Welcome, Truman!

We're very excited about another new cousin! Bob & Becky welcomed Truman Vincent into their family in the early morning hours on Friday, September 24th. Bob & Becky left their house a little after 1 am. It was another smooth & quick delivery for Becky, as Truman arrived at 3:15 am. Truman joins his siblings: Dorothy Jo, Grant, Carter, Wilson, Pierce, & Lincoln. (Did you notice all the boys have Presidents' names? :) )

Here's John checking out his future play-buddy:

Truman was very alert during our visit today. He's a happy, healthy, cute little boy! We had fun talking about which other brothers he resembles.

I love the expression on Brielle's face as she got her first up-close view of Truman.

Brielle was excited about holding another new baby.

Brielle & John also enjoyed a JELLO snack while we visited. I think they have learned that there are snacks when you visit the hospital because it was one of the first things they asked for when we arrived.

ATV rides

John & Brielle like going for rides on Grandpa Ted's ATV. John especially. They like to go look at the trains that go by. Lots of trains... trains that move VERY fast.

My heart definitely was beating faster when we went under this bridge! Tim stopped and we sat under it for several seconds until I shouted (shouted, because I had to be louder than the thundering train), "AHHHHH! LET'S GOOOO!!"

Brielle kept asking me later that day and for the next week, "Why did you tell Dad to GO when we were under the bridge? Was the bridge breaking?" I couldn't think of a perfect answer in that moment. I told her the bridge was not breaking. But then her "Why?" questions resumed. I didn't want to use the word "scared" because I don't want her to be scared of too many things yet.


I guess it's kind of like when you scream when you're on a roller coaster but you're not truly scared because you know you are safe, and I didn't know how to put that into terms for a 3 year-old. :)

Jenny & Jef's Wedding

Jenny & Jef were married on September 10th in the beautiful Carmel Valley, California. It was a gorgeous day... and the wedding was perfect.

Their good friend Tanja performed the marriage ceremony: it was sweet, sentimental, & funny :). Jenny & Jef wrote their own vows which, like Tanja's ceremony were also very intimate to the couple, but with a little humor. One of Jenny's creative vows went something like this... "I promise when it's been cloudy for 60 days and there is no swell, I will let you run away to the mountains to get your fix" :). (For those who don't know, Jef REALLY loves to surf, kayak, rock climb, trail run, etc.)

Brielle was the flower girl and John was the ring bearer. They did a pretty good job for a 3 year old & 2 year old. Our "walk down the aisle" started about 25 yards BEHIND the last row of chairs. Brielle did a nice job dropping all her petals; however, she ran out before she got to the people:). John walked on his own until he saw the crowd looking at him... he hesitated for just a few seconds, then Brielle caught up to him, and he started walking again, making it to the front. They stood with me for parts of the ceremony, but they were a little too chatty at times. (sorry, Jenny!)

Photos after the ceremony...

The beautiful couple... Dr. & Mrs. Field!!

SISTERS

Here's Johnny! We had a pink, clip-on tie all ready for this day, however, he wasn't crazy about having the top button done. "Too tight", he kept saying. He still looks just as good without the tie. And the brown Converse shoes were Alexia's idea- so cuuuute.

And beautiful Brielle LOVED LOVED LOVED being the flower girl. She was so proud:). She was protective of her white basket full of petals before the ceremony. She didn't want to lose any. In fact, she saw some rose bushes, and starting plucking more petals off so that she could fill her basket even more.

Jef & Jenny in front of the rustic buildings at Holman Ranch.

In the days before our trip, we told the kids we were going to be gone for 5 days and stay in a hotel. We arrived on a Wednesday night and left Sunday morning. On our last night, we were telling Brielle that we were getting on an airplane the next morning to fly home. She said "No, I am gonna stay for FIVE days!" She thought the trip passed quickly too. :)

Congratulations again, Jenny & Jef! We all had a wonderful time and couldn't be happier for the 2 of you as you begin the rest of your life together. Hooray!

