The Pitts Stop

Hilton Head Island (Beck Family Vacation)

2011-08-29T16:31:00.000-07:00

Here we are...

The Pitts Family

on Hilton Head Island for our Beck Family Vacation.

Olivia (19 Months)

Brandon (6)

Abigail (8)

Gavin (almost 11)

So, Sharese is one of those super creative and extremely talented sister-in-laws, (she took the above photos) and had the cute idea to make the kids a special family vacation t-shirt with numbers on the back. Oldest (1) to youngest (13), and with more grand kids on the way - at least their individual numbers would always stay the same. Also, just to note, there are no additions on the way from the Pitts Family. Here they are nicely lined up.
This is not an easy task by the way.

Nana and Papa had all kinds of fun planned for the trip. The highlight was "Nana and Papa BUCKS" that the kids could earn by doing service or nice things for someone. The Nana and Papa STORE opened each morning to redeem BUCKS earned the previous day. Below the grand kids are reading a new book from Nana and Papa Who Stole The Cookie and then they played the "Who Stole the Cookie from the Cookie Jar" game. Followed by a chocolate chip cookie.One night each family was in charge of performing a family skit. They were all hilarious! Oh, and look, even uncle Ryan participated in one of our "goofy" family traditions.

One thing we love about Hilton Head are the great bike trails around the Sea Pines Plantation. Every morning we would ride bikes to a different area to see things. I'm sure we looked something like the Von Trapp family from the Sound of Music as we followed each other down the paths.

Feeding the turtles was one of our stops along the bike trails.

Another favorite place we rode our bikes to was the stable to feed the horses. Even little Olivia put her hand out to share some carrots. There was one horse in particular (a Clydesdale) that was tall and had some beautiful boot-like hooves.

Brandon's favorite place to ride to was the new petting zoo. He followed this little deer around until the deer decided to rest under a tree. Then, Brandon leaned down to pet him goodbye, and the deer began licking Brandon's head, but Brandon just stayed there and held very still.

He must have been enjoying the salty taste from Brandon's sweat because that deer just licked, and licked and licked until....
(kind of gross but Brandon was very pleased)

Yes, we even made it to the beach (all 25 of us). We looked something like this...

The little kids ready to make one of their many sand castles.

Beach Sisters
(Sharese, Tiffany, Sarah, Me, Tracy)

Bill, Nicholas, Tyler and Gavin playing beach baseball
(because really no one should go too many days without a little baseball).

Halle, Abigail and Izzy giving Nana a special "sand treatment."

Bill and Lil
(Pittsy- I had to post this one because you look like you really love me here :)

After the beach it was back to the house for some cool pool time. The (not so hot) hot tub was a hit for the grand kids.

This was a nice surprise that Jordan and Travis found in the garage late one evening. (Trav, thanks again for bringing the slithery thing in the house to share with the rest of us snake lovers).

Gavin and his Horseshoe Crab.

So, the horseshoe crab lives mostly in shallow ocean waters on soft sandy or muddy bottoms. The crabs will occasionally come on shore for mating however, this one wasn't so lucky. We found him dead on the shore. Then, "somehow" the crab found a way home with us just a short walk from the beach.

All over Hilton Head Island there are lagoons or little areas with brackish water and often large alligators. Sometimes, you will find tips posted on Alligator Safety such as this one:

"The biggest thing to state is, don't panic! There have only been 8 documented attacks in South Carolina in the last quarter century, and in each of those there was evidence of the 'gators having been fed previously. So, number one, don't feed the alligators!"

Still not sure who gets credit for inviting this green alligator to the edge of the lagoon behind our house? Who ever it was, well they clearly broke RULE #1. But if I had to guess, it is probably the same person that thought it was a good idea to feed the alligator that dead horseshoe crab. YIKES - hold on to your kids!!

So, needless to say we had this alligator hanging out in our back yard, waiting for more scraps until we left Saturday morning. But "don't panic," right?

There was lots of crazy crab catching.... these little guys are super fast.

And what would Hilton Head be without an evening with Greg Russell singing "Bubble Gum" or "Is that a Boogar in the Sugar" under the big oak tree in Harbor Town?

Actually, I think we all still loved each other, even after a whole week together under one roof.
But maybe I should just speak for myself?
Thanks Nana and Papa
Now we have lots of great memories from Hilton Head!

Welcome Home

2011-07-15T11:47:00.000-07:00

After 3 years of serving as mission president (in Phoenix Arizona) Nana and Papa finally returned home June 30th!

All the Beck grandkids with their signs at the airport.

The Pitts Family

Big hugs for Papa

and for Nana

Together again ...

Movie night with Nana and Papa ...

What a good looking group of grandkids!

GG Russells (great grandparents) were also able to come back to Cincy and spend time with us for a week when Nana and Papa returned.

The Pitts Family with GG Russells'.

Nana and Papa went right to work catching up on all those missed games.

My Grandparents and I at Gavins game. I love this picture.

Four generations... Olivia wants to help too. Brandon and Olivia.

Summer Time Photos

2011-06-29T08:05:00.000-07:00

If you leave our pantry door open, Olivia will go for the bag of marshmallows every time!

Olivia scooting along

Olivia 16 months

Olivia's first lollipop!

Olivia throwing a little fit

I officially finished the 13.1 miles in the Geist Half Marathon.

Brandon was able to watch his caterpillar change into a butterfly.

Below, Abigail helps Brandon set his butterfly free.

Brandon's Butterfly

Brandon had a blast playing coach pitch this summer. He made sure his team stayed in their positions and often reminded the coach he knew what to do.

In May Brandon had a "Sports" birthday party and turned 6 years old.

Abigail turned 8 in April but waited until it warmed up to celebrate with friend in Nana and Papas Pool.

Abigail and Olivia playing dress-ups

Gavin received his "arrow of light" award at scouts. He has been working hard on his badges.

Gavin smiling about his award.

Gavin has been living the baseball dream, playing in games several times a week.

I made a trip to Arizona in early June to help my parents get ready for the move back to Cincy!

It was really nice to spend a few days with them.

Of course Kings Island has been a hot spot for the Pitts Kids this summer despite the scorching temperatures! Bill has been the official parent chaperone.

The annual father son campout is always a big hit for the boys.

In June we had a massive amount of rain. This is our backyard looking more like a few rivers.

Olivia loves to play with her baby dolls.

Olivia and her two piggies

This is Olivia's idea of swimming.

Gavin loves his tater-tots.

Bill took the boys to the Rankin House for a little educational experience.

Below is a little video clip of Brandon doing a back flip.

More pictures to come when Nana and Papa return ....

Royal Wedding Adventures

2011-05-05T12:54:00.000-07:00

It all began began when Prince William and Kate Middleton announced their engagement... Carol, my sister-in-law called and asked if I wanted to go with her to London for the Royal Wedding Events.

The entire trip was Royal! It began with first class airfare to London.

