Christmas Card and Letter 2011

Our card and letter to family and friends, sorry to those who did not get one, I only got part way through my address book. :(

 

Dear Family and Friends,

The Riepe family has had a very busy year, the kids are growing and time is going by so fast. This year we said good-bye to my Dad, after an 18 month journey with cancer my Dad was called to Heaven. This has left a huge hole in our family, but we have so many things to be thankful for. Without further adieu here is some things that have been happening around our house.

Alexis is 7 years old and enjoying second grade. She started taking piano lessons this past summer and is in her 5^th year of dance. She just joined the childrens choir at our church. Alexis loves making her own movies.

Olivia is 5 years old and is in her 2^nd year of preschool, she is enjoying her 3^rd year in dance. She also just started with the childrens choir at our church. Olivia loves to help me cook in the kitchen.

Samantha is 3 years old. She enjoyed taking dance classes for about 3 weeks and decided it was not for her this year. She likes to carry around her blanket and baby.

Bridgette is 3 years old and is enjoying her first year in dance. She loves to dance and sing. She is definitely the leader of the triplets and enjoys telling Samantha and Teddy what to do.

Teddy is 3 years old and he enjoyed dance class for about 15 minutes and then decided the door was more fun to play with. Teddy loves to figure things out and just loves to help Dad do anything,

I am enjoying teaching Sunday School at church this year, I teach Olivia's class. It has been a real treat for me.

Don has been very busy at work. He especially enjoys our family time on the weekends.

Our Angel Madeline will continue to touch people, this fall at plaque was placed at the playground at our church with her picture on it letting people know that funds were donated in memory of Madeline to build the playground.

We wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a wonderful 2012!!!

With love from,

Don, Mary, Alexis, Olivia, Samantha, Bridgette and Teddy

The Riepe Family

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Christmas Card and Letter 2010

 I actually had 2 different cards I sent out. Most people got the family photo taken for our church directory, this one ended up being my favorite I made it at Walmart.com, next year I will do them all like this.

Dear Family and Friends,

Has it been another year already?? Why yes it has, and everything at the Riepe house marks that time is passing all too quickly.

Alexis, age 6, started 1^st grade this fall, I thought sending my baby off on that big yellow bus would be easier this year, I was wrong, it proved to have me, yet again, walking back to the house with a tear. She also tried out soccer this summer and absolutely loved it, she continues to ask when soccer starts again. Alexis is in dance for her 4^th year. She also is enjoying Sunday school. Confrences with her 1^st grade teacher was more proof she is growing up all too quickly, she is reading at almost a second grade level. This is a HUGE deal, way to go Alexis!!!

Olivia, age 4, started preschool this year. The open house proved to be emotional for Mom, seeing my big girl look around her new big kid classroom. Another reminder that they just grow so fast. Olivia's 1^st day was traumatic she cried for Mom, but has since settled in and comes home beaming with excitement from all that she is learning. She is enjoying her 2^nd year in dance and enjoying Sunday school. She still is my biggest helper in the kitchen, and very much a mama's girl. And I love it!!

Samantha, age 2, the littlest of the little kids, loves her blanket and baby dolls. Bridgette, age 2, my little chatter box, she is the boss of the little kids. She wants to be involved with everything that is going on with everyone. She talks a mile a minute, not sure where that came from. Teddy, age 2, my strong silent little man. He is so good at figuring out how things work, such a boy. The little kids and I are doing a class through our local school with other moms and toddlers, and we enjoy it.

Madeline, 2 years in Heaven, still a part of our family everyday, still inspiring me to be a better Mom and a better person. Our entire family walked for March of Dimes and raised money in honor of Samantha, Bridgette & Teddy and in memory of Madeline.

Don is still enjoying working for Hubbard Broadcasting. Don has been busy doing remodeling and working on the barn.

Mary, I have been quite busy, enjoying being a stay at home mom, this year I took on the task of being a Membership VP for our local MOMS club, which I joined when I was pregnant with Olivia. I am also part of the preschool commity at our church.

We have had a wonderful 2010 and look forward to a great 2011!!

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!!

Loads of Love from,

Don, Mary, Alexis, Olivia, Samantha, Bridgette & Teddy

Visit our family online at: www.QBRAT.com

Christmas Card and Letter 2009

Dear Family and Friends,

To say 2009 has been a crazy year for us would be an understatement by far.

Our year started out with having volunteers in our home every 3 hours starting at 9AM and ending after the 6PM feeding, Monday through Friday without fail we had so many wonderful people helping us, we are so thankful for each and every one that helped. Finally in April I was ready to go it alone, I had many occasions that I really wished that our volunteers were still with us, but we made it through. I still miss seeing and visiting with our new friends who really felt like a new extension of our family.

