Everyday Miracles

in a month

2012-01-27T19:32:00.002-05:00

Gabi 23 months

Gabi 12 months (below)

In a month our "baby girl", our youngest, our little monkey turns Two Years Old. Unbelievable. Today she is 23 months and blooming! I was able to a get a mini photo-shoot of her and she sure knows how to crack us up.
Gabi is still the cuddliest of our kids. She loves being held, being on your lap, and being close to you. However, don't let that fool you... if her siblings are off doing something she is right there with them! One of the cutest things she is currently doing is reaching her hand out and with the cutest voice says "a hold a hand". She loves holding our hand going down stairs (even though she doesn't need us to) and sometimes just to walk around with us. We also love the way Gabi shakes her head "yes". She nods up and down but her eyebrows go up and down too... it's so funny!
Her favorite songs remain Ring-Around-the-Rosie (which she thinks is named for her), her A B C's, Itsy-Bitsy, Happu Birthday, Tomorrow (from Annie) and of course 5 Little Monkeys. She loves the show Bubble Guppies (or Bubble Buppies to her) and loves all the kids music we play in the car. She is sweet with giving with hugs and smiles. She adores the males in her life... her Daddy, her Bapa, Jona, Evan, Paul and of course Will!
I think it's adorable that she gets so excited and waits for Isa and Will to come home from school. If she is up from her nap before they arrive she will look and me and ask "where Isa go?" or "where Will go?". She asks for them often when they aren't around. She is consistent about giving them a HUGE hug when they wake up in the morning and as soon as they get home from school.
Gabi has been vocalizing more. I have noticed some of her frustrations are being relieved now that she can show me, get, or tell me what she wants. I am sometimes amazed at the words she know... many I didn't even know she knew! Though she is getting better at communicating... she is still starting to have a bit of the terrible two's kicking in. Although she is still our sweet little baby girl... she has been a little bit more temperamental (especially at meal times). She had been crying alot more too. With that being said, she is also getting several teeth and molars right now!
She has also starting showing some interest in the potty. She has gone in the potty several times (mostly right before her bath). However, nothing too consistent. We will really work on this when we come back from Texas next month.
Gabi has been doing well in her Big Girl Bed, but we have had to put a gate up at her door since she now knows how to open them. She still takes one nap a day around 1pm for maybe 2 hours and is asleep by 8pm. Gabi's smile is contagious (she smiles with her eyes too)! We are in awe of our little girl and really wish we could slow this time down...she can't really be turning 2 next month, can she?

creative kid

2012-01-25T20:42:00.000-05:00

Will never ceases to amaze us. When you think that the last thing he did is so creative...bam, he comes up with something new to blow us away! Will has been working diligently on his daily Trio Block creations. Some he completes based on the Trio Instruction books and others from his imagination. Both equally great.
For the last 2 days, however, Will did something new. Something amazing. Something I would never have expected a 5 year old to do. He was sitting at the table coloring something. I looked over and asked "what are you drawing?" His response "making my instructions for my creation of the day." OK. I looked over... and in fact, he was drawing the individual pieces and the numbers of each needed to make a new creation. He then took his "instructions" and made a creation using only the pieces he had allocated for them. What is neat, is that he actually drew the pieces before making it. AMAZING. Yesterday he made a building. Today, a helicopter. He then asked me to take a picture of the creation to print it on the back of his instructions.... just like in his book! How could you not SMILE and be so proud of him. We love this little guy!

Helicopter Instruction pieces and a picture for reference when making it =)

He made me take a picture of the front and back (just like in his Trio Instruction book).

Building instructions and picture.

Here is what his Trio book looks like...

Just for fun... here a few more of his recent creations.

Beauty and the Beast ... and sledding

2012-01-21T20:03:00.000-05:00

Will, Isa, Aunt Jen and I went to see Beauty and the Beast in 3D today!. First of all... this is one of my favorite Disney movies (second to Little Mermaid). The experience was AMAZING! If you haven't seen a movie in 3D yet... do it. The colors are so vibrant and the detail is awesome. Even though we have seen this movie many times before, it was as if we were watching it for the first time. There were so many details that I never noticed before. Watching a classic movie with a new generation in a totally new way was breathtaking. So loving these little adventures!

After the movie, aunt Jen came over to do something she hasn't done... well... in a LONG time. We took her sledding! The girls and I had a blast with her... and I think Jen had a pretty good time too =).

Will has been faithful to his TRIO creations, making 1 (or more) every day. It will be so fun at the end of the year when we put all the pictures together in one book!

Family, Friends, Fun

2012-01-16T21:37:00.001-05:00

2012 has started off with a bang! We have already had many play-dates, a few sleepovers, and fun times with family and friends. We couldn't ask for more. Our little family has also managed to still have several low-key relaxing weekends together. Perfect.
Over the last 2 weeks we have hung out with several of our favorite families! The Schilens, the Cecils, the Avarellos, the Millers, The Viers and of course Family! We also had a special dinner with our former neighbor Mrs Fox. It was great catching up and sharing pictures of the kids with her. We miss her (and we could tell the feeling was mutual). Isa had her 1st sleepover of the year with Gramma, complete with mani, pedis, and bubble bath! Will had his buddy Sam over for a basement Camp-out sleepover... too fun! The Schilens girls and our girls dressed up and were princesses on a great afternoon. Cousin Chloe played in the snow with the kids and has been a frequent visitor already! The kids have also enjoyed special one on one time with Aunt Jenny and Uncle Tim. Tobin, the kids and I also got a chance to go see Grandma Thomas together. Like we said... what a great way to start the year. We can't wait to share and make more memories with the rest of the family!

SnOw much FUN!

2012-01-14T21:45:00.002-05:00

For the past couple of days we finally had true Winter days here. Although many people aren't happy with the snow... our kids prefer it any day over the dreary skied rainy days. The snow accumulated enough for the kids to play outside for hours and today we even got out on a couple of hills for some sledding. Our kids were in paradise! They literally spent over an hour outside each time out.
Particularly great about this season was Gabi's experience. Even though she played in the snow last year, this year she really loves it. She kept up the kids with everything they did and even sled on her own! Our little girl is growing up.
Today we also had little cousin Chloe join us sledding. At first she didn't want to go out... but when she did get out there she didn't want to come back in! Oh what fun!

Disney on Ice: Dare to Dream

2012-01-08T23:27:00.002-05:00

Tonight the girls went out to see Disney on Ice. I can't even begin to put into words how excited Isa was on Friday when she got her tickets for Little Christmas. She couldn't stop smiling and even slept with the flyer!
Tonight the girls became princesses and headed out with Queen Gramma and Queen Mommy =). The show consisted of 3 mini shows which featured Tiana, Cinderella and Rapunzel. During our intermission Queen Gramma treated the little princesses to some royal cotton candy (complete with a tiara!).
The Tangled portion of the show was amazing and the girls' eyes were wide open and they were speechless as they watched! The skaters did an amazing job! The finale had all the Disney Princesses come out for a final farewell dance and it was so cute seeing the girls wave. Gabi was so attentive during the whole show and did a great job clapping. Isa was especially excited when she saw the end as she called out "Hi Snow White, HI!" What a magical night out!

The Princess and the Frog

Cinderella

Tangled

grand finale (see Snow White!)

a few videos for your enjoyment!

togetherness

2012-01-04T09:25:00.001-05:00

Togetherness. That is how we chose to start off the new year. We are trying to make a better effort to focus on each other, our friends, and our family. I will be the first to admit that our kids have lots of toys. I love how creative they get playing them. However their eyes light up even briughter when we are surrounded and playing with those close to us. It always makes us smile!
We spent a quiet evening bringing in the New Year as a family. Tobin enjoyed his final days off works playing constantly with the kids and started the huge attempt at a model dinosaur that was gifted to us (we are hoping we can finish it without hurling it at a wall!). Will told us he is going to make a new TRIO block creation every day... 365 days of trio (stay tuned to periodic pics). Isa and Gabi are enjoying each others company more. They are playing dress-up, coloring together, and playing with their new dollhouse. What a great start to a new year! happy 2012!

End of another great year!

