The Gustafsons

Puerto Rico

2012-02-16T21:43:00.000-06:00

Ted and I were able to escape from our busy lives to enjoy some time together in the lovely Puerto Rico! It was A-mazing. Be prepared for lots of pictures to justify the amazingess we saw and enjoyed!

Day 1: Flying- We flew out of MSP airport to Philidelphia then to Puerto Rico. It was a day filled with traveling. We got to our resort around 7:30 in the evening and enjoyed a meal together.

We are looking mighty chipper for 6:00 am.

Day 2: Beach/Pool/Gender Reveal - This day we spent some time familiarizing ourselves with the resort, making our site seeing plans, and revealing the gender of our little pumpkin.

Our room.

The view from our balcony.

Atlantic Ocean

Mountain view

24 weeks

Is the baby a......

OR a ....

Only this envelope knows...

So we went to a nice restaurant on the resort. We told the server that we would like them to prepare a desert for us with the necessary pink or blue to reveal to us the gender of our little pumpkin.

Here it is!

The server presented this desert to us with the chocolate box covering the gender colored sherbet. Together Ted and I lifted the box to reveal the gender of our baby! So fun!

It's PINK!

And it was tasty!

Letter to prove it and one happy momma!

Day 3: El Yunque National Rainforest, Old San Juan

Our rental minivan. Awesome!

So we took the van and drove up through the mountain rainforest. We then stopped at various trails to truly experience the rainforest. This is one of our favorite things we did in Puerto Rico.

Waterfall....

Tree Star for my Hayden.

The treacherous path that lies ahead. Whew!

Ted wanted to take some high elevation trails with "difficult/challenging" paths. Ones that require approximately 45 minutes (one way) of hiking with a pregnant wife........hmmmm.

The beast of a trail.

Lookout tower.

The glimpse we got as the clouds were surrounding us to rain.

The next trail we followed took us to La Mina Waterfall. The hike was downhill following the entire waterfall. It was an amazing site when we reached the bottom.

New Trail to La Mina Waterfall.

La Mina Waterfall.

So it was a little chilly.

Beautiful

Later that day we drove to Old San Juan, Puerto Rico. Our first stop was to visit the fort.

We finished the day in downtown Old San Juan.

Downtown Old San Juan.

Day 3: Beach Day! We spent the day at the resort relaxing by the beach and pools. It was also the day that we got so sunburnt that to this day my hands are peeling. That's a first.

Burning....

The resort had some iguanas on location. There is a daily feeding of these 3-5 feet "small dinosaurs" as they called them.

We ended the day with supper.

All this gave us the meat sweats. Whew!

Day 4: Culebra Island. This consisted of taking a 1 1/2 hour ferry to the island of Culebra to swim in the 2nd rated beach in the world and snorkeling. This was another highlight of the trip for us.

Our Ferry

Flamenco Beach!

Snorkeling at Tamarindo Beach.

Sea Urchin

Coral Farm

Coral Reef

We also saw 4-6 sea turtles. We never thought we would see one, let alone 4-6 of them! Pictures didn't turn out the best, but we got a good video.

Ferry ride home.

Sunset from the ferry.

Day 5: Go Home.

Hope to see you soon Puerto Rico!

Our boys on the drive home supporting their Puerto Rico shirts. Good to be together again. We love and missed you guys!

Well that summarizes our trip. We can't thank the grandparents enough for taking such good care of our little boys. We had a great time and would love to go back to Puerto Rico again some day.

Happy Valentine's Day!

2012-02-15T08:21:00.000-06:00

After our trip (I will post another blog on that) and final destination of home together as a family, we prepared for Valentine's Day.

We made a craft:

A Heart Inchworm

A heart shaped pizza for supper:

And of course some sugar cookies:

Eli really wanted to eat his.

Yeah, Mommy got to eat this one :)

Books from Papa Mark & Grandma Vicki:

This is the day that the Lord has made.

2012-01-31T22:28:00.003-06:00

7 years of wedded bliss! Ted and I celebrated our anniversary on January 1, 2012. It was fun to think back to our wedding day. Oh the snow, ice, sniffles, and cough. But it was the best day! May God bless us with countless more years of wonderful marriage.

January 1, 2005

So this year we celebrating by going out to eat a Granite City in Cedar Rapids followed by a movie, Sherlock Holmes. It was a great time and we owe it to the Schlaaks. Thanks for watching the kiddos Kyle and Lisa.

Other exciting news.....Ted and I are taking a trip to Puerto Rico. We leave on Sunday, Feb. 5. In case you didn't know, that's in a few days!!! We are so excited. We will be leaving our babies with their grandparents for the week. This trip wouldn't be possible without them so THANK YOU! We, or at least their momma, is a little nervous about leaving them so long. We have never left for so long before, but they will be in good hands. We are excited to spend some time in the warm weather and hanging out just the two of us. We are praying for safety and peaceful minds for us and our children during this time apart.

So some of you MAY be wondering what we decided to do with the envelope containing our little pumpkin's gender. Well here it is. We decided to bring it with us our trip to Puerto Rico. We don't know exactly when we will open it, but Ted won't let me not open it ;) Other baby news, baby continues to grow and be active. This may or may not elicit some back pain in his/her momma. But I'm a survivor. Other than not being able to sleep as soundly in the night, this pregnancy is going well. We are praying that back pain is not an indication of back labor.

And last but not least, here are a few random pictures from around the house.

Hayden and the boo-boo bunny.

This is what a blue sucker does people.

Hayden and his favorite outfit.

Good Morning sunshines!

Eli likes his pudding.

My silly boys!

Little Pumpkin at 22 weeks.

A very exciting day...

2012-01-09T21:42:00.000-06:00

So today was our ultrasound day. We went in with the plan, "We aren't going to find out," and came out with an envelope. My, how plans change! We haven't decided exactly what we are going to do with it, but it is safely hidden for now. But here are some options: 1) Open it and tell everyone 2) Open it and keep it a secret between the two of us 3) Have a gender reveal party 4) Never open it! What do you think we should do?

This ultrasound also revealed that I am much further along that originally calculated. Baby, or little pumpkin, is measuring approximately 21 1/2 weeks, when estimate due date was 18 weeks. Therefore changing the due date 2 weeks from June 7 to May 25 and placing me at 20 weeks.

Baby pumpkin weighs 13 ounces and was caught sucking the thumb! This must be genetic - 3/3 of the Gustafson babies. Baby loved having both hands by the face appearing to be a little shy. The technician had a difficult time getting all the measurements as baby was not being the most cooperative, but very cute. We got several pictures and some are posted here. Praise God for a healthy baby! That's all for now!

Bib Eli wore on Thanksgiving.

Baby Pumpkin sucking thumb.

Spine

Our baby in 3D

Christmas

2012-01-02T16:25:00.000-06:00

We enjoyed a warm Christmas in Minnesota. And by warm, I mean no snow! We celebrated at home first, then traveled to the Kyte's, ending at the Gustafson's. Thanks for the great food, fun times, and wonderful gifts.

Christmas at home:

Our Christmas supper.

All ready to eat.

Reading the Bible story.

Time to open presents.

