The Dennstaedt's

Our New Angel

2010-10-07T11:29:00.000-07:00

Our sweet blessing arrived on Tuesday Sept 14th at 5:10pm. We named her Ella and she is just perfect!

Beautiful Wedding

2010-08-11T07:19:00.000-07:00

It was perfect! And absolutely beautiful!

Congrats Mr. and Mrs. Saiki!

Forever....

2010-07-04T07:21:00.000-07:00

Its been forever and I just dont find time to keep up with the computer, blogs, facebook, emails, etc.... My computer does not store pics anymore and is slowly dying. Sometime in the near future listed in the "what to accomplish before september" list is to have a new computer. We are preparing for a new baby in September, enjoying an incredibly busy summer with weddings, showers, and trips all over! So if I ever get back to blogging you will all know. In the meantime we are taking a hiatus from this stuff!

Playing catch up...

2009-11-03T18:44:00.000-08:00

I am always trying to figure out what to put up here and how to keep up with my life by written paragraph. The past few months have been full of visitors and fun. BAMA (my mom) came out on the 8th of October and was here for 2 weeks. My baby sister Lesley drove up to visit from VT, and Aunt Duck was here for Messiah's homecoming weekend. We spent lots of time trying to enjoy the fall weather, run errands and do things that I usually dont with one set of hands, and relax!

My little Rose turned 3 in October also. What a crazy reality to know i have a 3 year old! When did that happen? Everyone always said it goes by so fast, but MAN OH MAN it goes by FAST! All she wanted was a "big girl bike" so guess what, to no surprise, her Daddy got her a big girl bike. Our basement is unfinished and one of the things we did with BAMA is to get it set up for a play area. She speeds around down there on her bike, draws on her new easel, and BAMA hung swings from the rafters :) Its pretty fun! So hopefully by the spring she will be speedy on her little bike! We spend the day at the Land of Little horses in Gettysburg, which was SO perfect for Rose! She is a horse LOVER!

Halloween was a blast! We went to our friends annual Halloween bash, where there was about 15 adults and 40 children under 3! It was hilarious to have all the kiddos dressed up! Rose was a horse (anyone suprised?) and Joy was a cow.

We went to a Ravens football game on the 1st of Nov. Kevin was in his element like nothing Ive seen before! It was a fun day with our good friends, and a break from our babies! We dont get that very often!

Most of the pics of the past month are on Kevs computer and deleted off the memory card. I need to sign in on his computer to catch everyone up with pictures! For now here are some that were taken after we got the loads of birthday pics off the camera!

We will travel to see family for Thanksgiving and be home for Christmas. I will take time over the next few weeks to try and catch everyone up with pics!

Visit to STL

2009-11-03T18:33:00.001-08:00

I know this was...well a really long time ago, but here are some pics of our visit to see my family in St. Louis

Most exciting time of the day!

2009-10-18T18:39:00.000-07:00

overdrive....

2009-09-28T12:09:00.000-07:00

My days begin in a whirlwind and are over in a blink of an eye. One of these days I will get to sit down and write something on here. All is well in the Dennstaedt home. Busy with fall things, bible study, MOPS, fall ball with my messiah lax team, watching baby Jayden, visits from family, and keeping up with friends, can you see how things are quite busy?? We will catch up soon! Hope everyone is LOVING the fall being here as much as I am!

The days go by too fast.

2009-09-10T11:35:00.000-07:00

I cherish every moment spent with family! Maybe because they are so far away, it makes the time we are all together even more special. We just returned from a 2 week vacation (yes vacation for me, there was SO much help) in St.Louis. It was wonderful. Now we count down the days until we see them again...

Missing Family

2009-08-25T11:50:00.000-07:00

Its so hard to live so far away from my family and I am missing them SO much! Aunt evie was here for almost a month and we had the best time ever! She is SO helpful, I was in shock after she left and I realized I had to raise my kids by myself again, well Kev and I! Anyway it was hard to say bye and we are missing out Evie. The good news is Saturday we head off to STL to see everyone and spend much needed time with family!!!