2011-12-31T15:03:00.004-05:00

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

We wish everyone a wonderful and fun filled 2012. 2011 was great to us, with many adventures with family and friends. We ARE truly blessed. We loved hanging out with so many people that mean the world to us, and look forward to many new adventures in 2012!
Here is a recap of our year in pics... enjoy!

fun times with cousins

2011-12-30T00:36:00.000-05:00

Over the past several weeks our kids have had a great time with their cousins. The Lacayo's stayed at our home for a week... and boy was it a blast. They are missed so much already. They kids also got a chance to hang out with cousins near and far as well over the holiday break. It's amazing how much fun they have together despite the number of times they see each other!
Some of the fun things they did together include: bike riding, decorating a gingerbread house, being silly together, having an indoor camp-out (complete with a pretend firepit), visiting Kringle's Inventionasium, ice skating, making "deck angels" (due to the lack of snow... they were still pretending to make real snow angels!), building LOTS of Trio Blocks creations, and many other adventures! What a great way to end the year!

there was barely any snow falling but they were SOOO excited they went out to play in it anyway!

Sikora family Christmas Party

2011-12-26T23:08:00.000-05:00

Today we enjoyed spending the evening with Tobin's extended family and friends at Mom and Dad's new place. It was a great Christmas party and a nice time to catch up with many people we don't see year round. The appetizers, drinks and TONS of desserts were amazing..... but the company was even better! The kids seemed to gravitate to the ginormous playroom and spent much of the time down there having a blast!

Christmas Day 2011

2011-12-25T23:35:00.004-05:00

MERRY CHRISTMAS! Happy Birthday Jesus! We had an absolutely awesome and relaxing Christmas day. The Lacayo kids were up bright and early this morning and eagerly awaited our kids to get up. By 7:30am, most kids were up, so we felt compelled to wake up the remaining two. We all gathered in Will's room to read the Christmas story, sing Away in a Manger, and get ready to check to see if Santa had come to our home! Indeed he had! This was really such an exciting Christmas for the kids. They were so excited for their gifts...but they were equally as excited to GIVE their gifts. The other day I randomly asked Will if he knew what the true meaning of Christmas was and he flat out said "giving". My heart melted.

This year we were so lucky to have the Lacayo gang here with us for Christmas morning. The comradere between cousins is amazing. They love each other and consider each other best friends. We love it. To my sister and I it always makes us wish they lived closer. However, we are fortunate and blessed to visit often. All the kids got all their Christmas wishes (and some) this year. Will got his Ouranosaurus, Transformer Starscream, Transformer Megatron and a LeapPad. Isa asked for Princess Trio Blocks. She also received several Hello Kitty accessories to enjoy! Gabi got a baby stroller, new baby doll, some baby clothes and backpack from Santa! The kids also got a new dollhouse to share! Aidan got some awesome Star Wars vehicles and Andrew got Moon Dough! Santa must have been happy with them!
Our kids also made some special treats this year. They made several craft snowmen that they turned into ornaments. The kids also helped wrap and hand them out to each recipient. This was so touching to me. Will also made Isa a paper tiara for Christmas that he wrapped in his own home made wrapping paper.... priceless! Even though it got a little crazy for a while with lots of toys... it seems like they were always grounded when they remembered about another gift they still had to share. It was truly a wonderful day.
For dinner, part of the Cecil clan joined us. Overall it was a great day, spent with ones we love and celebrating Christ's birth. We are so blessed!

Sikora Christmas Eve

2011-12-24T23:59:00.002-05:00

MERRY CHRISTMAS! Today we celebrated Mass with the Lacayo, Blasko and Sikora gang, but headed out after Mass to do the traditional Sikora Christmas.... McDonald's, the reading of The Very First Christmas, singing Silent Night, and a gift exchange! Cookies, coffee and good company. Will has told us on several occasions that the true meaning of Christmas is "giving". However... I happen to think it's togetherness. Being able to share these memories with family from both sides is priceless. We are loving every moment.

Bapa and Gramma with the lil ones... and reading the Christmas story.

Will got a coveted Trio Gears set!!!! Isa got a beautiful bed for her favorite doll!!! Gabi got a new baby doll with a PACI!

Gift Exchanges!
(Isa got a lovely necklace, crafts and paper from Grayson; Will got a new Transformers Bumblebee from Chloe; and Gabi got a cute dress and bath toys from Millie! They were more than thrilled!)

some of the little things I don't want to forget about this night.... Will was super sweet and on his best behavior today. Also, when asked about church, he replied that he got to sing his favorite song at Mass... and started singing "Away in A Manger." When Isa got her necklace from baby Grayson, she ran over to Gramma and exclaimed "this is what I always wanted from you!"... she thought it was Gramma's necklace she loved, it was precious! Gabi was so excited this Christmas and kept exclaiming "PRESENTS." Gabi did great opening her presents and was real anxious to help others! I loved how the kids gave hugs and how they were so thankful for their gifts. There was pure honest excitement and happiness in their eyes!

playroup Christmas 2011

2011-12-19T23:07:00.001-05:00

Today we celebrated our 6th Christmas together as a group. We are now up to 14 kids! We decided to change things up a little this year and instead of doing gift exchanges, we decided to do a cookie exchange! We each made 3 dozen cookies to share. What a treat. Audra hosted again (we love her house and toys), we ordered pizza, and Cheryl brought some great Gingerbread houses for the kids to decorate! As always the kids had a blast. Great memories were made, stories shared, and us girls just got another chance to catch up. What made this year a little nostalgic is thinking that the Cecil crew won't likely be here for the next party... but maybe we can cross our fingers for a Christmas visit!
The kids love their friends... but more importantly I love these girls. They have become part of our family. I can't imagine my daily life up here in Ohio without them. Merry Christmas!

ALL ABOARD!

2011-12-17T00:05:00.000-05:00

The day started off on the right note and had a magical ending! Elves, caroling, cookies, hot chocolate, giggles, silliness, and a visit from Santa shared with ones you love.... priceless!

When we arrived at the North Pole.... the scene was mesmerizing to the kids. They kept waving and looking for Santa. After spotting Santa, he boarded our train and came around for a visit! What a special moment. The kids also received a special Silver Bell...just BELIEVE!

we're headed to the North Pole!

2011-12-15T16:09:00.000-05:00

This morning was absolutely GREAT! Will was the first one awake and crept into my room... "mommy, there is a ticket on my door!" When we went to check it out, he realized our whole family got tickets for the Polar Express tonight! I can't even begin to put into words the excitement the kids had this morning. Their conversations were too funny as well... wondering who else got tickets and how lucky they were. They proceeded to call Gramma to see if she got a ticket too... and yep, she and Bapa sure did! It's going to be a magical night!

a little preview:

St Nicholas Day

2011-12-06T23:15:00.000-05:00

We had a fun filled and busy St Nick's day today! St Nick awoke the kids bright and early (6:50am... that is way early for our kids) to share the special treats left behind. The kids' anticipation put a huge smile on our face! After bringing down their stocking and checking the contents... they proceeded to fill their bellies with sugar and treats! The funniest part was when Isa discovered her Hello Kitty tooth brush and exclaimed "THIS IS WHAT I ALWAYS WANTED!" It was hilarious. The kids then proceeded to head to the playroom to rediscover their Little People Nativity playset. Precious.

Later that morning the kids and I joined Mom on a visit to see Grandma Thomas for her birthday. We brought some mini red velvet cupcakes which everyone loved... especially the birthday girl. Grandma ended up having 3! She almost couldn't wait for us to finish singing Happy Birthday to get it to her mouth! The kids and I toured the home, sang some carols, and danced around with a singing Santa. It was a blessed visit.

showing their card for Grandma

Later after helping out in Will's class with a craft, we all prepared for our annual St Nicholas Day Feast! We were so lucky to have almost the entire gang from the area join us for food, drinks, and a viewing of Christmas Vacation! We all sang a ceremonial "Oh Christmas Tree" (with our own words) when Tobin, Jona and Dad hauled our Christmas tree in! It was a great night. It's nights like this that make living near family oh so worth it.

life at home

2011-12-03T22:28:00.000-05:00

Most people have family game night. We have Home Made family game night! Will surprised me this afternoon by making his own "board game" for our family to play. It was truly amazing.

