Happy Birthday, Ryan!

My Little Man,

2 years already?! Where did the time go? I remember the first time I saw you. You had just been born and you were blinking, so surprised. Trying to take in the world around you. You seemed amazed by what you saw. You are still the same. "Oh, wow!" and "Cool!" are your two favorite phrases, and I love seeing the world - fresh and exciting - through your eyes.


You LOVE:

Cars. All day long I hear "Cool car!" You recently got some cars to play with and you would spend your whole day with them I think. You love to see cars driving by, and get in the car to go somewhere. You said that someday you will drive a cool car and take me for rides. I will hold you to that :)

Crackers. The first word out of your mouth almost every morning is "Cracker?" I might get a "Hi, mama!" but "cracker" will always follow quickly behind. You are a cracker connoisseur. You always have in mind what type of cracker you are craving at the moment, and staunchly reject any cracker that does not fit the mood. Thank goodness you now say "uh-huh" and "no" so I have a better idea of what cracker you want!

Bumble. The caterpillar that crawls out at the beginning of the Baby Einstein movies. You see him for 10 seconds, but you love him. You pray for Bumble every night. We have started collecting caterpillar things - a koosh caterpillar, a stuffed caterpillar, and caterpillar rhythm shaker. If it looks like Bumble, you love it. You've pulled your sister into this obsession as well!

Peas! This one cracks me up. You ask for peas at every meal. You beg for peas. I sometimes cannot get you to eat until I promise you peas! I've never met a kid who truly loves peas as much as you!

Animals. You, like your sister, LOVE animals and making animal noises. You get so excited to see a bird outside or a dog walk by. I cannot wait to take you to the zoo this summer because I know you will enjoy it even more!

You CAN:

Communicate! So well. Your sister loves letters and numbers and vocabulary, but you love conversation. You very quickly learned what you needed to say to get your point across and help us understand what you want. Thank goodness! I love being able to tell what you want, and communicate to you why you cannot have something (if that is the case), and have you understand as well! You are a conversationalist!

Run! You love to run. Your favorite game is running back and forth in the basement touching the walls. In high school, we hated this type of sprint, but you do dozens a day and think it is the best! You jump and climb, but you love to run.

Conduct! You love music. You are very into pianos, and like listening to music. But the best thing is that you enjoy conducting. You will hear music and you will lift your hands and sway them to the beat. You hate getting ready for bed at night, but I have started getting you to willingly comply by giving you a "conducting wand." I sing as you conduct - getting faster and slower or stopping depending on what you do. You think this is the most fun game, and you are actually quite good!

You ARE:

Jolly. I've said it since you were a baby - you have the jolliest laugh of anyone I've ever heard. It is so infectious. We can be other places and I will hear strangers say, "that little boy has the best laugh I've ever heard!" I think this is why your sister loves to make you laugh. And sometimes, if it has been to quiet for a while, I have seen you look around and then start laughing. I know you are laughing at nothing, but pretty soon I will be laughing and your sister will be laughing, and anyone else around will be laughing. You just like to spread laughter.

Focused. A good quality, to be sure. But currently it is this trait that ends in the most temper tantrums. When your mind is set on something, nothing else will satisfy. You become one-minded - throwing all your energy into that need/desire. Unfortunately, half the time I have no clue what that need/desire is! Daily, your ability to communicate increases, and this is getting better. But we also work daily to positively channel your focus.


Enthusiastic. When you get excited about something, you get so excited! You jump and scream and clap your hands! It can be something as simple as putting on your shoes or as big as having someone come to visit. seeing animals, hearing a favorite song, seeing a favorite toy you haven't seen in a while, discovering something new and "cool" - all these can cause the greatest of excitement. Your enthusiasm is contagious and it often gets your sister and I excited about even the smallest of events in our day.

You brighten every moment of the day. I can barely remember my life before you, but know it would not be near as great without you. We love you so much!

Happy Birthday, Ryan!

Happy Birthday, Allie!

My sweet Peanut,

I cannot believe you are already 2. There are moments when you act so much older (like when your brother is crying and you comfort him by gently stroking his head and saying, "Es okay, Buggy. Es okay." (translation: It's okay, Buddy). Or when you effortlessly identify every number, count to 10, and sing your ABC's. You frequently seem so old. But then, every now and then I catch a glimpse of my little baby. Usually when you wake up at night (which happens almost nightly) and just want to snuggle. You nestle in my arms, and I look down at your peaceful face, and, aside from being framed in tons of curls, it hasn't changed much since the very first night I held you.

