Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year (the best picture we could do anyway)

a lot has gone on since the end of october, i have been overwhelmed the last couple of months, here is an update of the kids...

this is ryder clinging to briston, he usually is doing this or has his arm around him...loves his DS, tried to hide and steal it this christmas...


Ryder
he is soo cute to me, reminds me so much of john! he is doing really good in preschool. he still has a few skills (just a few social, he thinks he can do whatever he wants...and he can't) to mash out before kindergarten, but we are a work in progress! he is so sweet with his little taytertot! and gunner and him are best friends. he has always been a guzziler when it comes to drinking, if anyone leaves a glass half full around him he will drink it no matter who you are or what coodies you have. i have been getting on him about it and one day he told me, "i can't help it, i'm a scavenger...like a seagull." i just laughed. another sweet story of ryder was he and gunner were outside and john was still getting his shoes on inside, and ryder came in and said, "come on dad, we need someone outside to protect us, we are by ourselves out there!" i just loved that, it reminded me how our Father in heaven protects us!


gunner in his little woody underwear...no pun intended!
Gunner
he is such a sweet boy, always in an adventureous spirit. john and i always joke about how he will be the life of the party. he loves wearing his eye patch and wearing his hook like a pirate. his speaking is getting a lot better, for awhile ryder was the only one that could understand him! all three of us were getting frustrated but john and i have been working with him a lot and their is much improvement. he loves reading Go Dogs Go. especially about the part where the dog doesn't like the other dogs hat. it's negative and he thinks it's funny, he can pretty much read the whole book to me, and ryder is reading/sounding out some words too, its exciting!


Taylor (Tatertot)
she is our precious angel! she is sitting up, eating non-stop, has one tooth, and working on another, clicks her tongue, holds her turkey legs and eats her little toes, blows bubbles, and coughs on command. this is such a fun age! aunt jenny and my mom made some bows for the tot, and i love putting them in her hair, it is so fun, i have even worn a few in my hair, just around the house, maybe i shouldn't have admitted that, small mid life crisis, i am going to be 30 in 2 1/2 yrs...it's weird! i love dressing her and going shopping with her, i can tell already someone will have to tell me to be the parents and not the best friend to her.
Poppy Flug and Taylor

taylor and santa (poppy vanderpool) christmas morning, santa had to wear sunglasses, last year he was found out!

im kinda proud, this is a picture of the cake i made me mom for her birthday, she is into northwoods decor, and thanks to pintrest i found this and made it! cakes are such an artwork, not sure if i really like it...

we have like 20 eagles just west of us and john took them all down to see them, and took misty with, she loves the woods/hunting, and you can see her smile in all the pictures. i love to see her in the woods and so happy. this picture cracks me up because the boys were complaining about the sun in there eyes for the photo and misty is smiling so much! i love it!





cant wait to see what this new year brings, we have been so blessed our cup runneth over!

Carazy October

we have had a lot happen this month, which this month is probably one of my favorite out of the year. it's a month with perfect weather in my opinion. and we have had gorgeous weather! ok, john's sister had a baby sept. 30, fisher samuel, and he is a little peanut! we finally got to meet him last weekend at our anual family outing to the apple orchard. and in the middle of the month john's cousin, katie, had their first sweet boy, bowen, which he is also super cute, not sure what number that makes it for gramps, but he has a ton of great grandkids, not sure who will be next! (ashley, go for the girl!)
Fisher

Bowen


Apple Orchard
i think this was the third or fourth year of us going to the apple orchard. it is probably the best one around, soo much stuff to do and you can let your kids run free, it's awesome. i will let the pictures tell all













after the apple orchard we all hurry off because we are starving and go to grandpa's for a yummy potluck (yummy soup, bread, pies, crisps, cheesecake (thanks ash) and so much more), and a campfire. this year was extra fun because all the kids are getting older and they know how to play games, they played hide n seek, and the kids had to find the "werewolves" in the dark (sara, colby, and chris). ryder loved it, but he is "mister i wanna be in control of everything" and was getting mad because he wanted to be a wolf! haha! and then we sat around the campfire talking, singing, and playing a round of mafia, which is hilarious when bruce is the narrator, he makes fun of us all because we all can't keep our eyes shut for some reason, the main rule of the game!

