Kelsie's Birthday is Not Forgotten

I was already planning on getting up early Saturday morning, June 16. This was a big day for us. My little girl was going to turn 12! I had the whole morning planned. We were going to get some breakfast, get our hair cut, head over to the make-up store, and then the mall. It was the ultimate mother/daughter girls day out and I was so excited!  I wasn't prepared for the unexpected visitor we had before the alarm went off. It went something like this:

"Dad, how do I know when it's time to flip over the crepes?"

Both Wally and I jumped out of bed and noticed the smell of burning batter. It was Brandon, who decided that he wanted to do something nice for his sister on her birthday. Upon further explanation, we found out that he wanted to cook her breakfast. So, he decided that crepes were the best thing to make. Wally asked which recipe he used and how he made it. This is how he described it:

"Well, I couldn't find the 1 cup measuring cup, but I remembered that 2 tablespoons is about the same as one cup, so that's all the flour I put in. Then I remembered that Kelsie really likes sugar, so I added a little extra."

Being the great dad that he is, Wally helped him make a new batch of crepes, following the recipe this time, and more importantly, finding the 1 cup measuring cup.

This sweet gesture from a loving brother ended up being the start of a really great day for Kelsie. She and I were able to spend the whole morning together. We got our hair cut and I took her to Merle Norman to learn about make up and then spent some time together at the mall. She learned all about how to take care of her face and put on make up and she looked completely grown up afterwards.

before and after the make up store

While we were gone, the girls from her young women's class came and heart attacked her room, welcoming her into the Young Women's Program. She was so surprised when she came home and quickly declared that all those hearts were never going to come down!  She was more than ready to graduate from primary and join the older girls at church. She also went 4-wheeling with her dad and brothers that afternoon and then finished off with her party at the end of the day. She had a really great day and had a big smile all day long.

We love having a 12 year old in the family. She is a great babysitter and we may take advantage of that fact quite a bit! She is maturing faster than we'd like her too, but we couldn't be more proud of the young woman she is becoming. Happy Birthday, sweet girl! We love you!

Two Years Old...and He Means It

It's official. We've hit the two's here. And he's definitely 2, through and through. We celebrated Isaac's second birthday on May 11. He is such a cute little kid and has hit the two year old stage head on, tantrums and all! He can be the sweetest, cutest little guy and then turn on you in an instant. He loves to play with his older brothers and sister and thinks that he can do most anything that they do. He likes to sing, especially, "Follow the Prophet" very loud in the grocery store. He also loves to read books and sleeps with about 20 in his crib every night. I think that Isaac is the one that is going to try my patience the most, but it's good that he's so cute that I can over look it (sometimes). He loves riding his new trike around, feeling just like a big kid. Happy birthday, little man! We sure love you!

Hip Hip Hooray!

Five years ago, Caleb entered our lives and it hasn't been the same since.  His bright blue eyes and contagious smile win me over more often than not, along with his happy, go-lucky personality. He's a creative genius and loves to take apart and rebuild his lego ships from scratch (good thing we keep all those instructions!). His little brother idolizes him and copies almost everything he does. He keeps us all laughing at his silly jokes and funny impersonations. He loves Star Wars and anything to do with it. Caleb learned how to ride a bike this past year without training wheels, a big accomplishment especially since he also broke his elbow while riding it last summer. He learned a new sport last year, soccer, and even scored his first goal last fall. He's looking forward to kindergarten and going to school, even though he lets me know that he's not quite ready yet. We love this kid so much. Happy Birthday, little man! We hope this year proves to be even better than the last!

Blue tongue from his treat he got in Primary

It's Great to be 8!

I know it sounds so cliche, but sometimes I feel like time is just going by too fast. It really doesn't feel like it was that long ago that we were welcoming this little guy into our family. He's not so little anymore. He's grown by leaps and bounds over the last 8 years and we are so proud of him and all he does. He has definitely made our lives more fun and full of laughter. Happy birthday buddy!

Dear Mom

YOU ARE THE BEST MOM A KID COULD EVER GET IN THE WHOLE ENTIRE WORLD!!!!!

let us get something straight. there's a good mom, and a great mom. you are the best mom. other moms may be fantastic moms, but not you. you are the BEST!!! if memory serves me after these long, long, years (and mom, i think it does) as the moon sits there in the big dark sky, you are one crafty, fun, exciting, talented mom!!! happy birthday!!!



