Chronicling The Links, one adventure at a time.

Family Photos

2009-12-19T13:38:00.000-08:00

He's not looking at our efforts to get it right!

2009-12-18T23:49:00.000-08:00

He's not looking at our efforts to get it right! It's all about His grace and His life working in and through us!

Faith I have, in myself, in humanity, in the worthwhileness of the pursuits in entertainment for the masses. But wide awake, not blind faith, moves me. My operations are based on experience, thoughtful observation and warm fellowship with my neighbors at home and around the world. ~ Walt Disney

It’s been a while since my last post to my blog… Most people (I Included) would say that there just wasn’t enough time in the day or that inspiration was to blame, but really… a glass of wine to wind down when the kids are snug in bed is just something that was more important that evening than reflecting on so many things that have gone on. To put these events into words, and saying they were “just short of exhausting” is an understatement. It really has been a roller coaster in the last couple of months. I left my job (temporarily) for yet another stint of maternity leave to have my newest daughter Ali; Jake began to walk and then run. Sure enough he has suffered some tumbles that resulted into crying and soothing by a sleep deprived mother with a newborn (not always the picture of patience). Maddie has grown into a preteen with emotional comments (not quite the sharp tongue of a teenager, but close). Jeff has gone on to grow a fruitful company with his Mom (fear of where the money will be is always there). Thankfully he is a great business sense; on top of that he is a wonderful provider and an amazing father as well. Their company has been a vision of what they wanted to experience both as an employee and as business owners. I have been enjoying staying home, caring for children and testing my cooking abilities. I’ve really gotten into cooking extravagant meals and new recipes I’ve never tried. In fact, over thanksgiving, I’ve focused on perfecting my pumpkin pie recipe and trying to cook “clean” (more organically, keeping to local produce and cooking with items that are in season to help minimize our carbon footprint). I have watched every episode of the 100 Mile Challenge and Emeril Green so that has been a fun little hobby. Plus it helps us maintain our healthy lifestyle and instills good palates for healthy foods for our kids. I never realized how much I love trying new foods! I am still full into coaching cheerleading which has been a fun Maddie and Mommy experience. We have been blessed much as a family.

To say we are blessed is AMAZING, praise the Lord! We are all healthy, we grow every day and more importantly we are growing as a family. With all of the chaos there is a silent morph into something Jeff and I have dreamt of. We are married, happily, even with the stresses of family that so often tear many couples apart. Even though we don’t get enough “alone” time, we are teammates and we revel in the few sweet moments we steal. Jeff and I have spent so much time talking and laughing with one another before our marriage, our careers and our kids I am thankful and I revel in the excitement of our reflection and togetherness.

Wow, Maddie is 10 years old and in 5th grade…. Just think about that. 5th grade? 10years old? Where the heck did the time go? She is my petite lil stunting, tumbling, firecracker that I never expected! Maddie is the most remarkable big sister too, she makes bottles, unloads and loads the dishwasher, plays with her brother while I am pulling my hair out wondering why I had two kids thirteen months apart…. Just kidding! Well sort of... The Madster is doing well in school too! She is a solid “B” student! I always say she is really good out of the gate but not much for stamina (if we do not keep her accountable)… We had a few hiccups but once I explained the importance of good grades and how proud it makes us when she excels, she perks right up and does better. I am so happy to have a good girl who likes positive attention rather than negative. In my experience some kiddos will looks for any attention to fill them and I am glad that Maddie has chosen positive as her motive for accolades. She is beautiful too and I am not being biased! She loves fashion, jewelry (she is quite the friendship bracelet maker) and doing her hair. She was playing with her hair-do’s the other day and accidentally got a comb stuck… yes Daddy had to cut it out (I was too busy freaking out about the situation to deal!); but on the bright side, Chrissy (my girlfriend) hooked Maddie up with some super cute bangs and now she has a whole new look. I must say that it fits her! Maddie is ultra busy with cheer too! Our squad got an invitation to compete at Nationals so we are Vegas bound at the end of January. Since Maddie is so petite she is the flyer (the girl that goes up in stunts) we are trying to perfect the full press (where the girls put her up above their head) and do a cradle (a difficult dismount) so we can compete at a higher level. In addition, Maddie is also an accomplished gymnast doing cartwheels and round offs throughout the routine. I can’t wait to video tape the event!

