Oh Man she is a cutie!

What a Beautiful baby! Really couldn't you just eat her up? She is the best!

Thanksgiving...

Oh Yes, I am just now posting our pictures of thanksgiving.... This one is of the kiddos making their traditional OREO turkeys. This is by far and away one of the best traditions passed down by my family:) The kids also did a great job decorating the table. We made the entire dinner even though it was just our little gang this year. We even made a 16.5 pound turkey...(I froze a bunch of the meat for easy dinners to come) The girls did an awesome job on the pies! Kenzie made a pecan Pie for the first time ever, and Emily made her famous Pumpkin Pie again this year. Brian bought a log for the fire and we also enjoyed the New York Macy's Day Parade and the Black Friday ads...I would have to say that we had an awesome loving day and it was just about perfect.

Cuties

Just a very quick post with some of the cute snap shots we've taken lately....Mackenzie and Callie at the Drama night, Ryan loving on Olivia, and Olivia experiencing her first taste of grass.

Halloween fun

Hello. Brian here. Just thought I'd share some Halloween photos from this past week.

Olivia dressed up as a cheetah, Ryan was Indiana Jones with spiders hanging from hat, Emily a box of Skittles and Mackenzie a snack vending machine.

We had a lot of fun. Earlier in the week was the annual YMCA carnival, Friday was the annual "Scare on the Square" in downtown McKinney and yesterday was the trunk-or-treat at the Stake center.

One bonus to our already fun week was Emily and Mackenzie both won first place awards in the McKinney costume contest in the "Green" category. Jamie used the big cardboard boxes we had in the garage from our recent washer/dryer purchase and made the costumes. We saw some really cool costumes that night. Those boxes made their shoulders sore and tired after walking around in them all week, but they did great and didn't complain. They knew not to complain or Dad would eat all of their candy. :)

Jamie really worked hard on those boxes in her "spare" time. She did a great job.

Anyway, we are very thankful to get to spend this time together and never want to take it for granted. We all ate Jamie's delicious homemade chili on a "cold" Halloween Texas night!

Apparently it's a tradition...

Traditions run deep with my kiddos...in fact I am discovering that we have many "traditions" that I did not even know about...like making caramel apples on the family home evening before Halloween. Emily informed me that we just had to because it's one of our greatest fall traditions. I guess traditions can be anything you want them to be. This week I was talking with my mom and I mentioned that I kept wanting...no NEEDING to make cinnamon rolls for some reason. Really...I felt like I just had to make them...and really I do not even like them, and the family is not crazy about them...But I NEEDED and felt compelled to make them. I then said, " what is it about fall that makes me think you have to have cinnamon rolls?" And sure enough, Mom said that she ALWAYS made cinnamon rolls during the fall...because that is what her mom did. That they just go hand in hand with the fall season. I was talking with my brother tonight and guess what he said...."I'm making cinnamon rolls for dessert tomorrow"...Yep...traditions.

Halloween cupcakes

Ryan's witch cupcake

Emilys cupcakes

Mackenzie's cupcakes

Early release day happens every quarter of school and I try to do something fun with the kids each time. This early Friday we decided to make Halloween cupcakes. I scavenged the stores to buy the right candy for the designs the kids had picked out....note to self....airheads and laffy taffy's turn gooey and gross once placed in the fridge in order to go in the lunch boxes the next morning...ugh! They had a great time decorating their cupcakes...Ryan had a great time eating the candy and I enjoyed watching what they came up with. Not only were they candy covered...but I also made the cupcakes out of some fabulous new recipes that I blogged about over on my "sweetbakes" blog if you are interested in the recipes.

Some of my favorite moments with my kids are when they are gathered around the kitchen crafting or cooking together...they are so nice to each other and they are truly happy...too bad we can't duplicate that when it Saturday chore time!

Too Long!

Crazy Hair Day at school....Emily's hair was wired into a heart....I always use crayola finger paint...it is bright and gives many more colors than the hair spray.

