party of six

Friday, July 25, 2014

Carter Goes Fishing

Carter continued his week at Grandma's by going on a fishing trip with Uncle Jon. According to Grandma, he really enjoyed it. The pictures seem to side with that retelling of the events as well.

Proud uncle and nephew

Tuesday, July 22, 2014

Swimming and a Movie

Carter is busy having his week at Grandma's! Today he got to go swimming, and Grandma sent us a picture!

Swimming...

While Carter was catching some rays in the water (with lots of sunscreen, of course) I took Parker to the local theater to see the movie Planes: Fire and Rescue. We got a big tub of popcorn and tall sodas, myself Diet Pepsi and Parker "Caffeine-Free Root Beer" as he accurately called it. It was especially nice because we got to try the new reclining seats the theater recently installed that Holly and Carter raved about earlier this month.

Soared into a 2:05 showing of animated action

The movie was great, and we refilled our popcorn and soda on the way out to share with Mom and Anderson when we got back.

Monday, July 21, 2014

Great Great Great Great Grandpa Sanders

I found this picture of my great great great great Grandfather doing family history today. I love his beard and shy smile; there are not many pictures of "old folk" with smiles like that! He was an early Mormon pioneer and knew Joseph Smith personally. His son, my great great great Grandfather, was born in Far West Missouri on Christmas after the family was thrust from their home by an anti-Mormon mob.

Great great great great Grandfather Moses Martin Sanders
Born 1803

I need to get more involved in my family history and become more familiar with stories such as Grandpa Sanders'. Tonight, after I did an 8 mile training run for the Green Lakes 50K, we got Coldstone's ice cream as a family for one of Parker's treats while Carter is away at Grandma's.

I wish old Grandpa Sanders could have joined us, but I trust he was there in spirit. After all, he does seem to have Parker's face and smile!

And the faces of these guys too!

Sunday, July 20, 2014

Carter Goes Shopping

So I blew it. I will be the first to admit it. I was supposed to pack Carter's bag for his big week at Grandma's, and I did a halfway job. I tossed a whole bunch of clothes into Carter's bag with little rhyme or reason and simply hoped for the best. Turns out Carter wasn't a big fan of the clothes I selected. (Of course, in fairness to me, anyone who has dressed Carter knows he is very picky about his clothing. It has to be just right.)

New Clothes

Anyway, to rectify dad's poor packing, Grandma took Carter to the store and got him so new clothes that met his specifications: namely, soft pants and shirts that don't itch. You can see one of this new outfits above. Sorry, Carter! Dad will do better next time. But look at it this way, at least you got some new clothes out of dad's goof!

Saturday, July 19, 2014

Holly Goes Downtown to See "The Stones."

Holly was in pain this afternoon and went the to ER with a friend to see what was wrong. Turns out she had a kidney stone which she passed while waiting for test results. Ironically, she was wearing a "Hold My Stones" graphic T-shirt. Holly thought a picture of both the shirt and the stone would be appropriate. She is one tough gal.

What are the sartorial odds?

Dad is in!

Last year I ran the Green Lakes Endurance Runs 50K. I just signed up for it again this year! Here is hoping to another safe and productive race, as well as bagging another marathon (my 8th) towards my goal of 100 by the time I hit retirement.

Someday, when my four sons are older, I hope to run one of these races with all of them!

Wednesday, July 16, 2014

Carter Goes to the Movies

Since Parker is having his week at Grandma's, Holly took Carter to the local movie theater to see How to Train Your Dragon 2. They were super excited because our movie theater just upgraded their seats to the electric reclining ones.

Relaxing in good cinematic style

It was funny because this was only Carter's second time in a movie theater. His first time was going to see the Lego Movie back in February. Carter was surprised this time to discover he was going to watch a different movie. Apparently he thought movie theaters only showed The Lego Movie!

Not The Lego Movie, but it was still good enough for Carter.

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