Our Optimus Prime!

T.R.U.C.K.S.

Mommy and her boys.

New Jammies and new hats.

Christmas at the Kytes:

Schlaak Family: Kyle, Lisa, Caleb, Gracie, Micah, Reuben, Lincoln

Thornberg Family: Erick, Sarah, Trinity, Teagan

Papa Joe and Grandma Bonnie with their grandchildren.

Grandma Bonnie and Hayden.

Papa Joe and Hayden.

Papa Joe, Grandma Bonnie, Gracie, Reuben, Hayden.

Eli and Lincoln opening presents.

Christmas at the Gustafsons:

Gustafson Family

Beth and Katherine

Hayden likes to be silly...

Lezlie, Vicki, Ted, Hayden

Oh and one more thing:
Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle all the way!
Oh what fun it is to share there's a baby on the way. Hey!
Coming June 2012

We are very excited about our growing family.

It's almost Christmas!

2011-12-19T22:12:00.000-06:00

I don't know about you, but my family is pretty excited for Christmas. It began a few weeks ago we got out our Christmas decorations. Mommy had some great helpers to decorate the tree this year! Then began the shopping....Hayden had some mixed emotions buying some exciting presents for his cousins and not himself. But don't worry, he quickly came around and is eager to give them. And for his cousins out there reading this, he is expecting you to share. ;)

We have also prepared for this holiday season by making an assortment of Christmas cookies. Hayden thoroughly enjoyed making them with mommy and giving them to his teachers saying, "Merry Christmas and Thank you!" He is as equally excited to share them with family when we get together soon.

This past weekend we made sugar cookies for our 2nd Annual Schlaak/Gustafson Sugar Cookie Bake, complete with frosting decor. I am thankful for my sister willing to host such an event as her kitchen AND dining room were covered with frosting and sprinkles galore! Thanks Lisa! We were also able to enjoy a Christmas program that the Schlaak children participated in. It was a wonderful program and everyone did a great job!

And no Christmas season would be complete without the nativity story. The boys read about this regularly and Hayden is able to recite some of the story now. Hayden will tell you the reason for the season is because it is Jesus' birthday. And as for Eli is very interested in our Christmas tree and the lights but has learned to appreciate them from afar. We look forward to celebrating Christ's birth this weekend with our family left here on earth. I can only imagine the celebration Kevin is experiencing in Heaven with Jesus himself! Someday we will all know. Merry Christmas!

Our Christmas tree.

Yeah....that's us!

Best one we could get of the two of them.

Hayden ready to help bake!

Read...Set...Decorate!

Hayden with his cookie. And he already ate it.

Kyle & Lisa

The cookies.....yum!

So much to be thankful for...

2011-12-14T17:20:00.000-06:00

This year we were able to enjoy Thanksgiving with family as we traveled to the Gustafson's, Kyte's, and Harms' (Camille's grandparents). At home we made a Thankful tree writing things that we are thankful for on leaves some of which included: family, jobs, toys, colors, books, heaven, technology, food, etc. What a wonderful Thanksgiving we had!

Sucker Turkeys :)

Grandma Vicki with Katherine and Eli.

We match...

Bedtime boys.

Eli's First Haircut

2011-11-20T16:22:00.000-06:00

So Ted has been on my case to cut Eli's hair for quite some time. I just wasn't ready until food began getting stuck in there and we had to brush it out of his eyes. His hair was just so cute! Then one day last week we were out and about and someone asked Hayden what his sister's name was. Eli got his hair cut the next day!

Eli distracted during his 1st haircut.

Happy to have lost some hair!

Hayden waiting for his turn to get a haircut.

Update

2011-10-24T15:18:00.000-05:00

So I've been a little behind on the blogging lately. Here is my chance to update you on what's been happening lately.

We've been able to go to some more of Caleb's football games!

Lisa, Caleb, Kyle

Caleb's fan club: Gracie, Micah, Reuben, Hayden

The boys got to visit mommy at work:

Mommy got to go to the Wisconsin Dells for an OT class reunion!

OT Gals

While the boys stayed with Papa Mark and Grandma Vicki:

Grandma Vicki with Eli and Hayden at the apple orchard.

Silly boys: Hayden, Papa Mark, Eli at apple orchard.

Gutting the pumpkins. Yum!

Played in the leaves:

Just played around the house:

Hayden drew a picture of himself on the sidewalk.
He has really long legs, just like Hayden!

And he has Jesus in his heart. He asked mommy to help with that part.

Brothers sit together on a blanket.

First hot chocolate of the season.

Hayden riding a pony at mommy's work party.

Double date with the Schlaaks at Planet X:

Ted, Camille, Kyle, Lisa

Camille and Kyle on the Space Bikes!!
As you pedal your entire bike makes a loop upside down.
A true test of your vestibular system.

Lisa and Ted on the Space Bikes!!
The adventurous ones who tried it first!

Ted and Kyle rock climbing on a revolving and rotating rock wall.
It was interesting!

Lisa and Camille dominating at laser tag.

All the tickets that won us 25 fruitie tooties.

While the kiddos stayed with Papa Joe and Grandma Bonnie:

Reuben and Hayden having a slumber party.

Hayden and Reuben apparently climb trees?!

Happy Birthday Grandma Bonnie!
We love you!

Grandma Bonnie and Hayden playing sword fighting on the Wii.

Grandma Bonnie, Papa Joe, Hayden and Eli.

Wilson's Apple Orchard

2011-09-24T20:41:00.001-05:00

Today Mommy, Hayden, and Eli ventured out to Wilson's Apple Orchard while Daddy was at work. We all went out the orchard and picked some apples with Hayden holding my hand and Eli in the carrier. Hayden's highlight was the tractor ride back to the store. Before heading home we stopped by to see Daddy at work. Once we got home we made some delicious apple crisp. Yum!
Enjoy the pictures.

Hayden checking out the pumpkins.

Hayden in the pumpkin patch.

Eli's ride for the day and Mommy's work out.

Yummy apples.

Hayden picking apples.

Eli inspecting his apple.

Here comes Bessie the tractor.

Hayden loving the tractor ride.

Mommy and Eli on the tractor ride.
Eli seeks adventure as he was actually hanging off the tractor.

It was a full ride.

APPLES

By-product: Apple Crisp

Our Daily Life

2011-09-24T16:16:00.002-05:00

So here is a look into our daily life.

Hayden has been working a sticker chart. He is awarded a sticker in the morning for not sucking his thumb during the night and keeping his bed dry. On the 10th sticker, Hayden got to choose a prize and he chose a doughnut!

Hayden and his doughnut.

Eli got one too!

Caleb is on a flag football team this fall. We were able to watch his first game of the season and he did a great job. Way to go Caleb!

Caleb (#11) at his flag football game.

Younger boys cheering for Caleb.
Reuben, Micah, and Hayden

Caleb and his team.

The next few pictures are just some captured moments of the boys playing at home.

When did this guy get this big?

Hayden and Eli cuddling.

Eli absolutely loves to walk around with this Hawkeye helmet on.
That is until he runs into the wall.

Hayden and his Cubbie bear ears he made in Awana.

