visitors ... fun in june

We have had a fun June ... we spent plenty of time at Disney ... and then we had Grandma and Grandpa Heinrich visit for a little bit.  We always enjoy their company, and although they couldn't stay for very long (they went to Orlando to help Billy's sister and her family get ready to move up north), we had a nice time visiting with them while they were here.  I always appreciate the chance to go to the dentist/doctor/salon, etc. while they are here, so I don't have to drag my kids along to all of my appointments!  Plus, we have people to play games with in the evening ... and of course, my kids love to spend time with their grandparents.  It's a win all around!

A nice photo of everyone!

Grandma H with Alice.

Grandma got some good snuggles in while she was here!

Even Grandpa got a few good snuggles with Allie!

Mom H brought us this pickle dish from Grandma Ellstrom's house ... we will use it with pride every time we serve pickles in our home.  What a thoughtful gift!  I just love the vintage green cut glass!

Grandma played a lot of games while she was visiting ... this princess game is one of Khloe's favorites!

They built towers out of blocks.

Khloe's tower.

Colton's tower.

They were both pretty proud of their handy-work.

Then they knocked them down!

I think this picture is so funny! Love these girls!

And a sweet one, too.

I sure love that face!

So much cuteness!

They read books.

Grandma even got snuggles with this one!

She is so sweet! 

Colton's selfie!

We were up in Orlando earlier this month for Gerson's graduation from residency.  He's now got a full-time job as a general surgeon in Grand Rapids, MN where they just moved to yesterday!  We got to see Aunt Cherrie and Uncle Josh, too ... who came down for Gerson's graduation. It was really good to see everyone ... even if it was for a short time.  Luckily, we'll see (almost) everyone in a few weeks up in Ely for the family reunion. (Brenda and her family will be traveling overseas.)

Auntie Cherrie with Owen and Alice.

This month, we have had a picnic outside, been to the pool, rode our bikes ... and I have secretly (or not so secretly) wished for time in cooler weather!  It has been a super hot (and rainy) June ... last week, we had several days with the heat index at or above 100 degrees ... and since we're not going to be up north until the end of July ... it's safe to say that I will have this type of weather there, too.  My only reprieve will probably be in Ely, MN.  Here's to hoping for some cooler summer nights near the Canadian border ... oh, and no humidity!

We spent some time outside ... Alice likes to sit in her little chair when we're outside.

I like these two pictures, because you see the attention Allie gets from her siblings ...

And then it all goes wrong!  Too much love ...  ha, ha!

Found this girl climbing all over her bed during rest time ... a few weeks after this, she face-planted on the wood floor, because she was jumping on the chair (like she's not supposed to be doing).  She is going to be the death of me!

Four months old!

Billy was thoughtful and brought me some red roses ... just because.  It was such a nice and thoughtful gift!

Colton got a new bed ... finally!  I have some work to do in his room now ... making it into a big boy room, but it's the start he needed. 

Just hanging out with my littlest ... who has moved into 6-12 month clothes already ... where does the time go?

This boy spent his Easter money on a noisy tool ... and he loves it!

Starting to roll over ... she's a bit complacent like her big brother was ... and I'm not complaining!  I always know where she is ... and that she's not going anywhere fast--because that will quickly change!  Enjoying her time as a blob ... ha!

Made a new craft!  My second door wreath ... now the front of the house makes sense.

Two doors ... two wreaths!

It's LYCHEE season!  We ate them in one night! 

And I have perfected a pie crust ... I'm still tweaking some ideas ... but this was an amazing pie!

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Allie Update:

4 Month Well-Check

At nearly 5 months, I will post a little update about Allie's 4 month-stats ... this should've been updated weeks ago.  Oh, well!

Height: 25 1/4 inches (75th-90th percentile)

Weight: 15 lbs. 11 1/2 oz. (75th-90th percentile)

Head Circumference: 17 inches (95th percentile)

Alice still has zero interest in rolling over ... when she has done it a few times, it's usually because she's laughing so hard at something, or because she accidentally does it ... it's never an on-purpose move.  She is so much like Colton in that way!  He wasn't too interested, either.  She will probably learn to sit up and roll over at the same time.  In a way, I am thankful ... the last thing I need is that terrible "baby rolls one way and can't get back the other way" problem or "baby is on the move" ... stay still, Alice, stay still ... there's plenty of time for moving around!  

What Allie does love is to be on her tummy ... much prefers that over laying on her back.  She enjoys the Bumbo chair ... and she loves, loves, loves to laugh!  I am thrilled to hear her giggle, laugh, and squeal ... those noises make my day.  She especially seems to laugh at Colton.  He loves that!  It seems crazy that she will start eating food in a month ... doesn't seem like it's possible, but she is nearing 5 months (this coming Monday--one week)! She is just the sweetest baby ... sleeps so well ... and gnaws on her hands like they are made of chocolate fondue.  Those teeth are working their way up ... and she is probably anxious to have them break through.  We've been using Hyland's Teething Tablets like candy around here!

Enjoying her favorite pastime ... with a bonus of crinkle paper.

That giggle!  She is so cute!

Here's the start of her rolling over ... she was laughing so hard, and just tipped herself over onto her back!

I love her so much!

father's day

These kids LOVE their Daddy!