These red telephone booths and the double decker buses (in the background) are a familiar sight on the streets.

Standing in front of the Thames River, the Houses of Parliament, the Clock Tower and Westminister Bridge.

Welcome to West Minister Abbey, ground zero for Britain's royal wedding frenzy. We were among the last to walk through the Abbey a few hours before it closed to prepare for The Royal Event. We were even filmed by NBC as we were walking inside! Large temporary media structures were built up around the entrance of the Abbey for thousands of journalists to report on the event.

As you can see nothing was missed in the wedding preparations, below even the lamp posts are getting a royal shine.

This gentleman was one of the many die-hard fans and camped out for 84 hours before royal wedding to save a spot. We found in our stay that many of the British agree with him, "Kate's one of us — she doesn't put on airs and graces, and she's such a lovely girl. Everyone who meets her, likes her. In fact, Diana would be very proud of her son Prince William and Catherine's marriage and Prince Harry as best man."

Everywhere you looked wedding bells were ringing.

Wednesday I got a surprise trip to Paris, yet another royal treat.

Hard Rock Cafe Paris

I met the Eiffel Tower. Amazing!

I loved this carousel that was just happily spinning around at the bottom of the Eiffel Tower.

Paris was full of flower shops on the corners and flower boxes above the cafe's. Oh and people, lots and lots of people.

Notre Dame Cathedral was beautiful. They say it has one of the finest examples of French Gothic architecture in Europe. It is the religious center of the city.

Back in London, the window-shops at Harrods (a high-end department store) were filled with royal wedding decor.

The day finally arrived Friday April 29, 2011. We stopped at Trafalgar Square (a public space and tourist attraction in central London that is used for community gatherings) before finding a spot to watch the Royal Wedding Procession.

10 Downing Street AKA Number 10 is the headquarters of Her Majesty's Government and the official residence of the Prime Minister. This was our perfect spot to watch the procession. We arrived around 8:30am and waited it out until the first of many Royals would parade by.

Did you know that royal brides were supposed to ride a carriage going to Westminister Abbey? But Kate opted to use a Rolls-Royce Phantom VI because she explained- she was still a Ms. Middleton at the time of her grand entrance. Surprisingly, the royal family also decided to use cars on the way to the Abbey.

Prince Harry (left) and Prince William (right) looking super sharp in their military attire...

They were followed by Prince Charles and Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall (no offense but she's not my fav)...

Then, Queen Elizabeth passes by making a shout in her canary yellow, with her husband Prince Philip (Duke of Edinburgh) as he waved to the crowds.

Lastly, Kate the bride-to-be passed by. Riding along with her father, Michael Middleton inside the Rolls-Royce with an all glass back window making her more visible to the crowd.

Below the Royal Guard Band marched by just after the wedding ceremony. They prepared the way for the 1902 State Landau Carriage that carried the Duke of Cambridge and the new Duchess of Cambridge.

You have to look closely on this one. The lamp post on the carriage is competing with my view of Catherine. Still hard to believe I got to see this wonderful site pass before me.

Again, another royal moment... If it wasn't for the blue news lift in the background this would be a cool postcard.

One of the most anticipated traditions of the Royal Wedding is the kiss on the balcony of Buckingham Palace. After the carriage procession Carol and I took off in a mad dash to Buckingham palace. We jumped a fence (I'm so proud of you Carol) and pushed and tugged our way....

.... to the gates of Buckingham Palace. Looking back it seems so surreal that we were actually there! Crowds awaiting the iconic moment erupted in cheers (and lots of pushing) when William and Kate finally appeared and soon afterward came together for the royal smooch. With flags waiving and people standing on step stools or on each other to get a better glance; I must admit the view was not as clear as the procession spot on 10 Downing.

But we were there!!

We slept well that night!! Royal Mission accomplished!

We spent Saturday morning at Kensington Palace, and the Memorial Fountain of the late Diana, Princess of Wales. The unique Memorial to Diana is located in Hyde Park and was designed to reflect Diana's life, water flows from the highest point in two directions as it cascades, swirls down before meeting in a calm pool at the bottom. It was built with 545 pieces of Cornish granite pieced together. You can see the detail below.

It was neat to watch children and adults of all ages walking around it and playing . The Princess of Wales Memorial Fountain is Diana's last gift to the world. Her legacy lives on in the hearts and minds of many.

Here is the Tower Bridge sometimes mistakenly referred to as London Bridge that we sing about.

The tower of London below is a historical castle in London which holds the Crown Jewels.

I could not resist this photo. A very appealing cheese shop. Any kind of cheese you please could be found here. It also reminds me of the yummy royal cheese and crackers we ate while staying at The Renaissance Chancery Court.

I feel really lucky to have experienced all of this! A huge thank you to my husband for holding down the fort at home.

And especially to my sister-in-law Carol...

Thank You for all the Royal Memories!

Abigail Turns 8

2011-04-11T11:23:00.000-07:00

This was a very special birthday for Abigail!

She turned 8 years old and chose to be baptized April 9, 2011.

Baptism Dress...

Abigail's special hair-do...

The Family...

Abigail was baptized by her Dad, and confirmed a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of latter-day Saints.

We are so proud of her decision to "Choose The Right."

The CTR cake and cupcakes...

The Birthday Girl!

Abigail & her best friend Paige have birthdays within a few days of each other.

Before the baptism, they spent all day together celebrating.

Here they are treating themselves to a pedicure.

More celebrating, at the "Peter Pan" play downtown.

The Birthday girl and Olivia wearing their new pajamas!

Happy Birthday Abigail!!

Reds Open & Win!

2011-04-01T20:17:00.000-07:00

Opening Day for the Cincinnati Reds is a tradition.

This year it was a little chilly but these are not fairweather fans...

Gavin has actually been at every opening day since his first birthday!

The boys arrived early.

(They must have been with Dad)

Gavin, I'm positive you're not tired!

You must be getting ready to yell "GO REDS"

Hernandez completed a four-hit day on Opening Day with a stunning, game-ending three-run home run in the bottom of the ninth for a 7-6 victory.

Around the Pitts Place...

2011-03-21T10:52:00.000-07:00

Last weekend cousin Kody, aunt Steph and uncle Greg came to visit from Arkansas. They brought some fun Razorback gear for all the kids....

Coach Dad got "fired" last year by Gavin, who claims they should have won the last game. This year ended on a much better note as the entire team played great!

Here is Gavin and Coach holding their 1st place trophies.

March is here and so is the madness. Gavin organized brackets for everyone in the house to fill out. Needless to say we have watched a lot of college basketball this past week.

Abigail has been super busy selling yummy Girl Scout Cookies. She had some very serious selling skills and ended up selling 185 boxes!

Brandon sneaking in a few shots on his big brothers hoop while he is away at school.

Olivia got her first hair cut...

Olivia playing with her very own blow dryer just like her big sister and Mommy.

