family

Newest Addition

February 12, 2015 By Kerry 36 Comments

Good Morning! Happy Valentine’s Day!

Justin and I are looking forward to a morning date Saturday with brunch and some downtime. We’ve swapped our evening dates with Saturday morning dates because, let’s be honest, we’re both toast by the end of the day. And if we’re really being honest, I’m usually falling asleep on the couch around 8:30p.

I wake up super early to work out (alarm is set for 4:50a*), so my brain functioning much past 7:45p is a stretch. Actually, my brain doesn’t really function beyond 4p, but my body has to keep going a bit longer to get through dinner time and the kids bed time routine.

Because Valentine’s Day is a time to celebrate all things wonderful and lovely, I thought it would be the best time to share with you that the Wise family, and my belly, is expanding! Baby Wise #3 will be here by June and we couldn’t be more excited to welcome this little baby into our family. (My brother and sister-in-law will be having a baby a few weeks before ours, which makes this baby extra special to have such a close-in-age cousin!)

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You’ve likely noticed my postings dwindle in the last few months. Well, this is the reason – secret’s out! It’s tough work growing kids and raising kids at the same time. Holy smokes!

I have to share my mindset of each pregnancy because it’s changed so much. I think many of you with more than 1 child will relate:

Baby #1: Pure joy and excitement. Everything is new and exciting and confusing and wonderful and filled with anxiety. There’s so much planning and researching and guessing. There’s a weekly picture documenting how your belly has grown and how you feel. It’s honestly bliss.

Baby #2: It’s still such excitement, but now it’s mixed with anxiety for how you are most assuredly ruining child #1’s life, wondering how they will ever possibly adapt and adjust. You rarely take weekly belly bump photos and often have to remind yourself how far along you are.

Baby #3: Wait, when am I due? How far along am I? Take a picture of me and die. Should I schedule an appointment? Oh my gosh, I’m huge. Are we sure we aren’t having twins? I should really make an appointment. This pregnancy thing is overrated… just give me the baby 🙂

Of course, every time I start to think about this, I think of my Grandma. She did this FIVE MORE TIMES, my dad is the oldest of eight. Now that woman is a saint! Saint Grandma… that’s what I’m going to call her from now on.

The kids have been so wonderful about this baby. They have named the baby “Baby Scoob-a-Doo,” “Baby Margaret,” “Baby Daniel,” and “Baby Henry.” Both kids are actually rooting for a girl. Finn thinks baby boys just cry and baby girls are extra sweet. He swoons over his best friend’s little sister, Rowan. He eats her up whenever she’s around and keeps saying he wants a “Baby Rowan” at the house. I think he really is pulling for a girl because he’s a caretaker and already protective of Evie. He likes the thought of having another girl to protect.

We debated, but finally decided to have Finn and Evie join us last week at the gender revealing ultrasound. I didn’t know how they’d do, but they were amazing! They sat patiently and were in awe at what they were seeing. The heartbeat, the face, the feet, the hands. This baby instantly wiggled into Finn and Evie’s hearts!

And of course… the gender revealing BOY PARTS! I’ll keep that picture in the family, though! 🙂

The kids warmed up to the idea quickly and are now over the moon about a baby brother joining our family. My best friend has always said, “boys need brothers,” and she’s right. The world can only handle one Evie… she’ll fend for herself no matter who is around… but Finn and this baby will have a special brother bond. Finn just takes people in.

Since being pregnant, one of my favorite places has been reconnected with my vehicle…

Thank you all shopping locations who offer this, particularly when I have Finn and Evie with me, PARTICULARLY when it’s freezing out with insane snow amounts. Virtual high-five!

Blogging has been tough as I usually write during Evie’s nap and when the kids go to bed. However, I’m now KO’ed on the couch during those times now, so bare with me. I’m working through what this will look like 🙂

I hope you all have the best Valentine’s Day weekend! After college I would always come home and take my Grandma out for lunch on Valentine’s Day. So, don’t sulk or hate on Valentine’s Day if you aren’t in a relationship… find someone to love for the day. There’s plenty of people out there!