Big boy Eli making his OT mommy proud with his self care skills at 14 months!

A new schedule

2011-09-12T10:48:00.000-05:00

Our fall schedule is coming along in the Gustafson house! Hayden is officially a Cubbie in Awana. He is excited to play with his friends, learn verses, and have fun. You will see some pictures below. Camille's work schedule is set consisting of working 3 days during the week. Ted is working the opposite days eliminating the need for childcare at this time. He is also beginning a Bible study starting this week. Days not working are spent at home with our boys. Hayden is working on his letters and numbers, coloring, painting, making crafts, playing with his cars and transformers, and playing with his brother. Hayden is also enjoying the books , Charolette's Web and Someday Heaven. Eli says "Hi", complete with a wave, loves to play with his brother and expresses his feelings when he feels left out, loves to read/play with books, he enjoys playing with his blocks, and loves to eat.

Another Birthday Boy!

2011-08-27T14:51:00.000-05:00

While enjoying our time at Leech Lake, we had another birthday to celebrate. Hayden Marcus Gustafson turned 4 years old! Looking back, I recall a wonderful day! The night before Hayden was born Ted and I were walking around at the Steele County Free Fair while I was breathing my way through contractions. We woke up early on August 16, 2007 and drove from Faribault to Mankato, MN to have my water broken at 6:00 am. And at 4:17 pm Hayden made his debut! This year we celebrated with a Transformer cake, presents, turtle races, and a fun time at the beach.

Hayden at birth (August 2007).

Hayden's 1st Birthday (August 2008).

Hayden's 2nd Birthday (August 2009).

Hayden's 3rd Birthday (August 2010).

Hayden's 4th Birthday (August 2011).

It's a party!

Hayden with his transformer cake toppers.

Presents...

Bumblebee!

Hayden and his presents :)

Playing with his new play-doh with his cousin Reuben.

Hayden is now our big boy and he will correct you if you say otherwise. He enjoys pretend play and having books read to him. We recently started reading "Charlotte's Web," or as Hayden says, "The spider book." He listens attentively and continues to enjoy playing with his cars. Hayden is also a very social little boy talking to anyone in sight. He is always excited to play with his friends. He enjoys going to church and frequently asks during the day when we are going again. In a few weeks, Hayden will begin Awana at our church. This is something I am excited for as I completed the program as a child too. I have such fond memories and I know he will too!

Hayden goes to bed around 8 at night and wakes up around 8 in the morning. He takes a "rest" during the day where he rarely sleeps. He eats almost anything, that he wants that is. There is the occasional battle between Hayden and Mommy/Daddy when it comes to something he doesn't want to try. He has formed an opinion on clothing. Hayden's preference is anything Nike, just like Uncle Kevin! He also wants his "fast" shoes, which are his new tennis shoes.

Hayden is truly a blessing to our life. We thank God for entrusting us to raise Hayden in His truth. Even though some of the days are tiring, as parents we try to embrace the simple moments such as comforting yet another boo-boo or tucking him in at night for one day we won't need us to do these things any more. We love you more than words can express, Hayden!

Leech Lake

2011-08-22T21:45:00.001-05:00

The annual Kyte family vacation to Leech Lake took place last week. It was a week filled with fun of swimming, fishing, games, memories, reading, and relaxation.

I have way too many pictures to share so here are a few of the highlights.

Caleb learning how to ski.

Ted skiing.

"Big Boys" on the boat. (Hayden & Reuben)

Micah, Ted, Hayden tubing.

Potluck with Chippewa Lodge Resort.

Mommy and Eli on the boat.

Loon

Mommy and Hayden at Turtle Race.

Schlaaks: Kyle, Lisa, Caleb (9), Gracie (7), Micah (5), Reuben (4), Lincoln (9m)

Gustafsons: Ted, Camille, Hayden (4), Eli (1)

Mom and Dad

Thornbergs: Erick, Sarah, Trinity (4), Teagan (1)

Hayden and Eli with metal moose.

Some of the cousins.

Matching buds with hats and animals.

Camille, Dad, and Hayden on the dock.

Eli having fun in the water.

Hayden all ready to go.

Fishermen! Kyle, George, Ted, Dad. It tasted amazing :)

Sisters: Lisa and Camille.

Ted, Hayden, and Reuben fishing.

Caleb's big catch!

Ted and Camille outside the cabin.

Ted, Camille, Dad, Mom

See you next year!

Hayden on the blob. FYI: This was done without mother approval.

Birthday Boy!

2011-08-13T15:07:00.000-05:00

Eli turned one. We celebrated when we were camping AND when we got home. He is one special boy!

ELI July 2010

ELI July 2011

Birthday supper on the Special plate.

Presents....

Birthday Cupcakes....

which he LOVED.

Eli is our little pre-toddler with a sensitive, yet adventurous spirit. He loves to play with his big brother and cries when he is left out. He walks everywhere now and has even moved fast enough to call it a fun. Eli loves to climb and has been found hanging onto chairs, standing on top of the coffee table and ottoman, and hanging onto the window sill with his feet on the radiator. We believe that he is attempting to climb out of his crib but frequently gets his limbs stuck.

Eli is a great sleeper going to bed at 8:00 pm and waking up at 7:30 am. He takes 2 naps a day each lasting 2 hours each. He loves to eat pasta and almost anything else you put in front of him. This includes sand, rocks, and dirt chunks!

Our little boy has officially entered himself into the discipline stage of life. He does not enjoy being scolded and will cry when an adult speaks in a firm voice. Eli waves good bye when someone is leaving or if he is going to bed.

We thank God for giving us the opportunity to raise little Eli. We pray that He will give us the wisdom we need as parents to teach him what Eli what he needs to some day be a Godly man. We love our little Eli. Happy 1st Birthday!

Camping

2011-08-01T17:02:00.000-05:00

This past week this Gustafson family experienced something new: Camping! We visited Pleasant Creek Iowa State Park with the Gustafsons for a few days. While they stayed in tents we enjoyed the air conditioning of our little rustic cabin. The days were warm so we were frequently in the lake swimming. We also enjoyed meals cooked on the fire and of course smores at night. We also had a birthday party honoring Eli, Kyle and Camille. Yep, we ALL share a birthday. Enjoy the pictures.

Lezlie

Cousins: Katherine, Eli, Hayden

Our Small Fries: Katherine & Eli

Camp Fire

Smores

Mark & Vicki

Birthdays on July 27:
Kyle, Eli, Camille

Yay, it's our birthday!

Presents..

Our family at the Cabin
Ted (30), Camille (27), Hayden (3), Eli (1)

Aunt Beth & Uncle David with the Birthday Boy, Eli.

Aunt Lisa & Uncle Kyle with Eli.

First bite of ice cream cake.

Hayden buried in the sand.

Yep, Eli turned ONE!

One month later...

2011-07-13T11:40:00.000-05:00

Life lately hasn't been easy. We aren't necessarily finding that time heals all things. We continue to miss Kevin and think about him daily. July 4th was especially hard this year as it marked 1 month since Kevin has been gone. It feels like yesterday. Here is how we have been keeping busy.

