Anniversary Surprise!

My WONDERFUL former boss blessed Brian and I with tickets to a Family Life "Weekend to Remember" conference about 4 months ago, and it was for any location of our choice. As we looked on the Family Life website for locations and dates, the one in Las Vegas "just happened" to fall on our 5 year anniversary, so we thought we would go for it. Not to mention we "just happened" to have an extra pay period fall between the time we were blessed with the tickets, and when we would actually go. The details were already worked out by the Lord, we just needed to be faithful to go through with it.....so we did!

Needless to say, we had an AMAZING time. And it truly WAS a "weekend to remember!" For more reasons than we had thought going down there. The Hotel (Red Rock Resort) was phenomenal, and beat anything or any place Brian and I had ever been. Our relaxing time by the pool actually turned Brian into a little Sunbird, which I was thrilled to see! The conference brought up more topics than we anticipated, and made for some really great one-on-one conversations and quiet times together. Our date night on Saturday was spent over on the Las Vegas Strip. The hotel we stayed at (conference location) was about 15 miles away from the Strip, so we thought we would go check out the hype. It certainly wasn't what either of us had remembered, or perhaps we're just at different points in our life now where it just wasn't for us. So we took a cab back to the hotel and settled in with some Ben & Jerry's ice cream, which was located downstairs IN our hotel! It was perfect.

The "icing on our cake" for the weekend would have to have been finding out we will be parents to 3 beautiful blessings in a few months, rather than just 2! Admittedly, it wasn't a complete shock, but a welcomed "finally" discovery. And the fact that we found out ON our anniversary, made it PERFECT. It was our first of 4 mornings waking up in Vegas that we found out. Made for a more significant trip to spend together! Probably the last one like that for just the two of us for awhile. But it is a good story to share for sure!

Of course it didn't take long for the excited shock to phase and quickly become panic! Ha! And I can say that each day since finding out, I've wavered between the two emotions A LOT! I'm not the only one....I think Brian is still in denial! Three will change things, but of course for the better. We can't wait to become a family of 5!

No Foolin'!

It's hard to believe that our little Macey bug, (aka: our "Little Chomop Chomp") is 1 year old already! It's hard to describe the joy that has been added to our lives since she surprised us with her arrival a year ago yesterday. All I can say, is our family would not be the same without her in it!

I think it's safe to say she enjoyed her party. With nearly 40 people at our house last night for dinner, cake and presents, I just wasn't sure what to expect of the birthday girl's attitude. But she was quite the dollie, enjoying all the excitement that came with her special day. Here are a few pictures of the cake, her individual cake, and her checking it out!




Here are just a few Macey "highlights" from this past year:

~ The girl can (& loves to) eat! Hence her nick name of "Chomp Chomp." So much different than her older sister...this girl will eat just about anything and everything we put in front of her. Needless to say, it's been a blessing for Mommy!

~ She is walking as of about 2 weeks prior to her actual birthday. What started off as a step or two or four, is now full-blown, walking. Of course there are the unsteady moments, where she realizes crawling is easier and faster, but for the most part, she is ready to chase her sister on 2 legs instead of crawling! Look out, Annie! She's a comin' for you!

~ This little one is a climber! We had to drop the crib to its lowest setting at about 4 or 5 months of age. And since then, we have noticed her bravery in several "obstacles" in our home. Yikes...Brian is a little worried we have a future rock climber or something among us!


~ Milk is doing her body good! Although we haven't had her 1 year well-child checkup just yet, we are encouraged by the ease and excitement shown from her, after her early introduction to real cows milk. She loves it! Once again, a relief for mommy, as her dear sister still wants nothing to do with the white stuff....or brown, or pink. Yes, I've tried all kinds and still no luck.

~ Off the bink....no pacifier by the age of 1. Not bad. We never faced a major "issue" with big sister, but you never know how they will take it. Smooth as butter. She soothes herself well with her blankie and close friend, Elmo!

