The Holland Family News

A Couple More Pictures of Luke

2010-11-20T13:01:00.001-08:00

Video of Carissa Reading to Faith and Jacob

2010-11-20T12:50:00.001-08:00

I figured you all might get a kick out of this.

Video of Luke

2010-11-17T21:35:00.000-08:00

Here is a picture of Luke in NICU. He is doing great and should be back in the room with us tomorrow!

Luke Russell Pics!

2010-11-16T17:46:00.000-08:00

He's here! At 12:14 pm today weighing in at 7 lbs 10 oz and measuring 20 inches long.

I (Rachel) am recovering well so far! Luke is currently in the NICU because he was having some breathing issues. It turns out that he just has some extra fluid in his lungs but it is steadily decreasing (yay!) He still has to stay in the NICU for 48 hours for observation though until all of his tests results come back saying that he doesn't have an infection.

Here are some pics:

Snow Day 2010!!

2010-02-16T16:10:00.000-08:00

Well, we had some CRAZY snow here in Dallas last week. It was definitely over 12 inches in some parts of our yard. As you can see from the pictures, we were very unprepared for snow (no gloves, no water-proof pants, no water-proof shoes). But it was a BLAST!

(And sorry about the music... I know it's a big blog no-no, but I just couldn't help myself!!) :)

Pictures!

2009-03-31T10:02:00.000-07:00

Here are some recent pictures of the kids...

Carissa at Chuck E Cheese. We aren't brave enough to go to Chuck E Cheese very often, but when we do, the kids have a blast! Despite the blank look on Carissa's face in these pictures, she really had a lot of fun. She was trying very hard not to look at the camera.

The kids having fun at the Dallas Zoo:

Jacob and friends learning their Spanish alphabet (along with the alphabet sign language) at Spanish class!

Faith and Daddy before Date Night:

This past Christmas when Faith got her American Girl doll (whose name is Molly - Faith insisted that I add her name to the post). She takes her American Girl doll with her most of the time.

Carissa's First Birthday

2009-01-25T18:23:00.000-08:00

Finally!!!

2009-01-23T19:56:00.001-08:00

So, wow... I haven't posted anything on here since September!!

Why, you ask? Because I started another blog in September that has consumed most of my spare time! It is called Surviving The Stores and is all about free items you can get at the stores, couponing, great deals online... all kinds of stuff! If this interests you, I recommend checking it out! :)

Now, back to the real reason you check this blog... pictures of the kids! Here are some of the family pictures that Ryan's grandad took of us while we were there during Christmas. (Can you tell which picture I switched a better picture of a person in??) :)

Our little girl is growing up!

2008-09-25T22:29:00.001-07:00

Carissa saying "hi" and "bye" -- well, sort of. :)

Spitting School

2008-08-08T19:13:00.000-07:00

*Enter Jacob blowing spit bubbles*

Mommy: Jacob, stop blowing spit bubbles. Where did you learn that?

Jacob: I learned it at spitting school.

Mommy: At spitting school?

Jacob: Yes, I learned it at spitting school where they teach you how to blow really big bubbles with your spit.

Arboretum and Swimming!

2008-07-02T13:43:00.000-07:00

I decided to take the kids to the Arboretum here in Dallas last week. Definitely not the smartest idea in the middle of summer, but I had to get out of the house and the kids definitely had fun!

Carissa just looked too cute to not get a few pictures here at the house before we left...

We went swimming with some friends of ours last Sunday. Faith has learned to swim underwater, and Jacob can swim really well with his floaties on! Carissa can't do much of anything in the water except be absolutely adorable!

Family Pictures!

2008-06-17T20:46:00.000-07:00

Here are some pictures from Ryan's cousin's wedding...

Ryan, his sisters Angela and Patricia, and his brother Russ

Uncle Mike making Carissa laugh.

Several of the cousins waiting for their rides home.

Ryan and his dad

Our family...

Jacob and his cousin making silly faces for the camera.

