The Willing Family

Wednesday, January 5, 2011

Summer through Christmas in Pictures

Warning:

If you don't have several hours, you might not want to look at these pictures! :)

Summertime Randoms

Luke and Lucy fishing the ol' Mississippi

The perks of a bad haircut on a little boy:

he doesn't care

it grows fast

Teeny, tiny couple week old David

Going to a wedding in Grandma and Grandpa's RV Oh, boy!

It was a hot day for a lovely outdoor wedding!

David got all tuckered out in the heat

Pat, Rick and my dad

I love brother shots

Father/son bonding.

My helpful/mischievous little Peter!

Bad day for a group shot, I guess

Hot summer day fun:

boy

dog

hose

turn on the water!

Playdate at the Davis'

photos courtesy of Amanda

David and Annie Jo

Bath time!

Oh, here, let me help you wash his hair, Mom.

love, love, love this hooded towel from my Aunt Katie

Reading with Dad...a special treat!

Fair time!

I put my month old baby down on the blanket, walked into the other room and back to this sight.

How does a month old baby move so quickly?

Love that smile!

David began smiling at 5 weeks old.

Sweet baby feet

Ummm....

Aaahhh...sleep!

David's first Twins' game! And they even won!!!

Another of our not-so-famous self portraits

Outdoor baseball at its finest!

Fall...

Labor day weekend at the cabin

One fine day, we decided to head into the woods for a wiener roast supper. Yum!

The chips were, of course, Peter's favorite part of the meal.

Ummm...3 months old? 4 months old, maybe?

Peter loves the camera these days.

Cheese!

Sam and Heidi collecting something at the cabin in late September

Taking out the docks and weed roller

Cabin progress!

Peter wandered around for a long time saying, "dog, dog, dog, dog, dog..."

Guess he wanted to play.

Moving a shed to keep the well insulated in winter!

Trying out the backpack carrier.

tiring work.

Getting closer to sitting up!

Peter loves his boat, er, I mean slide.

Huge grins!

Um, I'm pretty sure David was only about 4 months old in these pictures...

Weekend at the cabin with the Wales family

Laura reading to Uriah (Ry-ry) and Peter

Ooo, sand!

Hey, I have an idea!

Let's strip down to our diapers in OCTOBER and play in the water!

Time to warm up!

The only glimpse of an awake David we saw all weekend.

He slept a lot.

I'm thinking he was growing.

A lot.

More fall fun!

I think David started playing in this and loving it at 4 months old.

I am a horse

Tired out from a walk

We were trying to take a picture of all of us for Daddy's desk at work.

I am also a personal slave for the very privileged. ;)

love, love, love it when my boys cooperate together for the camera!

"hair"

"eye"

101 Market corn pit.

So fun!

Oh, mom, this jelly from Leah's wedding is sooo good!

Sweet boys

Peter is learning how to use the camera...

He enjoyed the baby swing more than David did!

Another trip to the MN Zoo with the Fipps!

Thomas and Peter loved this tractor!

I know. It's random. But isn't it beautiful?

Getting closer to sitting up!

Look! I'm a baby, too!

Winter is here!

Peter and I ran out in the first snowstorm to play.

We made a snowman, but Lucy kept knocking it over.

Oh, well.

That snow is cold when it blows onto your face!

A little birthday party we had for Oliver's first birthday!

The birthday boy!

Peter and Annie

Handel

Rozel enjoying the cake!

Silly boy

Mmmm...yummy...venison!

Isn't this a priceless gem of a picture? :)

Trying out the highchair

He also loves the exersaucer...maybe more than David!

OOoooo...reading Just Lost with Grandma Betty

What a treat!

Boys bonding with Daddy

Thanksgiving at Grandma Jo's house!

Boys playing...

What a boy. Already reading to his younger brother!

He woke up from his nap like this one day. At least he didn't get his shirt dirty!

Peter and I had the stomach flu early in December.