Happy Birthday to the BEST MOM IN THE WORLD!

Love, your precious little troublemakers!

Lay Off, It's My Birthday!

That is all.

Twelve Months

Dear Isaac, 


It's so hard for me to believe that a whole year has come and gone since you became a part of our family.  We were all so anxious for you to arrive, and I remember each morning as we got closer to the due date, I'd hear, "Aww, man! You're still here?".  The day your sister and brothers woke up and I really wasn't there is one to remember!  

This past year has brought it's ups and downs and after a gentle reminder that we needed to prepare for you  to come, we became more focused and ready for your arrival.  We have loved you from the moment you took your first breath and you have fit right in with the rhythm of our family.  You have been such a sweet little baby and pretty easy going (unless you're hungry or tired).  Your babbling makes us all smile as we try to figure out what you're talking about.  You look just like your brothers and sister did when they were your age.  We love your smile and are so happy that it comes so easily! You set out to prove to Dad and I that just because you're #4, we still don't have everything figured out.

We love you, Isaac, and are so happy to have you in our family.  We are so happy to see you getting bigger and stronger and only wish we could slow time down just a little (we do like to sleep, you know).  Happy, happy birthday! 


Love,
Mom

Lego Maniac

I can't believe this February marked four years since this little guy joined our family.  I was in on again, off again labor with him for three weeks and had to be induced.  He still took his sweet time.  When he finally emerged, he was perfect.  He has brought nothing but joy and lots of laughter to our family. He learned how to spell and write his name and ride a two wheeler bike this year.  He loves to put words together and anything to do with Toy Story, Star Wars, and Legos.  He is my little shadow during the day and idolizes his big brother.  He and Kelsie share a special bond where they just "get" each other.  He also loves to make Isaac laugh and smile and is quick to "shhh!" him when he starts to cry.  He's generally a happy little guy and can easily put a smile on your face.  We're lucky to have him as part of our family! 

We decided to throw him a lego party this year to celebrate his birthday.  He woke up to "green" oatmeal for breakfast, macaroni and cheese for lunch, and pizza for dinner.  He was able to go to Lego Day at the library and tried to be really, really, patient for his party. 

I got some good ideas from different blogs and tried to make these cake pops, but mine didn't turn out quite as well.  It was fun to draw the little faces on though.  I also got a lot of great ideas from this site where I was able to print off lego paper and find fun game and decorating ideas.  Kelsie was my "assistant party planner" and helped me get everything ready.

I think it ended up being a really good day for Caleb.  He loved all his gifts, especially the legos and has fun playing with everything since. 

I'm also convinced that at least one of the kids has to rebel every time I pull out the camera.  I think they talk about it behind my back.

Even Isaac got into the party.  He had no idea what was going on and loved being part of everything.  He would give us these silly grins when he wanted more to eat (no cake for him though, he's got to wait a few more months for his birthday!).

Happy Birthday Caleb! We love you lots!

One last look at my lego cake pops - I made a couple girl ones for me and Kelsie!

A Whole Decade

Can you believe this cute girl is 10?  Me neither.  She’s a spunky, full of life, always keeps you on your toes kind of girl.  She lives life on the dramatic side and is constantly finding ways to keep things interesting.  She is an amazing big sister to all her brothers, and she loves to be super silly!  She’s so creative and fun to be around.

She’s growing into a beautiful young woman and we love her so much!

Just A Few *Gems*

I find it  ironic that the shortest month of the year has actually turned out to be pretty long. I'm not sure if it has anything to do with the weather and being cooped up inside or that I'm just really anxious for spring to come. We've had a lot going on around here between a birthday, a holiday, the Olympics, and the beginning of many doctor appointments. It's also been a month of little gems from our kids. Gems that are too good to for me to forget!

1. Since watching the Olympics, big names like Apolo Ohno, Lindsey Vonn, Shaun White, and many more have become a part of our daily conversations. Each of our kids has decided what he or she would do if they were to be a part of the games. Brandon has taken up speed skating across the wood floors when he's not watching the events while Kelsie is often seen twirling and spinning just like a figure skater. She also really liked the downhill skiing and can't decide which one would be better. Caleb is convinced that the bobsleds are just giant race cars and that it would be so fun to go so fast! It's been a lot of fun watching the Olympics together and they have been on almost non stop since the opening ceremonies two weeks ago.

