yellow brick roads and scary dragons...

This halloween we had such a fabulous time! Our sweet Dorothy and scary dragon had so much fun! It was so cold!! Poor Gavin was a trooper though and loved watching Lexi go from door to door. We got way too much candy though...guess I will have to help Lexi eat it!! :)

Here are some sweet pics of our fun filled night!

Happy Birthday Lexi!

Today my sweet little girl turned 7. It is hard to believe that 7 years have gone by since I brought her home. I was petrified yet completely smitten with her. I had all these ideas and expectations of what I wanted her to be like when she grew older. Now, as we are seeing her discover how to be her and to figure out who that is I think all my expectations have been exceeded. She is such a mature girl. She is so concerned about others and tries everyday to make us happy. She is smart and beautiful. She has such a sweet spirit that it is hard to deny that we have a loving Heavenly Father who would bless us with this amazing girl. I hope she knows how much we love her and how proud we are of the girl that she is and the young woman that she is becoming.

I love you so much Lexi!!! Happy Birthday!!!

Jamaican me Crazy Baby!

While in the Bahamas, Grandma and Grandpa Wing got Gavin this adorable hat! Is this not the cutest boy ever??

Thank you Grandma and Grandpa!!!

Our Last Hurrah!

Wow! Time has flown by this month. It is amazing how caught up in our lives we become. I have been so obsessed with having to go back to work this week that I haven't been enjoing what time I do have with my kids. As always, something reminded me just what is important in life. I realized I do have to go back to work no matter what so the thing to do is to make sure and make the most of all the time I do have with my family. I realized all the things that happened this month and all that I have been able to experience with my family. I really am blessed to have the incredible family that I have.

This past month Ryan and Lexi went back to school. We have had an interesting time trying to squeeze in some time with our oh so busy daddy. Only 2 more semesters and then we have him back!! Lexi is loving the first grade and suprises us each day with her maturity and desire to learn. She called a family council tonight because she was concerned that her homework was too easy. We told her that that was a good thing because that meant she was doing well and learning. She told us that it wasn't good because she should be challenging herself. (GO LEXI!!) She is going to ask the teacher tomorrow if she will send home additional homework or something more challenging for her. What a cute kid!!

(I don't think Ryan would have posed by the tree with his bookbag for a picture...)

This past month Lexi also developed pneumonia. This is the second time she has had it this year. The poor kid was home for a week. Let's just say we were all glad to have Lexi back in school! Here is a pic of her doing a treatment.
We were lucky enough this month to take a trip to Chicago for the Labor Day weekend. Our good friends Helmont and Jeanette and their daughter Julianna were able to come with us. While there we went down to Navy Pier to have dinner, ride the ferris wheel and watch fireworks. Gavin wishes he could have gone on the ferris wheel too I think...
We also made it down to the beach for some fun in the sun! Ryan convinced Lexi to let him bury her in the sand. Too cute!!!

(hehe)

And of course, here is what Gavin did at our trip to the beach. Zzzzz.....

As a thank you to Ryan's parents, Donna and David, for letting us stay at their apartment we decorated a little for Halloween. In the background you can see a little.

Such a good trip!

We have had such a great month with so many blessings. I am so grateful to my Heavenly Father for all he has given me and the ability to become the person that I want to be.

Super Sweeties!

This weekend we took the kids to the gardens at the Lily House. Absolutely beautiful place!! We were able to get some really cute pictures while we were there!

Lexi is getting so big! She amazes me with her maturity. I sometimes have to stop and remind myself she really is only 6.
Gavin is getting more fun with each day! He is more alert and has the sweetest smile. Too bad we couldn't get any for the pictures!

They are the best little kids! We are so proud to be their parents!!

Smile, Smile, Smile...

Gavin has begun smiling like crazy lately. He is totally in love with his big sister and his big sister is in love with him. She gets his biggest smiles! It is amazing how that sweet smile makes me melt every time!

