Kylee's school picture

Kylee's kindergarten school pictures finally came in. I love her little grin in this picture. It's so her. I just had to get them. It saves me from taking her to JcPenny's and then having to try to pick out the poses that I want. It's usually such a hard decision.

Play-doh time

I love watching my kids play together. They love play-doh. I couldn't decide between these three pictures, so I posted all of them. :-)

Halloween 2010

I helped out at Kylee's school last week with their Fun House for the kids on Friday. Each class came through the Fun House (decorated room) on Friday and we had a couple little games for them and then gave them some candy and a drink. They let the kids dress up as something they want to be when they grow up. Kylee was a mommy last year, but this year decided to be a teacher and mommy (just like her pre-k teacher and kindergarten teacher!) this year. Her friend Kiersten dressed up as a mommy, too. They are too cute.

We had Trunk-or-Treat at church last night, so Kylee dressed up as Sleeping Beauty. She and I had a lot of fun getting her all ready. I had never curled her hair before, but amazingly enough it stayed (with the help of some hairspray!). After I was done, she patted her hair and said "I feel like you mommy." I love my little girl.

Zane is so into balls of any kind at the moment, but in the end I dressed him up as a construction worker, since the only thing I had to buy him was the hard hat and make him the tool belt. He loves his hat and wears it whenever he isn't wearing his baseball cap.

(I just noticed that it looks like a piece of wood is coming out of my head!)

Kylee & Gracie

the hat

We had church at the park last night, ate, played games, and then some played a game of baseball. Thankfully it was so much cooler than last time we did this. Like last time, Zane brought his bat and ball. This time though he finally had a hat. He had noticed while watching a baseball game on TV that the players not only had a ball and bat, but also a hat (something that he didn't have). He was very disturbed about not having a hat and kept pointing to his head and saying "hat". Well, I finally found one his size on clearance at Old Navy. It is even cuter because it was so cheap! My friend Michelle took this picture of him. I think it turned out so cute.

5:45am

My alarm was set for 6:20, but my morning started at 5:45 am. I know some of you people get up at that insane hour of the morning, but not this girl unless I have to. I know this morning is wonderful compared to millions of others who have way more stress filled mornings, days, etc than I ever will have. And actually, it doesn't seem as bad now that it is the afternoon as it did this morning.

5:45am - Kylee "gets rid" of all that nasty drainage from her allergies (I'll spare you the details). I get that all cleaned up.
6:00am - Zane wakes up (doesn't normally wake up till 7am) I bring him into my bed because he normally will go back to sleep. Yeah, that didn't happen. He just kept asking for a drink. Kylee sleeps with me when Josh is gone to drill, so when Zane sits up to ask Daddy to bring him a drink, he becomes even more awake and starts asking where Daddy is.
6:10am - Zane calms down and is about to go back to sleep when I feel pee squirting out the top of his diaper, onto my arm, and then on the bed. UGH! Diaper and clothes change.
6:20am - well I need to get up now anyway, so I take him out to the couch to get him a drink.
6:45am - Kylee is getting up and I hear the toilet lid shut. Zane decided to put his diaper in the toilet. Yeah, potty is suppose to go in the toilet, but that's not what I meant!

Then God put this song in my head by Lincoln Brewster "Today is the day". I love this song, but I wasn't exactly wanting to rejoice, just wanting to go back to sleep.

Today is the day You have made
I will rejoice and be glad in it
Today is the day You have made
I will rejoice and be glad in it

And I won't worry about tomorrow
I'm trusting in what You say
Today is the day


I guess God thought I needed a bit more encouragement. I have put different verses on index cards and put them on the bathroom mirror, etc. So there I am washing my hands after retrieving the diaper out of the toilet and I see the verse Philippians 4:6 - "Don't be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God".

So, I made a two choices.
Choice One - I will be happy and be patient with my kids. I will enjoy the day even though I just want to go back to sleep, because someday they will grow up I will tell young moms to enjoy these years because they go by so fast.



Choice Two - I need a big cup of coffee with Italian Sweet Creme liquid creamer in it.

Note - We did get Kylee to school on time and the rest of my day is going much better.