We thought this was so funny. We often joke about the size of Costco products. Well, after 7 years of use... we finally got to the end of our plastic wrap during some painting. Good-bye to an old faithful!

And in BIG news.... despite my reluctance... Gabi has transitioned to a Big Girl Bed! She was more than happy to jump around and cuddle in her new big bed. As for me... I was sad to see the crib pulled apart and stored... an end to an era for me (at least I still have a pack-n-play). She was a little over tired by the time we had the bed all set up, but once she fell asleep she did awesome. Our little baby is growing up.

The Snowman

2011-12-01T12:37:00.000-05:00

Yesterday and today several friends of mine and their kids joined us for Jen's performance The Snowman with the Dancing Wheels. We had a group of 11 total on Thursday and 12 today! Everyone loved the show and it was even more special because someone we know is in it!
Great job Jen!

Thursday's show

Friday's show

Thanksgiving 2011

2011-11-25T13:27:00.000-05:00

HAPPY THANKSGIVING everyone! This year we spent our Thanksgiving day in sunny Florida. The weather was perfect and the kids all had a great day together. Uncle Arnold spoiled all the kids by ordering a bounce house for the day! It was a hit! Monika made her famous turkey and the stuffing was made by Tobin! Everyone loved it! We also had a pork roast brought by Tia Becky, along side corn, sweet potato casserole, bread, and plenty of pies... yum!
After everyone was gone and the kids were all tucked in for the night... can you believe that Tobin, Monika, Arnold and I headed to camp out at Target for a little late night Black Friday shopping! What a great end to a great week!

Sikora/Lacayo/Suarez families!

Trip to Orlando

2011-11-25T12:00:00.001-05:00

During our stay we had an opportunity to take a little drive to meet up with Mary, Justin and Mira in Orlando (their new home). We arrived on Monday evening and all headed to Downtown Disney for dinner at the T-Rex Restaurant! We all had a great evening and then proceeded to check out their new place on Tuesday! It's great, and wonderful for visitors too with a pool! It's very cozy, and we can't wait to see it again when it's all set up.
We feel so blessed to have been able to see them, even for a short period of time! Mira Mae is adorable, and her smile is contagious. She was so fun to hang out with!

I had to post this picture of Isa by the princesses. The left pics are from this time last year... and the right pics are from our visit! How our lil princess has grown in a year =).

T-Rex Restaurant

Florida adventures

2011-11-25T07:34:00.000-05:00

Our family headed to Florida for a week around Thanksgiving this year. I have to admit that it was really one of the most relaxing and fun weeks we have had in a while. Tobin spent the majority of the time playing with the kids... from Transformers, to trains, to ninja fighting, to play-dough, to building with blocks! He loved the one on one with the kids, and the kid at heart really shined!
The cousins, like always, acted like they had just seen each other yesterday. Isa proudly announced that Andrew was her best friend. You could often hear her saying "Andrew, I love you" or "Andrew come play with me". It was so cute. They played everything together.
Will and Aidan are like 2 peas in a pod. They really enjoyed each others company and they seldom fought over anything. Will became a pro on the computer's Cool School system. We even caught him writing rhyme words all on his own!
Ah... Gabi. Gabi's best friend on the trip was the dog Pepper. She even exclaimed once all on her own "Doggie, I love you". I was a little sad... this was her first time saying I love you directly to somthing on her own using their name! =) It was too cute though. Gabi was a little trooper keeping up with everything her older siblings and cousins were doing. She is one of pack!
Abuelita was more than thrilled to have all her grandchildren in one house again. She dotes on them and loves to hear them laugh.
Tobin and I had a marvelous time with Monika and Arnold. We spent long hours talking, watching movies and playing with the kids. No real commitments and just a whole lot of bonding time. Perfect!

Our one trip together to Santa's courtesy of Tia Becky!

first snowfall

2011-11-11T14:48:00.003-05:00

It's only the 11th of November and the kids were outside in full force experiencing their 1st snowfall of the season! Gabi LOVED it. She was so cute jumping up and down in it and dancing around! Isa built her first lil snowman and Will had fun throwing snowballs!

girl time

2011-11-08T21:34:00.000-05:00

During Cathy's visit, she and I had an amazing opportunity to have some girly time. We explored Historic Avon Village's antique shops, Catherine's Chocolate store, and had lunch at the Tree House's Tea Room. We even dressed for the occasion =).
p.s. this is possibly the most pictures of me in a single post!

Then while on our weekend trip to Hocking Hills, OH, Cathy and I dared to try the Zip Line Canopy tours.
We were transported along a 1.5 mile scenic nature trail to the beginning of the course where a Mighty Oak awaited our arrival. We then navigated 10 ziplines, traversed 5 adventure skybridges and rappeled back to ground level at the finish line. Amazing!

While waiting between each zip we enjoyed amazing views from the observation platforms. It was an absolutely breathtaking adventure. I would definitely recommended this and actually can't wait to be able to do it again with my hubby next time!
Although the scale of the pictures is a little deceiving... we traversed trees at altitudes of 60-85 feet off the ground. The camera didn't do justice to our height off the ground!

I am the one in the white sweater and Cathy is wearing the pink!

what a view!

Hocking Hills adventure

2011-11-06T14:28:00.001-05:00

We had an absolutely fun and relaxing weekend at Hocking Hills! The cabin was great and the kids loved playing in the cabin and out in the woods. We had hot chocolate by the fire, swam in the "hot pool" and took adventures at some of the local parks (including Cedar Falls and Ash Cave).
The kids (and us) love being out in nature. They are already wishing for another trip soon!

our first adventure: a hike down to Cedar Falls

zoo, hikes and great food!

2011-11-03T00:06:00.000-04:00

Another fun filled day with Tia Cathy and the kids! We started off with a quick trip to the Zoo before the kids had to go to school. Will had been begging us to go back so that he can show Tia Cathy that the elephant exhibit is open and to see Willy the elephant!
Isn't Fall fantastic!!!

It was a gorgeous day (in the 60's) so we took full advantage to pack up for another adventure after school. We headed out to Historic Olmsted Fall. We walked around the beautiful shops, toured the train area, and stopped for some ice cream. After the little treat, we got the kids' bikes out and went for a hike! What a great day! After making our way back, Tobin met up with us for dinner at Moosehead Hoof & Ladder ... yum!

.... here are a couple of pics from the other day =) Making smores by a fire, chatting late, great friendship!

also... who would have thought, all I needed was a box filled with packing peanuts!

trick-or-treat, trick-or-treat, halloween

2011-10-31T23:58:00.000-04:00

Today was a packed fun day. The kids had their Fall parties at school, Isa had ballet, and then back home to parade down our neighborhood! Tia Cathy, Aunt Jen and Daddy helped get all the kids bundled up and dressed. We even spray painted Isa's hair red =). Aunt Jen was awesome by staying back and handing out our candy!
Thankfully the rain held off and although it was a little cold, the night was beautiful and the kids were literally running from house to house. We started off our little adventure with the Viers. The Toy Story gang headed out in full force followed by little Boo and lead by the mighty Optimus Prime!

Jessie and Woody (best friends!)

Boo, Tia Cathy, and Optimus!

Along our way the kids got a glimpse of a great surprise... Bapa and Gramma! They had the biggest smiles on their face as they raced over to them. Isa held on tightly to her Gramma and Bapa took over the duty of carrying Gabi around to keep up! Gabi was TOO cute this Halloween. She was saying trick-or-treat and thank you very loudly. She also got the whole concept down packed fast... making her way to the doors heading straight for the candy bowls and reaching in for her favs! Will was always in the lead and racing from house to house with the biggest smile! Isa had fun tagging along with her Gramma.

So happy! Gramma's biggest fan!

Candy Time! The kids (and adults) couldn't wait to get back in, warm up, and dig in. Gabi immediately went for a lolipop and said "open please"! There was no holding back! Surprisingly they all went to bed on time and did real well. What a great day!!!!

And around the states... the cousin (and adults) were having a great Halloween too! a shout out to...
Miami Gang...

The Ohio gangs:

Orlando....

and finally Texas!

Happy Haloween!

2011-10-31T11:21:00.000-04:00

Will wanted to make sure his dinosaurs were dressed up for Halloween too!

