts her hands out in front of her and feels around where she's going. Where does she come up with this stuff?

One and a half (plus a few weeks)

2011-02-22T18:45:00.000-08:00

Somewhere in the midst of the craziness, our littlest girl turned not just one, but one and a half. It's been fun to have her in Pittsburgh where people knew what the other two looked like as babies and can see how different she is. She'll have her official check-up with our favorite peds doctor, Dr. Hildebrandt soon, so we'll see then her actual stats. I'm continually surprised by her height (around the 50%--pretty impressive for a Ward!) and how she grows out of clothes more quickly than her sisters. Speaking of doctors, this cold/flu season has not been kind to her and she's been through a couple rounds of meds for a nasty ear infection, or rather, a blister on her eardrum. We can always tell when she's sick because she's quiet as her opposed to her usual chatter, and refuses to go to to sleep on her own. When healthy, she sleeps from about 8 pm to 6:30 am-ish with a solid afternoon nap in there. Compared to two older girls who usually only "rest" now in the afternoon, it's heavenly.

Care-bear's personality develops more each day. She's a big snuggler, but only when she initiates it. Right now she can say "Mali" and some version of "Bug-as" for her sisters. Actually it's usually comes out as "Bubba" but we try not to let Brinn notice that. She's a great climber, loves the trampoline, and run all over the yard. Her favorite books now are "Hop on Pop", "Goodnight Moon", "My World", and "Hush Little One". For an easy-going kid most of the time, she does have a temper. Don't cross her. If you do, she'll clench her fists and really do a "NOOOOO". Just ask the Ryans--they heard plenty of her protests the week we stayed there and attempted to interrupt her playtime with a diaper change or something else horrific.

She's a keeper, all right. We can't imagine our family without that little burst of blond sunshine!

The First Post from our Sixth Home

2011-02-21T18:45:00.000-08:00

That's right! The Ward family has now lived in Milwaukee, Waukesha, Shadyside, Highland Park, Grand Rapids, and now Churchill. It's funny that we keep using the phrase "getting there" when describing our current state of housekeeping We're "here", as in, our home, but we are still very much in process of becoming settled. Thankfully we've have generous friends helping with childcare and unpacking and everything else in between that needs to be done.

The girls continue to do very well. We love our backyard swingset, the very nearby park and the close-knit neighborhood. The warm weather was especially helpful this week and lots of neighbors came over to introduce themselves. We've already checked out the library, the amazing Children's Museum, and our former playgroup spot. First Trinity was as warm as ever yesterday and we loved worshipping together there as a family of five for the first time.

Jonathan's job is also going extremely well. He is challenged and invigorated by the work and PNC has shown to be a great work environment. They already treated the girls and I to a field trip there where we got the personalized tour. Even better, we had him home today to celebrate President's Day. Love those bank holidays!

Yes, we're missing Michigan and everything and everyone that is part of that state, but we're getting comfortable in this new-old life here. We're excited to see what the next few weeks/months/years bring!

Here we go...(again)

2011-02-07T12:59:00.000-08:00

Here we go, Steelers, here we go..

That's right, we made it to Steel Town, USA in time for the big game. Two parents, three little cheerleaders, one frog and a snail. (Easy pets were one of our many sweet going away gifts). If our Stillers had to lose, at least they did to the first football team we ever loved, the Pack. Way to go, Green Bay.

Our Michigan good-byes were full of tears but there were open arms waiting for us in Pittsburgh. We're staying with the best hosts in town, The Ryans, for a week while we wait for our belongings to arrive. We hope to stay in our new place Saturday night. The girls have been remarkable troopers and we give a lot of credit for that to all of the helping hands both states.

The next chapter of our lives has begun. Here we go!

Our news (no, it's not a new baby)

2011-01-20T12:44:00.000-08:00

Two and a half years ago we said our final Pittsburgh good-byes and drove away from our friends' charming, red-brick, four-bedroom house and headed to Grand Rapids, Michigan. Jonathan was excited about starting in the leasing side of commerical real estate with a growing company. We had a new house in a nice neighborhood waiting for us. We craved Lake Michigan, Midwestern accents, and new beginnings. We planned on retiring there. Most importantly, both sides of our families were in Michigan so that's where we wanted to be.

But God had other plans. Within weeks of our move, the economy tumbled even more. Especially in Michigan. Especially in the commerical real estate field. Jonathan's company soon went bankrupt and he spent three months unemployed while searching for the next thing. Carrigan was on the way so Amalia, Brinnly and I together did some child care gigs. Our rice and beans budget would have made Dave Ramsey proud.

