Meet the Family

[row][column lg=”12″ md=”12″ sm=”12″ xs=”12″ ]Maggey and Dave[/column][/row]

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Dave and I met as teenagers. He fell instantly in love; I didn’t. After many years of adventures in other countries and many heartbreaks, I came back to Milwaukee and promptly warned myself not to date Dave – he was friends with all of my friends, and no one was really that nice. But he was and is, and we’re still laughing about it after almost a decade of marriage. Whether it’s a failed recipe (which feels so much worse with the huge quantity of ingredients required around here!) or a “wrong kind of adventurous” trip through a jungle, we’ve honed our teamwork in many entertaining ways. In a household of nine with two working parents, there’s no end of stories or love around here. The country-hopping has slowed down, but we haven’t!
We started this blog because Tess was born 14 weeks early and this was our only way of keeping everyone in the loop. Now we use it for that and for belly button-gazing, as well as sharing funny stories about the kids and life with a huge, multicultural family. You won’t find life-altering wisdom here, but we may make you crack a smile or inspire you to bust out your slow cooker.

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[row][column lg=”12″ md=”12″ sm=”12″ xs=”12″ ]Tess[/column][/row]

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Tess, 6, shot into the world 14 weeks early, much to the surprise of Kat, Spencer and David and I! After 84 days in a Utahn NICU, we got to bring her home. She’s bright, feisty, generous and loud! She loves princesses, ballerinas and being a big sister.
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[row][column lg=”12″ md=”12″ sm=”12″ xs=”12″ ]Remy[/column][/row]

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Remy, 5, was born in Florida. His first mom Kerna and Maggey bonded overnight in the hospital, and jointly roll their eyes when he bumps his head 100 times a day. He loves to boogie, read, and sing at the top of his lungs. He’s all about superheroes and martial arts.

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[row][column lg=”12″ md=”12″ sm=”12″ xs=”12″ ]Lilou[/column][/row]
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Lilou, 3, joined the family from California. She’s feisty, funny and does everything to keep up with her heroes Tess and Remy. She loves to eat, snuggles, singing and anything sporty. We’re rooting for her to go into roller derby. Amy, her first mom, is equally smart and athletic – apple doesn’t fall far![/column]
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[row][column lg=”12″ md=”12″ sm=”12″ xs=”12″ ]Griffin “Griff” Gabriel[/column][/row]
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Griffin, 3, is the family flirt/hotshot/comedian. Since his first days in Arizona, with his extended family and first mom Bianca, he’s had hordes of fans. For the most part, he coolly observes the boisterous life around him. When he’s hungry though, he shows off some powerful vocal chords! He’s got the best head of hair anyone’s ever seen on a child, and his tone-deaf but boisterous ukelele performances make everyone wince and grin. He is obsessed with birthdays, trucks, busses, and bikes. And he loves to swim – even though he’s not totally capable yet.

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[row][column lg=”12″ md=”12″ sm=”12″ xs=”12″ ]Sylvie[/column][/row]
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Sylvie, the newest Oplinger, is the most chill baby we’ve ever met. She gets a face-splitting grin when a sibling or parent face appears before her, but otherwise is obsessed with when she can eat, when she can swing or be swaddled, and when we’ll pick her up. She is a great sleeper and is very open to making new friends. She’s adorable, and hails from Austin.

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