Halloween festivities =)

2011-10-30T00:23:00.000-04:00

Today our family (along with Cathy) went on a haunted walk. It was perfectly suited to the lil ones! They had a great time in the forest, on the tractor hay ride, and playing some games. Also, thanks to Cathy being around... we are getting lots more family shots than ever before (and I am even in them!). =) We are having a ball!

Isa and her buddy Tia cathy

Our newest lil trick-or-treater. Gabi was SO cute actually saying "trick-or-treat" and literally yelling "thank you" after getting her candy!

Will and Gabi trying to catch their shadows... so funny to watch!

Patterson Farms

2011-10-29T09:00:00.000-04:00

On Friday, Cathy the kids and I took a little afternoon trip to Patterson Farms in Chesterland, OH. The wasn't as cold as we expected, there was even sun coming through every so often... BUT because of all the rain here recently it was real muddy!!! All the kids had a great time, but each was a victim to the mud! Will fell first, followed by a nose dive by Gabi. Isa got a little muddy in the corn maze. Gabi however was our true mud battle winner by actually getting stuck in the mud and losing a shoe in it! yuck!
The kids loved the hay play area and all the slides! We hung out in the tree house playground for a while too. The scenery was beautiful and we had fun, so all in all it was a great trip!

2011 group Halloween Party

2011-10-27T23:59:00.001-04:00

I figured that even though I am real tired tonight, I need to post because I have a feeling our days are going to be real eventful and I don't want to play catch up! Last night I finished making Isa's "semi-homemade" Jessie costume. Just in time, since the kid's playgroup party was today! The group, now 14 kids strong, had everyone there and let's just say... it was loud! They kids all had a great time playing together, dressing up, and doing crafts! We also welcomed Tia Cathy back to Ohio... and it was amazing. It had been raining all day, and literally as soon as she stepped out of the airport... the SUN came out! She brought us a little bit of Florida with her!

playgroup 2011

Jessie costume complete and Isa modeling it!

Our Transformer and Boo (from Monster's Inc.)

Craft time with Tia Cathy!

Halloween... here we come!

Gabi 20 months

2011-10-27T23:54:00.002-04:00

The 27th of each month seems to come quicker and quicker each time! Our little girl has definitely changed this past month. She is keeping up with her siblings, talking alot more, doing lots of singing. Gabi is finally using multiple word sentences. Recently she has been caught singing "happy birthday" and "tomorrow" from Annie throughout the day. Her personality is really starting to shine more too. She is a happy go lucky little girl that loves her mommy and daddy. She always asks for Will and Isa when they are at school.
Some of the words and phrases she is using (there are a lot more I am sure): I see you, A juice Mommy, Love you (Mommy/Daddy), Love you More, Night Night (insert name, followed by a big hug and kiss), Open, Close, Up, Down, Off, On, Lechecita, Get it Please. Her new favorite word this month is "yellow". She also will try to repeat almost anything you say which is great! We really feel like her vocabulary is taking off. Although she isn't talking all the time, there are moments where she starts and just can't stop... it's so cute to hear!
Gabi loves to dance around, jump on the bed, and climb just like her siblings. She is a bundle of joy. We couldn't have asked for anything more. Our home is truly complete with lil Gabi Rose and it's so amazing to watch how she fits into everything we do!
Gabi loves her dolls, snuggling with at least 2 of them when she naps and goes to sleep. Whenever she picks up a new stuffed toy or doll she gives it the biggest hug she can! Although she enjoys books, she doesn't normally sit through the whole thing.. she is anxious to get you the next one! She is eating everything we eat but still gets milk 3 times a day. She is now napping once a day from 1-3pm (while the the kids are in school) and sleeps over 12 hours a night!
Gabi is our lil rose and her sweetness is contagious! It's amazing watching her grow!

time with her cousin Chloe!

singing part of "happy birthday"

Will's birthday book

2011-10-26T14:23:00.000-04:00

Here is a link to Will's birthday book that I finally got done and ordered =). Enjoy!

WILL's BOOK

soccer pics and circus

2011-10-21T01:38:00.000-04:00

We got the kids pictures from their soccer season and couldn't help but smile at how cute they look. Our kids are definitely petite! They are done for the Fall, but start back up in April for the spring season. They both seemed to enjoy it. We were most proud of how much better Will did this time around!

Yesterday was also a VERY eventful day for Will. Our little guy had a special night with his daddy at the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus! Will had been asking me about the circus during the last week, and hinting "I would really love to see a circus". Initially we had no intention of going (because we have many other fun events planned) but when I heard from Nikki that we could get $10 tickets... we got them! It was real nice for Tobin to take Will on a little one on one outing. Oh.. and Will... well, let's just say he couldn't stop talking about his evening and went to bed with one of the biggest smiles we have ever seen!

all smiles and ready to go!

(photo courtesy Nicole Tully)

Fall festivities begin!

2011-10-12T19:34:00.000-04:00

This past weekend was exciting. Saturday we spent the day between soccer games and Gramma & Bapa's house making it ready to sell. The games were great. Isa had her last game of the season and Will SCORED HIS FIRST GOAL at his game! Uncle Jona and Bapa made were able to make it to Isa's game and Gramma and uncle Jona came to Will's! Will has come a long way since he started soccer in the spring. He is playing great, running the whole time... and most importantly smiling ! He's having fun! This coming Saturday is his final game for the year.

this shot is right after Will scored his goal!

On Sunday our gang joined the Cecil family for our first Fall Fest outing of the season. We took the gang out to Mapleside Farm. They had a tractor pulled cow train, Marvel Hero corn maze, super slide, and a giant 70 foot jump pillow (this was the biggest hit). It was a gorgeous day (80 degrees!), which led to stopping for and ice cream treat on the way home!

This past week, the kids also welcomed Gramma and Bapa to the neighborhood. They were so excited and decorated the front of their new home.

proud parents

2011-10-07T22:32:00.000-04:00

Often times we find ourselves wondering if we are doing it right. Are we yelling too much, not enough, teaching them right, setting good examples. I am sure many parents end many days so thankful for all their blessing, but exhausted and wondering how they can do it all again tomorrow. Yet there are little glimpses that everything is as it should be. God's plan is working and our family is doing alright. This past week was a week like that.
We, as parents, had several incidences that made us smile and made us proud. First of all, the kids had school conferences this week. They are doing amazing! Will's teacher remarked how mature he is and how well he is playing with others. We are at a point where we need to establish new goals since he is excelling so well! That is great news for us! His teacher says he is more than ready for Kindergarten next year, and is so proud of how well he is doing!
When we walked up for Isa's conference, the teacher actually said "before we start, I need to tell you that Isa is The Bomb!" She sat down and told us how proud she was of her, how great she is doing, and how she needs to constantly remind herself that Isa only just turned 4. She kept trying to focus on Kindergarten screening stuff when she realized Isa still had another year of pre-school. That's our girl! She is not being "spirited", she is being kind, is bright, and also a little leader. We walked out of the school, held hands, and smiled at each other. It was a moment of pure relief and pride. We are doing ok.
Today the kids continued to surprise me with their kindness and selflessness. They helped Gramma move the entire playroom over to the new house. It was amazing to witness. Will, Isa, and EVEN Gabi carrying bins, boxes and toys to load up the cars. I was so proud of them today.
Isa has also been Daddy's little helper recently. It seems like whenever Tob asks if anyone wants to help him .... (fill in the blank)... she is the first one to jump up and help. Our favorite comment of hers is always "we have a lot of work to do" =) no matter what the project!
I write this because even though there are times when we look at our children and sigh, roll our eyes, and wonder why they don't listen... they are good kids. Sometimes we just need to step back and see them through others eyes. We are blessed.

Isa is FOUR

2011-10-03T00:22:00.000-04:00

It's almost incomprehensible to us that our little princess turned F O U R this past weekend. Even though we must admit that many times she seems older than this (personality wise... not size wise =), it is still a little hard to accept she is 4. The weekend was amazing. Isa was smiles the whole time. WE feel blessed. Isa was showered with love, hugs, tickles, smiles, visits, and gifts from many family and friends close to us.
October 1st... Isa started the morning out with a wonderful Princess Breakfast.

