Purdue Football

 This past Fall we had student season tickets to the Purdue Football team.  Paul had a blast taking his kids to the games.  Eden was awesome because she would make it through the whole game!  David would poop out once his popcorn was finished.  Ruth lasted through a couple plays before complaining or having to use the restroom.

 

 The kids love all the free stuff they hand out at the games. 

 Purdue had a terrible season.  Pretty pathetic actually, which means people stopped attending the games.  This is a great thing when you have children. 

1.  Lots of room.

2.  You get to move up closer to the field.

3.  You can avoid foul language and drunk college kids.

Dance with Dads

 3rd annual Dance with Dads.  Eden anticipated this night with great excitement.  She had her outfit picked out days before.  She looked on youtube for the perfect hairstyle.  I towed all 5 kids in the mall to the jewelry store (serious nightmare) so Eden could pick out some clip on earrings.

 They had a blast.  They did not win the dance competition but they still had a great night.

Ben break

 I found these pictures on my camera.  I'm not sure when they were taken, sometime this winter. 

 Ben usually always has a bruise on his head, so Ben-Bruise is how other people can tell it is him.

Ben posing for a picture with Paul. 

Ordyna Reunion

Bryn & Emma

 
Two days after Christmas we had our BIG Ordyna family reunion in Bear Lake, Utah.  This was particularly important for us because Paul & I were in charge!!  20 adults, 37 grandchildren.  We rented one giant cabin and shoved everyone inside. This is the first time we have all stayed together under one roof.  4 days & 3 nights.  It was a lot of fun being together.     

Paul

Brinley...holding the place as the youngest (until Aunt Kristin has her baby)

I got a bunch of t shirts at a consignment shop and ironed on them with vinyl.  Each child wore the Ordyna name and what number grandchild they are.  It was a huge hit.  It is a great visual reminder of their place in the family and that they matter.

Hang out stairs

Grandma & Lexi

Ruthie & Sage

Twins

Brigham & Benson & Sam & Ben

There are a lot of twins in this family.  Ironically 2 sets of identical boys are born on the same day 6 years apart.  How's that for coincidence!

Kay & McKay

 The teenagers were so great.  We had a "no electronic" rule the whole time!  I am so proud of these youth, they are awesome!

Grandpa & Grandma

Katelyn & Ally

It is a privilege to be part of the Ordyna family.  One of the best parts of marrying Paul was marrying into his family.  I love them and so glad we will be together forever.   

Christmas 2013

Scrooge 2013

 

 

It was such a busy holiday season. We drove to Utah and enjoyed 2 weeks with family.  I'll start with Christmas and Nate.  Lisa is getting married!  We are so happy and really like Nate. It was so fun to meet him and spend some time together.

Daddy & Ruthie

Lisa in action

We had a Christmas miracle.  While sledding David hit a jump and flew about 7 feet hitting his head.  Later that evening, he kept complaining of a headache and threw up.  We were concerned about a re-injury to his skull.  Flashbacks of 6 months earlier left my stomach in knots.  Paul & Papa gave David a blessing and we went to the ER.  It was a relatively quick visit  and we were released shortly after being emitted.  As we were in the parking lot the Spirit testified in my mind that the blessing had healed his concussion quickly.  It We were spared a CT scan and lots of money.

Christmas miracle. 

Paul & Tyler

 With Josie & Eden every gathering has a play and dancing.  Amber is a great producer and set a time limit to the production :).

Josie & Ruthie with their babies

David & legos

 Christmas morning was so fun to all be together.  These are seriously all the pictures I took. 
Present highlights: Paul- Damien Lillard poster, Cyndi- juicer, Eden- craft box, David- legos, Ruthie- baby, Sam & Ben-ambulance cars.

 In November I flew to Utah for the weekend to spend sometime with my mom.  Lisa got engaged, I helped my mom paint the basement and decorate Christmas.  It was the first time in years that all my siblings were together.  It was refreshing to be just a sister & daughter for a few days.  I love my family.  I care so much that I tend to boss them all around trying to improve their lives.  They put up with a lot. 
    

30 minutes

Yesterday from 4:00-4:30pm this is what happened.

Ben walked on my newly steamed kitchen floor while I was loading the dishwasher.  Took off his diaper, dumped his poop out and slipped in it.  I put him in the bath and clean up the kitchen mess.  I dry Ben off and put on a new diaper, before getting him dressed I see Sam soaking wet.  Sam found a cup on the table and spilled it all over himself and on the floor.  I take Sam and clean him up and change his clothes.  As I am mopping up the floor again, Ruth screams from my bedroom, "Ben, took off his diaper and pooped on your bed!"  I find Ben & all my bedding covered in poop.  I put Ben back in the bath, clean him again and cloth him this time.  I hurriedly clean up my bed and yell at the kids to get in the car because Eden has piano lessons in 5 minutes. I send Ben and Sam out of the room.  I throw the comforter in the washer, meanwhile Sam finds another cup of water and spills it all over himself, Ben and the kitchen floor.  He slips and falls.  