We had a very good Father's Day here in the Heinrich household.  Daddy is so super special to these kids (and to me, too) that we went all out celebrating how much we love him!  The kiddos had fun creating this picture for Dad ... they loved having me write on their feet (well, I guess Allie did!).  I think the picture turned out really cute!  My goal was to display it in a different way ... what I mean is that I printed several other photos for Billy's office at work, and I framed them.  I didn't want to add another framed picture ... so I decided to transfer the image to wood.  I went to The Home Depot, and I bought a piece of scrap wood that would fit an 8 1/2 x 11 picture ... then I cut the wood, stained it, and transferred the picture to the wood.  I think it turned out great!  It's very rustic, which I love, and it's an adorable way to display a photo sans a frame.  I love how the wood grain shows through!

The back view.

Colton and the kids made several crafts that week at the Kids Club at the gym and at Sabbath School.  Daddy really got spoiled!

I even interviewed the kids about Daddy.  They had some silly and some true answers!  My favorite answers from Colton are that Daddy weighs 106 pounds (yikes!), and I love all of the "plays with me, tickles me, and kisses" answers ... that means Colton knows how much his Daddy loves him!  My favorite Khloe answers are that Daddy loves to watch Jeopardy (which is totally true), and I love that when asked how tall he was her first answer was "this big!" (as she reached high up into the sky ... and finally settled on 50 feet 3 inches as her number guess) ... and when asked how much he weighs she said, "He's BIG!" So cute!

Their interview about Daddy!

It's kind of a tradition around here to decorate an ice cream cake from Bruster's for Father's Day.  This is our third year now, and they absolutely LOVE doing it! I think they really like to eat all of the sprinkles and M&M's while they decorate, but we'll pretend it's the love of making something for Daddy! It's always a masterpiece, that's for sure!

Colton decorating the cake!

Khloe adding a million sprinkles!

All done!

They had so much fun!

Finished product!  Doesn't it look tasty ... to a 2 and 4 year old!

Daddy loved it!  Mint chocolate chip!

On Father's Day, we let Daddy sleep in late ... we went to get some breakfast and to pack up his gifts. Billy had been wanting some Beats by Dre (headphones) for a long time.  I knew exactly which ones he was hoping for ... so we surprised him BIG TIME with those for Father's Day.  He had no idea!  While he was still in bed, we brought him a card and the photo gifts we had put together for him.  He thought that was all he was getting (and he was happy with those things).  

Surprising Daddy with a gift and a card in bed!

Colton is reading the card to Daddy ... who is looking very surprised and enthusiastic about everything!

A very happy Daddy with his three babies.

Then he came out to the kitchen to this surprise! And he was floored that we had bought him his headphones ... exactly the ones he told us about almost a year ago ... what a fun surprise!

Breakfast of his favorite things: Mountain Dew, OJ, green grapes, cherries, jelly donuts, Burger King hash browns, some things to read, and ... a VERY special surprise gift!

Billy with his new headphones ... Beats by Dre Studio Wireless (in red)!

We LOVE you, Daddy (Billy)! Those kids are so blessed to have a Dad who loves to play, wrestle, tickle, hug, kiss, and snuggle with them ... they will always know that their Daddy loves them more than anything in this world, and I couldn't be happier to be raising them with you! God sure has blessed all of us!

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I am reminded regularly that I have a great Dad, too!  I have always had a really special relationship with my Dad ... I guess it stems from us being so much alike.  I cherish the moments when I would wake up early on Sabbath, and he would show me photo slides of his childhood ... or when would go on LONG Sabbath walks with the dogs, sit up late chatting when I was in high school, and go on special Father-Daughter days ... like motorcycle rides to motorcycle races or Sabbath afternoon adventures to museums.  I am lucky that he instilled his love for history in me ... I like that we share that common bond.  He was involved in my Pathfinders, was my biggest supporter at all of my basketball games, watched every drama/choir/band performance (even repeatedly at different churches), was my chauffeur (drove me all around town to keep me hanging out with my friends or attending school activities before I got my own car--and he NEVER complained about it), and always let me know just how proud of me he was ... I didn't fully understand it at the time, but now that I'm a parent ... I get it.  He gave everything to me ... and I'm not talking things.  He is a very special Dad, and I am pretty lucky! He taught me a lot.

A few Dad-isms by Richard Reynolds:

1) ME: "I'm hungry." DAD: "It's nice to meet you, Hungry.  I'm Dad!"

2) ME: "It's really humid outside." DAD: "That's what the animals say ... there's a lot of humans out!"

3) "Taking a trip? Next FALL!" (When I would physically trip on something.)

4) "We're not air-conditioning the neighborhood!" (In other words, shut the front door!)

5) "In or out!" (Shut the front door!)

6) "I'm not sleeping ... I'm just resting my eyes."

7) "I don't know, can you?" (In an effort to get us to say, "May I please ...")

8) "The 'I don't know' guy is back!"

9) "That's the way the cookie crumbles."

10) "That's the way the ball bounces."

11) "You make a better door than a window!"

12) "Turn it off!" (Referring to my over active ability to cry about nothing.)

13) "Hey is for horses!"

14) "Eat it!  It will grow hair on your chest!" (P.S.--not a convincing argument to get a girl to eat her vegetables!)

15) "I love you one, two, three, four ... I love you, MORE!" (probably my most favorite between me and my dad)

I love YOU more, Dad!