Crazy Hat Day at the school...Olivia trying on Emily's hat.

It has been way to long since I have posted....Time really starts to fly by when you grow up! I returned last Saturday from Utah, I went to be with my mom during a surgery....a very yucky surgery. I went to be my mom's "Nurse" at home....I spent about 8 days in Utah, and for most of it mom was in the hospital...which was the size of a closet. The surgery became more complicated and my poor mom ended up with 25 metal staples keeping her together...4 laser wounds in her sides and miserable. Olivia and I spent all day in the hospital...trying to be helpful, not touching anything, and being quiet....not exactly what a 9 month old baby wanted to do. Olivia also decided that she would not only NOT let anyone hold her...but would not want them approaching her as if they might take her...she would give them warning grunts to back away.

The good news is that my mom is now recovering, doing very well...she is one tough cookie! My flight was safe and I got my yearly dose of See's Chocolates (again). So it wasn't exactly a "vacation" visit...but time spent with my mom and sister's is always my favorite.

Brian braved the home front for the entire time. The kids were in heaven and I think they could have stood another week without even noticing I was gone. It helped that the meals were something like this....kid cuisine frozen dinners, Little Ceasers, Subway, Scotty P's hamburgers, frozen pizza...and so on. A far cry from my wholesome, organic fare I have them on. They also ignored bedtime and chores...at least until Saturday at noon (my flight came in at 6 pm). But he also had to deal with all kinds of schedule juggling, even a kid filled trip to a Broadway Musical and the state Fair! ...(more to come on that later) and I am grateful that he supported me going to be with my mom.

This week I am working on putting together a "Wing Family Store"...a new reward system that I am starting for my little darlings....who are driving us crazy with behavior issues lately...we will see how it works. They will earn points to either cash into "reward cards" or to spend in the store...should be fun.

I made an awesome Lasagna for dinner last night...everyone loved it...and what they didn't know is that I "hide" 2 cups of butternut squash, 2 cups fresh spinach, and 2 cups roasted asparagus in it....little twerps didn't suspect a thing!

8 Months Old!

The kids in Austin on the way to San Antonio...it was a million degrees!

Olivia outside of McKinney Medical for NICU party.

Olivia is 8 months old today! Time is flying by...we went to her NICU Anniversary party a few weeks ago. The experience was bitter sweet.. drudging up old feelings from her traumatic birth and time spent in the NICU, and at the same time such feelings of love and thankfulness that she is here and so healthy and well. She is finally sitting up on her own! She is eating solid food...even fed herself banana chunks at the dinner table tonight! She is still itty bitty...in fact she is still mostly in her 0 to 3 month old clothes. She can fit into the 3 to 6 months...but can also still wear her NEWBORN sized onsies! Who knows maybe she was destined to be a little thing even if she were full term.

That being said she may be a little thing in size but not in SASS! She is by far the most SPOILED baby on the planet. She demands to be held all of the time. A friend told me today that it is because I have trained her that way...and that is true...but not ME alone...those darn sisters! Tonight I was trying to "teach" Olivia how to go to sleep on her own. I rocked and loved her and then when mostly, but not entirely asleep, I laid her down and walked out. She let out her first peep of a cry and MacKenzie comes running down stairs, flips on the bedroom light, and rushes to Olivia's rescue. I was not a happy mom...and Kenzie did not care, she just continued to hold and play with Olivia....this would be why the baby is SO SPOILED! What's a mom to do. By the way Brian is just as bad if not worse at giving little Olivia EVERYTHING she wants.

In other Wing news...Brian ran an awesome 5K in Arkansas on Saturday...his time was 22 min! I was proud of him. I ran my kind of race...... against myself on Monday.... and logged 11 miles of sweaty, hilly fun. :)

The kids are doing awesome in school...lots of homework already. Emily is in GT and her homework is HARD! I had to help her with an essay tonight on "The Family as a Social Institution"...How it fits, what are its goals, Why it is important to her, what it means, on and on...she's 9 years old, and its the first weeks of school, UGH! Kenz has a "crush" that I get to hear about after school everyday ;) She is also doing lots of homework, and is really impressing by getting up happy and early ever morning. Ryan is a crazy bike rider lately. He convinced Brian to ride bikes with him to the church and back....in 100 degree weather. About 8 to 10 miles? He fell and bloodied his ankle twice, but kept going. It took them about 2 hours, but he was so happy.