Sporting Events:

Gracie at her softball game

Lincoln and Eli cheering

Caleb at his baseball game. Here he is about to receive his 1st place ribbon.
Way to go Caleb!

Kyle in the Prime Time Basketball League.

Kernels Game

Horsing around:

Summersaults

Iowa Children's Museum:

Eli riding on the carousal.

Caleb, Micah, Hayden, Rueben all as pilots.

Swimming:

Hayden with Herkie at swimming lessons.
He Passed! Congratulations Hayden!

4th of July:

Daddy, Eli, & Hayden watching fireworks

Hayden getting his face painted.

Grandma and Eli

Thanks for the snake Papa Joe!

Grandma Bonnie and Papa Joe with Eli & Hayden.

Mommy and the boys watching fire works.

Sleeping:

Hayden with his sock so that he won't suck his thumb.

Unsuccessful.

And savoring life's moments:

Papa Joe and Hayden on a Bulldozer.

Gracie, Rueben, Caleb, Hayden, Micah at a fair.

Lezlie, Hayden, Nolan playing in the sand.

My Brother, My Hero

2011-06-29T20:30:00.001-05:00

June 4, 2011 is a day that changed our lives forever. It was the day that my brother, Kevin Joseph Kyte, passed away. It was the day before his 29th birthday.

Kevin taught me a lot of things in life. I remember him teaching me how to tell time on a digital clock. He tried to teach me how to wrestle, but I was always to busy to learn that. One time we were jumping on his bed and he took me down with one of those wrestling moves. Only to realize that I had gum in my hair requiring a rather short hair cut from Mom. But I didn't mind, we were having fun. Kevin was there when I learned how to water ski. I didn't know how to stand up, so he just told me to stand up! Then I got it. I also didn't know how to cut across the wake. It would suck my skiis under and down I would go. Kevin told me to go faster. It worked! Kevin knew how to solum ski and he knew how to make it spray. This has always been a passion for him. But he taught me more than these things. He taught me how to love others. Kevin has the biggest heart in the world showing compassion to anyone in need. Often times giving them things they need. He befriended anyone whom he came in contact with, whether they be young or old. There was always a potential friendship. Kevin was generous. He didn't have a lot of money, but he always bought our parents, siblings, brother-in-laws, nieces, and nephews birthday and Christmas gifts. That's a lot of people!

Kevin and I always got along. He trusted me and I trusted him. Our relationship grew stronger in the year 1999 when he had a brain hemorrhage. Following his surgery he needed a little extra help. Mom and Dad took him to several places to give him the rehab and assistance he needed. But during that summer, Kevin also received his therapies at home and I was right there by his side. He received PT, OT, and Speech. This is where Kevin learned how to walk again, improve his core strength, write with his left hand and improve his fine motor skills, compensate for memory changes and speak. Coming up with words was challenging for him, but don't worry he figured it out. He figured it ALL out. Little did I know that Kevin's progress was inspiring me to choose a profession in the therapy field. I graduated with my master's in occupational therapy in June, 2010. Kevin made it to my graduation and I am so glad he did. He was SO proud of me! He told every one of my teachers and classmates that He was the reason I chose this profession and that we should be thanking him. Well he was right!

Last September my family and I moved to Iowa City to pursue this new career of mine. We aren't able to go back home as often as we used to, so I go back with the boys when time allows. Ted usually works the weekends. On this past Memorial Day I decided to do just that. With no particular reason in mind, I headed back to Minnesota to enjoy the long weekend with family. It was a GREAT weekend filled with grilling, launching potatoes with Kevin's famous potato gun, and just hanging out. I distinctly remember my little Eli waking up at 6:30 in the morning. (Not a normal time for him.) So we quietly went to the living room to play. Kevin was also an early riser so he joined us. While I was trying to catch just a few more minutes of rest Kevin and Eli played together. No one said much, but it was quality time spent together. It was the last time I saw my brother. I remember him leaving; I gave him a hug, told him I loved him, and said, "See you later." And I will see him later when we joined together again in Heaven!

On June 9, 2011 my family and I buried my brother, Kevin. It was the hardest thing I have ever had to do. People who were able to attend his funeral told us that it was a beautiful service. As Pastor Chris said, "It was honoring to Kevin and glorifying to God." I agree that it was. Unfortunately, however, I never wanted to attend his beautiful funeral service. At least not at this point in my life. I always pictured us 4 kids growing old together. God had other plans though, far greater than I can foresee. But his funeral was one to remember. Eulogies were spoken from the heart by dear friends and my sister Lisa, words were spoken by a poem my dad had written only for Kevin, and a meaningful song was sung by my sister Sarah.

Our hearts are filled with sorrow as we continue to mourn his earthly loss. But I know my Lord has greater plans for Kevin as he is rejoicing with him in Heaven today. And while God didn't give us the opportunity to say goodbye or be with him in his passing moments I am certain that it was God's timing, in God's way.

I've read this quote in several books lately:
"Soon you will read in the newspaper that I am dead. Don't believe it for a moment. I will be more alive than ever before." D.L.Moody

I rejoice in the Lord knowing that Kevin is living! And he is living free of pain, sorrow, and disability! He is better than ever. What great hope our God gives us in such sorrowful times. We love you, Kevin! Not a day goes by that I don't think about you!

30 Years and counting!

2011-05-22T15:44:00.001-05:00

Happy 30th Birthday to my wonderful husband! He is an amazing man of God who is my very best friend. I couldn't imagine my life without him! We had a fun time celebrating. Ted came home to a home cooked meal complete with pumpkin bars for desert. Hayden was especially involved this year by spilling the beans on the gifts we bought for daddy prior to him opening them ;) We even got to use our new plate we plan on using for special occasions with the saying "God thinks you are special today and every day." Hayden is excited for his birthday when he gets to use it. But our celebrating didn't end there. We were able to find a babysitter for 2 boys and 5 Schlaak children so we could enjoy some time together with Kyle and Lisa. We went to a fun Japanese restaurant with a grill and then went bowling. It was a great evening.

Other news: Our new baby niece, Katherine Mae Schenck, entered the world only 1 day after Ted's birthday. We can't wait to meet this sweet baby girl. Congratulations David and Beth.

Ted has been working several hours this past week. He made several large sales out at Best Buy and even completed an installation. Ted is a very valuable asset to the Best Buy team as he frequently gets calls at home.

Camille got to spend a fun afternoon with the Schlaaks to hit up some city wide garage sales. We came home with all sorts of goodies including clothes for the boys, games, toys, and a few other odds and ends. Work continues to be busy. Lots of kiddo's therapy sessions are being rearranged to accommodate summer schedules. This will allow for me to cut out a day of work. I will now be working on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays. This will also eliminate the need for childcare!

Hayden enjoys his cousins. What can I say? He cries every time mommy picks him up from the Schlaaks and frequently asks when he can go over to "Reuben's house." He also enjoys going to church so he can see his friends. His interest in coloring and increased greatly as there is little white space on his paper. Just ask about Ted's birthday card. He loves to play with others, not necessarily his brother though. He is into games lately such as Elefun and puzzles.

