Family Update July 2013

Here we are again, my YEARLY family update.  Pathetic, I know.  But, vacation time is the only time I have for blogging.  So be it.  :)

Let me give you a monthly rundown, starting from last September...

 Fort 4 Fitness 10K Fall 2013 - Hollie and MommyK

 Mathnasium Competition - Sid the Science Kid got 3rd Place

 Miracle with her physical therapist working on head control

 Soccer season!

 Ready for the Johnny Appleseed Festival decked out in ND attire

Miracle with her therapy cat, Oreo.  She's now 3!

October...

 Grandma K made Princess Pea matching PJs for her to match her American Girl Doll Josephina

 Sister Love

 

Getting her ears pierced!

  A new bike from Papaw B and a scooter for her AGD Makenna sent from her BFF in CA, Makia

Birthday party at a local farm

 First time roller skating for the girls at a birthday party!

I met Barrack Obama while ministering at our church's Harvest Party!  -hehe-

 Co-op presentation from archeologist

 Sid the Science Kid's Tabernacle

 I met Tim Hawkins and gave him a PINK TRACTOR from our Deaf Pastor who looooves him.

(If you aren't familiar, check him out HERE)

 Boo Boo reading to Miracle

Family Photo Shoot highlights...

 Princess Pea, 8

 Angelica Pickles, 6

Boo Boo, 4

 Sid the Science Kid, 9

Miracle, 3

November....

 My 2nd grade co-op class dressed as the Early American History figures we studied

 Sister Love

 Science Central (the older kids took a plant and animal class)

 Pedestrian and Fire Safety classes and Safety Village

 Junior Bible Quiz meets

 Beautiful Girls

 First time at the lighting of the downtown holiday lights

 With the cousins on Thanksgiving Day

 Thanksgiving Day we lost our kitten, Oreo.  Thankfully after 36 hours, he came right back home!

The Bestest Big Sister

December...

 Bundled up for an outdoor field trip

 Project fun at Christmas time!

Visiting with great friends from CA

Makia is Gracelyn's BFF

 Attempting to get Christmas photos

 Grandma K made Dorothy dresses for the girls AND their dolls,

complete with shiny red shoes!

 After Christmas MommyK took a trip to CA to help with a friend 

who has three kids whose husband was deployed to Afghanistan.

 MommyK and Andrea

 While in CA, I got to meet the author of the book I Am Intelligent and mother of Peyton Goddard, along with Peyton herself, a woman affected with autism that communicates only through using facilitated typing.  A very encouraging story of the struggles and accomplishments of an amazing woman.

Peyton with her mother and father

January....

 First dance presentation with the dance ministry at church

A rare moment when Miracle doesn't mind her stander

 I adapted a lunch box to be a cute feeding bag for Miracle 

More Junior Bible Quiz meets - FYI it's mismatch day...I don't really dress my kids like that, LOL

February....

 Marriage Retreat with Mr. Prince

 Cousins wearing the same shirt, Avery and Miracle

 Science Central day on animals - They are dissecting a shark

 Valentine's Party at church with other homeschool families

 New hat!  Miracle has lots of owl stuff.  For one, it's cute. For two, owls are mysterious, quiet and are way more intelligent and purposeful than you think....just like Miracle. 

 Princess Pea at the ER waiting for stitches

 The girls dancing with Miracle

 Skating as a family this time and Boo Boo did great!

 Miracle had fun, too

 

 Miracle trying her best to get out of this so she can slump over, booger!

March....

 Sid the Science Kid turned 10

He also got a bike from PaPaw B

 Piling in the ancient elevator to visit Mr. Prince at his school.

 Highlight of their day.  They are homeschooled...remember?  ;)

 Yes, snow in March.

 At Miracle's annual appointment at Riley's Children's Hospital they told us she 

does NOT have the hip dysplasia mentioned a year ago.  Good news!

 Dual therapy with OT and PT, four point

 Junior Bible Quiz state competition

 Easter Play - us girls were angels in Act II

 Mr. Prince as John and brother-in-law, Brandon, a Roman soldier

 Brandon, MommyK, Mr. Prince

Princess Pea, Angelica Pickles, Sid the Science Kid

 Jewish family

 Sid the Science Kid got the kid's solo part and did AMAZING!

April...

 Miracle had two weeks in intense physical therapy in Pontiac, MI

the first two weeks in April.  These are the granddaughters of my host

family, who adore Miracle.

