Living Laughing Loving
Gideon hangin' with uncle J.
Aunt Cheryl, Olivia, Aunt Corrie and Garrett telling stories and playing together.
Esther and Avery sharing toys.
Crisp's on Christmas Eve.
Daddy and Esther on Christmas Eve. Happy 2nd birhtday today to our little Esther Bean! What a big girl! She's our fearless, girl with a great sense of humor! Our lives are brighter because she's in it.
Not a star. . A FIVE year old! Olivia turned 5 on the 17th! She had two friends spend the night and they had a blast doing make-up and staying up til almost 10:00pm!
Esther's face after make-up time. The next day she had so much on her, that only a bath would take it off!
This is Garrett's make-up job AFTER we wiped him off with a wash cloth. He looked more like Rambo with the black eye shadow all over his face than a beauty queen.
After I posted, I realized that I didn't put a picture of Gideon up. How sad! So I took a picture of him - and here it is! He's growing fast and is still really good!
Kids on the sled - this was the first picture.
Kids - including Gideon ( blue stripped "blanket" on Esther's lap). This is the last picture and you can tell b/c they couldn't hold themselves up anymore. Snow gear is great for keeping them warm - but not so great for sitting around in.
The snow has officially began in MI. I'm not anticipating seeing the grass until at least April. The other day it was warm enough for the kids to play outside - and they had a great time! Josh went out with them and pulled them around on the sled and built a snowman with them. Josh's snowman isn't pictured - the snowman above is Olivia's very own! Later on in the day they went back out and Olivia built her own snowman. The only thing Josh helped her with was putting the middle piece on and putting the arms on. She hunted for all the face pieces and assembled it on her own. She's getting so big - I can't believe that she's going to be 5 next week!!
Christmas came early to the Crisp house this past weekend when Nana and Pa-pa brought up some furniture from Uncle Ron and Aunt Sherrie. They no longer needed the "kiddy" bunk-beds for their teenage boys and generously offered it to the quickly growing Crisp family. We are so thankful! Garrett is excited to have a top-bunk to sleep on and have Gideon's (formerly Esther's) crib in his room. The top picture is the bunk-bed, with trundle. And this picture is the bookshelf that goes with it, although it's on it's side, but you get the point. This trip up they also brought the nightstand. At another time they will be bringing up a dresser and a TV stand. Garrett went from have a bed and dresser in his room to having the most furniture in his room of anyone in the house. Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!!
Esther showing how big she is in her big-girl bed. She's done pretty well the last three nights. Sunday morning was the only morning she wanted to get up at 5 am - but by 6 she was back asleep.
A lot of people have been asking me how the kids are adjusting to Gideon's arrival, and I always reply with a "really well!" I was a little worried that the newness would wear off and Esther would get jealous and Garrett would want to put him back. But they've got NOTHING but love for him. Esther is quick to let us know that he's crying, with an "UH-OH", when she's hears him through the monitor. Garrett never turns down the chance to hold him and at church is very protective of him. He always lets people know what his name is, "This is my brother Gideon." And last night at church, he didn't want ANYONE touching him. He was standing guard at the carseat and would not leave his post. 
Ok -so I know that he's not suppose to be on a pillow - but he's been a little congested lately and being propped up helps him sleep. Plus he looks so chill - with his hand under he head. . .he's so great!
Esther's learning early to "cheese" for the camera.
Again - so chill. This is the word that I have chosen for our little Gideon. Even when he's awake he's SO laid back.
Daddy and Garrett relaxing together.
Olivia NOT wanting her picture taken. And Es trying to be like her big sis.
Here's what happens when you add a fourth child to the mix. You forget that you have a two year old who likes to get into everything! Mostly things that she's NOT suppose to be into. Here's a typical morning, me putting her hair up. She sits still and doesn't fight me at all.
This picture would be what happens when you aren't watching your 2 year old and she gets into the cabinet in the bathroom with daddy's pomade in it. I guess she didn't want her pigtails any more and wanted a faux-hawk like her dad and brother.
Me using Gideon as a shield from the camera.
Gideon just being cute!
I know it's dark, but it's too cute not to post. Olivia holding Gideon - for some reason she thinks she can't relax her arms while she's holding him.
Nana and Pa-pa with all the kids - this photo session went surprisingly well!
Garrett, Olivia, and Elijah showing us their mean faces. Check out the drool on Garrett's shirt, he was foaming at the mouth! 
Gideon getting his nose sucked out and cleaned up. He is such a good boy so far.
Mommy and baby resting after the long night. Aren't they cute?
The kids were so excited to meet their new little brother. Garrett was making sure that Gideon would be sleeping in his room. We had to let him know that it would be a few weeks, but yeah, he'll sleep in your room buddy.
I'm sure that there will be more photos, but this is all for now. We are just so excited about the new addition of the family!!!
Lucy, Erin, Esther, Olivia, Paige, Sophie, and Garrett. (from left to right)
Super Hero's Unite!
Erin is the oldest VanSingle girl and Esther the youngest Crisp - they hang out together when our families get together. Erin is a good little babysitter.
This is the first picture I could get of the kids from last night. Our church did a Trunk or Treat night and took photo's for all who wanted them. Josh tested out the background and unfamiliar camera with our kids. We have other pictures to come. . .including a "super hero's only" photo with some other kids from the church. Overall it was a great night. The kids learned that it's not all about instant gratification, when they had to wait for daddy to be done his shift of photo taking to take them out for their candy. Tough lesson, for all of us, let alone a 4 1/2 and 3 1/2 year old! But Wonder Woman, Superman and our little Pink Poodle (she only got called a sheep once) were troopers, even as the rain shower fell on them while they went house to house.
This picture was taken last Tuesday at a baby shower for my friend Katie, who is due 2 days from now with her first! I was almost 35 weeks. I was measuring a little on the small side at my appointment last Monday, but my ob said she was going to give it two weeks before doing an ultrasound. I was a little stressed out about it last week - but know that I cannot control this, and it's not worth trying to. I'll let you know next week what she says about the measurement. Sorry there's no cute pictures of the kids this time - you'll just have cope with my crazy photo!
The kids painting their pumpkins before the carving.
Final products - from left to right, mom, Garrett, Olivia, Esther, daddy - the kids really liked picking out their face designs, and mom and dad liked carving them A LOT more than the patterns.
At the pumpkin patch - the kids liked rolling down the big hill.
A really good picture of all the kids! 
Esther up on the wagon trying to pick out her pumpkin.
Can you see it?? There's one in the other ear too - I like my bling!
The girls and I on Hayride night.
Olivia looking so grown up.
Garrett cracks me up in this picture! It was suppose to be a picture of the kids looking off into the distance, it didn't really work, oh well.
Three's a crowd - wait til there's four!
The wagon riders wait to head out on our adventure.
All lined up and ready to go! Check out Esther's pigtails! Her hair just started going up and she looks so cute! Another cute addition for Esther happened the next night at the mall (pictures to come later). Can you guess what it was?? (Those who know, don't tell!!)
Riding down the back country roads. That was fun - the kids thought it was great to ride without being buckled. Beth Jones, our pastors wife is in the blue sweater. Out host ofr the night, Esther Coffey in the red, than me and Esther.
Olivia sees the camera and can't help but pose for it!
Our fearless driver John Coffey.