2. We have a ward talent show coming up and Kelsie and a friend have decided to do a hula hoop routine to this song. As great as their dance is (and I really can't wait to see the actual performance!) you can really only take hearing that song so many times. Which is a little unfortunate since I heard it nonstop for about 4 hours straight during their practice/playdate this weekend.

3. Caleb has recently been introduced into the wonderful world of Reader Rabbit computer games. I told him that he couldn't play his game until his room was clean, so he decided to do something about it. He gave the best effort only a three year old can give. He picked everything up off the floor and put it on his bed. As long as the floor is clean, it counts, right?!

4. Brandon has been exploring his feelings lately and the night of Caleb's birthday party, he saw the lighter we used to light the candles next to me on the floor. All of the sudden he said, "Mom, will you move that because I feel like I really want to play with it!" At least he thinks before he acts (for now)!

5. Brandon also said: "I wish we had Apolo Ohno's phone number so we could call him and congratulation him!"

6. We walked home from school with a friend who lives only a few houses away.  I asked Kelsie and Brandon to walk her all the way home so she wouldn't have to go alone to which they agreed (almost) wholeheartedly.  When they got home, they told me that a stranger almost followed them.  Upon further investigation, I found out that Brandon convinced Kelsie that they needed to hide behind a tree.  When I asked where the stranger was, they told me he was across the street and that he almost looked at them.  Now, don't get me wrong.  I'm glad that they made it home safe and we had a talk about how it's better to come straight home than hide behind a tree.  I am glad, however, that they weren't too intimidated by the stranger that almost looked at them!

I’m 3!!!

This little guy turned 3 years old over the weekend!  It’s hard to believe that much time has passed since he became a part of our family.  It’s hard to remember life without him.  He’s such a cute kid and he always manages to put a smile on our faces.  He is known to put his arm around his brother or sister to make sure they are OK.  He likes to dance to crazy music, but definitely does not like to shake his bootie!  He loves to play in the snow while we walk to and from school and occasionally sneaks it into his mouth.  He loves anything green and isn’t afraid to speak up if it is something that he wants (green plate, green m&m’s, green straw, you name it!).  He loves to play with his older brother and sister when they come home from school.  He loves to watch Dora and Diego in the morning.  He loves to follow me around the house and play in whatever room I am in.  He is a thinker and often asks us questions about what is on his mind.  He likes to take charge when he thinks that he should or if someone is breaking a rule.  He likes to ride his bike and his scooter and can’t wait for the snow to melt so he can go out and play again!  He is such a sweet little guy and we love him so much!  Happy Birthday buddy!

MIA

Whew!  These last few weeks have gone by so fast here that I have barely had enough time to catch my breath, let alone blog.  Here’s a quick report of what has been going on here in our little corner of the world.

We officially have a “tween” living with us now.  We celebrated Kelsie’s birthday with a small family party this year.  And it rained most of the day.  Bummer.  She loves being another year older and got (almost) everything she wanted.

Wally spent a week away from us in Europe and had a fabulous time.  He enjoyed the time he had to play tourist in Amsterdam and Maastricht, but in the end decided that there really is no place like home.

The day after Wally got home from Europe, his brother and his family came for a visit from Iowa.  We had so much fun hanging out and playing with them.  It’s always fun to have cousins around and Caleb couldn’t get enough of his new favorite cousin, Caroline.  I also just have to mention how much more fun Chicago is in the summertime.  So.much.fun.

Since strawberry picking is on our list of things to do this summer, and since it is such a short season, we decided to drive up to Wisconsin just before the 4th of July and picked 12 quarts of strawberries.  Caleb ate the berries faster than we could pick them and everyone ended up with juice stains all over their shorts, but we had a great time and had lots of fun together.  We were even excited to get a $0.49 ice cream cone at McDonald’s before we headed home.

 

Then came the 4th of July.  It is one of my most favorite holidays, so we went to just about everything we could.  The parade was fun, even in the rain, and the fireworks on the beach were great (it stopped raining by then).  The kids had fun with sparklers, glow sticks, friends, and fireworks at the end of the day. 

