The Lenzendorf Family

It's been a while

2010-12-01T17:30:00.000-06:00

For all of you still following us, sorry for the lack of updates. I will explain what has been going on briefly. The biggest reason why there have been no updates is when I posted last I had reached my maximum amount of pictures (shocking, I know) I could upload, so I have been debating whether to delete some of the older pictures and/or posts or start up a new blog. I feel bad about deleting pictures as it how I go down memory lane sometimes. The other reasons why there have been no updates is just lack of time. I want to revamp the blog and it is just not getting done. I have been trying to get things done around here and there are still not enough hours in the day. I have also been trying to get away from taking so many pictures and enjoy the moments in real time...now don't think I have stopped completely! There are just times I choose to enjoy rather then capture it. We have been busy with doing things so I do have plenty of catching up to do, so once I do figure out what I am going to do you will have plenty to read about.
I have been revamping myself too. November 1st I turned over some new leaves...an adjustment to all areas of my life and it has paid off! I am getting into shape, I have given myself an attitude adjustment, I am looking at life thru better lens and feeling great (much more energy). So with all that said I am hoping that will help me get this updated and soon!
Thank you to all of you who have stuck with us. Hoping you will continue to do so.
Love, Jen :)

Chugga Chugga Choo Choo

2010-09-26T23:07:00.002-05:00

Today Liz and I worked on getting a train track setup on the train table. The train table was moved upstairs to the boys room a while ago. It was in the closet first and then when the boys got bunk beds it came out. It has been used to host parties and much more. Liz had fun helping me set it up and then being the first one to take the train for a trial run. Soon Alex joined us and finally Zach. Chugga chugga choo choo!!!

Going to the Zoo

2010-09-25T22:57:00.002-05:00

We took yet another trip to the Milwaukee County Zoo. This time it was with Jeremy's family...Nana and Papa...Aunt Jeanne and Uncle Brent...and the girls-Mackenzie, Morgan and Maddie. The last time/first time we went to the zoo as a whole family it was well before Jeremy and I had kids...so a very long time ago.
The zoo does NOT get old for the kids. They love going. We try to let the kids...all the kids...lead us in what to see. This trip to the zoo included a train ride and a try at the carousel again. They all did great with both esp considering they were at the end of the day and they were tired.
Here is Alex and daddy on the train...
Here is Zach and me on the train...

Liz rode train in the car with Nana, Papa and Mackenzie...

Alex chose the giraffe (no surprise there)...it is one of two animals that does not move on the carousel...he said he was going to ride a moving one next time...

Liz got on a horse...unfortunately I could not get a shot of Zach from where I was with Liz.

What a great day it was. The kids had a blast! Treating ourselves to a family zoo pass was such a great idea and we have used it a lot and the kids have enjoyed each time.

Reading, Drawing & More Reading

2010-09-21T16:08:00.004-05:00

So with the start of the school year and the kids still attending daycare, Wednesday is the only morning we do not have to run. Luckily our community library hold storytime twice a week for free. One of those times is on Wednesday's morning, so it took a week or so to get it as part of our routine but we did it. Every storytime we go to we check out new books. The kids have lots of books at home but getting them from the library is way cooler. We try to read them before bed or whenever we have some quiet/sit down time. They each have their own way to pick out books...it can be the color of the book or what is on the cover or how big the book is or theme.
I took some pictures of daddy reading to the kids. This first picture actually was quite dark due to my camera being on it's last leg so I did some messing around with it to lighten it up...why work so hard on it...Zach's face is too precious not to share it...
It is amazing how things change...we have always had a rocker in the living room, so it has been in many pictures. The kids definitely fill it up now!

The other thing we have been doing new is using our dry erase board...they have one at school, so now it is all the rage. The kids practice their letters and making smiling faces and just doodling.

Alex's board time...

Liz's board time...

Zach's board time...

Jeremy got this picture tonight...I wondered if my kids would ever enjoy reading books, not just destroying them. They love them now! We enjoy them reading to us as well as us reading to them.

Are You Ready for Some Football!!!

2010-09-19T15:59:00.003-05:00

The goal today was to get the load of wood thrown in and do it prior to the Packer game starting. Thankfully my dad stopped by and lending a helping hand. We got it in and done by 11:55am...kickoff was at Noon. Although it is hard to sit and watch a game especially when there is always work to be done. Lucky for us Mother Nature helped us out with a little rain and not only did she do that but she held off until all the wood was in. So we all came in and it was time for some football.
When Jeremy walked into the living room this is what he saw...
Then everyone got comfy...

Two peas in a pod...I can see it now...I will need 3 recliners for the men in our family esp for football season...lol.

Just a quick FYI...we did not tell them to pose like this or even direct them to sit that way...this is ALL their doing.

We Built This City...

2010-09-15T15:25:00.001-05:00

Tents are all the rage in our house. Tonight after supper the kids built a tent city. It was cute to watch them go into their own tent and then come out get some toys and go back in. The tents had to be fixed quite a few times but they had a blast. I see a lot more tent cities in our future. My sister Jackie and I were pros at making tents and I loved making them. It was nice to see them enjoy such a simple activity like I use to. Who knows maybe one time I will be caught in one...lol.
Zach looking sly...

Alex headed out for a toy...

Liz straightening her section...

Uh-oh...Zach what happened???

"You're Not My Best Friend Anymore"

2010-09-14T22:59:00.003-05:00

Anyone who has a little girl knows or will know eventually the drama that goes along with having a little girl. Today Liz threw a tantrum today at naptime. She eventually fell asleep. I came downstairs and began to relax on the couch. About half hour after Liz went to sleep she came downstairs. She came into the living room looked at me as I was looking at her. She quickly put her head down, told me I was not her best friend anymore (a phrase used often when life is not going their way) and proceeded to hide along side the chair. I let her be for a bit and then checked on her to find her fast asleep. When the boys woke up they asked why Liz was sleeping there. Very funny!

Making it a Family Event

2010-09-12T22:37:00.005-05:00

We found out at the beginning of the month that Jeremy would not be able to get wood for the heating season this year due to his back issues. Thankfully his dad was able to provide us with some wood. Yesterday the boys took a trip across the state to get the first load. Today we got the tractors ready and the trailer parked close to the house and began the process. The kids were so excited to help. I went out and got them their own wood/gardening gloves. To work we went.
Here is Alex checking out grandpa's tractor and splitter...
Liz pretending to drive daddy's tractor...

Zach checking on the wood in the basement...

Daddy went to the basement to make a little more room...kids making sure he takes it easy...

Alex ready to push a piece down the chute...

...and there it goes!

Zach loving every minute...

...and there his goes!

Liz carrying a log to the chute...

ready...set...

go!

Although having them helped took extra time, it was a lot of fun to do this as a family. Hopefully in a few years they will be as willing as they were today to help. :)

A Girls Day

2010-09-11T22:18:00.006-05:00

Today was Liz's first gymnastics class. I signed her up for the class thru the local Park & Rec Dept. Trying to give her something of her own. Also to give her and me some alone time.
Jeremy was planning on taking the boys and heading across the state to pick up our beef as well as get some wood, so Liz and I had some girl time planned. I grabbed some of her craft items and we headed to my craft room.
I did not get much done as I was watching her have fun creating things and being so proud of them. I gave her own table, which is my grandma's old sewing maching & table. Here she is at her work station...
Working very careful to put some glue down...

Working on making a cow that I cut with my cricut machine (I am in love with it...lol)...

Ta-Da! She was very proud of all of her creations...

Put an old cork board of mine up for her to hang up her creation...here she is admiring it.

It was so nice to have some girl time and be able to share my hobby with her. I can actually see me being able accomplish some work with a helper. The possibilities are endless.

1st Day of Preschool

2010-09-07T21:36:00.004-05:00

So it has started...the kids' school career! Can't believe they are starting school already!!!
We have enrolled them in a 3k program. It is a local lutheran church that is only 5 minutes from our house. They have VERY reasonable tuition...in fact we were shocked when we were told how much it would be. The program is focused on preparing the kids for 4k, which is what kindergarten use to be. Kindergarten nowadays is not about naps, snacks, playtime and beginning to learn...it is about much more and that is why a lot of parents are choosing to hold back their kids until they are older to start.
So today was their first first day of school. Daddy went into work late to be able to enjoy this milestone with them. We did pictures of him with the kids and then he headed to work and I got the kids to school. We had an open house late last week to show the kids their classroom and to introduce them to their teacher, so they knew where they were going and were comfortable.
I must say I was not prepared for this day to go so smoothly. I think a lot of credit goes to having them in daycare. I know the open house helped as well as the excitement of going to school. I had absolutely no whining, crying, tantrums/fits, complaining...nothing, nothing but excitement.
They could not get to the school's door fast enough and then were super excited to find their hooks to hang their school bags. I had to ask for hugs as they started to walk away from me. Talk about making me feel great...the tears I shed were for my babies growing up. They make me so proud!
Alexander and daddy
Elizabeth and daddy

Zachary and daddy

Daddy with the crew

Alexander and mommy

Elizabeth and mommy

Zachary and mommy

Me and my babies

Zach and Liz running to the door...couldn't take pictures fast enough...Alex did walk beside me...

Not the greatest picture since they did not want to wait for me to get a nice one...

This is what they handed out to the mommies (and a few daddies) dropping off their kids...I scored three of these...lol.

Labor Day Weekend

2010-09-06T22:26:00.004-05:00

Our Labor Day weekend started out with a day for daddy. For his birthday I secretly setup a day to brew beer with some of his guy friends (Marcus, Corey and Kevin). I gave him the full day. I made sure the only thing the guys had to worry about was making good beer! They all had a great time, which is the most important thing. Sometimes in our daily lives we end up in a rut and sometimes just need a nudge to get going again. To make us better parents we still need to do things that make us happy outside of the kids. Gives us a refresher. Thanks again to the guys and look forward to the next time.
Sunday was time to celebrate my dad's birthday which was August 31st. We packed up and headed to "cabin" on the lake...it is right in my parent's backyard. They finally got the pontoon boat in the water and enjoyed some fishing prior to the rain coming in.
Liz's first catch of the afternoon...
Auntie Jackie helping Zach fish on the pontoon boat...

The girls with Auntie Jean...

Liz trying to find the fish...

Alex stayed back on land as Grandpa took the others on the pontoon boat to find the fish further out...well we should have stayed with him as he kept catching fish while we found nothing!

Grandpa and Zach trying hard to find the fish...

Monday I worked at the clinic walking dogs. So it was just a day to catch up on projects and chores. It was a very nice long weekend!

1st "real" haircut

2010-09-01T22:09:00.002-05:00

Today Liz and I went to the professionals to get our hair cut. This is the first time Liz has had it done professionally. She was SUPER excited! She was a little hesitant as we approached the door to the salon. We had her go first...then she got to watch mommy. She sat so still....like a statue. At times it look like she may doze off. She was such a good girl and was so proud of her new do.
Here we are prior to leaving...
Sitting in the chair, still looking happy...

This is how she look the ENTIRE time she was getting her hair done...

Getting her hair dried...Sandy did a great job...amazing that this little girl use to be bald...

The finished product...what a cutie!!!

Family Vacation 2010...Shawano, WI

2010-08-29T21:27:00.021-05:00

This last week we went on our family vacation (or as the kids were saying "A-cation") in Shawano at the Brusky Sandy Shore Cottages.

The cottages are owned by Alice and Peter Brusky. Alice was the kids' home health nurse when they were discharged from the NICU. She so graciously offered to have us come up and stay and even offered their personal cottage to us at a very reasonable price. Alice has not seen the kids since they were just a few months old. Although she follows the blog and my Facebook, pictures just do not do justice. She hold such a special place in our hearts. Not only was she the kids' nurse but she was a cheerleader for me, she was not afraid to roll up her sleeves and help with a feeding, she handled dealing with the pediatrician and saving us a trip in and much more. It was great seeing her and meeting Peter. Thank you again!

We spent the whole week there in a cottage...enjoying the great weather, the beach, some fishing and general relaxing. I was able to start a book and got half way thru it. The only bad part of the week was both Jeremy and I ended up sick for about 24 hrs each...thankfully on separate days. We had a blast and believe this could be an annual thing.