Before we knew it summer came upon us. We had one trip with the family, up to northern Minnesota for a Riepe family reunion. Alexis and Olivia had a lot of fun with all of their cousins. The babies were ooo'ed and awed over. I enjoyed all of the visiting. We also made a stop, on the way home, to see my Grandma and show off the kids.

We had some fun going to the park and playing. We sure got a lot of attention with our big red triplet stroller. We went swimming at Grandmas house. And spent a lot of time just hanging out at home. I have made quite a few trips shopping with my 5 kids, and for some reason we seem to draw attention and lots of comments. We are starting to get used to all of the attention.

Before I knew it I woke up and it was fall and there was a big yellow bus at the end of the driveway. Yes, Alexis is off to school, in Kindergarten. As I walked back to my house that first morning with the tear in my eye I thought to myself “It felt like yesterday I was holding my brand new baby girl, how in the world can she be in Kindergarten?”. Alexis can read now, it amazes me, she does really well at math. She loves to read science type books with Mom.

Olivia decided one day that she was going on the potty and now she is potty trained. She is 3 going
on 8. She is enjoying her first year in dance. (Alexis is in her 3rd year of dance.) Olivia is quite the helper around the house. After she “helps” the babies climb into high places she runs to tell me that they did it themselves.

Samantha, Bridgette and Teddy, are doing fabulous. Bridgette is running around, Samantha is
walking and getting faster every day and Teddy has taken 3 steps. They amaze me every day.
They are talking, dancing, playing and laughing. They are on track developmentally with where they should be, which is a huge deal since they arrived 3 months early.

Our Angel Madeline inspires me to be a better person and a better Mom. This year a playground at our church was built, a playground that we asked people to donate to in memory of Madeline in lieu of flowers. We are thankful for the many donations made in her memory. Eventually therewill be a plaque near the playground dedicating it in memory of Madeline as well as 2 other people. When we celebrated the birthdays we released 100 balloons to Heaven in her memory, we are thankful to the many family and friends who celebrated our children with us.

We wish you a very Merry Christmas and a great 2010!!!

Love,

Don, Mary, Alexis, Olivia, Samantha, Bridgette & Teddy

Visit our family online at: www.QBRAT.com

Christmas Card and Letter 2008

Our Christmas Card & Letter for 2008, it was mailed to family and friends. :)





Dear Family and Friends,

This year, 2008, has been filled with great joy and tremendous grief.

On September 5th we welcomed 4 beautiful babies into our family. They are Samantha, Bridgette, Theodore and Madeline, sadly our little Madeline was called home to Heaven 9 days later, she passed away peacefully in my arms. We are forever thankful and blessed to have been chosen to be Madelines’ parents.

Our year started off with a trip to Disney World in February. Alexis and Olivia had a blast, We had breakfast with Cinderella, met many characters. This was a very fun vacation for us, once the little ones get older we will be going again!!!

Luckily we took the trip in February because in March I became very tired only to find out in April that I was carrying 4 babies, yes quadruplets. The pregnancy was quite a challenge I ended up spending the last 8 weeks of it on bed rest, 5 weeks in the hospital. The babies arrived 13 weeks early; they were due December 5th.

Don did a fabulous job taking care of the big girls. He even became sort of good at ponytails. The barn has been put on hold; maybe we will wait for Teddy to be big enough to help.

Alexis finished up dance in the spring and is taking a year off while we adjust to the babies. Also she is staying home from preschool this year, we are trying to keep colds at a minimum. Alexis enjoys dancing, singing, talking, Scooby Doo and amazing us with starting to sound out words. She will start Kindergarten next fall.

Olivia is a smart little toddler. I swear she grew up overnight. She loves big sister Alexis, and does whatever Alexis does. Olivia loves princesses, helping mom with everything and doing everything for herself. Yes she is a big girl!!

Samantha, Bridgette & Teddy continue to grow and thrive. They spent 74 days in the NICU (neonatal intensive care unit) at the hospital and came home November 18.

Madeline continues to inspire us to take nothing for granted. She had a spunky personality. God let her have 8 great days and 1 day that was really bad, God brought her home quickly.

We are thankful for family, friends, our church and the many volunteers helping us since the babies came home.

We wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a fabulous 2009!!

Love,
Don, Mary, Alexis, Olivia, Samantha, Bridgette & Theodore Riepe

Christmas Card 2007

Christmas Card 2006

Christmas Card 2005

Christmas Card 2004