Visiting Friends in Arkansas

2008-03-25T13:35:00.000-07:00

This past weekend we visited some good friends of ours who live close to Little Rock, AR. We had a blast and wanted to post some of the pictures from the trip. Our friends have 195 acres of BEAUTIFUL land with hills and cliffs and creeks. It was wonderful. Anyway, here are some pictures of the trip!

They had four horses that we got to ride! Faith was really excited about riding a horse, but once she got close to the horses and they wanted to smell her, she didn't like it quite as much. She rode with Ryan for a little bit and then wanted off.

On Saturday we went to Mountain View, AR which is a really neat town with a downtown square where several bluegrass musicians come to play on the street! This is an old soda fountain shop in Mountain View.

We went on a family vacation when I was around Faith's age and my parents bought me a corn-cob pipe. So I just had to get one for the kids.

The kids are trying to stick their hip out (that's how I was in my five year old Arkansas picture). Faith couldn't stop laughing at her brother.

Our family at the old-timey soda fountain shop.

One of the daughters of the family we stayed with is a fiddler! She has only been playing for one year and she is AWESOME! This is her playing with one of the bluegrass bands in Mountain View.

We had constant babysitters during our time! Someone wanted to hold Carissa all the time.

Ryan has been wanting to learn to play the bass guitar for YEARS and he finally bought one while we were on our trip.

Jacob Quote

2008-03-13T22:06:00.000-07:00

Jacob: "Daddy, I need to tell you something."
Daddy: "What is it?"
Jacob: "I'm too big for my bed" (Jacob is two, and sleeps on a twin size bed)
Daddy: "Where are you going to sleep?"
Jacob: "I need to sleep on the couch, I'm too big for my bed."

Jacob at age two on 3/13/08 at bedtime. Where do they come up with this stuff???

Superman and family

2008-02-07T17:18:00.000-08:00

Happy Birthday Daddy!!! Ryan turned the big 3-0 on February 6th. We went to dinner at Texas Roadhouse (which is definitely one of the best restaurants ever!) and then came back home for cake... yellow cake with chocolate icing (Ryan's favorite).

Faith had remembered that Ryan said that he didn't have any gloves, so she wanted to surprise him with some for his birthday!

Train ride before bed! Ryan is so good at playing with the kids! They love playing with their Daddy so much.

Faith loves holding Carissa in whatever way she can... sitting up or laying down.

They love their little sister!

SUPERMAN!!!!!

Videos Of The Kids

2008-01-23T17:37:00.000-08:00

Here is the video of Carissa. It is of her swinging in the greatest invention ever! It plays music, vibrates, and swings 4 different ways. If only it would feed her too! =)

This next video is of Faith playing Mary Had A Little Lamb on the piano.

The next two videos are of Jacob singing Mary Had A Little Lamb (or his rendition of it!) Make sure to watch the first video first. Notice the change between "sweet boy" and, well... =)

(The second video is actually his "Tiger Voice")

Faith Quotes

2008-01-22T13:25:00.001-08:00

Here are some of my favorite quotes from Faith:

We were in the car and Faith was somewhere between 3 and 4. We told her we were having roast for dinner and this is what she said:

"Roast! I love roast! You kill cows and then you eat 'em!"

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Faith talking to the Carissa in my belly at 9 months pregnant:

"I love you baby! I can't wait to give you kisses and bring you to Starbucks!"

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Me to Faith: "Faith, it's time to lay down."

Faith to me: "But Mommy, when I lay down it makes me go to sleep."

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Faith, making up a song about snow:

"It snows in Oklahoma. It snows in China. It snows everywhere except in Bryan, Texas."

Update

2008-01-15T14:22:00.000-08:00

Well, Carissa is doing great! She has been sleeping well at night (unlike my first two) so that has been a HUGE help (especially since there is not the possibility of a nap during the day!) Faith and Jacob are so excited to have a little sister. When she wakes up and cries during the day they both run to the back to try to get there first and put her "binky" back in her mouth.