Pray for baby Austin

2009-08-21T18:57:00.000-07:00

If there is one good thing about this blog its the fact I can spread a prayer request much faster than making a bunch of phone calls. One of my favorite families in the world needs your prayer, tonight especially, but for the next several weeks!

One of my best friends Christine was diagnosed with HELLP syndrome at 28 weeks and gave birth to her little miracle baby 12 weeks early. God has been so good. Little Austin is such a fighter. He is weighing in at about 3lbs now. Everyday is a new journey for this little man, as soon as he jumps one hurdle there seems to be no break before another one. Right now the immediate prayer request is that he is having an upper GI test in the morning because he has been having trouble maintain his feeds. There is a possibility of surgery if there is a narrowing of his intestine. Please pray that this little body does not have to go through a major surgery.

For what its worth to those out there that want to know, my life changed the day I met little Austin Rudy. I mean Ive heard of "miracle" before but my heart melted inside when I walked into the NICU and witnessed this TEENY, TINY little body whimpering for his mommy. I cannot describe it, I am NOT a writer, but God was as clear to me in that moment as night and day. I know everyone has their stories and seen amazing things, but THIS was my AMAZING thing, a MIRACLE! What God created so PERFECTLY, PRECISE, BEAUTIFUL was never so vivid to me. Life is a gift, given to us, its nothing to be taken for granted, nothing to be ungrateful for. I have been blessed with so many things, witnessed God in my life SO many times, and know how BIG my God can be! Pray for this family, for this tiny miracle baby, for his mommy and daddy who need energy and strength, and for his big sister, that they will be uplifted, rested, and continue to Praise God in the valleys and on the mountaintops over the next several weeks.

She has turned into a horse...

2009-08-08T05:51:00.000-07:00

It changes your world.

2009-08-06T19:34:00.001-07:00

Best friends are gifts from God. And I can say with all my heart I love my friends and their kiddos. I am SO thankful for them in my life. Being a mommy isn't always easy but having friends to walk through life with makes a world of difference!

Cant believe its August

2009-07-31T18:36:00.000-07:00

As always I am a blog slacker! I just don't find enough time to sit down, write a sentence or two, and post some pics. We have had such a great summer so far. When we aren't driving around from vacation to vacation, I have the best friends ever and we stay busy hanging out at the pool and other fun outside things.

These pics are from our latest vacation to the OBX with Kevs family!

To add to the birthdays....

2009-07-14T17:55:00.000-07:00

Happy Birthday to the USA. For the 4th we visited the "farm" down in VA. My parent were out visiting GG and taking my baby sister for her orientation to Virginia Tech. Lesley is going to be a freshman at Tech in the Fall. Its really amazing to me that little les, who I used to take care of like a real baby doll, is going to college!

I love to post pics, even though it takes me some time to get them up! Its an easy way for friends to see whats been going on in our lives and to see the girls growing up! I just dont know where time went, and how it is possible that I have a 2 1/2 year old and a 1 year old. This summer is busy, I feel like the last 3 weeks there hasnt been a day thats come with "nothing" to do. I have no idea how some mommies work outside the home on top of this. These two little ones keep me on the go! In the weeks to come we have my sis Evie coming for a few weeks, a trip to the beach, a birthday bash for Joy and hher best friend Wyatt, a pool party in annapolis, a lax tournament in Ocean City, and I think that pretty much puts us at the last weekend of August? Seriously time flies!!!

Here are some pics from the 4th...

Birthday Girl

2009-07-10T12:52:00.000-07:00

I really CANNOT believe that another year has come and gone. Unbelievable to me how fast the days, weeks, and months go by. What a great year this little one has had! So many answered prayers, so many great times, meeting so many new friends, and growing up so big!

Thank you God for so many blessings, Thank you for our little Joyful!

Busy busy

2009-06-25T11:26:00.001-07:00

We've been busy, the story of our lives! This month of June has been full of lots of celebration for us! We love good months! My birthday, Kev's birthday, Father's Day, new house, and Kev's brother got married, this all in a span of 2 weeks :) So thats what Im talking about when I say busy!

Things are going well, we are getting settled in our new house and traveling for fun plans with family all over the place. I love summertime!

Here are a few pics to catch everyone up on the last few weeks...