Eli is one tall string bean! He had his 9 month appointment weighing 20 pounds placing him in the 50th percentile and the 95 percentile for height. The doctor also commented on his skin color noting his preference for orange foods. He made another appearance here with pink eye. Both him and Ted came down with it and we are trying to prevent it from spreading to everyone else. Eli has been quite mischievous now that he has reached top speeds on his crawling. He is able to crawl down the hallway and into the bathroom before we even notice he is gone. He is also fascinated with the dishwasher attempting to crawl over the door on several occasions. Pulling to stand is not a problem and he has even let go to balance for a few seconds. He cruises some along our furniture. Eli has learned the most important word in his vocabulary: Momma! Oh, and he says Dadda, too. He is a momma's boy and likes feed into it when she leaves for work. And just like his brother, Eli has left his mark on the crib. I have once again attempted to minimize the beaver damage by tying on receiving blankets only to find them laying in his crib.

Big boy eating his Cheerios.

F.U.N

Our small fry.

Crazy face.

Ted's birthday dinner.

Happy 30th Birthday!

Rub-a-dub-dub, two boys in a tub!

Hayden likes daddy's coolers.

Out to eat at Konomi :)

Eli's Dedication on Mother's Day

2011-05-09T12:33:00.000-05:00

Eli was dedicated to the Lord on Mother's Day! It was a wonderful day filled with family fun. Thanks to everyone who made this day special for Eli including our parents, the Schlaaks, and Krystina and Ben! The weather was beautiful and so was the service. Our prayer is for Eli to grow up strong in the Lord!
Here are some of the days pictures.

Dedicating Eli...

Lincoln enjoying the toys.

Eli's cake.

Our family in the backyard.

Eli and his cake he couldn't eat.

Eli with Grandpa Joe and Grandma Bonnie.

Hayden and Eli with Grandpa Mark and Grandma Vicki.

Eli's first time in the swing at home.

J.U.M.P

He is RISEN!

2011-05-02T22:22:00.000-05:00

We had a wonderful Easter celebrating our Lord and Savior's Life. We traveled back to Minnesota and enjoyed some time with family. We were even able to squeeze in a baby shower for Ted's sister. Enjoy the pictures!

Bird nests.

Decorating Easter Eggs.

All Smiles.

Goofiness

Baby shower for Beth.

Egg hunt

CANDY

April Showers

2011-04-13T20:37:00.001-05:00

Ted is busy out at Best Buy as it is inventory season. He's been putting in a few extra hours to satisfy the unmet needs. He is such an amazing man!
Camille has also been busy at work and will continue to be until they hire another OT. Lately I've been working on creating handouts for home exercise programs for families. I also got to spend an evening out with my co-workers and another night with some ladies from church.
Hayden is enjoying this spring time weather. He is often found outside playing with his balls and trucks. This past week he was at his cousins in the sand box and playing with the snakes in the backyard. He is learning so much from them :) We also found a nearby park this week in which he enjoyed playing on the swings and slides. This particular park even had a splash pad in which we will take advantage of when it gets warmer.
Eli is off and crawling! He has moved quickly and is now pulling himself up to standing on anything he can get his hands on! This includes the couch, hope chest, and even his crib! Along with this new skill comes the falls, poor little guys gets hurt often. Eli also enjoyed our time at the park experiencing his first time on the swing. He was just giggling with delight.

God has blessed us more than we deserve!

Fellow OTs

Children's Center for Therapy

Big boy sitting up and reading his book.

Eli pulling himself up to stand.

Fun at the park.

Sleepy boy...

Goodies

2011-03-30T21:42:00.000-05:00

Hayden has way too much fun with is cousins! We were able to have a few of them spend the night in which he thoroughly enjoyed by making guns and swords out of tinker toys, building castles/towers from mega blocks and of course knocking them over, and playing a good old fashion game of dodge ball. He frequently asks for them and wants to go over to their house. We were able to spend an evening with all of them when we made play-dough. Hayden plays with his batch regularly.
Eli has been busy mastering his crawling skills this past week. He is doing great and is motivated to crawl after just about anything. He is also starting to make more sounds which is like music to his parents' (at least mommy) ears.

Just a few pictures.

Play-dough

Hayden curled up for his nap.

Brotherly love

Spring is Here!

2011-03-25T23:48:00.000-05:00

Spring is finally here! We even celebrated by taking our first walk of the season.

Ted is doing the same old, same old a work. He recently made the purchase of an Iphone and loves it. Now he is trying to convince Camille that she needs one, but that is going no where fast.
Camille is enjoying work and is learning new things everyday. Children's Center interviewed another potential occupational therapist which looked promising. A new hire would eliminate some of her caseload allowing her to be at home more. She loves her work, but loves her boys more :)
Hayden enjoys playing with Eli and making him laugh. He also frequently asks to play games on the computer where he learns his letters. Hayden is Always listening and will call anyone out when they say something "naughty." This week it was mommy. Hayden is also his mom's guinea pig when it comes to trying new crafts. Today we made slime;)
Eli is up on all fours and moving! He is rather slow and only taking a few steps at a time, but he is officially crawling. He is also increasing his menu as he currently eats: carrots, sweet potatoes, peas, squash, rice cereal, and baby oatmeal. Eli is now on a consistent 4 hour schedule (awesome for mommy & daddy) and sleeps until around 7:30 every day! Yeah for consistency!

Enjoy the pictures!

Sticking out our tongues.....

Waking up happy :)

Peas Please!

One spring day...

Just another day...

2011-03-09T16:01:00.000-06:00

Ted had another interview at Best Buy this week. We pray that God will lead him into the right position for him, our family, and Best Buy.
Camille attended two workshops in Des Moines for intervention protocols for occupational therapy. Astronaut training and Building blocks for sensory integration. The commute those 4 days was long, but she learned a lot and is already practicing it at the clinic. It's always good to be home and back into our routine.
Hayden lost his special white blankie last week. Strange things happen when Camille is at work. We have looked all over for that thing, with no luck. Hayden has been such a trooper and hasn't had any issues going to sleep without it! God must have had a hand on this one.
Eli was diagnosed with a double ear infection and a respiratory issue. They put him on antibiotics and is now good to go again! We sure missed his smile. He has not fully gained back his appetite for his rice cereal. To spice things up in his diet carrots were introduced. Next new food: sweet potatoes :)

Last picture with Hayden and his blankie.

Bath time!

Playing with Daddy's Ipod.

Out like a light.

Hanging with Mommy before work.

Eli's first bite of carrots.

Welcome March

2011-03-02T14:35:00.000-06:00

It's almost spring and this house is very excited! We long for the days when we can walk to the park and enjoy an afternoon, open the windows and smell the fresh air, and grill outside! This week has been one filled with illness. Eli took the illness the hardest as he started out with projectile vomiting, refused to eat his solids, tearing eyes, running nose, a small temperature, and finally an intense cough. One urgent care visit later Eli came out with a double ear infection and respiratory concerns. He is now on antibiotics and doing much better.