For those that are friends with me on Facebook you have probably seen all of these photos already. But for those who have not, enjoy!
How to pack for a week for 3 kids...step one: figuring out what to pack...pick an outfit a day w/undies, 2 extra outfits per kid, 3 extra undies per kid, two pair of pants each, sweatshirt each, 3 pair of socks each, 4 pair of jammies each, two swimsuits each and a sun hat each...lay it out to make sure you have not forgotten anything.... Step two: put the outfits for each day in a labeled/color coded ziploc bag and empty all the air.
Step three: cross your fingers and hope it all fits into their suitcases...taaaa-daaaa...even a little room to spare! If you thought the kids' suitcases were full...take a look at the truck...not a whole lot of extra room! The Bunk house that was part of out cottage...complete separate from the main cottage...has bunk beds, trundle bed and couch...1/2 bath and small kitchen area...perfect for a little bit older children as we did ask the kiddos if they wanted to stay in there and they immediately asked if we would too...lol.The main cottage...2 bedroom, living room, kitchen, full bath, 3 seasoned porch...very cozy!
A warm welcome from the Brusky's...perfect! After arriving and getting the truck unloaded and doing some grocery shopping the sun had set and night was falling upon us...here is what the lake looked like at the time...so peaceful! Then a beautiful reflection from the moon on the water....We packed a small tote of toys to take with us to occupy the kids while still inside...it worked for the most part...but everyday did start with the question of 'when are we going to the beach?' Unfortunately the kids did not see the point of sleeping in on vacation...there was not a single morning of sleeping past 7am. Luckily for us there was cable tv and the Disney channel...the kids LOVED Mickey Mouse Clubhouse (so did mommy and daddy...lol). the kids would get all cuddled in their blankies and wait for us to get going. (Unfortunately, I had a picture of the boys too but must have erased it :(...so just imagine them cuddling in their blankets...lol.)This was our dinner table...here the kids are eating a great breakfast.Since there were 2 bedrooms with full size beds, we determined it was best to have the kids share one...so after a little manuevering it into the corner, we were set to go. They loved being able to goof around together. Most nights were plenty warm so no jammies, the kids just love that! Liz playing on the pier...Alex washing off the pier one little bowlful at a time...Zach cleaning out the water using his sinking boat Tuggy...Liz swimming back to shore with Addy and Bella(two other kids that were there)...Alex cleaning off the table in prep for another great sand meal...Zach looking for what to do next...Daddy and the kids after their very first fishing experience...they loved it! I did get pictures of them but most were not so great...we were watch Bella and Addy too, so our hands were VERY full....add some hooks and very hungry little fish...worms went very quick to say the least!Alex with a catch the next time fishing...Zach showing off his catch...Liz with her next catch caught up in the weeds...At the very end of the pier are fishermen/woman...Daddy and Liz...Zach hammin' it up...Daddy and Alex chillin...Daddy and the kids relaxing...Self portrait of Liz and me...and Zach and me.Building a sand castle with daddy....the best part was smashing it. :)Down the road was a park, so we went to check it out. The kids had fun playing for the short time. First it was a climb up the rope wall...Then a jaunt across the wiggly stone thingamajigs... then a swing on the tire made for three... and finally quick swing on the regular swings prior to leaving. They got a chance to cook some s'mores...mommy missed out on this due to being sick, but did manage to get some pictures of their first s'more making... Another round of fishing...more catches to show off...they are good little fishers...lol. After fishing, the boys stopped to help Bella find shells... then Liz and Skylar join in. Mommy and the monkeys... The one thing we did manage to get out to do was go to Doc's Harley Davidson. We did plan on trying to get to Bay Beach in Green Bay, but due to illness we did not go. So we really enjoyed our little outing to the Harley store. This was more then just a bike store...it had exotic animals as well as a museum. Here is a Macaw: Alex standing in front of the bike he wanted to buy... Liz in front of the car from the museum she wanted to take home... Zach found this statue that he was find of...I think it was the roller skates...lol. Finally a bike for the family...lol. The tortoises were cool to see esp the baby one... The alligators were even more cool...the kids were in awe of them. Even a camel, a donkey and a pony... long horned cattle, buffalo, and some fainting goats too! Then there was this old ship... Everyone took a turn at the helm... The kids loved watching the wildlife around our cottage...we had some very large woodpeckers, squirrels, chipmunks and this little bunny that the kids liked being so close to. Playing in the water was high on the list of things to do... as well as playing on the beach...here the kids are working on a mud pie. The kids playing the last day...soaking up every ray of sun and every moment of fun. Moments before a waterfight broke out... the boys were having a blast getting each other... Zach doing a reverse bucket over the head...how about a head in a bucket...lol. I made up signs for the kids to color to show our appreciation. Thanks again Brusky's...we had a fabulous time!!!

Future Bikers...

2010-08-19T18:34:00.002-05:00

The kids sporting their new outfits from daddy...our three future bikers!
Can you believe they are 3 1/2 years old now?!?!? Time flies!!!

First Dentist Visit

2010-08-18T17:44:00.002-05:00

Today the kids had their first dentist appointment. It was a moment of coming full circle for me. The dentist we have is the same one my parents took me to when I was a kid. As we sat in the waiting room the memories of what my sisters and I did to keep busy while waiting came flooding back as I watched my own children figure out what to do. Very powerful moment. The appointment went great. Although the kids were not sure about things, they still did great. Plus their teeth look great.
Here the kids are waiting with daddy.
The boys discussing something with daddy...

Liz went first...

then Alex...

and finally Zach.

A long two weeks...

2010-08-16T17:58:00.003-05:00

The first 2 weeks of August have been crazy! Ten out of the last 16 days daddy has been out of town for work. So it has been me and the crew. The key to happiness is keeping busy. Thankfully the weather helped too, so there was a LOT of swimming done. We also had many visitors...grandma, Auntie Jackie and Nana. There were two separate trips the first one for a few days, but the second one was to Sturgis and that was for a week...that was the longest amount of time that the kids and daddy have been apart. We all made it thru and are very happy to have him back home. Here are a few pictures from the first couple weeks.
The monkeys goofing around...

Liz's first stick person...way to go sweetie!

Alex's hands traced...way to go buddy!

Zach, taking after me for a change, took this great photo of Liz!

The animals with the visors Auntie Jackie got them...can you say too cute!!!

I am not ready yet...

2010-08-04T22:59:00.002-05:00

So we may be headed into the dreaded dropping of naps. I don't think we are ready to drop them completely, but we have our days of non-nappers. Unfortunately with them fighting to sleep we usually end up with a lot of attitude. Today was the second day in a row that Liz felt she did not need a nap. She did come downstairs and played while the boys slept. If you ask me, she NEEDED a nap! So as I talked to my mom on the phone for about 20 minutes things in the living room got very quiet...apparently Liz sat still for too long. Sometimes this momma does know what is best...lol. Can't be upset with such a precious, innocent, sweet face. For now we will continue our routine and have naps, but we know our days are numbered.

A New Chapter...

2010-08-02T22:34:00.002-05:00

...for me! This weekend I took my motorcycle class. Due to me writing it down in my date book wrong, I had two full days of learning instead of partial days for two weekends. I was tired to say the least by Sunday night. I did pass the class both the written test as well as the skills test. Then today went to the DMV to take the temps test and get my license changed to include the motorcycle license.
You may be thinking big deal...well it is for me. It is about the license but there is more to it. As a SAHM sometimes I feel like I may be lost some days. I believe to be a better mommy I need to make sure I do things for myself. I so enjoy riding the bike with Jeremy and have always just been the passenger, so deciding to take control and be the driver was out of my comfort zone. Sometimes it is just easier to stay within that area that we feel most comfortable with than to step outside. This class was also about learning. Some days I wonder if my brain is still able to function at the higher level it use to or if it is complete mush. I feel pretty confident in saying now that I am still able to learn...I did ace the written part. I also learned some things about me, which the instructor said we would. I had fun doing it and look forward to sharpening my skills.
Big thanks to Jeremy for his support and confidence...couldn't of done it without you.
My sweeties...playing prior to leaving to run errands...

Who is this???

2010-07-29T22:28:00.001-05:00

To end yet another month...is it me or is this year FLYING by...anyways, let me test our followers...can you tell who this is??? Leave us a comment with your guess!

Cuttin' It Up

2010-07-28T22:17:00.002-05:00

One of the most requested craft/art activities is cutting paper. Normally it has been "free" cutting. They have a blast doing it. So today I drew shapes on different colored paper and had them cut it out. They loved it and were so proud of themselves. We then mounted the cut out colored shapes onto black paper to show daddy once he got home. They did a really good job! Here they are hard at work...

Nana and Papa visit & the Fair

2010-07-25T17:58:00.005-05:00

This weekend Nana and Papa came to visit. They got to town on Friday so we headed to the county fair for fun and food. The kids had a great time...it was so nice not having to drag a wagon (or two) with us...one of the pros to this age! The other pro...being able to push off bedtime if needed. At the gate we entered in, we were able to feed the goats as we made our way to find supper. We ate supper and enjoyed a treat from Nana and Papa of creme puffs, then it was off to see the sights. The kids tried out each and every tractor and enjoyed seeing all the animals. It was a good evening.
Saturday Nana and Papa were in charge so we could attend a party for Jeremy's work. I was suppose to go scrapping in the morning but due to a migraine I was stuck in bed. Nana, Papa and the kids had a great afternoon together. Sunday morning was spent playing with them prior to them heading home.
Thanks again to Nana and Papa fo rcomign to watch the kids. We enjoyed your visit!
Zach leading Papa to the gate...
Tractors, tractors and more tractors...

The kids checking out the baby chicks...

Found a old co-worker of mine who was showing some rabbits...she was nice enough to take one out for the kids to pet...it was for sale but have not been able to convince daddy yet that they would be a nice pet for the kids to have...lol...

Zach checking out the Pot Bellied Pigs...

Nana and Liz checking out one of the horses...

Daddy and Alex saying "hey" to a horse...

We love our Nana and Papa!

The kids posing with the monkey Nana and Papa bought at the fair...

Nana and the boys playin...

Nana tickling everyone...

Papa getting in on the fun!

Our little Michael Angelo's

2010-07-22T16:30:00.002-05:00

Today was like Christmas or their birthday repeated. These guys have so many toys and activities to do that some were stored away by me after they got them. My goal was to get enough space on their shelves int he guest bedroom to put all the games and activities. I thing I should note is that the kids love to play with games not how they are suppose to be played with, so I was not real eager to put them all out for them to be able to get to. I finally got the shelf space and got them all organized and started to introduce them to the new items. One of the items was a finger painting set that you paint and then "print" the painting on paper...pretty neat. The kids loved it. The toughest part was not the potential for mess but the waiting for the kids. Here are the pictures from the "art project":
Can you tell the excitement???
Rolling the paper on to print the masterpiece...

Very excited to get started...waiting is tough...

Working on his masterpiece...

Clean up time...

The pool is OPEN!!!

2010-07-18T15:32:00.001-05:00

Well we have our pool setup and ready to go. We we not able to get in it for some time due to lack of swimming gear needed for a deeper pool. The day after my surgery we got everyone dressed and in some sort of floatation device and they went swimming with daddy. It was probably not the best time to go in as the sun was going down, but it was the start to our swimming season. So go figure the pool is ready to go, the weather is gorgeous and I CAN'T get it in! I did find the appropriate floatation gear, so all systems are a go. Thanks to grandma we were able to take a dip a couple days after getting in for the first time. Liz is for sure a fish, Zach did not need much encouragement to be a fish ad Alex would prefer me in the water. Tonight we had an impromptu dinner gathering that included some swimming. This time auntie Jean got in the water with Liz, Zach and Lexi. Zach and Liz figured out how to jump off the ladder and were having a blast. I can't wait until I can get in with them!!!
Swimming with Grandma and Lexi...
Liz showing off her swimming skills...

Zach leaping into the pool...

and Liz too...

Liz playing with Auntie Jean...

Surgery for Mommy...

2010-07-13T12:12:00.003-05:00

So for months I have been having pain. At my annual appointment I discussed it with my doctor. I thought it was possibly endometriosis and she said that the location of the pain is normally associated with the appendix. Unfortunately I needed to rule out other things before surgery could be done for the endo. After all other things did not work, surgery was scheduled. It would the first time I would be completely put out.
So yesterday I got the call about the time I needed to be at the hospital....6AM! I was ok about the surgery until last night when I tucked my babies in. There are the horror stories you hear about, so it gets you thinking. I bawled after tucking them in. Mom came over to be there for the kids whe they woke. I cried when I hugged her before leaving. Jeremy took me to the hospital and kept me company while waiting for my time. I was asked a bazillion times what suregery I was having...not a bad thing, but can be a little annoying. The doctor came in and said she would be doing her part second due to a c-section she had to do. Then the anesthesiologist came in, ask me a few things, then asked if I had any questions...I told him he needs to make sure I wake up. While he was still in the room the general surgeon (who has 12 year old twin daughters) came in. So the anesthesiologist says to him 'ah, you are being upstaged...they have triplets'...lol. Soon after they all left they OR nurse came to get me...again the tears started flowing as I left Jeremy.
I will give all them that did a great job of distracting me. Here is how it went
first nurse 'you have triplets?!?!'
me 'yes'
first nurse 'wow, boy, girls?'
me '2 boys and a girl'
second nurse 'you have triplets?!?!'
me 'yup'
second nurse 'wow, boys, girls?'
me 'two boys and a girl'
third nurse 'you have triplets!?!?'
me 'yup'
third nurse 'wow, boys, girls?'
me 'two boys and a girl'
first nurse 'we need to get you a sign...lol'
Surgery went great. During recovery they got me back to Jeremy as quick as they could. I was home before naptime. I came home to a great welcome. The results are no endometriosis and an appendix that was starting to show signs of inflammation. So hopefully once I heal completely I will be pain-free.
The wonderful sign the kids and my mom made for me...there was also some homemade cards...
Watching for the car to come down the road...

Patiently waiting for me to walk thru the door...

The kids checking out my hospital bracelets...

Some thing(s) up my sleeve...