He fell asleep watching one of his new favorite movies: "Julie" (Julie and Julia)

He still asks to watch it periodically. :)

Making Christmas Cookies!

Can I help?

another dog lover

Peter's 2nd birthday breakfast: pancakes!

Happy birthday, sweetie! We love you!!

Ummm...aren't you a little big?

What? It's a fun toy!

More Peter photography.

After seeing this shot he promptly said, "Sick."

What hams!

Peter 2 years old

David 6 months old

Peter's birthday party!

Mr. Potato head was (and still is) a big hit!

David loves Auntie Brittany

Grandma Prigge where she loves to be: in the kitchen, taking care of everyone!

Thanks for the help, mom!!

Whoa! Stop the press! Is Grandpa P actually eating salad???

Peter and Ry-ry eating pizza, chips, applesauce and M&M's.

What an excellent meal!

Peter sat so sweetly while we sang "Happy Birthday" to him...

And then realized there was a FIRE on his cake! Oh, horrors!!!

Stylin' in his new Thomoms jamps

How nice of the toy company to give us free wheels with the dump truck!

Eli, Uriah, Peter and Luke

Hanging out with Dad, eating popcorn

I laughed so hard when I saw this...

The purse isn't a purse. It's a shovel.

Christmas Eve with the Willing Family

Christmas Day/weekend at the cabin with the Prigge Family

In the snow with Brodie and Auntie Kerri

Our "Mikas" Tree full of "deca"

Tuesday, December 28, 2010

Christmas Tornado

A friend referred to the tornado that struck their house this Christmas, and I chuckled. Having Peter's birthday so close to Christmas, however, adds another dimension to our chaos: we have not only Christmas gifts, but birthday gifts everywhere, as well. I spent most of the day yesterday just trying to find my living room. Finally after removing several bags of wrapping paper, empty boxes and ribbons, taking down the "deca" and lights from the "Mikas" (short "i" sound) tree and hauling it outside, vacuuming the needle and dog hair laden carpet, I think I found it. Tornado, indeed!

It has been a few months since I've blogged last, and I'm sure no one will be remotely interested in reading this posting, but since I'm really not writing it JUST for you, whoever you are, but am writing primarily for my children, I'll get over it. :)

This fall has seen a few changes for our family. I started teaching a Speech class at a wonderful homeschooling co-op in Buffalo called FEET. It meets twice a month on Monday mornings. I am blessed to be able to bring the boys along. They go to the nursery while I teach. Peter has fallen in love with his "teacher" - Kim A. He will periodically look up at me and ask, "Kim?" I am so, so glad he enjoys going. That said, he does cry as soon as we pull into the parking lot, though. He cries as I unbuckle he and David and cries as we walk into the church and he cries as we walk up the stairs and runs, crying, of course, past the nursery to the outside door on the opposite end of the hallway. Kim assures me that he stops crying as soon as I leave and I believe her. When I come to pick them up, he hardly gives me a second thought!

I have also started back in BSF this fall. Yay!!! For three years right after college, I was in a wonderful BSF Bible Study group in Edina. When I moved to Rochester, I was unable to go as they did not offer an evening class I could attend. So, now that I'm a stay at home mom (and LOVING IT, by the way!), and now that BSF has started an infants and toddlers program, I decided to try it again. David was able to get into the nursery right away, but it took a couple months for an opening to come available for Peter. He does, of course, do the whole crying thing there, too, but I think he likes Mrs. Jones and Mrs. Ronning as much as he likes Kim. He periodically asks about his "teachers".

What a blessing it has been to be back in BSF again! We are attending the ladies' class in Coon Rapids and I am studying the book of Isaiah this year. Wow! That's just one of the several Old Testament books that I've read parts of (especially chapter 53) several times, but have never read nor attempted to comprehend the whole book. Did I say wow?

And the last change for our family started this summer when my handsome and wonderful husband decided to become a realtor. He took the classes (I was a single mom for a couple months), passed the tests and now is working for the Edina Realty office in Monticello in addition to still working at Green Valley Greenhouse. He LOVES it! I never realized until I was a married woman how important it is for a man to love what he does.

