Celeste

My brother-in-law's oldest sister has been battling MS for years. Unfortunately no treatments have been able to help her beat this disease, but she never gives up! Her positive attitude is so inspiring! They've recently heard of a new treatment that is having very promising results, however it is incredibly expensive. After years of treatment, they are asking for help financially. Please take a second to read the attached paragraph. You can also see a video of Celeste on facebook.com/celesteoldhamfund. If you can donate in any form, even just a few dollars, it would be greatly appreciated!!!

Celeste Paxman Oldham was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis at age 19. A few months later her disease went into remission, as is common with most M.S. victims, but relapsed at age 24 shortly after her marriage to Matt Oldham. This time the M.S. attack was severe and unrelenting. Despite following the treatment plans prescribed by her doctors and neurologists, it quickly left her in a wheelchair and disabled to the point of being unable to care for herself. With the help of family and friends Celeste has continued to battle her disease. She has participated in numerous traditional and alternative treatment programs over the years but her recovery has been limited. Celeste is now 34 years old, and though her condition is slowly worsening her positive attitude is unwavering. Armed with a smile she continues to hope for the best. A new promising treatment has been found that just might be what she’s been searching for. She just needs your help. No donation is too small or insignificant. A little help from a lot of people like you is all it will take for Celeste to receive this new treatment. Thank you for your thoughtfulness.

Moving Day!

The last few months have been incredibly stressful for my mom- since it was tax season my dad was understandingly overwhelmed trying to finish out his last tax season and getting all of his clients taken care of as well as everything finished around the office. So my mom pretty much single-handedly got them packed and ready for the movers to come. She had to think of little things like taking a three years supply of Blistex for my dad- he won't use any other chapstick. And a three year supply of razors.


(I love this picture! It's such a typical look on both of my parents faces!)

Well, this last Thursday the movers came and got everything shipped off to Korea! They had a total of 61 boxes (including my dad's HUGE massage chair which will definitely be a necessity with all the stress he'll be under dealing with those crazy missionaries). Porter and I were there all day to help them out with the moving process- it was crazy to see all of the boxes with their stuff being carried away- but in a way it was very healing for me!

It's gonna be an intense/stressful/fun/spiritual/eventful three years for these two- I will miss them so much but I can't even describe how incredibly excited I am for both of them. Dad gets to go back to the mission and people he loves so much, and Mom finally gets to serve her mission in a place she loves and with people she loves so much. I sure am grateful that Dad made sure we were raised around the Korean Culture and Korean People, because we all love it so much!

I can't wait to see how much good they do!!

Bop's Boy

With my dad leaving so soon, he's taking every opportunity to cuddle with the grandkids as much as possible.
Porter's shirt says "Grandpa's little slugger"- Dustin and I bought this shirt 3 or 4 days after my parents got their call and I specifically got a 0-3 so that Porter could wear it while my dad was still here... When I saw the shirt in Carter's I instantly broke down in tears- the joy of being a hormonal pregnant woman finding out your parents are going to be on the other side of the world for three years... it was great!


I took the next two pictures on Mother's Day- we went to church with Mom and Dad, and I loved seeing Porter in his shirt and tie cuddling with Bop in his suit...
They're my two missionaries! Given, Dad is literally going to be a full time missionary for the next three years, but Porter is my little member missionary.

I love these two! I'm such a Daddy's girl- it's hard to imagine not having my dad around for three years- but I sure am grateful Heavenly Father blessed me with my sweet baby boy to keep me busy!

I Can Do Hard Things...

So my parents "theme" for their mission is "I can do hard things..." so my mom has asked each of us to make sure we document things that are originally really hard for our kids (i.e. swim lessons, riding a bike, etc.) and send them pictures/videos of them when they first start, and when they've mastered it.

Well I had the idea when we got home from the hospital of making my mom an "I can do hard things" frame with a picture of Porter in the NICU and a picture of him once he was home. Then I decided to throw in one of his hospital bracelets (the NICU one) as well as his blood pressure cuff from the NICU.


Anyway, this is how it turned out:

(ignore the funky reflection- this was as the movers were finishing packing up all of mom and dad's stuff so we had to hurry and get it bubble wrapped to ship- so I just took a real quick snapshop of it)

Smile Big

Since Mom & Dad are ditching out on us for the next three years, we decided we needed an updated family picture.

(The last ones we took we didn't have Dustin, Porter, Austin, Mya, or Baby Gilbert in....)

We decided it was pretty brutal to have family pictures with two women who JUST had babies, and one who is due in a few weeks.... but it was definitely time for an update!

Bop & Gramma with all the Grandbabies

Erika, Austin, Landon, Mya, Porter, & Camila

The kids

Eduardo, Michael, me, Jen

The whole family

Back row: Eduardo, Michael, Erika, Bop, Gramma, Aaron, Dustin

Front Row: Debbie, Camila, Chelsy, Mya, Austin, Jen, Landon, Porter, Me

The "Original" Gilbert Family

My little family...

