The Wilker Family: What we're up to...

I'm finding it a lot harder nowadays to find time to post on this blog... which stinks, because it is my journal and I love it. I thought I would do a little update on everyone. I think I will do a separate post for the babies since they will be 4 months (!!!!) in a week, but for the rest of us...

Me: I feel like my life revolves around the kids and being at home. Something I definitely love but can be hard at times. It has been (and continues to be) quite the adjustment to being a mom of 5. It makes a lot of things harder and overwhelming. Divide and conquer is our motto since the twins were born and will split up errands and kids so that we almost always leave the babies at home. Just easier that way. I haven't even braved taking them to the store or anything yet, but I know the day will come.

The only thing new with me is that I got a new calling! Pretty crazy and funny since I have been waiting to get released from my calling as the Beehives adviser. I absolutely loved my calling with those girls and loved the ladies I served with but after the twins were born I had no idea how I could go to mutual or do Sundays since having two babies would make it hard to teach or even go to class. I told the YW president and she completely understood (she has twins that are 8 so she's been there) and they assured me that I would get released. Then just a few weeks ago the Bishop called us all into his office and said they had a calling for me... young women's 2nd counselor. Say what?!? I think Steve and I both laughed we were so shocked. They had called a new president, someone who I love and trust and as soon as she got called by the Bishop she said she had known the call was coming and she knew who she wanted her counselors to be. She and the bishop are both well aware of our situation and us trying to wrangle all of these kids and they discussed all of it at length and have assured me that they will call extra advisers and do what it takes to make it wor. Steve and I feel very strongly that we serve where we are called so young women's it is for me again! (although I was never officially released, I stopped going after I came back to church with the babies because it was too hard, so I feel a little new still going back). I definitely feel a little in over my head with this calling but I am going to just try to do my best and we'll see how it goes. ...this came the same Sunday that I had to speak which seemed like a stretch for me right now and I didn't feel all that great about how it went, and I had crying babies while I was speaking of course.

Steve: Not a whole lot new with him. He continues to work hard to fulfill his calling as Elder's Quorum president, something I truly love about him. He also is amazing with how much he helps me with the kids. He picks them up from school everyday and is great to watch the babies and Kaley so I can run errands. I honestly think he has saved me so much sanity over the past couple of years. He recently had a couple of different interviews, one of which we were really hopeful about and so far nothing... which we are thinking is a bad sign. We're pretty much over all of this and have been feeling very down and frustrated with this, especially this week. I know it's especially hard on Steve and I wish so much I could fix it for him. We're really not quite sure what the future holds for us or how or if things will work out and we're tired of it.

Preston: School continues to go really well for him. He loves his teacher and has had a really positive experience so far. He has been riding his bike to school up until this week because it got really rainy and cold and he even rode his bike all by himself! He's been doing really great with his school work and loves the fact that he doesn't have any homework besides daily reading (something I love too!). He loves to read to himself and has been zooming through Star Wars chapter books and reads every night before bed anywhere between 20 minutes to an hour. He has been given permission to read up to a fourth grade level. He has also been doing AYSO soccer in the evenings and has had a lot of fun doing that. Steve takes him to his practices and games but I was able to go to one and he is doing really well. I still can't get over how good of a big brother this kid is. He loves every single one of his sisters, loves to play with them and help them. He and Abby do butt heads and bicker at times but they still are great buddies.

Abby: She continues to love kindergarten, of course! She does get pretty tired from school so sometimes we end of with some extra whining or emotion from her. She started her new gymnastics class at an actual gymnastics gym. She actually ended up being the only one in her class so she basically gets private lessons. She is doing great and getting so strong and loves trying new things like the balance beam, the bars, and trampoline. She is a fabulous sister and loves to help Kaley and play with her and loves the babies so much too. I can't believe how big the sweet silly girl is getting, still hard to believe she is 5!

Kaley: Oh how we love our Kaley. Seriously we feel like we are reaping the benefits of her very hard first year (yes the whole first year). She is so dang cute. She loves to smile and laugh and is so sweet and cute. She is talking more and more which is so fun. She loves to run errands one on one with me or Steve while the big kids are at school and loves to keep up with them when they are home. She throws the occasional tantrum which is to be expected of a two year old but she generally is just so sweet and stays out of trouble. I really think of her change of personality, which took place while I was pregnant with the twins, was a tender mercy of sort. It would have been very difficult if she had stayed her grumpy self during that time and now. And she loves the babies so much! When trying to get a picture of all 5 of our kids, which barely ever happens, she got so upset when Preston got to hold a baby and Abby got to hold a baby and she started to cry. Sweet girl.

Riley & Maddie: Just growing and growing... but like I said I will do a separate post for them.

This past week the weather finally flipped the switch to cold and rainy. It is definitely fall with moments that feel like winter is near. Anytime we do get some sun I am trying to soak it in as much as I can. I always miss the warmth of the sun and being outside during winter.

Random pics...

On the real deal balance beam! She is so brave!

Our ward had a mother/daughter Relief Society activity and I only took Abby. She absolutely loved it, especially the little craft we did. Totally up her alley.

A couple weeks ago we took a drive to see the fall colors. We went south through Wolverine Canyon, so pretty. It was fun to go as a whole family, something we don't do very much lately.