Ted and Camille were able to get out on another date! It is so much fun to be able to go out for supper without someone crying at you to cut their food, get the some more milk, and remind you that one again he doesn't like green beans! (You get the idea.) I'm sure the boys would rather play with their cousins than sit in a restaurant where you have to keep your voice down and stay in a chair any day!
Hayden filled his week up with making snow ice cream (yes I said "snow"), making dinosaurs from play-doh, making a crab, and learning the letter "A".
Eli is improving his health, but has also advanced to a modified army crawl. He will be moving in no time!

Enjoy the pictures!

Dinosaur, Butterfly, Snake

Making Snow Ice Cream.

Snow Ice Cream with Chocolate Syrup :)

Hayden's Crab he asked to make.

Innocence

Double Innocence

Happy Valentine's Day

2011-02-23T18:03:00.000-06:00

Last week we enjoyed a simple Valentine's Day. Ted and I were unable to get out, but I still received a lovely flower bouquet from Ted. Hayden enjoyed making crafts for family members and tattooing it up with clearance valentines from Walmart. We also made some Valentine's Day sugar cookies. That same weekend Ted, Kyle, Caleb, and Micah redeemed their Christmas present and went to the Gopher vs Hawkeye basketball game here in Iowa City. This past weekend we spent time with my parents as they were able to travel here. We all watched the Schlaak children in their respective basketball games. It was great to see them!

Ted has been busy out of best buy. He has been putting forth that extra effort towards that advancement of the supervisor position. He is currently training in new employees and creating spreadsheets to increase sales. Ted also recently had his quarterly review with stellar results.
Camille has also been busy out at Children's Center. There is still a need for another OT which would greatly reduce her stress level. She really loves her job, though. This past week she was even able to bring in her nephew. Thanks, Caleb! Ted is still amazed that she gets paid to do silly things like make slime and clothespin critters ;)
Hayden's vocabulary is becoming quite extensive. His hearing is also on high alert and will call anyone out, even his grandma, when they say naughty words. He then tells me that they need a time out! haha He has also been elaborate in his imaginative play saying that there is a bear in his room. He then proceeds to get a gun and shoot it! He is so fun!
Eli started to eat rice cereal! He is also getting up on all fours inching his way that much closer to crawling. This last weekend he even pushed himself forward to reach special toy.

Enjoy the pictures!

First time for solid foods!

Down and give me 20!

Schlaak and Gustafson Kiddos.

Valentine cookies.

Gopher vs Hawkeye Basketball game.

Making Valentines.

Happy Birthday Papa Joe.

The February Blizzard

2011-02-03T21:16:00.000-06:00

This week has been one filled with excitement as we had our first blizzard here! It was complete with Camille's clinic closing for a few days and bitter cold wind chills. The snow banks are outrageously high making driving interesting. We had a fun time with the Schlaak kiddos as Kyle and Lisa enjoyed an evening out.

Ted was exposed to the blizzard first hand as he shoveled the drive way. He now claims that we NEED a snow blower. Good thing spring is just around the corner.
Camille is learning new things everyday at work. She has been studying some new assessments and is always looking for participants to practice on :) I think Ted is getting sick of being my little guinea pig.
Hayden has enjoyed making "guns" out of his tinker toys as his cousins introduced him to this type of play :) He has also taken a high interest his dinosaurs and feeds them baby dinosaurs for lunch. He has quite the imagination.
Hayden had another interesting experience this week. One night after supper at the Schlaak's Hayden called out to his mommy saying he was finished in the bathroom. As I was walking there I almost stepped and slipped in some vomit. It was clearly Hayden who had been the victim of such an illness. When asked if he had thrown up he replied, "No Mom, I didn't." When asked if he tummy was okay he said, "Yeah Mom, I spilled." "Spilled what?" I asked. Hayden then proceeds to point to his mouth and make a puking noise all with a smile. Then he marched right back to the table to eat monkey bread without another sign of illness. Haha, he sure makes us laugh!
Eli is making progress toward a 4 point stance to eventually assist in crawling. He has even done a push up on several occasions demonstrating his upper body strength. Eli also has 2 new teeth making his smile priceless. Another big change for Eli is his sleeping arrangement. He is now sharing a room with big brother Hayden. So far they have not woken each other up. And this mommy has lost another battle with little Eli. Eli has selected a "special blankie" to comfort himself as he sucks his thumb and goes to sleep. He screams until he has it in his hands, brings it to his face and sucks his thumb. But it oh so sweet.

Enjoy the pictures.

Shoveling snow.

Hayden bundled up!

All snowed in...

Heart Hippo

Eli with this thumb and blankie in his crib.

Stud showing off his upper body strength.

Smiles

Lots of Smiles....

2011-01-26T20:20:00.000-06:00

Just had a few more pictures of our Boys :) We had some fun times making cookies, playing, and making our first Valentine project of the year.

A little bit of crazy is good for the soul...

2011-01-23T15:13:00.000-06:00

These past few weeks have been a just a little bit crazy and we continue to glorify God our Father for it.

Ted is our Best Buy guy! Hayden said that when he grows up he wants to sell TVs just like his Daddy! We are so blessed as a family to have him in our lives.
Camille's workload has increased greatly and she has put in more hours the last few weeks. These hours, however, may have contributed to recent illness. Being short staffed and new kiddos coming in weekly, we consider this as job security. We are thankful and blessed to have such a job with wonderful coworkers.
Hayden is such a sweet little boy. He is always bringing such joy to our life. His new thing is to say, "Watch Mom!" Then he will make a silly face, race his cars, run around the room, or do something else similar in nature. We also finally got the chance to take him in to get his 3 year pictures! Better late than never. Hayden was such a trooper and smiled beautifully in ALL the pictures. Making it very hard for one mom to choose.
Eli had his 6 month doctor appointment complete with measurements and shots. He tipped the scale at 17.6 pounds and is 27 inches long. Big boy! He is also starting to turn himself when playing on the floor. We anxiously await the day he crawls.....or maybe not.

Enjoy the new pictures!

Eli startled about his new bumbo tray.

Date Night

2011-01-12T11:38:00.000-06:00

Ted and I enjoyed our first date since Eli was born. We enjoyed a lovely meal at a local Italian restaurant in Cedar Rapids. We also got special seating near the fire place. And even though our time was limited, we also squeezed in a movie while our boys were having a fun time with their cousins, aunt and uncle. Thanks again Kyle and Lisa!

This past week were also able to support our nephew, Caleb, in his basketball game. Within the first five minutes Caleb already made some plays in favor of his team. Way to go, Caleb!

Ted's job at Best Buy has been going really well. So well that management suggested that he apply for the open supervisor position in Cedar Rapids. Ted did just that and has an interview next week. We pray that God will lead him into the right position for himself and our family.
Camille's job has been going well. She is getting more comfortable with her position and enjoys getting paid to "play" with such cute, fun kiddos. Who wouldn't want to color, make crafts, make edible crafts, complete mazes, and play on the swings and slides? There is also plenty of work as lots of new kiddos want to begin therapy.
Hayden loves being at home with his family. He has recently taken a strong interest in making "guns" out of his tinker toys. And as always he plays with his cars to race them. Hayden has been taking a lot about his family from Minnesota lately. He misses everyone dearly, just as the rest of us, and the distance is sinking in.
Eli has his 6 month doctor appointment this week. It will be fun to see his statistics. Eli has been rolling for a while now, but recently he has taken up rolling around the parameter of the living room. Such a silly boy! He has also switched from eating every 3 hours to every 3 1/2 hours. We are still in the adjustment period, but he is defiantly ready for it. We also got out the highchair with anticipation to start solid foods soon!