Had to capture this one... Yep it real! My fantastic husband, with a drill.

Oh and for the record, we did not have to re-do anything on this project.

As for me? I have committed to run a half marathon in May so, these are a few of my favorite things right now.

2011-02-14T15:13:00.000-08:00

Happy Valentines Day

Lots of Love,

Olivia

Pitts Kids at ONE...

2011-01-26T18:33:00.000-08:00

Gavin

Abigail

Brandon

Olivia

Olivia Turns 1

2011-01-22T21:00:00.000-08:00

Happy 1st Birthday to our sweet little Olivia!

Olivia has a wonderful personality and so fun. The kids prepared her for her 1st birthday by asking her, "How old are you?" Somehow the #1 turned into a nose pick and the kids thought that was pretty funny. Needless to say if you ask Olivia "how old are you?" she puts her finger to her nose....

Olivia getting packed up in a Lays box by her up brothers and sister!

Olivia has been watching her older sister Abigail prepare for American Idol one day.

"monkey see monkey do"

Big Milestone for The Birthday Girl!

Just one day before Olivia turned one she began walking from room to room through the house and finally learned to go backwards down the stairs.

With the cute Olivia Books & Nickelodeon show "Olivia The Pig" we thought this theme would be perfect for Olivia's 1st birthday party.

(OLIVIA is a hyper-active piglet who tests her mother's patience by belting out songs, drawing on walls, dancing, and ...well...acting like a kid.)

We have a history of live animals at 1st birthday partys, so tradition continued...

the invite...

Olivia and her pretty pig cake (thanks Teresa Gobble)!

The pig performed perfectly by grunting & squealing. Olivia is laughing at the noises (below)

An Olivia the Pig Pinata Game...

As we all sang Happy Birthday to Olivia she got a little embarrassed...

This was a perfectly appropriate pig party. Olivia LOVES to eat. She proudly shows her empty plate...

Olivia thinking... maybe I over did it on the cake?

After a successful 1st birthday, Olivia is wiped out and falls asleep holding tight to her Olivia the Pig...

Merry Christmas

2010-12-31T23:02:00.000-08:00

Christmas Eve 2010

The Kiddos

Katy and Grace

Brandon watching a special clip from Santa

(who remembers exactly what he wanted)

Christmas Morning

Olivia loved her first Christmas. Santa brought her a roll of toilet paper and her very own toilet brush to play with along with a few other toys.

Olivia turns one in a few weeks and I cannot believe it's been a year.

Over the Christmas break we had a bout of sickness going around. Somehow I managed to be the only one that stayed well. After everyone was finally feeling better the kids had a "sleepover" in the basement together.

It was so nice to stay home and spend the holidays together.

Happy New Year 2011

Give Thanks

2010-11-30T06:37:00.000-08:00

Bill and I are so grateful to have a most amazing family and wonderful friends and we give thanks for all our blessings....

Olivia (9 months) Gavin (10) Abigail (7) Brandon (5)

Abigail had her first piano recital! She asked me to play a duet with her on the flute to Lullaby.

Olivia is so excited to eat "big girl food." She only has two bottom teeth but loves to eat!

Mommy's Birthday.... (thanks to Eva for making the fabulous lemon cake, it was so yummy)

This year Abigail completed the Thanksgiving Day Race with me and our friends. She ran the 10K like a champ. I was really proud of her as we finished in 1 hr and 9 min.

Tiffany, Tracy, Mom, and Tricia at Brio celebrating Birthdays the night before baby Taylor came home from the hospital.

Nana holding baby Taylor (Tracy and Ryan's new little boy).

Just after Thanksgiving Bill finally shot his first deer. Way to go honey!

The children love their little sister Olivia. Yesterday I came downstairs before the older kids left for school and they had Olivia all packed up in Gavin's bag ready to go. She is such a great baby and so fun to have around.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Trunk or Treat

2010-10-29T11:38:00.001-07:00

Trunk or Treating...

Dad & Mom have "disco fever"

Olivia is our little ladybug

Brandon a storm trooper

Gavin a robber

Abigail a beautiful spanish dancer

~On Halloween Night~

~Happy Haunting~

GG Russell Visit

2010-09-28T13:41:00.000-07:00

Last week Grandpa and Grandma Russell came to visit us from Salt Lake City!

below: Mom, Grandma Nan, Olivia & Abigail

A little Mexican ...

On Sunday, we all got together to celebrate another Birthday for Bill and Gavin...

The Reds Game was great. Uncle Brent from SLC also joined us.

Olivia was not too sure about the Gapper stopping by to see us, but we all had a really fun time together.

School Begins

2010-09-01T13:30:00.000-07:00

Here we go again. Another Year.

Gavin 4th grade

Abigail 2nd grade

Brandon Kindergarten

The bus stop...

Brandon on his first day of kindergarten. He waited a long time for this day to finally ride the bus with the big kids. Abigail was a great helper (as always) she took Brandon by the hand and made sure he got to his new classroom safely.

Olivia loves the bus stop. All the kids run to her in the morning and she gets so excited!

Brandon also lost his first tooth after school started. No one even knew it was loose. He came inside from playing and it was hanging there. He was very proud when the tooth fairy left some money under his pillow.

While the kids are away Olivia and Mom get to play.

Olivia is on the move. She is now 8 months old. She is crawling, pulling up onto things, and emptying drawers. Olivia also loves to eat. She is a very happy and content baby and we are having so much fun watching her grow.

Summer 2010

2010-08-20T12:59:00.000-07:00

The summer flew by! It was hot and humid and here are a few of our highlights...

Swimming at Nana and Papa's is always fun...

We had season passes to Kings Island and the roller coasters were a big hit this year. Even Mom rode the new Diamondback!

Making s'mores...

Brandon is an aggressive little soccer player. He loves going to the games.

Gavin was invited to play baseball in Puerto Rico this summer with uncle Trav and the Flames.

Nothing like seeing the Snowie Bus coming down the rode on a hot day. This is a real treat!

Little Olivia trying to crawl but kept getting stuck in the push up position...

The Pitts Family Reunion in Ada! Here we are with Grandpa Pitts and Grandma Carrol.

Lake Powell

2010-06-30T12:03:00.000-07:00

After school got out we took a family trip to Lake Powell

We stayed on my uncle Reed's houseboat with all of our families

Everyone had such an amazing time.

Mom, Abigail and Tiffany on a calm tube ride

Ryan, Kyler and Bill on a wild tube ride...

Bill and Abigail on the jet ski...

Cousin Jarrod and Gavin jumping on the trampoline...

Cousin Ethan, Brandon and Abigail playing on the beach...

Abigail, Nicholas, Ethan and Brandon on a boat ride...

And the whole family playing

"Who Stole The Cookie From The Cookie Jar?"

We also were able to go to our friends (Lisa & Jim) wedding in Wahweap at Lake Powell.

We left Lake Powell and drove back to stay with Nana and Papa for a day in Arizona.