Jake… He is a big ole monster, monkey man with more energy and personality than I can put into words. He is also very shy in big groups (like his Daddy) and scared of loud noises (don’t know where that comes from!). Finally, he loves his little sister, did I say finally? Oh yes, the poor kid thought he was replaced for a bit. When Ali came home he liked her….NOT SO MUCH! There was a time that he bit my foot or any other exposed body part as I fed her. He would also creep around the recliner to scream wildly in her ear or sneak up and smack her delicate little head. I thought I was going to lose it! Here was my sweet baby boy and I had to discipline him. I was so sad to hurt his feelings (he is so sensitive) and put him in “time out” but in time he learned and now he kisses Ali and says MMMMM or Yum Yum Yum to which I say oh yes, isn’t she delicious? Jake agrees whole heartily. Jakey Poozle is quite the talker as well, his vocabulary is awesome! He says, Mama, Daddy, Maddie, Ali, Baby, Brother, Sister, Buddy, Buckaroo and Grandma. Granted Buckaroo is more like butt-a-roo and we are working on Grandma but it is cute none the less and I really enjoy teaching him new things. Speaking of new things I am not so much enjoying his carefree approach to new situations. He is not the cautious baby Maddie was! That boy will climb the couch like he just conquered Mt Everest and then leap from the top like he was sky diving… did I mention that I have wood floors and am usually feeding a new baby? Jake + Any Elevated Surface + Mama= Scary Situation! I have recently discovered Jungle Tots to which I say THANK THE LORD! This place is totally awesome, it’s a huge kid friendly jungle gym for toddlers and kids and let me just say when Jakers gets a bit of the cabin fever that’s where we are heading! He plays with other babes, climbs, jumps, slides and Maddie has just as much fun. I couldn’t ask for more! It’s my piece to resistance!

Ali… Ahhhh Ali Veronica Link. She is most likely my last baby, my sweet cuddler with a smile and appreciation for all that is around her. She loves staring at the voices that have brought her into this world. Ali is very responsive and inclined to develop much more quickly than her brother from what I can tell of her personality. She already smiles at your voice and has such cute facial expressions. She will follow your movements and totally stands if you give her the chance.

It’s funny how you feel guilty for not doting on a child as much as you would with one OR one separated by so many years (yes Jake is spoiled). Obviously I feel more emotionally connected to Jake than I did to Maddie at that age (due to my own social immaturity) and Jake has been a little spoiled because he was the ultra anticipated lover boy that I have always wanted. Ali came at a great time although I was scared of the quick labor I had with Jake and boy did Miss Ali come! 36 minutes after arriving at the hospital (we left at the moment I thought there was anything so much as resembling a contraction) we were on our way with little Ali! The girl was here before we even settled on a name! Even with that notice my mom missed the birth (thank you soooo much for taking care of placing the kids in good hands, I love you Madre!)! Ronnie made it thankfully so now each Mom made it to see at least one of her grandkids birth. Maddie was my mom (Maddie was named after my mom) Ali’s birth was witnessed by Jeff’s mom (Ali was named after Jeff’s mom) and Jake of course is just an immediate family affair (Mommy, Daddy and Maddie). So many meaningful celebrations!

I sit here reciting memories of my fond contentment reading to Jeff and Maddie for their input, they say that I have knack for writing and that I should write a book. I do love writing and maybe a book will grow from my adventures of parenthood but now I am satisfied of my accomplishment of where I have come and I am gratified in these simple pleasures. Especially with all of this excitement!

As I have said so many times throughout this blog post is that we are blessed! I pray that those that are reading are too! We are not the perfect family, we have our disagreements and the boat will always sway too and frow but we ride knowing that God has blown the wind in our sails and that no matter what we have one another. Be well, keep your loved ones in your thoughts and prayers and remember the Link’s will think and pray about your lives. We love you and Happy New Year!

Bengals!!!

2009-09-03T20:55:00.000-07:00

Bengal Mania is in full force! Here is the video from Maddie's first Half Time Performance this year, hopefully we can get it cleaned up before competition so we can qualify for the national competition in VEGAS!!! NEW POST!!!! We made it to Nationals, here are some pics from our Marine World during October.....WIN!!!

Time is a companion that goes with us on a journey.

2009-07-19T09:46:00.000-07:00

"Time is a companion that goes with us on a journey. It reminds us to cherish each moment, because it will never come again. What we leave behind is not as important as how we have lived." (Played by Patrick Stewart, from the film "Star Trek: Generations)

Alright, so I am not what you would call a "treky". To tell you the truth, I don't even know the difference between Star Wars and Star Trek.... I was trying to find a good quote to sum up how I am feeling about time and stumbled upon this awesome quote or shall I say line from the movie Star Trek. I like it so much that I am sticking with it. Maybe I should rent Star Trek. Who knows maybe I am treky at heart?