Yesterday was my first day at home all day with all three kids. I think I did okay. I feel bad that I have to sit in the cushiony chairs most of the day, but that will only last another week or so I think. I actually got some school done with Faith so that was exciting! I'm still not sure if we are going to do schoolwork in the morning or the afternoon... we'll just play it by ear. I was wondering how school would work with 3 kids, but I think it's going to work out well.

Here are some more pictures...

Carissa is here!

2008-01-01T15:36:00.000-08:00

We have a new little baby girl! Carissa Grace was born on December 29th weighing 6 pounds 12 ounces and 19.25 inches long! Here are some pictures from her first couple of days...

This is Ryan and the kids in their outfits before the surgery!

Ryan and Carissa after surgery

Sweet Carissa

Faith is SOOO excited to have a little baby to hold!

Jacob too! (Although he won't be doing as much holding)

Jacob watching his little sister
Mommy and Carissa

Carissa in her going home outfit (and the pacifier from the hospital)

Carissa in her carseat

Leaving the hospital

This swing is the greatest invention EVER! It's called the Graco SweetPeace Soothing Center and you can watch a demo here: http://www.mysweetpeace.com/

2006-05-09T14:33:00.000-07:00

he loves it!

2006-05-09T14:32:00.000-07:00

they sure do love each other!

2006-05-09T14:31:00.000-07:00

...

2006-05-09T14:30:00.002-07:00

our princess

2006-05-09T14:30:00.001-07:00

...

2006-05-09T14:30:00.000-07:00

more walking pictures

2006-05-09T14:29:00.002-07:00

...

2006-05-09T14:29:00.001-07:00

...

2006-05-09T14:29:00.000-07:00

...

2006-05-09T14:28:00.001-07:00

I think I have to do them all one at a time

2006-05-09T14:28:00.000-07:00

...

2006-05-09T14:25:00.000-07:00

Kids in Houston!

We have some major updating to do!

2006-04-18T13:08:00.000-07:00

Yes, he's walking now! He's taken about 18 steps at one time! Yay!

2006-01-19T07:22:00.001-08:00

He loves to swing!

2006-01-19T07:22:00.000-08:00

At a restaurant in Tennessee!

2006-01-19T07:20:00.001-08:00

Ryan and his brother Russ

2006-01-19T07:20:00.000-08:00

More swinging!

2006-01-19T07:19:00.000-08:00

This is my favorite

2006-01-19T07:17:00.002-08:00

...just Jacob...

2006-01-19T07:17:00.001-08:00

and more....

2006-01-19T07:17:00.000-08:00

...it's hard getting a 9 month old to stay still!...

2006-01-19T07:16:00.000-08:00

More PJs!

2006-01-19T07:15:00.000-08:00

Christmas PJs!

Flower Girl!

2005-12-20T08:08:00.000-08:00

Flower Girl! Faith has been in four wedding so far. This is her in the wedding in Dallas this past weekend.

Ice Skating

2005-12-20T08:07:00.000-08:00

Faith went ice skating for the first time last weekend! (Dec 10th). She loved it!

Yea!

2005-12-20T08:06:00.000-08:00

Faith wrote out her name for the very first time on our markerboard last week (Dec. 12 at 12:35pm). She loves writing on the markerboard!

He's standing!

2005-12-09T12:59:00.000-08:00

One of three (I can only upload one picture at a time, I think, using this new program that we have)

2005-12-09T12:58:00.001-08:00

Two of three

2005-12-09T12:58:00.000-08:00

Yes, he's pulling up now! And look at those teeth! He has four teeth in now (bottom front two and top front two).

The best entertainment

2005-12-09T12:55:00.000-08:00

The greatest form of entertainment for babies is other children! Faith loves being silly to make her little brother laugh!

The tunnel!

2005-12-09T12:53:00.000-08:00

These pictures were at a hotel in Houston where we stayed with Ryan's parents a few days before Thanksgiving!

2005-12-09T12:51:00.000-08:00

Jacob and Faith absolutely love this tunnel that we got from Target!