It was a really fantastic trip!

Spring Catch Up

2010-05-14T19:16:00.000-07:00

Grandpa Bob and Grandma Carrol came to visit.

We saw Gavin's tricks in the jump rope show at school.

Abigail also showed off for Grandpa and Grandma in the jump rope show.
Olivia had her first Easter Egg Hunt with a little help from Mommy.
The search is on for the "golden egg."
Brandon finds an egg hidden in the mailbox.
Abigail turned 7 years old!

Brandon turned 5 years old!

Spring Break at the Great Wolf Lodge was tons of fun...

Even baby Olivia "got her feet wet."

Opening Day at the Reds Game is a "boys" tradition since Gavin was 7 months old.

Brandon and cousin Ethan began t-ball last month.

Olivia is getting bigger, she is almost 4 months now.

Strawberry Hemangioma

2010-03-29T04:00:00.000-07:00

When Olivia was a week or so old a pink mark appeared on the top of her head. Since then the mark has grown to the size of a dime and has become bright red and raised. Our doctor told us it is a Strawberry Hemangioma. This is the term for a red birthmark often found on infants and children.

The hemangioma is a common type of vascular birthmark. It is usually painless and harmless and its cause is not known. Color from the birthmark comes from the extensive development of blood vessels at the site. A strawberry hemangioma can appear anywhere on the body, but are most common on the face, scalp, back, or chest. They consist of small, closely packed blood vessels. They usually grow rapidly, remain a fixed size, and then subside. In most cases, strawberry hemangiomas disappear by the time a child is 7 years old.

This strawberry birth mark is not new to us. I actually had a large hemangioma on my arm when I was a baby. Abigail also developed one on her chest when she was a few weeks old.

In Abigail's case her strawberry birth mark disappeared when she was about 14 months old.

Lots of people are curious about Olivia's red mark on her head, so she got her own blog posting to inform those who aren't familiar with a strawberry hemangioma.

And to all the very concerned children.... it will go away, and no it doesn't hurt her even though it might look painful.

March Madness

2010-03-19T15:30:00.000-07:00

Hopefully most of the March Madness for our family is over now that Olivia is home from the hospital & everyone is healthy. Although, we do still have a few things going on here, keeping us all busy...

Bill enjoyed coaching Gavin's team (above) this winter. The Cav's finished the season 9-4.

Gavin also participated in the annual pinewood derby at scouts (below). Bill and Gavin worked hard building his race car. Gavin even learned to use the saw with help from our good friend Leonard.

I'm competing for the title "Mom" with our 6 (almost 26) year old daughter Abigail. She really is amazing with Olivia. She has the diaper changing down pat. In fact, she can blow through a whole big box of diapers in about a week. Olivia was happy anyway, after all she was getting a new fresh diaper every 1/2 hour whenever Abigail was around. I have also been told by Abigail when I should pump a bottle or nurse her, and Abigail often suggests to me different ways I can hold my own baby. It keeps me laughing but on a serious note Abigail has been a HUGE help and spends most of her free time caring for Olivia.

So, when school was called off for a few snow days, I was happy to see Abigail give up the "Mom" thing for a bit & be a kid again.

Abigail is always asking for girl time, or a play date. So last Friday the Moms and their Girls met at Applebees for a Girls Night Out. We even brought Olivia with us!

Brandon is gearing up for baseball season. He went to a few practices to watch Gavin and we have also signed him up for t-ball this spring. You can find Brandon wearing his "full" catching gear (that's 3 sizes too big) to dinner, in the basement playing or outside. He can hardly walk in it but feels like a real catcher!

All this baseball stuff wears him out! Just before dinner the other night I found Brandon all curled up, laying on Olivia's Boppy Pillow sound asleep!

Here is Brandon again, after a hard day at play. This time sharing a chair with his new sister Olivia. How sweet!

Our little angel is getting bigger and with that.... A SMILE! It is like a huge payoff after all the sleepless nights and long days caring for her, she finally smiles as if to say THANKS and it's all worth it!

More Smiles!

On Monday, we are headed to the Doctor for Olivia's 2 month check up. I would guess she is about 11 lbs. now? We'll see....

Back to the Hospital

2010-03-06T14:15:00.000-08:00

Just five weeks after bringing Olivia home, she began having trouble breathing and came down with a cold. She was admitted at Children's Hospital late Saturday night with Bronchiolitis. On Sunday she seemed to be doing better and we thought we might go home first thing Monday morning. However, it ended up being a long 5 days. Below is a day by day report on her progress...

Monday, March 1, 2010

Olivia slept 11:15pm till 430am, but when she woke up her heart rate was high and she was working extremely hard to breathe even at rest. So they have now put her on oxygen. She is also swollen up so much that they can no longer do deep suctions to relieve her mucus and congestion... One of the Doctors just came in. Olivia seems to be going backwards in progress. This is day 5 of her Bronchiolitis and the Doctor said it's supposed to be the "worst" day. Her diapers are not wet and her mouth is dry. Not many tears when she cries so they are getting ready to put an IV in for fluids. We were giving Olivia 3 suctions back to back then a breathing treatment because she has started wheezing.

Tuesday, March 2, 2010

Olivia's 5th IV failed late last night but thankfully she drank some Pedialyte and actually began nursing from me again around 11:00 pm. I've had to pump bottles for her because she could not nurse with the oxygen tubes. Olivia slept well only waking from 3 to 4 to be suctioned and eat. She also had a little coughing spell but this caused her to cough a lot of mucus up which was good. This morning around 6:00 am they took her off the oxygen. They will be watching her closely the next few hours. She is still working hard to breathe but her heart rate seems to be good so far without oxygen. I will keep you posted on her progress.

ABOVE is a photo of Olivia at the hospital when she first got off the oxygen. She was still looking a little under the weather. Abigail loves the shirt she is wearing and it suits Olivia well as she does EAT, SLEEP, POOP most of the time.

Wednesday, March 3, 2010

Olivia did well last night and she looks much better too. The doctors just came in to evaluate her. We will be here another day. Olivia will not be ready to go until they can stop the deep catheter extractions in her nose. When the nurse does these (every 3 hours) Olivia has lots of mucus chunks. We can only manually bulb syringe her at home to keep her clear. With Bronchiolitis she most likely will go home with a cough that lingers for a few weeks. Unfortunately, the deep extractions cannot be done from home so she will need to stay at Children's until the deep catheter extractions are clear. Otherwise, Olivia's heart rate, oxygen saturation and breathing are great.

The kids drew some pictures to cheer us up. I hung them on Olivia's crib.

Thursday, March 4, 2010

Olivia did not have any deep extractions from her nose before her 3:30 am feeding, just the manual bulb syringe. She ate and kept everything down, burped big and went right back to bed!! One of the Doctors just came in and said she sounded really good. He would like to see her go through two more feedings using the bulb syringe prior to eating. If she continues to keep the food down she can go home later today. Once we make it home Olivia will be in confinement for a while as we try to make it out of the winter months!