Anyway! Time...It moves too fast these days to keep up with my blog. I am living a wonderful life and the memories I am making while failing to record them are worth the expense. While I wish I could document each occasion, keep my house in order, work full time, coach cheer, raise a baby and an adolescent and grow a person in my belly it just doesn't happen. Ya know what? I'm okay with that! Gone are the days of worrying about getting every little thing done! I'm livin baby!!!

Jake is now officially 10 months old! This big ole boy is going everywhere and getting into everything. He has two teeth, loves regular food and wants to taste everything. He even likes lemons.... Who would have thought! He is crawling, pulling himself up on furniture, kneeling while pushing his truck.... On top of that his baby looks are slowly shedding and this toddler is emerging. I can't keep up! In addition, my belly is getting bigger by the day and Jaker Poozle weighs way too much for me to lug around. I often joke that when his little sister comes; I am going to have to duct tape him to a chair just so I can shower. Some of you actually know I'm capable of doing that!

Maddie’s summer is almost over, with school starting back up in August and Bengal Cheer madness beginning July 27th we are trying to fit in a couple of fun trips to the water park and maybe a few more camping trips before football games take up our Saturdays. She is ever the 10 year old. She loves being on the computer and playing her Nintendo DS. She watches too much TV and wants to be paid for doing household chores….. Oh what fun the teenage years will be. Really though she is a great kiddo.

Here are a couple of pictures from our recent adventures (4th of July, Clear Lake, Camping at Dillon Beach on Memorial Day and Cheer Camp), Enjoy!

Ultrasound results....

2009-06-09T16:49:00.000-07:00

It's a girl! Yes one... :)

The essential question is not, "How busy are you?" BUT

2009-06-08T14:51:00.000-07:00

The essential question is not, "How busy are you?" but "What are you busy at?" "Are you doing what fulfills you?" Oprah Winfrey

Okay so I was really bad about posts for the month of May…… The Link Family has been busy! Here is a bit of a refresher as to what is new with us.

Memorial Day Weekend we went camping with a few friends and their kids to Lawson’s Landing at Dillon Beach. We went crabbing and caught Dungeness crab, ate fresh raw and bbq’d Oysters sold to us by the truck that visits from the nearby Oyster farm, dug up giant Clams and made campfire Manhattan Clam Chowder, went sledding down the sand dunes, flew kites and played in the sand. This was also Jake’s first camping trip! Although the beach is always a little chilly and windy we had a great time and I think camping suits us all well! Pics to follow soon!

Maddie’s last day of school was June 5th! My little Miss Maddie is now a bona fide 5th grader….. I have to say I am proud but not pleased; only because she is growing up too fast! During the last week of school Maddie was recognized for a tremendous effort during her last trimester to improve her grades. The teacher pulled her in front of the whole school to praise her! She received the Bug Award for her efforts to improve her grades which led to her 3.4 GPA Honor Roll Award! Way to Go Maditude! In addition, Maddie worked very hard throughout the year reading tons of books to meet her Accelerated Reading Goal which she surpassed! I knew she had it in her, Maddie is awesome. Last trimester her teacher and I buckled down on her after her grades slipped, she is too smart to be a C student! I am so proud that my girl is so smart and motivated!!!!!!!!!!

Ahhhh high drama, kicks, flips and chants…. Oh yes! The Bengal cheer season is upon us yet again. Although we did not participate last year, due to the pregnancy conflicting with competition (located in Sunny Florida), we have jumped back in feet first to the Bengal madness. This pregnancy will also conflict with our Bengal functions but thankfully our competitions (furthest would be Las Vegas) and games are much closer in distance since the Bengals joined a different regulating authority. I will be the team mom and will help to coach this year in any way I can. Many pictures and stories to come I am sure of it!

My pregnancy is going well. I think I have been pregnant so long that I barely even notice it. I am exhausted every day but I am so blessed I have nothing to complain about. We go in for our ultrasound on June 15th…… Will we be welcoming a boy or a girl? Stay tuned…….

Black and White Photography

2009-05-13T22:02:00.000-07:00

Here are some pics I took yesterday, as you can see Jake is finally sitting up on his own! He is good for a little while but falls fast!

It was sooo cute, look at his facial expressions. I am not quite sure he was digging the feel of the grass on his little leggies!

Enjoy!

Blessings of generosity!

2009-04-24T19:48:00.001-07:00

Grandma Wakefield is soooooo creative! Look at the beautiful blankets she made us. We love our Easter gifts!

Xoxoxox,

Maddie and Jake

First dip in the pool!

2009-04-24T19:43:00.000-07:00

When we got back from our sweltering trip to the Academy of Science we were ready to cool off! Here are a couple of pics from our first dip in the pool!

