Why is the Ground All White?

Here in our neck of the woods, we generally don't get harsh enough weather conditions to complain. Tornadoes...not unless the dust cloud in the farmers field next door counts. Hurricanes...um, can you have a hurricane with maximum 20 mile-an-hour winds? Tsunami's...well it would have to be one big tsunami to get over the mountains that stand between us and the coast. Blizzards...Don't you have to have snow in order to get a blizzard, etc. etc.


Yes, it's true...we rarely get snow around here, and if we do get some...it's a fine dusting! Now rain on the other hand...YES...we get rain, but snow...not so much! Well...We woke up to an inch or so, and you would have thought it was a foot! People complained! Those who needed to go to work complained, and drove paralyzed with fear. Kids complained because a two hour delay turned into a full cancellation all too late...they could have slept in longer! Customers complained because our 2 wheel drive vans needed to wait a while before driving down the street, therefor pushing their appointments further into the day...now Kallen...well Kallen was in heaven!!! No complaining for him!




Blessings,

Sweet Potatoes...With Fingers on the Side, Please!

For those of you who don't know...Kynlee is a finger sucker. She doesn't really do binki's, and the same goes for her thumb. If she's got the first two fingers on her right hand...she's happy!



Well...we just recently started feeding her solid foods, and her dear finger sucking habbit doesn't stop at the dinner table! Every time we give her a bite...she instantly brings her fingers to her mouth...sucks on them for a few seconds, then opens up for another bite! It's probably the funniest (though also annoying) thing we've ever seen. Needless to say, feeding her a tiny bit of food, takes FOREVER. We've tried holding her arms, but she only thrashes about until she can get those fingers in her mouth. Maybe she's savoring the flavors!!! We'll take a video one of these days and show you all, cause the pictures just don't do the "routine" justice!






Blessings,

A Little Somethin' from Kallen

I was sitting down to post something this afternoon, and got called away for a phone call. I left my computer open on the table, and this is what I found Kallen doing. I guess he had some words to share with you all as well!!!

zzzx nnnn qwsdjjjjjjjjjkjjjkkjjjkkkjjj'iiujo';;ojoio;lkjjlkjjjljjlkjjjjjijijjjsjdlijljhjlkjjjfjjffjfksllajdks
kjjk
jkjlkkjjkljkl


Blessings,

& Kallen

Humbled

Kim posted about this family, and I am in awe of their faith and trust in the Lord!

I have been sitting here for the last hour or so, reading, weeping, praying and more weeping...sorry to my children that I've basically been ignoring them!!! I am so humbled by what they are going through, and as I sit here cuddling with my beautiful, healthy babies jocking for position on my lap I realize how truly blessed we are! The occasional two year old temper tantrum from Kallen or the crying fit thrown when I set my daughter (whose experiencing some separation anxiety) down on the floor is NOTHING. Some people would give anything to be able to hold their children!!! Please say a special prayer for the Lawrensons, and check out their story!

Blessings,

Half Way to a Year...WHAT???

So as of last Wednesday, our little Kynlee was 6 months old...half way to a year...are you kidding me? Where does the time go?

Life is so fun right now! Kynlee is finally getting out of the helpless infant stage and really starting to get a mind of her own. She's been sitting up on her own for several weeks now, but she's officially to the point that I no longer have to put pillows behind her if I walk away. She still hates her tummy, but is starting to tolerate it more when there is a toy she's trying to reach...the rocking, rolling, army crawl is beginning to take form...look out! We are constantly having "conversations" with her, because like her mommy...she likes to talk! There's nothing wrong with that if you ask me, but Kevin may chose to disagree!!!

Let's see...A couple of weeks ago we began solid foods because she went from wanting to eat every 3 - 3 1/2 hours, to wanting to eat every 1 1/2...um, no thank you! I think she may be the strangest baby I've ever heard of though, because she wanted nothing to do with the food foods (squash, applesauce, pears, etc.). All she would eat was the cereal. I tried mixing in some applesauce, and she would get this sour, bitter look, while shaking her head and spitting whatever it was all over me. Okay...cereal it is. We did that for about a week, and slowly started introducing WARM food. Now we've got her eating pears, applesauce and squash, but they have to be warm. She wants nothing to do with them if they're cold or even room temperature! Picky, picky! Anyways...we're back to eating every 3 hours or so, and I can deal with that...the fact that she's growing up so much, and already eating foods...not so easy to deal with!!!