~ She is a lover of anything and everything to do with Annie. It's so heartwarming to see the love these 2 sisters already share. At only 17 months apart, we are certain their relationship will only grow over the years, and hopefully they will remain close throughout their lives.


We just can't wait to see what this next year holds in store for her! Happy Birthday, Macey! We love you!

Poop, Or Get Off The Pot!

Ok..........another 6 months, just about and here I am again. A slacker. Let's just start with our most recent "happenings."

Today we began potty training "for real" with Annie. (Hence the title of this entry) The day was a complete disaster, from a mother's standpoint, as I wondered what in the world I was thinking only a half hour into the day's new routine. The idea was simple. We would start at 8am, and try to potty on the big toilet every hour. Easy, right? Not as it turned out. Annie's diaper was bone dry at 8am, so I was thinking it was going to be a piece of cake. I mean, after all, she's been going at church, successfully, for the past half a dozen classes or so. Now I begin to question the teachers as to what their interpretation of "successful" is! Sure, she may line up with the other 2 year olds who are in her class when asked if anyone needs to use the potty....but it doesn't mean she really knows what she's doing! I never knew peer pressure started so young. Needless to say, we didn't have a successful training "session" this morning.

I put both girls down after we sang our nightly songs and prayers were sung/prayed, when about 10 minutes later I hear (on the monitor) "Mommy, come quick! I need to use the potty!" Of course she does. Couldn't do it all day, but now, as I'm ready to settle in for some much needed ME TIME, she thinks she's ready to try again. So, we tried again. Yet again, unsuccessful. Question now I have is, was it a stall tactic to not go to sleep yet, or did she really think she needed to go? Ahhh, the many joys and challenges of having a 2 year old! But goodness knows, I still love her!

6 Months Sure Does Fly By!

Ok, so just when I promised to be doing blog posts more often, I go and have my longest stint away from it! Chalk it up to having a very busy toddler and needy newborn, I suppose. All this to say, I wouldn't change one thing about the past 6 months for anything!

Here is a quick "rundown" on our most recent family "happenings:"

Annie: celebrated her 2nd birthday last month, if you can believe it, I know we can't! She is a very busy little girl these days, and this toddler phase is proving to be quite fun. She recently has shown much interest in going potty, yet nothing consistent has come of the new hype. It's exciting to now be able to converse with her in a more understandable lingo! Along those lines, she graduated to the 2's class at church a few weeks ago, and the language is developing that much faster because of it. The new songs she's learning (and attempting to teach us) has brought smiles to our faces! It's amazing how young God can start working in those little lives!! "Normal" remarks were made at her most recent doctor check-up, although we keep anxiously waiting and expecting to hear she's sprouted off the charts with height. Just hasn't happened yet.


Macey: ...now 7 months old...WOW. She is eating some solids, definitely holding herself up well in the sitting position, and wants to be in and around Annie at all times! We can predict a crawler in our home in the very near future! She's got to keep up with Annie somehow! How fun it's been to see these two sisters bond in such amazing ways! And her laughter, that seems to bellow out so much more with Annie than Brian and I can ever get, is absolutely infectious! Her most recent doctor check-up showed her development as being right on track, in about the 50th percentile.


Megan: is now working part-time for the church once again, but in a much different capacity than before. She oversees the early childhood childcare department, consisting of 3 classes (Nursery, Weebles & Toddlers). This was a complete "God thing" for this job to come about. So far, in the 1 month she has been employed, we have seen it as a blessing for our family.


Brian: is still happily employed by the Marion County Sheriff's office, as he continues the graveyard shift, even going into the new year. As hard as it's been having him gone most nights, our family has adjusted well to this schedule, and we are happy he is happy doing what God has called him to do. In regards to hobbies, Brian just got his first elk in nearly 6 years this year, on his hunting trip with his folks to Eastern Oregon. We are glad to have that meat in the freezer!


I won't hold myself to a time limit on another update...just check back in a month or so. If you would, be praying for us as we seek the Lord's guidance with potentially putting our house back on the market. We've been feeling a "tug," and are now in the checking things out phase. Thank you, friends and family!