California Academy of Science

2009-04-24T19:23:00.000-07:00

So last weekend, Me, Maddie, 6 other kids and 3 more adults packed up a couple of cars and headed to San Francisco to visit the Academy of Science. Normally San Fran is windy and somewhat cold so we put on our fall type clothing and made our way to the Academy. When we got there we hiked a ways to the Academy and took in the Planetarium, the shops, face painting, looked at the reptiles and fish. About half way through the academy some of the younger kids got hungry so we left and went to the Golden Gate Park for some lunch. Each of the parents packed a few sandwiches, fruit, juices, crackers and other delicious odds and ends. We set out our big blanket underneath a tree and settled into our picnic. Like I said before San Francisco is normally a bit on the windy side and quite a bit cooler than our weather in Vacaville......Not Sunday!!! Goodness... It was HOT! By the time we parked at 9:30am it was a steamy 86 degrees with not a breeze! Remember, we were all wearing fall clothing and not one of us brought summer clothes. Needless to say we had a wonderful time taking in the sights at the Academy of Science and playing at the Golden Gate Park. Note to self.....always be prepared! This takes me back to my first trip out with Jake, I tried packing the entire house.....I think I need to find a happy medium. Hmmmmm I better write that down!

Enjoy the pics from our trip!

Hippity Hoppity Easter's on its way!

2009-04-06T20:10:00.000-07:00

Happy Easter everyone! Here is our annual Easter Bunny Picture!

Of course Maddie is becoming a little too "old" to partake in the Easter Bunny excitement but she was glad to pose for a picture. She is becoming such a little model. I can't believe how beautiful she is!

Jake of course was beside himself with excitement to see the Easter Bunny, he was smiling and wriggling around in my arms trying to grab at the Bunny's face. He was so stunned though we could barely get him to look at the camera. There were so many other children and exciting things to look at!

God Bless!

Change to previous post!

2009-04-01T11:14:00.000-07:00

April Fools!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Okay so we have to come clean! Our triplets news.....totally a spoof!

Thank you everyone for having such a great sense of humor!

Love,

The Links

Can you handle the news?

2009-03-31T16:16:00.000-07:00

Well....all we can say is: I guess blessings come in threes!?!!

We had our first sonogram on Tuesday and what do you know.... We are having multiples! Triplets to be exact.... Um can we say uh oh! Here are the first couple of images.....

As you can imagine, this news has stunned us to say the least. Obviously our house will be full and I will not be returning to work to handle all the children we will have! As we soak in the news and prepare, keep us in your prayers!

Till next post!

Links Out!

The aim of life is self-development....

2009-03-20T09:49:00.000-07:00

The aim of life is self-development is: To realize one's nature perfectly - that is what each of us is here for. Oscar Wilde

Sometimes life throws you curve balls…. I am sitting here today with two announcements. One is not the death of a dream but just a dream on hold. The other is a blessing from above. While I must announce that I am unable to continue my half marathon training at this time and that I am putting my dream of running 13.1 miles on hold for a year. I am pleased to announce that the Link Family is growing yet again! Oh yes, it’s true, our family will be welcoming another member this fall! I have to admit that I did not expect to get pregnant so soon after the birth of Jake and it does kind of terrify me to think of having two small children about thirteen months apart, we are ecstatic just the same and I will keep you posted on our progress!

Thank you all very much for supporting me throughout my training! Your words of encouragement and donations helped me pound the pavement (ever so slowly) towards my dream. Your efforts are not wasted or forgotten! I have worked out a deal with my Team in Training coach and we are rolling over the majority of my fundraising efforts towards my training next year. I have made the commitment to achieve my dream of running and raising money for a cause and dog gone it; I am going to do it! Albeit a tired mess I’m sure but determined just the same!

Thank you again for your support and I hope you can cheer for me with the same fervor as I begin my journey towards another baby!

A baby makes love stronger, days shorter, nights longer, bankroll smaller, home happier, clothes shabbier, the past forgotten, and the future worth living for.
Author Unknown

The worst feature of a new baby is its mother's singing. Kin Hubbard

2009-03-19T13:26:00.000-07:00

Alright so my quote is a little off topic but it's funny just the same!

Jake has his six month visit today. Here are the stats for our growing bruiser:

Weight: 17.4 lbs 75th percentile
Height: 28.5 inches 95th + percentile (off the charts!)
Head Circumference: 50th percentile

Our boy is growing too fast!

Take Care!!!

Building strength for crawling and sitting!

2009-03-10T17:57:00.000-07:00

Jake is now five and a half months old. He is drooling like crazy preparing for some teeth that will surely pop through at any moment (as you can see below).

