Saturday we took the Martin's boat out for the day. Caroline and Neil wake boarded and it was a lot of fun. All the kids did really well and had a good day!!!
Brooke and Graham laying out!
Once a week we have a family night! Family night is when the four of us try and do something together like play a game, watch a movie or go on an outing. It was Brooke's turn to pick so last night she picked watch a movie. We had a very fun night!!!
Halloween in our new home was awesome! I can't begin to tell you how many kids there were. My mom was guessing over 200 kids. All of us ran out of candy!!! And I bought a ton. All parents dressed up and got into the Halloween spirit. I seriously can't wait for next year! We will be dressing up:)
Brooke and Graham
We went to this amazing pumpkin carving party last night. I can't tell you just how much fun we had. Shane and Krista hired two babysitters for all the kids. They decorated the garage for the kids and they played freeze dance to the monster mash and hot potato with a pumpkin. Then Brooke decorated a pumpkin for Graham. It turned out so cute. Lastly we they had a pumpkin contest and our pumpkin got 2nd place!!! The four of us had such a great night:)
Brooke and Daddy
Brooke and Kaitlyn
Graham being Graham!!!
The kids!
Caroline and I
We met Brooke's friend Ava at the park with her mommy and little brother. The girls had so much fun. Graham had a blast playing in the sand too!
Our weekend started off with a fun night with Lisa and Eric. They had friends of theirs over who were a lot of fun to hang out with!
Brooke, Makena, and Landon
The kiddos were gearing up for a Halloween movie:) Becca and Ryan's little girl is Reese!
Then we took the kids to wine country for the day! Brooke loved learning all about the grapes. We then had a fun picnic but left the camera in the car so this is the only picture I got. Kids had a blast!
Sunday we had a church function in Orange County and were joined by "the cousins" as Brooke calls them:) It's really cute!
Brooke and Molly
Brooke and Ty!!!
So I couldn't find Graham for a quick moment:) and then found him in Brooke's closet sitting in Brooke's clothes and playing with her cell phone! He was pushing the buttons and dancing. It was priceless!!!
Kristyn was one of my roommates in college who I went to high school with as well. This means a lot to her and please come if you can:)
This is article published in the Register.
OC Walk To Remember
What: Honors local children lost to stillbirth, infant death and pregnancy loss.
Founded by Kristyn von Rotz of Orange and Lyndsey McLaughlin of Irvine – both lost babies.
Von Rotz gave birth to her baby, Joseph Thomas, at 23 weeks on July 8, 2004. He had a brain abnomality and only lived for a minute. Still she and her husband were able to hold him in their arms.
She and McLaughlin came up with the walk as a place to give parents an opportunity to remember their baby.
"It's difficult when you lose a baby," von Rotz said. "Family and friends never get to hold and see the baby. It's difficult for them to understand your grief. The walk is a safe place for parents to remember and celelbrate their child. Parents bring photos and make signs. It's a wonderful opportunity to share memories of our babies and to share their life, no matter how long or short, with family, friends, and other parents who have experienced a similar loss."
Von Rotz said while parents of living babies can throw birthday parties, those who have lost a child only have a gravesite or an urn with ashes.
"The walk is the one day a year where families can celebrate their child," she said.
Von rotz --since her tragedy -- has had two children: Leah, 3 and Evan 1.
Last years walk raised $13,000. So far this year, von Rotz and McLaughlin have raised $35,000.
Event: The 5K, at UC Irvine begins with a memorial service where more than 60 baby's names will be read. Money raised from the event benefits support groups and hospitals to help parents who have lost babies. These include St. Joseph's Perinatal Hospice Program. The Guild for Infant Survival Orange County, CHOC , St. Jude Medical Center, UCI Medical Center, Saddleback Memorial Hospital, Anaheim Memorial and Hoag Hospital.
Join the walk: Saturday, October 11, 2008
Where: University of California, Irvine
Time: 8 a.m. registration; 9:30 a.m. remembrance; 9:45 a.m. 5K walk
To sign up: Go to www.ocwalktoremember.org
Proceeds: Help provide grief counseling and memory boxes so parents can have footprint kits, photos and other items to remember their babies.
Donations: Please send checks to OC Walk to Remember, P.O. Box 2131, Orange, CA 92859 or go to the Web site. For information on corporate donations or if you would like to volunteer for the walk, please email: info@OCWalkToRemember.org
Contact the writer: eritchie@ocregister.com