Bapa and Gramma joined us for coffee and our day began. Isa helped me bake cupcakes, make our stuffed shells for dinner, and intermittently opened gifts throughout the day. Will and Gabi graciously assisted their sister in opening and "trying out" each new gift. Oh joy!
Isa's family dinner was scheduled that evening and we all had a great time. It was real nice just hanging out with loved ones and letting the little ones run around and play. Isa decided that she wanted a Hello Kitty themed birthday... so we obliged =). She was decked out with Hello Kitty earrings, shirt, and bow. One happy little birthday girl!

Isa's Princess Ballet party followed on Sunday morning. We think all the girls had a great time. The most rewarding feeling was hearing our little girl thank us for such a great party during our drive home. Miss Jacqui's Dance studio is AWESOME. She did a fantastic job with the girls and kept it easy for us. All I did was bring sandwiches, juice, cupcakes, and treats... she did the rest. Oh what fun! All in all, we count our blessings every day for the little miracles in our lives we get to share our love with. Isa keeps us smiling. We hope her spunk and sweetness continues for many years to come. Happy Birthday baby girl!

book and baby

2011-09-29T12:24:00.001-04:00

19 months! yikes... another month has come and gone and I don't want to miss out on journaling our youngest's accomplishments. We all love her so much and couldn't imagine our lives complete without her. Gabi this past month:
-More words: play, outside, colors (to include yellow, green, blue, purple), "love you more", socks, Will, Isa,
-Favorite words: Baby,Shoe and the number 2
-Great dentist visit, 4 molars budding... still only 8 teeth!
-Can go up and down the stairs on her own.
-Loves playing with dolls
-loves singing with her siblings (sings Annie's "Tomorrow", ABC's, Ring Around the Rosie, and a spanish bedtime song).
-LOVES the men in her life. Runs and clings to Daddy, Bapa, and loves playing with Will.
-is a little goofball. more of her lil personality is coming through =).... as you can see....

Will's book

Last night, Will randomly wanted to make a book while I was making dinner. He attempted to fold the papers on his own, but I stepped over to help him bind them with some staples. While making dinner, he kept asking me how to spell the words for the book he was making Gabi. It turned out FANTASTIC! Ok... I am a little bit proud of him. He made this all on his own with the only assistance being me spelling out the words for him to write! Maybe his calling will be children's books =)
Enjoy his "Baby Book"....

THE END

(pictures and text Copywrite Will Sikora =)

crazy fun weekend!

2011-09-26T13:20:00.012-04:00

Well, this past weekend was my birthday weekend. It was AWESOME! Thanks for all the call, cards, and messages. Friday, the kids called me from the top of the stairs and surprised me with a gift (they did this even though Tob was already at work!). Will knew where the gift and card was hidden and brought it out when I was down making breakfast. I was able to snap a pic on my phone! The kids got me the most beautiful birdhouse. I am still debating whether I will keep it indoors or not! Tob and I went out for a romantic dinner at the Melting Pot (his first time there). The kids had a blast with K,P and c while we were at dinner!

Saturday... The kids had a soccer game each. They both did fantastic! It's amazing how well they are doing with their teams. After lunch and naps (and after Daddy and Bapa were done working on his yard), we packed up for an exciting movie trip to see The Lion King in 3D. WOW, it was fantastic. The colors were so vibrant, the kids did awesome (even Gabi), and seeing it in 3D brought a whole new perspective, even for the adults!

hard at work

Isa and her biggest fan!

gotta have a little rest

Sunday... I got to go to Cedar Point for the 1st time. Tobin thought this would be a great birthday gift. We both enjoy amusement parks, but haven't been to one together (without kids). So off to Gramma and Bapa's the kids went on their own adventure to the Farm Park, and off we went to the adult park!!! The day couldn't be more perfect. The weather threatened rain... so the park was 1/2 empty. It ended up being a beautiful day, and we practically walked onto every ride with NO lines! Tob and I got to sit in the FRONT seat for most of the big thrill rides, including: Millennium Force, Dragster, Raptor, Magnum.... and several others! SO COOL! Tob says I was truly spoiled and will never want to go back on a regular day when I will have to wait in line =). We really had a blast together! When we got home, the kids couldn't stop talking about their adventure with the horses, cows, sheep and all the other animals they saw! They had a great time too! What a fun weekend!

1st ride....the Raptor

Millennium Force with a 310ft drop! #1 steel roller coaster in the World for 2011~!

no lines, no waiting!

Top Thrill Dragster! top speed of 120 mph to reach 410ft height! WOW! front seat!

Monday... Today the kids all went in for their regular dentist visit (we were a little behind). Happy to report they are brushing well and NO cavities (despite their sweet tooth!). Also found out Gabi is cutting ALL 4 molars at the same time while still having 2 others that are still growing... ouch! That may explain some recent crabbiness. and.... HAPPY 18th Birthday Evan! see ya later!

dance and dessert

2011-09-20T23:27:00.000-04:00

Isa has now gone to her 2rd Princess Ballet class this season and she is loving it! She seems to be beaming the whole time, follows direction well, and really seems to enjoy herself. An added bonus is that her close friends Gina and Natalie are in the same class. The moms are allowed to stay and watch, and I have to admit, that I love the style in which her instructor teaches. She is very laid back, happy, and makes it really fun for the girls to learn. It's a great way to introduce dance.

...and I couldn't resist this picture we took the other night as Gabi said "all done" from

behind her ice cream bowl!

my favorites

2011-09-16T22:38:00.000-04:00

For many years since we moved to Ohio, I have been waiting for the opportunity to have my Sunflowers. In our old home the yard was so shaded there wasn't a good place for them. However, this summer I finally planted several seeds throughout my gardens. They only bloomed in one spot... but boy are they awesome! Thought I would share a little bit of what brightens up my day!

(an added perk are the birds that love to come for a little meal!)

Preschool 2011

2011-09-06T22:24:00.000-04:00

Today Will and Isa started back up at school after a great summer vacation. We can't believe how quickly our summer flew by and we were hit with a bit of chilly fall weather over the last few days.
Will and Isa were excited for their first day of school, and Isa was even more excited about being able to go to "Will's school". Isa was accepted into the Avon Village pre-school as a peer model. I was especially happy about this because it meant that they were now on the same schedule. They both go in the afternoon. I was told that Will was wonderful today and was a little leader. Isa cried a little when I walked away, but was told she was happy and fine the rest of the time. When I asked her if she cried alot, she quickly responded "mommy, I can't cry the WHOLE time." Gotta love that lil girl! I am just glad they are in the same building (though not in the same class) and seem to be adjusting well.
Another great thing that happened to us was an unexpected carpool opportunity! I will be driving the kids to school (along with an another lil one) and the kids will be brought home! bonus!!! Now even if Gabi isn't up from her nap I won't be stressed about waking her up to pick up the kids!

don't their bags look WAY too big? =)

another lil moment

2011-09-06T08:49:00.000-04:00

Last night after doing our bedtime routine, I laid down next to Isa. After a few moments, she said "mommy, thanks for making my cards today". (she meant her birthday invites). It's the little moments like that, that make everything else worth it. Needless to say, I went to bed with a smile on my face and loving my children more than I thought possible.

start of a new month!

2011-09-01T23:30:00.000-04:00

What a way to start a new month! We had a crazy awesome eventful day! The kids and I packed our car, picked up Gramma, picked up Grayson in Columbus, and had a FULL day at COSI (the Center of Science and Industry). It's the largest children's museum we have ever been too. They had a summer Dinosaur exhibit that we had to catch before it was gone. Needless to say... we closed the place down and we only made it to about 10% of the museum! We started off in the ocean section, then watched "Waking the T. Rex, the story of Sue" in 3D, explored the Dinosaur exhibit, and finished off in the KidSpace. The kids all had a great time, were extremely well behaved, and smiled almost the whole time!
After the museum we headed back to Katie and Damian's for dinner and a little time to hang out before we drove home. What a truly exciting day for all of us... with big surprises along the way!

