Nez Perce County Fair

Fair time is always around Caleb's birthday, so it's fun to be able to wrap up summer with those two events. We decided to take the boys to the fair on Friday, the day after Caleb's birthday, and I am so glad we did, because I think it was our last warm day of the year. It was actually hot, in the 90's, and an evening at the fair was the perfect way to say aloha to Summer. No kidding... The very next day was rainy and cold, and it has been chilly with Fall in the air since the 19th. My mom and Ron took Caleb to the fair last summer, as they were here for his 4th birthday, so it was fun for Matt and I to go, and Noah and Jonah are just old enough to have tons of fun too!!!! We went with Bob and Emily and Baby Etta, who you'll see on her very first fair ride! She is so adorable, and I hope to have a post one day announcing her as Etta Grace Jorgens. With three boys, surely one of them can catch her eye!

Riding the Funny Bears (This was the name Caleb labeled them last year...) Noah was all done by this point. But I think Jonah and Caleb would have gone all night if they could.

The boys LOVED the race car ride!

Yes. That's Mommy in the Kiddy Roller Coaster having the time of her life. What can I say, I'm a cheap date.

The boys getting ready

Jonah and Noah on the carosel. For some reason, this is the one ride Caleb won't go on....

Emily taking Baby Etta on her first ride!!!

Can someone other than me, please look at the camera and say "cheese"?

Guess not. ;o)

Mommy and Caleb share some Huckleberry Ice Cream. Mmmmm The BEST!

Caleb

Noah

Jonah

Caleb would have taken this bunny home if he could.

Jonah admiring the bunny

Petting a chicken

Baaa'ing with the best

The Cows. One had a white face. Caleb said it was the Oreo Cow.

*Wink* to Grammy!

Caleb is 5!!!

Can you believe that five years have passed since God Wowed us with the arrival of Caleb?!?! Everyone tells you that it goes by fast...but experiencing it is so different. Whenever the boys have a birthday, I always reflect back on the time of their birth, what life was like, and mostly what God was teaching me. Caleb's is especially poignant to me, as his arrival came as I had just walked through some of the darkest days of my life. I remember those extreme emotions, both the sorrow, hopelessness, and deep despair of wanting a child, yet dealing with infertility. Then the shear elation, wonder and awe of watching God work the miracle of bringing Caleb to us, and us to Caleb. We talk a lot about the boys journey's to us, as it is something that reminds us of the Glory of God, and is such a beautiful display of His loving hand at work in all five of our lives. Something that has been thoroughly enjoyable as Caleb is getting older, is his budding interest in the time of his birth. He has been very interested in me telling him the story of the day he was born. He says something like: Mama... Please snuggle Caleb and tell about when Caleb was born!
Oh! The Joy! How I love to tell that story. What a beautiful day it was. As if the years of prayers were wrapped up in that glorious moment of your arrival.
Caleb, I tell you often how special you are to me... It was you who God chose to make me a Mother. And I thank Him daily for that gift.

Does this cake look familiar? After looking through Grammy's pictures and seeing the Pooh Bear Cake from his 1st birthday, all Caleb wanted was a Pooh Bear cake this year. I tried over and over to have him think through all the things he liked now that he was five, but none of them caught his eye like having a party just like his first birthday.

A Big Boy Bike!

After years of therapy for his low muscle tone, Caleb is finally able to ride a big bike! He still struggles with it a bit, but we are so confident in his ability to overcome his struggle with hypotonia, we know he'll be peddling with the best of them!

FUN!!!

Even Jonah and Noah had a few presents to open thanks to Grandma Vonnie, and friends from church!

Round Up Parade 2008

We had so much fun at the Lewiston Round Up Parade! It was our second time going, and it's hard to believe we have been here over a year already. Baby Etta, in the right corner of the first picture, was just beginning to grow in her Mommy's tummy, and here she is this year, watching with delight! The boys have grown so much, and just loved the parade this year. They all even ran out to grab candy thrown in the street.

Bob, Emily, Baby Etta, Jonah, Mommy, and Noah all enjoying the parade!
Jonah and Noah enjoying the parade! I can't believe how BIG they look!!!

We got to the parade a little early, so Daddy walked the boys down the street as a pre-show treat to the by standers. I am sure they loved it. ;o)

Below is Jonah dancing to the groovy high school marching band! He does this all the time with music. Both Noah and Jonah really feel music. It is so fun to watch them!

Big Boy Fun Day!

In August we took Caleb to Silverwood Theme Park up near Spokane for a special big boy day. Silverwood has an an amusement park and a water park. We knew Caleb would love it, but the twins are just a bit too young still. Bob and Emily graciously stayed with Noah and Jonah and made sure they had a fun play day at home! We had such a GREAT time, and it was awesome to spend special time with just Caleb. As the boys get older, we plan on doing special things with them individually as much as we can, it's such a great way to get them to open up even more, and be able to connect with them in a special way.

This big bucket would fill up with water, and dump on the people below.
Caleb LOVED the water park! No big surprise there... He has been a water boy from the very beginning!!

