Wow I am really bad at the blogging thing.  lol

Since my last blog alot has happened.  God has taken us through some valleys but has also brought us back to the mountain tops. 

December 26, 2011: While on Vacation in WV we suprised our family with our wonderful news.... We're Havin' a BABY! Jason and Corrie had also shared that they were expecting.  Our due dates were exactly a week apart.  haha

January 2012: We rang in the new year in West Virginia with family.  It was so much fun.


May 2012 will forever be in our memory.  Nate lost his brother Tony.  This has to be one of the hardest times we have ever gone through as a husband and wife. Sure we have delt with loss before but this was not just a friend it was family.  My heart aches for Tony's family.

It hit me hard knowing I had some strife with a family member. I couldn't imaging being at odds and loosing them.  I called and let them know I loved them and I was sorry if I ever did anything to hurt, anger or offend them.   I love them more now than I ever have. 

June 2012: June has to be my favorite month.  :)  I love the nice cool weather. 

Ethan Turned 2  and  Elijah turned 9. 

We also Celebrated our 10th Anniversary.  Yes, I know!  Where did the time go.  :)  It feels like it hasn't been that long.  lol

August 2012:  This is a month that will change My (abby) life forever.   I was scheduled to have a C-section. This was something I dreaded with all my heart and frankly scared me to death.
August 5th the men of our church gathered in the office to pray for the Doctors, Myself and Nate. I am so thankful for God's Peace!  Their prayers had been answered.

August 6th we arrived bright and early to the hospial to begin preparations.  By about 8am they gave me the epidural and started the preparations to deliver baby.
It was not long before our little man arrived. 

Anthony Jacob Lake  9lbs. 9oz. 21 in long.  ONE BIG BOY!
Yes, He is named after is Uncle Tony....  :') 

Due to some complications during the C-section I lost a lot of blood. 
After 4 days in the hospital I was SO ready to go home even though I was so sore.  I felt completely helpless and dependant on Nate, Mom and the older boys for everyting.  It was so hard not be able to do things for myself. 
Recovery has been a long,  I still have some weird pains in my abdomen.

September 2012:  Nate turned 31... haha. ;)   Every year our church has Family Camp.  3 days of preaching, fun and no outside contact.  (internet, cell phone....ect.)   If I had to do it over I would not have gone. It was too much physically and emotionally.  Spiritually God had a few things to teach me and I am thankful for what I learned.

October 2012:  Adrain turned 4.

November 2012:  Malachi turned 8 and I (abby) hit the big 30!  OR should I say I am celebrating my second 29th birthday..... lol    I have to be honest.  I did not find turning 30 depressing or devistating.  I am so thankful God has given me 30 wonderful some not so wonderful years.  I am looking forward to what God has in store for the future.

January 2013:  We spent New Years with our Church Family for most of the evening and then came home to watch the ball drop.  The kids were so tired they fell asleep on the couch and missed it.   lol

Now that I have given you a run down of the last year let me fill you in on our recent lives. 

Elijah is counting down to his 10th birthday. He is about as tall as my mother and anxiously waiting to pass me by. He as had a couple people ask him "how old are you? 12 or 13!"  That really made him feel good. lol   He is in 4th grade and is doing very well.  He is a worker and is always helping around the house and with the younger kids.  He LOVES being in the kitchen.  Baking, cooking, juicing....you name it he is willing to do it. 

Malachi is 8.  He is so full of life and is our comedian.  He just recently lost 2 teeth.  He walks around with the biggest grin trying to show off that they are gone, most people have no clue what he is doing. lol  He is in 2nd grade and not loving it quite so much but we are mid school year and I expect that. He too is a great helper when it comes helping with the little kids.

Adrian is 4 and our mischief maker.  There is not one that has given me a run for my money like him.  That saying "You don't pay for your raisin' till you do the raisin' or your own." Or  "Becareful, your kids will be just like you"  They are true!!  Adrian is all boy and it is totaly worth trying even if it means getting in trouble. In all honesty he is a wonderful kid and just need to get a little older.  He can be a ton of fun.