You LOVE:

Letters & numbers, but especially the letter W and the number 8. Your eagle eye can spot these anywhere, and when counting or saying the alphabet you get to these as quickly as you can and shout them louder than any other.

Trucks. Big trucks, pickup trucks, semi trucks, delivery trucks, dump trucks. You can spot any truck in a book, movie, toy, or on the road. People are frequently amazed at how you distinguish between various types of truck. Boats have been recently added to your list of transportation that fascinates you and Papa & Gigi were shocked when he drew a picture and you told him it was a sailboat - not just a boat :)

Animals. You are obsessed with animals and animal sounds. This is one of the cutest things you do, and I LOVE teaching you new animal sounds and hearing you imitate them.

Singing. All of the sudden you have started singing along when I sing, and I frequently overhear you singing songs that you know (ABC's, Old MacDonald, The Doxology).

Dressing Up and Accessorizing. You love hats, bracelets, necklaces, scarfs, gloves, anything and everything accessory related or pretty. You turn EVERYTHING into an accessory, and I love seeing your creativity play out daily in this way.

Your Brother. You call him "Buggy" instead of "Buddy." I think it is adorable. You don't hesitate to steal toys from him when you want them, and you occasionally pest until he can't stand it anymore. But you love him so much. You comfort him when he is sad, entertain him when he is bored (you will do anything to make him laugh), give him a toy when he has none (provided it isn't a toy you want more), and hug and kiss him whenever he wants (or whenever Mama wants because it is so cute!). I love seeing how much you love him.

You Can:

JUMP! You are a little jumping bean. Ever since we bought the trampoline you jump like every surface is bouncy! You get incredible height and I am so amazed!

TALK! We have conversations now! I am consistently amazed at the sentences that come out of your mouth.

RUN! I would be shocked if you are not a runner when you get older. You run everywhere. You love to run! And you are fast!

You Are:

Stubborn. My dear one I think you got both of your Dad and my stubbornness combined into an uber-stubborn package. I know this has the potential to be an incredible asset someday, but it currently results in many tantrums. Girl, you can throw a tantrum! We work daily on channeling this in a more positive manner

Sweet. You love to give hugs and kisses. You frequently make Daddy and my day by starting it giving us good morning hugs and kisses. You work to make sure everything is fair. If we or brother say we are going to see Nana, you are the one who adds "and Poppy." or Let's call Papa "and Gigi." You try not to leave anyone out. You always want to be a good helper. You are the first to try to comfort someone who is upset (especially your brother). Your sweet spirit shines through every day.

Silly. You love to entertain and will do the silliest things to make the people around you (especially your brother) laugh. One of your favorites is to stop suddenly, jump up, and fall down on your bum. You think this is hilarious. You also have a great sense of humor. We love how often you laugh and the crazy things that make you laugh each day.

You are an absolute joy. Every minute (even during the tantrums) is a blessing. Your antics and laughter add so much to each day. We love you so much!

Happy Birthday, Allie!

Calling All Party Animals!

I cannot believe it is this time again. It feels like it could only be a couple of months since our last party, but somehow an entire year passed. Yikes! This year I decided to do a Jungle themed party - mostly because I knew what I had on hand and in my craft stock and I could pull this party off with the least money :)

I had a blast with the decorations - especially getting creative to see what I could find around the house to use. Things like:

Their "jungle" animals to welcome people to the party.

Jungle animals to decorate the table (and provide entertainment for the kiddos).
Leaves for borders and trees made out of things like

magazines
and gift bags!

Combined with felt leaf garlands, raffia vines, streamers, monkeys, and more animals I was able to create the "jungle" I had imagined :)

One of my favorite finds for the party was foam animal visors! Enough jungle animals for each kid to have one (and for a great price!!!!)

Before the party, the twins enjoyed playing in the decorated basement. The balloons were their favorite, and they had a blast letting them go...until they couldn't get them back!

Friends started to arrive and the kids gathered in the playroom. They had 11 friends who came to their birthday party!

This was H's first birthday party (aside from his own)!

Allie & E jumping in the trampoline.

An entire playroom full of toys and the balloons were still the clear favorite!

After the kids had a chance to run around, we played our party game - Safari Search! We hid hundreds of scraps of paper with animals on them. Each animal was worth a certain number of points and the team with the most points won!