Friday, March 5, 2010

Olivia came home yesterday after 5 long days at Children's Hospital fighting Bronchiolitis. It was a difficult and hard week! Today, she has done remarkably well. I can't believe how little she is coughing and only minor congestion seems to remain.

Thanks for all your faith and prayers - we certainly feel blessed. A special thanks to those who have sent messages offering help, or encouragement, the yummy meals made for our family, and especially to those who have cared several hours for our 3 other children (Tracy, Tiffany, Lisa, & Shelley). We could not have made it without you! I know the Lord hears and answers prayers. We have amazing friends and family and feel so fortunate. Thank you!

Olivia's Photo Shoot

2010-02-19T13:44:00.000-08:00

A big thanks to aunt Sharese for the photo shoot.

(Yes, Sharese takes photographs too among the millions of other talents she has.)

"It's my turn to hold Olivia!"

Will You Be Mine?

Our little Shar Pei with a flower on top...

Our Anne Geddes baby...

Daddy's favorite photo...

What? You want me to sleep now?

Blessing

2010-02-08T13:22:00.000-08:00

On February 7th Olivia was blessed at church. It was a beautiful blessing given by Bill. We are just so happy she is part of our family.

Olivia, all dressed in white

Mommy and Olivia

We were so excited Nana was able to fly home from Arizona to meet Olivia and witness her blessing day. Nana & Papa are serving a three year mission in Arizona right now. They are just over 1/2 way until they will finish up their mission and come home to Cincinnati. We miss them tons and a big thank you to Papa and all the missionaries for sharing Nana with us!

Nana took Brandon and Izzy & joined Gavin along with Nicholas & Abigail (not pictured) for lunch at school.

Abigail and her "doll" Olivia.

Abigail attempting to put Olivia in her "doll" high chair.

Abigail successfully putting Olivia in her doll car seat- all buckled up.

Olivia ~ 1 week

2010-01-29T19:01:00.000-08:00

Saturday evening we packed up from the hospital and headed home with our new little bundle of joy...

From the first time we gave Olivia a "nu nu" (pronounced noo-noo), A.K.A. binki, pacifier, nuk, she was a real pro. I'm a big fan of these things, especially in the car.

With the flu season at its peak no children under the age of 14 were allowed in the hospital. Yes, good and safe but it was very difficult for the siblings. Abigail was a little teary-eyed after Olivia was born. She could only see her by Skyping us from the hospital. So, on our way home late Saturday night we stopped to pick up Abigail. Words cannot express the precious look on Abigail's face when she saw her new, little, and long awaited sister...

Here is Gavin holding his little sister for the first time on Sunday....

This past week Brandon gave Olivia one of her first bottles. Brandon has really enjoyed the mornings at home alone with Daddy and no older siblings to share his new sister with.

On Tuesday the home health care nurse came for a visit. Olivia weighed 6 lbs 13 oz and was a little jaundice. The nurse encouraged us to have Olivia "sunbathe" 15 minutes for a few days.

Four bugs nice and snug...

Olivia has brought lots of joy to our home! She loves to stick her tongue out. It doesn't seem to matter if she is awake or asleep, in most of her photos you can see her little tongue. She sleeps fairly well for a 7 lb. newborn although our nursing sessions are quite long (30-40 min), everyone is learning patience as it seems like Mom just feeds her all day!

As mothers I believe we are blessed to "forget" the balancing and adjustments that come with a newborns arrival. If I said it was easy or things were just wonderful I would be lying. I can say I am grateful for my husband who has had this past week off to help out. Our children's need for attention seems quite high and the permanent Boppy I feel sitting around my waist is annoying. If these are the worst of our troubles we are going to be just fine. Besides, one look at Olivia and I seem to forget it all....

At The Hospital

2010-01-24T04:49:00.000-08:00

Just before my c-section....

After Olivia was born in surgery

It was so nice to have our good friend Pam Church join us during the c-section & help video Olivia. Pam works labor and delivery at Bethesda North Hospital where Olivia was born. Pam also fixed us up with a great nurse Tina, and we got an extra big room at the end of the hall after the birth.

Very proud parents

Dad & Olivia

Thank you to our special friends and family for visiting from near and far.

Here is Grandpa Pitts who drove all the way from Tennessee to meet little Olivia.

Grandma Pitty-Pat and Olivia

Aunt Tracy & Olivia

Aunt Tiffany & Olivia

Uncle Travis & Olivia

Baby Olivia (and her tongue)

It's A Girl!

2010-01-22T11:41:00.000-08:00

Welcome Olivia Kathryn Pitts!

Born January 22, 2010

@ 7:51am

Weighed 7 lbs. 2 oz.

19 1/2 inches

More photos to come!

Coaching My Own Team

2010-01-12T23:35:00.000-08:00

After 18 years of coaching football, and our fourth child arriving next week,

Bill decided it was time to resign and coach his own team at home....

No question that Bill has always been passionate when it comes to football....

It all began when he played midget football at 6 years old.

Bill played four years of high school football

Then, Bill went on to play in college at Fairmont State

1991-1993

Bill was a Graduate Assistant Coach at Eastern Kentucky University.

He coached the punters and kickers and assisted with special teams.

Oh and by the way, he coached five NFL players during his time at EKU.

1993-1994

Bill coached at the Academy of Richmond County in Georgia. They were the Region Champions, State 4A Playoffs, 6-4 record. Bill was passing game coordinator, coached wide receivers, and special teams coordinator.

1994-1996

Bill was hired at Ridgedale High School as Head Coach. He coordinated the offense, defense and special teams. He lead an effort to bring on a new weight facility and the attendance for games broke all season records.

1996-2006

Bill coached at Anderson High School as special teams coordinator, coached defensive backs and wide receivers. They won six conference championships, and made five playoff appearances with a 72-23 record.

2006-2009

Bill coached at Turpin High School as special teams and wide receiver coach. He later became the defensive coordinator. The Spartans were Division II State Semi-Finalist with a 39-3 record.

So, now that Bill's football coaching era has come to a close....

Daddy is it true? We still can't believe it....

The kids and I are looking forward to Coach Daddy being around all year!

More hugs and kisses....

More time outdoors....

More practicing ball...

More playing in the sun...

Way to go Coach Pitts on 18 years of excellent coaching!

"A coach never won a game by how much he knows, but rather by what his players have learned." ~ Alonzo Stagg

Uncle Tyler gets Married

2010-01-01T15:45:00.000-08:00

After the hustle and bustle of Christmas,

Tyler and Sarah were married on December 29, 2009 in Mesa, Arizona.

The Beck grandkids with Tyler and Sarah....

more pictures to come.....