Ethan is 2 and a DADDY'S boy!  He has to do everyting like daddy.  If daddy has the guitar he has to have his guitar.  If Daddy is drinking tea, Ethan needs to drink tea.   He is full of life and so sweet.  I love to listen to him talk..... especially with Adrian.  It is so cute to listen to them pretending.

Anthony is 6 months old and is about the size of a 1yr old.   He is easily wearing 12 month clothes. It is so crazy.  He is a BIG boy.  He just started rolling over and loving when Adrian hides on the side of the bed to play peek-a-boo.  ;)   He is  such a happy baby....

Nate and I are doing well.  Nate is still working for Corrections and I am still a Stay at Home MOM.  I wouldn't trade if for the world.  Our family is not perfect but we have each other and that is all that matters. 

I hope you have enjoyed hearing about our family.  May God Bless You.

                                              The 6 Men in My Life! Love them To Pieces!

 

Our Family: 2012

Time..... How it Flies.

Wow, I just realized how long it has been since I have updated this.  Time is going so fast sometimes I wish it could just slow down.

We are still in Wallkill and life is pretty much all the same.
Nate is enjoying his job and I enjoy mine, although we all have those days we dread.  God has truly been good to us.

The boys are all growing like weeds.  
Elijah is in 3rd grade & counting the months until his 9th birthday only 4 months and a week left to go. =)   He has been changing so much and is my right hand man, without him I am not sure what I would do when Nate is at work.  He enjoys being in the kitchen just like his dad, and can read a recipe really well for being his age.  He reads like crazy and I have had to make him put a book down to get something done. He has really enjoyed his BB Gun we got him for Christmas. He can't wait to get into the woods and kill someting. (little does he know that a bb gun probably isn't powerful enough.)  ;) 

Malachi is 7 and in 1st grade. He likes school most days he is really getting the hang of reading, this grade has to be one of my favorites when it comes to home schooling.   It seems like he never stops talking.  I am not sure where he gets if from. lol   He is full of stories and enjoys telling jokes.... he has such expression when he tells stories and his face is so full of life, it makes me giggle. (inside of course)   He too got a BB Gun for Christmas and Enjoys competing with Elijah when they Target shoot.  He has gotten 4 bulls eyes. 

Adrian is 3 and so full of life.  He is always on the go, wanting to know how things work, and frankly he NEVER stops.  He is the most unique of the 4 boys so far. He is definately all boy he wants NOTHING to do with anything pink, "that is my (mom's) color" he says.  I had a pink stripped blanked and he climbed up on my lap and said (Adrian:) Mom, I'm so freezing cold. (Me:) Do you want to share my blanket? (Adrian:) No, It's Pink!! (Me:) But it will keep you warm. (Adrian:) No, You can use it by your own self!  And he moved to the other couch and got a different blanket.  lol   He won't even use the pink playdoh.  It is so funny.  He is always up to something. He sure keeps us on our toes.

Ethan is almost 2 and I wonder where the time has gone.  It seems like yesterday he was born and I was holding this sweet newborn baby.  Ethan is a daddy's boy if I have ever seen one.  If daddy's around then he is right by his side. If Nate walks out the door or gets out of the car with our Ethan it breaks Ethan's heart.  It is fun to get him to talk, we can get him to say pretty much anything. I think my favorite thing right now is when you call him he answers with "what".  The boys will call him just to hear him say it.  :) 

Well, Baby #5 is due to arrive August 12th.  I am 13 1/2 weeks.  We are all so excited. I have just gotten over the 1st trimester and have begun to feel better and get some of my energy back.  Elijah Malachi and Adrian are determined that it is a girl and Adrian says "theres a pink baby in my belly".  It would be great if it was a girl but God's got it all planned.  We plan to find out the gender but it will be a few more weeks still before we can.  So far the time has been passing quickly and I am Thankful for that.  Please pray that all goes well this pregnancy, I am planning a very natural birth and would love for it all to go smoothly with no problems. 

Well I am going to bring this to an end since it is after 9pm.  I will try to post something a bit more often.  May God Bless you all.  =)

My First Blog.....