Poppy helps Cuppycake find animals.

Calculators had to be pulled out to add up points :)

After the game, the twins opened presents. Opening presents turned out to be a group effort. I always feel badly (especially since 8 of the 11 kids at the party were within a 6 month age range of the twins) for little kids during the present opening. It is hard for them to understand why only 1 (or, in this case, 2) kid gets to open presents. So I willingly invited their friends to help (especially since the twins are young enough that they don't mind). Granted, it got a little frenzied, and I'm still finding presents that I didn't know they had been given...

Ryan and M open up the train to play.

These aprons were part of a gift and Ryan wouldn't take his off!

B helps Allie open a puzzle.

After presents we ate (things moved quickly with as little downtime as possible). I carefully planned an entire meal that was egg and dairy free so I could enjoy a party where I didn't have to follow the twins around to make sure they didn't steal something they were allergic to from someone else's plate. I enjoyed the party so much more. It was AWESOME!

After they ate - cupcakes!!!! After last year's disgusting cupcake debacle (the vegan mix at the health food store was not yummy), I researched and borrowed advice from friends to find a yummy cupcake AND frosting recipe. I can honestly say I could have eaten this frosting with a spoon! Funny moments: I forgot to put TWO candles on the cupcakes! I had a candle lit in each and was walking toward the table when someone pointed it out. Ooops!

Turns out that Ryan and Allie still do not know what it means to blow out a candle. They tried to touch the flame instead...mommy and daddy quickly remedied that situation!
Ryan dug right in.

After MUCH careful contemplation, Allie ate the bottom first (notice the green top behind the pink ball), and the top later!

The twins had a blast (and I hope everyone who came had just as much fun)!

Fun with Nana & Poppy

In the interest of keeping up, I wanted to post a few pictures (courtesy of Nana & Poppy's camera) from our trip to visit Nana & Poppy. One of the things Poppy does, that is loved by ALL of the grand kids, is "The Swing." Ryan and Allie were no exception. Look at those smiles!

As you can imagine, this (and the various other rides given during our visit) tired Poppy out. But, Ryan asks a very sweet "pweeeeees?" (the grandparents admit they cannot resist them when they say this word).

And Poppy is back in business and taking them to new heights!

Our weekend was filled with a lot of other great things (like our fabulous trip to the library where Allie hopped around their rug on all fours calling out all the letters and numbers and the reading tub - a literal bathtub filled with cushions - in which Ryan was content to sit forever)...that we didn't catch on camera. But one of the most fun events of the weekend - that we DID capture - was the invention of Twinner Ball.

As you can see, each grandparent holds a twin and uses their feet to catch and throw a ball. I think you can tell by the smiles that this fantastic game, while tiring, was a blast!

Sadly, our trip didn't include any sledding or snowmobiling (for the grown-ups)...because there wasn't enough snow! Definitely NOT common for Northern Michigan this time of the year. Oh, well. We still had plenty of fun :)

My Big, Fat, Overwhelming Catch-up Post

Because my brain has turned to mush, here is a quick (mostly pictorial) overview of everything else we have done over the past monthish...(or at least until the camera broke).

We visited our cousins! The twins had a blast with cousin Cuppycake. I had a blast holding and feeding a smiley baby D.

Eating lunch together :)

Then we made Valentine's. The twins weren't as into making them as I hoped they would be (so if you didn't get one, don't feel too badly. We didn't have many in the end).
They did enjoy decorating the floor though...

The twins played with their babies. Ryan very diligently carried this baby around one morning. He fed her, and gave her toys.

Allie preferred to read the Bible to her baby.

We went to Nebraska to spend a week with my mom after my grandpa's funeral. The twins were sick most of the trip, and the weather bitter cold, But we did get to play outside one day.

The twins in front of the cornfield in my backyard. A Nebraska landscape!

Ryan is laughing (in case you were wondering).

I love this picture of Ry-guy following Papa. It was so cute to watch him follow Papa & mimic his actions!

Papa took them for a ride in the wagon up and down the street. Fun fact: this is the same wagon he used to take me and my brothers for rides in when we were little!

While we were in Nebraska, my younger brother got engaged! It was so fun to spend some time with him just before he left for this big event (I was "in the know" which made it more fun), and then be with my parents when we got the call that she said yes! See the full story of how he proposed (and a picture of the ring!) HERE. I was personally impressed with the level of romance to which my goofy little brother rose. Congratulations!

