we made it!

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

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

 

 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...

    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

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

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

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

 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.