... everybody walk the dinosaur

flying like the dinosaurs

being dinosaurs!

the COSI gang!

milestones, memories, and lil moments

2011-08-28T22:13:00.001-04:00

ok... I will start off by warning that this post is picture heavy. We have had a fun couple of weeks as we wind down our summer. The kids have 1 more week of summer vacation before Will and Isa start school on the 6th of September. We have been enjoying our time with family and friends during this very nice and cooler summer days!
Memories: nature walk with friends and cousin Chloe; Schilens, Avarello, and Sikora girls playing with dinosaurs; art time; ice cream Sundays with Gramma and Bapa

Milestones: Will starts to learn how to ride his bike on 2 wheels (he even gets it for a few seconds!); Isa joins the Avon Soccer league (with her biggest fans in tow)!; Gabi turns 1 and 1/2 (with a little birthday celebration); AND Isa get her complete bedroom set (we finally feel like this room is COMPLETE!)

lil Moments: today we really made our house a home.... how you ask? We finally planted the kid's trees! These were seedlings that we brought over from our home on Barton. Here is a little look at our fun planting them! What I loved most, was that the kids each helped Daddy with their tree and each was so excited and happy.

our lil goofballs!

One And a Half !

2011-08-27T00:19:00.046-04:00

18 months, 1 1/2 years old... our lil baby girl is a full toddler working on big girl status. She is an easy going, fun loving little girl with a punch of personality when the time is right! Gabi has definitely blossomed and changed over the last month. At her recent 18 month check-up she was in the 10th % for weight (21.5 pounds) and in the 25th % for height. Finally she is over the 20 pound mark to safely turn her around in her car-seat (however we may keep her that way a little longer).

Gabi is finally starting to talk a little more. Many of her words are still muffled and not very clear, but recently we feel like we can communicate with her a little better. She points to whatever she wants and has started vocalizing many more words. She now loves pointing at her nose, eyes and head while saying their names. She then proceeds to do the same to you (especially poking at your eye!).

Gabi loves keeping up with her older siblings. She swings on the "big kid" swing holding on herself, navigates most playgrounds on her own, climbs everything she can, and wants to eat everything everyone else is eating!
Some of the not so good things she is doing include: being real clingy with mommy and daddy (has started to cry more when we leave or wants us to carry her more); she has started crying hard and screaming when she doesn't want to do something (ie. eat). But overall she is still a happy little girl. She loves dancing and moving around with the kids. She loves trying to sing many songs (including ABC's, Twinkle Twinkle, and Taylor Swift's "Mean" song) =). We love when she repeats the names of all the people we pray for at night (it's the sweetest thing ever).

It's so hard to think that Gabi is a year and half. We think this is harder, knowing she is our last... our baby. Over the last month, Gabi has also had several one-on-one moments (both with us and her Grandparents). During this time she really hams it up. It's amazing how independent and personable she is on her own! I must admit that I am looking forward to some of this special time with her during the week for a couple of hours when the kids start school. For now... she is still our little baby, our monkey, and still little enough to cuddle and carry around =)

unexpected

2011-08-23T12:10:00.000-04:00

Sometimes the sweetest days happen totally unexpected and impromptu. One day last week Mary and Mira came by to visit and we ended the day with Justin, Mary, Mira and our family out on the deck and playing in the lawn. The kids (and adults) had such a great time just hanging out =) Cheers to Twisted Ice Tea, late night Transformer and GI shows, Halloween dress rehearsals and great company!

girl talk =)

playing peek-a-boo

wedded bliss

2011-08-21T12:02:00.000-04:00

Breathtaking, amazing, fun, heartwarming! Last night we celebrated the marriage of Matt and Erin. The location was lovely and the weather was great for an outdoor ceremony. 2 more fun loving, happy people couldn't be joined. Matt and Erin are awesome! Congratulations and thanks for letting us party with you!

Tob trying to reel me in =)

needless to say.... our gang had a great night out!

amazing week

2011-08-17T22:13:00.000-04:00

Sikora cousins 2011

We were excited for the week, but couldn't possibly have anticipated the amount of fun, laughter, and awesome comments our kids would surround us with. To say the least, the kids were FISH. Will, Isa and Gabi were down by the beach almost every moment they could be (we occasionaly had to haul them in for meals and a break from the sun!). Will and Isa tried boogie boarding, went on several kayak trips (some only FEET away from dolphins), and swan in the ocean when it was calm! On some of the calm days, even Gabi was out in the ocean with just her floaties!

Isa tagged Annie as her "best friend" for the trip and loved splashing and laughing with her in and out of the ocean. Will battled his uncles with swords, helped with sand castles and loved playing by the water. Gabi just went along with the flow... swimming, playing with sand, and playing with her cousins! Although there were 25 Sikoras there, our family tried at times to focus on our lil vacation. We took the kids to the pier, took them on kayak trips and had special one-on-one times with them by the water.

The evenings were filled with laughter and chaos during our great meals. 7 days, with awesome meals from spaghetti and steak, grilled chicken and nachos, lasagna, flank steak and roasted veggies, brats and salad, to a great taco bar. Every homemade meal better than the next, luckily Tobin and I were earlier in the week, so we just got to enjoy the meals the last half of vacation!

We will always look back on this past week with fond memories. It was a blessing to have all of Tobin's side of the family be able to make it. To have all 8 little cousins together was heartwarming. Being able to just focus on relaxing and having fun was priceless. Our family truly had a wonderful time.

Here are some little things and comments I hope to never forget:
the air dart game; kayaking right by the dolphins (a moment in my life that was truly breathtaking); watching my lil fish enjoying the sand and water; Will's comment "this is Amazing" and "this was the funnest day ever, ever, ever"; star tipping; snow cones by the ocean; water front work-outs; Will and Isa "saving" everyone; little ones first reactions to the ocean; sword battles; princess dress-ups; nightly get-together; build-your-own sundae desserts; Popsicles; boogie boarding; the "man cave" (or hiding spot); the great days of sunshine!

I took over 1200 pictures... after editing got them down to 770.... so needless to say... picking my favorites is real hard! Here is a brief look at our week.

the whole gang... all 25!

we made it!

2011-08-06T22:27:00.000-04:00

We left at 2am... drove almost 13 hours straight...the kids did great... and WE MADE IT! We are in Oak Island, NC with the WHOLE Sikora gang... yep... every single one of them made it (25 of us... and 2 special guests)!!! The kids are in heaven. From about 3:30pm on Will and Isa have been on the beach playing. Watching them you would think this was a weekly event they are so comfortable by the ocean! Uncle Jona spent the afternoon with them by the water while we unpacked. What a ball... can't wait for all the fun and memories to be made this week!

Pandamania and more

2011-08-03T23:43:00.000-04:00

This week we have been busy with lots of commitments, Sam's 5th birthday party, getting ready for Oak Island, and Vacation Bible School for Will and Isa. I have vicariously been smiling through the joy the kids have there. They love the songs and seem to be having a good time. As for me... I really wish I could have helped out, but unfortunately I had too many other commitments. I miss teaching PSR, and singing and watching the kids made it more apparent.

However... we have been having a blast this week.... just look and see!

Here are a couple of videos and pic of the kids during their VBS Panadamania week! Their last night is tomorrow... just in time for our vacation!

Isa had a super sleepover with Gramma on Monday, and today she has a Brand New Bed at home! She is ready for sleepover friends (and family) and we now have a place for guests (it's a Full size bed!). She looks SO small in it!

one HAPPY lil girl!

yep... plenty of room for friends!

Yesterday Will and I headed to Pump it Up for our buddy Sam's 5th birthday party!

We also spent time together playing dress up with our best friends.

and Tob's artwork for Will!

part of the family

2011-07-31T22:28:00.000-04:00

Today the ladies went to celebrate and shower Erin with our love and blessings! Uncle Matt & Aunt Erin (as the kids call them) are getting married on the 20th and our family couldn't be more excited! They are one of the cutest and most fun loving couples we know, and we are so glad to have them in our lives and in our kids lives! With the wedding shower over with... we are counting down the days to the Main Event and commence the party in celebration!

congrats Matt & Erin!

15..16...17...

