party of six: August 2014

Saturday, August 16, 2014

Flowers at the Fort

Holly took the boys to see a Civil War reenactment their uncles were participating in at Fort Ontario. Carter always finds flowers to pick for Holly, even during times of war!

So my parents have decided to sell their home in Fairport, NY. This is the home I lived in from age 12 through 19 when I left for the Philippines. I then lived there again for ages 21 and 22 when I came home. Then I struck out on my own into the wide, wide world. Here are the pictures.

This was our living room.

This was our dinning room, but at various times it served as a family room and even bedroom!

The family room.

The Master Bedroom. My brothers and I shared this room for a couple of years.

The bedroom I shared with my brothers when we first moved in.

Another bedroom I later shared with my brothers.

The last bedroom I had in this home while I attended college. I didn't even have to share it.

The basement. We used it for everything.

I don't know how much my sons will remember this place, but I certainly will!

Friday, August 15, 2014

Old Yogi Sweatshirt

We came home from camping at Jellystone today. It was a rainy morning, and we made it out fast. We came home, unpacked everything, and then went out for Chinese food. Later in the afternoon, Holly was sorting out clothes for Beckett, and she found this old Jellystone sweatshirt Parker wore long ago. She put it on Beckett and took this photo. Our boys are growing up so fast!

Wednesday, August 13, 2014

Camping

Anderson was getting crabby while camping, so I took him into the tent to take a nap. I planned to just lay there until he fell asleep and then sneak out. Turns out I was a bit tired too. We took a nap together and Holly took a picture through the tent mesh while we slept. I was on an air mattress, but Anderson seems to have found it more comfortable to sleep between two air mattresses!

Napping

Anderson woke up feeling much better, and so did I! While we slept, Uncle Jon took Parker and Carter fishing in the creek. They made out all right.

Fishing!

Saturday, August 2, 2014

Week with no Mommy

Holly made it to girl's camp. I will be keeping it real with the boys for the next week without her supervision. Hopefully all will be well. We'll miss you Mommy!

Holly arrives at camp!

Our Story:

Brian and Holly got married in Rochester, NY 6.3.06. They moved to Oswego so Brian could attend the school there. They survived one winter and decided that Oswego was not the place they wanted to settle. During the valentine's blizzard in '07, they found out they would have a new member added to their family. Brian and Holly were sealed for time and all eternity at the Palmyra Temple on 10.16.07. Parker Brenner Steffen joined our family just two days later- 10.18.07. They then moved to Farmington, NY in late Dec '07 so Brian could student teach and so we could be closer to family.

In Feb '08, after much prayer, we both felt prompted to move back to the Oswego/Syracuse area. In March '08, Holly was asked to come back and work for Small Smiles in Syracuse and we knew this was our chance to make the move. After deciding not to get a house, we settled into a quaint apartment in Baldwinsville.

July 3, 2008 Holly took a pregnancy test on a whim and lo and behold it said "Pregnant". No one saw that coming-- not even us. We were excited to welcome another member to our family. Carter Miller Steffen arrived Feb 24, 2009 via a completely intervention-free and med-free VBAC.

October 2009, we bought an old victorian-style 4bedroom, 1.5bathroom house in Oswego and are slowly making it our home. :)

Surprise! Right before Christmas 2010, we found out another baby would be joining our family. Holly is actually "due" on her own birthday- Aug 31. Our newest addition should be here around then. We are waiting until the delivery to find out if baby is a boy or girl! We're super excited! Holly thinks it is going to be a boy but is hoping for a girl. Brian is hoping for a boy and thinks its a boy. Parker wants another brother and Carter wants a sister. On August 24, 2011 baby Anderson joined our family. It was a boy! :) Holly said, "I knew you were a boy!!" Right after Holly looked to see the baby's gender. Even though deep down Holly wanted a girl, she was elated to see his sweet face.

SURPRISE baby4 is on the way. Due 10/24...
We had another baby boy- Beckett- and we love him to pieces! He is the perfect "cherry" on our family sundae. :)

The Mom:

Holly is an MCC Dental Hygiene graduate of '06 and registered dental hygienist. She left her career to take on what matters most: raising her family. Being a mom is what she's always dreamed of.

After having a VBAC completely med-free her passion is now to help women who are pregnant and women in labor. She wants women to feel EMPOWERED by giving birth. She wants women to make EDUCATED and INFORMED decisions for their birth. She has since become a DONA certified birth doula.

She has thoughts of someday writing a book about birth... just a mom tell all.

Holly enjoys being "crafty" and considers herself a jill of all trades, master at none. She has made:
homemade babyfood, knitted scarf, breastfeeding cover, burpcloths, bibs, etched glass, reverance bag, handwriting placemats, chair cover, crayon roll, decoupaged letters, potty cover, tote bag, scripture tote, recovered carseat, diaper detergent, dryer balls, tag blanket, fhe board, embroidered clothing.... and has recently learned to crochet.

Parker is 7!

Parker was born on October 18th 2007 by unplanned cesarean section. He weighed 7lb 8oz and was 19 3/4 inches long. Everyday he learns something new. He is my greatest joy. Parker loves to tell you who are in gospel art pictures. He loves Jesus, Temples, and the Book of Mormon. He is excited to be a big brother again. He loves saying there's a baby in mommy's belly and that I've had 2 boys there before- Parker and Carter! :) He is so excited to have another brother and he said he "knew it was a boy".

He is such a blessing.

Carter is 6!

We found out we were expecting baby #2 July 3rd 2008. After a sonogram on Oct 16th we had the sonographer seal up the sex in an envelope. We later opened the envelope in the temple (on our sealing anniversary), and we found out that another little baby BOY would joining our family.

Carter joined our family Feb 24th, 2009 at 8:58am. (after being at the hospital only 5hrs) He weighed 8lbs 4oz and was 20.5in long. I delivered him via VBAC and did it completely med and intervention- free with a doula by my side! His birth is my greatest accomplishment.

His favorite thing to do is picking movies to watch on wii, getting into trouble with his big brother, looking at gospel art pictures, and eating. He loves helping mommy and making people happy. He is a great big brother!

He is such a blessing.

"If you are still in the process of raising children, be aware that the tiny fingerprints that show up on almost every newly cleaned surface, the toys scattered about the house, the piles and piles of laundry to be tackled will disappear all too soon and that you will—to your surprise—miss them profoundly."

-President Thomas S. Monson

"Thee lift me, and I’ll lift thee, and we’ll ascend together"

- Quaker Proverb

“I know of no scriptures,” President Kimball continued, “where an authorization is given to young wives to withhold their families and go to work to put their husbands through school. There are thousands of husbands who have worked their own way through school and have reared families at the same time”

-“Marriage Is Honorable,” in Speeches of the Year, 1973, Provo: Brigham Young University Press, 1974, p. 263

“Never suppress a generous thought.”

-Camilla Kimball

"For this child, I prayed"

-1 Samuel 1:27

"If a child is given love, he will learn to love

If a child is helped when he needs help, he will learn to serve

And if he has been truly valued at home, he grows up secure enough to look beyond himself and to the welfare of others"

-Dr Joyce Brothers