And now for my children:

Peter

Turned 2 on December 15th. Yikes!
Still loves just about any and all fruit.
Still dislikes just about any and all vegetables. Will eat green beans and corn.
Is leery about new or different looking foods.
Was a ring bearer in Ben and Brittany's wedding on September 3rd!
Talks up a storm! He is still mostly saying one word sentences, but is starting to combine two words together more and more...
Will repeat himself over and over again until someone acknowledges him and repeats back to him, correctly, what he said.
Is very healthily between the 50-75th percentiles for height, weight and head circumference.
Still is "Momom"'s boy.
Just started referring to me as "Mommy" this past weekend. I sort-of liked "Momom". :)
Loves all planes, trains and automobiles!
Received Mr. Potato Head for his birthday and was instantly in love.
Also received a wooden train set from Grandpa and Grandma Willing for Christmas. Also instant love.
Finally figured out how to climb onto the couch. He must have just grown that last needed inch or two to be able to do it!
Loves to help me unload the dishwasher.
Loves to make his brother laugh.
Loves "Little Critter" books and just about any other book he can find.
Loves to read the Bible and thinks any adultish looking book is the Bible. Even the phone book!
Loves to listen to "The BIBLE", "Holy, holy, holy", "Trust and Obey", and "Jingle Bell Rock". That last one really fits in well with the first three, doesn't it?
Had his first bout of the throwing up stomach flu early in December. It lasted almost a whole week. I was glad when it was gone!
Still loves Lucy and going to the lake!

David

Was 6 months old on Christmas Day.
First tooth was through on November 28th and his second tooth came through almost a month later on December 23rd.
Loves his big brother and dad!
Smiles almost non-stop.
After wailing every time he was put down or strapped into his carseat (makes for miserable car rides!) for the first 3 months of his life, he has finally realized how fun it can be to not wail. Fwew.
Has WAY more hair than Peter had at 6 months old!
Has fewer pounds than Peter had at 6 months old. We're working on that...
Rolls from front to back and vice-versa. Constantly.
Loves to stand. We're pretty sure he might actually walk before his first birthday!
Sucks his thumb - just like mommy (used to)! All efforts to encourage a pacifier failed. :)
Also LOVES Lucy.
Still likes to wake mommy up multiple times each night. Guess he just can't get enough of me!
Is starting to crawl. Yikes!
Puts everything into his mouth.

Merry Christmas

Happy New Year!

Love,

Luke, Michelle, Peter, David & Lucy

**Pictures to come...

Wednesday, September 15, 2010

Summertime Fun with Friends

This summer we joined a playgroup hosted by my friend Stephanie. Until we can get more recruits, it normally consists of: Stephanie and her boys, her sisters and their boys and me with my boys. :) It's so fun to have all these little boys the same age running around every week! We have gone to Ellison Park in Monticello, Otsego Park, and "The Fountains" in Elk River so far. Next week we plan to go to an Apple Orchard! What fun!! Here are some pictures of our adventures:

Peter at the playground

Sleeping David

David and friend Jude who was born at 25 weeks! He has come such a long way...yay!

Peter and Samuel playing with bubbles.

Elizabeth helping Peter with bubbles

Fountains!

Peter, Levi, Micah, Samuel

(note the love of the cone...)

And more love...

The best we could them to all look! :)

All the babies at Otsego Park:

??? (Help! I can't remember her name!), Elizabeth & Jude, Me & David

Sweet babies

4th of July Weekend

Over the Fourth of July, we went to my parents' cabin. David was 9 days old! :) Think I must have been crazy...but really...it was either sit around at the cabin with family who can help entertain a toddler, or sit around at home, alone.

We had a lot of fun, and many visitors all weekend. My personal favorites for the weekend were the St. Joseph parade on the 4th (we STILL have candy from it!) and the fireworks.