Kynz is definitely slowing down on the weight chart, making me feel a lot better. She went from somewhere around the 115th percentile at 2 months, to right at the 50th percentile now. She's a straight 16 pounds, and finally growing into her cheeks...the lovable, pinchable cheeks that they are! So there you have it...a little update on our princess!

Kynlee

Kallen

Blessings,

Funny Hats, and Big Shoes

So, going out-n-about with the kiddos, just officially got hard. Up to this point, it's been relatively easy. Kynlee has been in her little carrier and I can set her down no matter where we're at: next to the car while I get kallen out, in the handicap stalls with us while I take Kallen potty, in the corner at MOPS so she can sleep, etc. etc.

Well, this last week, we decided that she was outgrowing her carrier, and it was time to put her in a big girl car seat! Good idea in theory, except for the logistic's of a two year old and a non walking 6 month old while we're out in public. Monday was the first time I went anywhere with both kids alone with our new seating arrangement...and let me tell you, I think I grew several grey hairs.

First was the fact that I couldn't really get Kynlee out first because I drive a big lifted rig and trying to climb up on the running boards with her in one arm all the while trying to unbuckle Kallen, would be a sight to see! If however I got Kallen out first, he would be able to run lose in the parking lot, and I think you can do the math there. Huh!

Then...what do you know, but the first store we walk into, Kallen needs to go potty. Fine, let's go...oh wait...what am I going to do with Kynlee? You see, he still needs help getting up and down from the toilet (especially public bathrooms where I really don't want him touching the thing), and I can't really sit Kynz down on the floor while I tend to Kal...gross...so once again, huh!

Getting back in the car...same dilemma. Kynlee first, then Kallen plays "frogger" with all the cars, Kallen first, and I look like a clown in a circus act, if in fact I don't drop either kiddo in the process.

So now it's Thursday, and I've simply decided to become a hermit! Okay, not really, but in all seriousness...we only go out when we need to. (Which was part of the "thinning out" plan was it not!) Then, when we do go out, it looks a little like this:

I unbuckle Kynlee first (she's on my side of the car), but leave her in her seat and run around and get Kallen out. Then Kallen comes with me and keeps one hand on the car at all times while I simply pull Kynlee out (much faster now that she's already unbuckled, and if Kal's 2 year old curiosity starts to take over, I'm not above the back seat spanking to show him how serious I am). Anyways...we head straight for the bathroom, where Kynlee rests straddled on one leg, while I prop Kal on the potty...talk about a balancing act! Then we're on our merry way. Same thing getting back in the car, Kynlee first, just sitting in her chair, then Kallen gets buckled in (and he's starting to be able to buckle himself, so that's nice) then I go around buckle Kynlee, and we're off. Hopefully the reminder note on my dash will prevent me from leaving Kynz unbuckled too many times! Oh, and the front pack and sling have also become my second set of hands...they just stay in the car so I never forgot them! Phew...I think we're figuring it out!

All that for a gallon of milk...who needs to eat, right!

Blessings,

In Need of A Good "Thinning"

As New Years resolutions go...I've never been one to truly make them. I may say, "oh, I'd like to be more organized", or "I'd like to be healthier", or something like that, but those are things I tend to say anyways...new year or not. Well this year, I've really been thinking about it, and have decided that it IS a New Year, and therefor a perfect opportunity to change a thing or two. For me, things need to be "thinned" out in almost all aspects of my life. You know...like a good forest thinning. Not quite a clear-cut, but simply cleaning out some of the old, so the new can fill in! Okay, so the clearing begins...

First, our stuff: A few weeks ago it hit me that we were being over run by our stuff. I had boxes of clothes in the bottom of my closet that I put away while I was pregnant...still sitting in those same boxes (obviously I wasn't missing them). The Christmas boxes were a chore to get down and back up in the attic because of all the other miscellaneous boxes of stuff we had in the way. The door to the den/sewing/scrapbook room, has remained closed for the last month or so because it's such a mess that it looks like a hurricane made it's way through that room. etc., etc. I'm really good at finding drawers, cupboards or closets to stash things in, so the house as a whole remains uncluttered...but my secret stashing places are all filling up, and filling up with silly material things that we don't really need or use! I tend to have the "it's too nice to give away or get rid of, and some day I may use it", attitude.