Jakers is also scooting to grasp toys and stregthening his arm and leg muscles for crawling. Jake is not quite sitting up but he has mastered baby crunches and is always trying to reposition himself into a sit. He will actually sit for about thirty seconds without support but as soon as he realizes what he is doing he topples forward. I am sure the many mile stones he is working on will come to fruition soon and we will be chasing a crawling boy! He has developed quite the personality as well...I can already tell from this picture he is going to be a handful!

In addition, he has found his new favorite sleeping arrangement, he scoots himself way up into the corner of his crib, lays on his side and nuzzels the bumper, it is soooo cute, but it does make mom nervous!

Jake is becoming increasingly aware of his surroundings as well, he recently discovered these giant beings covered in fur. Yes he has discovered the dogs and there is nothing more interesting! We often bring him into the kitchen to feed him dinner while we cook our own dinner, since we have a big glass slider, the dogs will come up to the glass to peer in and enjoy some time looking into the house. Jake is so delighted in this visit that he starts sqealing and cooing, peering at the pups. When we let them into inspect, Jake grabs at thier faces, kicks his legs and sqeals even louder! I am sure they will grow to be great friends. Since Mastiffs have a shorter life expectancy than regular sized dogs we are happy that they will be a part of our childrens lives if even for a short time.

Poke Poke as we call him has a Dr visit coming up so we will update you on his growth progression soon!

Feeling gratitude and not expressing it is like wrapping a gift...

2009-03-09T14:41:00.000-07:00

Feeling gratitude and not expressing it is like wrapping a gift and not giving it.

I have to share a wonderful thing that happened to me this weekend! As you know I have been training to complete a half marathon in May with Team in Training benefiting The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. During my journey, I have received an out pour of support, thoughtful words of encouragement, monetary donations and most importantly I have gotten to know some wonderful people and some stories of survival! This commitment has made me aware of so many people in need and made me realize how blessed I am even on my toughest days!

Meet my neighbor Donnie Hodge, he is 25 years old, married to his high school sweetheart Chessa and has two beautiful children (Maddie’s daily playmates) 9 year old son Donnie and a 5 year old Andi.

This February his family was hit with a disheartening blow. Donnie been feeling ill for months experiencing terrible headaches, dramatic weight loss, inability to sleep and some days he is in so much pain he is unable to even stand or walk. Donnie is battling Stage 4 Hodgkin’s Lymphoma, multiple brain tumors and bone cancer.

Since learning of his condition and his wonderfully positive attitude towards battling these illnesses, I wanted to help his family! His mother Vicki, wife Chessa and I hosted a fundraiser this weekend featuring Gold Canyon Candles, Gigi Hill Bags, Mary Kay, Cookie Lee and Avon. Each vendor donated at least 20% of their total sales (most being any commission they would have received) back to the Hodge family to cover their mounting medical bills. I have to tell you it was a smashing hit! I would guess we had about 800-1000 people that came through my home to purchase goods to benefit the Hodge family! In addition, we raised over $1500 dollars in just 3 short hours! I am astounded how many people came out to support this family even in such tough financial times. It just goes to show you that when times get tough, the tough get going!

If you would like to help Donnie and his family
Donations can be made at any Wells Fargo Branch reference account number 2323995361
Identification Number for Tax Purposes is 32-0270736

A special thank you to the vendors who helped us make this fundraiser possible and gave selflessly!

Cookie Lee: Christina Meek
Gold Canyon Candles: Seidi Woods
Gigi Hill Bags: Shawna Moriaty
Mary Kay: Lisa
Avon: Betty Meyers!

From the frontlines, over and out!

"You can't keep those women down...

2009-02-23T22:04:00.000-08:00

"You can't keep those women down...You can't get them back in the kitchen."

Deeper and deeper into the Abyss..... Yeah, that’s all I can say at this point. I have trained for probably about two weeks total during my three weeks of training….and while I tweak everything within my normal lifestyle I realize the magnitude of what I have signed up for. I walked/ran about five miles today....While I do not feel totally exhausted (mainly because I walked a great deal because of the side ache that persisted because of the burrito I ate for lunch…) my feet feel much better than the blister I experienced last Monday (because of the old shoes that were heavy and washed too many times). Excuses.......but valid ones! Let me see you run fives miles after having a baby (less than five months ago) and straight of the couch!!!! In fact, the blister I had was so bad that I held off my first real week of training until I got my really expensive "over-pronation" correcting shoes... Yes apparently, when you gain 52 lbs during pregnancy your weight shifts causing you to walk on the outsides of your foot, obviously trying to over compensate for the added weight on your joints. Needless to say, all of my shoes in my closet are rendered useless (weather stilettos, flats or running shoes) they’ve all stretched, worn or mutilated. In fact they are so uncomfortable to wear that I feel I need to have an overhaul preformed on each and every one.....There goes "My shoes were soooooo less expensive than the ones you bought" excuse.... Urgh! I do however feel fantastic! Who knew that putting your body through mortal combat would conjure up some "women’s runner" mentality; granted, this excitement lasts about two minutes into a training session but it’s all worth the while none the less... I mean, who can really run on the track, in the rain, in 40 degree weather and count the laps before one mile? If you were wondering, it’s four! I actually drove home today from work (before my training session) trying to calculate other running routes to spice it up.... Did you know I can plan my next days to do list, create a grocery list, figure out what my daughter needs on her first overnight trip (two nights and three days for school) and plan my weekly shopping list in a matter of minutes while driving? I can't even imagine running while thinking. I believe I may start hyperventilating and forget who I am completely.... None the less the whole running and planning my day went into the garbage....