2010-07-11T11:56:00.002-05:00

Since it is our 10th anniversary I wanted it to be special. Unfortunately our plans of going back to Jamaica on our 10th could not happen. The first thing I had up my sleeve was planning a getaway for our anniversary. I started with some ideas which ended up taking us to Cedarburg (a whole 20 minutes from our house). I reserved a room at a B&B there. I did surprise Jeremy with it prior to going since it did require him to take a day off and I wanted his input for what we wanted to do with our 24 hours of kidless time. When we checked in the B&B and got to our room there was a bottle of wine and a card wishing us a happy anniversary. One of the things we did with our time was taking the winery tour. I am (or should say was) not a big fan of wine so I was a little concerned about how I would handle the wine tasting part of the tour. Low and behold...I LIKE wine! I was just tasting the ones I don't like. We also went thru the shops and ate at a great crepe place. Later we went to the local brewery , drank some good beer, then to a pizza place for homemade pizza. Funny thing is...we were in bed and sleeping by 10pm. The next morning we hit a few more shops after checking out, then stopped at the last covered bridge in Wisconsin and then headed home. Our 3 r's (reconnecting, romance and relaxing) did not end there. We knew the kids were going to nap at my parent's house, so we decided to take a motorcycle ride to get lunch. This little trip turned into going to an ice cream shop in Horicon. We pass it every time we make a trip to the other side of the state and say every time 'we need to stop there'. We beat some rain on the way home and headed to get our kiddos. Thanks to my parents for watching them so we could celebrate.

The other thing I had up my sleeve was in regards to Jeremy birthday present. He has worked so hard supporting this family that he deserves a little fun time too. So I contacted some of his friends that also brew beer and setup a "brew day". We also got him some beer kits to make either that day or before. I did end up making him a cake and making dinner for him. He was very happy and surprised that I did that. He really does deserve some guy time, so I was happy to do it. Happy Birthday honey!

I had a lot of fun figuring these surprises out and planning them. Looking forward to the next one!

Happy 10th Anniversary

2010-07-08T00:45:00.002-05:00

This day ten years ago I married my best friend. That day was perfect even though it rained. I never got one drop on me. We celebrated our union with our families and friends. Of course, the day went way too fast. That day I was so completely in love, who knew that I would be even more in love today!
For those that do not know how this little thing started let me take you down memory lane. Jeremy and I both attended UW-Platteville. We were both in fraternities. The first time that we met was at a fraternity banquet. It was a quick meeting and one not completely remembered...lol. Then a few months later we met again...this time in the bar. If I remember it correctly I approached him and asked if he remembered me. Then there was a meeting at my fraternity. I will never forget the day that I got the call. I was out the night before and stayed at a friend's apartment close to downtown. I got home the next morning extremely hungover. Listened to the message on the machine. It was him!!! He left only a partial phone #. I listened to the message about 10 times to make sure I was not missing the number. I proceeded to jump around my apartment like a lunatic. He did eventually call back and asked me over for a movie at his room in the fraternity house. I was on cloud nine! We watched Fargo. This was April 20th, 1998. We were dating even though both of us had the attitude of 'I will never find anyone' or 'will I ever find someone that won't hurt me'.
Jeremy graduated from college in May. He got a job in Macomb, IL. We did the long distance dating thing...saw each other on the weekends and talked on the phone daily. I then decided to move to Macomb and transfer to Western Illinois University. So the first time Jeremy met my parents was to tell them I was moving to Illinois with him. My poor daddy...he did the best thing he could...he walked away from the table we were sitting at. Although we did not make many people happy with this decision, it did work out for the best.
On July 3, 1998 Jeremy proposed to me in front of both of our families. Again on cloud nine! I moved to Illinois a few days later. Although our dating last a short amount of time, our engagement lasted two years. It could be considered love at first sight, we just knew we were meant to be together. The rest is history!
To my hubby...I love you so much. You make me smile and laugh. You have a great sense of humor, which has come in hand many times. You are loving, caring and tender. You have supported me thru some of my toughest days. You love me for who I am and accept who I am. You listening to me, even my long winded stories. You respect me. You can finish my sentences. I love you more everyday! I could not have ask for a better person to have by my side thru this crazy ride we call life.
Love,
Jen :)

Happy Independence Day!!!

2010-07-04T23:51:00.003-05:00

Happy 4th of July!!! This years' 4th has been much different then any other. The local events started yesterday. The plan was to head to the fireworks in Kewaskum. We decided to take the kids to the local custard shop for some supper. They had a blast. They got to pick out the table where we were going to sit, so they were feeling pretty darn cool. they did a good job eating and once were were done we headed towards Kewaskum. The show started as we were on our way so we got to see a lot on the way. We were not plannign on going to the park where they were lighted off, but were hoping to get a good spot on a side street or parking lot. As we got closer to them the kids were not thrilled about the loud noises, so we headed to my sister's house even though she was not there. Her driveway is blocked by trees so we started to drive up a hill by her house and found a perfect viewing...could still hear them and see them. They really enjoyed them. We also far enoguh away from all the traffic and were able to get out quickly to head home, esp since it was past our bedtime. The kids were saying oooohs and aaaahs and even boom. A good time was had by all.
Here is Zach and Daddy waiting for our number to be called... Today's plan was be at home in the morning and then a party in the afternoon. We did some work outside this morning. Unfortunately, Zach seem to get overheated, so we stopped and spent some time cooling off in the house. We got ready for the party but were keeping an eye on Zach. We hoped the kids would nap on the way. They did for a bit on the hour drive to the party. We got to the party and the energy Zach got form sleeping soon wore off. With concerns about heat exhaustion, we decided to leave the party only after an hour of being there. We got back home and did a little putzing around, ate supper, then headed up the hill to my Aunt Deb and Uncle Jim's (they were in town for the weekend) house in hopes of seeing West Bend's fireworks. The kids had fun playing up there waiting patiently for it to get dark. Grandma and Grandpa showed up. Then my Uncle Kevin and Aunt Sue. Soon enough it was dark and they started...not just West Bend's but a few other place were visible from the deck. The kids enjoyed them. All in all a great 4th!!!
Daddy and the kids goofing around prior to leaving for the party...

Grandma watching with the kids

Summertime = Sprinkler time

2010-07-02T23:24:00.003-05:00

Since we still do not have the pool filled due to some minor issues, I decided to try the sprinkler this afternoon. These kids love playing in water, pretty sure they get that from me...just ask my mom...lol. I figured the sprinkler would be a hit. Well first Alex wanted nothing to do with it, wouldn't even come out of the house...lol. So I took the other two out...turned it on. They really did not know what to do, so I tried to explain what to do. Finally I just took them by the hand and ran thru it with them. Although it was not a big hit today, we will continue to try it. Here are a few pictures of the event...

Future Farmers of America

2010-06-28T22:56:00.001-05:00

It's that time of year...haying making! This week was suppose to be great weather so my dad aka grandpa was in full haying making mode. One of the fields he cuts is behind our house. The kids LOVE to watch him. We got home from daycare and headed straight to the play yard. Zach would go out and help if I would let him. I keep telling him...one day you will be old enough to help. They had a great time watching him go round and round and were quite disappointed when we had to come in for naps.
Might as well get comfy...
Every time he came around they would wave and be all excited.

Although I do not have pictures...they also watched the baling process. The did get a chance to see him rake a different field. I am telling you...these kids will be throwing bales before we know it!

Pool time!

2010-06-26T21:46:00.002-05:00

Today Jeremy took the next step at putting up our pool. He began working on it last weekend, but had to take it easy with his back and it got too late to start the next step. So today we hadto get sand from my dad and level out the area. The kids had to nap so Jeremy worked with the first load and stopped working on the second load so the kids could helped as promised prior to nap. Zach was the first to wake. It took him only a moment to remember that there was sand to unload. He quickly put on his shoes and made a bee line for his daddy outside. Jeremy had to stop him from working so the other two would have some to do too.
Here is Zach...he loves to work...and he works very hard...
One shovel at a time...

Liz was the next one up...she also took a brief moment before remembering the sand...she may be a diva sometimes but she is also a hard worker...

Alex was last to wake and after putting his eye patch on, he headed out to help...

Daddy's little helpers...

After getting the sand down and leveled, it was time to lay out the pool. We started filling it and the first thing Liz asked was can we get in and swim...lol. Little did she know just how much water it was going to take to fill it. In sweet time, my little girl...there is plenty of time to go swimming. So, opening soon...the Lenzendorf Pool!

Creative Minds

2010-06-23T14:55:00.001-05:00

The kids have really gotten into being creative when playing with their Playdoh. The really enjoy making things themselves. I am normally just the helper. So this morning as the kids were playing, I listened to them talking...telling each other what they are making. Soon I hear Alex telling me to come look at his giraffe. Normally the things they are making are not easily identified, so when I came to the table I expected to see something that vaguely resembled a giraffe. Well this is what Alex showed me. I was so surprised that it actually looked like a giraffe...actually took a double take, then tried to figure out if we had a cutout of a giraffe.
Proud of his creation! Way to go Alex!

He did continue to make more giraffes, all were a little more difficult to identfy as a giraffe...lol.

Happy Father's Day

2010-06-22T11:25:00.001-05:00

Happy Father's Day to all the daddy out there. A special Happy Father's Day to Jeremy...thank you for being such a great husband and father. We love you LOTS!
Actual Father's DAy did not go so well in our household but you'll have that with three 3 yr olds. We did the best we could for the day, but it will not go down in the books as a great day for daddy. We were not even able to give him the card and presents...that is how bad it was....yikes! So we did a take two on Monday which turned out a LOT better! And then finally finished celebrating on Tuesday (the second gift came in the mail that day, that one is my fault for ordering it late). I guess it fits that it would take three days to completely celebrate, right?!?! LOL
Sunday morning did start out good, with breakfast made by me and the kids goofying around...here is Zach using daddy as a jungle gym...
We won't discuss what happened after that except to saw the kids did help daddy cut the lawn. One of their favorite activities. I think Zach would cut the grass every day if he could...lol.

Monday evening the kids gave their daddy his card and a shirt. Tuesday was the gift I was more concerned about. It was not exactly what I initially dream of, but turned out just fine and is actually something useful. I gathered all the pics of Jeremy and the kids since last Father's Day and picked 20 of them to put on a mouse pad. The pictures include him doing different activities with the kids like planting a tree, brewing beer, reading, wrestling, rocking in his chair, playing catch, walking in the woods, doing puzzles, picking out the xmas tree, introducing them to Santa, being at the county fair and the zoo, carving pumpkins, helping with yard work, sitting on the pier by the lake and pictures from our staycation last year. There were so many picture to choose from and I just loved going back and looking thru them all. I also found a poem which I wrote up on some card stock and made a little frame for it for his desk at work. I have included that below.

Walk a Little Slower Daddy
Walk a little slower, Daddy.

said a child so small.

I'm following in your footsteps

and don't want to fall.

Sometimes your steps are very fast,

sometimes they're hard to see.

So walk a little slower Daddy,

for you are leading me.

Someday when I'm all grown up,

you're what I want to be.

Then I will have a little child

who'll want to follow me,

and I would want to lead just right,

and know that I was true.

So walk a little slower, Daddy,

for I must follow you!

Happy Father's Day honey! Thanks for leading our kids! You mean a lot to us all!

Love, Jen

To the zoo we go...

2010-06-12T22:34:00.006-05:00

Today we had out 2nd annual trip to a zoo with Grover and Sarah. We started the tradition last year at the Madison Zoo. This year we went to the Milwaukee Zoo. The weather was suppose to be very humid and muggy and it turned out being a bit on the chilly side....no one was dressed appropriately...lol. Oh well didn't keep us from exploring. Today was also PBS Kids' Day at the zoo. So there were characters from some of the shows there. We have learned for past visits to the zoo (and knowing that we are going more times this year) to let the kids have a say in what they want to see. So with that in mond we set off to find Elmo.
We found him...although the kids did not seem to notice, mommy sure did...Elmo was having eye issues...lol, but the kids were happy to say hi to him and give high fives. Family photo op...
Abby Cadabby was near Elmo as well so Liz wanted to say hi to her and give her a hug...by the look on Liz' face you would think she was forced to do this...she was NOT, completely her choice.

Daddy pulling the princess in the wagon and Grover with Zach. As soon as we told the kids they could walk but needed a hand Zach immediately went for Grover's...they were buddy's the rest of the visit. Maybe Zach was prepping Grover...they are expecting their first baby in October...I cannot tell you how excited I am for them...can't wait!

There was a dinosaur exhibit open that was not open on our last trip, so we had to go check it out. All the dinos were robots and had sound effects. The kids enjoyed seeing them. Her Liz is checking out some little ones...just the right size.

Then we got to the biggest one and tried for a group picture...hard to do with so many things pulling at the kids' attention...

At the end there was a dinosaur that the kids could operate...here they are patiently waiting their turn with Grover...

Can you see the engineers in them???

One last spot for a photo op was a dino to sit on...I always get emotional when the bond between is put out there for all to see...they are best friends!

Taking a break...Alex did not want to cooperate for a nice picture...in fact he thought he was pretty darn funny...I will have to double check with my mom, but I am pretty sure he gets that from me...think I have been known to ruin a few pictures...so he does have a very little bit of me in him...lol.

Liz is almost always willing to give you a smile...cheesy or not!

Grover will be such a good daddy! The kids just love Grover and Sarah...All week long they talk abotu the going to the zoo with Grover and Sarah.

Zach is the first to show that he is happy daddy's back feels better...can you tell???