This shot just shows the water village that we spent most of our time at

Splashing around

We treated ourselves to some yummy ice cream after rides, and before the water park. Caleb was elated to have Oreo ice cream with M&M's on top!!!

Mmmm....

Riding the helicopter

This was Caleb's favorite ride! He loved flying the plane!!!

The big train

The Power of Positive Thinking

Caleb, I hate to say it, is a pretty picky eater. For about a year and a half, he lived off peanut butter sandwiches. Then, it became the Era of the Mini-Wheat's. Frosted, of course. Well, in an effort to widen his exposure to nutrients, I have started to bribe him a bit more. It's really very simple:

Mama: Caleb... I'll give you a cookie if you eat all your lunch.

This usually has pretty good results. But yesterday, after making a fresh batch of peanut butter cookies, I realized that my sweet boy really is trying. I made scrambled egg sandwiches, and told Caleb that if he ate it, he could have a yummy warm cookie. He wasn't thrilled. But he was determined.

Caleb takes bite of sandwich and begins to gag. Literally, gag.

Caleb, as gagging with tears welling up in his eyes says: Caleb loves egg sandwich!

Mama: Really? You love it, huh?

Caleb, while fighting gag reflex: Oh ya! It's like candy.

Norman/Jorgens Summer Fun...

Although it was a quick visit, we were thankful that Matt's sister Tammie, and her hubby Ed opened their home to host a visit with us as we wrapped up our vacation. Matt's brother Tim, wife Jenn and their kiddo's: Jessie and Nate, also joined in the fun for a yummy BBQ, and crazy trampoline time. The boys, as always, had a great time, as did Matt and I. It was very relaxing to visit, and we so enjoyed getting our kiddos, the cousins, together. It was also a joy to meet the Newest Norman: Andy!

Daddy, or 'Uncle Moe', as the Team Potato Head Team Leader
Caleb, Noah and Holly are all smiles on the trampoline!

The Kiddos

Everybody say "Hi Grandma Vonnie!!!"

Emily is sharing her sidewalk chalk.

Noah and Jonah are excited to meet Andy.

Summer Fun

Jessie and Jonah bouncing around. Can you believe that Jess was our 3 year old flower girl? Now, she is nearly a teenager. All the kids were great, and we really had such a great time. We are looking forward to a longer visit next time... Hopefully! ;o)

Hanging out at Grammy's!

We had so much fun staying with my mom, and her husband, Ron (Ronpa) for a couple days, too! The boys LOVE staying at Grammy's. Especially since there are always "New toys hiding in the closets!". Auntie Nikai, and Uncle Kevin also came for a visit, but I was not as good about my picture planning. I was really enjoying just relaxing and visiting with my wonderful brother, and his amazing wife. I'll make sure to have better planning next time!

My mom always has beautiful flowers in her flower gardens. These Lillie's were stunning! And so very fragrant.

Grammy is showing Noah and Jonah her photo albums. They are always excited to look at pictures of themselves!

Ronpa with Jonah, and Caleb is, once again, pretending he's a doggy in the doggies bed

Jonah and Noah are helping Grammy mix up the batter for waffles

I thought it was Grammys "special" bubbles making this tubby extremely bubbly. Little did I know Jonah had taken their shampoo bottle and opened it under the water. The bubbles were overflowing, and once it was all down the drain, the only thing remaining was an empty bottle of kiddo shampoo.

Noah and Jonah climb up on the big lawn mowers. No, Matt, our yard is NOT big enough for one. ;o)

Fun on The Town

Here are some shots of our outings on the town...

Standing at the famous Turn Around in the heart of Seaside
Papa came down for a day and shared the fun of feeding the seals, riding bumper cars, and the carousel, as well as sharing elephant ears and ice cream with the boys. It was lots of fun!!!

Caleb enjoying his ice cream

One of the seals the boys fed. They were cute. Their food was not.

Even Mommy and Daddy got to ride the carousel!

(Caleb was not a fan of this ride. But Jonah and Noah rode it every day. Twice.)

Caleb's favorite game at the arcade was the Bonk the Shark game. It was hilarious! Although you and I know of a place like this as an arcade, Caleb insisted that it was a "Space Port". He even spits a bit when he says it, he's so excited. ;o)

They never really change.

Daddy with his Mini-Me's.

The Twins gearing up for action!

Sensational Seaside!!

Below you'll find proof that Hawaiian Boys can frolic in the chilly Pacific, almost as well as they can in their homeland waters of Hawaiian Paradise. Their Haole parents, however, are another story. But regardless of the COLD water, we had lots of fun!

Since we didn't have an actual kite, our always creative Caleb impressed us by making his own!

(I know, it's kind of sad when you think about it. But we don't have enough arms to keep a hold of 3 kids, 4 and under, AND fly a kite... I kept telling Matt how disappointed I was that we didn't bring the Nanny along. ;o)
Mommy having fun with her Little Boys

Daddy is brave, too!

My Boys

Playing in the sand

Brrrrr...

Oh, my Jonah... These times with you and your brothers are precious.

As the sun sets