Anyway, I am positive that I am not a runner by trade and that I will have to work at it. Not to mention that missing Jake’s (my missing 2 nights a week) nightly feedings and daily baths provide the perfect excuse for ditching ……but its time he gets to spend with Daddy and Sister and I am off living the dream! I talk about my fitness expertise but never show it. Here’s to raising money for a cure and challenging myself in ways I've always read about but never saw coming to fruition.

Cheers!

If you feel so inclined, please support me by donating at http://pages.teamintraining.org/rw/AveGiant09/klinkfw1hp it will help finding a cure for these illnesses, save my pocket book from having to write the check myself, with all the fundraising obligations it’s getting a little tough.

Thank you!
Kashala

I'm running a half marathon, no kidding!

2009-02-13T14:52:00.000-08:00

Yes, I am a crazy woman.... I am training to run a half marathon in May. The motivation is simple- I lost my dad to cancer when I was eight. My next door neighbor was just diagnosed with Stage 4 Lymphoma he is in his 30's, is married and has two kids. One of my friends has a friend who was diagnosed with Leukemia, she is in her 20's, married, pregnant and has two young children. I can't imagine not doing anything to help these families. I want to help so I am going to “just do it”....Would you be my cheerleader?

I am raising funds for The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society(LLS) as a participant in their Team In Training program and I'm asking you to help by making a donation to my fundraising campaign.

Please use the link in this email to donate online quickly and securely plus learn more about my progress. You will receive a confirmation of your donation by email and I will be notified as soon as you make your donation.

http://pages.teamintraining.org/rw/AveGiant09/klinkfw1hp

Each donation helps accelerate finding a cure for leukemia, lymphoma and myeloma. More than 823,000 Americans are battling these blood cancers. I am hoping that my participation in Team In Training will help bring them hope and support.

On behalf of The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, thank you very much for your support. I greatly appreciate your generosity.

P.S. I would appreciate it if you would forward this link to as many people as you can to encourage them to donate as well. Thanks again!

Coos, Smiles, Laughs and Sleeping through the night!

2009-01-22T19:24:00.000-08:00

Jake is four months old! I can't believe four months ago I hadn't even met our handsome little boy...or sould I say our BIG boy! Jake is growing with leaps and bounds. We took him to the Dr. today and he weighed 16.5 lbs and was a whopping 26.75 inches long! That puts our "bruiser" as our Dr. said in the 75th percentile in weight and the 90th percentile in height! Not only is he growing beautifully he is also developing a wonderful personality! He loves to interact with people. When anyone comes within 2 feet of him he will let out the most gleeful squeals and coos. And the laughs.... Oh the laughs! He cocks his neck back and belts out the most intoxicating giggles I have ever heard. I can't help but to laugh right along with him! Jake is learning a lot about himself as well. He has begun rolling over although he has only done it a few times he seems to frighten himself when he changes position all on his own. He has also discovered his hands! He reaches for toys, grasps them and....yep you guessed it the toy goes directly into his mouth. He is quite the biter, nawing on anything he can get his hands on. If he can't find something interesting to chew on he is just as happy chewing on his hands in place of the toy. With his new excitment of eating anything in sight we have also started him on some solid foods. He eats cereal and many different types of fruit. We are still working on the veggies as he makes faces and purses his lips in disgust over peas, green beans and sweet potatoes. Another exciting thing to report is Jake is sleeping through the night.... OH YES HE IS SLEEPING THROUGH THE NIGHT!!!!!!! It couldn't have come at a better time either! I went back to work about 3 weeks ago and just last week he decided to take it easy on old Mom and Dad and hit the sack around 7:30pm and sleep until 6:00am. Thank the Lord for that because I am not sure I would be able to handle a household, a husband, a 4th grade daughter and her homework, a sleepless son and a full time job all at the same time!