My "little" sister :)

This girl got married last week! :)

Congratulations, Jenny & Jef!

Patches the Pony

Saturday afternoon nap

Her first nap in this chair :)


Funny thing is, just 5 minutes before we found her this way, she was coming out of her room to say she was done playing. John takes an afternoon nap every day. But Brielle has pretty much given them up besides once or twice a week. While John naps, Brielle has some "down time" and plays very well on her own. John woke up after only 45 minutes which is very unusual for him, so I was rocking him back to sleep. When Brielle came out, I whispered "shhh" so she wouldn't wake John. Well, she went back to her room. So why did she end up in the chair? I have 2 guesses: 1) her bed was so packed full of toys there was no room (TRUE) and 2) I don't think she was planning on falling asleep (maybe true)!

Welcome, Tessa!

We are so excited to welcome our new niece & cousin, Tessa Ann, into the family! She was born at 8:08pm yesterday. AND would you believe... Jolene & Terry arrived at the hospital just over one hour before that, around 7pm! Jolene taught at school all day, had a doctor's appointment, came home, made dinner, decided it was "time", then went to the hospital to have a baby... all in a day's work! Her siblings Connor, Emma, Josie, & Karley all got to meet her last night shortly after she was born.

Tessa is a cutie :) She was wide-eyed & alert when we visited tonight.


Oh my! Tessa had a busy room tonight when her visitors included 10 cousins, 3 aunts, 2 uncles-- all at once! Plus her 3 sisters, brother, mom & dad were there at this time. She was a popular girl today with several other family members stopping by to meet her.


Brielle was excited she had a chance to hold Baby Tessa.


Emma holds her little sister.


Tim, John, & Tessa.

What our kids learned on vacation this summer...

Brielle learned she can jump out pretty far to us, even when we're not right next to the side of the pool. Sometimes we 'accidentally' didn't catch her so that she realized she can land on her own. She didn't mind her face getting wet, especially after how excited we were- as in "WOW! Did you just do that by YOURSELF?!!!" She answered with a beaming smile... and sometimes a few seconds later, a sneeze to get the water out that went up her nose.


She also was excited to discover she can stand, walk around, & play in 3 feet of water on her own. This was great for Mom & Dad too :).
(This is the closest picture I have of her standing on her own.)


John, who loved jumping off the side EVEN MORE than Brielle, also learned he could float around & kick in this tube without our help. Check out that smile-- proud little guy he was!


They also learned about fishing...


including how to reel the fish in,


and how to hold it up so we all can see it.


And then when the fish is thrown back into the lake,
and the hook is empty because the worm got eaten,
then it's time to run to the bait container,
grab another worm,
and RIP! IT! IN! HALF!!!
(and "eeek!" says Mom, without Brielle hearing.)

Camping Trip flashback

Going back a few weeks, here are some of my other favorite photos...

Max


Damien


Lincoln


Willa


Jolene & Karley

"Grandma & Grandpa at the Farm"

John & Brielle always have so much fun visiting Grandma & Grandpa Berning, who they also call "Grandma and Grandpa at the Farm."


Grandpa runs with Karley & John.


Grandma, Brielle, & the kittens.

More about these kitties-- Brielle is IN LOVE! She even gave them names: Bella (the dark one) and DeAnna (the lighter one). Sometimes she calls DeAnna by the name Anna, depending on who asks her. Brielle says DeAnna has hair color like herself, and Bella has hair color like Uncle Terry. She has talked about these kittens almost every day since she first met them. She was very protective of the kittens, and worried about where they walked. She didn't want the cows to step on them! One challenge has been finding them when we have gone back, because the kittens have so many places to hide on the farm. We can't always find them- fortunately that hasn't upset Brielle because she figures they are hiding with their mommy.

(Thanks for the photos, Jolene!)

Her latest crush

Words cannot begin to describe this kitty-crush :)