I was going to try to not put any of the animal pictures I took in this post but this one just HAD to be added...I have NEVER seen a peacock in a tree...I would have thought that the tail would be just too much to get em up there...well low and behold...they can fly...lol.

After lunch the kids got to see Bob the Builder...didn't realize he had a show on PBS...learn something new everyday I guess.

Not the greatest picture of Liz and Cookie Monster...some parents should learn to have more patience.

Big hug from Liz to the Cat in the Hat.

We realized on this trip that we can get rid of our double seater wagons...the kids wanted to walk and did just fine...don't worry we still have the standard coaster wagons.

We ended our trip with seeing SuperWhy...one of th kids' favorite shows. They will pick out letter on the screen...it is fun to watch them watch the show.

We then headed out of the zoo which made for one really upset little girl...she was not done yet...we did not see the zebras and the lions...but it was time, so they will be seen on our next trip. Mommy worked really hard to keep the kids awake for the ride home so they could crash in their beds and mommy and daddy could crash on the couch. Another successful trip to the "other" zoo. Big thanks to Grover and Sarah for meeting us there and spending the time with all of us. We love you guys!

Love, Jen

Some days...

2010-06-05T22:07:00.002-05:00

So if you have been around me lately or are friends with me on Facebook, you know that I have had some rough days. Three is proving to be a very tough age...times three! To be perfectly honest, there are some days we just take it minute by minute. Some days are completely exhausting both mentally and emotionally. Some days I can't wait until bedtime. Some days it feels like all I do is put kids in timeouts or take away beloved possessions. No one said parenting was easy, right?!?! But even in those bad moments, I still treasure my children...love them with ever bit of my heart...know what a blessing they are...try to enjoy every moment as they will only be this young once. I try to learn from them and those moments. I try to not let those moment ruin a day. I have never regretted becoming a parent...it is the best thing I have ever done. The best thing is those not so great moments melt away with good moments. When the kids say they love me or ask for hugs and kisses or are affectionate towards each other or having them read to me or watching them use their imaginations and much more! One of the other great moments is cuddling! I LOVE it! There are not many pictures of me and kids (since I am behind the camera...lol), so I love it when we get a good one together. So to my three little testers...I love you more than life...try to take it easy on your momma!

Daddy's helpers

2010-06-03T15:26:00.002-05:00

I could do a post like this weekly...whether it is an after work/supper project or a weekend project, these three kids LOVE to help their daddy. Even if they cannot help directly, they will play only a few feet from daddy. They will use whatever tools they can whether they are theirs or daddy's. They work well as a team.
Tonight Jeremy came home from work early, do to a massive migraine I was having. He took the kids out to work and play. The task was to remove some trees that were growing where we did not want them and taking one of them and planting it in the yard. I did start to feel better just in time to see the teamwork in progress. They are so proud of their work and that they get to help daddy. Love is an amazing thing to watch. One of many priceless moments of being a parent.

New haircut for new month

2010-06-01T15:05:00.005-05:00

It was just a matter of time before one of the kids would give themselves (or their siblings) a haircut. It did not surprise me that the first to do it was Zach. With how he LOVES to explore things and how they work (he is so going to be an engineer!) it makes sense that he'd be the first.
Here is how it happened. The boys woke up from nap at the same time and before Liz. They asked if they could cut some paper and I am all for an activity that is quiet but "neat" enough to keep their attention for a bit. I was working in the kitchen and they were doing their activity on the table in their playarea. Each had their own paper and scissors. They were doing a great job. I found Zach sitting on the floor cutting a couple times in which he quickly moved to the table after being asked. We cleaned that activity up, then Liz got up and we went on with our afternoon playing outside. It was not until AFTER supper that I noticed it.
He cut two clumps of hair out. All the way to the scalp. With it being as short as it is and being so blond...the two little spot are hard to see. You can see the light spot on his head, almost straight up from his nose. Thank goodness Liz was sleeping, cuz I could see her being a victim of his curosity!

Jumping, jumping, jumping

2010-05-31T23:03:00.002-05:00

This weekend was a busy one for us. The week started by prepping for my rummage, which we held at my sister's place again. By Thursday we were ready to open. the kids did a great job of helping get ready and being patient with the rules. Thursday was a great day for us! A old high school friend stopped in...we got to catch up a bit. She had mentioned a rummage up the road having a trampoline. Friday my mom opened the rummage while I took the kids to school, so on my way back to Jean's I stopped to see if I could find the trampoline...and I did! We brought it home Friday night and started to set it up. Unfortunately it was not done prior to coming in for the night. Saturday we left town to go to the 45th reunion for Jeremy's fraternity. After returning yesterday, Jeremy finished putting it together and the kids were in it as fast as they could. They are loving it! It is a perfect size for them. Another great find!!!

All for one

2010-05-15T22:27:00.001-05:00

One of the great things (and yes there are many) about having kids all the same age is the bond they have with each other. They will forever be best friends and will always have each other's backs. We have seen evidence of this many times. It is one of those things that will stop you dead in your tracks when you see it happening.
So we went back to have Alex's eyes checked. The vision is improving but the wandering is still an issue. The doctor told us to start patching his one eye to stregthen the other eye. She is hoping to see significant improvement for his vision at our next appointment in July, but does not think that the patch will completely fix the wandering and mentioned surgery to fix the muscles.
So Alex was not a big fan of having to wear a patch, so it took some thinking to figure out how to encourage him to keep it on for the 2 to 4 hours. Alex loves his animals esp his elephant, so I asked him if he wanted his animals to have a patch too. I encouraged him to encourage his animals that it is ok and that it will help their eyes. Worked like a charm. To make it even better was both Liz and Zach ran to get one of their animals to waer a "patch" too. All the while telling Alex it is ok and all the animals too.
Nothing better then sibling love!!!
Here are the kids with their animals...all patched up.

We LOVE our daddy!

2010-05-14T21:54:00.002-05:00

These kids just adore their daddy. With daddy working long days and traveling more some days get to be a little long for the kids. You see these kids go nuts when daddy comes home...EVERY day! Even though they cannot officially tell time...they know what time he should be home and the questions begin....is daddy home yet? when is daddy going to be home? I can't wait for daddy to get home. If we happen to be eating when he gets home...all eating stops and they go running for him. Normally they help him with his bag and putting his lunch box away as well as a ton of talking...all at once. Everyone has something to tell him. Really I love watching it...he is such an amazing daddy. We love him lots!
Love ya babe!
Love, Us
Here they are enjoying some time on daddy's lap before dinner...
Today daddy returned from a trip and one of the things he needed help with was his riding helmet. Are they cute or what?!?!

Happy Mother's Day

2010-05-12T21:18:00.002-05:00

Happy Mother's Day!!! I know it is a few days late, but we went to the zoo on Mother's Day and I wanted to get that post done first.
This is the one day I use to hate, in fact dread. For six years I fought hard to reach my dream of being a mother. There were a few ups and many, many downs. Infertility is an awful disease to have. It is mentally, emotionally and physically draining. It become all consuming. You can't "just relax" or "let nature take it's course" or understand that "things happen for a reason". Everyone around you seems to be pregnant or get pregnant with ease or have kids already. You are constantly counting, wondering, worrying and more. Keeping your spirits up is difficult to say the least....every negative pregnancy test or every failed cycle is heartbreaking. It is like constantly getting knocked down and being asked to get up and try again with the same results, but you hold on to the hope that "this" will be the time. It is quite the mental battle to have within yourself. You want to BELIEVE that it will happen in one form or another. And THAT is what helps you get out of bed in the morning and keep trying.
So now this day is MY day. I love it! I have the hardest job in the world but would not change it for the world. I have tough days, but they fade away against all the good times. I thoroughly enjoyed being pregnant as I knew it would be the only time. I try to enjoy each day to the fullest as they fly by too fast and will be only ones. I am not a perfect mother, nor do I know everything. I do my best. I love my children dearly. I cannot imagine life without them and can't remember life before them. I love them more and more each day. Although the journey was extremely tough to have them, it has made me extremely grateful to have them. They are a blessing and should not be taken for granted. To Alexander, Elizabeth and Zachary...I am honored to be your mommy. You are my world!
So to all the other mommies...Happy Mother's Day...hope you enjoyed your day. For all that are on the rollercoast ride of infertility...keep believing.
Love, Jen

Taking the monkeys to the Zoo

2010-05-10T16:53:00.006-05:00

A gift we got ourselves was a season zoo pass. This way we do not have to plan around the free days and hope for good weather and can go many times throughout the year and see new things all the time. Makes it a more leisurely visit. So the first trip this year was suppose to be at the end of April but rain delayed our visit to this weekend. This first trip was with Heather and her family, hubby Josh and their kids, Hunter and Jacy. Thankfully it was the better day of the weekend. This trip was based more on what the kids wanted to see rather then trying to see everything. We had a great time. We took only one 2-seater wagon with the idea of the kids taking turns walking. It worked very well. They were exhausted!!! Here are the pics from the day. Thanks to Heather and her family...look forward to the next get together! Love, Jen
The monkey grabbing a quick snack before entering into the zoo...
The dads showing the kids the gorillas...

Jacy...isn't she beautiful...just like her mommy!

The monkeys checking out the monkeys...swinging from vine to vine...hope they don't try that at home...

Grizzly bears sleeping...

Jacy letting Zach take a ride in their stroller...

Alex and Liz checking out the sea lions...

Polar bear sleeping...what is it with the bears?!?!

This beautiful peacock was within a few feet of us...we also ate with 2 peacocks patrolling...

Here is a male and female peacock that walked straight for the kids...less then 2 feet away from them...

Alex's favorite part of the day...the giraffes...daddy saw that one was real close to a viewing area...the kids loved getting that close...

The jaguar staring at us like we are the ones on display...

Perfect timing is all I can say...what a gorgeous animal...

And then the not so gorgeous, but still verying interesting to see.

I am addicted...

2010-05-07T15:47:00.003-05:00

...to rummage sales. I LOVE them! I missed them during the winter months. They are my way of shopping. I love finding deals. I have found many last season and am hopeful I will find more this season. Last season I was more ready for the season to start. I knew what we needed and had a list, checked things off as I found them. This year not so much...it is a work in progress. One of the deals I have found so far was being able to complete the boy 4T wardrobe (all seasons) for only $60. This last week I found an awesome deal. The kids are really into dinosaurs, so I was on the hunt for them. I found a stuff animal at the second rummage, but found an even better dino at the last rummage. He is a HUGE stuffed dinosaur. I will continue to rummage and find the deals. Here are some pictures of introducin the kids to their new big dino:
Pure excitement...looks at Zach's expression...
Best thing to do with a large stuff animal....

wrestle!!! Notice Liz still on the couh watching and giggling in her "new" snow white dress up outfit...

But it was not long before she joined in...

and when you are done wrestling you stand him back up...the best $3 I have spent!

You know you have triplets when...