Other than that life is busy and blessed, busy...Volleyball, Dance, Piano, Activity Days, Softball, Brian starts a new class next week, I picked up 2 new classes at the Y, Cakes/Cookie orders, running, and Baby...blessed because we are a family...and Emily summed it up in her closing remarks on her essay tonight..In her words....

"Family is to Social Institutions, like the Heart is to the body...essential to all other functions......it is what keeps us "pumping"... your heart pumps your blood, and your family pumps your soul with happiness....Family lifts us up with love, encouragement, forgiveness, happiness and support...it is the only social institution that will stay with you forever....You may lose your teachers, friends, jobs, and money but you will never loose your family. They will always be there for you."

Emily's Sock Monkey

Emily was having a very summer bored moment...and I was just finishing a cake. So I suggested she take the extra cake I baked and the extra butter cream frosting and make an Emily Original Cake. She went to my computer and looked up some ideas...then came back to the kitchen and made this! She is SO good! She really came up with the idea, sculpted and decorated the entire cake all by herself. I LOVED it!

Mackenzie caught it!

Mackenzie, after being harassed by dad for 2 weeks now, has entered a summer photo contest for the newspaper. The theme is summer. I LOVE this picture of Olivia...to me (proud mommy) it screams the best parts of summer evenings. Olivia was out watching the boys work on their bikes. (Brian and Ryan went to a class down at REI on bike maintenance...they are pros now:) she was so happy just basking in the sunshine. I love the way the kids still adore her at every moment. It is astonishing to think of the blessings this little person has brought to our lives. We love and adore her...and I'm sure she knows it. She is definitely the ruler of this house. Between mom, sisters, brother and dad she pretty much gets ANYTHING and EVERYTHING she wants....Can you imagine how its going to be at age 2 and 3? I am so grateful and thankful that she is a part of our eternal family. She has brought with her such sweet emotion and love to our household. God is good.

My Sister Rocks!

My sister is a professional photographer...and she is awesome. I have said it before and I am living it again with some of her latest pictures from our photo shoot last month. I haven't seen all of the pictures but needed a full body shot of Emily for something that she is entering. Take a look at this beautiful girl! So my idea is to have my sister fly out this spring and do Family and individual sessions on location for me and my friends...if this sounds like something you might want to participate with me in... please let me know...she is very reasonably priced and is so very talented. You can visit her blog and web sight in my link, Pretty Pictures.

Okay that's a beautiful baby

I might be a little tad bias but I really think she is THE most beautiful baby...her dad's not half bad either :)

Road Trippin

So when we first discussed going to Utah for a trip this summer we really thought we should and would fly...however the kids convinced us that the drive and the hotel were some of the best memories and traditions. This being said...even with a 5 month old baby in toe we made the drive. Amazingly Olivia did an awesome job, she slept most of the time. We were determined to keep her happy, and so we even strapped her own DVD player to the back of the seat and let her watch Tom and Jerry...good parenting skills..want anymore pointers from us?

We stayed half way in ABQ like always even at the same hotel that is..."the best ever mom, it has MEATBALL's and all you can eat SODA!" I tried to venture to the Embassy Suites this time but was over ruled by "tradition". We hiked to the Arch in southern Utah and had a very good all people happy road trip.

Utah Happiness

We have just returned from the best family trip to Utah. We had such a great time and I am so sad that it went by so fast. I really think I was just cheated with only staying 2 weeks! :) The first weekend in Utah we celebrated the 4th of July. I ran in the 10k in Provo. It was my first 10k race (I usually stick with 5K) but for driving in at 11 pm the night before, getting 4 hours of sleep, and nursing my 5 month old baby I think I did ok. My time was 48 min even. I was 200 something out of almost 4,000 runners. It was an awesome course and perfect weather.