Enjoy the pictures!

6 years together

Coach Kyle and some of the team including Caleb

Eli bundled up for the January cold.

Big boy, Eli, playing in his highchair.

Our boys :)

This is a video of Ted and Hayden sword fighting on the Wii.

The Pink Eye

2011-01-05T20:46:00.000-06:00

This week has been one full of excitement including the special diagnosis of "pink eye" for our little Hayden. He was a trooper as he made the visit to urgent care to be seen by a physician and has found humor in getting his eye drops. We also enjoyed a fun New Year with the Schlaaks as we stayed up late playing games and playing with our babies :) And along with the New Year came our Anniversary. We can't believe it's been six years ago that we were married in an ice storm, one of the best days of our lives. We will celebrate it later this week when we can go out on the town leaving the boys with the Schlaaks. Thanks in advance for the date! Enjoy the pictures.

The "Pink Eye"

Eli enjoying his Jumperoo.

It's a Wonderful Christmas

2010-12-29T21:46:00.000-06:00

We enjoyed a wonderful Christmas this year. We celebrated the birth of Jesus by exchanging gifts and with a birthday cake! Before leaving for Minnesota for a long weekend we celebrated our family's Christmas at home. Then we were able to enjoy some time with the Gustafsons and the Kytes.

Hayden really got into the Christmas spirit this year announcing to anyone who would listen that it is Jesus birthday! It is so amazing to see such enthusiasm about our Lord and Savior in your child's eyes. Some of Hayden's Christmas highlights include getting the whole Toy Story 3 gang, the movie, sledding with family, and playing with family.
Eli was less excited about the gifts than Hayden, but enjoyed it none the less. In particular, Eli enjoyed being held by everyone. He received a Jumperoo and has spent some quality time in there already. He is rolling all over the place now making it challenging to change his diaper. He also likes to watch his older brother in whatever he is doing at the time. Therefore, as parents we are praying that Hayden will be a good role model for him.

Enjoy some of our Christmas pictures!

Reading the Bible story.

Transformer!

Eli got the alien.

Yummy sugar cookies

Listening to his book read by Grandpa Mark and Grandma Vicki

Grandma Vicki and Eli

Baby it's cold outside.

Gustafson Family

Christmas Day

Grandpa Joe and Grandma Bonnie with their grandchildren

The 3 year olds
Reuben, Trinity, Hayden

The littlest ones
Lincoln, Eli, Teagan

Sledding

The Christmas Cold

2010-12-15T10:25:00.000-06:00

Tis the season! For the flu and runny noses that is! This past week has been one filled with the joy of sharing the common cold. Thankfully it was short lived and we are almost through with it. We have also been in the Christmas spirit as we were able to go to a Christmas Program to watch the Schlaak kiddos sing their little hearts out at their church. We are so excited that we are able to watch them participate in such events now that we are closer. The rest of our time has been spent Christmas shopping, wrapping Christmas presents, attempting to take a picture for our Christmas card, reading Christmas stories and working.

Hayden so desperately wants to build a snowman. We did not get hit with that Minnesota Blizzard and there is not enough snow to build one. So we did the best we could and made a craft one instead. Hayden is starting to understand the true meaning of Christmas already. As we read the Bible story of baby Jesus being born to save us, Hayden continues to talk about Him throughout the day. One night after Hayden had gone to bed I wrapped some Christmas presents and put them under our tree. The next morning Hayden got up and told me that the presents were for Baby Jesus. Melts our hearts...
Eli is officially rolling from his tummy to his back flawlessly. He enjoys playing in his exersaucer and bouncy seat and will give a big warm smile to anyone who looks his way. It is so fun to hear his giggles and his squeals as he has discovered that he has a voice now. Now he needs to figure out the volume control as it is always on high :)

Enjoy the pictures!

Matching outfits for the Gustafson Boys
Sponsored by Mark & Vicki Gustafson

Eli the Thinker

Brothers

Our best family picture

Eli's first bath in the big tub!

Hayden's Snowman while it is raining outside.

This is a video of Eli in action: rolling and squealing.

Thanksgiving turns into Christmas

2010-12-04T21:06:00.000-06:00

We had a wonderful time in Minnesota to celebrate Thanksgiving, but our hearts were deeply saddened by the death of Ted's grandpa: Harvey Urch. The good Lord took him on Thanksgiving Day and we are so thankful for his life here on earth. Other Thanksgiving events were shopping in the wee hours of the day for Camille, Eli, and Grandma Bonnie on Black Friday as well as visiting Camille's extended family Buffalo Center, IA. The time spent with family was much enjoyed. When we got home from all of our traveling we decorated the house for Christmas. Hayden was very enthusiastic and helped decorate the tree. We look forward to celebrating Christ's birth this Christmas season.

Ted was recognized for his hard work at Best Buy from the Corporate office through customer satisfaction. He continues to enjoy his work out there. This is especially true as we recently bought a rather large TV to view movies such as Ice Age! Ted is rather proud :)
Eli has also had an exciting week. He has 2 front teeth for Christmas which explains his need to wake up earlier than mommy and daddy prefer in the morning. He also rolled from his tummy to his back this week!

Enjoy the most recent pictures!

Hayden and his turkeys

Our smiley little Eli

Brothers :)

Auntie Lezlie, Grandpa Mark, Hayden & Eli

Sisters: Camille, Sarah, Lisa

Babies on Harms Side:
Lincoln (3 weeks), Eli (4 months), Gideon (4 months), Teagan (8 months)

Cousins with their babies

Hayden & Reuben

Love

Decorating our Christmas Tree

Placing the Star on top

Thankfulness

2010-11-17T18:55:00.000-06:00

With Thanksgiving quickly approaching, we decided to start a new tradition in our house: a Thankful Tree. Ted so graciously cut down a tree branch for our tree and Hayden and Camille decorated it with lights. Then everyone made leaves and wrote what they were thankful for this year. Hayden and Camille also made Rice Krispie Turkeys! We are excited that during this Thanksgiving season we are able to have some time off from our jobs to make it back to Minnesota to visit our families. Happy Thanksgiving!
Enjoy the pictures from the past week.

Brotherly Love

BIG GUY

Leaves that go on our "Thankful Tree"

Turkey :)

November Changes

2010-11-10T14:16:00.000-06:00

It's November already! Time is just flying by. The past week has been a busy one for us with the most exciting news that baby Lincoln Daniel Schlaak arrived! He was born early in the morning on November 2. Maybe he will go into politics... Here is the latest:

Ted has been working hard at Best Buy and is off to Des Moines for training one day this week.
Camille attended a conference for continuing education on Therapeutic Listening in Minneapolis on November 5 & 6. It was great to see family while she was there, even though time was limited. The boys had a great time with Grandma Bonnie and Papa Joe and the Schlaak cousins that came with too.
Hayden is growing! We had to go out shopping to buy him new jeans because he out grew most of his. He has also been busy perfecting his catching and throwing abilities of a football.
Eli is such a happy little baby. He is testing the boundaries of gravity and attempting to roll over. He also enjoys playing in the exersaucer and sitting in his bumbo seat.