Oh, the places he'll climb

I hear "Mommy, Mommy!" This is where I found Zane. There is never a dull moment in my house! I think I am going to make an album of all the crazy places that I find my little monkey. :-)

Kylee turns 5

My sweet baby girl turned 5 on August 5th. She has grown up so fast. She is an amazing little girl who has changed our lives in more ways I can count, and I wouldn't change having her for anything. She may drain me emotionally on some days, but she brings me so much joy.

Her requested birthday meal consisted of macaroni and cheese, hamburgers, & watermelon

Kylee, Gracie, Leah, Taylor, McKayla, Kelsey
Grandpa Wayne, Grandma Betty, Nana, Papa, & Aunt Amy, & Mo also came for her party.

Kylee requested a pink flamingo (her favorite animal since they are pink) cake. She didn't want it in the shape of a flamingo, but with the pond, etc. I wasn't sure I could pull it off, but in the end, she loved it and that was all that mattered to me.

Tea party time

NYR 2010

Here are a few pictures from our NYR trip. We had a really nice trip with our church group. We also saw my Uncle Bill and my parents (they were in Colorado for another camp) while we were there. We met up at Red Rocks Amphitheater. I would love to go to a concert there sometime. It was quite windy that day but still had a great time. Then we headed over to Mimi's Cafe (one of my favorite restaurants).

me and my Uncle Bill (I look so short next to him)

my sweet kids

Kylee at the Red Rocks Amphitheater

Kylee and Esther

all of us at the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs

Kylee and Campbell (they have played together every year at NYR since before they were 1). I think they will remember each other now instead of getting to know each other ever year. They had a lot of fun together.

after eating at Mimi's Cafe with my parents and Uncle Bill

Me and Molly Bell (I was so surprised and happy to see her. It had been a long time.)

Zane and Gracen (Cambell's cousin who was about the same age as Zane.)

Our church group

Random summer photos

My daughter would have corn on the cob for every meal if she could

Zane was trying to join in on the fun.

Josh emptied the dryer and Zane got in it. Made for a cute picture, but have to keep an eye on that boy around the dryer now. :-)

Gracie was over for the day and they all ate at Kylee's table. Zane was so happy to be able to eat with them.

Month of June

My mom flew here in June so she could help me on the drive up to Missouri, Iowa, & Minnesota on my two week trip with the kids to see my sister, my in-laws, and some friends. I was a little apprehensive about the trip because I wasn't sure how Zane would do. Surprisingly enough, he did very well considering that we traveled during the day instead of the night. Kylee is a great traveler. All she needs is her backpack filled with books, toys, a baby doll, and some DVDs to watch along the way

Nana, Zane, Papa, & Kylee

Christy, Mom, and Me

My sister's and my kids (DJ, Zane, Kylee, Levi, & Kade)

Betsy, Shep, and Me

We visited the Zoo with my sister and her kids and Kylee wanted a picture with her favorite animal (the pink flamingo).

Cousins (Darlene, Heidi, Christy, Me)

Kylee, Nathan, Zane, Dianna, & Me

Levi, Kylee, Nate, Zane, & Rachel

Kylee, Grandma Betty, & Zane

Last day of pre-k

So, I guess I just saved this post to my drafts, and forgot to post it. This was in May and now it is July, but oh well. (I know at least the Grandparents want to see these pictures anyway even though it was a month and a half ago!)

Kylee had her last day of pre-k on Friday. I am just completely amazed at how fast she has grown, and I know that the rest of her school years will fly by too. I'm just not ready for that. :-( She had a wonderful teacher and teacher's aid. She absolutely loved them and all her friends there. She made some friends that we are going to hopefully meet up with some this summer. She was sad that she wasn't going to see her friends and teachers everyday, but was ready for summer and a break. With Zane being 15 months now, we will be able to be in the pool a whole lot more this summer. It gets so hot and humid here that we will probably be in it every day!

Anyway, there was a party for the last day of pre-k for the kids and their parents in Kylee's class. I snapped a few pictures.

Kylee and Ms. Connie

Ms. Nikki and Kylee

Kylee, Kriesten, Jackson, & Molly

Kylee and Kiara

Here are a couple pictures of the classroom