Next our schedule: I looked over the calendar for the last month or so, and realized there have been very few days that we've actually stayed home an entire day. We're always on the go...whether it's to the grocery store, to grandma's house, to MOPS, or just out running errands. Poor Kallen has woken up the past few weeks with the first words out of his mouth every morning being "I stay hooooome" (with a long drawn out enunciated "home"). Okay kiddo...I get it.

Then the weight: Of course when we're talking about "thinning" out my life, I've got to address the weight issue. Now...I'm back at my pre-Kynlee weight, and have been since she was a month or so old, Yeah me...but that doesn't mean I didn't have a little extra to begin with! More than that however is the fact that I...we...need to eat healthier. Not just healthier foods, but an all around healthier habits. I rarely sit down and eat a decent breakfast (normally a few handfuls of cereal while I'm pouring Kallen his), or the left over half of english muffin that Kallen never touched while I'm clearing his plate. Lunch normally doesn't happen in any organized sense of the word either because Kallen doesn't really eat much and I'm so busy tending to him, Kynlee and the house, that I don't make the time to make something for my self. In turn I end up snaking on junk throughout the day. Dinner, we're good...we always have a sit down dinner as a family, which tends to be the only decent meal I get throughout the day...so unhealthy I know!

Anyways...These are just a few of the major areas that need thinned in my life...not to mention the amount of TV I have on the DVR that I am always trying to catch up on, or the stack of projects that lay half started in my craft room. It just seems that we've got so much going on around us, that we're not really taking the time to enjoy life as it is. I'm looking ahead at what needs to be done next, what project needs worked on, which cupboard can I sort through, who can I email, etc., etc. My goal is to simplify everything, and if I haven't needed, seen or used something in the last 6 months or so...it's out!

What a project this has become, though I already feel like I've accomplished so much. I can't wait for the entire weight to be lifted, and I'm tellin' you...it will be some garage sale come spring time!

Blessings,

The Wheels on the Bus...

I've never been one to have toys lying around the house, that can't be put away in an inconspicuous place. The kids toys that are in the living room, have their own cupboard in the entertainment center so the doors can be shut and the toys not seen. Big toys that don't fit in the cupboard go in bedrooms or in the garage. Basically everything has it's place, and everything is in it's place, and the house doesn't look like it's being ran by kids. That being said...

For the last year or so, Costco has had an Activity Bus for sale that since the moment he saw it, Kallen has been pining after. That first fateful day while walking through the store, Kallen spotted the bus from across the room, ran with full force towards it, and played non-stop for 30 minutes or so while I did some shopping (with him in sight the whole time of course!). My first thought was that this wonderful activity bus would be a great Christmas present, but those thoughts were immediately replaced with..."where will it go?" I decided that in our house, the "little" bus was just too big. We left that day, no worries.

The months that followed, every time we went to Costco, Kallen found the bus and was just as thrilled with it as the first time he saw it. Ponder, ponder..."nope, too big, and too expensive". Then, sometime in November, we went to Costco as a family, and the darn bus was on sale, and had the mark that they wouldn't be getting it back in the store again! The price was much better, but the "it's too big and "ugly"" thoughts were still running through my mind. We went back a week or so before Christmas, and all the buses, had finally sold out. Kallen wandered through the store, tears-a-streamin', because they no longer had the bus. I asked the front counter, and there was only 1 bus left in the whole Costco chain, and it was in Helena Montana (just a short jaunt...ha, ha). I had finally realized that I was being silly about my reasons for not wanting the bus that would bring such joy to my little man, and was ready to go ahead and get it...too little too late.

I went home that day, and got on the Internet to see what I could find. Finally, after searching, digging, and prying for quite some time, I found the bus! It couldn't be here by Christmas, but that was no big deal. (We're not a "big" Christmas present family anyways...little things do just dandy!) Anyways...this way, it would just be a special little something that showed up one day.

It arrived in the mail yesterday, and Kevin and I put it together once this kids went to bed...setting up the surprise for the morning. After waking up on the wrong side of the bed, and throwing a bit of a tired fit...Kallen spotted the bus, and tears of frustration were replaced with giggles of excitement. He's having so much fun with it, and although it's a little "goddy" and large, for my taste...it's "hidden" in his bedroom! The singing of "The Wheels on the Bus" while he's behind the wheel is just too darn cute!

Blessings,