2011-07-27T13:27:00.001-04:00

    yikes. I don't know how we got so far behind but here we are... Gabi is 17 months today.
Over the last couple of months her personality has really blossomed and she is a little bundle of happiness! She is 17 months going on 3 or 5 (depending which sibling she is imitating!)! She plays well on her own, but lights up when she is doing all the things the "big kids" do. She wants to eat exactly what they are eating, wants to play what they are playing, and do what they do. Not always what we would like... since she IS ONLY 17 months old!
     She is not as vocal as Isa was at this age, but is more vocal than Will was. Over the last 2 weeks she has really started imitating and repeating more sounds and words. She says No, Gabi, Happy, Daddy, Mommy, Isa, Will, nose, eyes, ear, more, all done, night night, bye, hi... and a few others I can't recall right now. She tries to say "love you" and it's the sweetest sound ever!
     Gabi has been great at drinking with a straw, sippy cup or bottle. She still has milk 3 times a day, but eats her meals like a champ. Most of the time eating more and beating Will and Isa at finishing her food! She finally has several teeth. Still only 2 on the bottom (with a few more trying to emerge), and 4 almost all the way out on top!
     Gabi is still Daddy's little girl. She loves singing, you can hear her humming a tune to sleep, loves singing her A,B,C's, and will try to sing along with us. She is our little sunshine and has such a sweet personality. We couldn't feel more blessed!

On the 4th of July, Tob and I went out to do a little photo shoot of our lil Gabi Rose. We got some great pics, but most of all, we somehow managed to capture her sweet and outgoing personality. I love these pics!

weekend sleepover

2011-07-24T17:21:00.001-04:00

This weekend we had a "sleepover" in Columbus and celebrated cousin Grayson's 1st birthday. It was a great day and weekend. We had such a nice time, the kids had a blast, and the cousins had fun playing together and sharing new toys!
Katie and Damian's home is so inviting and warm. It was nice sitting outside watching the lightning storm grow closer, chatting in the living room, and devising the patent pending venture the Sikora boys are creating ;-) good times.

Happy 1st Birthday Grayson!

Katie had special monster mask crafts for young and all! too funny!

great memories!

can you help

2011-07-21T10:43:00.000-04:00

My close friend Audra has been doing this walk/run for several years now. If you can, please help her reach her goal. It means the world to her (and me). Thanks!

Audra's donation page

hasta luego Abuelita

2011-07-20T18:33:00.001-04:00

It's been a little over 24 hours since Abuelita went back to Florida and we are missing her already. Her visit was real nice and even though we only did a few "special" outings, the time together was great. My mom filled in as in house babysitter while Tob and I ran errands, made all our doctor appointments, got massages, and went out together. The time went by too fast. The kids enjoyed some great one on one with her, and we all reminisced about the time when she lived closer. Will even remarked "it's going to be boring when Abuelita leaves."
The hardest part I think is how much the lil ones change between visits and how much she misses of their day to day lives. Until next time... we love you.
we do feel so blessed to have our family visit, and just as blessed for the family we have nearby to share our lil everyday moments with.

our last adventure with Abuelita... the African Wildlife Safari at Port Clinton, OH

Gabi wasn't afraid of any of the animals!

memories

2011-07-08T23:10:00.000-04:00

Our family spent the last 2 weeks with our Florida family in tow. Up until Will's big day... we had two 4 year olds, two 3 year olds and a 1 year old all under 1 roof. I can't even begin to describe the amount of laughter we heard. Surprisingly they fought very little, and actually really enjoyed each others company very much. Will and Aidan were inseparable, reminding us how they were "best friends". Isa and Andrew spent much of their time together in the sandbox. Gabi enjoyed chasing them all around and dying of laughter while she played with all of them. She definitely thinks she is one of the older kids!
For my sister and I, it was a wonderful visit. It was relaxing, sweet, and fun. Most of the time we spent in the back yard, letting the kids run around and play. We also went on a few adventures! Nature walks in the metro-parks, bike rides, the splash pad, and our trip to Niagara Falls to name a few. Arnold even surprised the kids with a short visit, just in time for Will's party. So many friends of ours commented how nice it would be if they lived closer. Needless to say... they are missed already... and many of us are already counting down their next visit in December!

We definitely had a memorable 2 weeks. And yes... we do wish we lived closer.

Will's birthday party

2011-07-05T23:43:00.000-04:00

On July 3rd, Will was the happiest kid on the block. There are no words for the countless smiles, giggles and laughter he shared with us that day. In his words "today was the best day ever". Will was surrounded by family and friends that made his day even more special. I don't think there was a moment he wasn't smiling!

another AMAZING cake by Tia Monika!

The kids had a Dinosaur Egg Hunt. It was so cute the way they all listened to instructions, shared, and helped each other find eggs. Even our littlest hunters found some!

Will and his buddy Grayson!

Everyone had a great time with loved ones!

the bounce house was an all day hit with all the kids (and adults)!

all the lil dinosaurs ROARING for Will's birthday!

we love you, we love you, little dinosaur

happy 4th

2011-07-04T12:44:00.004-04:00

sometimes the best days are just spent hanging out with those you love. today was definitely one of those days. with nothing else on the agenda but making sure Arnold got on his flight today, we relaxed! the kids went swimming, bike riding... the adults grilled, chatted, drank a little (even did a little slip and slide... No pics of this!). the time sitting out and hanging out was awesome. tonight we are headed to the Bay carnival and Firework show! what an awesome day!

Happy Independence Day!

F I V E

2011-07-01T09:52:00.001-04:00

today couldn't have gone any better! daddy stayed home and we all enjoyed a laid back day in the sun. Will intermittently opened gifts throughout the day, having time to enjoy each one. he made and decorated his cake, did a little swimming, played outside, and just hung out. a perfect dinner, cake and viewing of "Allosaurus" ended the evening. Will couldn't have been any happier and loved all the calls and attention... now his countdown is on for this "birthday Party".

F I V E.... thoughtful, protective, dinosaurs, silly, loving.

our first lil miracle is 5 today.

Happy Birthday lil dinosaur.

adventures with "the cousins"

2011-06-29T23:24:00.000-04:00

so far the Florida gang hasn't even been here a full week and already we have done enough for a month! the kids are enjoying all the time spent together. waking up together, playing, napping, outdoor meals, picnics, and just plain having fun. aside from alot of outdoor fun... we have also done a little sight seeing =) we are loving these days together!

This was Tobin's first time at the Kiddie Park with the kids. We met up with the Viers' family on Sunday afternoon.

we took a day trip to Niagara Falls USA & Canada.

the kids did really well with very few issues at all. we were surprised at how well behaved they were. at one point, when taking a souvenir picture, the guy commented "wow, your kids are all really well behaved". wow! we had a picnic overlooking the falls on the US side, then rode Maid of the Mist. we then drove over to Canada and saw the falls from that side and went on the Journey Behind The Falls.

we met up with Daddy (Uncle Tobin) for a picnic lunch, sword fight and hike at Squire's Castle....

more from our week

2011-06-24T23:20:00.000-04:00

Isa finished her 3 day Princess Ballet camp on Thursday. She loved the class and it looks like it may be something we continue in the Fall with lessons. It was so nice watching her, Natalie, and Gina dancing and playing together! Will and Gabi were great sports waiting around during her class. On the last day Miss Jacqui even had a princess tea party set up for the girls... too cute!

Isa and Natalie dancing

I love how Will kept Gabi entertained!

Uncle Joe and Aunt Maureen came over for a nice visit on Wednesday night to drop off Will's birthday gifts! The kids had a blast hanging out.

On Thursday afternoon our Florida gang arrived!!!! Can you believe that we have been playing so much we haven't even pulled out the camera for a single picture! fun times ahead.

tiny dancer

2011-06-20T14:43:00.000-04:00

Isa is attending a 3 day princess ballet camp. It's only 1 hour a day and perfectly suited for their age group. She was a little natural and it was quite possibly the cutest dance instruction I have seen! I am so glad we signed up to do this with our friends Natalie and Gina! Can't wait for the next 2 days!

most importantly, Isa had a wonderful time!

great weekend!

2011-06-19T22:13:00.000-04:00

The kids anxiously awaiting Daddy to find us in the workroom to surprise him with his gift! They left a trail of chocolates all the way from our bedroom to the workshop! The kids had so much fun coloring the signs and working on their cards!

This afternoon our family spent it celebrating cousin Chloe's FIRST birthday! Everyone had such a good time and the rain even held out long enough for us to enjoy the outdoors. Happy birthday Chloe!

cousin time is always special!

(and Uncle Jeremy finally met Mira!)