2010-05-05T16:40:00.001-05:00

I found this from a couple other triplet mom's blogs and couldn't believe how true some of these were! They made me laugh. So, if you ever wondered what it was like to have triplets, here's a glimpse into life as a triplet parent. :)
*Your stroller has its own zip code.
*Dinnertime is officially declared an Olympic Event
*You arrive at your doctor’s appointments early just to read the magazines in peace.
*Your husband has seriously tried to motorize your stroller.
*There is no room in your refrigerator for food, all available space is occupied by pre-prepared bottles of formula.
*You look at a closet full of diapers and think “I’m running low”.
*A regular sized pack of diapers lasts only 3 days.
*Every morning you mentally prepare yourself for the worst before your enter “that” bedroom, (naked toddlers, wet bed sheets, diapers on the floor and three little voice saying “poop, poop”)
*You are obsessed with diapers.
*You are the only parents who can utter, “Stop playing with that, it’s not YOUR penis” with a perfectly straight face.
*You can throw French-fries to the rear set of seats without looking and none end up on the floor.
*You can change diapers standing up, while in line, at the Children’s Museum.
*You feel like a sheepherder instead of a parent
*You have people asking if you run a daycare because that’s what your yard looks like.
*You can carry 3 plates of food and 3 cups (or 4) to the table without spilling anything and you’ve never been a waitress.
*A trip to Target for diapers is a vacation.
*Your stroller costs more than your first car.
*You can hold at least three conversations at the same time.
*You no longer have a proper name you are either “The Lady With Triplets” or Moooooooooommmmmmmmyyyyyyyyyyyyy
*You automatically divide or multiply everything by 3.
*You have diapers in your purse, in the glove compartment, your desk drawer and in every room of the house – just in case.
*Every square inch of seating in your vehicle is taken by car seats.
*You know you are a MoM when you can sweep, talk on the phone, AND read to your children all at the same time.
*Your monthly grocery budget is greater than the annual budget for the State of Rhode Island.
*The first thing you ask upon arriving home is for the poop and pee report.
*2 minute tasks take 30 minutes because you have to keep returning to the play room to break up fights, peel the kids from the wall, change a diaper you can actually smell from the next room, break p more fights, remove a child from the top of the couch, perform surgery on the VCR because there is an UFO inside of it, fill sippy cups back up with water because whatever was in them disappeared mysteriously (only later when you sit down on the couch you will find where it went) remind them not to jump on each other, break up a few more fights and change more poopy diapers.
*You not only are familiar with what a 300 count box of Kleenex looks like when they are all removed from the box one at a time, but you know for a fact you can’t put them back because you’ve tried.
*You curse stores for only having two of something in a package, or for only having two of something on their shelf.
*You buy Baby Motrin, Cough Syrup, etc, 3 at a time, and the clerk looks at you funny, while the whole time you are wishing they sold it in gallon containers.
*You pull 3 tickets for Car seats at Babies R Us to take to the register, and when you get there the clerk says, “Ma’am, I think you picked up too many of these or they must have been stuck together”
*You agonize over what it will be like when they get to school and you have three teachers to visit on parent night, three different sets of homework, and your babies aren’t even out of the NICU yet.
*Everyone in the neighborhood knows who you are, even though you’ve never met them before.
*The grocery store clerk has commented on the 6-9 gallons of milk you buy each week, telling you it would be cheaper to buy a cow.
*You’ve ever truly considered strangling someone who said, “you’ve got your hands full” or “I’d shoot myself”.
*You’ve ever been so sleepy that you can fall asleep with the baby lying on your chest and fail to wake up despite the fact that the baby is screaming directly into your left ear.
*You are both shocked by the rudeness, and amazed by the kindness of strangers in the same 60 seconds upon entering Target.
*Oh, and you consider going to Walmart at 11pm “going out”
*Because you’ve charted poops pees and food intake.
*You know at one time you did have a spouse, but now you can’t remember.
*You have to wash the dinner dishes by hand because the dishwasher is full of bottles.
*You don’t see anything unusual with the fact that you know not one, but several, triplet moms.
*A complete stranger walks up to you in the mall and says “my niece has triplets, her name is _________ do you know her?” and you can answer “yes I do”
*The awareness of silence strikes terror into your soul.
*You know the black market value of a Runabout stroller.
*You consider cereal dumped on the middle of the floor, not to be bad parenting, but rather a unique picnic breakfast!
*All kids are aware that any sippy cup left unattended is fair game.
*Whining is heard not just in stereo, but in surround sound!
*You go to an amusement park with your triplet stroller only to realize YOU’VE become the source of amusement, or you go to the Zoo and find the other visitors watching your kids more than the animals!
*Your peri says you look like a beached whale at 24 weeks.
*You know what the word Peri stands for.
*You use the word singleton.
*You need a hitch for your stroller
*You refer to your babies as A B and C
*$15.00 baby outfits seem too expensive.
*You buy a single weeks worth of formula, and the clerk asks you if you are stocking up.
*You intentionally feed all 3 kids from the same spoon and bowl even though one is sick, because you can’t bear the thought of 3 consecutive 2 week cold sessions, you’d rather have them sick at the same time.
*You enroll them in or join every activity and playgroup you can, you visit every playground in a 10 mile radius, sometimes more than 1 a day, just so you can be out of the house from dawn to dusk so you have less to clean up.
*After 20 minutes in the car you realize you are not only listening to the kids tape, but you are singing along with it, and there are no kids in the car.
*All of a sudden everyone you know, knows someone with triplets.
*Crib Tents? You can’t afford NOT to buy them.
*You know what a crib tent is!
*You consider leashes a viable safety option.
*You celebrate the birthdays of the people who invented the spill proof sippy cup and the auto repeat replay function on DVD players.
*You bought a dog (or have thought about it) to cut down on post meal cleanup time.
*Your home has become a complex maze of gates, locks and barricades.
*Your kids have never actually walked through the zoo or store, because getting out of the stroller is NOT an option.
*You are not horrified at the idea of “waking a sleeping baby” to eat. After all, it is time to EAT so sayeth the master schedule!
*When hearing of a new pregnancy, you first question is “just one?”
*You call one baby a singleton (before your triplets arrived, it was “a baby”)
*You don’t want to potty train because the thought of trying to take all 3 to a public bathroom yourself sends shivers up and down your spine.
*You make formula by the gallon and it lasts only 24 hours.
*Your pediatrician’s office recognizes your voice.
*You feel so so so BLESSED…..and tired. :)

A Weekend Away

2010-05-03T22:22:00.005-05:00

We started out May with making a trip across the state to attend our niece, Mackenzie's birthday party. I worked Staurday morning so we did not leave town until early afternoon. We had a great time at the party. The kids played on the girls' swingset. They had a blast on the trampoline. Sunday they played outside riding toys up and down the sidewalk. We also made a quick trip to Papa's farm. Here are some of the pictures:
Nana walking along with the boys as they head to the corner to turn around...
Zach was pretty protective of the John Deere ride on...not shocking at all...

anything to be like his daddy...

Papa helping the kids get some corn to feed the cows...

Nana helping with the feeding process...they were trying to get an ear to the small caw standing in back...

Kids kept running up the corn crib to get more...they had a blast feeding the cows (cows seemed to enjoy it as well...lol)...

We then checked out the new baby kitties...the kids were very gentle with them...

One final thing was the boys checking out Papa's tractor before leaving the farm.

A busy end to the month...

2010-04-30T22:09:00.001-05:00

Yet another month is ending...where is the time going??? This week was a busy one. On Monday I went in for an annual checkup and to start the ball rolling with trying to figure out why I am having pains. I will be very happy once we figure out what is wrong. Tuesday Jeremy left to go to York, PA for work for a few days. We missed him a lot while he was gone, but did survive. Thursday night I went out with the girls from work. I love getting together with them to catch up on things as well as having a drink or two and being social. Jeremy returned last night, I was very happy to see him. The kids were pretty good while he was gone so that helps with flying solo. This week also marked the first time in a long time that Jeremy went to the chiroprator only once! He is on the mend....woo hoo! This weekend we head out of town, so the fun continues! So good-bye April...hello May!

Bringing down the House!

2010-04-25T21:25:00.002-05:00

We brought the house down for the last time today. I believe if we had 3 girls it would be used more appropriate manner, in fact if it just Liz played with it, it would stay up. But those darn boys...lol. With the weather being rainy this weekend, it was perfect to have the kids to help take it down. The more energy we can burn the better we all are. The kids did enjoy the house but began to use it for more than just a house...more of a jungle gym. A few days ago was a perfect example of how not to use the house. I jumped in the shower, my showers only take 5 minutes, so I let the kids play. Just prior to turning the shower off Liz comes running in telling me Zach can't get down. By the time I got dried off, Alex started yelling Zach is on the roof and can't get down. Yup, there he sat on top of the house...smiling...lol. We thank Aunt Jeanne, Uncle Brent and the girls for letting us use the house.

Homemade bird feeders

2010-04-21T21:54:00.005-05:00

Yesterday I had the kids collect some of the large pine cones we have in the yard. I explained we would make bird feeders out of them today. So that is what we did this morning. They were super excited to do the activity...so excited that they were outside playing and agreed to coming in to do the project...even agreed to taking off their shoes and jackets!!! They did have enough time to go back out before lunch, but anyways...it was a messy project but a lot of fun. They each watched me show them and still did it their own way. Here are the pictures from the fun:
The before picture...
Zach applying the peanut butter/butter mixture...

Liz applying her mixture...somehow she ended up with it on her nose and cheeks with her hair stuck in it...note to self make sure Liz' hair is pulled back before messy projects...lol.

Alex applying his mixture...he was very happy to help "feed" the birds...

After the first round of cleaning up...kids and table...we got ready for phase 2...bird seed.

Zach applied the seeds in the messiest way possible...

Liz working on apllying the seeds...

Alex did it similar to the way I modeled...

TA-DA!!! We are finished...now for a little freezer time and then to be hung up...

It was not long after nap before the request to hang them started...

I gave the camera to Alex to take pictures while I hung them up...out of the 3 he actually took this is one of them...not too bad!

Liz and her bird feeder...

Alex trying to touch his bird feeder...

Zach looking at his feeder...

They are very proud! The tree we hung them in is in the front yard right outside the big picture window in the living room, so they will keep a close eye on who eats from them. Fun time was had by all!!!

Ankle weights & multitasking

2010-04-18T21:35:00.003-05:00

As I prepared Sunday morning breakfast, daddy kept the kids entertained or better yet the kids kept daddy entertained. They make excellent ankle weights!

After breakfast I folded a load of laundry while the kids played. It was not long before I had a request to pick up Alex. So putting my multitasking skills on high...even though it is not the best way to fold laundry it does make for a happy little man and getting a task done.

Just an ordinary Sunday morning in the Lenzendorf household...lol!

Dandelions, sticks & a hole

2010-04-16T22:11:00.004-05:00

We LOVE dandelions!!! We will pick them anywhere. This afternoon we headed up to the barn as the hillside was FULL of the pretty yellow flowers. The kids hands get yellow and even a nose or two gets a little color.
Climbing around the flower garden...
Look mom, isn't it pretty!

And this one too...

Alex is too busy picking to show me anything...

It was fun to sit and watch them run out into the field...

Look mommy, I found a big one!

Not only do we love dandelions but sticks too! We will collect them to put them in daddy's burn pit or to carry around for the day. Size is not important, all are created equally. We will share them with each other but prefer to keep them to ourselves and yes we do remember where we put them after we come in from outside...

Right before we left to go back home, Alex got his foot caught in a hole. First they all had to look into it...

then the boys decided to check if the hockey stick would fit into it.

Ah, to be a kid again...they are lovin' every minute of it as are we!!!

Love, Jen

Planting the Garden

2010-04-14T22:59:00.006-05:00

Today we started our garden. After seeing Marcus and Renee's plants...we decided we would start some plants early as well. The kids were pretty excited! We also had to plant the spider plant babies we pulled off the big plant. The kids just love when we eat something from our garden.
Here were are just getting ready to plant the spider babies...
Then it was time to get the containers ready for soil and seeds for the garden...

We filled each container with a little soil, then labelled each container with what type of seed and the initial of the kid that planted the seed. They had a blast! Now we just have to wait for them to start growing. Hoping this year's garden willl be even bette than last year's.

Feeling a little "normal"

2010-04-11T21:11:00.001-05:00

Yesterday we headed south to spend some time with Marcus and Renee and their kids. Marcus is Liz's godfather as well as one of Jeremy's (mine too) great friends as is Renee. They have been EXTREMELY helpful with the kids. We went to their place in Lyons. Renee made an excellent supper and the kids loved playing together, you would have never known there is an age difference. With having so much fun, we called to see if my parent's could pick up the dogs and watch them for the night so we could spend the night. The kids were excited! Luckily I had packed extra outfit for each in case of accidents as well as a pair of jammies for each for the ride home....one bag!!! Thanks to a load of laundry done by Renee, we were set to go. We did it!!! We made a last minute decision and did not have the whole house with us. It felt great to be just a little normal. We had a fabulous time!!! Thanks to Marcus, Renee, Brianna and Camden!!!
The kids taking over Brianna and Camden's swingset...
Our 2 little monkeys...

Liz running with Red...

What better thing for a godfather to teach, then how to kick a football...

The kids watching a movie before bed...

Renee looking thru Brianna's Little Pet Shop figures...

The kids' breakfast table...

Liz giving Marcus a hug and getting some advice prior to leaving...

Surprise trip...

2010-04-09T22:30:00.001-05:00

Today my mom and I decided to surprise my grandma (aka Gigi, that is what all her great grandkids call her) with a visit from all the kids. So after I picked the kids up from school we headed to the nursing home aka Gigi's house (according to the kids). Mom met us there with Alexis and Sadie and all of us headed in...quite the sight to see. Gigi was excited to see us. We headed down to a common area right down the hall from her room where the kids could move about and Gigi could watch them interact. Everyone had a great time! Here are some shots I got while we were there.
Gigi barely gets into the room before Zach starts showing her his coloring book...front and back...
Thank goodness for this living room down the hall from Gigi's room...lots more room!

Zach showing Gigi how good he does at coloring...

Liz and Gigi talking...

Alex giving Gigi a hug goodbye...

Gigi with the four munchkins...this was the best of 10 pictures...finally get the kids to look and then Gigi looks down...

Scissors times three

2010-04-09T22:20:00.002-05:00

Last night I decided to finally take the plunge and let the kids play with scissors. I decided to let them just explore them and what they do. I gave them colored paper to cut and then had them glue the colored pieces to a black sheet. They did good...the scissors cut only what they were suppose to. They also got pretty good at cutting using just one hand...seems like a pretty simple thing, but when you have never done it before it can be challenging. It was a great way to distract the kids from the fact that we couldn't go outside. Here are the munchkins with their new "toy".

Cuddle Time

2010-04-08T22:11:00.003-05:00

Unfortunately my day started a little rough today with a headache. Normally with more stress I end up with more migraines, so catching a regular headache in time is very important. The bad thing about that is I don't have much down time and normally it is during nap. If I had waited until naptime today it for sure would have turned into a migraine. Luckily when I told the kids mommy needed to rest they we all about helping me do just that. I laid down on the couch and covered up. Soon both dogs were on the couch sleeping and slowly the kids joined us. Thank goodness for timers on cameras and a little girl willing to help (that is how we got the group shot). I LOVE cuddle time!!!
Zach was the first to join me...
Alex was next to cuddle under the blanket and Liz was not far behind him...

Me and my cuddlers...L to R Roxy, Liz, Alex, Ollie, Me and Zach

Liz's took this picture...not to bad...I think I may have rubbed off on her...lol.

My little helpers...