Enjoy the pictures.

The Schlaak Family
Kyle, Lisa, Caleb, Gracie, Micah, Reuben, Lincoln

Lincoln Daniel Schlaak
9 lbs 5 oz 22 in

And suddenly Eli is Huge!

Halloween

2010-10-31T22:39:00.000-05:00

Halloween is here! At the Gustafson house we celebrated by making oreo spiders, making crafts, making Homemade sugar cookies, carving pumpkins with Grandma Vicki and Papa Mark, and going Trick-or-Treating. We are also anxiously awaiting the arrival of Baby Schlaak due on Halloween. Enjoy the pictures!

Hayden and his Bat he made.

Hayden and his crafts.

Yummy cookies

A Sweet Pea

A Hawkeye!?

Trick-or-Treat

Candy!!!

October Fun

2010-10-30T13:58:00.000-05:00

We had another fun weekend with family as the Gustafsons made the trip to come visit. We enjoyed our time together playing in the leaves and carving pumpkins. And now it appears that Fall has fully taken swing here; the trees are bare and the weather has turned cold and windy. Time to clean the yard and get out our warm clothes!

Hayden has officially converted to a Hawkeye fan, thanks to his cousins. He thoroughly enjoys football and for Halloween he decided to dress up as a Hawkeye football player. He will really bring home the treats now!
Eli is 3 months old! He loves attention and his thumb. We are losing the battle on that one. He is also sleeping like a champion. His last feeding is at 10:00 pm and he will wake up between 6:30 and 7:30 in the morning for his first feeding of the day.

Enjoy the pictures.

Boys in their new animal PJs

Gustafson Boys and their quilts their momma made for them.

Happy Birthday Grandma Vicki!

Family Fun

2010-10-19T20:52:00.000-05:00

This past weekend we enjoyed some family time with the Schlaaks and the Kytes. We look forward to another fun family weekend when the Gustafsons come to visit this weekend.

Hayden is beginning to cut down on his naps this week. When he sleeps during the day for 2 hours of more he is often up until 10:00 pm at night. And while he is quietly reading and staying in bed, his parents feel too late.
Eli is starting to show interest in rolling. And while hasn't made to his tummy quite yet, he has made it to his side. He also loves attention, don't forget to bring him to the dinner table!

Enjoy the pictures!

Happy Birthday Grandma Bonnie!

Grandma Bonnie and most of her grandbabies.

Papa Joe and Reuben.

Papa Joe and Caleb.

Silly cousins: Hayden and Rebuen.

Little Gracie holding Eli.

Hayden playing in the leaves :)

Fall Fun

2010-10-13T11:37:00.000-05:00

With fall all around us we are continuously amazed at God's beauty through the fall colors. Here's the latest update at the Gustafson house:

Ted has made several big sales out at Best Buy and is loving it. His next mission has been trying to convince Camille to buy a TV and a camera from Best Buy, we'll see about that....
Camille passed the National Board for Certification of Occupational Therapy. She is now certified and also licensed in the state of Iowa. She received her official documents and is officially approved to independently practice occupational therapy. God answers prayers!
Hayden is constantly getting owies and has since gotten over his fear of band-aides. But the band-aides have to have Buzz and/or Woody on it in order for him not to cry about it. Hayden has also mastered potty training! (Not sure who is happier, Hayden or Mommy and Daddy.) He is embracing Fall this year by playing in the leaves.
Eli is such a happy little boy and we are so blessed to have him in our lives. Eli is consistently sleeping 8 or more hours a night. He has also demonstrated to us, that once again, Baby Wise really works! He hardly ever cries and just lays right down for his naps. Eli has also shown more interest in his bouncy seat and reaches for the toys dangling above him.
Enjoy the new pictures.

Daddy and Hayden playing Wii.

Hanging out before Mommy goes to work.

Daddy and his boys.
Who's foot is that?

Family time on the couch.

Eli reaching :)

Lots of Leaves

Everything is FALLing into place

2010-10-06T15:01:00.000-05:00

So another week has gone by and things are starting to fall into place. We are settled into the new house and are getting used to our new routine for each day.

Ted is keeping busy with work and staying with the boys when Camille is working.
Camille began her own full case load this week and it is going well. She loves working part time and having time at home with the boys.
Hayden loves his brother! He is very aware of his needs and tells mommy and daddy when he is crying. He loves to make Eli laugh by tickling him. Hayden also loves to play hide-and-seek. His new hiding spots are under his bed and in the bathroom closet.
Eli just keeps on growing. He is doing well with all the changes he went through so early in life. He enjoys his swing and bouncy seat. He takes his bottle well when mommy is gone, which makes it easier for mommy to leave for work. When mommy is home they enjoy snuggling, talking, and playing together.
As always: here are the pictures!

Our new home

Making cookies

Brotherly love

Playing hide-and-seek

Bundled up

The Latest

2010-09-30T20:58:00.000-05:00

Here is the latest news going on in our lives:

Ted started his job at Best Buy full time. The first days went well and he is looking forward on being up to date on all those electronics again. :)
Camille thoroughly enjoys working for Children's Center for Therapy. Her coworkers are great and she is excited to start her own caseload beginning next week. www.childrenscenterfortherapy.org
Hayden is starting to learn his numbers this week. He also enjoys tackling as part of this football season. He is constantly asking for his cousins as he has so much fun playing with them!
Eli is now 2 months old! His smile is contagious and he is growing. We can't believe how big he has gotten. He enjoys watching his big brother play and gives us some giggles.
"Go Hawks!" Just a phrase that we have gotten used to hearing around here.
Enjoy the pictures.

Hayden after his chocolate pudding.
(A new favorite)

Tummy Time

Trying out the bumbo seat. Not quite ready yet.

Wilson's Apple Orchard

2010-09-22T17:24:00.000-05:00

Today we enjoyed a day at Wilson's Apple Orchard right here in Iowa City. Here are a few pictures from the day.

Picking apples

Eli enjoyed the day too!

Our New Life in IOWA

2010-09-22T16:35:00.000-05:00

Hi Everyone,
We decided to blog due to our recent move to Iowa City. We thought this would be a fun way for everyone to "stay close." So here is the most recent update:

We moved over Labor Day weekend and are fully unpacked and settled in our new home. Thanks to all of you who helped! We truly appreciate it.
Ted was offered and accepted a full time position at Best Buy. He starts September 26.
Camille started her first official job as an occupational therapist at Children's Center for Therapy. She works 3 1/2 days a week and loves it so far.
Hayden enjoys being near to his cousins and asks to visit them often. He also wants to be just like Daddy by dressing alike and copying Daddy's morning routine.
Eli is 8 weeks old, holding his head up, taking a bottle, giving Mommy and Daddy lots of smiles, and sleeping well at night.

That's it for now. Keep checking for more updates and plenty of pictures.