March 2015: Happy Birthday Mom!

Just a quick shout-out to the best mom ever! She was able to come up to Brainerd for her birthday weekend so we could all celebrate with her!

 

 

(Adelyn decorated the cake for Gramma this year...she insisted on more and more sprinkles!)

 

 

Happy Birthday Mom! We sure are blessed to have you in our lives!

 

November 2014: Charlye Price Carmack

Introducing Miss Charlye Price Carmack!!!!

November 10th, 2014...also known as our first official snow storm of the year. Luckily, we beat the snowstorm as we had to be to the hospital by 5am that morning, as we were the first scheduled surgery of the day. 

We arrived to Cuyuna Regional Hospital in Crosby, MN right on time and got checked in and prepped for surgery. The only hiccup that we had during surgery prep was that my veins kept popping when someone would try to put an IV line into me, and after 5-6 failed attempts by 3-4 different professionals, the anesthesiologist finally came into the room and nailed a HUGE IV line into my arm (ouch!) and then we were good to go. Why we didn't start with him doing that in the first place, I have no idea. He then proceeded to stay with us until the surgery, and he was actually the one who wheeled me down to the operating room (cool dude...probably just had nothing else to do, but you don't get that kind of bedside manner from most anesthesiologists!) 

Oh, my doctor also stopped in during prep around 5:30am (also a cool dude) and he was in sweats and all sweaty...he explained that he was going to go hit the shower because he just got done with a quick morning jog (seriously dude...at 4am??) and he would meet us in the operating room. I just found that funny... 

Once again, we had a great experience with doctors, nurses, and the surgery! And at exactly 7:41am, Charlye Price Carmack entered this world...head full of hair like her big sister Adelyn, and lungs roaring like both her sisters! 

We were in love. Instantly. Again. Weighing in at 8 lbs, 5 ounces, and 20 inches long, she was a perfect and healthy baby! I couldn't help the tears that streamed down my face when I heard that first cry. A miracle. This whole baby entering the world thing totally blows my mind. 

The next couple of days were a blur. She was a champ at eating and sleeping from day 1! I would say probably the most content baby of our 3 kids by far (this still remains true a month later). She would sleep 4-5 hours during the night at the hospital (she's up to 6-7 hours a night at home now) and eats every 3 hours during the day (almost to the minute! which is crazy to me). 

Of course, Addi and Olivya were giddy with delight (and full of anticipation) to meet their new baby sister! 

...And just as I had imagined, they were smitten! And protective...and in love...and curious...and...well...every way that big sisters should be! They couldn't get enough of her, and frankly, they did much better with her than I thought they would!

They patiently took turns holding her...

(ok...maybe they weren't always so patient...)

My mom was also up helping to take care of the older girls while we were in the hospital, so she got lots of snuggle time in with this little bundle as well and boy oh boy were we grateful that Gramma could come up and spend the week!

And my dad and nephew also came up for the day to meet Miss Charlye

And the next day, Charlye had some more visitors including [great] aunt Terri and G.G. (Great Grandma, that is)

4 generations...all in 1 room...yet another thing that amazes me (and something that I feel very blessed to be a part of)

Overall, our hospital stay was pretty uneventful...in a good way! Charlye did great and had no problems in her first few days. I worked on recovering (not quite as easy as my recovery after Olivya, but definitely not as hard as my recovery with Adelyn) and we spent lots of time getting to know our newest child

One great surprise that the hospital did for us was to provide us with a "date night' on our 2nd night at the hospital. We ordered a gourmet dinner from a menu, and the nurses offered to babysit while they provided Michael and I with an "in-house date night". (Charlye actually slept through the whole date, so the nurses lucked out on that one). They wheeled in a table and chairs into my room, they had sparkling cider, flowers, and a very good steak dinner! This was possibly the highlight of recovery/being in the hospital (other than our new kid of course!)

And 4 days later, we headed home with our little pumpkin' 

Charlye Price has arrived and she couldn't be more perfect! 

And we are officially a family of 5!

Welcome to the world, baby girl! 

July 2014: Adelyn is 3!

Did I mention this girl is 3?? (ok, so she's been 3 for over a month now, but I'm going to press on and pretend that I don't suck at blogging right now and that my life is not insane right now...)