Well, I have never done a blog before so, I am not sure how this will go.  =)  My main reason for this blog is to keep in touch with family and let them know what our family is up to and the can keep up with with the craziness of life.

Now....... Where to start! 
    Nate and I just celebrated our 9th Anniversary!  You're probably think the same thing I am.  Wow, was it that long ago.  =)  We are now living in Wallkill, NY. We have lived here now for about 4 years.

 Nate is has been working for the New York State Department of Corrections.
He has recently purchased a 1963 Chevrolet Biscayne and is working to restore it in his spare time. It is coming along quite nicely and I can't wait to see it finished.

Testing the Horn....
Nate let Eljah touch the wire to the battery,
the horn honked & Elijah JUMMPED!! lol

Adrian loves "helping" daddy with his new car!

I am a stay at home mom and enjoy it.  Taking care of 4 boys is definitely a challenge at times.  I am blessed with a large kitchen and love to cook and bake. I am always looking for a yummy new recipe to try and they boys are right there to help make it.  I am also homeschooling the boys and that has been fun and challenging all at the same time but I would not trade spending the day with my boys for anything.  I must say I am blessed beyond measure.

Elijah turned 8 this past June and is growing like a weed.  He is always measuring himself up to me and can't wait to pass me by.  He will be entering the 3rd Grade this fall and I am looking forward to it, as crazy as that may sound.  He is a great worker and loves to help out around the house and with Ethan.  He is a great big brother.  Elijah enjoys coloring, reading, riding bike, fishing & basically all the boys stuff.  =)  For his birthday he was given a Volcano kit and couldn't wait to make the mold and make the volcano erupt.  It was lots of fun for everyone. 

Elijah - 8 yrs. old

Malachi is 6 1/2 he is growing like a weed too but does not have the height like Elijah. (not yet anyways.)  He is entering the 1st grade this fall and is loving every minute of school. He has a sharp mind and can even beat Elijah some math questions.  He thinks he is cool but Elijah doesn't. C=  Malachi has a mind of his own.  He has the wildest imagination and could play forever all by himself.  He us also our clown, he can be so funny with what he does or says and not even realize it.  Malachi enjoys reading, riding bike, fishing & basically all the boys stuff but give him some sticks, dirt, shovel, permission to dig and he is in heaven.

Malachi - 6 1/2

Adrian is 2  1/2  and has given us a run for our money.  He was our busiest baby and always into everything.  But I must say he has changed a lot in the last few months. He as begun to change from the "toddler" to the "little boy" he is hanging out more with the "big Boys". This change is definitely never easy on mom. We have been in the potty training stage forever it seems but he is finally getting it and I think will be done soon.   He has recently learned to peddle his tricycle and loves to have everyone see him. "Mommy, look me I peddling!"  He definitely has his days and drives his brother's crazy but he will get over that before too long. ( I Hope) 

Playing in the Fishkill Creek! 

Mommy & Adrian

Ethan turned 1 year old this past June. He has definitely been the most different.  When he was 3 weeks old he was intabated (tubes in his throat and nose) life flighted from Batavia, Hospital to Buffalo Women & Children's hospital because he caught a cold and couldn't breathe.  He was diagnosed with para influenza and discharged after a week in the hospital. That week was the longest and scariest week of my life. 
He is now 20lbs and a little over 30 inches long.  He is so tall and skinny it is hilarious. He looks exactly like his daddy as a baby.  He has 4 teeth and a couple more on their way through. He jabbers on and on like you totally get what he is saying. He does say, dada, mama, ball, and makes sounds for an elephant, dog, car and many other sounds. He gets around well crawling but has not really started walking, He has taken a few steps but he is so tall I think it will be a bit before he has good balance. He mastered the stairs first time  and is more of a monkey than Adrian, Elijah or Malachi.  He is alot of fun and I love watching them grow.

hummm....I wonder
will mommy catch me if I try to eat rocks?

Happy 1st Birthday, Ethan!!

I guess that is about it for now. But I can't go without thanking God for blessing and taking care of our family every step of the way. 

~Piano Recital Photo~

                                          Until next Time........... May God Bless You!