First day of spring

 The snow has melted.  It's still cold and ever so muddy.  Our backyard is lone and dreary. 

 If Paul or I aren't around to help the twins run to Eden.  Sammy especially gravitates towards Eden. 

Sam

Ben

 The twins are 20 months old now.  Sam has the cutest dimple in his left cheek.  He loves to give kisses and say hi to people when they come home.  Ben hates to give kisses, in fact you can't get one from him.  He loves baths and thinks it's funny to pull hair. 

Eden is baptized

 January 1, 2014  

Eden Jae Ordyna was baptized

All three of these cousins were baptized together.  They all have December birthdays.  It was a special event with three brothers baptizing their children. 

Gigi & Papa with Eden

Grandma & Grandpa Ordyna with Eden

Great Grandpa Bateman with Eden

It was very special to have so many of our family there for Jarom, Alyson & Eden's baptism.  Eden is a sweet girl.  We love her so much.  We are so happy she choose to be baptized and confirmed a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.  

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!