Love,
The Dunkins

Macey Olivia Dunkin

I know, I know. It's been nearly 5 whole months since my last post. What the heck? Well, life has been a little busy. Busy in a good way, most definitely.


Meet Macey. Macey Olivia Dunkin joined our family on April 1st at 10:41 p.m. Despite being 3 weeks early, she weighed in at a healthy, heavier than Annie at full term, 7lbs, 7oz, and was 19.5 inches in length. What a surprise she was to us on that very day. Having only been insured for about 15 hours when we went to the hospital, we thought there was no way we were going to have a baby that day. It was just too close for the odds.

Brian got his job back with Marion County at the beginning of February. Since then, he has absolutely been a changed man. More happy than ever before. Due to the change in jobs, we were without insurance for the month of March. Macey's due date wasn't expected until mid-late April, so when things started "happening" on the 1st, we thanked our good Lord for getting us to that date of coverage! He knew all along when she would join our family, we are just so thankful it was after insurance kicked in.

Macey is a month old already, and life in the Dunkin household is finally beginning to feel "normal." If there is such a thing. Brian feels a bit out-numbered with us girls running the show, but he is one proud dada of all his girls.

Annie is adjusting very well to a new baby in the house. She just needs to learn how to give baby some space. Her oodles and kisses on her sister are really too cute for words, I'm just praying this love for her grows and grows, and never turns into a jealousy thing. So far so good.




As for me, I'm doing well. Tired, which is expected, but good. I was able to get a whole 2 months off with this pregnancy, so I won't be going back to work until the 1st of June. I can't believe that it's already May, but my time at home has been so wonderful. Macey is such an easy baby and I'm loving every second of it. It feels good to be a family of 4!



Stay tuned for more posts....I will make every effort to post things more often. Goodness knows, I've got enough pictures to show off!

CHRISTmas!

Christmas is probably my absolute favorite time of year. Not only are there many family get togethers to be had, but it's the celebration of our Lord and Savior's birth. Praise Him for all the beauty this holiday brings to so many!

Annie sure enjoyed the festivities. From school Christmas programs to all the buzz with presents and food galore....I'd say she did well.

And although this year was an especially bittersweet Christmas for our family, we can rejoice with the angels as my grandfather is now resting in peace with our Savior. It's never easy losing a loved one, but we know he would have enjoyed the family time we had together! Any excuse to get all the 7 grandkids together is a plus!

A Milestone Not Worth Bragging About!

I never thought I would say this, but my daughter had a "first" today that I truly cannot say I am proud of. Yes, my friends, we are talking about the very first time this little girl, this sweet angel of a girl, actually grossed me out. The reasons the pictures of the actual incident aren't posted are obvious, but the ones that are here, are of our "intermission" shall we say...as we awaited the tub to be emptied and cleaned out after Annie POOPED in it during her bath.

Oh the joys of parenthood.

A Cupcake for Annie!

Well, I can't believe it's happening, but it's true. Annie is turning 1 this weekend, and I really don't know where the year has gone. We've experienced more joy than we ever thought possible with her in our lives, and we eagerly look forward to many more incredible years ahead, celebrating her life!

So last night I decided it was time. The girl has waited an entire year for this, and I'm ready to spoil her, just a little! Ok, ok, so maybe she's had a bite or two of cake/ice cream at birthday parties and such, but this time it's her turn! Now I really wish I could say I was even slightly crafty in the kitchen, but since I'm not, I figured good 'ole Betty Crocker's recipe would suit just fine for Annie's first cupcake experience! Daddy had to work, but we made sure to capture the special moment on camera.


Here she wasn't quite sure what to DO with the cupcake.

Realizing how yummy frosting is...

Realizing how yummy the whole cupcake is...

"Happy Birthday to ME, Mom! That's good stuff!"

A New Experience

Annie had her first experience with a toothbrush tonight.....and I think we should say...the jury is still out as to whether or not she liked it. I would say it wasn't a bad experience, except for trying to get her to "open wide." As you can see, she wasn't sure what to think!