Did you get that?
4 changes of clothes
3 kitchen floor messes
2 poop disasters
2 slips on the tile floor

Yes, I always have laundry to do.  Yes, my kitchen floor never stays clean.  Yes, I tape the babies diapers now.  Yes, I want to band all glasses of water. Yes, A LOT can happen in 30 minutes.

P.S. I must mention that earlier that day Ben jumped off the bed and gave himself a bloody lip.  Soiling the girls bedspread.  He also climbed and fell out of his highchair that morning. 

17 months old

Sammy & Benny

The months are whizzing by.  It is fun to watch them learn and grow.  They are little buddies.  It's amazing how much they can communicate by not really saying much.  We have learned what some of their grunts, points and baby jabber mean.  For instance, "go-go" means food.  They got that phrase from yogurt. 

Each day or week can change.  They go back and forth being the more 'dramatic' one.  They are just regular old babies who seriously can't get any cuter!

We love love love them!  

Happy 38th birthday

 

Today was a true Father's birthday.  The kids sprayed him with silly string this morning.  They wrapped his presents.  Decorated the house.  Helped make the cake.  They ate his m&m's and gave him presents that they wanted.  

Paul is such a good sport.  

We love you Paul.  Your kids adore you.  I adore you.   

Paul is very good at appreciating the things he has.  He often looks at me and remarks, "look at our family" or "we have beautiful children" or "can you believe all these kids are ours?".

Happy Birthday to the man of the house! 

16 months

These rascals are 16 months.  We are starting to see more of their personalities.  

Sam is determined, he goes and gets what he wants, he is impatient, he throws food, he loves olives, he likes to wave bye, he is so darn cute I just love him. 

Ben is a cuddle bug, he loves yogurt,  he is easy going, he loves to run and go outside, he melts my heart everyday. 

Sam steals food off Ben's highchair and pulls his shirt but Ben doesn't seem to mind (as long as I give him more).  The other day I saw Sam give Ben something...they were actually sharing.  It was great!

Halloween 2013

 Trick or Treat

 chicken & duck

 

 All geared up.  It was rainy & windy but we were prepared.

Eden & Ruth at the trunk or treat.

Boiler Half Marathon

Today I did something grand.  I ran 13.1 miles.  It was cold.  Very cold.  It rained about the first 5 miles.  I stepped in a puddle at mile 7.  Wet feet = bad news.  Nothing got me down though.  In fact, my feet did surprisingly well.  Maybe there is something to be said about moisture-wicking fabric.

I trained and ran with two of my best friends.  I've had a great time training.  We were prepared.  I had a lot of fun.  I enjoy races.  I love being able to run and not worry about cars or stop lights.  I like the water.  I like people cheering.  I like watching other runners.  I like being a part of something.  I like accomplishing something physically hard. 

My body is not the shape I want.  I should say, it is a LARGER shape then I would like.  Today when I was running I thought about my children.  All 5 of them lived in my body and came out!  I am still alive and running for pete's sake.  That is pretty amazing.

    

Blue Man Group

Paul got tickets for Blue Man Group at Purdue this year.  We had never been and didn't know what the expect.  It was ok.  The kids enjoyed it.  Ruth was a little scared at the beginning but by the end was dancing along and cheering loud.  David liked when they poured cerceal on their faces.  Eden liked when they painted a man and imprinted him on a canvas. 

p.s.  Eden was trying to be serious like the blue man...she really did enjoy it. 

4 years old

Ruth Dawn is 4 years old today.  She wanted Millie and Claire to come over.  She wanted to pick out her own pink cupcakes at Sam's club.  She wanted a family party and to play on the McDonald's playground.  We accomplished them all.  Happy Birthday my girl.

Ruth loves her sister. 

David started the day off by making her breakfast in bed.  It consisted of: 1 kiwi, 1 knife, 1 string cheese, glass of water, 1 yogurt, 1 spoon.  He carried the tray to her room but Ruth did not want to wake up.  She is not a morning person.  David gave up and ate her breakfast on his bed :).  Ruthie woke up happy and I knew it was going to be a good day.

Ruth calls the twins "poop poop".

She loves carnation instant breakfast chocolate milk, sesame street, getting a donut from Target, helping me find a 2 cart at the grocery store, preschool, playing with friends, NOT combing her hair, swinging, shrimp, her baby doll Elizabeth, asking lots of questions, snap peas, jumping on the tramp with David and doing things herself.

Paul took her to the Purdue homecoming game last week.  Ruth loves to spend time with us.  She loves attention.  She was over the moon about going on a date with daddy. 

14 months

 The twins are both walking.  Ben started walking right at 13 months and Sam at about 13.5 months.  They both weigh 22 lbs.

 They also clap, wave, play peek-a-boo, pretend to talk on the phone, jump and fight over things.

They love balls.  I have learned that only one ball causes screaming, pinching, hitting, tackling and tears.  Usually Sam wins and Ben gives up and comes crying to me.  However, Ben has been known to hold his own.  My mother in law used to tell me, "they have to possessive before they can share."  Right now, we are in the possession phase.  They still put everything in their mouths.  Sand, grass, rocks, dirt, bugs, poop...you name it. 

They say: Dadda, Momma, Hi and Don't