The Boys' New and Improved Bedroom

What do you get when you put three boys in one bedroom? I wish I had a clever punchline for this, but let's just say that it's a  Category 5 natural disaster.  Lego land mines wherever you step, dirty and clean clothes strewn about the room, crumpled paper and colored pencils everywhere.  You get the picture.  It was a hard beast to tame.  I felt like we were always on the boys' cases to clean their room, but without a good place for everything and more floor space, it was really difficult for them to do that. I really wish I had taken a "before" picture, but I suppose with a little effort you can imagine what it might have looked like.  But after a week of hard work, we are finished! Let's just hope it stays like this.

Joel cut the legs off the bottom bunk so we could stack them three high. This gives a lot more floor space and no space under the beds for "stuff".  The boys love it!

The bookshelf was made for Joel when he was a boy by his grandpa. We painted it red and it gives the boys a place for some of their random small stuff.

We bought matching dressers off of Craigslist and painted them all blue.  They each finally have their own dressers!  These two are Ben and Nate's. (Nate was using underbed storage drawers for his clothes and sharing a dresser with Ben).

Sam's dresser is on this wall.  You can't see it in this photo, but to the left of it is Marley's dog crate (nice to have it out of the master bedroom!).

Joel built this awesome laundry basket dresser. The boys will start doing their own laundry (maybe now they'll be more aware of how many clothes they go through!).  Joel also put two poles on the left side to hang Ben and Nate's clothes.  We put Ben's bearded dragon, Norbert, in the closet, too.  Those blue bins are for their shoes.

West Coast

We just got back from spending a month on the west coast visiting family and friends. It was a wonderful time with lots of new fun memories made.  The kids and I flew out to LA and spent the first few days with Joel's parents.  Grandpa went hiking with the boys daily in the nearby hills/mountains (usually stopping off for a cool treat somewhere) and Grandma sang lots of songs to entertain Darya.  We went out to the desert where it was close to 110* (dry heat, thankfully!) and swam in spring fed pools followed by a trip to a children's museum.

We were greeted at the airport with balloons

It's hard to see them, but the boys are at the top with Grandpa

Enjoying the pool in the desert with Grandma

Nate painting a car at the museum

  
After that, we spent the weekend visiting the Franciscos in Oceanside.  It's always great to spend time with their family!  We went to the beach one day where Sam had his first surfing attempt. He actually stood momentarily a couple of times!  Darya loved jumping in the shallow waves, while Nate and Ben spent hours searching for sand crabs.

Sam and Emma

 Darya and Andrew

Ben and Nate searching for sand crabs

Eating In-N-Out in the Franciscos' back yard

We made our way up to Turlock to spend just over a week with my family.  We went rafting at Knights Ferry on the 4th of July.  My mom watched Darya, while the rest of us enjoyed a relaxing (sort of) 5 hours on the river.  It was super hot, yet the water was super cold. My daredevil Sam jumped off the cliff and rope swing, of course.  4 out of 5 of my siblings went rafting, as did my dad and his wife (and their two chihuahuas).  And all but one of my nephews went, too!  I hadn't seen Jack in at least 6 years and now he's a grown man.  Goodness how time flies!   My sister and I also took our boys to pan for gold up in Jamestown and the boys had a blast.  Joel then joined us and we went on a double date with my BFF from high school, Tonia, and her husband Brandon.  It was fun but too short!

Grandma Charlene with some of her grand kids

Cousins! (Simon, Nate, Sam, Ben, and Joey)

Then, for the first time in my life despite having grown up 2 hours away, we went to Yosemite.  It was more beautiful than I imagined!  I would love to go back one day and spend several days there camping and enjoying God's amazing creation.  On our way back down the trail we ran into some old friends of ours, Jeff and Helen.  Joel and Jeff went to seminary together and interned at our church in La Jolla at the same time. Joel was a groomsman in his wedding.

The day after Yosemite, we made the 12 hour drive up to Oregon. We saw Joel's grandparents (Thomas and Violet).  Darya's current favorite song is "If You're Happy and You Know It" and while at their house, she got everyone to sing it for - her including Great-Grandpa (she called him out on it when he wasn't singing along) - while she did the motions.  What a ham!  Great-grandpa let the boys pick out some things from his rock collection.

Our next stop was to Olympia to stay with Brett, Jen, their four girls, and the Naves (minus Erin and Naomi).  It was a wonderful weekend with old friends!  A funny story - Joel's 37th birthday was on our day of departure.  He had been talking with Brett about an iPad mini while we were there and our whole drive back down to Oregon, Joel kept talking about getting one. He considered buying one while in Oregon since there's no sales tax.  At the end of the day, he decided to wait on it. Well, just as I was going to bed, I checked my email on my phone. I got a message saying I won an iPad mini from an adoption fundraiser!  (It arrived the other day and Joel is thrilled).

We drove back down to central Oregon to see Dan's family again (we went blueberry picking), then headed up to Portland for a reunion on Joel's mom's side of the family.  The big outing was to go on a cruise on the Columbia River and some sight-seeing along the way.  I forget how beautiful Oregon is!  It's definitely one of my favorite states.

Sam, Ben, and Nate playing with Joshie on the boat

Joel and Darya at one of the many Oregon falls

After the reunion, we made it to our final destination. We stayed with Joel's best friend, Mark, his wife Heather and their three kids.  We haven't seen them in five years.  It was great spending time with them!  Oh, and while there I won another contest :)  This is another funny story.  In the afternoon, we made a stop at Mark's favorite coffee place (his second time that day - he and Joel went earlier and came home with free mugs in celebration of the shop's anniversary).  Anyway, Mark and I went in and just as we were about to leave, one of the employee's called out my name. Apparently he had drawn my name out of a contest that Joel had put my name in earlier that day.  It wasn't an iPad, but it was still fun! I got a few small things. :)

Darya and Millie eating breakfast - they aren't too thrilled for the interruption of a photo!