Much love to all of you! What are your Valentine’s Day plans? Are you celebrating anything extra lovely this weekend?

If you have 2 or more babies, how did you feel differently during your pregnancies?

* For those who continue to workout during pregnancy or those who recently had a baby and are getting back in the swing of things, please read this article. I’ve referred back to it every time I need to give myself some slack. I’ve had to quit doing a few things at CrossFit (hand stand push-ups, box jumps, and deep squats), but continue with every thing else… just slower. My coach is fantastic and regularly reminds me to keep my heart rate in check. I tend to push too hard. It’s tough to pull back, but I know it will reverse someday soon. All in good time. Your body is building and sustaining life… give yourself some grace! *

Pumpkin Picking with the Kids

October 8, 2014 By Kerry 8 Comments

We spent our 4th fall picking pumpkins as a family at Wills Family Orchard this weekend.

During our first visit in 2011, we were still a family of 3.

Evie was an unhappy peanut in 2012. It was chilly and she’s missed a nap.

Last year we visited twice: to pick apples and to pick pumpkins. Those pictures just one year ago blow my mind. Evie’s hair is SO short and she looks so small!

So much can change in the matter of year.

One thing that doesn’t change is our love for this land. We visited another orchard a few weeks ago and we all walked away saying there was just no comparison. Wills Family Orchard remains our family fall spot!

It was the perfect chilly fall morning. Our previous plans with friends fell through so we took the surprise open morning to do something we love.

Evie, in classic Evie style, wanted to pick what she wore. The tutu is an infant picture tutu that my friend Jennie was going to donate to Goodwill. Evie saw it and GAME OVER. She wears this thing like it’s attached to her skin: mall, grocery shopping, and now pumpkin picking. To each their own!

It was a chilly morning, perfect for wearing all things fun. Like mother like daughter 🙂

Finn was very into picking this year. He ran through the vines looking for the perfect pumpkin for each of us. He was all in helping Justin cut them away from the vine and desperately wanted to lift the pumpkins into the wagon. Maybe next year since he and Justin found a TWENTY-EIGHT-POUND beast. They were so proud. Like father like son 🙂

After a brief bonding moment…

… we were off with our loot!

But not before stopping to look at the gourds. This is often my favorite spot. I love the shapes and colors!

I loaded the pumpkins up the vehicle while Justin and the kids made their way through the corn maze. Justin asked before going in, “now, am I going to get lost?”

Thankfully they made it out and met me in the Country Store where we picked up our fair share of organic apples, fresh made jams, local honey, and Apple Cider Donuts. The kids LOVE these donuts, as do J and I. We were able to chat a little with Maury Wills, “Farmer Wills” as Finn calls him. He is a good man and has raised a great family. Supporting his family by visiting the orchard is well worth your time this fall.

Once the donuts were gobbled, Evie demanded an apple. Happy to comply, my dear…

After a visit down the way to visit the chickens and goats, we headed home to put our favorite fall finds on the porch.

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It is officially fall in the Wise house. Nothing better! What are your fall traditions?

Boston Family Vacation

July 28, 2014 By Kerry 10 Comments

Outside of the cities I have lived, Boston is probably my next most visited city. For many years I spent every other Thanksgiving there, as well as summers in Cape Cod.

Here’s the backstory: my dad grew up along the South Shore. He’s the oldest of 8 (6 boys and 2 girls), and most of our family still live in the area. My grandma (Beach Grammy, which Finn named her years ago) has 18 grandchildren and 2 great-grandchildren. She also turns 90 later this year. My brother and I are the oldest grandchildren and my youngest cousin is 9, so we span lots of years!