It was while we were on the wagon ride that the camera broke. The good news is that it turned out to only be the lens, and we have 2 lenses. The bad news is that the lens that broke is our everyday lens, and the one we have left is the super zoom lens. Expect lots of close-ups to come :)

Allie & Ryan love to stand on the kneeler (that Lucas received as an ordination present from the Miller parents and Dunsmore grandparents) and look out the window.

We are gearing up for a trip to visit Nana & Poppy tomorrow, and then the twins' 2nd BIRTHDAY PARTY (craziness) when we get home. So there are definitely some posts to come...but maybe not for a little while...

Lucas' Ordination

I debated about just doing a giant recap that included Lucas' ordination. But this event was big, and special, and it deserved it's own post. Plus, we don't take a lot of opportunities to talk about us grown-ups.

For those unfamiliar with the what's and why's of ordination, an easy way to explain it is this: the ordination service is to a pastor and the church what a wedding ceremony is to a bride and groom. Prior to his ordination, Lucas met with a group of clergy, and they interviewed him and voted on whether or not to recommend him for ordination. He passed, and then the church had to meet, discuss, and vote on whether or not to present him for ordination (the vote was unanimously yes!).

To make the service even more special, it was attended by Lucas' friends from high school, college, seminary, and here. Granted, we didn't get a decent picture with any of them. But we did get this picture of our group of friends watching the service from the balcony. One of my favorite moments was when Lucas was giving his vows and I looked up to see the entire group, kids and all, looking over the rails of the balcony. I wished I had my camera to get a picture from the choir loft (where I was sitting)! We were so blessed to be surrounded by so many people from various stages of our life!

What was more, the service was also attended by pastors who served key roles in Lucas' life. Such as:

Lucas' pastor from a major portion of his growing up days. He played a key role in Lucas' early spiritual formation, and he gave the gospel presentation at the ordination.

Dr Reist. College professor and mentor. He was the pastor of this church before Lucas, and brought Lucas on as his "sidekick" as a way of allowing him to get his feet wet and test his calling. He gave Lucas every opportunity to preach, teach, visit, and minister. He also married us. He gave the sermon at the ordination.

Our friend, Adam, from seminary (who attended with wife, Sara). He and Lucas not only studied together to prepare for a life of ministry, but they were in a small group together. They shared struggles and fears, encouragement and support, petitions and prayers while preparing together for just such a day as this. He offered the closing prayer at the ordination.

And Bruce (pictured below. He is the one, in the group that is laying hands on Lucas, whose head is up and facing toward the left). Lucas' fellow associate pastor at the first church where he served as pastor. He was not only a mentor, but a friend. He taught Lucas so much about what it is to be a pastor. He offered the ordination prayer (and also preached in the morning).

Lucas also had a lot of family in attendance. The ones who have known him all his life. Who have seen his worst moments, and loved him regardless. Who have had a key part in shaping him into the man he is today (especially his parents). It was a blessing to have so many of them (we're talking parents, siblings, grandparent, aunts, uncles, cousins) there in a show of support and love. While you don't get to choose your family, we are very thankful for and blessed by the family we were given.

Aunts, uncles, cousins, and Grandma standing to be recognized.

Our family.

Lucas taking his vows.
And finally, our dear church family. We grew to love them when Lucas served, years ago, as youth pastor and sidekick. When we left, we cried like we had never cried before. They supported us while we were in seminary, stayed in contact during our time in MA, and willingly (evem excitedly) considered Lucas as a candidate! It was a joy to come back to serve as their pastor. It felt exceptionally fitting for this church to be the church that presented Lucas for ordination and celebrated this day with us. Lucas pointed out that in the same spot (in front of the stairs) Lucas and I got engaged, our twins were dedicated, and he was ordained. This church is incredibly precious to us. Also, it has been in the same basement that the church threw us a surprise wedding shower, celebrated our return, held a reception for our twins dedication, and gave the most wonderful dinner for all who attended the ordination. Oh, the food! And a chocolate fountain! These people know how to throw a party!

There is great weight in ordination. It is no light thing to take on the responsibility of teach, preaching, discipling, mentoring, serving, loving, and ministering as a life vocation. But I know my husband, I know his great love for God and God's church, I know his gifts and abilities, and passions, and I know he will serve humbly and faithfully for as long as God calls him to do so. It is a pleasure to be able to serve along side him.

Because there must always be at least one picture of the kiddos: Lucas with the twins :)