2010-04-07T22:08:00.001-05:00

The kids are more and more into helping care for the animals which is very important to us. Every night there is a mad rush for who gets to feed who. Watching them feed the kitties is too cute. First they put the dishes down and then they say 'here kitties, here kitties'. It is nice to see them take such interest in the pets we have. Here is Liz feeding the cats.

The Bunny was here!

2010-04-05T22:04:00.002-05:00

Due to the Easter bunny being very busy, the kids Easter baskets did not arrive until today. Some how the bunny snuck in while we were outside playing in the sun. The kids were super excited to find their baskets and were able to enjoy some of the treats right after lunch.
Here are the kids looking thru the goodies...
They each got a coloring book of their own...

as well as a puzzle...

and new playdoh too...

Of course there was a little candy too. We called daddy to tell him the bunny was here. They were so excited to tell him what they got. Happy Easter my little ones!

Happy Easter!

2010-04-04T21:35:00.005-05:00

Happy Easter!!! Today was a busy day but the kids had a blast. They had two Easter meals as well as 2 egg hunts. You'd think the kids went Trick or Treating with how much candy they have ended up with. Each holiday they are understanding more and more, which makes them even better. Here are my cute little bunnies:
Easter egg hunt #1 was done at Christine and Doug's. Each kid was to find 15 eggs. Not only did they get the candies in the eggs but a Easter bag full of goodies. The kids had a great time hunting...but emptying the eggs was also fun.

Once we got back to this side of the state we made a quick stop at home and then headed to Grandma and Grandpa's. It was a lot warmer on this side of the state, so hunting was nice. This time each kid had to find 10 eggs of a specific color. The kids had a blast. Here are the pictures:

Cousins Rock!!!

2010-04-03T21:55:00.004-05:00

The girls, Mackenzie, Morgan and Maddie, stayed overnight at Nana & Papa's Friday night so the kids got a lot of time to play with them. They just love the girls!!! They rode scooters with them, gave horsey rides as well as piggy back rides and danced with them. The kids had a blast with them. We love you girls!!! Here are some pictures:
Alex getting a horsey ride from Maddie...
A couple of horsey rides in progress...

Morgan giving Liz a piggy back ride...

Mackenzie giving Alex a piggy back ride...

Zach with Maddie giving him a horsey ride...

Alex dancing with a ball...

Liz dancing...

I know this picture does not go with the post topic but I could not leave it out...Zach and his buddy Papa...

Happy Birthday Grandma and Nana

2010-04-03T21:42:00.002-05:00

So not only did the kids help Grandma and Nana with cookies but they helped celebrated both of their birthdays, Grandma on the 31st and Nana on Easter. For Grandma we spent the day with her in the gorgeous weather. She shared the bunny cake she had made. Nana also shared her cake that Aunt Jeanne made for her. They also got to help remove the candles. Happy Birthday Grandma and Nana!!! Love you both!!!

Frosting with Nana

2010-04-02T18:23:00.006-05:00

We headed out of town today to spend the holiday weekend at Nana and Papa's. Nana had done some baking prior to us getting there of some Easter cut out cookies. The only thing left to do was to frost them. The girls normally help Nana and this time the kids got to as well. Their first frosting experience. They had a bunch of fun. So in a couple days of each other, without knowing, they got to experience making, frosting and eating cookies with two of the most important woman in their lives. Here are the pictures:
Zach closely observing the coloring of the frosting...

Liz getting advice from Nana...who better to ask then the pro, right :)

Can't forget the cookies need sprinkles too...

They are naturals...I know I am biased...

Papa with a helping hand for Zach...

Finally able to lick the knives...

You must try a cookie when you are done...yummy!

All six kids enjoying some of their work...

Baking with Grandma

2010-04-01T18:14:00.002-05:00

After playing outside the other day, they came in and baked cut out cookies with Grandma. It was the kids first attempt at cut out cookies. With four eager helpers, it went very quickly. They enjoyed making all the different spring/Easter related cookies. Although we did not frost them, they did get to try their creations after lunch. Nothing better then warm cookies...yummy! Here are the pictures (she did help all the kids, not just Lexi as the pictures may make it look like...lol):

Another month behind us...

2010-03-31T15:36:00.001-05:00

March definitely went out like a lamb...it was BEAUTIFUL this last week or so. Some days we could even get outside without a jacket. Although some days it was difficult to figure out which jacket to put on, winter or spring, or if we needed a hat or not, BUT I am not complaining. I love being able to get the kids out and burning their energy. The warm sunny days make the cooler sunny days a little deceiving...the kids see the sun and think it is great outside. But if they want out and are fine with the cold and wind...who am I to say no...lol. Grandma and Lexi stopped by this day to play. Enjoy the pictures!

One of many to come...

2010-03-28T15:25:00.002-05:00

Guess what is in the jar??? One of many little creatures that the kids will catch. This time it is a spider. Not exactly one of mommy's favorite creatures but the lid is on real tight! The kids loved looking at him and investigating his behavior. Mommy even caught a fly for him. Here are the kids so very proud of their first creature in a jar. Enjoy!

A new look

2010-03-22T15:04:00.004-05:00

On St. Patty's Day I took Alex out for a little one on one time. His special visit was to go pick out glasses.
Yup his small issue that was found at the last doctor visit was an eye issue. We took him back to the eye doctor that we had seen only two months prior to find out he needs glasses to hopefully fix the issue. As a mother you want your children to be perfect, so it was something I had to get use to. Not to mention the only thing I wanted our kids to have was my great eyesight and great teeth...not much! BUT this should be a temporary thing. Luckily Jeremy was able to help me look at it from Alex's side.
So anyways, back to our little outing. We were going to go pick out glasses together, but things did not work well to get us both at the clinic at the same time, so that left it up to me and Alex to figure out. Luckily for his size of head only a few frames to pick from. Alex did great and charmed the 2 ladies working. We headed for lunch then back to grandma's to nap.
We got the call today that the glasses were ready. We quickly planned to go get them as a family and then to treat them all to dinner out. We have been trying to find local places that offer kids eat free nights. We let them order from the menu which was fun. And they all shared what they had pick with the other two. It was a great little impromtu family outing.
Before we got to the clinic...
Getting them fitted...

Letting his siblings see the bed aka case for the glasses...

Doesn't he look just so freakin handsome!!! So grown up...makes this mommy teary eyed.

His cohorts in crime...always up for an adventure!

Spring has sprung

2010-03-17T14:53:00.002-05:00

This week's weather has been awesome! Did not need the bulky winter jackets or to make sure that all have hats and mittens on. Were able to get outside within minutes of deciding to go...during the winter months that time increases EASILY to 20 to 25 minutes. Even more reason to love the warmer months (even though I love the change of seasons)...lol. Waiting for the ground to dry enough to rake has been tough but it finally did and someof the yard got done. Here are the kids enjoying the spring like weather.
The kids enjoying the Gator for the 2 minutes prior to the battery dying...
The boys cleaning out the stones and more...

Liz searching for just the right piece of mulch...

Alex working on trying to clean up the front yard...

Liz peeling apart a pine cone...

A trip across the state

2010-03-14T10:36:00.005-05:00

We headed across the state this weekend to give Nana and Papa their anniversary gift...new family photo taken. We took off from home Saturday late morning, grabbed lunch on the way and hoped for some napping kids on the way. Well the boys never napped and Liz only got in about 15 minutes. We got to town shortly before pictures were to be taken. At that point I am hoping that the kids just take nice pictures esp with no naps! They did wonderful with the pictures and I can wait to get them order. We then made plans to go out for supper as a whole family...the boys fell asleep on the way to Platteville, which was a big help. The did great at supper and were finally in bed asleep by 10. A long day for them but they were great! Sunday morning Jeremy tried to let me sleep in, although the kids were not so willing, go figure! We headed home even though the kids did not want to leave. It was a quiet ride home...gotta love exhausted kids! Here are some pictures from the visit.
Love, Jen
Papa and the kids
Nana and the kids...

Watching Nana make rolls for breakfast...

A little girls time!

2010-03-10T21:13:00.002-06:00

I am working on getting out with the kids one on one. Today as a last minute decision, I decided to get out with Liz while my mom watched the boys. I knew my first alone outing with Liz would be to pierce her ears. I had wanted to wait until Liz was able to at least tell us whether or not she would want them done or not. Now it is still a lot to ask of a three year old to make such a decision, but we felt comfortable with it. Our little outing started with stopping at the bank for grandma. Talk about someone liking to be the center of attention...she just would not stop smiling. No one to compete against for attention. Then it was off to Claire's to get the ears done. Who knew it cost so much to get holes punched in ears (at least I thought it was) but I will say it does depend on the type of earring and when doing something like this I was not about to put some cheap things in and have to deal with issues. Then of course they strategically place things, so only little ones can see them.
Here she is prior to getting them done...
Both ears done and not a tear...not even a flinch...she did GREAT!

Could she get any more cute or pretty???

The next stop was lunch. Nothing special...just Wendy's, but still a treat for her to do that as well as just eating with mom by herself.

Here she is being her goofy self...

We were only out for 2 hours, but had a great time. I love having the kids one on one and they really seem to like it as well. They love their siblings and usually start to ask about them after a short period without them. They all have their own personalities no matter who is around but they can really shine by themselves. So I look forward to each of the boys going out with me...we'll see what I can come up with to do with them!

Love, Jen

PS To my beautiful Liz....you were awesome today...you make mommy so proud! Love you lots!

Winter thaw fun!!!

2010-03-09T21:54:00.002-06:00

Yesterday was such a beautiful day! With weather like that you can't stay in the house. So the winter thaw is a mess esp in the playarea outside, so we just have to find other things to do. We asked Papa to try to get the scooters and bikes put together that the kids got for their birthday while we were gone. I just have not had the time to do it. Thankfully Papa was able to get it done. Yippy!!! The kids got to test them out this weekend. Yesterday after picking the kids up from school I picked up the scooters & bikes and headed out to grandma's. The kids had a blast playing in the sun and really it felt great to be soaking in some rays watching them. Today's weather was cloudy and dreary, but still "warm"...high 30's (and yes that is warm now...lol...gotta love Wisconsin weather). So I planned on getting them burning some off their energy outside. So we got the scooters out again and played until Lexi got here. We did not stop playing once she got here just moved things indoors. And that was not it for the day...we headed back out before supper. These kids will be living outside this summer, I swear! Right now just getting out is nice for us all...cabin fever sucks! Looking at how much the kids have grown since last summer, there will be a lot of toys to get rid of out of the play area. Once our backyard dries up, I see it being a flurry of activity. Here are pictures from the morning...
Liz cruising on her Tinkerbell scooter...
Zach checking the melting snow with his Cars scooter...

Alex cruising with his Buzz Light Year scooter...

Gotta love having a large parking lot as a part of our driveway...now if it was not so close to such a busy road it would be perfect...luckily the snow is still blocking one entrance AND the kids know the road is a no no and are CONSTANTLY reminded! If you look REAL close you can see Liz and Zach way ahead of Alex and me...

So once I had all 4 kids, I put the garage door down and let the scooting continue as well as let the 3 dogs join in the fun...this worked for a little while, but it works!

So we will see how much we are scooting in the next few days as rain is in the forecast for the next 5 days...gotta love spring! I am so ready to wash the winter outerwear and get it put away, but I will resist as I do not want to jinx the thaw that is happening.

Enjoying the thaw, hope you are too!

Jen :)

PS Thanks again to Papa for getting the bikes and scooters together as well as thanks to Elaine and Norma for getting the bikes for the kids and Aunt Jeanne, Uncle Brent and the girls for the scooters. They are all very loved!

The Getaway...

2010-03-08T16:09:00.003-06:00

Even though Jeremy's reason to surprise me for a getaway for my birthday changed, it was still much needed after how February ended up going. The plan was for us to use a gift certificate that was given to us that was years old. Well long story short...our choices of where we could go were limited. We decided to go to the closest place which ended up being Manawa, WI. Nana and Papa were going to watch the kids for the first time overnight. They got here Friday morning while the kids were in school, shortly after the kids were back and we were packed, we handed over the reins. We were on our way! After a quick stop in New London, WI we arrived in Manawa. With traveling off season, you have to be patient in finding things to do. We were not about having every minute of the day planned or having something to do...we do that normally...this was all about relaxing & enjoying time with each other without interruptions. We stayed at the Lindsay House Bed & Breakfast....you know it's my dream to own and run a B&B. Judy and Tim are the inn keepers. There was a cat named Tyson and a dog named Abby...talk about feeling at home! The inn was beautiful. The inn keepers superb; went above and beyond. The breakfasts were wonderful!

Since there are no T.V.s in the rooms unless requested we just use the room down the hall. Funny thing is Friday night we just watched TV since it was cable and we no longer have cable. Saturday night we did enjoy one of the many movies the inn had.

Our room was very cozy. It had brillant sunlight during the day. The bed was SOOOO comfy. We slept great! Three out of four of the beds in the rooms were handmade/built by Tim (hubby part of the inn keepers).

We only called home once and that was due to forgetting about Liz's medication...I did not want to skip 2 days of it. Although we missed the kids, we felt completely happy and comfortable having Nana and Papa at the controls. Since my camera was with us I have no pictures as of yet of all the fun that was had while we were away. It sounded like everyone had a great time! Can't ask much more than that!!! Thanks again to Nana and Papa for coming to take care of the not only the 3 monkeys, but the 2 dogs and 2 cats as well.