Life is surely exciting in the Link household, take care!

Aloha Hawaii!

2008-12-30T17:24:00.000-08:00

Ahhhh....relaxation, sunshine and tropical beaches!

Thats right, we went on our first family vacation to Kauai and Maddie brought her friend Danielle. We ate Kalua pig, drank Mai Thai's and Coconut Milk, made Lei's, took hula lessons, visited the spouting horn and numerous waterfalls, went to a luau, fed the Koi fish, snorkeled and swam to our hearts content.

The weather was a little overcast and rainy but we made the best of it as we were still in paradise! The girls had a great time playing in the ocean with Jeff while I sat on the beach trying to soak up what little sunshine there was peeking through the clouds, taking pictures of the girls, playing with Jake and catching up on some long over due reading. Even with three kids in tow I managed to read three books in 5 days!

Here is a list of the beaches and Falls we visited:
1.) Wailua Falls: These beautiful falls on Kauai were made famous by the TV show "Fantasy Island" and were worth the drive to see!
2.) Opaeka'a Falls: Are known from the the movie "Blue Hawaii" and were the largest falls we viewed.
3.) Kapa'a Beach Park
4.) Waipouli Beach
5.) Kalapaki Beach: This beach was in front of our hotel. Maddie and Jeff went body surfing in it!
6.) Lydgate State Park: Is the perfect place for beginner snorkelers but the storm made it unsafe to swim in.
7.) Po'ipu Beach Park: Where we spent most of our time swimming in the ocean.
8.) Polihale State Park: This was the most beautiful beach. It was surrounded by a large reef and had visibility about 25 feet deep for snorkeling (so Jeff says...I wasn't able to go).

Here are some pics of the activities we did....Enjoy!

The season is upon us!

2008-12-01T13:41:00.000-08:00

Maddie and I made a gingerbread house this Thanksgiving. Here is our wonderful creation!!! Our gingerbread house however will not make it to Christmas...Maddie ate it the next day.... :(

I'm in a Pickle!

2008-12-01T13:28:00.000-08:00

Okay so I am not really in a pickle but I made some! Our family went to Larry's produce this weekend. Larry's is a farmers market type place with lots of yummy locally grown fruits and veggies. We got lots of fresh food and decided that we would try out pickling some things.... I bought a bag full of pickling cucumbers and Jeff got some jalepenos and onions for some variety. Once we got home we looked up a few ideas for pickling and began our adventure. Jeff nor I have ever pickled anything but both of our mothers have done it a time or two so we conjoured up the memories and jumped right in. We have to let them sit for a while but we have high hopes that they will turn out great. We will let you know!

Hiking adventure!

2008-11-25T14:23:00.000-08:00

This last weekend Me, Jake, Jeff, Jack and Maggie went to Pena Adobe for a Hike/Bike ride. Of Course everyone else rode their mountain bikes and I strapped Jake into his front pack and set out for a hike. The weather was beautiful and Jake was bright eyed as we made our way up the mountain taking in the beautiful scenery and the crisp fall air! It amazes me how much Jake likes taking in the new world. He repsonds well to being outdoors and you can tell he really enjoys himself!

Maddie made the honor roll!!!

2008-11-24T21:35:00.000-08:00

First trimester report cards are here and the proof is in the pudding! Maddison D'Marie made the honor roll! Since entering the fourth grade she has been working hard. This is Maddie's first year getting "real" grades. First to third grade you get N's for "Needs Work" or S's for "Satisfactory". This is her first year being graded with the A, B, C and D grades. Although Maddie has had many adjustments in the last few months I am proud that she worked as hard as she did to make the honor roll. Great Job Maddie!!!!

The Green Eyed Monster

2008-11-20T11:25:00.000-08:00

A conversation that starts out as "I know this will make me sound jealous but..." is never good. Yup! The green eyed monster is rearing its ugly head in the life of Miss Maditude.

The other day we went to grocery store and in the dairy aisle she starts out a conversation with that phrase. "Mom, I know this will make me sound jealous but why is it that every time I answer the phone people ask me... "Oh Maddie how is your little brother Jacob or how do you like him?". "Why can't they just ask me how I am why does it always have to be about him?". As you can imagine this comment pretty much blew Maddie's "Oh I'm not jealous" front right out of the water.

Maddie is the only child that has been a constant presence in either my family or Jeff's. Due to this fact, I knew that our newest addition would pretty much rock her world regardless of how much we talked to her about Jake joining our family or how much we set aside time for her as an individual. I have spent many hours prior to Jake's arrival explaining to Maddie that babies are new and exciting for people and that she might feel left out or jealous but everyone loves her and we haven't forgotten about her. I have also explained that Mom has to take care of the new baby and needs her help but that doesn't mean we won't go do fun things together just the two of us. Well, she has been quite the trooper and won't display out right tantrums (not in her nature) but I have noticed a shift in her attitude and her performance in school not to mention the cues and conversations in everyday life.

