At What Point...

...do you just shave it off and call it good?

Remember this post about Kynlee's hair...well this particular morning takes the cake for sure! She walked out of her room, and I couldn't believe my eyes. I'm pretty sure I couldn't "tease" her hair that much if I tried! De-tangler is our friend, though we almost emptied an entire bottle with this dandy "do"!!!

Slowly, but Surely!

Our house was transformed a few days ago into a Winter Wonderland!!! I love this time of year, and how warm, festive and cheery the house feels! Every nook and cranny is filled with snowmen, garlands, trees, and miscellaneous other Christmasy things! Every year I gather more things and look forward to the "game" of finding places to put it all! Well...new to the mix this year, was my childhood nativity set (My sister is going to hit the fan when she finds out I swiped it from my parents attic...shhhhh)! Anyways...I can't begin to explain the memories this little set of figurines hold in my heart!!!

It all begins the first of January...though this year I couldn't wait, and it started yesterday!!! Anyways...At first, the stables look rather bare...a Shepperd or two, some lambs, a cow, some hay, and a couple of Angels!

No wise men, no Mary, no Joseph, and most definitely no baby Jesus! Nope...Mary and Joseph instead, begin a long journey throughout the house to arrive at the stables on Christmas eve! Baby Jesus then arrives on Christmas morning of course, and the wise men 12 days later!!! So...the most exciting part as a kid was searching the house and finding where Mary and Joseph were. Sometimes I remember finding that they had traveled quite a ways in one day...probably to make up for the other days when they remained in the same spot for 2 or 3 days (we were told they were resting their feet...mhmm)! It was a part of the celebrations I always looked forward too!

Well...we began the same tradition in our house this year! Mary and Joseph began their journey yesterday, and Kallen and Kynlee found them right away! They were so excited!!! I then noticed that every hour or so Kallen would go back and see if they were still there...they were of course! Then...after Kallen woke up from him nap, he came out...looked for Mary and Joseph...and said in a matter of fact tone. "Mommy...they haven't moved at ALL today"!

Fore!!!

Wow...has life really been so busy that Kallen turning 4 has just passed me by! That's right...Kallen is now 4...seriously, just saying it still doesn't feel real! Kallen is 4...Holy Moly!


Well since everything and anything on Kallen's mind these days is Golf...we celebrated his birthday at the Little Gym, with none other than...a Golf Theme! The kids had a great time, and I loved the fact that I had nothing to do but make a cake!!!

We sure love our little golfer, and how much he keeps us laughing each and every day!!! He loves Dora, Diego, Backyardagains and the Wonder Pets...much to my dismay...though running around the house singing "What's gonna work, TEAMWORK" (the theme song to Wonder Pets) is pretty darn cute! He's always trying to help...dinner, dishes, laundry...you name it, he wants to do it! His sister is his best friend, and the thorn in his side...all in the same second! He'd eat Life cereal for every meal of the day, and drink "milkshake" (chocolate milk) right along with it! His black Nike Dry fit muscle shirt is washed and worn daily, and it will be a sad day when he finally grows out of it! He still loves school and continues to amaze us with all he is learning. Basically he's pretty darn special and we Love him to bits!!! Happy Fourth Birthday little man!

Hacked

Mom at the store...dad in the shower...scissors in the hand of a 2 year old...

Busted!

Until Next Year

As we boarded the "Pumpkin Express" this past weekend, and found our seats atop the hay...a nice gentleman sitting across from us offered to take a family picture! How lovely I thought...thinking nothing more than that! Then, the realization hit me...this was the first "family" picture we've had taken since Kevin's brothers wedding last July...a year and a half ago!!! So...until next year...you can enjoy this candid photo of our fabulous family!!!

Worth The Drive...No Question!!!

My dearest friend Ashley...you know...the one from Alaska...well, now the one from New York...because yes, her and the family have been re-stationed as far away as possible in upstate New York...was "home" to visit family this week!!! While "home" is still 2 1/2 hours away from us...Driving over the mountain to see her was a no brainer!

It's been since college that we've lived in the same town, but the distance these last 5 years has definitely made the heart grow fonder! I miss my Ashley, and would give anything to have her living close...but she doesn't, and she won't any time soon...so...our quick, couple hour visits once a year (if we're lucky), will have to do! Love you Ash...and thanks for the fun filled, relaxing, chaotic, stressful, and yet wonderful day today!

I can't see straight

Last night I got a wild hair to change some thing on my blog. It has been the simple summery theme for quite a while now, and I was just in the mood for something a little different!!! Well...I figured out how to do some really cool things, and after several hours, many deleted templates, pictures, fonts, and borders lost in cyber-space...I finally closed my computer and went to bed! I woke up this morning, with the "bug" to continue...and haven't really stopped since. It's now 3:45, and I'm not even sure what I've done today...but I can tell you that I can't really see straight from staring at this silly computer screen all day!

