Just Another Day!

Blessings,

What Can Your 2 Year Old Do...???

...mine can drive...or crash rather! Yup...no joke. Our little munchkin decided to take the excursion out for a drive the other day!

Okay, here's the real story!

Kallen likes to "drive" my car. He sits in the driver seat, bounces up and down on his knees, turns the steering wheel in all directions, and goes through the motions of actually driving. (pretend key in ignition, adjust the thermostats, check the radio, pretend put the car in gear...and we're off). No harm, no foul right!

Well, Saturday morning, Kevin was in the backseat of my car adjusting carseats and playing with Kynlee, while Kallen was "driving"! Unbeknownst to Kevin, Kal had found the spare key, put it in the ignition, and turned it into the auxiliary position. (As a side note...most cars have a safety mechanism that only allows you to put it into gear if you have the brake depressed. Kallen can't reach the brake at the same time as the gear shifter, so no worries! Well...little did we know, that in the "auxiliary mode", the "safety mechanism" is bypassed, and you are able to shift the car into gear).

So...can you guess??? Yup...Kallen turned the key to auxilary, pulled the car into drive, and since it wasn't running or anything, it acted as if it were in neutral...and down the driveway she went. Now...we have a slight, and I mean slight, slope to our short driveway, so the damage was minimal...but it could have been worse...A LOT WORSE!

The garage door is a little smashed up, but Kevin seems to think he's fixed it now...and no one was behind it when the big crash happened. Like I said...it could have been a lot worse!

We thought Kallen didn't fully realize what had happened until he was sitting in the drivers seat later that day (no key in site), with gear shift in hand, looked back at me, and said "you ready to go backwards mommy?"

Blessings,

A Splash of Sunshine

Here in Oregon...we get rain! It's just a thing we get! Some places get snow, some sun...we get rain! Okay, so not nearly as much as I used to think as a kid, but we definitely have more rain than I would like. The rain is so wet, dreary and depressing...who could ever enjoy it???

Anyways...every once in a while, the dark looming clouds stop releasing precipitation, they part like the Red Sea, and clear bright blue skys abound! Last week was one of those rare occasions, and since it hardly ever happens around her, we decided to take advantage of it...big time! I think we were only home for a few hours each day, and even then we were outside riding bikes, playin' games, and diggin' in the sandbox! It was so much fun!

Now as I hear the pitter patter on the roof top, and stare at the drops of water sliding down the window, I decided to reflect on our week of sunshine...through pictures...but since we were having so much fun and didn't have time for pictures...our day at the water fountain will have to suffice!

Blessings,

Dolls vs. Trucks

Boys play with trucks and girls play with dolls...right??? Okay, that's obviously not the case...but you know! Actually...I know plenty of little boys who've enjoyed driving barbies around in their Tonka trucks (okay, the best of both), and little girls who enjoy getting just as down and dirty as the boy next door!

In our house however...it seems to be that the stereotypes are winning out. You see...having a boy first our house is pretty much filled with balls, trucks, tractors and the like! Kynlee came into the mix and I just couldn't see spending a bunch of money to get new toys when we had a house full of toys! So...cars and trucks became the available toys for Kynlee.

Well...When I first started potty training Kallen, I found a doll that was supposed to help with the whole process. Water in...water out...you know the drill. Anyways...once Kallen got the hang of the whole thing, said doll slowly made it's way into Kynlee's room, and into the toy box! No reason in particular...that's just where it landed! Well...now that Kynlee is pulling up on things, she found her way to, and inside her toybox...cue baby doll!

Kynlee spotted that doll from a mile away, and now it's her FAVORITE thing in the whole wide world. She will crawl over, under and through anything to get to her precious baby doll. She sits and rocks her, talks to her, and even gives her a pat on the back every now and again. Now she's started giving kisses to her little baby doll...It's just too cute! I guess soon it will be her turn to bury lil' miss baby doll out in the dirt just like all the other girls who like to get down and dirty, but for now we're enjoying the maternal instincts of our lil' miss!

Blessings,

A Whole New Kynlee

Kynz turned 10 months on Friday, and we are sure loving our little Miss! She is so fun, and brings so much to our lives! Her smile is contagious and lights up the room no matter where we are! I can't say enough about how much I love our little Angel...especially now that she's mobile!!! Crawling has brought a whole new "Kynlee" to the surface. She's curious about everything around her, actually content playing by herself, and with Kallen, in the middle of the living room floor! She no longer needs one of us right there with her every second of the day!

A little bit of Kynz:

~ 17 lbs, 29 1/4 inches

~ She signs "more" and "all-done", although the "all-done" is sometimes used in place of "more"...she's a little confused!!!

~ She says "mama, dada, bye bye, hi, Kal, bite and more"

~ She LOVES her baby doll (more on this to come!)

~ Crawling

~ Walking along furniture and with the assistance of walk behind toys

~ Pulling up on anything and everything she can reach

~ She loves carrots, and I'm not talking about the mashed up in a jar kind...I mean real, whole, raw carrots! She's basically like a rabbit and will do all kinds of tricks if we dangle a carrot in front of her...don't worry...I'm right there with her to monitor the "choking factor!"

~ Oh...and she manages to get about 3 bites out of each Cheerio or Kix

Blessings,

A Little Light-Headed!