Happy Father's Day (early) and Happy Birthday to Kevin

2009-06-18T09:30:00.000-07:00

We are away for the weekend celebrating Uncle B and Aunt Katies wedding, but in honor of Kev's birthday (today) and fathers day this weekend, I wanted to get this done!

There is no way I would be who I am today without these two in my life.

My dad has been through an extremely difficult year this past year, fighting his was through throat cancer! There is not a day that goes by that I am not thanking God for my dad, for all my dad has done for me, and for the fact he has always been there for me! This fathers day I am truly thankful for my Daddy, my hero, and for every moment we get to spend with him!

My best Friend, My hubby, And the father to my two most precious possessions! I am thankful for Kevin today, as he turns another year older and happier :) Wow the last few years have been a whirlwind, but Id do it all over again with the love and support that Kevin gives to this family! What a journey life is and Im thankful to God for his precious gift, Kevin, to me!

ALL MOVED IN!

2009-06-15T12:57:00.001-07:00

Well we are here in the new house and no longer swimming in boxes. We moved the first weekend of June and thanks to great friends were able to pretty much get here and out of our old place all in 1 day! I will say, Lord willing, I NEVER want to move again. We love our new place, lots of room for more Dennstaedts, and once I make this place my home its going to be permanent!

I will post pics of the weekend when i get to it, not sure where my camera cord is. The business of summer is upon us and it seems that every weekend we have something fun planned.

Hope to see lots of good friends and family in the next few months!!

Fun weekend...

2009-05-27T07:57:00.001-07:00

Now on to packing...less than 2 weeks until we are no longer in our first little home. Kinda bittersweet. I am so excited to move and have more space for all of us, but will miss my first "home".

Memorial Day

2009-05-25T14:07:00.000-07:00

I have to post this in honor of a friend, from back home In ST.Louis. We were never great friends, but she went to another high school and played lacrosse with me during the summers and against me during the school years. She was a bright, beautiful, amazing person. She was killed this past week serving her country in Afghanistan.

Here is the article from CNN:

Female Air Force Academy graduate dies in Afghanistan

(CNN) -- The U.S. Air Force Academy is mourning its first female graduate to be killed by enemy forces in Afghanistan or Iraq.
First Lt. Roslyn L. Schulte, 25, graduated from the Air Force Academy in 2006.
First Lt. Roslyn L. Schulte, 25, died Wednesday near Kabul, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered in a roadside bomb attack.
She was an intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance operations officer assigned to the 613th Air and Space Operations Center, the Air Force said Friday in a news release. Schulte was deployed to Combined Security Transition Command-Afghanistan. She was traveling in a convoy to Bagram Airfield to participate in an intelligence sharing conference.
"Losing Lt. Schulte has been a tragedy felt by everyone here and across the Air Force," said Col. Terrence O'Shaughnessy, 613th AOC commander. "Our deepest sympathies and prayers are with the family of this heroic airman."
Schulte's fellow airmen "will be forever proud of her," he added. Schulte graduated from the academy in 2006. She is the 10th graduate to die in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, the academy said. Schulte's parents live in St. Louis, Missouri. She also had a brother. Her father told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch that his daughter was a natural leader who was teaching Afghan forces how to handle military intelligence.

"She knew how to talk to chiefs of staff, to generals, to privates, and they listened," Robert Schulte told the paper. "And that's what we needed, a great leader of people."

A U.S. soldier holds the dog tag of 1st Lt. Roslyn Schulte, from Ladue, Mo., during a Memorial Day observance ceremony at Camp Eggers in Kabul, Afghanistan, Monday, May 25, 2009. On Monday the U.S. forces based at Camp Eggers gathered wearing khaki, camouflage and blue blazers to salute their latest dead comrades, Schulte, or Roz, and Shawn Pine from San Antonio, Texas, a former Army ranger who was working as a contractor to train Afghan army soldiers. (AP Photo/Rafiq Maqbool)

Happy Graduation Aunt Duck!

2009-05-17T18:38:00.000-07:00

What a weekend we just had! My dad flew in to visit and my little sis graduated from Messiah. There were so many fun events planned with friends and family! Aunt Duck is leaving us tomorrow for the summer and for good :( Its been nothing less than wonderful to have her around for the last 4 years! WOW! We will miss her dearly but are so excited for the fun things to come in her life!

Congrats Charley Elizabeth Wilkinson (AKA: Aunt Duck)

Happy Mother's Day!

2009-05-13T10:30:00.001-07:00

I know Im a few days late...things are crazy around here. I am trying to potty train, getting ready for graduation weekend for my sister, and cleaning up for my dad who is visiting this weekend.

I just had to get a post out honoring my hero, my momma!

She's my best friend and who I want to be more like everyday! I am who I am because of her! I could write a book about how amazing she is, but for now Ill just leave you with this...I am blessed to have you for my mom!

Love you MOM!!!

We are going to the tournament!!!!!!

2009-05-03T17:16:00.001-07:00

We won our conference Championship on Saturday to give us an automatic qualifier for the NCAA tournament!!!!

I live for Messiah Lacrosse!!!

2009-04-29T17:39:00.000-07:00

I live for a lot of things...

But I love my team!

We play in the second round of playoffs tomorrow! We win and we play in the conference championship on Saturday!

undefeated

2009-04-19T09:15:00.000-07:00

My team remains undefeated in our conference, with 2 games left. It has been a fun season. Yesterday was our senior game and this week is our last week of regular season. Wow it goes so fast! Here are a few pics from the weekend. It was beautiful here!

Its coming along...

2009-04-16T08:05:00.000-07:00

The roof is on and all the windows are in. It will look like this for a few weeks. All the work has moved from the outside to the inside. Estimated to start drywall at the end of this week.

9 months!

2009-04-15T06:52:00.000-07:00

I cannot believe my little Joyful is 9 months old. Where has the time gone. She is still growing steady and right at the 50% in all categories. She weighed in at 18lbs she is a little peanut compared to Rose. Rose was over 18lbs by 6 months :) She is finally starting to sleep through the night at a consistent basis and sharing a room with her sister, I love that! Joy doesnt really enjoy food, she wont eat ANY baby food mashed up. Everything has to be cut up small and she likes to do it herself. Why are my children so independent? Things are going well here for the Dennstaedts. Lacrosse with end in a few weeks and then we will be moving. We are looking forward to some warm weather and a new place to spread out!

Easter at the Farm!

2009-04-13T10:47:00.000-07:00

We spent the Easter weekend with family down in in southern Virginia. It was a short trip, but lots of fun. Everyone knows how much Rose loves her horses and she was able to visit her travel at her GG's farm. We also saw a baby calf born, yes vet assisted, complete with a chain attached to the baby inside the mommy cow and 2 300lb men pulling it out with all their body weight. I am SO NOT kidding! Little Joyful was able to meet her Great Granny (GG) and all her second cousins :) It was a great weekend!

We're moving...

2009-04-01T10:47:00.000-07:00

We are leaving our cute little townhouse that we thought we could live in forever! Obviously that was before our life was taken over by two little people and all their STUFF! We are relocating just about 10 min away from where we are now. We will miss our first little perfect place...but are excited for what God has next. We are building a new house in a new neighborhood and its been fun to pick out everything to fit our needs for the years to come...

Here we say goodbye to our favorite place with so many special memories and get ready to move on in the next few months....

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Here's the new place coming along...from nothing to something! They are making progress, I will post some more as they get closer to finishing!

Spring Break

2009-03-25T11:09:00.000-07:00

We had a great week down in Vero Beach, FL with my family. Rose LOVED the beach and Joy tried to figure it out. Rose would have run right in and swam away if we would have let her! We stayed in a big house on the beach with my parents, 3 sisters, and my sister from high schools friends, 8 of them :) It was a full house, busy week, and lots of sun! My team From Messiah was there and we played 2 games. I was able to leave my girls with my family and drive down to West Palm and coach.

March Maddness

2009-03-12T07:10:00.001-07:00

My favorite time of the day... the most exhausting, but the best!