Finally, after four weeks we had our long day of travel home.  We had a wonderful time, got to see lots of people, go to lots of fun places, but it's great to be home!

Nate-isms

Nate has a panache for creating new words or his own pronunciation of words.  This post will be an ongoing work of some of his words. I wish I could remember all of them, but it's better late than never to start recording them!

1. Dramastic - a combination of dramatic and sarcastic (age 7)
2. Sumama Mooladin - Osama Bin Laden (age 8)
3. Skworwol - squirrel (age 6)
4. Chickidy deshay - means "awesome" - Nate's variation on something Jackie Chan said in The Spy Next Door (age 7)
5. Shimberly Limbers - what pirates say (I think he meant, "shiver me timbers") (age 8)

Happy 5th Birthday, Darya!

This is her third birthday with our family - yay!  She is growing into such a beautiful little girl.  We love you, Darya!

The boys had their second annual piano recital last Thursday (a post on that to follow), and afterward we celebrated Darya's birthday.  The boys decorated her cake with colored marshmallows (it's a rainbow and flowers).  And the pictures of her in the dress were taken this afternoon after church.

 Dancing with Daddy

After church in the evening, some sweet young women brought some Elmo cupcakes and balloons for Darya.  Thanks Micaela, Kiara, Nora, and Shaina for making her birthday extra special!  

Professions of Faith

It doesn't seem that long ago that Sam and Ben were baptized by our old pastor, James Lee, when we were attending New Life La Jolla.  For all these years we have prayed that they would make good on their baptisms and come to true faith and repentance.   It has been wonderful to watch them grow and mature in their faith over the past decade.  They have learned to love the Lord and have come to trust in Christ alone for their salvation. They realize that being a pastor's kid and being raised in the church does not merit them salvation, but it is through faith alone in Christ alone.  It was with great joy when they publicly professed their faith on Sunday, April 21 in front of our church.  Afterward, I asked Sam how it was and he replied, "Awesome!".  :) My sweet friend, Shelli, was kind enough to get it on video:

http://youtu.be/w5zBn8nPPBM

Ben is Ten

So, I am consistently inconsistent in posting on here in a timely manner so this post is a bit overdue, but on March 27th Ben turned 10!  I can't believe it's been a full decade since he was born.  It has been such a joy to parent him.  He is sweet, funny, and has such a servant's heart.  Ben loves piano and art lessons, and all things nature.  One of the gifts he received for his birthday was a pair of binoculars (thanks Grandpa and Grandma!). He has been enjoying bird watching and can identify almost every bird we encounter here in Gainesville.  I can't wait to watch him grow into a young man in the next decade of his life!  We love you, Ben!!

Birthday donuts at Krispy Kreme

Interview with Ben:

Q: What is your favorite color?

A: Purple

Q: What is your favorite food?

A: Piesano's rolls - especially the sauce

Q: What are your favorite animals?

A: Rams, orcas, and osprey

Q: What are three of your favorite things to do for fun?

A: Catch fish and tadpoles at the ditch, go bird watching, and art lessons

Q: What is your favorite subject in school?

A: Science

Q: If you could visit anywhere in the world, where would it be and why?

Q: Sanibel Island because there is great seashell collecting

Q: What do you hope to be when you grow up?

A: A marine biologist

Nate the Great Turned Eight

A couple of weeks ago, Nate the Great turned eight.  He had been anticipating this special day for a long time.  On his actual birthday, Dad and Sam were flying out to California for a special trip.  So the night before, we let Nate pick a restaurant for dinner (he chose Piesanos, of course) as the kids always get to choose a place to eat for their birthdays.  And on the morning of his birthday, Dad took him out for donuts.  It wasn't as epic a birthday I'm sure that any eight year old would hope for, but he took it with stride.  Little did he know, a surprise birthday party awaited him a couple days later!  One of his best friends, JJ, and his mom held it at their house.  They had balloons, cake, and even a Lego station and Lego building contests set up in the backyard!  We ate pizza, chips, and juice.  Nate was so surprised and so thrilled for this special celebration with great friends.  Here are some photos of the party:

Q: What is your favorite color?

A: Red

Q: What is your favorite food?

A: Pizza

Q: What are your favorite animals?

A: Pig, turtle, and dog

Q: What are three of your favorite things to do for fun?

A: Fishing at the ditch for tadpoles and minnows, taking walks, and playing outside

Q: What is your favorite subject in school?

A: Handwriting

Q: If you could visit anywhere in the world, where would it be and why?

Q: Daytona Beach because the beach is awesome

Q: What do you hope to be when you grow up?

A: Either a pastor or a geologist

Tell me more about yourself:

I'm eight. I like to play on my mom's iPad.  Nothing else.

2013

Since Darya has been home with us for over two years now, I figured it's (over)due time that I start a regular family blog (I've been blogging here for the past few years to chronicle the adoption of our daughter).  The days are fleeting as the kids are growing.  Since I was the bad mom who never made baby books or documented anything cute the boys did when they were little, I figured it's better late than never to journal their childhood, especially before they hit puberty....though I'm sure those teen years will make for some memorable posts!

I tend to be a bit scatterbrained, so I imagine this blog will be, too. I might share a cute photo of or quote from the kids, or I might share my thoughts on adoption, Down syndrome, couponing/thrifting,  crafts, or whatever floats my boat. I don't foresee this blog to be anything profound or necessarily thought provoking, but it will be primarily a place for me to collect my thoughts and experiences.

So, welcome to the Six Ficks blog! Here we are, the six Ficks: