May

It has been a special month with numerous family gatherings, a trip to Iowa for Mother's Day, Tommy's preschool graduation, Tim's birthday, Charlie starting baseball and Tommy losing his first tooth! The boys are really looking forward to a summer filled with near ball and t ball, fun-filled visits to Valleyfair, afternoons at the pool, and just time to relax and enjoy the great outdoors! This month the kids helped me plant my flowers and vegetables in our garden. There were many helping hands to dig in the dirt, water the flowers, and sprinkle and bury our seeds :)

It is always nice to get out of town and head south to Iowa for the weekend! Everyone benefits from a change of scenery and a place to play and totally relax. The kids spent a lot of time outside playing on trikes, bikes, and scooters, as well as shooting hoops and playing baseball in the yard!

We had a great time with my college friend who came to visit last weekend with her family. Our kids really had fun spending time with their buddies and we enjoyed their stay tremendously. It was nice to also get some "girl time" with those of us who were around during the holiday weekend, as well as spending a morning together at the park with the kids!

I have to post a picture of my toothless boy! He lost his FIRST tooth on Daddy's birthday while eating corn on the cob...and swallowed the tooth! No worries - the Tooth Fairy still came to our home that evening and knew exactly where to place her gift!

Andy, Luke and Ellie are at the precious age of two and I love it! They are really talking a ton and have such distinct and lovable personalities. Ellie continues to nurture her babies and is my sidekick during the day; whether we are baking, cooking, cleaning or changing diapers! She also likes to neb her babies while she is getting her nightly neb - a true caretaker.

Andy and Luke play hard and love the outdoors. Here is a photo of the boys no more than five minutes after getting buckled into their car seats after leaving a party!

Tim's birthday is a very special day for all of us. I am so blessed to have such an amazing husband who is my best friend and a wonderful father to our fab five. He makes me smile and laugh every single day :) Here is a shot of Tim with a piece of his birthday DQ cake!

April

It has beed a fun-filled month at our house this April! The boys had their first fishing experience and each caught a couple of fish in a short amount of time. The day was to be sunny and 70, but ended up being cloudy and 40 - so let's just say the outing was short and sweet :) It is a good thing that the fish were biting that chilly morning and within 20 minutes we had fish, pictures and were all packed up and on our way home. However, Tim is excited for a day when the sun is shining and more time can be spent on the dock with the boys.

Easter weekend was joyous and celebratory! We enjoyed the Easter egg hunts, an Auge family birthday party for our three two year olds and four other cousins, and Grandma Sheila's arrival from Arizona for her week-long visit on Easter evening!!!!

Another HUGE event at our house - both boys are now riding bikes without training wheels! It occured on the same day and without any help :) Tommy decided he was ready to ride on two wheels and removed his training wheels. Without any assistance, the boy was riding on his own! Charlie (competitive in nature) followed suit immediately and was riding on two wheels within five minutes! Ahhh - this made for two very proud parents and Grandma Sheila was here to witness the accomplishment! Another GREAT event took place the same day: THE HOOP! Since our boys love playing ball -and our backyard is not suitable for a Sport Court (and our driveway is pretty slanted...) - Tim installed a rim in our garage. It is absolutely perfect for all weather conditions and for all age groups! Charlie and the boys have spent many hours shooting hoops and love their new court! The last few days have been splendid for outdoor play. Tommy and the trio have enjoyed numerous mornings at the parks and playing in our yard while Charlie has been having a blast with his buddies at school. It is always the highlight of our day meeting Charlie at the bus stop and spending the next couple of hours riding bikes, scooters, and big wheels together along with pushing Ellie's babies in strollers!

Tommy and Charlie have really enjoyed playing with neighbor friends during these beautiful spring evenings and the triplets are little mimics of the big boys. It is a blast to watch the interaction and utmost admiration between Charlie, Tommy and Andy, Luke and Ellie. All five kids play so well together and we feel so blessed every day.

Happy 2nd Birthday!!!

Andy, Luke and Ellie turned two on March 15th! The day was spectacular with record breaking warmth and abundant sunshine :) We celebrated all week long with family and tons of fun! Alison, Anthony and Garrett (Arizona), Grandma Sheila (Arizona), and Aunt Lori, Andrew, Matthew and Zachary (Omaha) all blessed us with their presence for this joyous occasion!
The following pictures capture our weekend memories!

February

February flew! It is hard to believe that we will be welcoming March as we arise and March signifies SPRING! This winter has been extremely tolerable and I am so happy that we have all been able to get outside and frolic in the mild temperatures and dusting of snow. It is also hard to believe that our babies will be turning TWO this month and we are all looking forward to the celebrations we have planned with relatives near and far :)

Charlie continues to enjoy school and sports and I am always amazed at his never ending energy! He finished Little Dribblers basketball in February and is anxiously awaiting Little Hitters baseball to start next month. Basketball is still in the air at the Gauge house and Charlie and Tommy went to their first Timberwolves game, a few Shakopee Sabers games and a UST basketball playoff game. Our little super fan always has a ball in hand and is ready for a game! Charlie was star of the week in class this month, in which Tim and I were invited to attend a celebration at school. We always enjoy getting to know his classmates and it was so cute hearing their perspectives on what makes Charlie so special!

Tommy loves seeing his buddies at school and on play dates. He is a nonstop thinker and I believe this boy is going to be an engineer. He is so curious about the inner workings and construction of things and often asks in-depth questions about high-tech mechanisms and desires detailed explanations in return (for many of which I need to look up answers to on the computer)! This month Tommy had a cute Valentine's party at school, experienced his first basketball games at UST and the Target Center and had his first trip to Lego Land!

Lukie continues to charm us all and spread abundant cheer :) He still LOVES watching the Wiggles- proclaiming his wish by chanting "wee-wee" with a little groovy head move and body roll! He loves music, family dance parties, mowing the deck and icy yard with his toy mower and driving his cozy coupe car in our kitchen. Lukie is so excitable and loves a good party (or just the 7 of us all being together)!

Ellie is our princess with pizazz - pure sweetness with sass! My sweet little helper is usually found rearranging my kitchen drawers, writing on any piece of paper in site or in the corner playing with my Blackberry until she is discovered. She is already a caretaker for the crew and likes things to be picked up, loves helping me fold laundry and enjoys helping dry the plastic dishes. I am truly amazed at how she already has a sense of style and loves pretty shoes, wearing hats, and anything shiny. She can always be found with her little entourage that includes her blue love, pink love and her baby. Ellie is definitely doted on by her brothers and is our little spitfire that keeps us smiling!

Andy Man continues to make us laugh with his witty ways and mysterious, playful demeanor! He has a hearty laugh and enjoys getting silly with his siblings, playing in his cozy coupe, being outside and shooting hoops. Andy is a basketball lover through and through and can already make baskets on the 6 foot hoop! He is talking so much and his favorite phrase is "there it is" with a tone of elation!

I am extremely grateful for Tim's blessing to fly down to visit my parents in Scottsdale this month. My sister-in-law from Denver joined me in Arizona for a long weekend filled with fun, sunshine, relaxation and rejuvenation! I truly enjoyed every second of the vacation, but certainly missed my crew at home :)

Happy New Year!

Welcome 2012! We had a great holiday season with fun Christmas celebrations and many memories were made that we will forever cherish! We enjoyed Tommy's preschool Christmas program and Charlie's Christmas mass and social. This is such a special time of year and we are so thankful for our numerous blessings.


Everyone enjoyed the warm January spell that visited us earlier this month with lots of outside play time. There was even a hint of spring in the air...and I am already looking forward to the upcoming season!



Charlie started Little Dribblers basketball at his school and is in his glory! He loves ball and especially loves playing with his school buddies. He still looks forward to attending school everyday and is learning so much. I am constantly amazed at the growth he has encountered this year - socially and academically!




Tommy has been busy with school, play dates, birthday parties and playing with his siblings. He continues to impress us everyday with his inquisitive nature and desire to learn and comprehend the workings of everything! He is the master constructor at our home and loves to build, fix, and create!




Ellie has definitely become my little helper and sidekick. She loves to be busy and helpful, especially when it comes to unloading the dishwasher, folding laundry and tidying up the house. Her vocabulary is rapidly expanding and she loves books, babies, and anything she can collect :) Ellie is also the most independent of the three and "advanced" when it comes to sitting at the big table to eat (no more high chair), walking up and down the stairs alone, and nebulizing herself (which is a huge help when sickness strikes our trio)!



Lukie is also saying more and more words and has such a joyful demeanor. He has a contagious laugh, plays with the utmost animation and expresses a great sense of humor! Lukie LOVES the Wiggles and will dance and clap to any music he hears! He is a fun-loving little guy that adores his older brothers and loves nothing more than to back into an open lap with a good book to read :)






Andy, continues to possess a love for the game and wants a ball in hand nonstop throughout the day. With two hoops on our main level, Andy is often found practicing his shot with extreme determination. He is now the tallest of the three littles and has an appetite to match! He is mysterious, yet clever, with a dimpled smile that says it all!




We hope you are all having a healthy and happy new year!!!

We are so thankful to have such wonderful families, good health and great friends. It has been a fun start to the holiday season with Thanksgiving celebrations in both Northfield and in Iowa. The kids had a blast with their cousins and the weather was beautiful during this cherished holiday weekend!

Winter is quickly approaching as we are all trying to get use to the time change, long and dark evenings and bundling from head to toe when venturing out into the great outdoors. Charlie and Tommy enjoyed the beautiful snowfall this weekend while playing and sledding with neighbors and our little trio ventured into the snow for some play time on the deck for the very first time!

We hope you all have a wonderful and blessed holiday season!

Tommy Turns FIVE!!!!

Wow! Where does the time go? It is hard to believe that my little boy is now five years old! Tommy had a great birthday and several celebrations with family and friends. He enjoyed the festivities and experienced his first "friend" birthday party with four little preschool buddies :) The Batman theme was continued with Grandma and Grandpa at a birthday party in Iowa. Everyone also enjoyed a fun trip to the pumpkin patch during our visit with a tractor ride, petting zoo, pony rides, pumpkin picking and tire swing rides! Papa Bill created large piles of leaves for the kids to jump and play in....a fun autumn ritual we all look forward to :)