Things are going well in the Dennstaedt family. The girls have been sick on and off. RSV, colds, Bronchitis, CROOP, Its never just something simple. I think the only thing we haven't tracked through this house is the flu.. thank you God! We are packing up to head to Florida for a week. My team goes every spring break and this year my family will be down in Vero Beach where my grandma lives. Mom and Dad rented a beach house for my baby sisters senior spring break trip. So we will have a full house, Grandaddy and BAMA, Evie, Charley, Lesley and her 8 friends, and me and my girls! We are sad to leave Daddy behind to work! I will be able to leave my little ones with the fam and go down to West Palm and coach my team. Lets hope it all works out.

Hopefully When we return I can get some beach pics out. For now Rose has been walking around the house in this outfit, packing for the beach with her BAMA and GRANDADDY!

Elmo Girls

2009-02-24T11:56:00.001-08:00

Here is my big helper! She wants to do EVERYTHING for her baby "Joyful"! Poor Joy!

Rosebuds love for Elmo is so great that she thinks everyone should love him as much as her! Especially her little sister. Actually her little sister should like everything as much as Rose and should like everything that Rose likes. Poor Joy. I feel like I say that alot!

Here are my Elmo girls!

Happy Valentine's Day!

2009-02-15T07:10:00.000-08:00

Never thought it would happen...

2009-01-31T09:23:00.001-08:00

My little angel finally decided to sleep through the night. She is almost 7 months old and I know they say don't get excited just because they do it once... but even if Im up all night tonight I have to say getting 8 hours of sleep was glorious!! After almost a week of letting her cry through her night wake times... she decided it wasn't worth fighting anymore. I really thought this would not happen for awhile...
Thank you Little Joyful.... even if it was just one night. Mommy got some MUCH needed REST!

The Season Begins

2009-01-30T10:10:00.000-08:00

Its that time of year again....

When I bundle up to go out in the 0 degree temps in attempt to coach a bunch of college women in the game of lacrosse. I search for a babysitter for my girls a few hours a week. It never fails that the week we start our season, the wind rages, the sky dumps snow and ice, and winter arrives! Every year I contemplate going back to coach, but every year God works out all the details and I venture on... all in all...I LOVE being an assistant Coach to my lax girls at messiah! I love each and every one of those young women and I know in my heart why I am there with them almost every day for the next few months!

Visit our website to keep up with our season....It will be nothing less than exciting this year! I know first and foremost I am a wife and mom, but deep inside of me I am also a coach and really really love it!

www.gomessiah.edu
click on Women's Lacrosse

Much love to Feb.....

Since we've been home

2009-01-21T13:35:00.000-08:00

Joy is 6 months old!
15.10 lbs
24 inches long
50% all around!

She is doing great...still not sleeping all the way through the night...but its coming soon. I can feel it! Geez I hope so anyway. She is eating food, trying to learn to take a bottle, rolling over across the room and smiling and talking to her sister Rose all the time!

These are my girls! They are sooo Fun! This is Rose and her Horse Penny. I am honeslty not convinced she knows this is not a "real" horse. Penny is probably her best friend!

Christmas in St. Louis

2009-01-21T13:28:00.000-08:00

Here are a few pics...more to come from the last few months :)

I told you I wasnt good at keeping up with this!

2009-01-19T12:51:00.000-08:00

So I warned you all! I knew this would be a challenge to keep up, a challenge for me to find 5 min to sit and write an update on the business in the life of the Dennstaedts! I will try to catch everyone up a bit...

November was a fun month! With the holidays around the corner we found many fun fall things to do, hanging with friends, planning our trips away, and being outside for a few last weeks before the cold came. We celebrated our 4 year anniversary on the 26th of the month! Wow, 4 years down the road and a lot has changed in our lives. Especially the size of our family! For Thanksgiving we went and spent the weekend in Annapolis with Kevin's family. It was the first time his extended family was able to meet Joy, it was a really great weekend. We learned that whether we leave for 1 night or 4, the amount of things it takes to pack up a family of 4 is kinda ridiculous!

December came and went so quickly. We enjoyed Christmas cookie making with friends, a few too many Christmas parties, leaving my Joy for the first time with a babysitter, MOPS Christmas brunch, Women's bible study Christmas brunch, Making lots of homemade Christmas gifts, having Kevin's family up for a Christmas/engagement party, and then traveling 13 hours in the car to St. Louis for a LONG Christmas vacation.