Packing It All In

2009-12-30T15:53:00.000-08:00

The few days after Christmas and before the Big Wedding of Tyler & Sarah were.... well they were quite busy to say the least, as we tried to "pack in" many activities. Here are some of the grandkids eating breakfast at Nana & Papa's. You could say there was never a dull moment with 11 kids under the age of 10!

Papa training his "future deer hunter" with a little target shooting practice.

Some backyard football with the boy cousins....

Some modeling with a few of the girl cousins

(thank you Nana for suppling the "bold" outfits)

A pre-wedding family reunion with aunts, uncles, grandparents and cousins!

The Bachelor for one more night, pictured in his race car gear...

The guys decided to send off Tyler with some speed car racing the night before the wedding.

Papa and Nana treated all the grandkids to a real Polar Express Train Ride in the Grand Canyon.

Papa, Tiffany and grandkids....

Nana and grandkids

There were snowflakes, hot cocoa and real bells.

But, Papa will remind you~ It's Only If You BELIEVE!

2009 Christmas in Phoenix

2009-12-25T21:00:00.000-08:00

Christmas Eve we arrived in Pheonix with the Gattuso Family.

Nana, Papa & Uncle Tyler were there to greet us for the Christmas Break.

Nana had prepared a wonderful Christmas Eve dinner and our family shared the evening with the Missionaries, and our good friends Lars, Lynda, Erik and Sarah Anderson.

Next one of my favorite Christmas Eve traditions, the children all dressed up acting out The Nativity Scene.

Baby Katelyn being the youngest, played the role of baby Jesus.

Followed by another tradition. Christmas B-I-N-G-O.

The winners get to open a gift!

Gavin was found in front of the computer most of Christmas Eve tracking Santa's route. Announcements were made every 10 minutes to update the family.

Christmas Morning the kids anxiously gathered for a pre-present photo~

Abigail, Katelyn, Uncle Tyler, Izzy, Brandon and Gavin

The present opening spectators ~ Michael, Papa, Tyler and Bill

Gavin gives a smile when he opens a Lebron James Jersey from SANTA

Abigail was super happy to find a

"look-a-like me" American Girl Doll from SANTA

Brandon's team of players is complete when he finds

a pitcher from SANTA.

Nana's & Papa's turn....

Mommy finds a diet coke bottle shaped like an ornament in her stocking.

Guess Daddy knows how to bring a smile to Mommy's face.

Pre-Christmas with Grandma Pitty-Pat & Family

2009-12-13T13:46:00.000-08:00

Gavin, (with his new basketball) cousin Aaron, Phyllis

and Grandma Pitty-Pat...

Cousin Alix & Anna with Brandon and his new basketball players....

Abigail opening her new "Tangly Down" earrings...

At he kids table ~ Devon, Anna, Abigail, Gavin, Andrew and Brandon....

Our Pitts Family

Merry Christmas!

Quick Catch Up To Christmas

2009-11-30T16:20:00.000-08:00

Halloween 2009

Scary Gavin ~ Baby Abigail ~ Storm Trooper Brandon

Carving the pumpkin....

Abigail at the stable riding a pony as she works on a Try It Girl Scout Badge!

Abigail "playing school" with her cousins Izzy and Katelyn....

2009 Reds Fest....

Bill busy preparing for the upcoming playoff game.... (Season ended with 11 wins and 1 loss)

Road trip to Tennessee for Thanksgiving with Grandpa Pitts and Grandma Carrol....

Grandpa Pitts, Brandon, and Bill

Our Thanksgiving Feast at Barren River Lodge....

Fall Happenings

2009-10-18T17:12:00.000-07:00

On a typical Friday evening you'll find the Pitts Family dressed in Turpin attire headed to the football game. Bill has been very busy coaching with a record of 8 - 0. They have 2 regular season games left then on to playoffs. Go SPARTANS!

Gavin has also been quite busy. After 4 days of the flu, Gavin returned to school just in time to run the mile in gym.

Below are his winning results.... ( 1st place with a time of 7 min. & 37 sec. )

This fall Abigail became a Brownie in Girl Scouts. She is really looking forward to an upcoming field trip to Bridle Stables where she will get to ride a real horse!

Abigail loves to have her toes and nails polished with different designs. Pictured below she has her favorite blue polish with white polka dots.

Brandon has really enjoyed playing soccer this fall with his cousin Ethan. They are quite a team passing back and forth to score goals.

Below Brandon is headed for the goal!

Gavin and Bill celebrated Birthdays in September....

Grandma Pitty Pat joined us for the party

Here are all the cousins eating cake on the trampoline....

We also attended Grandma Pitty Pats annual fall party this past weekend. It was a little chilly but lots of fun. Below is a shot of Bill's siblings at the party.

Aaron, Stephanie, Carol and Bill

PRICELESS...

2009-09-13T09:17:00.000-07:00

HOTEL - $349

LOUISVILLE SLUGGER BAT - $87.00

DESSERT - $12.99

Finding out that there are SIX people in this family photo ...... PRICELESS

Boy or Girl?

IT'S A GIRL!

Here is her little profile...

More up close images coming this January, we are so excited!

Football, First Day, Fireworks...

2009-09-07T13:40:00.000-07:00

FRIDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL

The Turpin Team

Grandpa Pitts joins us for a game.

After the half, Gavin and Brandon can typically be found organizing their own game on the side lines.

FIRST DAY BACK TO SCHOOL

Gavin is a big 3rd grader, Abigail is in 1st grade (All Day Long)

I must add that the detailed events of each day are quite different between Gavin and Abigail. If you ask Gavin how school was you might be lucky to get a "fine" or "okay" out of him.

However, if you happen to ask Abigail about her day - plan on listening for about 10 minutes as she will account for every detail from the morning pledge to bathroom and drinking fountain breaks to the awesome cheese stuffed crust pizza for lunch. Oh and if she went to music class that day you will hear her perform BINGO or whatever new song she learned. I love it!

And little Brandon is in Pre-K this year. He goes to school 4 afternoons a week.

FIREWORKS at RIVERFEST

Mommy and Brandon eating a Cincinnati favorite, Skyline Chili!

The 3 kiddos

Brandon and cousin Ethan

Abigail face painting with new friends

Gavin and cousin Nicholas

Daddy and Gavin ready to watch the FIREWORKS on the river....

BOOM!

Happy Labor Day!

10 years

2009-07-31T15:07:00.000-07:00

Today Bill and I are celebrating our 10th Anniversary!

Our Wedding Day ~ Salt Lake City Temple July 31, 1999

Just a few memories from the past 10 years....

NKU Graduation ~ Dec. 1999

Destin, Florida~ 2004

Christmas~ 2006

Disney Cruise~2007

Hawaii~2008

Bill's 40th Disco Party~2008

Reds Game~2009

As we sat down this past Sunday to go over our weekly calendar with the children, Bill said, "On Friday the 31st it will be 10 years that your Mommy and I have been married." Abigail looked very serious and replied "So now you're getting separated?" After a little laugh she has been reminded that our family is forever and no one is getting separated.