Saturday we were surprised by a special visitor from Texas! Jeremy came into town to join the crew for Matt's bachelor party!

Father Tobin forgiving Jeremy for his sins =)

silly brothers.

Happy Father's Day!

2011-06-19T01:05:00.000-04:00

wishing all the dads in our lives a wonderful and blessed day!

a special Happy Daddy's Day to Tob. we love you!

Will 7/1/06

Isa 10/1/07

Gabi 2/27/10

Combined Birthday Party

2011-06-17T23:50:00.000-04:00

Tonight our playgroup all got together (it's been a while since we were ALL there) to celebrate the older kids FIFTH BIRTHDAY! I say it time and again... but it's crazy that we still get together, that the kids are so close and that now our group is 13 kids strong... with one on the way in September (not from our family).
This year we had the party at the Westlake Recreation center. There is a tot water area and all the kids had a BLAST! The laughter, friendship, and time together was priceless. so much fun!

silly silly kids!

wild busy week

2011-06-14T00:00:00.002-04:00

Over the past week our family has been real busy. Between redoing our front lawn, to spending time with family and friends, to finishing up the year, and starting new adventures... we have been enjoying every moment!

Last Friday the kids and I had a PACKED day. we started with the previously posted trip to the park. We then ventured to the Splash Pad with the Schilens gang. The gang is always a riot and the kids had an awesome time! Gabi is definitely a water baby, not minding the cold water at all. Will went right in and really love the splash pad this time. Isa was a little more cautious, but she finally warmed up and had tons of fun!

Thought this pic of Isa coming down the slide was HILARIOUS!

Friday night we met up with The Vincents for a little picnic at the park by the lake! It turned out to be a little chillier than we thought, but the kids all had some bubble and sand fun anyway! We then headed over to check out the new colors in their pad. fun times like always!

Saturday we participated with Luminary help for the Relay for Life. Gramma is the Luminary Head Honcho, and all the kids and grandkiddos helped setting up and lighting luminaries. One of the highlights for us was Will's performance. Will's performance? Yep... they were holding a talent contest, and Will decided he wanted to compete. Who would have thought? He actually went ON STAGE and sang!

Over the week, we have all had our share of Jona. The kids love him and it sure has been so nice having his help with the yard.... we are SO close to finishing!

I LOVE this pic... Uncle Jona gave Isa pigtails and she was SOO proud of them!

This past Saturday our day was busy, busy busy! Tobin got called in for an unexpected day at work, so unfortunately he wasn't there for all the excitement.
Will and Isa had their 1st Tot-Ball game. I LOVED IT! There were about 5 staff members/coaches per team. It was a laid back, fun atmosphere and none of the crazy competitiveness! Both kids were a little scared at first, but eventually warmed up and played real nice!

Right after tot-ball Will and Isa had their Little Gym final class show. Bapa, Gramma, Paul, Kateri, and Chloe were all there to cheer them on (even through their audience jitters). They ended up doing great, and we are so proud of how far they have come!

Sunday we shared in a great day celebrating Carly Schilens' 1st birthday! We feel blessed to have this friendship! Happy Birthday Carly!

monkey Will

2011-06-03T13:30:00.000-04:00

Monkey bar SUCCESS!!!! Our lil gymnast Will went across the monkey bars for the 1st time today! It was awesome watching him beam with pride.

We have also been amazing at how great he has been doing on his bike. We met the Avarello girls this morning at the park and Will once again rode the whole way there and back (a little over 3 miles round trip). I think this park is going to quickly become a regular trip for us!

smiles

2011-06-02T09:38:00.001-04:00

There are some little moments in your life that just make you smile and warm your heart. This morning is one of them. I was inside cleaning up around and heard Isa and her best friend Sofia outside giggling as they were swinging and playing on the swing set. The next time I looked out they were playing hide-n-seek on their own. Can I just say... I LOVE these moments of smiles and laughter.
Sofia is only a few weeks older than Isa, and they have been best buds since we moved in (she only lives a few doors down). It seems already that they will be spending every waking moment of this gorgeous weather together! I am so glad Isa has found her version of a "buddy Sam" friendship =)

Trike-A-Thon

2011-06-01T23:13:00.001-04:00

Will and Isa were so proud to bike for the "St Jude Children's Hospital" (as they kept saying) today!
As their parents, we were so proud of them for trying to understand what they were doing and how the money they raised is going to help sick children. They donned their helmets and set off around the tiny track. A special thanks goes to all the people that helped our little donation "thermometer" go up. We were all so excited to exceed our initial goal (even though Will then changed our goal to "a gazillion dollars"). someday, I guess =).

weekend

2011-06-01T00:44:00.001-04:00

This past weekend we spent alot of time outside again. Tobin worked out on the front landscaping on Saturday and part of Sunday (with help from family and friends too). I managed to keep the kids entertained with Little Gym and another bike ride to the park. This time Isa also rode the whole way there!
Sunday we were blessed to have a nice big family brunch with grandparents, Damian & Grayson, P,K,&c, Eddie, Evan, Jona and Jen! We finally got some real hot weather up here and were able to go swimming later that afternoon! Memorial day Monday we started off with the Avon parade, then headed to the Zoo, and finished off our family day with a little more pool time! What a great family weekend!

I was so proud of Will and Isa riding their bikes the whole way! Don't they look so mature?!?

a little fun before our ride back... and then Will led the way while I pulled Isa and Gabi.

visit with Chloe on Friday night!

Will insisted we needed a BOY and GIRL picture taken by the elephants =)

HAPPY MEMORIAL DAY, and thanks to all those still serving (Jeremy) and all those who have!

best $20 we have spent in a long time!

Trike-a-thon

2011-05-28T23:55:00.001-04:00

On June 1st WILL and ISA are participating in a program to raise money to help St. Jude Children's Research Hospital find new treatments for cancer, sickle cell and other diseases. You too can help St. Jude continue its life-saving work against pediatric diseases with your donation. Check back often and see my progress. Thanks for helping me reach my goal for the kids of St. Jude!
Click here to donate and help us reach our goal! thanks: St. Jude Trike-A-Thon

end of the school year

2011-05-26T22:50:00.003-04:00

Yesterday we attended Will's preschool graduation and end of the year ceremony. Will did great. We were so proud of him. In the past he hasn't been the best performer at these events, but this time he did great singing all the songs and accepting his certificate with pride. He sang the "Days of the Week" song, "A,B,C's", the "Soaring Little Eagles" song, and the "Goodbye Friends" song! Will was so glad to have Isa, Gabi, and his Bapa and Gramma come to the ceremony. Gabi even enthusiastically clapped as each name was called... too cute!

Will and his preschool teacher Miss Koscho!

Today the kids and I attended Will's end of the year field trip to the Memphis Kiddie Park (a favorite place of ours!). We were real worried that we weren't going to go today (because of all the tornado, flood and thunderstorm warnings). It was sunny when we left the house, but got there to grey skies. We kept our fingers crossed, and were blessed with beautiful weather all morning. The storm held out until our drive home and more rain in the evening.

Isa and Will rode EVERY ride there. They even rode on the "little dipper" roller coaster ride several consecutive times! Gabi got to join in on some of the rides and seemed to have enjoyed herself as well... although her favorite part was lunch!

Finally... (yeah it was a busy day), we hung out with Gramma and Grandma Thomas. We checked out a new local Conservatory and park in Avon. The flowers were beautiful and nothing beats some ice cream at the end of the day!

fun filled day

2011-05-24T23:04:00.000-04:00

we were unexpectedly blessed with another sunny day today and we LIVED it up! we started our morning with a trip to the zoo to see the new elephant exhibit. the kids loved it, and Will was real excited that the only male elephant was named William (nicknamed Willy). He will be sure to mention that to you.
we met up with Audra and the girls. it's so nice having friends around that feel like family to us, since so many cousins live far away. the kids got their fill of animal viewing, cotton candy, running around , and just plain being silly!

after Will got dropped of at school, the girls and I played outside some more before meeting more friends (again, more like family =), for ice cream and more playground time! Our evening ended with a family bike ride through 2 nearby developments! we are sure loving these days!

This last picture reminds me of one I took of Sam and Will when they were this age looking like they were having a conversation. it warms my heart to see the lil ones getting along as well too!