For as long as I can remember, I've had long hair. Kevin is very open about the fact that he likes my hair long, and that he's not a fan of shorter hair cuts and styles. I've always tried to honor him and keep my hair a length that he liked...afterall...don't we all want to look good in our husbands eyes??? Anyways...Now having 2 kids and no time to style my "mop"...I always ended up getting out of the shower, throwing my hair in a bun of sorts, and going on my merry way.

I began feeling "frumpy" and a little "blah" about the whole situation. My hair is extremely thick and adding to that is the length, so...going to the salon is basically a half day trip. Therefor, I never go. I think the last time I went in even for a trim was 12 months ago, and the last time I had it colored was 6 or so years ago. Coloring a "mop" like mine can get rather pricey. Anyways...I finally requested to Kevin that I get a new...refreshing...style! My hair had gone from this, several years ago when I actually took care of it...

To this, as captured from my cellphone, minutes before the cut...

Though reluctant...he said "whatever makes you happy". Actually...If I'm being quite honest...when I left that morning, I combed my fingers through my hair and said "take a good look...this is the last time you'll see my hair this long". Kevin then chuckled, pointed to his wedding ring and said "if you chop it off...take a good look, this is the last time you'll see this!" He was kidding of course, but we definitely had a good laugh!

Anyways...My day of pampering was a amazing, as I mentioned before...and after 4 hours of cutting, coloring and styling, my hair now looks like this...

or this...

You know...whatever I'm feeling at the time! And yes, for those of you who are wondering...I did donate my "remanents" to Locks of Love!!! I Love my new hair, and I can't believe how easy it actually is each morning! I've got a little sas back in my life, and Kevin actually really likes it!!! So there you have it!!!

Blessings,

Fill 'er Up With Regular Please!!!

Okay...so if you can't laugh at yourself, who can you laugh at...right???


So...while down in the wonderful state of Nevada, I pull up to the local Chevron, roll down my window, and prodeed to wait for the nice gas attendant to ask me what I need. What gas attendant you say??? Yeah...that's what everyone else in the car said. "Uh Kati...in Nevada you have to pump your own gas". Oh...Right...I knew that (you see...in Oregon, it's actually a paying job to sit at the gas station and pump gas for other people). Us Oregonians are fortunate enough to simply pull up...say "Fill 'er up with regular", hand over our method of payment, and sit and wait patiently while the gas begins to fill our tank.


Anyways...My sister-in-law asked if I even know how to pump gas, and after thinking for a moment, of course I said "yes". Everyone then began piling out of the car and heading to the grocery store that sat across the parking lot...leaving me and my credit card, staring at the gas pump. Card in...check, lift nosle...check, start pump...check...okay...so far, so good! Pump, pump, pump...the pump stopped and we were full. Remove nosle...check, print receipt...check, and we're good...right???


So I get in the car to go pick up the rest of the crew, all the while going through my mini check list. I sit smiling at my wonderful accomplishment, as the rest of the gang stands on the curb waiting for me to park. I WHIP into a parking spot and look over to find everyone enjoying some gut wrenching laughs. "What's so funny" I think to myself...and then I spot it. I look in my side mirror to find the gas door still open, and the gas cap floppin' in the wind. Huh...so where was that on my check list? I guess I'll never be hired to pump gas!!!



Blessings,

Playing "Catch-Up"

Huh...So I guess I've been MIA from the blogging world for the last couple of weeks. Has it been that long??? Man...Where does the time go?

Anyways...in the last 2 weeks:

*Kynlee is now crawling like a maniac, and I am SOOO happy! I can actually set her down during the day and get some things done. She follows me around, plays with her brother, and is actually starting to get into things she's not supposed! Phew...never thought I'd be happy about that...but you have no idea!

*I finally used my "day of pampering" that Kevin got me in November, and enjoyed about 6 hours of as much royal treatment as our small town has to offer! I totally "chopped" my hair off, and I LOVE it! For those of you who don't know me...that's HUGE! I've had long hair as long as I can remember, because my husband is one of those guys who like long hair, and I've tried to honor him with his request to keep it that way...as long as I could. I was ready for a change, and he was okay with it! Pictures soon...I promise!

*On a more somber note...A dear friend of ours from High-School was diagnosed with Lymphoblastic Lymphoma and is currently undergoing some intense Chemotherapy. A dear friend of his, passed away from the same diagnosis a few years back, as did his mom from another form of Cancer. He has a baby on the way and is trying to be as positive as possible. Please keep him in your prayers, as well as everyone else involved. It's a tough time for all of us!

*We spent last weekend with good friends, and the kids came home sicker than dogs! Fevers, throw-up, diarrhea...you know...good times with friends!

*and last but not least...I just got home from a 4 day "girls weekend" in Reno at my brother and future sis-in-law's house. (yes...since Mark lives in the house we were staying...he got to participate a little bit in the "girls weekend"...not that he's proud of that!) Anyways...My mother-in-law, other sis-in-law, niece, Kynlee and I all drove down to the wonderful state of Nevada to help with wedding preparations! It was a LONG, but fun trip. Despite earthquake warnings and crazy Reno drivers, we had a good time...I mean...Have you ever seen the shopping in Reno???

So...after 12 hours in the car, laundry in the hall, a little boy who hasn't seen his mommy since Wednesday, and a little girl who hasn't stopped smiling since she got out of her car seat, I should probably get out of vacation mode and tend to some things around the house!

Blessings,