Love, Jen

Happy Birthday to ME!

2010-03-04T15:55:00.002-06:00

The only reason I even considered doing a post about myself is due to this...I am now 33 yrs old and a mother of three 3 yr olds...maybe time to consider changing my lucky number, eh? The thing about birthdays after you have kids (at this age anyways) is that it is just another day to them. They don't give you a break or think about doing things differently. In fact you have expectations of a possible easier day, but then it seems like it is worse due to you thinking it was going to be better...lol...oh the way our minds work! So you will get a kick out of these pictures...yes those 2 dump truck on top of the table are in timeout...that should tell you what type of day we are having. The kids are underneath the table...fixing it...3 play screwdrivers were bent in the "fixing" process...lol. It kept them busy while I made lunch, so let them fix away!

Oh btw, my hubby did come home with 3 red roses and an ice cream cake...my day was made!!!

Love, Jen

It's a mother's job...

2010-03-01T15:30:00.000-06:00

...to teach her children the basics to survive in life. I am very thankful to my mom for teaching me the things you should just know how to do laundry, cook, balance a checkbook and how to clean...you know the things you HATED to do as a kid. Well the kids are loving their lessons in life that I give them every so often. They know how to vacuum, dust, mop, clean mirrors, toilets & sinks, load the washer & dryer and are always willing to help cook.
Tonight we had grill cheese and tomato soup for dinner. Liz had no interest in helping make the meal but the boys were more than ready to help. They do a great job of listening while helping around the kitchen area. All I can hope is I do as well as my mom did with preparing my kids for the real world. Don't they look cute cooking? They are growing up so quick!
Love, Jen

PS Happy Birthday Alexis! Hope you bday rocked!!!

Some random-ness from February...

2010-02-28T18:17:00.004-06:00

So yet another month on the books. February was a tough month, but we made it thru. We ended the month by having our 3 year check up. The kids are all doing great, each has a minor issue to work on but nothing serious. They are some tall kids and have all managed to surpass the 30# mark. Alexander weighed in at 32.2# and 38 1/4". Elizabeth weighed in at 30.8# and 38". Zachary weighed in at 30.2# and 38 1/4".
I had the kids' birthday hats sitting out still, so they began playing with them the other day. Here are the boys goofying around...

Tinkerbell is one of Liz's favorite things and thanks to Auntie Jean she can be Tinkerbell herself, but she has not yet. But Zach thought he would try it...

Monkey see, monkey do...

Liz preferred to be Cinderella this day...either way she is a beauty!

Playing or making a mess...maybe both...they can't just read one at a time...

Cheeeeeese!

I think she may follow in my foot steps...Lucky getting his ears checked by Dr. Liz...

Getting ready for the next thing...looking very serious...

Lucky's heart sounds great!

Maybe not animals but an MD...she looks good doing it!

Zach chilling with Roxy waiting for everyone to get into jammies and ready to play before bed...

Yes that is mommy peeking under Alex's arm...

Heavy Hearts

2010-02-24T16:03:00.003-06:00

We found out this morning that our fertility doctor, Dr. Katayama has passed away. We are shocked! Dr. K and his staff are part of our extended family. For over three years they worked to help us have our dream of being parents come true. He worked thru every up and down with us. He made us feel comfortable. We are so lucky to have been his patient and even more lucky that he expertise worked for us. We will forever be grateful! He was an awesome doctor! We are sad but happy that we have 3 miracles to look at each and every day thanks to this great man. Rest in peace Dr. Katayama!
Love,
The Lenzendorfs

Week from you know where...

2010-02-22T16:52:00.003-06:00

What a week for poor Zachary! We celebrated their birthday on Saturday and on Sunday afternoon he ended up with a fever. We would have NEVER expected what was going to happen next. We were still planning on celebrating their actual birthday with a dinner out. Well Monday came and we still had a fever which at this point is in the medium range. So we cancelled dinner out. Tuesday, their birthday, we ended up at the doctors office. The only symptom...a fever...a very high fever. His throat did look sore and with such a high temp (104.9 prior to leaving for the doctor's office) she felt it may be Strep throat. We did the test....it came back negative and eventually the culture did too. We did get antibiotics right away. Wednesday comes no improvement, in fact he is now showing signs of a viral infection (runny nose, cough and rash). We are barely keeping his fever at bay...we were making it just 6 hours between doses of Motrin. Six hours is the minimum amount of time between doses and we were just barely making it, the fever would spike to high amount right before I could dose him. So I called the doctors office...they said keep doing what I was, give the antibiotics time to work...normally 48 hours is the ideal amount of time to give for symptoms to start to slow. Wednesday he spiked again at 104.8, so I stripped him down, put a cool cloth on his head and made him drink water. So Thursday morning we are back at the doctor's office...a few more symptoms. Now it is starting to look like Mono...grrrreeeeat, just what I want to run thru my house! So we took some blood...Zach is such a trooper. Friday I finally got the fever to break...wooo hooo! By Sunday Zach was looking more like himself. Monay I got back the Mono test...negative...thank goodness. So it was a really BAD case of Tonsilitis. I felt awful for him...he barely ate, could barely stay awake and would use all his energy trying to play and then get pooped out. It was nice to see the real Zach on Sunday. The other two enjoy seeing him too. They were a little bit jealous of all the attention that Zach was getting. Just happy he is better and we can go back to school! After dinner one night the boys decided to operate the remotes...too cute.

A note from Jeremy

2010-02-21T17:35:00.002-06:00

Hi all,

Jen has been doing all the posts on our blog for the past two years or so. But I thought it was time for me to put a quick note on here. As most of you probably have read on here or Facebook Jen has been super busy for the last few weeks. Yes, she found a way to do even more stuff than before!! Because I had a relapse with my back issues I am able to do very little around our house or take care of the kids, which meant she has had to do even more than normal to keep things running around our house. She planned and delivered the kids' birthday party flawlessly while taking care of the additional responsibilities around the house and me. All the other things she does and has done for me and the kids are too numerous to list out here. But it is necessary for me to let her know I do appreciate it all. Thanks, Jen! You're a great mom and wife!

Love,
Jeremy

Birthday pictures

2010-02-17T15:26:00.004-06:00

Ice cream cake anyone???
One more time being sung to...

Time for presents...helicopter for each boy...

pom-pom for Liz...and yes they are Tinkerbell...

Footballs for the boys...

and dinosaurs too...

princess jewelry to play with her new vanity...

a couple monster trucks...

princess necklaces too...

an ambulance, firetruck and a couple other trucks for the boys

Happy 3rd Birthday

2010-02-16T14:50:00.002-06:00

Dear Alexander,
Happy birthday! I cannot believe you are three years old. You are such a handsome boy. So many traits just like your daddy. You are so caring and loving. You are a thinker. You are also goofy and know when to let your hair down. Hearing you crying when the doctor's took you out of me was the MOST amazing thing I have ever experienced. You paved the way a during your NICU stay and was the first to come home and break us in as first time parents.

Dear Elizabeth,
Happy birthday little girl! You are three today...that time has flown by. You are our little princess/diva. You are so pretty. You may be the only girl but you hold your own with your brothers. You are tough yet tender. You are playful and goofy. You are a very loving! You are a little cuddle bug! You can be a girlie girl but a tom boy too. I like to think you are a mini me.

Dear Zachary,
Happy birthday honey! Three years ago you had a tough start to life, but fought and made it. You had to fight battles thru your NICU stay but once you started turning corners you never looked back. You are our tough guy. You are so incredibly loving. You are carefree and love to have fun. You are too darn cute. I think you are a good mixture of your daddy and me.

To my babies (as that you will always be):
In the early morning hours of February 16th, 2007 my life changed forever. You have made me complete. Little did I know I had such a big hole in my heart. You have filled it and continue to fill it. I could not imagine life without all of you in it. It has been such a journey, a journey I would do again. You are all smart, beautiful, caring, kind, loving, funny, have smiles that light up a room and on and on. I (and your daddy too) love you more than life. I am so lucky to hold the title of your mommy. A title I take very serious! Happy Birthday my loves!!! Bring on the three's!
Love, Mommy

It's Party Time!!!

2010-02-14T14:52:00.008-06:00

Yesterday was the kids' birthday party. This year we decided to change things up a bit and give me less stress. Instead of having the party here we went to Family Fun Land. It made it so much easier on me...did not have to cook, did not have to clean, did not have to decorate. They did it all for us. The only thing I had to worry about was the cake aka my migraine maker (self induced). The theme for the party was Finding Nemo. I struggled for a while to figure out what to do then one day Jeremy ask about Nemo...talk about a ton of bricks hitting a person...there it was staring at me...thank you honey! So here he is:
We did have guests and I wanted to get the cleaning done but it did not happen and you know what, that is ok. There will be plenty of time to worry about a clean house after the kids leave home, but they only turn 3 once! Nana, Papa and the girls came to stay Friday night with us. The kids loved having them here. Here are the 6 kids eating breakfast...

One of my biggest concerns about doing the party at the fun land was being able to spot our kids anywhere. It was going to be a busy day at fun land as well as other people watching the kids. Wanted to make it easy for everyone. My first thought was orange shirts...kinda like Nemo. Well go figure I could not find plain orange shirts. So the next color I found green...it worked just fine. The next step was to make them recognizable from the front and back. With a little help from an iron on I was able to make a unique shirt for each of them...birth order on the back...

and first names on the front. The shirts worked great! I was able to go into the play area and find everyone quickly. Plus they are not only for this occassion but as a regular shirt too.

One thing we try to do every time we have all 6 Lenzendorf grandkids together is to get a picture of them together. All in birth order: Mackenzie & Alex, Morgan & Liz, Maddie & Zach.

Quick picture with the cake before it was time to play...next time we see Nemo he will not look so great...lol.

Zach and Alex looking out the big monkey's eyes.

Alex on the run...

Liz on the run...

Zach on the run...

Luckily the kids have 3 cousins. Each girl watch one of the kids. Mackenzie and Alex in a moment after coming down a slide...

Morgan helping Liz on the zip line...

Maddie had the hardest job of watching Zach. He literally would get down the slide first and hit the ground running and even look back to see if Maddie was behind him yet. Luckily Maddie is the youngest/smallest of the girls cuz Zach we weave thru the obstacles very quickly.

All 6 bouncing in the bounce house...

After playing it was time for lunch and cake. Liz waiting anxiously to blow out her candles...

Alex wondering where one of his candles went...

Zach wondering if he can blow them out yet...

Every birthday party needs birthday hats...

Liz liking the cake...

Alex enjoying the cake...

Zach enjoying mostly frosting...

Then it was onto presents...

and cards. People were very generous as always.

After going around and saying thanks and giving hugs it was out to the game area...basically a kids vegas. Here Sarah helping Liz and Alex at a game...

Zach getting a lift from his godfather, Fred...

Fred, Sarah and Grover (Alex's godfather) helping all three win big...

It is all about the tickets...look at those!!!

Then we have to cash them in...how many do we have???

And the prizes...we fell way short of the 6000 tickets needed for the giant Mickey Mouse but we did walk away with a few snakes, hacky sacks and bracelets.

We had a blast!!! The ride home was a quiet one. We figured we would have a little down time with a nap but that was not the case. The kids went to their room but never fell back to sleep, so it was not long before they were back downstairs ready to play with all their new things. Mommy and daddy were ready for a nap! Oh well, they had a great as did we. We loved watching the kids interact with everyone. We hope everyone had a good time!

Love, Jen

Did you know???

2010-02-09T11:46:00.004-06:00

Did you know that three years ago Brittany Spears shaved her head and Anna Nicole Smith died!!! Something that I will always know. Why? Well when you are stuck in a hospital bed with limited channels you are forced to watch things over and over again especially on late night tv. Three years ago today (it was a Friday) I was admitted to Labor & Delivery. It all started the night before, with having some strange symptoms. At this point I was no longer climbing the stairs at home and sleeping downstairs by myself. My comfort level was pretty low. I had worked earlier in the week, but was sent home early on those days. I was planning on going into work to tell my boss and co-workers that my last day would be Saturday. Little did I know that I would be calling them to tell them that I was going to the hospital. That Friday was very long for us...constant monitoring. It took all day to finally see our Perinatologist. She admitted me to the Antepartum unit to get the steriod shots and would be released Sunday if all went well. I was happy to hear that considering I threw together my bag as well as quickly said goodbye to my four-legged kids with all intentions of coming home. Sunday turned out to be bad...I went into pre-term labor (which they believe I was in Thursday night, but it had stopped). They started me on Mag and told me I bought myself a ticket to stay for the duration of the pregnancy. I bawled! The week ahead was rough. They got the pre-term labor to stop and took me off of the Mag, but it started up again. They put me back on Mag. Jeremy was being run ragged. He would go to work, stop at home to take care of the dogs and then come see me. There were worries about something happening and him not being able to get to the hospital in time. In order to keep us both sane we decided to have him visit every other day unless something was happening. He visited on the 13th so we celebrated Valentine's day then. He then visited on the 15th...who knew that day was going t be the longest day of our lives...literally! There are so many memories from that week three years ago. I had wonderful nurses, had ups and downs all week, did not get much rest and more. But all of it worth it in the end! And the movie goes on....

Here is the last picture of my belly...this was at my baby shower that was 20 days prior to being admitted to the hospital...

A visit from Nana and Mackenzie

2010-02-06T12:52:00.001-06:00

This weekend we had some visitors. Nana and Mackenzie made the trek across the state to come see the kids. They got here Friday night before bedtime. The kids were very excited about them coming. I told them in the morning and used it all day long to my advantage...you use what you can when parenting, right! Saturday Jeremy and I got out TOGETHER! Nana and Mackenzie took care of the crew while we did some shopping together. Thanks to them were able to go out for lunch...couple time...does not happen much here! So BIG thinks to Nana and Mackenzie! When we got home the kids were still napping. After some talk, it was decided that they would stay one more night, which we were very happy to hear. The kids loved having them here and playing with them. Here are some pictures from their visit. Looking forward to seeing them and the rest of the family for their party.
Love, Jen
Liz and Zach attacking Mackenzie
Mackenzie reading to Zach

Liz taking a picture of Zach and Mackenzie

Mackenzie showing Alex a picture on her phone...

One month down...

2010-01-31T12:19:00.003-06:00

Well it is the end of the first month of 2010. Our month came to a end quietly. We had a playdate at my friend, Carrie's house. It was very nice to go elsewhere for a playdate. Although there is an age difference between Luke, Carrie's son, and our kiddos that gap is not as big as it was before when he was still an infant. Luke will be 2 in July. I think he was a little overwhelmed with having 3 kids come in and play with his toys but they all did great. It was fun and we look forward to doing it again. Thanks Carrie and Luke!!! Mommy also got to have a little me time with an all day scrapbooking crop. I have now done two all day scraps and have doubled the amount I had done prior to the crops in the kids book. That feels awesome....like some day I may actually finish their first year...or dare I say it "catch up"...lol. It is nice to get out, socialize, make friends that share a common bond and get something accomplished. Plus get to use stuff that I don't own...woo hoo! So a quiet end to one month, but I am sure next month will be exciting! Here are some pictures since the last post.
After working out on Monday (kids are in school) I stopped at the dollar store and found some treasures...hand clappers and tamborines....loads of fun for all! I gave them to the kids once I picked them up...can you tell they like em???
Look at that face...

Hard to get a nice picture when the subject will not hold still (plus a new camera would help too)...

Can you see Ollie in the background looking like what the heck did you give them? Like they don't already make enough noise? lol

BTW, Ollie is adjusting great to his new home. We got him his own bed yet he insist on cuddling with Roxy even though his butt hangs out of the bed (he is a little long).

We had to get Ollie neutered, so the day after I got the kennel out to kennel him while I was gone. Of course the kids had to try it out as well...here Ollie is wondering what they are doing in his kennel...

As tempting as it looks to keep them in there, they were out shortly after Liz closed the door, Zach would have preferred that Liz stay out, but she was not so accomodating.

With daddy having a bad back and spending some long days at work any chance the kids get to help him they take. For instance EVERY night he gets home they rush to him to help him with his lunch box, bag and coffee thermos. They are very excited to do so. Well Jeremy finally got to finishing mounting his deer antlers, so the kids helped him hang them up...Alex got to carry them some...

Then Zach got to carry them...

And they all got to help supervise them getting hung up...

Welcome to our newest addition

2010-01-21T21:05:00.000-06:00

On the 17th we welcomed a new addition to our family. As some of you may know, we have been looking to adopt. Yes, you read that right we adopted another dog...lol. His name is Ollie. He is a 4 year old, longhaired, black & tan Dachshund. He is too sweet! The first night he was here, he fit right in. We including Roxy are happy to have him join our family. Welcome home Ollie.

Grandma and Me

2010-01-19T18:37:00.002-06:00

I know my mom will probably kill me for posting these pictures but I had to share not only because they turned out great but because of how proud my mom is to be a grandma. We took these pictures for frames that she has that are Grandma & Me. She will do anything for them. I am extremely lucky to have her live so darn close. She has been my "on call" person from day one. And still is there at a moments notice to help. Thank you just doesn't seem to be enough, so here ya go mom...a post all about you. :) Love you lots!!!
Thank you!
Love, Jen
Grandma and Alexander
Grandma and Elizabeth

Grandma and Zachary

Grandma and Alexis

Grandma and the crew

One month to go!!!

2010-01-16T17:47:00.002-06:00

Only a month to go before we have 3 three year olds on our hands. I have heard...three's are worse than the two's...two's are terrible, but three's are torturous...so I am looking forward to the four's...lol. No, we will do what we have done since day one...deal with what comes our way the best way we know how. Can you believe that they will be THREE??? Where did that time go??? My little babies are growing up more and more every day! Their personalities are so different and are developing every day. They are quite the little people...attitudes and all! :) Their imginations are just awesome! They come up with some of the funniest things, not to mention what they say sometimes is just hilarious. I am looking forward to their birthday. This year's party is not at our house in an attempt to take some of the work away as I do like to enjoy it with them as well as let the kids out of their normal environment. I am still making the cake...this years theme...Finding Nemo.
Here is Zach working on a puzzle with a little help from his big sister...

Alex relaxing reading the zoo magazine...

Outside fun!!!

2010-01-15T16:20:00.005-06:00

Yesterday we spent some much needed time outside! Grandma came over with some sleds and saucers. Jean and Lexi came with their snow tube and I blew up the snow tubes the kids got from Auntie Jackie. We had a blast! I love being able to be a kid with my kids. Enjoy the pictures.
Liz hoping Zach will give her a push...
The girls...Liz carried the tube up to the snowmen and sat down in it...Lexi felt she needed a push...a very long push to the sledding area...lol...

Alex working...he makes his daddy (and mommy too) very proud...

Liz taking a ride with me...

Jean giving Lexi a push while grandma loads up Zach for his next run...

Zach taking a tube down...

They are not having any fun...can you tell?!?!?

Now that is a sled full (and heavy too)...

Liz checking out the snowmen we all made...

Alex taking a tube ride down on me...

Liz found a chair (yes not all the outdoor toys got put away in time...it is only snow and it will melt eventually...lol) and made herself comfy...

Boys making their daddy proud...working to remove snow from their playhouse...

While the boys worked the girls played...go figure!

The final slide down...all the kids on top of me...a little helpful push from Jean and away we go!

Was able to stop just short of the playyard fence...FUN!!!

First time bowling

2010-01-10T15:55:00.001-06:00

Today we made a quick trip across the state to help celebrate Morgan and Madalyn's birthdays. The party was at the bowling alley. The kids had received a bowling set for Christmas and have played with it just once, so going real bowling was going to be fun! Mommy had fun helping them bowl. We would all go to the lane, then kneel down, then everyone would put a hand or two on the ball and then push it down the lane. The kids did great! We did end up with one strike and one spare. We only got one picture and it is dark (someone needs a new camera...after 10,000 pictures it is starting to say stop). We were there for lunch, cake and presents and then we hit the road back home. Although we spent more time in the vehicle then we did actually there, it was a nice trip. Happy Birthday to Morgan and Madalyn!!!
Love, Jen

Tools, rocking chairs and playin catch

2010-01-08T15:00:00.005-06:00

Last night the kids had a playful night before it was bedtime. First they were playing with their tool sets when they all took a break for a few rocks in their rocking chairs. Then the lightbulb went on when they realized they could "fix" their chairs. They had a blast! They would ask daddy the name of the tool and then use it. After they "fixed" their chairs they took a small break and then started to play with catch. Playing catch with three kids can become dangerous very quickly, so it is imperative to have some order. They did great with waiting for their turn which is tough at this age. They had a great time doing that as well. Here are some pictures from the night.
Enjoy,
Jen

The kids...

Mid-throw shot...Alex about to catch his ball...

Liz waiting for daddy to throw her ball back...

Zach's turn to catch...

Welcome 2010!!!

2010-01-07T14:26:00.004-06:00

Week one is done already! It has been a week filled with many different things. The new year was brought in quietly for us as well New Year's Day. I finally got out and did some after Christmas shopping, which probably should be call after New Years since it too me that long to get out. Unfortunately the night turned bad for me as I came down with flu-like symptoms. Thankfully Jeremy was home to take care of the kids as I was pretty much useless. He was able to get the house back out and had the kids help him clean it up before assembling it. By Sunday I was much better, thankfully as I cannot stand being sick and not be able to function as normal. Grandma and grandpa stopped over Sunday to see all the kids' new toys. The kids had a lot of fun playing with the train table with grandpa. Monday we dealt with daddy going back to work. Unfortunately that put the now potty trained kids into a little bit of a tizzy...let's just say that I had a full load of laundry Monday night. Tuesday I made my annual trip to the dentist and got to watch Lexi. Unfortunately Jeremy showed up from work early, sick like I was on Saturday. Luckily is was just as fast moving for him and he was able to go to work late yesterday morning. Yesterday Zach did a good one. I put the kids down for nap and came back downstairs. After about 20-30 minutes I heard a noise. I went upstairs to find Zach in our room. He was in his pullup only. He had taken my deodorant off of my dresser and decided to use it as a crayon. He colored the edge of each of my drawers as well as the floor, the comforter and pillow shams (btw, my bedding is a burgundy color). I caught him in the process of taking apart the phone and about to color daddy's nightstand. I actually was calm enough to consider going to get the camera but he really needed to get to sleep. That brings us to today...and another snow storm. This time the snow is nice and light. I bundled the kids up after all going potty and we headed out to do some clean up since daddy has a back issue and he really should not be handling the snow removal. We had a blast! So there is the first week, like I said lots of different things. Here are some shots from the week, enjoy! Jen
Liz with her new tiara taking her new baby for a walk in her new stroller...
Zach trying out Liz's dress up clothes...

Alex working on serving some food in high heels...

They are now a chairfull...

The kids love to work on the house with all their new tools...

The love of siblings...

My three little helpers...having fun in the snow...

Happy New Years!

2009-12-31T23:33:00.003-06:00

Happy New Year! We are hopeful that 2010 will be better than 2009.
Even though a lot of great things happened in 2009, it had it's bad moments. We had to say good bye to another grandparent of Jeremy's...very tough to deal with yet we are so happy that the kids got to know their great grandpa. He was a great man and meant a lot to all of us. We had to deal with a 25% paycut...tough for any household but esp since we are a single income household. We made it thru it, made sacrafices where we needed to and did what was best for our family. One could even say we may have ended up in a better place...Jeremy got a new job that he LOVES! He loved his old job, but as the company grew it made changes. We also made it thru job cuts.
But there was plenty of good too. If you have time I suggest going to the beginning of the year and just looking at the pictures...oh how they have changed...like they have hair! So here is a brief year in review:
January
*1st ER visit with Zach; 3 stitches
February
*1st attempt at potty training
*1st time at Papa's farm
*Turning 2 year old...welcome the terrible two's!
March
*1st grocery trip with just me and the kids
*1st buzz cut for Zach
*1st time for piggy tails for Liz...finally enough hair
April
*2nd attempt at potty training
*1st Easter egg hunt
*1st buzz for Alex
*1st haircut/bangs for Liz
*1st ponytail for Liz....even more hair
May
*no more cribs or pack n plays
*no more sippy cups
*no more plastic utensils
*1st veggie garden
June
*no more nuks
*no more bedrails
*1st time participating in a parade
*got their big sandbox
July
*1st swim classes for Liz
*1st big pool
*Move into big kid beds
*1st trip to the zoo
*3rd attempt at potty training
August
*Liz is potty trained
September
*Staycation rather than a vacation
*1st day f daycare/school
October
*Final NICU checkup
*1st pumpkins & decorating them
*no more bibs
November
*Alex is potty trained
December
*1st time baking with mommy
*1st time brewing with daddy
*no more highchairs
*Zach is potty trained....NO MORE DIAPERS!
We have said good bye to a lot of items that attach us to the baby world....the biggest being daipers. Potty training is probably the toughest thing we have had to deal with so far. We did not want to push and cause problems, but going at their pace was sometimes frustrating to say the least. We ended the diaper era with 3 diapers...lol. We are still dealing with pull-ups at night. These kids have made us so proud in every milestone they reach and how they deal with them. They know their manners. They have a vocabulary that some days shocks me and reminds me of how far we have come. They are growing up to be three amazing people.
So we add saying good bye to 2009 to the list. Here's to a great 2010!
Love, Jen

Brewin with Daddy

2009-12-31T20:39:00.000-06:00

Jeremy finally got to brew the beer kit we gave him for his birthday, which is great. But was even better is him having the kids help him. They were pretty excited about it and I think he was pretty exicted to share his hobby with them. Here are some pictures from the brewing.
First daddy gets out all the supplies so the kids can see them...
After the future homebrewers helped pour the grains daddy got it ready to add the water...

Everythign that Jeremy had them help with, they all got to help...here is Alex on his turn holding the grain bag while daddy pours the water...

After a quick change into jammies, then it was time to stir...here is Liz with her turn...

Then before the kids went to bed they poured in the hops...here is Zach enjoying his turn.

What a great way to spend the new year. A social life would be great but these moments are priceless.

Happy New Year!

A day with Nana and Papa

2009-12-30T23:32:00.002-06:00

Nana and Papa came to visit for the day. The kids had a blast with them here. I decided to try putting a video on for the first time, but it did not work. Everyone had fun! Thanks to Nana and Papa for coming to visit, we enjoyed having you here. Check back for the video...I am bound and determine to get it on here as the pictures don't do justice.