We then celebrated with the parade and fireworks with friends and family that night...perfect I tell ya.

This picture of Olivia was snapped by my cousin. We had a fabulous reunion of sorts with all of my cousins on my mom's side of the family. I LOVE all of them and it was so great to see them and to visit. I wish that I lived right by the whole lot of them they are truly the funnest, happiest people I know. I have many more adventures and pictures to share of our trip...but alas Oliva is needing a bath in a very smelly way!

Friends

My girls have the funnest friends...and there are a few in particular that I really love when they play together...because they have such a good time. (and because I really like their moms!) I see the girls making a couple of best friends that I hope will last their lifetimes. Brian has a couple of friends that he met in kindergarten that he is still very close with. I hope that for the girls and their best friends. They are the type of friend that you do not have to try to entertain...and that make the girls light up and smile doing just about anything, and nothing at all. Emily had her friend over this week and they made...a TV Dinner....Peas and carrots, mashed potatoes and a sunflower. These cupcakes were so much fun. They were taken from the book Hello Cupcake and were fast, fun and yummy. The girls did an awesome job. They really made theses all by themselves. Really, the girls and their crafty talents are quickly outdoing anything that I can do with some buttercream :)

Good Times

Brian took the kids to visit Grandma and Grandpa this weekend. The kids LOVE going to Arkansas. This is a picture of them at The Old Mill with George and Gayle...and thier Arkansas glisten...its humid. I stayed home with Olivia, I did not think she should travel so soon after her illness, she is still having coughing fits and, so close to her 24 hour drive to Utah. Olivia hates no... HATES the car...she screams the entire time...whether it is 5 minuets or 35 she will yell....the drive to Utah should be very interesting. Can I just say that I was so bored and lonely. Having the house to myself sounded very charming and relaxing but the truth is Brian and the kids are my entire life. They really mean everything to me. I had no reason to cook, play or even yell :) I need to remind myself of these feelings when I am in the middle of pulling my hair out with frustration. It is so good to live in a house full of noise and mess and chaos. I can't wait for them to come home and give me something to do. however, (I did quite like waking up to a clean house every morning and having it stay that way...all day:)

Really another ride in the Ambulance?

Just because we like excitement around here....
Olivia has been suffering with a very bad cough/cold for over two weeks and to make a very long story short...
After being repeatedly mis-diagnosed for over two weeks I finally took her to get a second opinion at a new pediatrician last Wednesday. He listened to her and said "Oh, she is REALLY bad" . He then proceeded to give her all sorts of test and then immediately started breathing treatments on her in the office. She at this point had pneumonia in both lungs. Remember I said I would make the long story short....
By Friday she was even worse and even worse than that... her "Whooping Cough" test came back positive! I took her into his office at 2pm on Friday and they transferred her by ambulance down to the Children's Hospital (the 3rd one they called was the only one that had a bed for her...isn't that sad there is so many sick children). So we spent 3 days in the hospital...with some very scary moments...and my birthday:( but the good news is that she is getting a little better everyday. Unfortunately because it was not diagnosed in the beginning and she suffered with it for so long untreated...there is not much they can do for her and it will just have to run its course.
Each time something happens I am both puzzled...what do I need to learn from this experience? and grateful for all that the Lord has blessed us with. God is good and shows us his tender mercies everyday....today Olivia laughed out loud at me when I kissed all over her neck. It was wonderful.

The Bumbo

Olivia loves her mommy! In fact every night from about 5 pm on... I am the only one that she will allow to hold her. She has had a cold and cough and so it has been even worse....but thinking about the blessing of having her here and it being just a cold makes it easier to put the rest of life on hold and love on her. A friend of mine gave me this Bumbo chair...saying that it might give me 5 more minutes when frosting a cake :) Olivia loves it for about 7 minutes! Doesn't she look cute...and so grown-up. Just in the last few days I think she has had a major growth spurt. I have been so eager for her to get a little bigger..and now I am already to slow her down and have her be my little baby. I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE having a baby, life really just does not get any better than having a snugly little person to love on all the time!

