Baby Update

When we got back from Hawaii, we had just got in to the swing of things at home when Baby Griffin made an attempt to join us a little too early at 33 weeks gestation. So Joy was placed on bedrest again. Easy for the doctor to say! We were presented with the challenge of accomplishing this with our two active boys.
What seemed impossible has now passed, but we couldn't have done it without the amazing help we received from friends and family. What a testimony to the blessings of the "body of Christ". Joy's sister also graciously accepted the challenge and flew from Iowa to spend the last 6 days with us. Now at the end of the month, we are at 35 weeks and out of the critical period but still taking it easy for the next week. Thank you everyone for all your prayers and support this month. Next month will be project baby delivery. We will keep you posted.

Mommy on bedrest, sometimes meant she took her "bed" outside to be with us.

Aunt Alecia came to play with us, we sure learned how to say her name!

I tell you, with Aunt Alecia around we ate so good that we had boundless energy.

Sisterhood looked fun, but we didn't sit still long enough to find out if there were any traveling pants too.

Fun in the sun? Drunk on fun? Spanish immersion or Hawaiian language experience? You make the call.

Our Hawaii Vacation

In anticipation of the arrival of our third child, we took off for a week to the Big Island of Hawaii and spent most of our time along the Kona Coast. We figured that Garrett loved Oahu two years ago, so why not bring both of them along for a trip to the Big Island. Both of the boys loved it here, we rarely heard a request to go home. We spent one day there driving all the way around the island with stops at the Black Sand Beach, Volcanoes National Park, the town of Hilo, and Rainbow Falls. We also found free refills on drinks at a well known chain restaurant! Interestingly, one of our favorite bands, Mercy Me, decided to spice up our evening entertainment with a concert at one of the nearby venues. The travel all went smoothly, and flying from our home airport, you can't beat a five minute drive and free parking for a week. Overall, we enjoyed the down-time and relaxation that we had. Little did we know how lucky we were to take advantage of this when we did, because within a week of our return Joy was placed on bedrest due to preterm labor.

Daddy told me this would be like a perfect scene behind glass that every boy would drool to play in. Yup, I agree.

Daddy, are you trying to get me, or is the water a little cold?

Mommy's smile said it all, a dessert from Roy's is worth waiting for.

Where are you going to put Griffin, Daddy?


Can you believe a wobbling, bouncing bridge to walk across?

What's missing on your face, Daddy?

When someone offers to take a picture of your whole family, you don't have time to take off the snorkel masks.

RELAXATION! Mommy can we play now?

I don't know which was more remarkable, Daddy's hair or the active volcano behind us spewing steam and ash.

Bryce and I were ready to get out of the car for this one. Of course it could've been any excuse to get out of the car and we would've been in.

Ok, maybe the wind had something to do with the crazy hair, but Bryce and I are doing just fine. Does the wind do more to you the older you get?

I guarantee you will see a turtle on this trip--see, I told you so.

Aloha! I want to take this beach home with me. Mahalo.

Another great excuse to get out of the car: eat and run around.

You're not eating ice cream unless you get it all over everywhere.

Mommy, Daddy, why are we glowing?

The Aloha Brothers

We are family. We are brothers. We love to play together.


Who knew there could be a construction site at the airport while we waited for our flight to leave.

Rarely seen, but now witnessed: a front end loader with crawler tracts. Get it right, Dad!

Garrett taught me how to tackle, now he's wishing he hadn't.

Helicopter, helicopter...nooooo!


Stop, you must not come here unless you really want to have fun.

We may not have made it to spring training this year, but we're still supporting our teams.

Is this where our bananas come from?

Another awesome contruction site!

And another construction site: I have trained Bryce well.

Bryce can you please load the shell for my big ION cannon, the droid fighter is in range.

Bryce and I burnt some calories in anticipation of our breakfast. Some onlookers thought we were hoodlums from the New York City subway, but we were just bringing some tap dancing to tram stop. Check it out.

Garrett 3y 22mo

Garrett is getting closer and closer to being four years old. Yikes! That sounds old to us, but I guess when you have three kids, one of them had better be four. Anyways, Garrett loved "HoHiHee" this month and keeps asking us when we get to go back. Construction site on the beach and in our backyard have been the best playtimes of the month.

All clear for the landing on the beach airstrip.

Is this plane prepared for a water landing?

How quickly could I get Mommy to drop the camera if I rolled onto my back into the water?



I've been buried in the sand and I can't get out...ok Bryce your turn.

Mommy, your toenails really are quite pretty.

Yeah, my very own dessert at Roy's!

Snorkel time! Dude you should've seen the big puffer fish that came after me, he was huge.

Water slides...I could do this over and over...and I did.

Could I ask for a better contruction site for my John Deere tractors than the black sand beach?

When you have Star Wars on the brain, you can always find a prop for a lightsaber duel.

If you give me a donut when I wake up, I promise I'll make it to breakfast without a peep.

This was MY bed. How cool is that?

Daddy and I built this sandbar bridge all the way out to turtle rock with our construction vehicles. That is my picture of paradise. How about yours?

Personally I think Daddy looks pretty silly up there on top of the turtle's shell.

I could play construction site, all day long.

And if you let me do that, I will sleep all night.

Bryce 20 months

Bryce turned 20 months in March and boy is he a handful now. He wants to explore everything and do everything that his brother does. He seems to have this confidence like he is twice his age, which sometimes can lead to trouble. He continues to speak more clearly and requests more things with his words. He is indeed our little man.

Daddy might have succeeded in holding me still for this picture, but that didn't last long.

Wow, that is a big front end loader!


Did you know that there are tree huggers/kissers in Hawaii?

This is my brain without a nap! Fortunately I just get sillier.

I'm gonna creep up and get you...

I have tamed the wild beast, now you will do my biddings. HoHoHo.

I might've just fallen backward into this plant, but it sure does make a cute picture, don't you agree?

Beach chairs are for playing on, NOT for laying on.

Can I eat this black sand? Is it good for me?

Donut, please?

I tell you, Mercy Me put on a great concert, and I wanted to catch every moment of it, Daddy couldn't hold me high enough.

I am innocent, cute, and Mommy is so glad that she brought me along for moments like this.

I'm not sure how well this turtle will walk with me sitting on his head, but he sure hasn't moved much yet.

I'm right behind you Daddy, don't worry I have the bag of construction vehicles on my shoulder.

Sun, beach, toys...what more could a boy want?

I'm wide awake, give me some more fun!











I've been on go, all day long, I give up, yup, I surrender to sleep...somewhere Mommy and Daddy are smiling big.