We spent almost a month with my family in St. Louis with my family. It was such a wonderful time. All of my siblings were there and we did a lot of eating yummy food and playing lots with horsies! Kev stayed a week on both ends and flew home to work here while we stayed with my family! It was a treasured time to be with my family. My dad is doing great and had CT scans last week that all came back showing no signs of cancer! Praise God! We got in the car on the 12th of Jan for a 14 hour trip back to Mechanicsburg and Ive been running around with my head cut off ever since. Wondering how in the world can I go from a Grandma and 3 sisters to just me! WOW!

I had to write an update on here, but the catch is my computer broke over the holidays and we had to have the whole thing restored. I am still uploading all my pics back onto the computer and figuring out how to get things back to normal. I will admit this whole MAC thing is great for some people, but is taking me more time to get used to than i thought, especially now when everything is all over the place and I have to put it back in the places it was before....

So look back in a few days to get an update of pics from the holidays! There are tons of them so maybe Ill put a few up everyday! Thanks for being patient with me...I will update this thing. Just not as often as most! :)

Time flies

2008-11-19T09:33:00.000-08:00

So I really am trying to keep up with this Blog thing, at least trying to keep some pics up every once in awhile so that all you out there that aren't blessed with our presence everyday can see what is happening with the Dennstaedt's! Its been almost a month since Halloween pictures were posted...so I will try to catch everyone up a bit.

Little Joyful is 4 months old. Time flies so fast. She is just the most precious, peaceful little 'Joy' to have around. She like and unlike her sister in so many ways. They do look somewhat similar. Joy Loves to sleep and can sleep through anything. Unlike her sister! Joy smiles and plays on her own. Unlike her sister! Joy loves to be held and lay her head on your shouder (mommy's anyway) Unlike her sister! Rose was a busy baby, always on the move, Joy is much more content and peaceful. She is just perfect. Rose was too, at the time :) I just never knew how much better it could possibly get! She is sleeping ok, waking up once a night. At her 4 month appt she weighed in at a whopping 13lbs 12 oz. 50% on all counts! She is a peanut. Unlike her sister! :)

Rose is one busy busy 2 year old. She runs constantly and I wish she could share some energy with her mommy everyday! She is speaking in paragraphs. She often looks at me and says "Im going to get something real quick, Ill be right back" hmmm sounds like someone else in this family! Always on the move, and 'real quick'! Lets just say she might look everything like her daddy but she sure acts more like her mommy! She loves to play with her friends, is obsessed with horses, loves daddy time, and playing with her sister. I need to keep a journal of our everyday adventures, they might not be adventures to you...but to us everyday if full of fun!

Happy Halloween

2008-11-03T10:17:00.000-08:00

Rose is 2!!!

2008-10-30T12:24:00.001-07:00

Little Rose is 2...I cant believe how fast time goes by. She got a new big bed and has done great with it! We went to the PA farm show complex for the 4-H horse show. How appropriate! Here are some shots of us celebrating this past weekend as a little happy family! God is so good, so faithful, and we honor him for the Joys in our lives!

My girls

2008-10-22T07:43:00.000-07:00

Since I am truly blessed I couldn't resist... :) There is something so amazing about sisters. I have 4 of them and they are, to me, the most wonderful people and best friends anyone could ever ask for. They are so unique and so beautiful. We have been there in the thick and thin to get each other to where we are today, and I couldn't thank god enough for the sisters he gave me. (Ill have to talk about my amazing brothers in another post)
Seeing my little girls starting to act as sisters, Rose loving Joy and always looking out for her...its so awesome. They will be best friends. God makes each family special and unique, and I thank him for giving us Rose and for Giving us Joy, but also I thank him for giving Rose a sister! :)