A Day to Play for all of my Parents' Grandkids!

The weather couldn't have been better for a day at the Family Fun Center in Wilsonville. It was an "end of the summer/back to school send off" for all 7 of my parents grandkids. Although at this point, only 4 are returning to school. Nonetheless, we all made the trip to play and laugh and enjoy each others' company. What a great day!


Here are the kids playing "putt, putt golf."


Here are the kids LOVING the bumper boats!


I still can't believe this one....we actually got MOM to drive the go-kart for she and Kylie! I think the adults had more fun with this one than the kids did!





Here's this sling-shot thing that the girls wanted to do.




And our little all-star, Brody...the lone boy in the fam, got his turn at the batting cages!


Dad surprised Mandy and I with tickets to the bumper boats since we "missed out" on the go-kart driving. Gee...thanks dad for letting the kids SOAK me! :) But it was worth it, and the kids LOVED getting a 2nd chance at the squirt guns!



And finally...the end of the day arcade games and prize selection. I think it's safe to say they all had a blast! Can't wait for next year!

Annie's First Time in the BIG CITY!

Wow. What an amazing experience, taking a 9 month old to the big city of Seattle! One of our dearest friends, Lindsay, and her husband, Kyle have been telling us we need to come visit, and we felt it was about time that we actually did!

Using one of Brian's longer weekends, we were able to head up North just after visiting our newest niece, Isabelle on Wednesday, August 12th. Izzy was scheduled to be born via c-section on my birthday (Aug 23rd) but with minor complications revealed at one of the last ultrasounds, they decided to take her a little early. We were thrilled to meet the newest Straus, and what a dolly she is!

So our trip began around 3pm on that Wednesday afternoon, having no idea how our little Annie would do on her longest car ride ever. We took the truck, which provided more comfort for all of us, and to our delight, Annie was a champ. She managed to get a pretty good nap in before stopping for a bite to eat for Brian and I. Not to mention, she did well herself in the Burger King parking lot with her applesauce and other yummies.

We made it to Lynnwood at just before 8pm. Lindsay was working the Mariners game, so we settled in and chatted with Kyle before all of us crashed out around 10. It had been a long day, but we knew an even longer one awaited us the next morning.

Thursday morning we got up bright and early, early enough to catch up with Linds before she and Kyle headed off to work. They were such gracious, wonderful hosts, we couldn't have had it any better anywhere else. They had done their research on some typical tourists spots to visit if we had interest/time before the Mariner/Yankee game that evening at 7. So we tried to get as much in as we could, starting the day off at the "Sea Star." One of the actual ships used on the TLC reality show, Deadliest Catch. Brian is a big fan of the show, so we thought it would be fun to see what the fisherman see and from their perspective. It made for some great pics, and started our day off well.




Next stop....downtown, lunch with the Guzz. (Lindsay's nickname for as long as I can remember). After parking the car, walking a few blocks, brushing shoulders with Alex Rodriguez, we met Linds for lunch. Yes, that was A-Rod we passed on 6th street. After all, he was in town for the Yankees premiere night in Seattle.

After lunch, is was off to the market, followed by the Seattle Aquarium and then onto the Space Needle. Some of the funnier moments of the day took place at the Space Needle, where other tourists (I presume) got a bigger kick out of Annie than they did of the sights they were seeing. Again, made great memories and pics for all time.







We finished the night at the Mariner/Yankee game where the Mariners got stomped by the good old boys. We still enjoyed ourselves, especially after the game had ended. Lindsay took us down on the field, and there we got some great behind the scenes pics of the field and what it's like from the players perspectives.






Friday morning was here before we knew it. One last stop...the Sound with Lindsay before hitting the long drive home. We should have anticipated it, yet didn't quite expect a 6 and a half hour + drive. It was ridiculous to say the very least. Needless to say, Annie amazed us once again, taking nearly a 3 hour nap, and keeping content with mommy and toys in the backseat with her.




It was a GREAT experience. We now know this little girl can take long road trips! Hooray for the years ahead!