This year has been a year of growing! Adelyn, you have grown so much and it is amazing to me how much you have accomplished and learned (and developed into your own person!) in this past year! 

Adelyn, you always keep us on our toes! You have developed into a beautiful child who always remembers to use her manners, yet is determined and stubborn all at the same time!

You love dresses (you will ONLY wear dresses...even to bed), and you care for your many dolls! You love purses and sorting cups, blocks, bowls, anything you can sort and organize. You are strong-willed, always telling us what YOU want to eat, to wear, and to do (and making sure to throw a fit for at least a little bit if you don't get your way). 

You've discovered the word "Why?" and are always eager to learn how things work and to know why things are done the way they are. You love to learn! You know your ABC's, you can count to 20, and you recognize letters and you love to know people's names!

You love to be outside, to swim, to explore, and to play! This past year you have been enthralled by the likes of Daniel Tiger, Curious George, Super Why, Care Bears, Beauty and the Beast, Pitch Perfect, and Frozen.  You love to go to Church, Sunday School, and even VBS! You are convinced that anyone who works does so in a church, and can't figure out why anyone would NOT want to work at the church...(sorry about that).

You could dance the night away (and you have at a few weddings this past year), and you love to sing songs (Jesus loves me, ABC song, and Wheels on the bus are some of your favorites to belt out at the top of your lungs)! You're laugh is contagious and you are constantly shocking us with your crazy phrases that you say. "What the heck??" "Knock it off" "That's ok. haha" and "Oh my goodness" are some of your favorites that we hear over and over again. 

You are still a very picky eater, and like to stick to the foods you know you like: Mac n' cheese, cinnamon toast, fruit, pancakes, cheese, and peach water! (We were shocked this year when you ate 1/2 of a quesidilla!). However, you always eat your lunch at "school" (aka daycare) and there you eat things like chicken pot pie, chicken nuggets, and tomato soup (things that you will NEVER touch at home! Believe me...we've tried!)

You amaze us every day with your humor, your wittiness, and your determination! Adelyn you continue to amaze us and are absolutely beautiful inside and out! 

July 2014: #SeekelCabinWeek2014

My favorite week of every year just happened! Yep...Seekel Cabin Week was another great week spent with family and fun! Every year, my Dad's brother Bob and his family (Bob, Judy, Todd, Jimmy, Logan, Holly, Chris, Hannah (& Hunter joined us too!), Sarah & Rachel) rent a place and spend a week on North Long Lake with my family (my parents, Brady, and me and Michael and our girls). It's just great. Seriously Great. Why is it great, you ask?? Well...allow me to share:) 

We pack a lot of stuff. And we send each other pictures on our way to the cabin competing to see who has the most stuff in their cars.

[This year] we all stay in the same house. That's 18 of us living, breathing, sleeping, and snoozing under the same roof!

We hang out with family. All Week. And we somehow all manage to get along too!! 

We wake up to views like this:

We celebrate great milestones, such as Adelyn's 3rd Birthday and Bob & Judy's 50th Wedding Anniversary (congrats to them!)

And we realize it takes a family to help a girl learn to ride her new bike!

We take trips to Nisswa for ice cream and shopping

We enjoy a morning out for some Caribou Coffee together...

We swim and play (and lay!) in the lake...a lot...

We go on boat rides...

We soak up the sun...

And people waterski and tube (Brady finally nailed skiing this year! Yay Brady!!)

We have late night bonfires complete with smores, and pies!

and we fish. A lot. (I don't actually fish, but other people fish every day - even if it means getting up at 6am to do so!)

We only have to cook once a week (each family takes a day to make breakfast and dinner for the entire group) and we eat really good food! 

We go to Zorbaz for a "night out"...

And evidently we fly kites. Scratch that. We TRY to fly kites.

Did I mention we hang out with family? - and did I mention I feel so completely blessed that these people love and care for my girls a TON??

We go late night mini golfing at Pirate's Cove

And we relax, unwind, and have a super laid back week (maybe a little too laid back! bahahahaha) 

Each and every year during this week I am reminded how blessed I am to be a part of such an incredible family who continually holds the importance of being together when we can. We had beautiful weather at the lake, enjoyed our time together, and got the much needed vacation that we all probably needed (and everyone needs in life!).

Can't wait to see what #seekelcabinweek2015 might bring!