New Family Pics!

My sister, Ashleigh, and her three girls came to visit last week.  Ashleigh was the photographer for our cousin, Logan's wedding.  While she was in town I took advantage of her awesome skills and had her take some pics of us.  The first three were taken at Memory Grove park.  We had been celebrating Josh's birthday at Seven Peaks waterpark all day, none of us had showered, we didn't coordinate our outfits or do our hair.  This is the "everyday Schipaanboord's."  Thought it would be good to have a couple family shots of us being, well... us.

These other pics were taken at the Salt Lake Temple, right before we went to our cousin, Hillary's wedding.  I did plan our outfits in this one.  I decided on the blue/yellow/white theme when I saw Josh and Ben wearing their blue dress shirts to church a few weeks ago.  I loved how cute they looked in them and thought matching yellow ties would look really nice.  I found Emma's dress at Costco for $12.99, my shoes at Payless, and the boys' ties at Tie One On at the Layton Hills Mall.  I borrowed my skirt from my friend, Meighan, and everything else we already had in our closets.  Jake and I had a little disagreement about which tie he was going to wear and ultimately he won, and I actually think now his choice was the better of the two anyway.  You were right, babe. ;)

Anyway, thanks again Ash for taking the pics and editing them.  You're super talented and we LOVE you!  Wish you guys could have stayed longer.  I guess next visit will be Israel in March?  Crossing my fingers it will be sooner.

Joshua Dean- My 4 Year Old

July 26, 2007.  Hard to believe my baby is 4 years old.  I sometimes forget what a big kid he is until he does or says something that surprises me and makes me realize that he is definitely not a baby anymore.  Exciting and a little sad all rolled into one.  Thankfully he still gives me hugs and kisses, and tells me he "loves me most." He's our special little guy.

Birth picture from the hospital

6 months

1st Birthday

2nd Birthday

3rd Birthday

4th Birthday

Josh adores his older brother and sister.  He loves when they play with him, and laugh with him.

Josh and Emma decided to attack Ben with hugs and kisses (not something an 8 year old really loves.)  They chased him around the living room and I managed to capture this pic.  

Josh looks up to Ben and wants to do everything he does.  Thankfully, Ben doesn't seem to mind too much.  They are good brothers and I hope they stay close friends forever.

Josh was so excited that him and Ben got matching snake shirts.

Emma is Josh's 2nd mom.  She loves to help get him dressed, make his lunch, play outside with him, etc.  Josh loves having her around.  It will definitely be quite an adjustment for him not to have his big sister around during the day when she starts 1st grade next month.

 Josh & Emma showing some love.

 

Zions National Park- Showing off his big muscles

 We celebrated Josh's birthday on Saturday while my parents, sister, and 3 nieces were in town.  We spent 5 hours at Seven Peaks-Salt Lake and had a blast.  Josh loved every second he was there.  That night we had cake and ice cream and Josh got to open his present... a blue razor scooter with TWO wheels.  He has been asking non-stop for this for the past month, saying Emma's old pink princess scooter with THREE wheels is "too little" for him.  

 Josh was thrilled when he opened up his present and asked to open the box right then so he could go out in the front yard and ride it.

 Such a big boy!

 Now he can be like his older brother and sister.

 Josh completes our family.  He is such a sweetheart and we all love our little... ahem, I mean, our "big" guy.  Happy Birthday, Joshie.  We LOVE you!

Sleeping Beauty

I think Jake enjoys taking pictures of me when I look ridiculous.  He took the pic above of me today, and the last one he took of me sleeping with Josh before that one was the pic below.  Why can't Jake take a cute picture?  You know the one, with the mom looking all angelic, embracing her child as they both are in deep slumber?  Nope.  Can't take pics like that.  It's just not my style.  Jake really lucked out with his sleeping beauty. ;)  And by the way, yes, I sleep with my mouth open.  I have a deviated septum and don't breathe great out of my left nostril, hence the mouth-breathing.  It's attractive, I know.  You're all jealous. ;)

NSL 5K 2011

A year ago I wrote THIS post.  I had been running with my girlfriends and we were all planning to do the NSL 5K together on July 3, 2010.  Then I was diagnosed with the cancer in my lung and spent June 22-July 6 in the hospital and wasn't able to run the race.  Instead, my mom took my number and ran in my spot and my girlfriends ran as "Team Jamie".  I remember sitting in my hospital bed and getting a text from them before the race, showing a picture of Abby and Meighan with huge smiles, wearing their "Team Jamie" hats.  I bawled.  I was happy they were doing it, sad I wasn't there, happy my cancer was gone, sad I didn't know if I could run races again, happy I felt so much love and support, sad I didn't know when I could come home.  Lots of emotions.  Throughout the race, Amber kept me updated with more texts and pictures.  I cried some more.  It was a crazy/happy/sad day... hard to put it all into words.  Then after the race, my 5 friends all came to the hospital and gave me a shower (something I couldn't do on my own and desperately wanted.  It had been 11 days since I had taken a full shower, been scrubbed down, hair washed and all.)  I stripped down to nothing but my chest tubes and telemetry monitor and they all gently and lovingly scrubbed me down from head to toe.  I felt so good afterward and my love for them grew exponentially that day.

I was excited when I got a text from Abby a few days ago telling me she had signed up for the 5K again.  And then the next thing I knew Meighan and Kim were on-board again, too.  We all carpooled together and there was excitement and lots of joy in the air.  We were celebrating!  After we all checked in, got our numbers and waited in line for the race to start, I looked around the park.  I looked at all the people, watched my friends fiddling with their sunglasses and iPods, felt the warm sun on my face, breathed in the clean air.  It made me smile.  It was one of those perfect moments where you just wish you could stop time so you could soak it all in for just a few minutes longer.  The race began and we all took off at our own paces.  I crossed the finish line at 30:11, Kim around 30:30, Abby at 32 (a PR), Meighan at 33, and our friends Amy & Natalie around 35.  During the race I remember noticing the lack of lung capacity as I tried to take a couple good, deep breaths.  I know my body will never be the same again.  I can't be sad that my 5K PR (24:58) might never be broken.  My friend told me I have to think of my race times as my new PPR (Post surgery/cancer Personal Record) which is true.  When I saw 30:11 on my watch I was happy, and proud.  I've come a long way this past year, and I know it's only going to get better.  I feel blessed to have so much love and support, and to be healthy enough to run races... and just to be alive!  Life is good.