I am looking forward to many more years with my wonderful husband and children.

A Parade, Fireworks & Fun on the 4th of July

2009-07-08T17:12:00.000-07:00

Despite a cloudy day and some sprinkles of rain we enjoyed a very fun 4th of July with The Anderson Family (from Arizona) and the Gattuso's. Here we are at the Anderson Township Parade.

In honor of the late Michael Jackson we were entertained with a special dance to "Thriller"

At Dusk we pulled out the traditional sparklers,

A few small Smoke Bombs, and Roman Candles with loud crackles seemed to be more than enough to impress Abigail and the crowd (Abigail to the far right)

Gavin, Brandon and Abigail with sparklers

Happy Fourth of July!

Gavin's Games

2009-06-15T17:09:00.000-07:00

Gavin has been busy playing games. Flames Baseball Games that is, along with a few others....

Baseball Games. Gavin pitching for his FLAMES baseball team.

Monopoly Games. Sponge Bob to be exact, is probably one of Gavin's most favorite things to do, next to a Flames Baseball Game. This monopoly game can be found set up in our dining room for days at a time.

Rocket Games. As a cub scout he had to design, paint and then race his rocket. Gavin got 4th place! (Oh, or was it Dad that did all the work)?

Chess Games. This is pictured correctly and No, there's no photo shop editing. Gavin playing a game of chess with his sister, nice!

Baseball Games. Did I mention Gavin playing FLAMES baseball? If not, its worth another mention.

Gavin playing first base.

Princess Abigail

2009-06-01T15:07:00.000-07:00

Here is what our Princess has been up to....

Painting Bird Houses

In April Abigail turned 6 years old.

Happy 6th Birthday Abigail!

A new big girl bike for her birthday. Abigail learned to ride it in two days.

And a little birthday swim with friends.

A very brave Abigail getting her ears pierced (twice- don't ask)

Baby hog! Yes, there are no doubts that Abigail loves babies, especially her new little niece Katelyn.

And last but not least our Princess is a fantastic gymnast. Her brother Brandon enjoyed one session with her, but Abigail has moved on to novice and she is doing extremely well. You should see her on the beam!

A Butterfly Story and a Show

2009-05-17T13:54:00.000-07:00

Abigail's Butterfly Story

Just before school was out Abigail came home with a little caterpillar

The caterpillar continued to eat and eat and eat and we just watched until one morning we came downstairs to what looked like an empty container. At the top hung a little cocoon. We took off the lid and below you can see a photo of the cocoon.

We waited again and watched and watched, until like magic... we came home and found not a cocoon but a pretty butterfly.

After letting the wings dry for 2 days, it was time to let her free. We set her outside on a flowering plant. In the morning, Abigail ran outside to check on her. She will tell you, "I saw my butterfly crawl to the end of the leaf, and we said goodbye as it flew away."

I was thinking how cute and creative she is.

The following are some pictures from another Butterfly Show at Krohn's Conservatory.

Here's Brandon

and Gavin,

all the kids holding butterflies

I loved this last picture of Abigail

She has a flower on her shirt, and the butterfly is sitting right on it.

Brandon is 4!

2009-05-07T15:55:00.000-07:00

This spring Brandon has been left without a choice but to love Flames Baseball like his big brother Gavin. As you can see he is quite happy hanging in the dugout trying on the players helmets, gloves, and baseball gear.

Hence the idea for a Baseball Birthday Party.... at none other but the world famous McDonalds.

Joined by cousins and friends it does not take much to please our B-Bop.

When Brandon is not hanging in the Flames dugout you can find him all geared up for hunting deer.

At the end of the day, you could say he was a little worn out from his 4th Birthday Celebrations.

Get some rest little guy.

Easter 2009

2009-04-19T18:10:00.000-07:00

Eggstra Yummy Cookies

Dying Easter Eggs

Our egg collection!

This is Gavin's eggstra special Harry Potter egg.

Ready, Set, Go! They are off and this year we had two GOLDEN eggs to find.

Abigail and Mom (Daddy in the distance)

The little kids had their very own hidden egg "section" to ensure eggs for everyone.

Keep looking, almost finished

At the end of the egg hunt, this beautiful nest with Robin eggs was found in Nana & Papa's backyard.

Happy Easter

Spring Break in Cincinnati

2009-04-11T17:48:00.000-07:00

One of the highlights this Spring Break was going to the Great Wolf Lodge.

Brandon loved the wave pool

Gavin's favorite - the water slides

Abigail surprised me as she made it all the way across the lily pads without any help.

Wild Game & Brandon

2009-02-13T19:13:00.000-08:00

The ELK, is one of the largest species of deer in the world and one of the largest mammals in North America and eastern Asia. In the deer family only the MOOSE is larger, and can rival the elk in size. For most DEER the male is called a BUCK and the female is a DOE, but terminology varies according to the size of the species. Terms for young deer vary similarly, with that of most being called a FAWN. Usage of all these terms may also vary according to dialect.

Did you get all that? Good because you'll need to know all about Moose, Elk, Buck, Doe & Fawn to have a conversation with Brandon. He is quite the "hunter wanna be." I often walk into the office only to find a "herd" of Wild Game arranged on the extra paper trays. They travel around the house and you never know just where they could end up next.

Yes, the herd of Moose, Elk, Buck, Doe and Fawns have traveled into our family room under pillows (and they might be napping so SHHHHH), into the kitchen eating breakfast, in the bed - nose to nose with Brandon as he sleeps at night, and up the stairs playing during the day....

This one (below) was really cute.... After getting a baby Fawn for reaching "refuel day" on the chore chart, Brandon and Mom read all about how the Fawn stays very close to the Doe all the time. When the Doe goes out to find food the Fawn will stay very still and quiet until mother Doe returns. Well, the next morning I found the Fawn doing exactly what the Fawn does... However, it seems the Moose must have been babysitting?

After weeks of searching Papa's house the Elk Bugle has been found because real hunters (like Papa) have real Elk Bugles.... we are getting closer and closer. So, now we are searching for "hunter shirts like Papa's but they need to be for smaller ones until they grow up and learn to hunt Bucks." I'm sure you remember we don't shoot the Doe- only the Bucks!

When Brandon was not busy blowing the Elk Bugle Call or hanging with the "Wild Game" he had the kitchen bench tipped over onto his BIG toe. He actually did very well after the initial cry, and was only worried this incident would cause him to be late to Mrs. Merkt's preschool class.

E & B....

Looks like Brandon also finds a little extra time to watch cousin Ethan play his new DS & Enjoy visiting Aunt Katy & her cute little Pugs "Bella" and "Sadie."

Brandon keeps hours like his Mommy. Very late nights and then prefers sleeping in till about 10 am when possible. After all being 2 months short of 4 years old is hard.

Winter Break

2009-01-30T11:14:00.000-08:00

This week was like an unexpected "Winter Break" in Cincinnati

We woke up Tuesday morning to a good 4 inches of white, fluffy snow and NO school!

Bill took the big kids to Target in search of a sled. Meanwhile Brandon kept busy making perfectly rounded snowballs, all perfectly lined up on the sidewalk. (I'm pretty sure he did not get this "perfect order" from his father)

On Wednesday we woke up to layers of ice on top of the 9 inches of snow from Tuesday. The ice is very different from white fluffy snow and there is not much you can do for ice on the roads. In turn, all the schools called off for a 2nd day! Sadly many of the trees were completely coated in layers of pure ice weighing them way down....

An unsuccessful attempt with Dad at building an ice sculptured snowman did not stop Brandon

from playing out in the cold. He was so nice and warm with his snowsuit & hand warmers stuck down inside his boots that were a little too big....

Mom (not pictured) could have been found 1 of 2 places.... making hot cocoa loaded with mini marshmallows, or drying another load of wet gloves, hats, socks, etc.

Each night as I went upstairs to bed this is what I saw outside our front door. The ice cased tree branches glistening from the street lamp in the distance. It was so neat- I must say the photo cannot quite capture the real beauty of what I could see each night.

Again no school on Thursday! With temperatures still keeping below 28 degrees the branches weighed heavier and heavier. I'm afraid this ice will eventually kill most of our 6 foot trees which line the left side of our backyard:(

Friday morning we received a 5:00 am call that there would be a 2 hour delay for the schools. By 7:30 am a 2nd call changed all delays into school being cancelled. BUT, before we actually made it to Friday, we ended Thursday evening with a trip to the ER. It was with our little princess Abigail. She was playing out in the snow with her good friend who accidentally hit her just above the mouth with a snowball that turned out to be an "ice-ball" OUCH!! Abigail left the ER with 4 stitches and a sore face.

So really what do you like best?

Abs stylish hair-do?

Abs little black stitches that look like whiskers?

This photo was taken the day after. She is simply adorable....

Now, as I look back at the week I must admit, that despite the consistent loads of laundry and empty hot cocoa mugs it was a really wonderful week. The excitement of waking up each morning with anticipation of school being cancelled did not seem to ever wear off. It was so fun to have everyone "stuck" at home together. With all the evening activities cancelled too, there was no schedule to follow, no rushing to get here, no plans to go there. We watched lots of movies, played in the snow, slept in, & ate dinner together every night. Being the big professional planner that I am....

I could not have "planned" a better week of winter break!

Christmas in the Desert

2009-01-20T11:57:00.000-08:00

This year we had the chance to spend Christmas 2008 in the Arizona Desert.

Now one might think warm when you say Desert. However, it was quite chili as you can see. We spent one evening walking the Phoenix Temple grounds listening to the musical performances and viewing the beautiful lights. It was such a priviliage to have holiday time with our Nana & Papa. Many of you know that they have large daily (and nightly) responsibilities as Mission President and Wife to keep up with. After observing and spending several days with them I am amazed at the events they could carry out and accomplish so well in a single day. I can also testify that there are days they are being carried by the Lord to fulfill this calling.

The Wise Man (Erik), Joseph (Gavin), Mary (Sarah), Baby Jesus in a box (Brandon), Angel (Abigail), and we even had The Star of Bethlehem (uncle Tyler)

Christmas Eve was wonderful. The Anderson family, now live in Phoenix near my parents. They joined us along with the missionaries for a Christmas Eve dinner. The children were able to re-inact The Nativity Story. We played chimes and a game of Christmas BINGO and ended the night with peppermint ice cream pie. Yum!

The Pitts Family sporting our gifts from the Anderson Family, new Arizona Diamondback Hats.

Bop & Gavin with their Papa

Our traditional "Santa Hat" photo taken Christmas morning while Papa started the fire and checked to be sure Santa had really come.

Well, Santa came.... Brandon was so excited to open this real U.S. Postal Mail truck which Mom & Brandon had been searching for but Santa somehow found.

Something Abigail and all the grandkids love to do.... helping Nana make her special rolls.

A little quality time with Papa is hard to come by now. Looks like Gavin and Abigail are "soaking it up" in the jacuzzi.

Erik's Birthday was another really fun event. We celebrated with him at Lazer Tag!

Here we are making a delicious Gingerbread House. Believe it or not Nana let us eat this Gingerbread House that same night! For those of you who are not familiar with Nana and Gingerbread Houses.... typically she tends to store them, year after year.... We felt very lucky to taste it.

NOTE: Brandon did join us on our trip. Although he's not pictured as much, I assure you he kept extremely busy. Brandon frequently checked on Papa (who was working in his office) and played with his new cars, U.S. mail truck, and trains.

Gavin was the lucky winner of an evening road trip to Tucson. For what you might ask? But of coarse, to watch the one and only famous Kansas City Jayhawks play basketball.

Just before leaving the desert we met up with some very old time friends, The Brem Family. Above is Emily Brems (now Emily Layton) with her husband Ben and their 5 children. Emily and I spent lots of time together when The Brems lived in Cincy many years ago with their big family of 11.

Above you'll see a slide in the Layton's house that Ben recently built, going down to the basement. Talk about fun!!!! Guess what the kids want Santa to bring next year?

And finally just before departing the desert we had a Banana Cream Pie for Nana's Birthday! A very celebrated holiday. We are so grateful for all that she does to keep our family together.

Brandon and Abigail shared a brief visit with the pilot in the cockpit as we left the aircraft. A big highlight for Brandon as we arrived back home in Cincinnati.

Thanks for a really nice trip Mom and Dad!

We miss you and send lots of love

Tradition Continues

2008-12-21T04:39:00.000-08:00

We managed to pull together the annual "Sub for Santa" this year,

to continue a tradition started by Nana & Papa.

As you can see this is something to get excited about,

and with many generous donations it was a huge success!

The Sub for Santa is a neat experience for the children

as well as the adults who share this tradition with our family.

HO! HO! HO!

A visit to Tennessee before Christmas

2008-12-19T04:25:00.001-08:00

A trip to Tennessee

Grandpa and Grandma Pitts recently moved to Tennessee. So, we packed up and headed down for a short holiday visit.

Not too far from Grandpa and Grandma's house is the Opryland Hotel. It is so beautiful and especially at this time of year. The atriums are filled with many holiday colors, and lights.

We even took a little boat ride inside the hotel and down a canal. So much to see!!

Back at Grandpa and Grandma's new home for a gift exchange and a yummy breakfast!

It's Christmas Time

2008-12-13T04:09:00.000-08:00

Oh, Christmas Tree...

A "siblings & spouses" night out...

A special visit from Bill's oldest sister Stephanie and cousin Kody!

An Italian Girls Night Out...

Brandon's Christmas Play...

Take a moment to enjoy the season...

Or grab an Outback headlamp, relax and read a good book.

Tis the Season