Eduardo, Debbie, & Camila

Chelsy, Michael, Mya, & Baby Gilbert

Aaron, Jen, Austin, Erika, & Landon

Easter Sunday... Part 1

For Easter this year my family got together with my Uncle James and his family. We grew up a couple blocks apart and have always been really close. We started eating dinner together every fast Sunday a few months ago, so that we could get in as much time as families before Mom and Dad leave... Easter was another excuse for this!

First of all we had an AMAZING dinner- Lake Powell Steaks (the best steaks ever), a baked potato bar, salads, veggies, home made rolls, etc... it was so yummy!

Then it was off for the Easter Egg Hunt... (Gilbert Style- meaning lots of money is up for grabs!)




Landon would literally grab EVERY egg in site- the kid definitely has the Gilbert competitive gene...


Erika doesn't have that gene at all- she would only grab one out of every two or three eggs... when I would tell her to grab all the ones she wants she would say, "It's ok Bec, I am going to save them for Landon" or "Bec, everybody else needs eggs too!" Talk about a reality check- my five year old niece is such a good example to me!

How beautiful is Miss Mya?? She loved looking for eggs! It was so fun to see her get to into it!


Yes, Porter even got an egg! He was pretty proud, as you can see :)

Erika showing off her loot- she raked it in! I think she got just under $15.00- that's gonna make her piggy bank VERY happy!

Mr. Competitive totally dominated- what other three year old can see he got $14.32 at an Easter Egg Hunt?

I absolutely LOVE this photo- it's so fun to see my mom and dad truly soak in every possible moment with their kids and Grandkids. I love the look on Austin's face- he loves his Bop!

The whole clan- minus Aunt Shelly who was taking the picture...
Back Row: Uncle James, Josh (Welcome home from Iraq Josh!!! He just got home a couple days ago), Kristy, Morgan, Bradly, Jason, Devin Justin, Kurt, Mya, Chelsy, Michael, Austin, Bop, Gramma Cindy.
Front Row: Aaron, Jen, Landon, Erika, Dustin, Porter, Me.


I didn't get any pictures of the adult Easter Egg Hunt- in fact I didn't take any pictures at all- I stole them all from my sister! But let's just say the adult hunt is the BEST! My cousin Bradly came in and when we were all counting out money he goes, "Man somebody should have told me that much money was up for grabs! I would have RAN out there- not just walked...." It was pretty fun!

Thanks Mom, Dad, James, and Shelly for providing us with a free date night compliments of lots of quarters, dimes, nickels, and some "Golden" eggs full of some bigger bills!!! You're the best!

I hope this is a tradition we can carry on for the next three years with James and Shelly while Mom and Dad are gone... Easter just wouldn't be the same without our crazy fun hunt!

.....Best Friends....

As soon as Dustin and I found out we were having a boy we were ecstatic! Let's be honest, frilly bows and lace have never been my thing. I am much more comfortable with a ball in my hand.

But one of the main reasons we were so excited was because we knew my big sister was pregnant and due ten weeks before me with a boy....

Porter and Austin ended up being exactly 10 weeks apart. They were both born at 36 weeks and 6 days. Austin was 6 pounds 6 ounces. Porter was 6 pounds 6.6 ounces (rounded up to 7). They were both 18.5 inches long....

Looking at Austin now you'd never know they were once the same size :) He's such a chunk and boy do we LOVE his cheeks!


These two really are best little buddies. As soon as we put Porter down next to Austin he will always wiggle and squirm until he is cuddled up right next to him.
Austin's gonna take good care of Porter- He will sit on anybody who messes with him :)

They seriously love each other...


Yes, we totally got the matching jammies- we fully planned it and fully planned to put them in them on the same day and take pictures.... Sadly this isn't the only matching outfit the have. Yes, we are cheesy like that :)

This is usually how photo sessions with Porter and Austin end up... Porter cuddles right into Austin, then Austin puts his arm around him and they hang out.
Sometimes Austin gives him kisses....


We can't wait for Michael and Chelsy's little boy to get here! It's gonna be so fun to watch these three grow up together!!!

Whenever people ask my mom how she's doing with getting ready for the mission, and how she's feeling... she always says her only hesitation is leaving her kids and grandkids. Then she always proceeds to tell them about her "Three Little Missionaries" she is so sad she won't get to see these little guys grow up for the next three years, but she can't imagine anything better she could do for them than to serve the Lord with everything she's got, knowing that the blessings we all receive from their service with be absolutely unbelievable.

We have already felt so many blessings in our life, starting with Porter and I both surviving delivery... literally. Medically there was no way Porter should have made it as far into the pregnancy as he did, and there is no way I should have made it through without a stroke or seizure with how severe my symptoms were. It is honestly such a blessing, and I could truly feel strength from prayers and blessings sustaining me through until Porter was developed enough to be safe. At that point, I got really sick, crashed and burned, and he was delivered. I have absolutely no doubt that is a blessing of my parents' service.

It's going to be hard to raise a baby boy without my mom around, but I have been so blessed to have an amazing husband, an absolutely incredible baby, the best sister ever, my awesome sisters-in-law, and a mother-in-law and lots of aunts and cousins that will always be a phone call away.