Visitors for Jesse

This post is out of order...quick flash-back to Jesse's hospital visitors

Aunt Erin

Grandpa Gus & Grandma Nan
(Apparently we missed getting a picture with Kara & Mitch)

Uncle Billy & Aunt Jana...and Lane

Joel and Brook

Aunt Alisa

Uncle Taylor and Aunt Marcie

Enjoying our New Little Guy

Crazy about my littlest guy!

Sweet big brother

Lane's "new toy"

The boys love to lay by Jesse to watch him when his eyes
are open.  (This requires a "spotter" with Lane!)

I wish we had video of what went on 30 seconds earlier as
Lane removed Jack from behind the car seat in order to position
himself alone and at the center behind the car seat for the photo.

Thanksgiving with the Helmkamps

The Helmkamps came to us this year for Thanksgiving, as we didn't know whether we'd be a few days in or out from having a baby.  Turns out were a few days in, so everyone hit two birds with one stone, meeting Jesse and celebrating Thanksgiving in one trip.  We loved having everyone and are hoping we can convince them to come back when we're able to do a little more hosting!

Enjoying their cookies from the girls.  These boys are
very lucky to have older cousins who are so good to them!

Love this one! :)

Grammi & Jesse

Papa & Jesse 

Reading with Uncle John and Taylor

More reading with Papa

Uncle Ry-Ry and Annabella taking a walk

the Helmkamp cousins :)

Bella Baby Photos

Hospital Time with Jesse

Sweet baby

Another set of three Helmkamp boys...here we go!

Mom and her boys

Meeting his little brother :)

Proud Daddy

Jesse & Jack

Burrito Boy

I treasure our time in the hospital with each of the boys.  Such sweet memories!

Announcing the newest addition....

It's another boy! Welcome Jesse Daniel Helmkamp! Born at 10:25 am on 11/22/14 weighing in at 9 lbs. 0 oz.  Mom and boys are doing great. Jack and Lane really like to hold Jesse. We will see how long that lasts! Praise the Lord for His new creation!

Sometimes when I spend just a little too much time upstairs while the boys are downstairs playing together I dread going back to down to see what sort of destruction has taken place.  No worries this morning, they were just building a fire. :P

After the fire was built they sat roasting marshmallows

Diaper hats...don't know who started this one

Here they are going on a "car ride".
Apparently there wasn't enough room
so Lane had to sit on Jack's lap.

Last Weekend with Toma & Sandu

We had a great two weeks with Toma and Sandu.  We were sad to see them go.  The last weekend they were here they wanted to see the Capitol, the Science Center, and take one last shopping trip. :)  We also introduced them to S'mores and had a Kazakh meal they, (along with the other Kazakhs who were here with them), prepared at the farewell celebration.

The last time I was at the capitol was in 5th grade on a field trip.
I think I appreciated the architecture a little more this time!

The ladies and I
(I had trouble convincing them that I was not cold--that
the baby keeps me warm--they were always cold!)

Ryan and Lane with Benji, who spent the day with us

The ladies were quite the statue posers :)

Benji and Lane doing the weather at the Science Center

Campfire and S'mores 

In Kazakhstan, they only drink hot/warm drinks.  They couldn't
get over the fact that we let the boys drink ice water too.  Sandu
especially gave Ryan a hard time about it, so on their last night
here, Ryan made them take "shots" of ice water.  Cheers! :)

Happy 30th and 40th

I turned the Big 3-0 on October 23rd, and Toma turned the Big 4-0 on the 25th, so we had a little joint celebration.  Happy Birthday to us!

Our English-Russian Birthday cake

Happy Halloween

Two happy Minions after a fun night
of Trick-or-Treating!

Sharing some candy with Sandu

Enjoying some loot

Toma wishing she had dressed up like
a Minion and gone Trick-or-Treating too!

Minion smiles

Their costumes were inspired by Lane,
who is a bit of a Minion :)

Minion kiss?