2 Years and still goin strong!

two years ago today ryder william had surgery. he was born with vesicoureteral reflux--Vesicoureteral (ves-ih-koe-yoo-REE-ter-ul) reflux is the abnormal flow of urine from your bladder back up the tubes (ureters) that connect your kidneys to your bladder. Normally, urine flows only down from your kidneys to your bladder--he was a stage 4 out of 5, it is common, but still a very intense surgery. we drove to iowa city the 28th and met with dr cooper, he is awesome, and we did a quick pre op. that night we spent the night together in a hotel that had a water slide...that was very fun, and was up early the next morning for surgery. i just remember john and i being in this really little room and the dr came in and talked to us about the surgery, and i just looked at my sweet little 2yr old boy in this cute little hospital gown, and started to ball, the tears wouldn't stop! the dr left and gave us a little time before ry had to go back, i remember john praying and crying and the dr came and john went back with him until he was under general anest., only one of us could go back there with him and i just couldn't do it the mess (hot mess :) just kidding) that i already was! about an hour later they called us and he was out. i just remember the relief i felt to know he was ok and i couldn't wait to hold him (even though when he was coming to he was a crazy baby and didn't really want to be held until a nurse brought in a tv showing barney). what he complained about the most was the ace bandage around his hang that hid his IV! he had to stay two days in the hospital, our dear sweet friends the kains let gunner and me stay at their house while john stayed with ryder. it was a shared room, but no one came in until we were getting ready to leave. he is fully recovered now and we are so happy and blessed to have such a sweet little boy! and so thankful for the family and friends that were there for us during that time! we love you ryder!!

Life in a nutshell

we have been so busy lately, with soccer, preschool, cubbies, flag football (john), work, i haven't had that much time to update!! but i did get my camera back, so here are a few pictures i wanted to share...

Gunner
he is always playing a part, whether it be a scary lion like this picture, or a dinosaur...like this picture, a bear..like this picture, or buzz lightyear lazering someone...like in this picture...do you see a trend, he has the same face for all of these, the only real thing that changes is when he is a dinosaur he claws his hands AND his toes! it is hilarious!


Ryder
he is loving preschool, finally likes playing soccer, he was a little nervous with everyone watching him on the field, but now loves it and has scored twice now (one for the other team) but i am a proud mom so it counts! here a few pictures of my boy in action!



trying to keep gunner happy while ry plays...

gunner also made a friend, but she didn't like him taking her treat...


Taylor
she is 4 months now, squealing, laughing, drooling, (i think some teeth are moving down there), crying, trying to sit up, and will be starting rice cereal this week! last week she weighed in at 16lb 15oz. it's hard to think i will never have a baby this small again, but i feel so complete with my family.

showing some clev already!



Quick pic of the family...the best we could do anyway!

soccer mom

today was a proud day for mama vanderpool. my oldest child and i went and picked out soccer shoes, socks, his ball and shin guards today. he is starting practice tomorrow, and i couldn't be prouder! i think i will live up to the status quo of a soccer mom. when my four year old knocks down another four year old i will cheer! soccer will be a contact sport especially when your four! he is going to be a stud i just know it! he tried everything on tonight for john, and seriously almost cried! he looked so cute in his little white cleets he picked out! i will have pictures soon!

dr. appt

i dread every time i have to take the kids to the dr. today we had taylor's two mon appt, she is really three months but because of school well check up's it's hard to get in. i told the boys ahead of time that taylor will have to get shots, because of last time, (i knew gunner had to get a shot, but i didn't know ry needed one too, well gunner went first and screamed his brains out, and then it was ryder's turn, and there were like 4 nurses and my self holding him down! lol it was hilarious! plus i have a little two year old trying to beat the nurses down to get them away from ryder, so they won't do to him what they did to him). so that is why i warned them ahead of time! we were waiting in the well child area and right when the nurse came in both boys starting talking ryder said taylor needs shots and then gunner said, you no shoot my bebe. we got to the room and gunner dropped his eye brows down and he puts his pointer finger up by his eye and says bebe need no shot, ryder said i think taylor needs four shots and the nurse said, no just three, and ryder said, how about two? i love the bargaining! anyway tay is 90% for head over 95% for height and weight! she is a chunky monkey, i love it!

