Trying to Catch a Smile

Isobel has been showing us her lovely smile quite a bit this last week.  I would love to show you  a picture of it, but I can't seem to get one on camera.  Well, that and we have all been sick here this week, so I haven't done a good job of taking pictures.  So far, this is the best I've got.  Actually, I think it's quite cute! :) (Hopefully tomorrow I will get a better one.) The picture of her and Ethan was just so cute I had to put it up. 

A Few Recent Pictures

Here are a few pictures from around here.  It has been a busy last month or so around here.  Since it's been rather cold and snowy around here recently, we have been playing a lot of board games and putting together puzzles.  We are adjusting to being a family of 6.  Isobel is a good baby, she is serious most of the time, but has been smiling in the last few days.  We are so blessed to have her.  Wesley, Ethan, & Elizabeth love their sister and are a big help.

Isobel Marie Wolheter

December 16th, 2010

8lbs 4oz, 21 inches

 Elizabeth & Isobel

 Wesley & Isobel

Isobel admiring her Daddy!

 Elizabeth playing with her princess paper dolls.

 Ethan & Isobel

Mom & the boys doing a puzzle together.

Trip to Mississippi

We took a recent family vacation to Jackson, Mississippi.  I know, quite the tropical location, but we went back to visit friends and our church from when Jeff was in seminary.  We had a great time.  On the way, we stopped in Nashville, TN and visited my friend Abby.  She was still at work when we got there so we found a playground to explore.  The kids had a great time, especially since they had been in the car all day.  

All 3 kids in 1 picture, looking at the camera, and smiling! :)

Andrea, Abby, Elizabeth, Ethan, & Wesley outside of Abby's townhouse.

 Elizabeth was finally brave enough to slide down the slide.  

It doesn't look like it, but it was a very steep slide.

 Ethan climbing the rock wall.

 Wesley had a great time conquering 

everything on the playground equipment.

Happy Birthday Elizabeth

I am a bit overdue on this post, but it is within a week!  So, I guess there is improvement.  Elizabeth has been such a blessing to us.  She always knows how to make someone smile.  She is looking forward to being a big sister soon.  She keeps telling us she is going to help us pick out the baby's clothes.  Yes, she does love clothes, shoes, sparkles, ruffles, and the color pink.  (She must get it from Jeff!)

Elizabeth turned 3 last Friday.  We celebrated by taking a trip to Ft. Wayne.  We went to the History Center, it was a neat museum with history about Ft. Wayne and northeast Indiana. The kids had fun looking at all of the displays.  Then we went and walked around Parkview Field, had lunch and did some shopping. The highlight of Elizabeth's day was having her pictures taken.  She got to pick out her favorite dress and had fun posing for the camera.   

On Sunday we had her birthday party.  Every time someone asked her what she wanted for her birthday she said cake, so  she was a happy girl on Sunday. 

 

 I just liked this picture of them all together at the History Center.

Jeff posing with the kids before they ran around the concourse.  I opted to just sit and watch while Jeff walked behind them.

 

Elizabeth blowing out the candles on her cake!

First Tooth

Well, we've entered another phase of life here at the Wolheter house.  We are now a house that has kids with holes in their mouths.  Wesley lost his first tooth today.  There has been much anticipation of this day around here, because it has been wiggly for about a month. It finally happened, and in quite dramatic fashion I might add.  We were having lunch (pancakes) when Wesley said, "Ahhh!"  Then his tooth popped out on the table.  "It didn't even hurt." was his next statement.  He is very proud of his missing tooth, and we are very proud of him! :)

Contrary to what it would appear by the pathetic attempt made to keep this blog up to date this summer, we are still alive & well!  Here are some recent pictures of the kids.  I told them if they took a nice picture I would let them have a silly one, so you get to see both.  Have a wonderful day!

  

 

Wesley's Preschool Graduation

Wesley has been in preschool at the YMCA here in Kendallville for the last two years.  On Monday night they had graduation.  Jeff and I have both had the privilege of going on some of Wesley's field trips and helping out with some activities during preschool.  It has been a real joy to seem Wesley learn, have fun, and get to know his classmates.  Here are a few pictures from graduation!

The Picture Pretty Much Explains Itself :)

Splash Universe

Jeff's brother John & his wife Kim gave us a gift card to Splash Universe in Shipshewana (an indoor water park) last Christmas.  So, at the end of March we took a few days at went over there.  We went over on Monday checked into our room and went to explore the water park.  That night we at supper, saw a puppet show, and swam some more.  The next day we got up, checked out of our room, but were able to enjoy the water park the rest of the day.  The weather was beautiful so we had a picnic lunch outside before swimming some more.  Needless to say, the kids were exhausted by the time we got home that night and they slept really well.  Thanks John & Kim for the great gift, we had a wonderful time!

 

I'm sure you can guess how much "sleeping" went on :)

 This is how Elizabeth spent most of her time.

Wesley going down the big slide with Dad!

Ethan loved the little slides, he would put the ball 

in front of him and catch it at the bottom.

The boys loved sliding down together.

 

Having a picnic lunch on a beautiful day!

Purdue Game

Back in December before Christmas, we had the opportunity to take the kids and go with my family to a Purdue Basketball game.  We had a great time! 

Our Beautiful Crazy Children

Well, after a few computer slow downs, and me not being on top of things again, here is a new post.  I know, I'm biased, but I think they are adorable.  Here is the miracle behind the first picture.  It was a Sunday morning, and Elizabeth had a new dress on (thanks Nana & Papa), so naturally I wanted a picture.  (Amazingly enough we were actually running a little ahead of schedule.)  So I took a few of each of the kids by themselves, then I said, "Okay let's take one with all of you."  You are never going to believe what happened next.  They all stood in a line, smiled, and looked at me!!!  All at the same time.
   Now, normally in a situation like this, I would drop the camera, someone would sneeze, look away, poke someone next to them, roll their eyes back in their head, make a goofy face, or something else would happen.  However, today was a day like none other.  I pushed the button and the picture took.  (I even got it loaded onto the computer without a problem.)  It happened so quickly and smoothly, I almost pinched myself.  So, since things went so well, I let them take a silly picture, which explains the other photo :)

Indianapolis Zoo

Last week we took a trip down to Indy to go to the Zoo. We were able to go with my parents, sister, and brother-in-law. We've been attempting to go all together for about a year and a half, so it was nice to be able to finally to do it. It was a great time together as a family. Afterwords we went back and had pizza at my Mom & Dad's. We all had a great time!

The kids had a great time checking out all of the animals.

The Meerkats were the favorite of the day.

Papa & Elizabeth checking out the bears.

Stephanie & I were really excited about the desert exhibit.
Just like when we were kids.

Thanks Mom and Dad for the great day!
You can see the excitement in their faces.

Stephanie & Wesley at the dolphin show.

Our pumpkin pizza after a great trip to the zoo.
(It looked like a pumpkin, not made from pumpkin.)