new beginnings...

So...we took the boys to chuck e. cheese for a family day! they have this new token game that for one token, you sit in a seat and it takes a picture then prints it ...kinda looking like a sketch. maybe its not new, but i've never seen it, and i loved it!! we got everyone in the shot and for some reason, it was so much fun to me! i made everyone do it 4 times so i could have one for each of the boys photo boxes and one for the fridge. being a photographer and all, i was surprised myself in that i have means to much better quality, but for some reason, i was totally enthused about this!!! later i realized why i was getting this crazy rush....it was because this is our very first family photo with all my boys!!!!!!!! and there's this sweet feeling that this is it.

this is my family.

these are the andy vanderveers....

we are done (unless the Lord has a prank pulled up his sleeve) having kids and are ready to move forward with life in general...crazy sports schedules with 3 boys...loud houses...ridiculous grocery bills...lots of candles to cover the smell of dirty boys....and all kinds of fun (that i pray does not involve bringing reptiles and bugs into my house) that i know lies ahead of me. i've been so blessed and feel such gratitude with what the Lord has entrusted to us and we're all just so excited to grow as a family in the Lord together. So here's the beloved first picture of

my family...

on a totally different note...well, sorta...i've begun the grueling process of trying to lose the stupid weight i put on while bearing my beautiful boys. now that i am through being pregnant, i feel i've been out of shape long enough, and i thought that by posting it on my blog, it will put a little more pressure on me to stay committed...cuz everyone will know if i don't start slimming up that i'm not doing what i said i was going to do. i'm not starting with any 'weight goals'...in fact i put my scale away cuz i don't want to feel failure by thinking every day when i step on the scale that i will be 4 pounds lighter!! so, that's put away...and my goals right now are stay consistent. and Lord willing, i will slowly be able to get back into my own clothes. i've already been twice this week so -- here goes nothing!!

Swimming in Style!

So we went swimming with our amazing friends, the Souders today! They have an incredible pool in their housing community...Let me just tell you that it was like we were at a resort on vacation! That place is amazing! Its huge...plenty of tables and shade for tysen...and look in the background there...yes, there's a little island in the middle for sunbathers. A large waterfall and cave underneath to walk thru with a little swimming hole underneath. It was so much fun!!!!!

Tysen was even content to watch all the action from the side!!

Gone Again

I love these kind of pictures that show how much the boys are like their dad. This was just after Andy got back from his last trip...he decided to take a nap with Ian, and I went to drag them out of bed after 3 hours, and here's what I found!

So...Andy is gone for his second week long trip. They actually cut it short by 2 days, which I was super excited about...but he left today and will be home on Saturday. We are going to attempt this at home this time...so we are filling up our days with as much as possible to keep us busy. And the older boys will get to spend the night with Uncle Joey and Aunt Kyle mid-week to give me a breather, so I think we'll be fine. This trip is with some of the SALT group(Servant And Leadership Training)...they are headed to Missouri for a week of serving in various ways...should be a great time! And a few pics as always...I might be posting more often this week as its also a way to give shout outs to daddy since he can check email at night!!

Tysen is 2 1/2 months, and steadily growing! Last time we went to the dr. she had to re-weigh him because she thought it strange that he had gained a whole pound in one week...but she's just not used to the Vanderveers...He's smiling so much now!! Makes it fun for everyone!

Ian is almost 3!!!! What am I going to do with my middle child??? He's hilarious!!! Very much into super heros...and his new "trick" is to show you his muscles. For awhile, he would walk up to virtually anyone and say "Watch this..." and then proceed to raise his eyebrows up and down...Now its "watch this", then raises his sleeves and flexes to show his muscles...

And then there's Logan...4 1/2 and officially signed up for soccer this fall!!! He is so excited and tells stories of what he's going to do in his games (though I'm still not sure he knows what a 'game' is)...He's loud...and has lots of energy...but such a sweet heart. He really doesn't like taking pictures too much, unless he gets to make funny faces.

I will never tire of saying...

my boys

2 Months

I can't believe my baby is already 2 months old! He is smiling all the time now, and is most intriqued with his big brothers. Logan has mastered the art of making him smile...which isn't too hard. Tysen adores him! Ian loves to cuddle up with him...and will always have soft sweet words for him if he's fussing. Both of them are amazing big brothers!

We saw the pediatrician and he's weighing 13.4 lbs and 24 inches....putting him in the 90% for weight and 85% for height...What's interesting is that he's one pound bigger than Logan at this age but the same height...and the same weight as Ian but one inch taller....such a mix of both!! :) We'll see if he jumps off the charts like Ian at 4 months...Where do we get these big boys??? Until next time...

Just some fun pictures...

Andy will be out of town this week, so you can all say a prayer for me!!! We are going to stay a few nights with his parents, then a couple with mom, so we will be "gone" for the next week...This is our first time to be gone from each other so long...much less with 3 boys!! So we're going to keep busy and pray for the time to pass quickly...

hurry home, daddy!

Tysen is more and more a little Loggie!! Even the same expressions!

Mohawk Central

So, I realize that these pictures are going to need a bit of an explanation....

This week is one of the biggest events DBC youth does...its basically a day camp for the elementary kids and all the jr. high/highschool kids are the counselors. Its called Sports World, and its really high energy and loads of fun for the kids. Of course there's some competition between the red and blue teams....and of course, each team needs a mascot. That's where Andy and Joey come in....I wish you could have seen them at their finest when they were introduced this morning as "Red Biscuit" and "Blue Cheese"....the roar of the kids was deafening. I'm not joking...both of my boys stood with their hands over their ears...it was amazing!!! Let's just say, when the twins do anything, they do it to their fullest extent...no matter the cost (hair, image, reputation)...

...but i have to say that it makes me so proud to watch my husband in action and see the kids just go nuts for his craziness. He is definately doing what God has made him to do!!!

And of course...Logan wanted in on the action....so he got a mohawk too. He might even get in on their skits if he'll go through with them. We'll see....we like to include the boys in our ministry wherever we can... (ian didn't want to cut his hair)....

So, Andy has turned the big 30!!!!! Man, we're getting old! :)

Happy birthday, Babe!! (and happy birthday to you too, joe-joe)

Tysen has started smiling!!! And he looks even more like Logan when he smiles! Of course, now, our common passtime is to see who can make him smile. Thankfully, Tysen loves the boys, and his daddy. I seem to be the least successful at getting him to smile.

My boys....I love saying that! I know I cried and all when I found out that I was having another boy, but I truly love it! I love to bake and cook and isn't that what makes all teenage boys happy?? Food?? I'm so grateful for my sweet (well, more like loud and crazy) boys....