Thursday Lunch

2005-11-18T10:23:00.000-08:00

On Thursdays I (Rachel) go up to the school (Texas A&M) and have lunch with some of the girls who are in my Bible study. Faith stays with Ryan and I take Jacob. Jacob LOVES all of the attention! Here are some pics of him at lunch!

Faith and Jacob's Progression

2005-11-18T07:56:00.000-08:00

Whenver I see Faith or Jacob doing something new and cute, I look at the time and record exactly when they did it and write it down in a Word document. Since we have the new blog, I figured this may be a good place to keep it as well, since I am sure family is interested in that kind of stuff too. I will put all my previous info up back from 2002 starting with Faith, but for now something that happened yesterday should be a good intro:

2005, Thurs, Nov. 17, 2:00 pm - Faith and I (Ryan) were picking flowers off of our rose bush yesterday afternoon. A few minutes after we were done, Faith got a revelation and said, "Haaay, you know what? God made the flowers." It was extremely cute, and sooo true! Jesus said, "Out of the mouth of infants and nursing babies You have prepared praise for Yourself" (Matt. 21:16). Things like that are not difficult for little ones to believe.

Face Painting and School

2005-11-14T13:51:00.000-08:00

Well, after the face painting at the fall festival, Faith decided that she wanted her face painted again! The last picture is of Faith "doing school" with "her kids." She said she was teaching them to read and do their letters. She can almost write her name... she does great with her F, I, T and H, but the A is a little tough. Jacob is crawling very well now! Last week Ryan and I sat on the couch for a little bit while the kids played on the floor and it was GREAT! We love holding him, but it's nice to be able to sit without a baby in your arms for a few minutes! It is definitely much harder to get a picture of him now that he's crawling! We barely got this one in time!

He Crawls!

2005-11-04T14:40:00.000-08:00

Yes, at 3:50 this afternoon (11/4/05) Jacob crawled forward for the very first time! And guess what he crawled to? The laptop! Perhaps that is a little bit of grandpa Ronnie in him. I don't know wether to be excited or nervous.

He Sleeps!

2005-11-04T14:36:00.000-08:00

A few cute pics of him in that back pack thing. He likes to fall asleep in it.

More pics to enjoy!

2005-11-03T09:00:00.000-08:00

We went to a "fall festival" at a church building on Monday night and thought you guys may enjoy a few pictures before, during and after the event. We had fun and faith got a tad too much candy. Faith went as a princess (no surprise) and Jacob went as a bee. The picture of both of them wrapped up is random and had nothing to do with Halloween evening, Faith just wanted to be "swaddled" like Jacob was. Sometimes she just enjoys reverting back to acting like a little baby, and I must admit it is quite cute. And how about Jacob in that bee outfit? Priceless.

Trip to Houston!

2005-11-03T06:58:00.000-08:00

These were from our recent 24 hour excursion to Houston on the 21st and 22nd of October. We needed to get away alone as a family as it was our last free weekend probably for a few months. We headed to Houston and stopped in Navasota on the way at this beautiful nursery called Martha's Bloomers. I put Jacob in our backpack carrier and carried him through the nursery on my back(which is the blue thing he is sitting in with the hat). It was fun, not to mention the perfect weather. God is very good! We saw a good friend of ours who was on the way in the Woodlands that night (so much for being completely alone ;) and her family was super nice to us and even fed us dinner! We had a great time with her and checked in at a hotel that night and then headed for the zoo in the morning. Fun fun fun. Well, we realized the zoo was not the funnest thing in the world, but being together and glorifying Jesus for the really cool animals He made was good. From there we headed back. It was a fun little excursion. Enjoy the pics.

Welcome to our Blog!!

2005-10-30T12:34:00.000-08:00

Family and Friends,

As our family and friends live further and further away we felt it would be good to set up a way to keep all of you informed on what's going on in our lives. Check back frequently for news, pictures of the kids (which probably most the family is interested in ;) and other random things. We hope you all enjoy our blog!

-Ryan, Rachel, Faith and Jacob