Taylor Brynn 3 months

Miss Tays! you are 3 months old! man time is flying and i am sad because she is my last, really its final, the tubes are tied! :( i will always say she was the biggest suprise of my life, even bigger than getting engaged! i never thought in a million years i would get a girl! i feel like this time i am cherishing every moment i get with her, 98% of the time i don't get annoyed with her crying, john and i both say sometime we put her close to our ear just to hear her sweet voice. (remember the other two percent i am ready to go nuts!) i was giving her a bath and she has full trust in me and just looks at me like i know everything is going to be ok. if you are out there reading this whoever you are, and you have kids or going to, cherish every moment (i know you can't always, sometimes you want to pull your hair out). john and i love our kids so much...right now! :) taylor is smiling instantly john sings to her, she is smiling so much and trying to figure out her voice and how to laugh, she watches the boys constantly, really loves ryder, and loves to hear gunner's voice.
gunner is in his terrible twos full throtle! it just felt like ry was in his and we just got done with him, now it's gunner!! and then it will be taylor...jeesh! gunner is really trying to figure out his words, he has some issues with "r's" and can't really speak very well, but every week i see improvement, which is good, but he is sassy when i do know what he is saying! we just went to the state fair and we literally had to stop every three steps because gunner had to stop and say hi to every pig, horse, cow, sheep. next time i will send him with grandpa clate and they would have fun looking at everything!!
ryder has totally done a 180 with his attitude, of course there will always be one, but he isn't taking life so seriously anymore. he is getting how to control the emotions and handling change well, he is turning into such a big boy! he will be going to preschool next month and starting soccer soon as well! following in his mother's footsteps...hopefully he will be better at the sport than i was! its the love of the game that counts!
that's it for now, my camera still isn't here, they needed to order a part so i will get pics up as soon as possible!

tiny update

well its only a few more days and hopefully my camera will be back to me, the lense was sticky and i had to get it fixed! (under warranty still, yeah!) and i think blogs are boring without any pictures. so hopefully i will start to get some up of the family. nothing too much going on at the homestead, john and i started to work out at our church, and it freakin kills me, but it's so good and i am glad that it's only 5 min from my house, and i have a good accountability partner right now in lisa, kim, and bruce! oh and i guess john, he watches the kids when i go so that is soooo nice! (or a hint) but other than that nothing else...see dad aren't you happy that i updated my blog!!
Taylor is 10 weeks old tomorrow and is doing awesome she is sleeping through the night, coo's and smiles all the time, it's so cute!
Gunner is so animated, everywhere i go everyone laughs at him because he is always playing a character, whether it is buzz lightyear (and lazering some random stranger) or a lion, sometimes he just puts some forks up by his ears and says "i'm a baby deer!"
Ryder is doing really well, he tells me and everyone that he wants to go to kindergarten when he is five, but for now he is going to go to preschool. sometimes i have a few girls watch the boys while i go out on the town with my baba girl, and one time when i returned home, one of the girls said ryder told him we are supposed to love on girls, and went up and gave bekah a hug and then went for a kiss on the lips! : ) it was so funny! i don't want him hittin on the hired help! : ) well, that is it, i really want my camera back so i can put some cute pics up of my little ones!

Taylor Brynn

I GOT A GIRL! The Lord hath shown favor upon me! :) A lot of you may know this already, but I had a baby girl, Taylor Brynn, on May 24th! I love her so much and she is the perfect finale to our perfect family. She has such a different personality, and she is really smart, she knew how to feed right away, she already has routines down, like sleeps now almost 6 hours every night...she is only 3 weeks old! She is so sweet! Here are some pics that my BFF took while she was here...



Here are some quick pics of the boys...

Family Fun Nights

Here are some pics from all of us helping dad on the kitchen.



Ok that's enough Ryder!


A tired boy.


I love this picture, because it just shows how proud John is of his two boys! he is so excited that he got brothers, and some best friends!


Don't mind the gray marshmellow in the background.

Stitches inbetween...





While John was working on the house, during the dusty parts and unliveable parts of the process we stayed with my parents. Bless their little hearts, they put up with us for that long. i called it the flug's bed and breakfast. while we were there my dad played a lot of games with the kids. (this is from thanksgiving, but you'll get the picture of what games he plays with the kids)

Hide N' Seek! Can you find Poppy??
And my sweet nephew Greyson.