The next thing did come. We were blessed with a new, full-time, salaried position for Jonathan that allowed him to be home at nights and to cover our basic expenses. It was outside of his field and interest and we knew it was a temporary solution. It has now been 21 months. He has continued to look for the right fit that entire time.

And now the next thing has come. God has answered our prayers and provided Jonathan a wonderful opportunity with a new department at PNC Bank. He was specifically recruited for this job and will be working directly with many contacts he knew from his previous position in Pittsburgh. That means we will be moving back to Pittsburgh. Back to hill landscapes, close neighborhoods, First Trinity, and dear people like the Ryans. Away from our families and our Grand Rapids life that we learned to love, even in the midst of challenges. We have big plans for staying connected to Michigan and even bigger plans of making up for the distance that will be between us and our families. Both now and long-term. We're not (quite) ready to retire yet, so we've got plenty of time to make those arrangements then.

The transition will be sweet-bitter and we're trusting God again to answer our prayers during that time. The girls will be starting preschool at Redeemer Lutheran, in Oakmont, PA. A wonderful school that will complement everything they are learning at Our Savior. Several of our friends are running the Pittsburgh Half-Marathon and we will most likely let ourselves get talked into that too. Whole Foods, Trader Joe's, and Ikea will be waiting with open arms to welcome us back., or so we picture.

And that "charming, red-brick, four-bedroom house" of our friends' that we said good-bye in front of years ago? It's going to be ours, at least for a while. Our friends are moving nearby and we're renting it until we are in a better place to make more decisions. The best part about it? Lots of room for visitors.

FIve quick updates

2011-01-13T12:05:00.000-08:00

1) After Christmas, Christmas, and more Christmas, we took a quick va-cay to fantastic Milwaukee, WI for New Year's. As always, the Reinke-Stroh clan spoiled us with lots of good food and even better conversation with lots of kids for entertainment. Hannah and I even managed a 5K in 50 degree weather and loved it.

2) After coming back to GR, we did our usual family tradition of a special "Twelfth Day of Christmas". This year, the girls requested a restaurant, specifically one with shrimp. We were craving some de-tox from so much holiday celebrating so we found a Chinese buffet that included sushi. Strange, but delish. Mali dubbed it "a walk-around restaurant".

3) We did our final family gifts then too and Carrigan squealed with delight at her oversized candy cane ornament. We also began officially adding to their snow globe collection since they are really into "collections" of any kind now.

4) Christmas must still be on their minds, since this morning they spent a long time playing "Mary and Joseph". Poor Carrigan. The big girls made her be King Herod. She rebelled by wearing a pink ruffled tutu all day. I love listening in to their pretend play. It is an unspoken rule that Brinnly always directs the action and is always the mommy. Mali surprisingly plays along.

5) And...in the midst of all of this, we've got even bigger news. After all, it's been over a year and a half since we've had a huge life change. Stay tuned for the details!

Since it's already past Epiphany, here are the rest of our Christmas pictures!

2011-01-08T12:30:00.000-08:00

Christmas 2010

2010-12-24T13:56:00.000-08:00

"But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord."

--Luke 2: 10-11

May your Christmas be without fear and filled with joy this year!

Uncle Dell graduated! Merry Christmas!

2010-12-24T13:53:00.000-08:00

We're all so proud of our MBA uncle

He even coordinated his college colors to match Christmas. (On a side note, how did Lauren become so grown-up?)

And there was a yummy dinner involved!

Guests at the hotel asked me if it was a reception!

I have roughly hundreds of Carrigan posing with different wearable gifts. She prefers to wear all three of the scarves at once.

What's a hotel stay without swimming?

And crashing.

Baking and Celebrating and Trimming, and Partying

2010-12-24T13:44:00.001-08:00

Away in a Manger

2010-12-24T13:37:00.000-08:00

Is there anything cuter than little ones performing "Away in a Manger"? We heard it both at the Sunday School program and the preschool program. And have been hearing around the house ever since...

Brinnly at the Sunday School program

Mali, in last year's dress. She saved her new one for the preschool program.

The Berrien Springs crew got snowed in, so we recruited some local fans to applaud.

Bowing after the preschool program

Best girlfriends

The rest of us enjoy bowling

2010-12-10T12:56:00.000-08:00

Rolling the ball offered *some* entertainment

Stairs, of course, offer much more

The happy couple--the very first time they have ever bowled together!

New Sport

2010-12-10T12:44:00.000-08:00

This bowling thing looks like fun!