While the 8 kids were born and raised just outside of Boston, they (and my cousins) are now spread out over Nebraska, Iowa, Kansas, New Jersey, Washington, Massachusetts and Holland. This was the first time 99% of our family would be in the same city, so Justin and I knew a Boston family vacation was a must this summer. And as expected, we had such a fantastic time!

The kids did an amazing job on the flights. Evie took a little snooze as we made our way to the hotel to settle in. (Random: every time I drive in the tunnels in Boston I think of Princess Diana. Strange?)

We spent our first full morning at the Boston Children’s Museum. Because we are members of the Science Center of Iowa we paid $0! The partnership among museums in this country is really incredible! The kids LOVED the museum. In fact, LOVE might be an understatement for what Finn felt. He would have slept there if we’d have let him.

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Finn quickly made it to the top of this rope tunnel at the entrance. Other kids were screaming and getting lost. He was killing it. Ninja skills.

Ropes Evie loved the lighted Tetris-like dance floor. Girl has moves for days. Just look at her get LOW!

Dancing If this is a look into my future, I’m in trouble. I also have an outdated phone in my future. Let me upgrade ya!

There is an area called “Kids Power” where kids use their humongous muscles to make things move. I love the teamwork and facial expression on Evie as they work to fling a ball in the air. They were incredibly proud of each other and kept high-fiving!! Later that afternoon we filled the kids up with some very necessary nutrition…

… before we took a family drive to Quincy to visit the very first Dunkin’ Donuts. I am well aware Dunkin’ is not the mecca of health, but it screams BOSTON, and it was a history lesson for the kids, right? Hard work, determination, franchising, etc… 🙂 Some people take historic tours of architecture when they visit the East Coast. Our family? Historic donut buildings.

As you’d imagine, Finn and Evie didn’t give a rip about the history lesson, they were just THRILLED to get a donut. So thrilled, in fact, Evie sang her donut a song. Seriously. She straight up sang to it! By the time her song was done, Finn had already digested his entire donut and was licking his chops for more. Hello, sugar high!

Hopefully we aren’t the only crew to have taken a family picture in Dunkin’? Family Christmas shot 2014 right here, folks! Just print it off now.

We spent every afternoon with my family, including 2 of my girl cousins who happily scooped Evie up into their hearts. Evie was smittin’ and keeps talking about “Wiz and Kawa” … Liz and Cara 🙂 Cara made her bracelets, which Evie calls her “power.” There’s no quicker way to Evie’s heart than super powers and pretty jewelry! All 3 of these nuggets are my super heroes! Love them.

Cara also introduced Evie to Kim Kardashian. CARAAAA!!!! 🙂

My younger cousins took Finn in immediately and he was in heaven. Between soccer, swimming and running around, he never wanted to leave!

With all of my aunts and uncles and cousins, there were at least 34 of us gathered to celebrate my Grandma’s 90th birthday later this year. These are most of my cousins on my dad’s side (we are missing 2 cousins and my brother). Do you see now why the kids never wanted to leave this land of magical fun and playmates?!? Entertainment for DAYS!

The next day we took a trip to the New England Aquarium. It was amazing – Nemo and Dory live there, but let’s just say the Children’s Museum went over with a lot more excitement 🙂

While Finn has visited the ocean twice before, this was Evie’s first visit. This is a big moment for my beach-loving heart! I watched as she walked closer and closer to the (freezing cold) water. As expected, she fell in love!

Justin and Kids

She wanted to jump and splash, while Finn preferred to “Superhero punch” the waves. He also accidentally took a big gulp (rite of passage) and exclaimed, “wow, that’s salty!”

And no hotel trip would be complete without flying toddlers, right? I wish I would have recorded this laughter. It was hysterical!

We had such a great time enjoying the city and our family. Maybe some day we’ll buy that Cape Cod beach house and make this an annual trip. Big dreams 🙂

Until next time, Boston, we love you!

Have you gone on a family vacation this summer? Where to?