It's been fun...but I'm not sure how people do this day in and day out! Html codes, periods, quotations, backslashes...definitely not my thing! So anyways...enjoy the changes! I'm not totally satisfied...but it will have to do...I can't bear to look at this computer screen for another minute!!!

Oh, and since a post just isn't the same without a picture...this is how occupied I was last night.

The dogs are most definitely not allowed on the furniture...Good thing Kevin follows the rules! He was so darn cute by the way, that I couldn't move him...but I wasn't happy about it!!!

There's nothing like...

...a pile of leaves!!!

My Diamond in the Rough

I've been looking back over the past several blog posts, and realized that I've been a little heavy in the Kallen department. Maybe that's because Kynlee runs and hides whenever I get the camera out (and a post just isn't the same without pictures), maybe it's because Kallen is at a really fun age right now and I'm wanting to document every moment of it...or maybe it's because Kynlee really isn't my favorite person these days! Okay...so that's a little harsh! We just seem to be clashing, and focusing on the fun, happy things Kallen is doing, takes my mind off the fact that I'd like to lock Kynlee in a closet and not let her out until she's an adult...cause I know it's only going to get worse!

So...I'd like to document the things I love to dislike about my dear sweet baby girl!

• She won't let me touch her hair...never, no how, no way
• She wears her shoes on the wrong feet, not because she doesn't know any better, but because she does know better, and she knows it drives me nuts!
• She takes Kallen's prized toys not because she wants to play with them, but because she wants to get a reaction out of him...then proceeds to throw a "the world is ending" fit at the top of her lungs when the toy is returned and she is removed from the situation
• "No" is her favorite word...and even after getting flicked in the mouth 10 times in a row...she says it once more, just to get the last word in.
• She always has to have the last word
• Once her mind is made up, it's made up and there's no changing it
• and the list goes on!

But...

Also for document sake...the things I love to LOVE about my dear sweet baby girl!

• She's the first one at your side making sure you're okay if you get hurt
• Her smile lights up a room
• Her mere presence lights up a room
• She wants to be everything her brother is, everything he can be, and more
• She wakes up with a smile on her face EVERY morning
• She's the cutest, and most determined little gymnast around
• She can do anything she sets her mind on...though knows her limits
• She still sucks her first two fingers on her right hand, and though her teeth might suffer...a cuddly little Kynlee sucking on her fingers, with her blanket in hand is enough to melt anyone's heart
• She's, strong willed, loving, courageous, sincere, and quite simply amazing...what's not to love!!!!

Blessings,

Basically a Pro Now!!!

Remember this post...Well...take a look now!

and, if you can believe it...just a day later he's doing it all by himself! Starting, stopping, circles, figure eights...this kid can do it all!!!

Blessings,

A Tiger in our Midst

Last week the kids and I accompanied Kevin and our Neighbor Andy, to a golf store in Hood River. Apparently they have some special Golf simulator that helps you pick and choose the clubs that best fit your size, stature, and swing! The stupid machine was broken, resulting in 5 hours of drive time...for nothing...but that's besides the point!

He's never really watched or been interested in golf...but that all changed the moment we walked in the door! An adorable child sized set of clubs was so strategically placed where no child could miss them! Kallen was mesmerized and instantly starting talking about "his new clubs"!

Well, we were there for almost an hour and a half, before I decided the kids had used all the "good behavior" one could ask for in a store filled with long sticks and lots and lots of balls! I decided to take the kids for a walk while Kevin and Andy waited for the store owner to try and repair his system! There happened to be a Walmart across the parking lot which I thought would be the perfect place to kill some time and wait for Kevin to be done! We walked through lots of miscellaneous isles, and ended up in the toys! I kept waiting for Kallen to ask me to buy this toy, and that toy, etc, etc.! Nope...all he kept asking was when we were going to go back and get "his clubs"! Okay...so these clubs have made an impression on the little guy...write that down...Birthday, Christmas...coming right up! I sent a text to Kevin and told him to go ahead and get a set for Kal's birthday! He was going to be so excited!!!

Okay, so long story just getting longer because I'm rambling, sorry...Anyways...we were an hour and a half in Walmart, and still another hour waiting once we got back to the store...basically it was a LONG day, and the end result was a machine that never worked! Nice!!!

Well, needless to say, the kids were exhausted! We didn't get 5 minutes down the road and Kallen had a major meltdown because we "forgot his clubs"!

Kevin thought his "love for the game" was just too darn cute, and couldn't resist! He gave Kallen the clubs as soon as we got home, and the kid hasn't let them out of his sight since! They have been to the driving range a couple of times already, and are headed out for their first 9 holes in the morning!

Watch out Tiger Woods...here comes Kallen!

Blessings,