Volleyball is over!

The girls finished up their seasons of Volleyball this past week. Emily and the Heartbreakers took an un-defeated season! They took home not one but two trophies...and they are huge (let the battle begin as to where they will be displayed)...Yeah Emily! Mackenzie and the Spike Girls went to the finals and did not win but played AWESOME ball and made huge strides in their game. Yeah Kenz! Mom and dad are just glad that we are now freed up on Monday and Tuesday nights...as well as Saturdays! Now Brian is starting Track with Ryan...no rest for the weary!

Burrito

Thanks to her extended stay at the NICU...Olivia cannot sleep unless she is wrapped...as tight as you can get her, like a burrito. I think it is cute ...now...when she is 11 years old... maybe not.

On this day she had just received her immunization for whooping cough and I had given her Tylenol..she slept ALL day. I think I will remember that for our 24 hour car ride to Utah this summer...just kidding.

Banana Grams!

This is such a great and addicting game! If you do not have it...buy it. We were introduced to it last summer at aunt Jessica's home. We love it and the kids talked Eric and Heather into playing it with them at least 172 times while they were here. Thanks guys! Really when I say Eric and Heather are the IT...it is so true. The kids...all of them LOVE and adore them. Eric and Heather are just about the two nicest people I have ever met...really. They played endless crazy games with the kids...tolerated many a WII game and even acted excited and happy the whole time...when I grow-up I know who I want to be like.

Blessings

I must tell you that Sunday mornings are mostly quite rough at our house...but in this case the reason for Ryan's true expression is that I was making him wear a PINK tie...Ohh the horror. He actually snuck a different tie in his pocket, and had Uncle Eric switch it out when we got to church...his dad is not helpful in this matter...

Our sweet Olivia was blessed. She was wonderful and even though the dress turned out to be way to big on her, she looked beautiful! We had such a wonderful time with Brian's family in town. Olivia should be happy to know that they were willing to travel from Utah and Arkansas to witness her special day. It meant a lot to us. My sister Jessica bought her dress for me in Utah and sent it to me. I was on a hunt for something simple, white and beautiful. I think she found the perfect dress. I ended up sewing the shoulders about an inch (my sewing friends would have been horrified) I left the slack and just ironed it really well. I also (the morning of) made her a white hair bow...because she couldn't go bow-less you know. All in all it was an wonderful weekend filled with grandma and grandpa Wing, Carlton and family and also Eric and Heather...(the new superstars in the family). Good Times.

Just shut their head in the freezer door..

Many years ago a girl told me of how she had a kitten that the family loved...unfortunately the kitten got its head slammed in the freezer door one day. Well the kitten never grew up! It stayed little and sweet always. The girl said it was now an inside joke...that when ever she was feeling like her kids were growing up to fast, or wanted to "freeze" the moments with them sweet and little...that she wished she could shut their head in the freezer.... I thought of this tonight when I saw this picture of my girls...they look so grown-up! When did that happen?

More and more I am realizing that time is the most precious gift we are given...and how we spend that time is so critical. I have wasted a massive amount of time in my life...worrying about insignificant things...

I want to savor my time with my little people around here...I want to hear all about Ryan's field trip to the gardens and how the bus ride was..."the longest ever mom...it took us at least 2 hours to get back to Wolford..." or how **** boy keeps asking MacKenzie to be his girlfriend...say what!....11 years old...and how she said, "sorry but my mom said no...we are way to young..." or watching Emily practice over and over her dance to "Umbrella" for the school talent show this coming weekend....this is time well spent.... If only I could live more in the moments every day as I wish too....If only my little people knew how much I truly love them...even in the moments of insanity...that have come a little too often lately :) That they are my every smile and breath....