Fall in PA

2008-10-22T07:24:00.000-07:00

We love the fall. Its our most favorite time of the year. There are lots of things that happen in the fall that make us appreciate this season. Wedding anniversary, Fall sports at Messiah, wearing sweatshirts, pumpkin patches, homecoming, brisk cool air with open windows, and the list could go on. This fall is a little different. It really crept up on me more than I thought. Last time I slept through the night without a worry in the world was in July...and now its close to November! Having a newborn adds craziness to your life and having someone you love and care about with cancer changes your life. Needless to say Ive been on my knees more in the past few months than I ever have before. I am burdened so many days with prayer for so many who need it. Friends whos families are hurting, Friends experiencing the loss of a baby or the anticipation of one, praying for my dad constantly, my siblings and my mom, the list goes on...
This week at our church I learned something that I will hold on to forever. We are truly blessed. I mean how can we think of ourselves as blessed in these difficult situations? But we are. God sent his blessings down on us so that we can spread them to others and help them see his Love and grace for us! WOW! I am blessed, in so many ways. We often think of blessings as only the good things in life...those are just the easy and obvious things we see. Just sitting here right now in my kitchen looking at my 2 little blessings...God is amazing. But I was astounded to hear how he gives us things and circumstances so that we might use them to shine his light. Just a beautiful thing, another beautiful thing about living life with a faith in Christ. Something I knew in my heart but needed to hear again to be refreshed. Sometimes when life is crazy and going fast, we forget to stop and see the little things and appreciate, despite of our circumstances, the life we have set to live ahead of us!
Psalm 67-May God be gracious to us and bless us and make his face shine upon us, that your ways may be known on earth, your salvation among all nations...
Here are some fall photos of the Dennstaedt bunch....

Big sister

2008-10-15T10:46:00.000-07:00

Rose loves all the baby things being constantly pulled out for her little sister! The scary thing is she used to fit in these! They grow sooo fast!

3 months old!

2008-10-09T16:20:00.000-07:00

I cannot believe 3 months have gone by. Life is a whirlwind. Our days right now are filled with bible study, MOPS, lunch with friends, Coaching lax, weekend fall events, Messiah soccer games, and loving being together as a family! Little Joyful is a whopping 12lbs 4 oz. So we are no longer worried about her weight or her boycotts of eating for hours at a time! She seems to be content and getting all she needs. She is still a tiny peanut compared to her sister. We are loving every minute of our family of 4!

Another visit home

2008-10-01T06:44:00.000-07:00

We were able to go back to St.Louis for a visit. Just me and the girls, thank you Daddy! It was such a special time to be home with my parents and sisters. My dad had just got out of the hospital and was starting his radiation and chemo the day after we left. It was a good week of distraction for him! God has been amazing through all this, we see him all over it! Please continue to pray for my daddy! We had a wonderful visit, playing with Grandaddy and BAMA and really doing nothing else! I look forward to going back again...

Here are some pics of our visit!

She would try and fit 10 if she could

2008-09-28T10:44:00.000-07:00

Little Rosebud loves her "PAPI'S" She was trying to fit as many in her mouth as she could. "look mom papi in rose mouth" Direct quote as she stuffs herself full!

She is a two month old peanut

2008-09-12T10:41:00.000-07:00

So it looks like our little "Joyful" will not follow in the same footsteps as her sister. A visit to the doctor today for her 2 month appointment made this clear. At 2 months Rose was 13.9 lbs and in the 98th percentile in all categories. Little Joy was tipping the scales today at 11 lbs and in the 50th percentile in all categories. She has not been eating that well and that is a little concerning to the doc, but we will check her progress at 3 months to make sure she is still a little sprouting bean! This little one pretty much sleeps through the night, and so you would think she is hungry during the day... Pray she gets more of an appetite and make some significant growing progress in the next month!

Rose loves horses

2008-09-07T18:28:00.000-07:00

You wonder why?
Ever since my sister Lesley was little she loved horses. She still loves them. It is something really beautiful to see my sister with all her horses. There is a way she interacts with them that really shows how much they mean to her. Little Rose is starting to love them just the same. Every time we go to Grandaddy's farm she sees and rides the horses! And when we visit in St.Louis Lesley takes Rose with her to feed the horses she takes care of. It is always a highlight of little Rosie's day. So you wonder why she loves horses...that is why. I think she will be like Lesley as she grows older. After all they are both my babies so why wouldnt Rose be like Les? :)

A wonderful weekend in St. Louis

2008-09-06T10:30:00.001-07:00

We spent Labor day with my family in St. Louis. It was a special time for us all to be together! Rose and Joy were a big hit and lightened the mood and brought happiness and smiles all around!