 The girls picked this musical seahorse out for Miracle as a gift 

because they knew she loved music and lights.  SO SWEET!!!

 Bianca, the oldest, also wears a hand splint like Miracle's due to a stroke in the womb.

  I think that's why they have a special bond.  :)

 Working hard!

 Rolling!

 She's generally not happy during these sessions...

Unless she's being massaged or stretched!  

I was out of town the day Boo Boo turned 5, so we celebrated together through Skype.

He got some Ninja Turtle dress up stuff, so they all turned into Ninja Turtles right before my eyes!

 

I brought home some special gifts when I visited the weekend between therapy weeks.

 Miracle was doing SO GOOD with eating before therapy in MI.  

We were debating weaning her from some of her tube feedings...

Then just two days after being home from therapy she had a 2.5 hour seizure.

Miracle still hasn't fully recovered from this seizure almost 4 months later.

She's eating very little by mouth now and lost a lot of what she gain in MI.

She was in the hospital for almost a week.  It was rough.

This was her when they first arrived.  Just sleeping.

 But the kids always make her smile.  

After days of no emotion and not even opening her eyes,

she's perfectly happy when her siblings visit!

 Restored to Glory dance ministry presentation on Moses was this Spring and it was FABULOUS!

 The girls were Jewish people again, ha!

 Princess Pea and Angelica Pickles

 Their dance teacher and favorite person, Wanzie

 Teacher's assistant, Holly

 The kids also had their annual Kids Choir performance

 3D Kids Choir performance

Sid the Science Kid was the Biztown News editor during the Junior Achievement Day at Biztown

May....

 This photo cracks me up! This was my attempt at trying to keep Miracles legs down so she will sit in her wheelchair correctly and keep her AFOs on.  Her tone has been increased since the April seizure. 

It obviously didn't work and she thinks it's so funny.

Angelica Pickles and Sid the Science Kid were baptized in May!

Nothing make you more proud or breaks your heart more than a moment like this.

Doesn't this picture just capture her little heart?

Worshipping with Grandma K beforehand

Can you tell Sid looks a little nervous?

He refused to have his picture taken most of the day.

He asked to be a part of this one, but I don't think he was positive he really wanted to, ha!

After baptism.  These two usually never ever ever ever do not get along. 

It was sweet for them to share this together.

I hope it will change how they feel about each other some day.

We studied the Human Body this spring and Boo Boo LOVED it. 

Brain surgeon, sure!

Angelica Pickles turned 7 and got her first American Girl doll!

She got Ivy.  She's always loved Asian dolls.

Finally warm outside!  Playing with some great family friends.

Miracle has the best nurses EVER!  

Cathy entertains all of my children if I don't....

Angelica Pickles loves to help with Miracle.  Here she is feeding her.

Miracle is still having a hard time eating.  ;(

We had a couple week where storms or sickness were keeping up one or more kids.
Our bed is the go-to for such occurrences.  But, who can stay upset when they wake up to this?

June...

 Angelica Pickles has a friend battling Lukemia right now.

She had a chance to visit her when she was feeling well.

They are so cute.

 MommyK and Miracle

 MommyK, Mr. Prince and Miracle

 

The age-old joke about losing your tooth in an apple.

Yeah, it happens.

 Hiking with a fellow homeschool family

 We love splash pads

 Sending a beloved babysitter, dance teacher and friend to college.

 Soccer awards

 Soccer carnival is always fun

Sid the Science Kid, in case you couldn't tell...

 Father's Day 2013...the kids made hats at church for him.

Cousins

More craft projects making life with all this extra equipment a little easier.
Feeding tube extension bags.

The three oldest went to Summer Clubhouse with Mr. Prince,
so it was just Boo Boo and me when the nurse had Miracle during the day.
So.much.fun.

My mother came up and helped me do some landscaping.

July...

 Family Vacation - Creation Museum, KY

 Prototype to the Brooklyn Bridge in Cincinnati, OH

 Carew Tower - Cincinnati, OH

 Trammel Fossil Park

 Boonshoft Children's Discovery Center - Dayton, OH
\
 

First Skyline experience

 IL to visit MommyK's family

 We love visiting with Great Grandma Liz

 3D movie

 Adapted backpack to be a g-tube bag for a little girl that uses a pump 18hrs a day


First Drive-in movie - Dispicable Me 2

Visiting great family friends in IL

 I cannot remember the last time my brother and I took a photo together - Aaron

 Intense therapy in MI again

Crawling

So, that was our whole year in pictures.

 Are you caught up now?

:)