Oh. You're NOT allowed to run down the lanes. Not fun.

A few leftover Thanksgiving pictures

2010-12-10T12:38:00.000-08:00

Chili Cook-Off

2010-12-09T12:06:00.000-08:00

The official coordinators

Jonathan's entry table. Notice the fresly squeezed lime juice to complement the Roasted Poblano Chili

Carrigan was so pleased to be seated at the kids' table

Second Place--not bad!

All of the chefs together. A talented group!

December 1, 2010. 8:00 a.m.

2010-12-01T14:02:00.000-08:00

Mali was actually the first one out the door. She began begging for it at 6:00 a.m.

Carrigan's first snow walk

First attempt this year for a snow angel

Happy Thanksgiving from our little pilgrim

2010-11-25T05:39:00.000-08:00

(The hat is even cuter in person)

Good things come in packages from Pennsylvania

2010-11-23T12:45:00.000-08:00

Four of the five of us had the stomach flu last week and goodness, it was miserable. We're not quite sure how Brinnly survived--it's certainly not a result of her diet. However, a few lovely gifts arrived via mail to make our week manageable.

First, from the Wilsons, three fancy-shmancy tutus all in the "right" colors! Orange! Purple! Pink! In that order! As you can see, the girls don't even make it out of jammies in the morning before they come on.

(She thought Johnny Wilson would approve of the Steeler shirt)

Sometimes Brinnly even wears two of them at the same time. It goes really well with her early-morning hair.

Carrigan just learned how to "cheese" for the camera.

And speaking of Miss Carrigan...

look what Kellie created for her:

Isn't it incredible? It completely captures our baby girl and I immediately remember the details of the day I took that snapshot every time I look at it. It will perfect next to her sketches of the other girls on our living room wall. Have we mentioned lately how thankful we are for our dear friends?

Crayon-berries.

2010-11-15T12:32:00.000-08:00

"Mommy, I don't get it. Why are they called cranberries? They are only one color."--Brinnly

Not even an ear infection can keep this one down

2010-11-12T12:39:00.001-08:00

Girls' Night In

2010-11-12T12:37:00.000-08:00

The girls and I had plans the other night that ended up cancelling so we were all a little bummed. Jonathan went for a much-needed guys' night and I told the girls they could set our agenda. After a yummy dinner of "brinner"--that is, chocolate cheerios, egg bake, and fruit for dinner, we broke out the play-doh. It was Carrigan's first real go at it and I think she's hooked. Then they stamped and painted away before we tucked the little one in and ended the night baking pumpkin bread for the next morning. All in all, a "lemonade out of lemons" evening.

Halloweeen 2010

2010-11-05T12:29:00.000-07:00

Carrigan finally got excited to wear her pumpkin costume--I made a half-hearted attempted to look like a pumpkin farmer.

Aunt Kara and Uncle Josh joined us for trick-or-treating.

I mean, Woody and Jessie

After weeks of planning to be Snow White and a clown, there was a last minute change into an elephant and giraffe.

Carrigan was fierce about not letting anyone interfere with her stash.

Happy Halloween (and Reformation Day, of course!) from our family to yours.

Fifteen Months Old

2010-11-03T12:37:00.000-07:00

This is quite possibly our favorite picture of Carrigan, ever. It sums up her current state of being--in motion, dressed in "pretties" like her big sisters, and blonder than ever. She just had her well-child check up and weighed in at 20 lbs, even, and 30 inches. That puts her right in the 10th percentile for weights (just like the other girls) and 54% for height. Pretty tall for a member of the Ward family! Her sound vocabulary is growing and her vocal cords get PLENTY of exercise, even without many words. She has become more of a snuggler lately and we're all happy to indulge her. She's also picking up more of the nursery rhymes and games that we play at the library and at home and plays them well with her sisters. But mostly she's climbing and running, and carrying things everywhere. The bigger the better.

Grandma Deni came to carve pumpkins! And more!

2010-11-02T18:18:00.000-07:00

"What in the world is Grandma Deni going to do with ths?
(She ended up carving a C.G. for Carrigan Grace in it for her)

Mali wanted a mad face which she practiced.

Practicing for Halloween

Quick break from leaf "helping".

A great weeken for Grandma and her girls. And their parents!

ArtPrize and Sprinklers and Nature Walks and Fall...all with the Kurths

2010-11-01T17:19:00.000-07:00

Special thanks to the State of Michigan for the fanstic warm weather and the beautiful display of fall colors. Way to impress our favorite Texans!

What else have we been up to?