The girls with Grandaddy and BAMMA

The Cho Cho Train ride

Joy meets her Uncle Jack

Rose is such a good big sister

Joyful and her BAMMA

There's nothing better than a pop-pop with her Grandaddy

Grandaddy has been saving "silver" for his grandbabies since my sister Lesley was little. Rose loved her "silver"

Uncle Justin and Aunt Tara

Rose gets tortured by her aunts :)

Joy loves her BAMMA

A trip to the Zoo to see the ELE-FAN-ANT

Joyful meets her Grandaddy!

2008-09-04T10:24:00.000-07:00

This Labor Day weekend we spent in St. Louis with my family. Joy was able to meet her Grandaddy for the first time! It was a wonderful time to be home with my whole family (except Charley) and spend much needed time together. In the last month Grandaddy was diagnosed with Cancer. Seeing someone you love hurting is so hard. When it is your Daddy and your hero, its even harder! Seeing him adore his little grand-daughters was something I cannot describe! I will post some more pics of the weekend with the family. But for now this one is my very favorite!

She loves her sister

2008-08-24T12:04:00.000-07:00

These days go by too fast! These two little ones are a blessing from above. Rose loves her "baby joy"...somedays I wish life would slow down and they would stop growing up...

Ocean City...the annual weekend away

2008-08-22T13:19:00.000-07:00

This past weekend was our annual trip to Ocean City to watch Daddy play lacrosse. And as Rose puts it, "Go Daddy, Run fast lacrosse!" She is his biggest fan.

We had a great time getting together with all our friends, Reed, the Videons, the Kupfers, and more....It was a great time to get away.

Elmo went swimming in the bay, "Go Momo, Swim fast" ...hmm someone has been watching too much lacrosse

Rose and her Cay-Bob....they are BFFs. Too cute.

Rose and her Cay-Bob....they are BFFs. Too cute.

The Dennstaedt's

2008-08-20T10:33:00.001-07:00

Our Family

A lot goes on in one year....

2008-08-20T10:20:00.000-07:00

So its been a year since I have updated this thing, but I think I am going to try and keep up with this. We will see how it goes. This past year has flown by. We have added to our little family and things are going well. Rose is now 22 months and Baby Joy is 5 weeks old! They are a blessing. Here are some pics to catch everyone up!

Rose loves her "paci's"

2007-08-09T14:06:00.001-07:00

Vacation in Duck, NC

2007-08-09T13:55:00.000-07:00

We went to the beach with the Dennstaedt family at the end of July. Rose wasn't a big fan of the ocean or of the sand. She loved playing in the hose and pulling magazines off the shelf. Good thing we drove all the way to the beach for that! HaHa. Next year she will be all over the place and I'm not ready for that!

Summer vacation to Grandaddy and Grandma's

2007-08-09T13:30:00.001-07:00

Rose Visits Granddaddy and Grandma's house in St.Louis!

Daddy's first Fathers Day

2007-08-09T13:27:00.000-07:00

We are a little behind the times around here! We keep busy, what can I say? Anyway this is Rose and her favorite on Fathers Day in June!

2007-08-09T13:24:00.000-07:00

Rose takes a fall down the basement stairs. She comes up ok and Daddy buys her an Elmo balloon to make it feel better. Just a little scratch on the face to show for the big tumble.

2007-08-09T13:22:00.000-07:00

Daddy wins Rosie a fish at the art fest in Harrisburg! The fish didnt make it through the night after spending an afternoon in the stroller. So Rose needs a few years before she is old enough to take care of a pet!

2007-07-19T09:31:00.000-07:00

Rose is getting so big. She is standing up on everything, pulling things off tables and throwing it on the ground, crawling faster everyday! She will be walking before we know it!

2007-07-19T09:30:00.000-07:00

Rosie Crawling

2007-07-01T16:47:00.000-07:00

Here is Rosie in her first week of crawling.

Welcome to our family blog.

2007-06-27T10:38:00.000-07:00