My 1st Ballgame

Monday we were able to take Lexi and Gavin to an Indians game and we had a blast! We were given tickets to the Mayor's box so we invited friends and family to join us. Gavin was so good and with Nana and Pappy there Lexi, of course, had a blast! We had so much fun I think I might even be able to talk Ryan into going to another game! :)

What do you think...a little too big?? A few friends and family

What a Weekend

Last weekend we went to Chicago to visit Ryan's Dad and we had a great time!! We were able to visit the Zoo which was absolutely beautiful! We also went to the Chicago Art Institue Museum where we were able to see some beautiful pieces of art! Ryan was in heaven!! It was amazing seeing paintings that I had only heard of or seen in books.
On Saturday nights, fireworks are set off over Navy Pier and we were fortunate enough to be able to see them from David's apartment. It was so fun! Lexi had a blast hanging out with her grandparents! Now she is off to Mitchell for a week with Nana and Pappy. How good can one girl's life get?

Lexi, Grandma Donna and Grandpa David
Lexi pretending to be a Gorilla

Lexi and Grandma Donna on the Carousel

Lexi and Grandpa David

Gavin TOTALLY loves Lexi!

Rub-A-Dub-Dub

I finally broke down and gave Gavin his first "tub" bath this week thinking he might like it better than the old sponge bath at the sink...

...Nope! He just doesn't like to be wet and cold. Can't say I blame him. But for now, we will do sink baths to save Mommy's back. We will try again in a few weeks.

Gavin's Blessing

Gavin Michael was blessed July 5th, 2009 by his Daddy. It was such a special day and we are so happy to have him in our family! Here are some sweet pics of that special day!

Sister Amanda and her son Jason; Lexi me and Gavin; Sister Ashley and her son Sam and daughter Lily


Nana and Pappy with Gavin

Our fam with Helmont, Jeanette, and Julianna our great friends!!

The whole gang!

Fourth of July

This Fourth of July was the first we had spent together as a family because since we have been married Ryan has always worked that night. Well, this year was a big one. We both had the night off, we had bought tickets for Symphony on the Prairie, we had a picnic made...and we woke up to thunderstorms!! It rained the whole day. Needless to say, we did not make it to the Symphony. We had a wonderful day in the rain and finally about 9pm, Ryan and Lexi decided to shoot fireworks off in the rain. But before the sun went down we managed to get these pics on the front porch shielded from the rain! Altogether, it was a fun and rainy fourth of july and we enjoyed every second of it!

Lexi and Gavin

Make a funny face!

Daddy, Lexi and Gavin

Mommy, Lexi and Gavin

Mommy and Lexi making a Gavin face. (And of course, Gavin does not make it)

The Cousins

While my sister was in from Denver last month, we were able to get all the kids in for a photo shoot. They did considerably well and we got some great pics! What a bunch of cuties!!

If I've Told You Once ...

I've Told You a Thousand Times.

Don't shoot projectile explosives off of glass tables, especially when they are upside down.

This is a gem from last year, photos from this year to come.

You Are My Sunshine

Gavin Michael was born Wednesday June 10, 2009 at 9:09am. He was 7lbs. 14oz. and 19.75 inches long. He is absolutely perfect in every way! He has such a sweet disposition and he doesn't cry 20 hours a day like his sister did (much to the relief of his mother). He is such a wonderful addition to our family and we are all completely smitten with him.

These are his hospital pictures. They actually have a studio in the hospital that takes the baby pictures.

This is Gavin shortly after birth. I love how even the c-section babies have that swollen water-overload look.

Mommy and Gavin together for the first time! He is so precious. Don't you like the hair net??

Daddy and Gavin in recovery. Daddy was the first person to get to hold Gavin (besides the doctor and nurses). The nurse handed him to Ryan and Gavin fell silent for the first time. He cried from the time they pulled him out until they gave him to Ryan. How sweet!!

And of course the proud sister! Lexi is so in love with her little brother. She would sit and hold him all day if he would let her. But he seems to like mom some of the time too. Can't imagine why??

Isn't she so sweet? While we were in the recovery room, Gavin was crying and couldn't be consoled. Lexi began singing "You Are My Sunshine" and he fell silent. When she quit, he began again. So she started singing again, and he quit crying. She is now our little singer when Gavin is crying!

Our first family picture. This was the day we went home. What a sweet day!

Gavin and Pappy

Gavin and Nana

Gavin and Grandpa Wing

Gavin and Grandma Wing

Three generations of Wing men.

The kiddos.

So precious