2010-10-27T12:27:00.000-07:00

1) For starters, planning our nine-year anniversary celebration. We're spending a weekend (sans kids!) in lovely Detroit, MI. Seriously! We've never spent time there it all and we figured it was time for somewhere other than Chicago to get all of the glory and travel business.

2) The Kurths were here! Those wonderful friends of ours drove all the way from Texas to Grand Rapids--via upstate New York. With three kids! It was a fantastic visit. But when is that ever not the case? Pictures to come.

3) We're not sure what is cutest about Carrigan at the moment--her six teeth or her new word, "apple".

4) The big girls are continuing to do well in school. Mali enjoys it more than she did last year and has no separation anxiety to speak of. Brinnly has surprised us all about that. She treasures her "individual" time at school independent of her sisters. Poor Carrigan wants a turn there too. Two more years, we tell her.

5) We've been thinking about this blog and how best to continue it without becoming burned out or boring our "audience". Is Facebook really killing the family blog? More pictures? Less pictures? A running theme? Time off? Hmmm....suggestions welcome.

October 27, 2010

2010-10-27T12:20:00.000-07:00

Nine years ago today, this particular Ward family was established. We lived in a small apartment with a Milwaukee address. Two degrees between us with hopes of more. Two beginning careers. No kids or babies but dreams of a full house someday. Quite a bit of mismatched furniture. And lots of plan for the future.

Fast-forward to 2010. We now live in a four bedroom house with a Grand Rapids address. We love how filled it becomes for holiday celebrations and visiting friends. The bedroom across the hall from us is painted bright yellow and has a crib, a toddler bed, and an orange 4-year-old's bed. Lots of princess clothes are draped over our now slightly matched furniture. We've added two master's degrees which we like to think have helped us in the recent years navigate the difficult economy and run our household. We still have lots of plans for the future--probably more now than ever.

Thank you to all of you who joined us in windy, rainy Berrien Springs nine years ago today. We love remembering what a speical day that was. We pray God's blesssings on your families as well.

The Ryans!

2010-10-08T10:18:00.000-07:00

Blogger is giving me some issues when it comes to formatting (or maybe it's because I'm a social worker by trade, NOT a web designer) but here's a glimpse into our fantastic 24 hours with the Ryans.

This was the first time we were all together with six kids, all of whom were out of the womb. Wow! It was refreshing to be around the family we learned to parent alongside with. We like the same foods, bibs, toys, midwives, doctors, blogs, hobbies that we don't have time for, and potential future cities. The kids picked up right where they left up and chased each other around like old times.

There were so many combinations of kids. Nine, actually, Mike informed us. Including Jack/Amalia, the first borns. Brinnly/Jack, the chatty, 3-year-olds armed with stuffed animals. Brinnly/Abigail, the higher-maintenance middles with a strong dislike for baby-sitters and bottles when younger. Abigail/Carrigan, the blondies. Carrigan/Iris, the sweetheart babes. Maybe someday we will actually take pictures that include the CMU-alum dads and the running, blogging, knitting moms.

The June-Girls

The firstborns

The book-ends

We went down to ArtPrize but the huge lines led us to the children's activities at the art museum and that was pretty much it. Oh, and ice cream of course, but that's a given when the Ryans are town,

Jack loved this pom-pom. Or should I say, the wind-fan/street-sweeper

Happy Birthday Grandma Sandy

2010-10-05T18:17:00.000-07:00

We celebrated with a trip to the beautiful Meijer Gardens to check out the Chihuly exhibit again.

Carrigan loved the excuse to show off her walking

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Mali likes any excuse for a tea party

Yes, Carrigan really is in there--can you find her?

A picture-perfect afternoon

Quotes from this weekend

2010-09-27T12:29:00.000-07:00

Brinnly, whispering during the sermon in church: "Mommy, can we move over?"
Kaethe: "Why?"
Brinnly: "So Pastor can see my dress better."

Amalia to Kaethe:
"Mommy, can you watch our unicorn? Brinnly and I have to go out for coffee".

The Dora Party

2010-09-23T12:12:00.000-07:00

Johnny Dean Wilson

2010-09-17T12:41:00.000-07:00

He's much too far away from Michigan for our liking, but we are excited to announce that Johnny Dean Wilson entered the world on September 12, 2010. Isn't he adorable? We are rejoicing with Matt and Erica at the birth of their healthy son. Don't they look like naturals? It must be all the practice they had loving our girls so much. We don't know much about baby boys, but we do know that this one landed in an extra-special family.

Three!