 

A few days later, Wally’s parents came out to visit and watch our kids while we went down into Chicago for a couple of nights to celebrate our 10th wedding anniversary.  We had a great time together, without any kids and they had tons of fun without the parents.  They were able to eat as much chocolate, donuts, and chips as they wanted and play as much video and computer games to their hearts content.  Just the way it should be when Grandma and Grandpa are in charge!  I have tons of pictures from our little jaunt into the city—I’ll have to post those later.

In between all of this we have also been doing a little bit of:

reading:

crafting:

taking care of bumps, bruises, and boils:

and getting as much play time in as we can!

TWO!

Caleb celebrated his 2nd birthday this week with friends, family, and more than enough parties! We can't believe that it has been two years already since Caleb has joined our family. We love his smiles and hugs and how he asks us to "hold you"! Caleb is so curious about the world around him and loves anything that moves: animals, cars, airplanes, balls, etc. He doesn't walk, he runs all over the place. He is a little chatterbox and is getting so articulate. We love this little guy so much! Happy Birthday Caleb!

Caleb's Race Track Cake

Happy Birthday To You!

Our fun new ramp for balls and cars!

The invitation I made for Caleb's party.

Birthday Bash

Brandon turned 5 on Sunday and he was super excited! He has been counting down the months, days, and hours until the big day. I even got him to wear a polo shirt, instead of a long-sleeved button up shirt, to church on Sunday only because the size is a 5T (I've been trying to get him to wear it all summer). He also tried to get me to let him open a present before church, but since Wally was at meetings, he was disappointed to say the least. He was, however, happy about primary this week since he would get to stand in the front while the rest of the kids sang, You've had a birthday shout HOORAY! (I'm thinking that is the only reason he went to primary).

He could hardly wait to come home from church to have his party. The theme this year was, you guessed it, Star Wars. Everything he got was somehow related to the infamous movies. I think he got everything he wanted (thanks to family and friends) and proudly proclaimed "This is the BEST birthday ever!". He spent the rest of the day playing with his new LEGO starship, dressing up as Darth Vader, and trying out his new game LEGO Star Wars on the computer.

I'm pretty sure he had a great day, especially when he woke up at 3 a.m. the next morning wondering if it was time to get up and watch Star Wars.

A Camping We Will Go

Wally's birthday was on Friday and we decided to camp overnight at Illinois State Beach. We had so much fun and both Kelsie and Brandon let us know (more than once) that this was the best camping trip ever! Their favorite part was the fire and throwing sticks into it, all while we keeping Caleb away from it! It didn't take him long to figure out what they were doing and would pick up a handful of wood chips and throw them into the fire, just like the rest of us. We've got ourselves a bunch of pyromanicas (just like their mom)! We sang Happy Birthday to Wally, opened presents and then we roasted marshmallows. I remembered everything but the graham crackers for the smores, but we still had enough sugar to keep us going late into the night. (If you've never tried smores with a Reeces Peanut Butter Cup, you definitely have to try it. It takes smores to a whole new level!)

We went for a bike ride along the beach and through some trails the next morning and most of us had a fun time. A couple of our kids (you can guess who) don't like to be hot and tired, so they didn't care so much for the bike ride. We had a good time in the end, but once we got back to camp, it was right back to the fire and getting it ready for roasting hot dogs for lunch. After a little lunch and relaxation, we made our way over to the beach. We kept ourselves entertained by throwing rocks into the lake (this particular beach was not lacking in the rock department) and Kelsie practiced skipping rocks over and over, and was so excited when she finally got a couple to skip! Caleb had a great time throwing little pebbles into the water as well and collecting them in his bucket. Brandon would find the biggest and heaviest rocks he could find and give them to Wally to skip across the water. Surprisingly enough, Wally was able to get a couple of those rocks to skip.

We had so much fun camping, but came home dirty and tired. The kids are already asking when we can go again.

I'm just waiting for my 30+ mosquito bites go away before I even think about planning another camping adventure!

Taking a water break during our bike ride--someone's not very happy!

We couldn't keep these two away from the fire.


Just drinking some juice, but looking oh so cute!

We're not really sure what's going on here, but thought it was a funny picture!


Having fun at the beach.


One more picture to prove that I was actually there.