To soften the blow this adjustment has caused to our only child of nine (yes count them nine) years I have taken Maddie to the movies, went to get Mommy and Daughter mani's and pedis, started a Mother Daughter book club where we read a book together switching off at each chapter. I try to keep her normal schedule making sure she is responsible for her regular chores so as not to overcompensate for our adjustment. We have regular conversations and I make sure to give her the time she needs by herself to adjust and just be.

As I know she loves her little brother Maddie has her good days and her bad days. Sometimes she feels like Jake gets everything and other days she is the typical nine year old that wants to sit in her room watching tv, talking on the phone, singing on her Karaoke machine, playing outside with her friends or writing a song. As parents, Jeff and I need to be mindful of her subtle cues and needs for attention as it is easy to get caught up with Jake since Maddie is in that transition age where she still is a little girl but is starting to pull away as she enters those tween years.

Keep us in your prayers....These are exciting times of change!

If the zoo wants you, let them come and get you.

2008-11-15T16:03:00.000-08:00

Maddie had the day off of school in observation of Veterans Day on Tuesday so we decided to take a trip to the Sacramento Zoo. Our friend Sarah and her twin girls Reagan and Rylie joined us in our little excursion. Being a mom to a newborn after nine years I packed the entire house into a diaper bag or two for all the “just in cases” I could justify. Just short of taking down the crib we ventured off on the first real “far away” trip with the new baby. Anyone that is familiar with where I live will laugh at this comment since the Sacramento Zoo is 25 minutes away and takes about two hours to get through and that is even stopping to eat lunch! Of course, worried as I may have been, Jake fell asleep the moment he was strapped into his car seat and proceeded to sleep through the entire adventure. What can I say…..I am still glad to know that I was prepared for the worst!

Mommy and Maddie posing as Kangaroo and Joey!

Reagan, Rylie and Maddie hanging out with the crocs.

This Chimpanzee was so cute! We got to the Zoo early that morning and this little guy hadn’t had his cup of coffee yet.

These girls love each other!

This would be the view from outside the café where we enjoyed corndogs and burgers, MMMMM!

A smile from a child is packaged sunshine

2008-11-15T15:37:00.000-08:00

Gotcha!! I have finally captured Jake's sweet smile! Jake has been smiling quite frequently in the past few weeks but every time I grab the camera to capture the moment it's over. It probably doesn't help that each time he begins smiling I shove this big silver contraption over my face and begin snapping away blinding the poor kid with flashes. To think I actually wonder why he stops what he is doing when I've got the camera in tow. When I look at the picture on my handy dandy digital I've captured some wide eyed, surprised, contorted face staring back at me; not quite the picture I was aiming for……

Anyway!!! Here is a picture of Jake’s smiling face. Of course I have yet to perfect my picture taking skills but this will do for now.

Double, double toil and trouble; fire burn and cauldron bubble.

2008-11-03T14:47:00.000-08:00

This Halloween we veered from our usual trip to the pumpkin patch in Woodland and went to Silveyville. Silveyville is the same place we go to cut down our Christmas trees each year so it holds a special place in our hearts. Now that we have added one more addition to our family establishing traditions is something we want to begin doing now more than ever. Jeff and I have fond traditions from our childhood we will want to continue honoring with our kids. My Mother in law makes chili every Halloween and my Mom has us wear special jammies every Christmas Eve.

Maddie posing for what we hope to be a yearly pic.

Rounding the corner towards the pumpkin patch and reminising about our tree last year.

Jeff is such a jokster.

Under the walnut tree with Jake in his baby sac.

On Halloween Eve we ventured back up to Woodland and visited Grandma Link and toured the neightborhood for candy. Jake was a Monkey equipped with bananna and tail and Maddie was a vampire with creepy make up and fangs!

Jake and his Monkey Suit

Maddie has to be the cutest scary vampire I have ever seen!

Making the decision to have a child - it's momentous....

2008-11-03T13:24:00.000-08:00

Making the decision to have a child - it's momentous. It is to decide forever to have your heart go walking outside your body.

Its Official!!! Jacob Jeffrey Link made his arival on September 18th, 2008 at 12:10 am. After only an hour of labor, almost having him in the car, almost having him in the parking lot of the hospital....I delivered him with no drugs at Kaiser Vallejo in a delivery room. Thank God! We are at home and doing well. Little Jake is 20 inches long and 7 lbs 14 ounces.