2010-09-10T12:32:00.000-07:00

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Three years ago today we really learned the definiton of multi-tasking. Baby Brinnly Ruth entered the world and our already full hands (Big Sister Amalia was only 14 months old!) but we gladly made room for one more. And now she's staked out her place in our family as the middle girl--usually the favorite of both of her sisters. Not too little to play with Mali and not too big to play with Carrigan. She chatters away. Nonstop. Especially when she's tired or trying to distract us from her full plate of food that she is not eating. Her cuddles are as irrestible as her eyelashes. She sings and dances and creates with a talent unlike anyone else in our immediate family. Her good (imaginary) friends, Hata and Hoshish, are not around as often anymore but do still make occasional appearances. When we watch her baby her dolls we picture her all grown up as a mommy. She claims she is going to have 11 kids. (Mali doesn't know how many kids she is going to have but she is certain they will be allowed to watch MUCH more TV than our kids are) We think Brinn is going to drive away with a guy on a motorcycle someday, but until then we'll keep holding her close and calling her "Bugs" as long as she'll let us. We love you so dearly, Brinnly Ruth Ward!

Amalia Goes to School (Year 2)

2010-09-10T12:25:00.001-07:00

Amalia started back to school the day after Brinnly. We were interested to see how this year would go since she had tentative days last year. She woke up three times the night before (very unlike her) and seemed to be a little anxious, but did great. She loved having her famililar teacher, classroom, and friends back. The biggest rewards? The big hugs between Mali and Brinnly when the greet each other after their 2 1/2 hours of being apart.Brinnly wanted to go to school that day too.

Thankfully Mrs. Meyers teaches both classes!

Brinnly Goes to School

2010-09-10T12:17:00.001-07:00

After much discussion, we decided for Brinnly to start 3-year old preschool, two days a week this year and Mali to begin the 4-year-old class on the alternate days. That gives each one time at school and time at home with Mommy and Carrigan. Brinnly was oh-so-excited to start.The front porch and backpack shot.
We saw her friend Eliana in the parking lot and they scampered into school, hand-in-hand.
Brinnly and the fantastic Mrs. Meyers
Brinn with her friend Caleb

Two very excited little girls at the end of their first day.

Carrigan Walks! (And Boats! And Floats!)

2010-09-02T10:23:00.000-07:00

It was a perfect boating day this past Sunday so we headed out to Gun Lake with the Stevens family. (When we moved to Michigan we were determined to find friends with a boat. Mission accomplished! But there are lots of other reasons why they are Carrigan's godparents and dear friends to all of us) It was Carrigan's first boat trip outside of the view of my belly. She cried at first when we put the life jacket on her but loved the sensation when the boat actually started moving. She managed a quick dip in the water and then a quick nap on the seats. Just when we thought her "firsts" were done for the day, we headed back to the campsite and Carrigan stood up in the middle of all of us and took 20 good steps! She's been moving ever since.

***In other firsts, Brinnly managed to thouroughly enjoy both the boat and the tube without screaming and clinging on to us. She and Mali are currently tied for "Best Boat Hair" award.

Our weekend with Grandma Dena

2010-08-30T08:15:00.001-07:00

A weekend filled with gardens, sculpture, red rover, stories, and giggles--all shared with our girls' Great-Grandma.

Welcoming 3 Wilsons

2010-08-25T12:17:00.000-07:00

Eight years ago we moved to Pittsburgh and pretty quickly formed some life-long friendships. And now we're spread all over the country and our families have grown by leaps and bounds. One of our friends from there, John Hogg, is originally from the Grand Rapids area and was married here last weekend. As exciting as that was, the best part for us was that it brought our godson, Matt and his wife Erica here to stand up in the wedding. We would have loved to actually meet their son, Johnny Dean Wilson, but he decided to wait this trip out. Probably for the best, considering their doctor and hospital were 10 hours away. Now that Matt and Erica are safely back home, we would be happy to get a "he's here!" phone call any time now. Especially since our girls gave Matt & Erica lots and lots and lots of hands-on parenting practice.

Sandy Pines Weekends 1 & 2

2010-08-19T16:02:00.000-07:00

The girls donned their raccoon shirts for an overnight camping trip with Grandma Deni earlier this month. We roasted enormous marshmallows, enjoyed a campfire, slept pretty well in the tent, and had a blast at the water park the next day. To top things off, Grandma Deni came back up there the next weekend with our favorite little cousins on that side of the family. What a treat to spend some time with Trent and Lauren even though they're not allowed to come next time unless they bring their parents so we can catch up with them too.