This past week

I'm sure that I'll think of a great caption as soon as I post this, but thought this was a funny pic . . .

Tyler's first bath -- didn't like the first one AT ALL, but has LOVED them every since!

Our little man! 2 1/2 weeks old!

We had a friend from college that had emailed several months ago to see if he and his wife could stay with us on their way to CO -- and we said sure, as long as they didn't expect any Martha Stewart entertaining . . . clean sheets and cereal for breakfast! It was good to catch up with Kent and meet his wife, Jenny!

Kayla undoubtedly thought it would be more challenging to dump together 4 different puzzles instead of limiting it to one!

Just thought I would mention . . .Tyler turns three weeks on Tuesday -- and three weeks is the mark where Kayla started demonstrating her severe "sensitivity" to something -- she got very, very fussy (5-6 hours of crying at a time), had severe acne that the dr's couldn't diagnose, and eventually we put her on a special formula at 2 months that cleared everything up. Consequently, I'm really, really nervous about this next week -- so if you think about it, could you pray for us? We're praying that if Tyler has the same sensitivity (there are times I think I "see" the same tendencies) that it would be very definitive and we can get him on the same formula. Thanks!

Great Grandma and Grandpa's 70th Anniversary

Last weekend, the kiddos and I did something a little crazy . . . we went to St. Louis to celebrate grandma and grandpa's 70th anniversary with other extended family members. A little crazy, I know. At first I wasn't even going to consider going -- Tyler was a whoppin' 11 days old. But then, the more I thought about it, I realized that not many have a chance to celebrate something like this, and since Tyler and I were doing ok, figured we should take advantage of it. So, the whole fam went to St. Louis. My mom and dad drove with me and the kiddos -- no way would I have tried it by myself! SO, this is my Grandma and Grandpa -- 70 years is a long time, eh?


My cousin Christy was a HUGE help with J & K -- and Kayla seemed to quite enamored with her!
-Joshua spending quality time with family -- hey, anyone who will help him build legos is a good friend!

This is some of the great grandkids -- there were 11 greats there.

-Joshua was especially thrilled to play with one of my cousin's kids -- like Joshua, he is "all boy!" They kept things lively!

Kayla finding some eggs. (yes, we had an egg hunt in the church sanctuary . . . why????)

This was the Varner family represented. Bryan (my hubby) wasn't there -- it's a little hard to miss Easter Sunday when you're a Worship Arts pastor! Also, my brother Steve and his family weren't there -- he's an accountant and April 12 was just a few days shy of April 15th! We missed them, but completely understood!

This is G/G and all of their children. It was good to see my uncle from AZ.

Great Grandma and Grandpa on Easter Sunday -- they were married between the Sunrise service regular Easter Service 70 years ago at the church parsonage . . .and then Grandma played the organ for the service!

Joshua and Grandma -- had lots of bonding time, eh??

Great Grandma and Tyler -- I was so glad that he was content for a few minutes so that Grandma could hold him!

It was a great weekend -- exhausting, but so worth it. Happy Anniversary G & G!

Easter

OK, I am so behind and there are SOO many things I need to get pics up of . . . so, we'll start with Easter! DISCLAIMER: all of the pics have a bit of "modern art" in the background (um . . . they're a mess!). Goes with the territory of having a new baby around! Above is Kayla opening one of the Resurrection Eggs -- always a hit! We meant to open one per day leading up to Easter . . .however, we kept forgetting, so we opened almost all of them just before Easter!

Getting ready to color eggs!

Joshua's artwork

Very serious business

Last night we zipped up to M/D's and had an Easter egg hunt -- like the snazzy baskets???? (Just kidding, grandma!)

Required quite the acrobatic feat to get some of the eggs.

Sortin' through the loot.

Very much enjoying the soft, gooey chocolate!

Joshua & Tyler

Just for giggles today I went back and found pics of Joshua when he was a newborn -- especially since I remembered pictures of Joshua wearing the same sleeper Tyler had on today.

This is Tyler . . .

. . . and this is Joshua when he was a newborn. Holy Cow.

Welcome Tyler Sean!

I'll write a more detailed entry later, but wanted to get these pics up! This is Tyler right after he was born -- it's such a cruel dose of reality!


This is what I am still amazed at . . . how in the world did I carry and deliver a 10 lb., 11 oz baby? Wow. (BTW -- height was 22.5 inches long)

The J & K's first visit to the hospital!

Kayla is quite the "little mother!"

Opening the gifts from "baby Tyler."

The best part for Joshua . . . running the controls on Mommy's bed!

Daddy and Tyler

Grandma, Kayla, Tyler.

Grandma kept the kids for several days while I was in the hospital.

Grandpa and Tyler

Aunt Bem -- she was the FIRST visitor in the hospital!

Brian, Carly and Tyler

Promise I'll write more later -- computer time is pretty limited right now! We're hanging in there -- as always, the nights are long right now. However, he really seems to be a pretty content baby, though. We love you, Tyler!