Cade and I kind of adore you all. I wish we could all get together in a big auditorium and just chat, laugh and share. We have felt great support and love from all of our readers, but especially this past year as we battled with Hyperemesis. Three times now my life and our babies’ lives have been spared and we are fully aware of what an amazing blessing and miracle that is. We hope you’ll stick with us on our journey through life and maybe one day we will get to meet. In fact, we have met quite a few of you. Thank you for being brave and saying hello when you see us in person. We love that.
As you may have noticed, we haven’t shared the names of our children, and we have decided to still keep their names private. I know, I’m no Julia Roberts and Cade isn’t George Clooney, but for some reason we’ve had a feeling to keep their names private so we stick with that.
However, we do feel like you are part of the family, and we want to share the best recipes we’ve ever created, our children. (HA! Aren’t we clever?!)
Our oldest is 9 years old and she is teaching us more about love than we ever imagined. Yes, part of that is because we are learning that there is no greater love than that of a parent for their child, but she is also very unique for only being a 4th grader she has a special gift for seeing into the hearts of those around her and knowing what they need then acting on it. She is so quick to point out someone who needs service, a friend who we should deliver cookies to, a woman at the store who we should help buy groceries for or even a sister that just needs some story time.
In fact, right before our little stud muffin was born I was especially stressed as I was getting more and more sick, our emails were piling up for the site and we had just moved into a new home. I came upstairs after cleaning up dinner and she had “heart attacked” our bedroom door with sweet notes about how special we are and how much she loves us.
She is:
*Easy Going
*Beautiful
*Smart
*Sincere
*Kind
*Generous
*Loyal
*Friendly
*Tender Hearted
*Creative
*Organized
Next up is our 5 year old. She was our hardest pregnancy ever. I honestly felt I wouldn’t make it through at times. It was really hard on everyone. She was also a horribly hard baby. When she turned a year we finally started to breath again. And I started to eat normal food again… long story but let’s just say she had major tummy troubles.
Anyway, this kiddo is perfectly happy 98% of the time. She’s incredibly cuddly and loving. She is very smart and doing incredibly well in kindergarten. She absolutely loves to read and we are thrilled about that. She is also smitten with her baby brother and adores her big sister. There’s nothing better to her than being home with all of us. This one is different than her sister in that she will entertain herself. Maybe it’s a second child thing?
She is:
*Super Talkative (we’ve had to set the timer at dinner multiple times because she will talk nonstop for 30 minutes and not touch her food!)
*Energetic
*Sweet
*Artistic
*Smart
*Imaginative
*Snuggly
*Still naps (seriously. It will end one day, but for now she loves it)
*A Baker
*Funny
Mr. Handsome. Well what can we say about him? He is another miracle and our first little man. He is a great eater which is nice since our other babies had such a struggle learning to nurse. Which by the way, he would be happy to nurse alllllll day long. He has gone from the world’s best sleeper and happiest baby to the worst napper ever. He really struggles during the day but only gets up at 2:30 am to eat and goes right back to sleep, so we can’t complain.
He is: (We can’t believe we finally get to say, he!!! Hooray for a boy!)
*Cuddly
*Smiley
*8.2 pounds
*20.5 inches
*10 weeks
*Strong (that neck and those legs are so strong!)
*Gassy (ha! But seriously.)
Judy Koz
Congratulations on your new little man.Your family is great,your girls are gorgeous.
I hope 2016 brings you all health,happiness,security,and prosperity.
Sweet Basil
Judy, thank you so much. We’ve been loving having three little ones in the house. 🙂
Gini
Thank you so much for sharing your beautiful family and thoughts with us. What a blessing!
Sweet Basil
Thank you so much Gini! Hope your week is wonderful!
Aida
I would like to say that you are so so blessed and that one day God willing I will be blessed among women just like you. I have problems with my uterus but I’m working on it. I hope one day I can have a little one. God bless you all.
Sweet Basil
Aida, thank you for your comment and we are sorry to hear of your struggles. Modern medicine is truly a miracle and we hope it gets worked out.
Judie
How wonderful! How beautiful! You will never regret recording this, when we are all gone, believe me, this will be such a gift to them, this is also a gift to us,thank you for your courage.
Sweet Basil
Oh what a wonderful point!! I can’t wait for them to see all of this one day!
Cindy
You have a beautiful family!!! Such sweet adorable pictures!!! Enjoy as they grow up so very fast!! My baby is 30 now and it seems like it was just a blink of an eye and she is all grown up. Congrats!!
Sweet Basil
Oh I keep hearing that before we know it they will be moving away and I just hate that thought. Already 9 years have flown by!
Florence Ramos
They are beautiful enjoy them, they grow up so fast then you are thinking where did the time go. Thanks for the wonderful recipes.
Sweet Basil
Oh I just can’t believe how fast time is already flying by so I’m just hoping to live more in the moment! Thank you so much!
Emily
We still have that arranged marriage between my boy and your oldest, right? 😉
Sweet Basil
Heck yeah! He’s still so stinking handsome!
Audrey Magnuson
What a precious family! I love the way you have photographed your children. So So unique! I Love it and love your recipes. Thanks for keeping all your readers informed and up to date.
Sweet Basil
And thank you for always being so supportive!
Debbie Hall
God bless your precious family. Such beautiful children!
Sweet Basil
Debbie, thank you so much!!
Kayle (The Cooking Actress)
awwww I love these pictures and learning about your lil angels! they’re such cuties and obviously such sweet kids!!
(I will say though that entertaining yourself is NOT a 2nd child thing lol-I’m the oldest and I was always able to play by myself whereas my little brother needed someone else to play with him constantlyyyy)
Sweet Basil
Haha, that’s awesome!
Kathryn Mader
Exceptional pictures of your precious children. It was fun to “meet” them! Wonderful post, thank you! PS You are a brave soul!
Sweet Basil
Kathryn, thank you so much! Definitely worth it but so glad it’s over!
Marisa Franca @ All Our Way
What a gorgeous family!! Family is so important. All else can go by the wayside but as long as there is love and health, well you have it all. And I agree with the names and such. On my blog my name is mentioned but never my kids, grandkids, or my loving Honey. That was his decision and I abide by it. He is as much a part of this blog as I am but he wants to stay in the background. He is my best friend and every day I tell God how blessed I am for the family he has given me.
Sweet Basil
Marisa, I could not agree more. In the end it will be people I want around me, not things.
Jennifer O
Your family is absolutely beautiful. Best wishes for health and happiness.
Sweet Basil
Thank you so much!
Sharon
I love that you are so very real!! I, too, had two girls and then a boy. All three have been a blessing.
Sweet Basil
Sharon, thank you so much! Girls are so much fun and they’ve been good little mommies but I can’t wait to see who he becomes too!
Susan the Farm Quilter
What a gorgeous family you have! After all that you went through to get them, you certainly appreciate them a bit more.
Sweet Basil
It’s so true, Susan. I’m grateful for the trial because it has blessed us with gratitude like we never knew we could have.
Lisa Simpson
You certainly have a beautiful family! Thank you for sharing these adorable pictures!
Sweet Basil
Thank you Lisa!
Jan
What adorable photos and remarkable family. Thanks!
Sweet Basil
Thank you so much Jan!