Getting comfortable...

The boys getting comfortable in our room and checking out our port hole.

Dinner time!  Our group was too large for one table so we split up into two.  Here's Delilah looking cute during dinner.  

About 45 minutes into dinner, the boys would get restless and escape from their chairs to see the beautiful views of the ocean.

...and it would quickly degenerate into this!  

Gavin and his trusty "Seapass card" on his cool Adventure Ocean lanyard.  He got to enjoy the benefits of being 10 years old, the oldest grandchild.  He had a small amount of money put on his card and he could use it at the kids arcade.  For a 10 year old, this is as adult as you get!

Mexican Cruise

Day One- 

We drove down to L.A. on Saturday and got on the ship Sunday afternoon.  It was pretty crazy dropping off 4 families and LOTS of luggage at the curb in front of the cruise terminal.  Grandma Joni and the moms had the responsibility of corralling 10 kids away from the street and all sorts of other mischief they like to get in.  We were really excited to get on the ship and we made it through all the necessary lines to finally get to our rooms without too many meltdowns.  My nephew Caleb and Caedmon spent most  of the time on the ground wrestling and the other part of the time being told to get up and please stop.  If I haven't mentioned before, we went on this family cruise as a gift from Ryan's parents.  Our party included, Grandpa Chris and Grandma Joni, Uncle Spencer, Uncle Yuri and Auntie Kristi and Nikolai (5), Aleksei (4), Anneliese (2) and Mikhail (1), as well as Uncle Kevin and Auntie Lacee and Caleb (2) and Delilah (9 months).  Our family rounded out the gang with Ryan and I and Gavin (10), Delaney (8), Liam (5) and Caedmon (2).  So that's 19 people total!  Even better is that the kids outnumbered the adults by one AND 8 of them are 5 and under!  And no, those smiles weren't forced, we were actually having a great time.

Ok, say cheese, and we can get on this ship- CHEESE!

Waiting to get on the ship. 


Outside the cruise terminal- it was cold that day!

T-Ball Tales

Liam has been really enjoying his first t-ball season.  His team is the Indians and he loves putting on all the gear for each game and carrying his bat bag.  He's slowly learning some skills and hit his first ball from the coach(and not the tee) a few games ago.  He's also learning those very important lessons about being a "good sport" when he feels frustrated (which can be often for Liam).  His first lesson was- don't throw your glove down when you're angry or coach will put you at the end of the lineup. Aren't sports fun?

Can somebody say "Cousins"!!!

I thought some of you would appreciate a picture of all the "nieces and nephews" I mention in conversation all the time.  I don't have a recent picture of the Rippee side, but here's the Fernandez side.  We lined them all up in birth order, with the twins on the end.  My sister Heather is due next month, so you can imagine another little one down there on the end.  Yes, that makes 12!  I got to go visit them all over spring break and had a great time getting to know them better, especially the little ones.  Sammy (third  from the right) even said her first words to me, "Tank you, Auntie Jenny!"  I loved it!  I'll be sure to post a picture of my other nieces and nephews after we return from the family cruise.

Update on Aleksei

Ryan visited Aleksei yesterday at Stanford Children's hospital and took a few pictures.  For those of you that have prayed for him this week, thank you!  God has been extremely faithful to him and gracious in so many ways.  As the days have passed since his surgery last Thursday, the surgeons have shared more information about how sick he really was and how life-threatening the surgery was.  God really protected him throughout it all and was faithful to keep all infection away so far.  He is slowly healing and beginning to eat, which is great!  This smile on his face is such a blessing.  He was very frustrated earlier in the week, and yet would still ask Kristi to pray with him before scary things like "pokes".  Kristi has been miraculously sustained and has been able to care for him at his bedside, despite having little time to sleep and rest.  Continue to pray for his quick healing and coming home soon!

Where's Caedmon???????

The other day I was busy making dinner and started asking the kids, "Where's Caedmon?"  After peeking in each room, which only takes 30 seconds in our house, I started feeling nervous.  I sent the kids to look in the backyard and I started looking in random places, when I heard Gavin call my name.  Gavin and his friend Jacob were laughing and pointing to the boys room.  I followed them and they lifted up the lid to the toy/costume box and there was our boy, fast asleep!  Gavin said he had decided to look inside because all the costumes had been taken out.  Caedmon must have climbed in for fun and dozed off!  So, I had to take a picture.  Ryan says Caedmon must take after him, because when he was small his parents called the cops on a missing child report, and ended up finding him asleep under the bed!