Three Little Women

Finishing the Race

2011-10-27T13:58:00.001-07:00

So, I did it! I finished my first half marathon! I admit, I had a smile on my face the whole time- except the last 2 miles. I finished and beat my goal time by 15 minutes :)
Thanks Jess for supporting my training runs and thanks Dad for the great photos and loud cheers.

Pumpkin patch

2011-10-27T13:23:00.000-07:00

camping

2011-08-14T21:10:00.001-07:00

We had a wonderful vacation to Bass Lake. A true camping trip. we spent our days swimming in the lake, building sand castles, talking, roasting marshmallows and telling stories. Jess took us to Yosemite to hike to Bridalveil Falls and then spent the rest of the day swimming in the freezing cold water at the beach of the Yosemite river. Everley loved the water and throwing rocks as well as crawling all over the place. we put a pair of Jess' long socks over her knees and feet to protect them. She would get SO dirty, i gave her a bucket bath every evening before bed. Annella and Leah put on a dancing and music show. It was the highlight of my week. We made so many memories this family vacation. We cant wait to go back!

Everley turns 1

2011-08-14T20:49:00.000-07:00

Everley, or Rosie, as we have been calling her lately is a big one year old. she loved when we sung to her, but didn't quite know what to make of the cake at first.
She is such a happy baby and just about the cutest little thing I have ever seen. She plays with the big sisters and says "uh-oh!" Rosie is still not walking but tries to stand on her own.
I can't believe how fast this year has passed.

Annella turns 5

2011-05-29T11:53:00.000-07:00

We went to the SB Zoo to celebrate Annella's birthday with Nana and Grandad. She is blowing out candles and putting her new lip gloss on Grandad, sliding down the ant hill and enjoying a pony ride from her party with friends.

I love my kids!

2011-01-28T22:03:00.000-08:00

Hiking

Shoes Leah made. :)

New sense of fashion.

"Smiley" her new nickname

Slumber Party under the Christmas Tree

2010-12-18T09:27:00.000-08:00

Now that the girls are old enough, Jess decided to have a slumber party out by the Christmas tree. Movies, fire, cookies, popcorn, and sleeping bags lit up by the twinkle of the tree lights. I read the Christmas chapter of "On the Banks of Plum Creek" by Laura Ingalls Wilder. It was great. A memory I will cherish forever.

"Look at her big eyes!"

2010-09-18T11:48:00.000-07:00

Annella is totally in love with Everley. She is constantly trying to make her smile and coo. When Everley gets scared from the noises Annella makes her eyes get really big. Annella thinks it is great and always says "look at her big eyes!"

Bye Bye Kitties

2010-09-18T10:48:00.000-07:00

Just before Everley was born we adopted two kitties. They were so cute and the girls just loved them! Just after we brought Everley home, the kitties went missing. We were all very sad, and the girls still talk about them. Here are some pictures to remember them by.

Leah is holding Gigi, or Whitey, and Annella is holding Kittie Featie (she named him herself), or blacky as Dad called him.

Everley Rose

2010-07-16T14:44:00.000-07:00

Well, she's here! I was not expecting her to come for another week. But we are excited to have another baby girl.
She was 8lbs 5oz and 19 inches.
we all just love her.

Annela's 4th Birthday Party

2010-05-08T15:49:00.000-07:00

I can't believe Annella is already 4 years old! We had a blast with friends and family. We got her a big girl bed and Nana provided the beautiful bedding for both Annella's and Leah's beds. We had a Princess themed party and I even made her a Princess Ariel cake(it took two attempts, and I am lucky it worked out the second time).
My favorite picture is of the kids circled up praying-how sweet it is to see kids praying for one another!

30 weeks pregnant

2010-05-03T15:32:00.000-07:00

I am so excited for our little one arrive. Here I am 30 weeks prego. Only 10 more to go!

Garden

2010-05-03T15:22:00.000-07:00

I started a garden last month. Jess and I worked on in for 3 weekends. We learned we love gardening, and gophers love it even more!

Since we last posted....

2010-04-28T21:50:00.000-07:00

Leah turned two!

Annella learned to paint her nails! She is very good at it and a lefty I think.

We have been enjoying our new backyard! The girls have tea parties almost every day.

Summer Fun in the sun

2009-07-28T14:18:00.001-07:00

We had so much fun camping with our friends at Refugio Beach. Annella loved taking baths in the bucket and Leah enjoyed taking baths in the dirt!

Time at the beach with Dad.

Annella's 3rd Birthday

2009-05-12T15:20:00.000-07:00

We a little party for her at Hans Christian Andersen Park on her birthday. Three years old is so much bigger than 2 years old. She has memorized every song she has ever heard and will sing them upon request. She is constantly talking and playing with her miniature princesses and has to wear a "dancing dress" every day! She love her little sister (most of the time) and is taking much pride in becoming her mama's little helper and her ability to teach Leah all the things big girls do! Happy Birthday Annella!

Leah loves cake!

2009-02-24T10:52:00.000-08:00

Tiime to catch up

2009-02-01T08:17:00.000-08:00

Jess and Annella's favorite spot.

Annella's new play house

Leah face turned neon pink because she got an ornament off the Christmas tree, the blanket I made for Leah and a family day at Avila Beach.

2008-12-01T21:24:00.000-08:00

We found the perfect tree. A little peewee tree, just taller than Annella. We have to put it up high enough to keep Leah's grabby hands off of it.

Annella is really excited for Christmas this year. If she sees anything that could be Christmas themed, or is, she says "Oh look! It's Christmas Momma, it's Christmas!"

Its Christmas Mamma!

2008-12-01T21:19:00.000-08:00

Update!

2008-11-09T10:14:00.001-08:00

Leah was so cute in this costume, but she couldn't crawl in it so she didn't wear it for very long.

Annella was a very sad puppy dog. she loved getting her face painted but hated putting on the costume.

Gigi gave Annella her first pair of high heels! She wears them every possible second she can while we are home. Such a girly girl.

Our first family trip to the dessert! We camped out with Dada and watched him ride! Annella enjoyed a couple rides on the quad with Allison and Leah road with Dad. I road too. It was pretty fun!

Beep Beep!

2008-08-10T22:37:00.001-07:00

That right! Me on a motorcycle! I was only practicing on our driveway but I think I might actually get my license. Go Trail 90's!

Down by the Bay

2008-08-10T22:25:00.000-07:00

What a chunk!

Annella is really into climbing. I had no idea she knew how to climb a latter.

Who knew she could boogie board? This was taken at the bay in Long Beach. Jess grew up going to that same bay at that same spot every summer.

Summer Fun

2008-07-31T16:43:00.000-07:00

The girls are getting so big. Annella is speaking in sentences-mostly ones that start with "I want, I want..." She is also copying Jess and I a lot. Just the other day she saw a boat out of the water and said "Check it out!" with her head cocked to the side a bit. She is so funny.
Leah has definitely found her voice. All day long and sometimes in the middle of the night, she makes all kinds of cooing noises and screams from the depths of her belly.
It is so fun to watch the two of them creating their relationship. Nella loves to make Leah laugh and Leah loves to grab her hair and eat her face!

Sooo big!

2008-07-06T21:35:00.001-07:00

Leah is 4 months old now and is sitting up by herself, fascinated by her feet, talking all the time and always looking for something to do. She is 17 1/2 lbs and 25 inches. Basically off the charts. Stayed tuned because she will probably be crawling very soon. She is full of smiles and for the most part, content. It just baffles me how different my own two children can be. Annella is a great big sister and gets a kick out of making Leah belly laugh and always reminds her she is "Sooo big!"

July 4th

2008-07-06T21:27:00.000-07:00

We enjoyed the wonderful Solvang parade, a long nap and hung out with friends.

Palm Springs

2008-06-10T10:19:00.001-07:00

Feeding the Emus

2008-06-10T10:05:00.000-07:00

Who said Buellton was boring?! It's definitely not at the Ostrich Farm. Watch out everyone, they will peck at you! Annella enjoyed learning a little bit about Emus.

Fun Pictures

2008-04-24T07:30:00.000-07:00

Both of the girls are growing so fast. Leah is a healthy 13lbs at only 9weeks old and Annella is almost 2 now. Leah is smiling and cooing and Annella is copying everything we say and always laughing. Here are some recent pictures of them both.

I love my Papa!

Leah's new bow and tutu from Aunti Allison

Annella loves her new doll house

If you look closely Leah's shirt has a bikini and says Hooter's on it.

Swimming at Ava's Birthday party. Annella can jump off the side into the water now.

Easter

2008-04-01T16:58:00.001-07:00

We had a wonderful time at Theater Fest and Annella enjoyed an Easter Egg hunt at Papa and Gigi's while Leah slept.

My Baby Girls

2008-03-07T09:45:00.001-08:00

Baby Leah

Annella loves to color. She will sit for an hour and if you look closely at her hands, she spends more time coloring herself than her pictures. Good thing they are washable.

Leah's first bath. She really enjoyed it. Her second bath was another story! She is doing great and eating A LOT.

My big girl still wants to be a baby. She even mimics Leah's cry almost perfectly. She is a great big sister and loves Leah.

Annella is a big hair ball when she wakes up from her nap.

Leah Rae is finally here!

2008-02-24T20:20:00.000-08:00

The Lord has blessed us with another baby girl. Leah Rae was born on February 19th at 11:51 pm by c-section. She weighed in at 7lbs 15oz and 20 inches. We are so excited and love her very much. Mom and baby are doing well. Jess is taking very good care of us and Annella loves her "baby Leah."

Beach Day

2008-02-11T14:48:00.000-08:00

We have been having such great weather lately we decided to take advantage of it and spend some time at the beach. At 39 weeks pregnant it sure felt good to get some sun. I hope you like my enormous belly!

2008-01-23T14:55:00.000-08:00

Christmas

2007-12-28T08:42:00.001-08:00

We had fun on Christmas Eve walking Naples and looking at all of the Christmas decorations. Annella loves playing with her baby and her new lounge "chay," as she calls it. She also enjoys showing everyone her "button" and finding your belly button as well. She has quite a vocabulary, including a very enthusiastic "yeah!" and "peasey." We just love her she is so fun.
We had a very blessed Christmas, and we hope you all had one as well.

It's looking a lot like Christmas

2007-12-05T21:09:00.001-08:00

We went Christmas Tree shopping in Nipomo. We cut down our tree, drank hot chocolate, Annella had her first roasted marshmallow, and road on the tractor.

Fall pictures

2007-10-31T21:53:00.000-07:00

Here are some pictures of Halloween. Annella was a kangaroo and even had a little joey in her pouch. Isn't she so cute!

I am 24 weeks along now and feeling every bit of it. The baby moves all the time and my belly is really starting to show.

Her cousin Dustin was a lion.

Annella and Ava.

Cousin Katelyn

Annella learning guitar from Dad

Picking pumpkins at Summerset Farm in Los Olivos

2007-09-14T10:28:00.001-07:00

Playing dress up with Grandma Mackie and Katelyn.

On August 25th Jess performed his first wedding for his good friend Chris and his new wife Luisa. I was so proud of him, he did a great job!

As most of you know we are starting a church here in the Santa Ynez Valley. Last Sunday was our first Sunday doing church. Afterwards, we went out for pizza and Annella was so tired she fell asleep right at the table on top of her pizza.

I just got Annella some new PJ's and as you can see, she was less than stoked about them at first, but by the end of the night she was contorting her body so that she give each orange fish a kiss before going to sleep.

Lake Shasta!

2007-08-22T14:05:00.001-07:00

Annella and Katelyn really love each other!

A long hard day on the water!

Her first swim with Dad.

Can I wake board next?

Uhm...we were sleeping.

We had such a great time! Annella loved the boat and the water and playing with Katelyn every day. Let's just say she was very disapointed to wake up at home without Katelyn or the boat!

Third Time's a Charm?

2007-07-24T11:31:00.000-07:00

Hopefully! I spent Sunday night in the hospital again. We may have found some medicine that works this time. Please keep praying that I can recover quickly, I have lost a lot of weight and I am under the body fat percentage for a child-bearing woman, or any woman for that matter. My goal is to gain some weight and hopefully that will make me feel even better. The baby, hopefully is doing just fine but i can't help but think it is also starving. We are praying that God's will, will be done with this pregnancy.

I can't wait to get out and about again to hang with everybody. thank you for your prayers.

Feeling Better Yet?

2007-07-16T19:16:00.000-07:00

Well, Jess stayed the night with me Saturday in the Hospital. Yep, another hospital visit. Getting re-hydrated really makes a difference. I have an appointment with a naturopathic doctor tomorrow, I hope he can be helpful. I have nothing to lose. I feel like I am loosing the battle right now anyway. I am currently taking some medicine, that seems to be working but I am curious about this new doctor. If he works out, Jess just might get his wish for 10 kids!! Ha! I like to take them one at a time.

Thank you for all of your prayers.

Due February 17th

2007-07-11T10:59:00.000-07:00

I had my first doctor visit on Monday. The official due date for the baby is February 17th, 2008. So that means I am 8 1/2 weeks along so far. I have been having some trouble with morning sickness and ended up spending the day in the hospital getting re-hydrated and trying to gain some ground on the hyper emesis (that means a lot of throw up). I have tried a few medications and I think I have found one that is working. I have been feeling better and able to eat for the last two days. Pleas keep praying for the baby. I know the Lord will protect us but we covet your prayers for a healthy baby and a healthy momma.
Jess has been such a great husband through all of this. Keep him in your prayers as well, he has had a big job the last few weeks. I also stopped nursing Annella. I think it was harder for me than it was for her. She has been doing great and eating like a champ.
Overall, we are excited about the new baby and having so much fun watching Annella grow and learn new things. She loves her time with Dada and is walking and dancing everywhere!

Fourth of July *

2007-07-05T17:36:00.000-07:00

We spent the 4th at Refugio Beach with friends. It was a beautiful day.

Annella enjoyed her first sucker, sand and all.

She loves the beach.

By the end of the day I think the heat was getting to her because she kept putting her head in the sand and wildly laughing!

A picture of Jess and I. We realized we don't have a picture of us together on our blog-so here we are.

My pregnancy is going well. I have been enjoying it so far, at least up until today. I am guessing I am about 7 or 8 weeks now. I have my first doctor's appointment on Monday. Please keep praying for a healthy pregnancy and a healthy mommy. Love you all.

My Favorite Pose

2007-07-02T16:34:00.001-07:00

HI YA!! This is how Annella gets ready to take her first step. It cracks me up every time she does it.

Lots of concentration!!

This walking stuff gives me a headache!

She's Walking!!

2007-07-01T16:23:00.001-07:00

Annella is walking all by herself now! I was chasing her around church this morning. I think she really likes her new independence. It's so cute to see her little arms in the air and her little tongue sticking out of her mouth to keep her concentration. I am proud of my girl, she sure is getting big fast!

Trip to Wahington

2007-06-30T10:17:00.001-07:00

Jess was invited up to Washington to speak at a Jr. High camp. The trip to Coulee Dam was long but the Lord really did a work in the hearts of the kids there. It was fun to see a new place and to meet new people.

At Coulee Dam.

Annella loved the water, even though it was freezing. All she wanted to do was sit on the shoreline and throw rocks.

The traveling proved to be a little challenging for me. Morning sickness along with traveling was hard but I am doing really well compared to my pregnancy with Annella. No Hospital visits yet! It was such a blessing to be able to do ministry with Jess.
Annella was such a trooper. She is a great traveler. We are very lucky to have such an easy going little girl.

It is always nice to be home!

Father's Day

2007-06-30T10:04:00.000-07:00

Annella and her Dada and with Grandaddy.

Annella and cousin Dustin. He is holding her hand so she won't fall down.

We spent Father's Day at Shorline park with my family where we announced the news of the new baby. Everybody was pretty shocked but excited for us.

A Baby on the Way?

2007-06-17T09:13:00.000-07:00

Becca is pregnant!

Due in February.

We are so excited and we hope you all are suprised.

Annella and Katelyn

2007-06-17T08:44:00.000-07:00

Here is Annella and Katelyn taking a lunch break during our Thursday walk.

YUMM! Veggie Bootie!

Annella is so cute!!

2007-06-11T10:40:00.001-07:00

What a ham!

Annella has been cracking us up latley! Last night she ate the biggest dinner ever, all while putting on a show for Jess and I. She managed to get both legs between her and the tray. It was a pretty tight fit. she is really starting to come out of her shell, at least at home. She is so close to walking! I am predicting she will be walking by the end of this month.

Grandad's Memorial

2007-06-09T09:04:00.000-07:00

Naked playing by the pool.

Annella and her cousin Kambria. She is 13 months and almost walking now,
she can take up to 11 steps all by herself!!

Annella sleeping

Swimming at my parents house with Dad.

Me and Annella laying out poolside.

Aunt Rachel and cousin Dustin.

This is a picture of my grandad (Spike) and grandma with Annella last August, just after my grandad had surgery to remove the tumor. Soon after this picture was taken, the tumor came back. We celebrated his life on Friday June 8th. it was a wonderful memorial ceramony and a great day with my family to remember him.

We had a great time swimming and hanging out at my parents house afterwards, recounting our best memories of Spike.

Grandad

2007-06-04T21:14:00.001-07:00

On Saturday morning we learned that my Grandad had passed away. He was suffering from a very aggressive and painful form of cancer and we are rejoicing that he has his new body in heaven and is in the presents of the Lord. We will miss him dearly and remember him often.

We are confidant, yes, well pleased rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord. 2 Corinthians 5:8

Hello Friends and Family

2007-06-04T20:46:00.002-07:00

Hello friends and family! I hope this blog makes it easier for everyone to stay in touch with us and to see how big Annella is getting, updates about the new church (The Ranch, a Calvary Chapel Church), and what we have been up to as a family.

Balloons!!!

Today I learned that the local
hardware store will give you a
free balloon with a purchase.
Annella loves balloons so she
was so excited to get one
of her own.

This is our beautiful Annella Jean after a yummy snack of blueberries.